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"The Third Soul"
Chapter 12: The promise.
Standards Disclaimers Apply
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The day came and went so fast that Tokio didn't realize it until the sunset. She had been sweeping the main porch when a bird cried out, causing her to look up and she finally saw the sunset… The sunset, it held so many memories… She leaned on her broom, gazing at the majestic star of the day. Another day… I've survived another day… Sighing profoundly, she walked away, leaving her broom in the kitchen closet, she quickly made her way to her room, and waiting for something she dreaded to happen.
Will he tonight?
She unfolded the futon and loosened her obi. Lying down, under the window, she gazed the fading blue of the sky. Slowly, she watched it turning blazing orange, then warm purple; she could almost see the first stars…
The door slid open and Saito stepped inside. Tokio turned her head to face him. He stood in the doorway, hard face, whose traits have been sculpted by the wind itself. The Wind. Her major element, the one who had advised her to ask for the Wolves assistance. The only wolves in whole Kyoto were the ShisenGumi. And who better than a man nicknamed Miburo, wolf of Mibu, to represent the Wolves the wind talked about. For the two days, they have spent together, Saito Hajime, Captain of the Third Squad of the ShisenGumi has protected her, held her, giving his own strength and some of his blood for her.
Why? Because his faith was stronger than anything in the world. Aku. Zoku. San. She had tried earlier to understand how he could believe his death would actually serve his faith, but she had failed.
He had agreed on linking his very soul to hers… He also had accepted to pretend being her husband… He had given her so much and she? What did he receive from her, apart her troubles and a new lethal enemy… Oh, she knew him. Better than anyone perhaps. But she only knew. She still didn't understand him.
She knew about his childhood, him being the only son of an old samurai family. His father wanted him to be the strongest. His training under his own father's sword. His blood splashing the ground as his father, angry for a wrong move, inflicted him a severe correction. His mother, weak and so beautiful, crying at her only son wounds, but too weak to stop her husband. His torn hands. His fiery golden eyes, so much like his father. His sisters he tried to protect from his father. His biggest sister smiling softly to him and kissing his cheek. His other sister holding him in her arms as she took him to the market with her. Their happy faces on their wedding days, but he had cried on these days because his sisters were leaving him alone. Him, alone, in the family dojo, as he had no friend to share this place with.
And then, his dying father, lying at his feet, who congratulated his son for killing him, his father, the horrified shriek of his sisters. His mother, killing herself, behind the shoji and him not fast enough to stop her from cutting her own throat. His sisters crying around him. He was 16 and has just killed his father, leading his mother to suicide and himself to the infinite darkness, which were now his world.
A warm calloused hand placed her on cheek jerked her from her musings on him: he had removed his outer light blue hakama and his katana was lying against the wall.
Lost in her own world, Tokio didn't see him coming closer and kneeling on the futon, calling her name softly. She didn't see it until he put his hand on her face.
"Where were you?"
She looked up at him, staring at him, at his golden eyes. Eyes, which fascinated her. She knew his eyes could hold the warmth of the sun but could also destroy anyone with its fiery angry flame that burnt sometimes. Now, the usual ironic flame was replaced by one she dared not to name… Could it be?
The words blurted out of her lips before she could stop them:
"Why did you kill your father?"
Saito's eyes widened, surprised and shocked. As if she had slapped him, he suddenly jumped backwards. Tokio cursed herself for her own careless words but didn't dare to look up at him: she could only remember the last time she had talked about his parents and the violent reaction that had followed. She leaned on a elbow, head bent, waiting for the outburst but nothing came. She risked a glance at him and found him, sitting a few feet from her, looking at his hands.
"Because he tried to kill me."
Tokio immediately felt guilty and tried to apologize. "Hajime… I'm sorry, I shouldn't have…"
His raw voice cut her pitiful attempt to make up things. "I hated him. I still do, I think." Tokio fell silent, she knew that there was more things to be said. Saito was still looking at his hands. "After that my sisters got married, since I was the last child, he started to train me. He would beat me up if I did one move wrong. I remember my mother's cries when she would try to stop my father at the beginning. But she only tried for the first few weeks, after she let the matter drop. I think that my father would hit her at night that's why she never tried again after. When I was 16, he decided that I was old enough and he tried to kill me. He was the first man I ever killed." Tokio bit her lower lip hard, getting on her knees, she placed her hands in his. He closed his long fingers around hers and squeezed them gently. He got on his knees and moved closer to her, an ironic flame burning in his eyes.
"What have you done to me?" he whispered huskily, his mouth a few inches from hers.
"I…I…" Tokio spluttered, not knowing what to do or say, as she was hypnotized by his eyes.
Hearing her splutter, made Saito smile with pure male pride, erasing the pain that his childhood always brought back and he kissed her, pushing her back on the futon.
Saito pushed some of Tokio hair away from her face. He gazed down at her pretty features as she laid down in his arms. They were curled in the futon, Saito's arms wrapped loosely around her. Both of them fully awake, looking in each other eyes.
Waiting.
Waiting for something they knew was coming, staring at each other. They didn't have to wait for a long time: clouds came running, covering the last rays of the sun, erasing the last traces of color, covering the city in its blackness. Heavy drops fell on the ground, each harder than the one before and soon nothing could be heard but the rain. Wind howled in the streets as a starving wolf. And he attacked.
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Saito threw himself on his wife, falling heavily on Tokio, putting all his strength in his arms, he tried to hold her down as she screamed and shook with pain. The pain he felt too. He too could see the rain turning red, when Muraki stabbed for another time his victim, but not in one of her vital points. Oh, no, if Muraki hit the girl in one of her vital points, she'd die instantly! Oh, sure she was going to die, but not that fast! It'd be too easy and Tokio-chan had to pay, to be hurt to remember how to obey her master. And that damn wolf, he'd be the next!
Saito gritted his teeth against the pain, thinking that it was nothing compared to what Tokio was enduring, she was still holding him back: he felt her pain, but she wouldn't allow herself to drown herself in Saito and let all her pain wash over him as it did with her. She couldn't even cry, anguished cries only escaped her lips to be drown by the rain, moans and incoherent words of mercy also punctuated the assault.
She was kicking something away with all her might, struggling against Saito's hold, sometimes trying to vanish under him, as if she knew he would protect her. Then it stopped.
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Tokio fell lifelessly against the futon and Saito collapsed on her, breathing heavily in her ear. Her senses, slowly, painfully, came back to her. She started to feel again her own body, her legs, arms, wrists captured in an iron cage. Hajime. She rested her cheek against his, listening to her heartbeat and his. Both hearts next to one another as he laid on top of her, beating the same rhythm of life. But for how long? Then, she cried, silently, softly.
Outside, a bird cried out and a wolf howled to death. They had both heard Muraki's last threat.
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"SAITO!" The door flung open, revealing the Captains of the 1st and 2nd Squad of the ShisenGumi. Both men stopped dead in their tracks at the sight that greeted them: the Captain of the Third Squad of the ShisenGumi, lying on top of a woman, who was supposed to be his wife. Saito's face was buried in his wife neck, his hands still holding down her wrists above her head, while her face was turned in Saito's direction. Two burning golden eyes, in the midnight of her black hair falling on both of them, were glaring at the other two men, under Tokio's chin.
"Are we interrupting something?" Harada asked.
"Baka!" Okita whacked him on the back of his head, while Tokio slowly turned her eyes to them: empty. No word could describe her usually vivid eyes more. Her eyes, as black as the night, were emptied of any emotion, startled the young men. Okita gritted his teeth, a line of red blood was running down her chin.
Saito slowly, as if he was exhausted, raised to a kneeling position, looking intensely at her face. She had turned her head back to him when he had started to move. Expressionless, she let him brush away the last traces of tears off her eyes and brush her blood away.
"You should stop biting your lower lip." Saito stated, emotionless too.
"Harada, fetch Kagome-san, tell her Tokio-chan's ill and she needs her assistance." Okita directed Harada and after pushing him outside, stepped outside the room too and waited for Saito to join him.
The latter stood up slowly and followed by Tokio's eyes, made his way out of the room. He closed the door behind him, leaning on it, he waited for Okita to begin.
"The news of the death of Shigekura has spread out. We don't know how. Kondo wants us to be in patrol tonight, movement of fears have been detected near the east door." Okita quickly said.
Kagome came running in the stairs, followed by Harada, she pushed Saito aside and went in, closing the door abruptly behind her.
"Pff! She's worse that my mother!!" Harada joked. Both Okita and Saito glared at Harada who held both hands up in defense.
Okita turned back to Saito: "Shigekura's death was only known by the highest members of the government and we were in duty to avoid the information to go out. So…"
"So, there's a traitor in the ShisenGumi." Saito cut Okita and a smile slowly appeared on his lips. "Then, he's finally moving… But why that fast?"
"Saito? Care to explain?" Harada frowned at Saito, when the latter sighed heavily.
"Ahou ga. Remember, someone took someone else place in our troops."
"Muraki." Okita looked thoughtful.
Saito nodded and kept on. "He must have killed a man from my unit."
"Maybe not. Why would he want to have a place so close to you, knowing certainly you're looking for him? I mean, if he belonged to another unit, he could move easier than with you on his back." Okita interjected.
"I'm the next on his list." Silence followed.
Harada scratched his chin, he, too, was trying to figure out Muraki's next move. "Hmm, so he could stick around you, without attracting the attention and wait for the perfect occasion to jump at your throat."
"That sounds too easy, even Ahou ga here managed to understand. He's more intelligent than that. He must be planning something."
"You'd better stay here, tonight, no?" Harada let the insult pass, they had better things to worry about that a stupid name calling game.
"Oh, no. Better let him believe I didn't see anything coming. Whatever the rest of his plan is, I'd found out." Saito's smile widened. Then a thought crossed his mind, erasing completely his smile. "But, what annoys me is that she stays here, without protection."
Saito stared at the closed door, as if he could see through. Okita and Harada looked at each other, looking for a solution, but Kamuro Magami had forbidden them to be around Tokio till midnight.
"Hey, Okita, Kondo-sama still waiting for us." Harada reminded his younger friend.
"Oh, yeah. Well gotta go."
Saito nodded and watched them go away, waiting in front of his bedroom door. The pounding rain sounded more than ever dreadful.
Harada and Okita were walking towards Kondo's office, next to his bedroom, in front of the garden, at the first floor of the inn. "He has changed. Before, he wouldn't have cared a damn about her."
Okita nodded, not really listening to Harada.
"What's wrong with you? You haven't smiled or laughed at any of my jokes today. Am I losing my touch?" Harada smirked trying to lighten up the mood… Tokio's empty eyes still seemed to linger around him.
Okita stopped and glared at Harada, who sighed and slapped his forehead with his right hand, as comprehension dawned. "Oh, no. Don't tell me the interdiction still bothers you! Now, Saito turns sentimental. Okita without his annoying little smile! My! What did that girl do to us all?"
Surprised, Okita's eyes widened. He hadn't realized anything but Harada saw. Okita turned his gaze to a flower, nearby, which was drowning under the heavy rain. "She changed him. She changed us all." He murmured.
"Huh?"
"…That whoever ever crossed the path of a Magami will see his life change from point to point…"
Say, Saito, the old woman who told you that was right, ne?
"Nothing." Okita walked away, his long gone smile, coming back to his lips. Harada ran to catch up with him and slapped his back when he saw his friend smile, laughing hard.
"Now, that's the Okita I know! Come on! Tonight, we'll cut some Ishin down! That sounds damn fun!!!"
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"Now, Saito-san. I want to know what happened to this child."
Saito glared at the older woman: Kagome had just stepped out Tokio's room, mad, and stood defiantly in front of the door, preventing Saito to get in.
"I'm not letting you in until you tell me what happened to her!" She put her fists on her hips and waited for his answer.
Saito narrowed his eyes, the less people involved the better. But, now that Muraki was in the inn, the whole inhabitants were, unknown to them, risking their lives every moment. What if the dumb bastard lost sanity and decided to play around? For what he had felt earlier, during Muraki's attack, Saito had been unable to break Tokio and Muraki's link because of the intense turmoil of emotions Muraki had let pass through him to Tokio and Saito.
Muraki clearly was now a madman. But a clever one. The most dangerous type of killer.
"What if he loses sight of where ends the truth and where begins the illusion?" Indeed, what if? Did you know it, Kamuro, that Muraki would be so obsessed by Tokio that he would lose his sanity? Did you?
Saito shook his head, startling Kagome who wasn't expecting an answer: for her, Saito was a cold-blooded murderer, no need to hide the truth, and for what she knew about him, she had expected him to glare down at her, push her aside without a word and get in the room.
"I can't." His deep, rash voice for an instant, at Kagome's ears, covering the sound of the rain. "Since the secret is not mine." Saito stared at Kagome, waiting for her answer, but he wouldn't tell her more.
Kagome's shoulder dropped as she looked at his hard face. His golden eyes, waiting for her answer, flickered with a determined flame: he wouldn't tell her more. Kagome sighed softly, sadly and head bent, walked away, under Saito's gaze. He turned back to the door, and when he was about to open it, Kagome's voice froze his breathing system.
"Whatever she's facing, she's in love with you. Madly. She doesn't even realize it but she will soon. Don't hurt her, I've never seen a so pure heart."
Hand on the door panel, Saito turned to watch Kagome walk downstairs. He took a deep breath and walk inside.
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Tokio opened her eyes as he kneeled besides her. Kagome had made her change into her sleeping yukata. She knew he had stepped in the room but she only acknowledged his presence when she felt him near. She was curled in a tiny ball, lying on her side, facing the door. The floor, under the window, was already drenched.
"What happened?" She whispered.
"Shigekura, Vice-Governor of Kyoto had been murdered last night."
"Oh… Yes."
Saito frowned but Tokio had rolled on her back, sighing deeply, and closed her eyes. Saito stared at her and then stood up.
"Are you going out?" she asked.
"Yes. Movements of fear have been reported."
"Be careful." She looked up at him and for a long time, they only stared at each other, drowning at the other sight.
Saito turned away, took his katana and his light blue outer hakama and left the room. Tokio closed her eyes and sleep claimed her.
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Mine.
Got it?
Mine!
You'll never have her!
NEVER!!
Not even in three lifetimes!
Out of my way!
Mine!
MINE!
MINE!
Tokio sat up abruptly in her bed, breathing hard, cold sweat running down her spine. Eyes wide, she put a shaking hand on her throat as the words she overheard in her nightmare played around her, taunting her, tempting her, hurting her... She was shivering, she drew her knees under her chin and hugged them, with trembling arms. It wasn't only a nightmare. She knew the voice but couldn't put a name on it. Somebody close to her had been screaming in her dreams. Wind blew in the bedroom, attracting her attention to the window: pitch black. The moon was hidden behind the dark, heavy clouds. It had stopped raining but a cold wind was blowing through the city streets. Thunder roared in the distant, sending cold goose bumps down her spine. The moon suddenly appeared from behind its dark curtain and Tokio was sent in another emotional turmoil: there was a halo around the moon. A halo around the moon. It only had one meaning. Only one.
A halo around the moon…
Death for someone close to her heart.
Thunder roared another time and lightings lit up the skies. The world went upside down, spinning, spinning and spinning faster and faster than never before. Someone she loved was about to die. Love… Die… Love… Die… Die… Lighting hit the city once, startling her, blazing the city into a golden, angry flame. The moon disappeared again behind the clouds. Tokio, frightened and cold, stood up and walked closer to the window. The floor under her feet was cold and wet, she leaned on the windowsill, waiting. Waiting for something that would tell her where to go to protect her loved one. Her hands tightened on the windowsill until the knuckles were white.
Hope it's not…
Lighting lit up the skies again, and the streets in the meantime. Right under Tokio's window, just outside, was a wolf, with a white stain on the chest staring up at the window and the animal golden eyes pierced her heart.
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Since he had stepped out of the room, a question has been nagging Saito: Why hadn't he been able to break Muraki's control like the time before?
He and Okita, followed by their men were walking down a wet street, patrolling, inspiring the general sentiment of fear in the people's heart. It had stopped raining but a cold wind was turning around them.
Saito looked around him: his men were walking in perfect order, their swords clearly in view, nobody talked. Okita had his little smile back and was looking around him as if nothing could happen, that it was just a normal night patrol. As usual, Saito parted from his men, that was his mark and his men knew it: whenever there was a patrol, Saito would disappear alone in the night to hunt down whatever he was running after.
But he was a wolf and wolves always come back to the pack.
As Saito walked alone in the city streets, worry and doubt started to plague his heart. What if Okita was right, what if Muraki wasn't in his unit. What if he wanted to get Tokio first and then kill him. But it made no sense: for what he had seen and felt, Tokio with his protection was strong enough to resist him for now. Sure thing, if Saito didn't kill Muraki soon, she'll need some extra help but… Saito gritted his teeth. It's too late to doubt and
A cold wind hit him as if a wave was slapping him in the face. And the world changed.
Saito looked around him in surprise: he was in his family dojo where he hadn't put a foot in since… Saito withdrew his katana from its saya and waited. Footsteps made him turn around to face his mother.
His mother… She was as beautiful as in his memories: her light brown hair and gentle warm chocolate eyes. Her petite frame and perfect face made her look like a china doll. A broken doll if he remembered correctly: his mother had slid her throat open after that he, her very son, had killed her husband, his own father. Dead, she was dead already. That was just one of Muraki's trick. A smile came to his lips.
"You should have pick up someone else from my past, you know."
The woman in front of him chuckled lightly.
"Really? Why?" Her sweet voice made Saito remember his time as a child, when his mother was still happy and carefree, before his father became obsessed with his training.
"My mother was a good woman. But weak."
"Oh, I see. I thought it could help me to destabilize you…looks like I was wrong." She smiled.
"How could you take her looks? I thought you could take only the people you had killed." Saito looked at the woman, curious.
"Well, we're not in the real world, you may have noticed. We're in my illusion and here I'm whatever I want to be."
"So since it didn't work, why don't you show me your real face? I'd like to see the face of the man I'm about to kill."
"How nice, Saito-san."
The woman that was Muraki passed her hand in front of her face and vanished. Saito spun around, trying to locate him. Damn it! Where was that son of a bitch?
"if you wish to see through the illusion then, you'll see reality."
Tokio…
Saito gritted his teeth, it wasn't a place to remember. He firmly set his mind on his goal and pushed his memories at the back of his mind, where he had always buried them, far enough not to always burst in but not far enough for him to forget completely and concentrated on his enemy: Tokio had said to wish, to make his will bent under his wish, goal to see through the illusion, to see reality.
On the left.
Saito, just in time, dodged Muraki's katana aiming at his head, breaking in the meantime the illusion: the dojo, around them, shattered as if it only was a sand castle a child had just kicked in. Saito broke the contact and stepped backwards quickly and studied his opponent: Muraki was a young man around 25, his hair were silver and his blue orbs looked like the clear sky of a happy summer day. No wonder why Tokio couldn't see or remember his face: Muraki was way too unique, and so, too easy to find.
Muraki lured himself at Saito, yelling:
"She's mine! MINE! I've suffered too much, now it's my turn to have the light! It's not fair: why should only the Magami possess the light? Why not us? Not me? Why? If I make her mine, then I'll gain some light! Her light! I want her! She keeps me sane, I love her! I want her! She's mine, mine, mine! Mine. Got it? Mine! You'll never have her! NEVER!! Not even in three lifetimes! Out of my way! Mine! MINE! MINE!"
Saito blocked his attacks and avoided his blows, listening to his opponent speech. Pity touched his heart.
He thinks he loves her. No, he turned his obsession into love. He wants to hold her and have her "light", he wants her to love him... That's why he killed her mother and took mine appearance. The loss of his mother drove him to the edge but it's Tokio's refusal to let herself own by him that sent him over.
"Why did they choose you? Of all people, the closest to the darkness after me, was, is you! So why? I don't understand! Why didn't they pick up that boy from the Ishin? He, I could have easily broke him down! Why you? Why? Why? Why? Tokio! Tokio! Tokio!"
Muraki dropped to his knees and took his head in his hands, in pain. Saito watched him, silently, unmoving. Why me, indeed?
Still hugging his head, Muraki murmured just loud enough to Saito to hear: "How could you cut our connection? I was about to have her! How did you manage to do it? She was about to embrace my darkness and I was more than ready for her light, but you came along and took her away from me! How? How? I want to know! Was it Kamuro who told you how? You, a man without power, how could you?"
That's true… I broke his connection with Tokio, but only once. I failed the last time… Tokio, did you realize it? That I managed to do it, only because it pained me to see you cry because I…
Muraki suddenly stood up, crying, eyes full of hatred and resuming his attacking on Saito, yelling and crying.
"How dare you! How dare you to call for my woman? How dare you? I'll kill you!!!" His movements, completely erratic, surprised Saito by their force and rapidity. Muraki now possessed a madman's strength. Saito gritted his teeth and dodged his attacks but barely. Suddenly, he felt claws laboring his back. He cried out in pain and jumped aside, just in time to avoid being stab in the stomach. Muraki laughed madly, tears still falling from his eyes. He was murmuring words under his breath, words that Saito couldn't understand.
Saito froze in horror as he understood: as Muraki was losing himself, he was losing his control over his power, like his movements, his magic was bound to become erratic. How could he, a man without power, resist this kind of attacks?
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Tokio turned around from the window and ran to the door, she almost fell in the stairs as she was trying to go down as fast as she could. She slammed the kitchen door open, surprising Kagome and Arashi who were still cleaning it, and ran outside, without hearing Kagome and Arashi' s calls for her. She opened the garden gate and looked frantically around for the wolf. It came, walking casually, to her and after a short bark, turned around and started to run. Tokio quickly followed, running bare foot, at night, under a storm to a man she barely knew because he was the one closest to her heart.
Small drops fell on the ground.
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The wolf led her to a small alley, near the East Door but Saito was nowhere in sight. How could she find him? The last time she came to this part of the town she was barely 7. Panting and wet, Tokio suddenly felt so scared and frightened that she wished for a moment to disappear under the next rock. The wolf stroke his head against her leg, Tokio stared down at it and dropped to her knees, hugging the wolf.
"I'm sorry, I was being selfish. I'm coming. I'm scared but I don't want to lose you because you are so important to me, so please, wait for me. Hajime."
The wolf licked her cheeks, making her smile and vanished in the night. Tokio stood up and summoned her bird. It landed on her extended arm:
"Please, my friend, take your flight and help me to find Hajime."
The bird cried once and flew away. By its eyes, Tokio looked for the Miburo. A spell caught her attention, the bird aimed at it, as fast as it could, it entered the spell structure and destroyed it, allowing Tokio to step in the illusion.
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It felt like it was the wind itself that had turned into a blade, hundred of blades, cutting his flesh, drinking his blood, pinning him to what was supposed to be the floor. Then it stopped. Saito, lying on the floor, coughed some blood and tried to sit up. Leaning on one elbow, he saw Muraki on his knees, shivering, holding his head, suddenly, he jerked his head behind, his mouth open as if he was yelling. But no sound escaped his lips. The man suddenly collapsed on the floor. Saito tried to stand up, groaning and cursing. Soft hands reached him from behind, warmth invaded him. Tokio. He turned around a little: her wide eyes were focused on Muraki. It was the second time that she met him. The first one, Death caressed her and almost brought her over, but her mother took her place.
Tokio swallowed hard and started to shake. She gritted her teeth against the fear and put her arm around Saito's waist. Saito nodded to her and she led him out the illusion.
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Saito groaned as Tokio made him lean against the opposite wall. She looked frightened and cold, her hair were falling around her, much like a curtain, shielding her. Her wet yukata hugged her figure a little too much for Saito's comfort, so he dropped his gaze to the ground and noticed her bare feet.
She must have been in a hurry to go out in this state of dress. Saito smiled lazily. He felt like falling towards the ground.
A warm hand rested against his cheek.
"Hajime? Daijoubu ka?"
Saito looked up at her face. She was worried and scared, frightened by the amount of blood he was losing: her eyes kept on drifting between his wounds and his face.
"Please…" she whispered, coming closer to him, she rested her head against his uninjured shoulder and Saito placed his right arm around her waist. "Don't die… Not here… Not now… I… I… Hajime, I need to tell you… I…" She jerked from his embrace and put her hands on his shoulders. "Please, hang on, I'm going for some help. Please."
She turned around and ran. But a white hand grabbed her.
"Where were you going, my love?"
"Ah… No, no… Please… Let me go…" Tokio fought against the silver man, she couldn't look at his face. Fear was freezing her from inside.
Saito groaned and pushed himself off the wall, tightening his grip on his katana, still in his right hand, as if it was part of his body. Despite his deep wound in his back and his wound on his side, which had reopened, his steps were steady and his hold on his sword was firm.
The wolf, even deadly wounded, had to protect what was his.
It didn't matter anymore if what he was feeling for that little girl was because of the link that they shared. No, what was important now, was that someone he loved was about to be taken away from him, the Miburo couldn't stand it, no, he couldn't let happen to her what had happened to his father and mother, he recognized it: despite all that his father caused him, he still loves him perhaps he had never stopped to.
Saito shook his head, trying to clear his mind: he would try to find out for his feelings later, when this matter would be settled, when he would have some time to know her more, not because of their link but because of the time they would spend together, when he would have the guts to tell her how much importance she had taken in his life, when he would have time to clear up things with his disarranged feelings about himself, his father and Tokio.
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"He has changed." Atsuko stated. She was surrounded by trees, looking down in the pool at her feet.
"No, he's simply grown." Kamuro, besides her, answered, smiling. He, too, was looking in the water, where three people could be seen.
"What's the difference?"
"Hajime Saito killed one of his loved ones in the past, causing the death of his mother and the sorrow of his sisters. He felt like a weight for those who knew him because of who he was, because of what he was, so he went away. To let the others have a 'normal' life like they had before, he embraced the shadows. Now, he has someone to protect, someone that he loves. He loves again: Tokio has taught him how to love again. He's accepted what he was and who he was. This is called growing up: that's all the difference in the world, my dear." The man stayed silent for some time before sighing deeply. "Poor thing. Muraki still refuses to let the gift mark him as one of us."
"I don't understand."
"Of course not. You and I would never really understand him. I think the only person who could actually understand him is the Miburo. See, Muraki was born with the power, like us, as his father and mother. But, due to a painful experience from his childhood, he rejected his gift, to protect himself. He threw the gift away. But his power is too strong and has too much importance in his life to just let him go, so he's been living half- dead. Accepting a gift fully, like the power that we hold, is something that asks a great deal of bravery and strength. Unlike us, who are all gathered in a clan where we can count on each other, Muraki was alone and for what he could remember, the gift was only a curse to him."
"So he refused it."
"That's why he wants our little granddaughter. He thinks he can find a way to accept his gift with her at his side, since she had no problem to."
Atsuko looked thoughtfully at Kamuro for a long time, before smiling softly, mocking him a little. "I suppose that's why you're 'The First Elder'…" Silence fell around the two speakers as they kept on gazing at their magical water mirror. "Arashi loved you, from the bottom of her heart. She really did, you know. But we were twins, I was another part of her body, of her soul. That's why she went away without telling you a word. Because at that time, you wouldn't have understood."
Kamuro sighed heavily. "I know. I was jealous of your relationship. Because there was a part of her I couldn't reach, that only you could. I had given her all of me, I had let wander within my heart and soul, and I was being refused the same…" he chuckled lightly. "I was such a spoiled brat… Looks like I've grown too. But so have you."
Atsuko looked at her companion and whispered to him, a secret she longed to tell him for years. "Reiji knew about you… I told him a long time ago, when he asked me why you kept on looking at him. First, I used to lie and tell him it was because he had a great power, but once he cornered me, telling me he knew it wasn't the truth and that he wanted it… Clever little brat. I think it was when he was about to hit 9 years old…" Sadness overwhelmed her and she started to cry softly. Her once brother-in-law put his arms around her shoulders.
"It's over now… He's gone." His own pain was killing him softly but he would allowed it to take him within the welcoming arms of Death only when the child that was supposed to take his place would be ready. "His mother surely is happy to see him…but thank you for telling me." He added quietly, removing his arm from her shoulders.
"I think that we all need to grow up." Atsuko said, drying her tears.
"Yes and for that we're all going out to help. Fetch that grandson of mine, he's hiding near the cave, up in a tree. Tell Toya, he has to choose: it's either you or me. And I wouldn't be happy if I had to go there by myself."
As the woman walked away, the man whispered softly to the water:
"Yes, only you could understand him, Saito-san. Because like him, for a long time, you refused to accept that man for what he truly was: your father. Because of the pain he put you through, you hated him from the bottom of your young heart with an intensity that should have never reached for a boy of that age… But you accepted him, now. You accepted what you've done, you accepted the fact that you loved him even if you thought that you hated him. I wish that Muraki would see the light like you, but…"
::::::::::::::::::::~::::::::::::::::::::~::::::::::::::::::::
"Muraki. Let her go."
Tokio stopped fighting and turned around: Saito was standing a few meters from them, katana in hand, his ken-ki was brighter than never before. As ice in the sun, her fear of the killer holding her melt away. Tokio felt safe because he was there. Because he was always there.
Muraki slowly turned around to face Saito. The smirk on his lips disappeared as the intensity of his opponent ken-ki hit him.
How could this be? He was deeply wounded and losing a great amount of blood. More, he's just been deeply injured the day before. So how could he stand like that, in the middle of the night, drowning under a heavy rain while his blood was forming a red pool at his feet. Muraki growled in rage: the one he thought was already defeated still stood in his way. He sent Tokio crashing in a wall, nearby and yelled at Saito:
"How many times should I have to kill you? You should have let death take you! Now, I will greatly enjoy killing you really slowly!"
Saito took his fighting stance:
"I made a mistake, earlier, I should have killed you when you were at my mercy. But I pitied you, so I did nothing. This will not happen twice. Come."
Muraki lured himself at Saito "Pitied me? I don't want you to pity me! You bastard, I'll show you!"
Tokio stood up, back still on the wall, eyes wide at the fight going on. She was shaking, she couldn't do anything.
I'm such a coward.
Tokio clenched her fists. Even if I'm to die, then I'll die at least protecting him. He did so much for me, this isn't his battle, this is mine: I have to stop fearing him…Muraki…and everything will be alright.
She closed her eyes and focused on the two fighters in front of her. Fight off your fears, my girl.
A soft hand brushed her cheek, a familiar smell tingled her nose: her parents were with her.
Always, little one.
Father, how can I fight?
Do you love the Wolf?
I…
Do you?
…Yes.
Then, forget about the fear and let your love for him shine.
Your love for him will pierce the dark clouds above you.
Mother…
It's you who summoned all this rain and created this storm, because you were scared. Now, my daughter, let love outcast fear.
Mother… thank you.
It's a fine young man that you chose.
Tokio felt warmth invade her. Light surrounded her, filling her.
:::::::::::::::::::::::~:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Saito felt like he was watching his own fight with Muraki as a spectator of a show. How weird. Around him, a wolf and a bird were defending him from… Things… That was the only way he could put it to describe what were trying to attack him from behind. The wolf and bird were obviously stronger than Muraki's pets, but it didn't save them from several cuts and light wounds: the bird's white wings were covered with red and the wolf's fangs were dripping a red liquid. The wolf turned its head to the skies and howled in victory as the last of Muraki's toys died. The latter cried out in pain and Saito didn't miss the occasion to cast him a blow.
But it wasn't enough.
Muraki looked up at Saito, his eyes were injected with blood. From his mouth, red saliva was falling. He was panting and swearing, cursing Saito with words the latter couldn't understand. Something hit him with full force, sending him in the next wall, making him howl in pain. As if a sword, which had been placed in a fire, was torturing his insides, Saito felt himself losing it to pain. He crumbled on the ground, back leaning on the wall.
Something's missing.
He coughed blood and shakily wrapped his left arm around his torso, moaning.
No. This can't be happening.
Behind Muraki, Saito could see Tokio, shaking, on her knees, holding her middle, crying in pain.
Tokio…
"There is another way to free someone from a link, did you know, Miburo? Of course not, it's a forbidden spell, like one of her father used." Muraki explained, jerking his head in Tokio's direction. "Serves you right, Tokio- chan. Did you really believe I would have let you fall in love with this bastard?" Muraki turned back to Saito. "Anyway, I bet it hurts, no? I wouldn't know, the Magami are too coward to try to do something like that." Muraki sat on his heels in front of Saito and grinned. "You see, I've just torn both of your souls in two." He cocked his head on the side and amused himself by stabbing Saito in the hands, hips and arms, causing the Miburo to yell in pain, each time louder. His voice filled the night each time Muraki took away some of his life but if someone, of the houses around, heard him, he did as if nothing happened and probably kept on sleeping.
"I like the sound of the voice, Saito-san. But not as much as Tokio-chan's voice." He laughed again.
Tokio raised her head and glared at Muraki's back, she was hurting like hell and feeling numb in the same time, as if someone had just cut her one arm: the pain was so intense that she couldn't feel anything but she had to do something for Saito. She had to do something for the man she fell in love with. How easy it was to admit now that she felt she was about to lose him… She shook with horror as the man stab Saito in his right arm to make him yell again.
No.
The pain was tearing her apart, but she couldn't let it matter to her, right now. She had to help Saito, but how? She remembered how her parents' warmth surrounded her and stood up difficultly. She walked to stand behind Muraki, catching his sword with her bare hands barely in time to save Saito from another blow.
"What?" Muraki spun around, surprised. Muraki, angered, punched Tokio in the face, punch that she couldn't avoid since she had use her last bit of strength to stand up and catch the deadly sword, knocking her out. She fell on the ground like a lifeless doll.
Hajime…
"Feh, serves you right, bitch. I'll teach you later how to serve your master." Muraki turned back to Saito and a pair of glaring golden eyes greeted him.
Muraki fell backwards, astonished, as Saito's ken-ki once again, flared up.
"Don't you…" Panting, Saito glared at Muraki. "Dare… to touch…her."
Muraki blinked several times before answering, casting Saito his best wolfish smile:
"And who will stop me, Miburo? You?"
Saito braced himself and gathered his last bits of strength to stand up defiantly in front of Muraki, who astonished didn't make a move to stop him.
"Try me." Saito smiled in his most feral way and tightened his hold on his katana until his knuckled turned white.
Muraki couldn't believe his eyes. How could this man still stand up? He had been stabbed several times, had deep injuries, one on the back and one on his side, and he was still standing up. Muraki narrowed his eyes: magic was filling the air but where was the source of the magic? Muraki could almost see the magic: to him, it was like a golden aura coming around Saito, supporting his arms and legs, giving him strength.
Muraki jumped on his feet; anger was making his limbs shake, and raised his sword above his head, running madly in Saito's direction.
Saito, who waited until the very last moment, stepped a little on the side and drew his sword in Muraki's unprotected torso.
Muraki dropped his sword on the ground and gazed stupidly at the sword planted in his body. He blinked several times and started to fell backwards, murmuring:
"Tokio…"
As he hit the ground, his eyes fell on Tokio's still form: the golden aura was radiating from her body. She was the source. She was…
"Mother…"
A last small path of red blood made it way down Muraki's face.
Tokio moaned and pushed herself off the ground. She looked through her hair that had fallen on her face: Muraki was lying at Saito's feet, a sword pinched in his body. The Miburo, however, was still standing but it was obvious he was about to collapse. Tokio stood up quickly and ran to his side but she wasn't fast enough to catch him before that he hit the ground. She reached out for him, kneeling at his side and put his head on her lap, making him turn in the circle of her arms.
"HAJIME!" She cried out, as if with only a call she could push Death away.
The rain had stopped falling.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"OKITA-SAMA!"
Okita spun around as one of his recruits called out for him: the man pointed in the alley behind them direction. A wolf was there, sitting calmly as if it was waited to be noticed. As soon as Okita saw it, he understood who it was. The wolf stood up and turned its head to the skies, howling. It then turned around and disappeared in the night.
Okita lost no time:
"You!" he yelled, appointing one of his men. "Run to Harada, tell him to meet me in front of the East Door!"
The man ran in the opposite direction from where they were coming and Okita barked orders to his other fellow to keep on patrolling while he was away. He then ran to the East Door.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Out of breath, Harada let Okita in front of the East Door. The younger man was looking frantically around.
As soon as he arrived at a hearable distance, Harada yelled at Okita "What?"
"Saito needs us! Ah! There it is! Come on!"
Okita past Harada, running.
"Okita! Wait!" Harada cried out.
Okita yelled over his shoulder. "Come on, you dolt! Can't you see the wolf? It's covered with blood!"
"Wolf? I can't see any damn fucking animal in here!" Harada asked, disbelief.
But Okita didn't answer him and so Harada kept on running after his friend.
*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.
Tokio hugged Saito closer. She was crying her eyes out, sometimes looking up for someone who could help them. She had cried to the inhabitants of the houses around them to come outside and help them, but no one answered to her cries.
"Hajime," she whispered in his ear, "please, don't die. Please. Please." She sobbed harder and clutched and the fabric of his shirt. "Hajime… I love you."
A wolf howl caught her attention, making her look up again. The wolf came, running, followed the Captains of the First and Second Squad of the ShisenGumi. Both men were drenched and panting hard, but Tokio paid no attention to them as she was focused of the wolf in front of her.
The wolf looked at her and Saito for a long time, then turned around and started to walk away. Tokio let a small cry of despair escaped her lips:
"No!"
Okita and Harada watched, frozen at the scene in front of them: Saito, looking dead, in the girl's embrace.
"Come back!" Tokio cried out again. "Please! You don't have the right to leave me! You promised, you selfish bastard! COME BACK!" She was turning hysterical but it didn't stop the wolf of walking away.
Tokio clenched her fists:
"Fine! Then, I'll come with you!" She looked behind her and grabbed Muraki's sword, still crying. Her great white bird landed next to her. The wolf stopped frozen in its tracks, it, then, turned back slowly as if it couldn't believe what she had just said.
"Tokio-chan, NO!" Okita yelled, running to her. She had lifted the sword holding it by the blade, to her throat. She had intended to cut her own throat open but angry fangs snatched the sword away from her. Tokio watched the wolf that was Saito in disbelief as the wolf growled low in its throat as if it wanted to lecture her. Between her tears, she smiled and hugged Saito while the bird stroke its head against the wolf neck. The both of them then vanished together and Harada clearly saw Saito take a deep breath, a labored one but a breath.
Okita kneeled next to Saito:
"He needs medical attention or he'll die. Harada."
The young man didn't even bothered to answer and ran for a doctor. He was about to turn in a alley when a group of seven people caught his attention: as they came closer, Harada realized that it was Tokio's brother and the Magami first Elder surrounded by people that could only be the Magami Elder Council. Harada waited for them and led them to Tokio, Saito and Okita without a word.
:~.~:~.~:~.~:~.~:~.~:~.~:~.~:~.~:~.~:~.~:
He's been hurt. Injured. Because of her. If she had remained in the Magami Estate, if she…
Tokio covered her face with her hands and started crying, for at least the hundredth time. She was looking over Saito, who was resting in their room, trying to recover from his fight with Muraki, 2 weeks before. He had slept through the whole two weeks and Tokio had never left his side, scared that he might need anything or that she might no be there when he would wake up. The physician had told her and Okita, Saito would wake up soon but it's been almost 2 weeks now that he's been sleeping…
The old doctor who had came back for a check up was astonished but Okita and the others couldn't exactly explain the old man who tended the wounds of the Captain that it was the young woman as pale as a ghost who had actually saved the Miburo' s life and that his soul would have been broken. That's why he needed to sleep, Toya reassured them all saying that it was perfectly normal, but…
Saito moaned in his sleep and quickly, the young woman removed her hands and looked up at him. But the man remained still and Tokio started to sob again, she put her head in the hollow of his shoulder and whispered through her tears:
"Hajime, wake up, please, Hajime…" her voice broke when the sobs, more violent now, shook her violently. Finally, exhausted, she fell asleep against him.
::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=:=
Saito slowly became aware of his own body and injuries, something warm was pressed against his side and he felt a dead weight on his left shoulder. He tried to open his eyes when a familiar voice quietly said:
"Ah, I see that you finally decided to wake up, Saito-san."
Okita.
Saito groaned and opened his eyes, the younger man was sitting on his right, behind him the window was opened and Saito could see the full moon. He took his eyes back to the youngster who was smiling, as usual.
"Tokio-chan remained at your side through the days and nights that had followed your fight against Muraki. She wouldn't take any rest and so her brother cheated and put something in her tea, guess it worked."
Tokio was blissfully asleep next to him, in her sleep, she had thrown an arm around his waist and she had pressed herself against his side. Saito sighed and rested his cheek against the top of her head, closing his eyes, looking for what was supposed to be broken in his soul.
Muraki had destroyed their link, he had clearly felt it during the fight but still he hoped that… and Saito felt it.
Their link.
On one hand, he was relieved that it had survived; on the other, the sensible part told him that it was wrong. He was supposed to die. Not live, now she was bound to him, she'll never gain her freedom. Linked to a cold- hearted killer. She deserved better. But, a little voice, from the darker parts of his mind told him that he was a fool because he couldn't live without her. Oh, no, he'd rather die that feel again what Muraki made him felt when he cut their connection.
Saito opened his eyes when Okita spoke again:
"She was the one who called you back. After that Muraki broke your link and that you killed him and almost died in the process, she in a way or another, linked herself back to you. When we found the both of you," Okita kept on, "she was hugging you, crying her heart out, and coming from the middle of nowhere the wolf walked to her, deadly injured. Like you." Okita's smile flattered a little and his eyes took a vague expression, as if the man was looking at the past.
"Tokio-chan saw it too and extended her arms to it, telling it to come back to her, that it didn't have the right to leave her because it had promised, that it was selfish. First, I thought she had gone mad, then I understood: that was you she was calling back to life. But, as stubborn as you, the wolf started to walk away and she said she'd walk with you. A great bird came and she took your sword from your hand, the wolf stopped frozen and turned back and when she was about to stab herself, the wolf threw itself on the sword and sent it away from her. She hugged you and the bird disappeared as the wolf. Then, her brother and 6 other persons arrived and they did something. The brother told us they linked you back to her so that you'd lived. Harada and I disagree on this, we both believe you'd have live through it, because she called you back."
Saito listened to Okita's speech, dumbstruck, why? Why did she? The words were turning in his head. Okita probably saw his blank face and mocked Saito, saying:
"You, who are so proud of yourself because you understand the other at the perfection, when it comes to you!" the young man shook his head and added "She loves you, that why she did it. Baka ne." Okita rose to his feet and made his way out, "I bet now this wedding's no longer a way to hide her... she will wake up soon. The potion was supposed to last for 5 hours."
Still a little daze at the fact that Okita actually called him Baka, Saito watched him leave without a word.
He watched the moon disappeared behind the clouds, fascinated and saw it come back to shine again among the stars, by the window. So engrossed that he was in the awe of the moon that he didn't felt her wake up. He turned back his head when he heard quiet sobs and Tokio's eyes, full of tears, greeted him. She threw her arms around his neck and cried harder; a small smile made its way up to his lips and he hugged her back.
She was saying incoherent things to him but it didn't matter: he was just glad to be back, to have her even if it was just for a while. He couldn't let her link herself back to him while he could die any minute; after all, the war wasn't over.
She must have felt it because she stiffened in his arms and jerked from his embrace and yelled to him:
"How dared you? Dared to think that you could leave me behind!" Tokio then closed her little fists and started to hit him in the chest. "You, selfish bastard, trying to break your promise, now you're back and you're still thinking of leaving me behind? How dare you? You're mine, Hajime Saito! I won you over Death! You came back! To me! To me! Mine! Got it? Don't you dare to even think of leaving me behind!" She would have go on if Saito hadn't let a single moan of pain escaped his lips but well, he didn't actually plan it, but the pain and the shock of her yelling at him gave in.
Tokio stopped abruptly, feeling guilty and she threw herself abruptly back to him begging for him to forgive her.
Saito grunted and held her close, he knew he deserved it but he wanted her to stop apologizing to him, so he did the only sensible thing to him to quiet her: he kissed her.
Saito reluctantly let her go, opening his eyes: she had still hers closed and she slowly passed some trembling fingers on her lower lip.
"I guess I could have done this before to silence you…" he whispered. "I'm sorry."
::_::_::_::_::_::_::_::_::_::_::_::_::_::_::
After drying her tears, they lied down on the futon and under the pale light of the moon, she whispered to him what had happened while he was out.
She told him the Elders arrival; the ceremony of establishment of her brother…Saito listened quietly to her soft voice, a hand buried in her hair, sometimes playing with it. When she fell silent, they remained together, in the arms of each other, enjoying the quiet of the night, as if their world had stopped turning to let them share a moment of intimacy. When a growl broke the silence.
Tokio leaned on her elbow looking down at him, a graceful eyebrow up in a mocking manner, a smile tugging her lips. So when his stomach growled again, she laughed but her laughter broke when her own stomach growled back to him. They stared at each other and together they burst in laughter.
She put her forehead on his and said, giggling:
"See, even our bodies agree on, you and I belong to each other."
"I guess I lost my first battle over a little lady."
She smiled and shook her head negatively:
"Nobody lost here, there're only two winners, aren't there?" She asked, looking deeply in his golden eyes.
Saito caressed her cheek, down to her lips, which he gently traced with one finger: "Yes, there are." He pulled her back in his arms and kissed the top of her head. "I think, woman, we'd better start looking for some food before you wake that whole damn house up!" he teased as her stomach growled fiercely.
She pouted a little but helped him to stand up. Together, Saito's leaning on her, a arm across her shoulders, they went down the stairs and made their way to the kitchen. They found some snacks in one of the cupboards and they started to eat.
Tokio let her gaze wandered on her man. He was wearing a light yukata, revealing his hard chest, covered by a bandage. She pointed out that his bandage needed to be changed and she decided that he also needed a bath, much to Saito's reluctance.
…=…=…=…=…=…=…=…=…=…=…=…=…=…=…=
Tokio talked him into taking a bath at 3 in the morning: that's how Saito found himself in the bathhouse while his wife was lighting up the fire. Saito sighed and shook his head, he undressed himself, tied a towel around his waist and carefully, he undid the bandage around his torso. It was a pretty nasty cut, made by Muraki's sword, running on his stomach in a diagonal line. The skin was red and it was stinging him as he poured some now warm water on it, carefully. Following the line with one finger, he thought of what this new scar would forever meant for him… and for her. He had several other new scars, running on his arms, legs and hands where Muraki had stabbed him for pure fun… Muraki.
He remembered their fight: when the man cried and shook with misery as he explained to Saito how his obsession turned into love, how he feared the darkness he lived in.
Yes that could only be the reason: Muraki was born with a gift but he was scared by his gift, it only brought pain and misery to him, only darkness. So, he fought against it, perhaps even not consciously, but he fought against it, he refused to let himself marked by his gift. And when he met a little girl with the same gift as his but so happy, so carefree that she could practice on her own without protection, he felt jealous, he wanted to hold her light… And with time, Muraki turned his obsession into love. Saito sighed again and called himself foolish for feeling pity for an enemy, that wasn't in his nature, but here he couldn't help. Maybe because Muraki reminded himself as a child. When he was a child…
______________________________________
Tokio was in charge of lighting up the fire to heat up the bath: grumbling a little and making sure that nobody was there, she released a small spell that did the job. She walked back in the bathhouse, not daring to open the panel that separated her from the bathroom. Suddenly, she felt sorrow, grief, pain and misery passed through their link. Blinking tears back as the full emotional blast caught her, she did the only sensible thing to her: she slammed the door open.
______________________________________
The sound of the door being opened brutally jerked Saito out of his sad musings over his childhood and, astonished, he watched Tokio running to him. Again, she threw her arms around his neck and buried her head in his right shoulder. Saito smiled and stroke her head:
"Did your brother let you fall on your head while you were little?"
Tokio jerked her head away from his hand and looked up, outraged.
"What the hell does that mean?"
"Are you crazy?"
She pushed him away and he fell on his butt, but he was laughing lightly.
"Tokio, he said, you burst in the room and threw yourself to me as if there was a monster running after you? What do you want me to think?"
Pouting, she kneeled in front of him and gently put her arms back around his neck.
"I felt suddenly so lost and… bad… I…" unable to finish her sentence, she bit her lower lip.
"Stupid." Saito kissed her lightly. Tokio leaned again on his shoulder, sniffling. "I thought I had already asked you to stop crying."
"You didn't ask" she bit back "you barked." She pushed herself off him and looked at him. "By the way, you really need that bath, you stink."
Saito laughed again and stood up with her help.
He hugged her from behind as she had turned to leave him alone and whispered in her ear.
"I've learned my lesson. And I will keep my promise to you. I swear."
Tokio turned in his embrace and looked up at him.
"I love you too." She whispered and Saito tightened his hold on her, burying his head in her shoulder.
._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._.
THE END
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! IT'S FINALLY OVER!!!!!!!!! WAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!
Anyway, I wanted a write a lemon sequel but I found out that I can't write lemons !_! Bah, maybe later.
So how did you guys found it? I mean the story. Did you like it? Which part needs reworking? (I'm too tired to check in the dictionary if "reworking" really exists a word, so please, bear me.) Was the end understandable? It was quite hard to write and I think that it must be really confusing. Ah, I'm sorry!
I've just realized how much my ending (I mean the part with Tokio's mother) sounded like the Escaflowne one… Bouuuuh, bouuuuuuuuh, I didn't mean to, I'm sorry guys…
Anyway, I'm happy this finally came out. You see, I wrote this chapter THREE times.
I deleted the first version because it was horrible and the second time it was all too mushy for my taste… Argh but I kinda like how this story turned out. Anyway, thank you all for reviewing, for helping me. I hope you'll remember my fic and read the next works I'll do…
Now, see you all.
BTW, a sequel (not a lemon, though) is planned called "A Cat and a Dragon." It's on Tokio's weird answer when Saito told her about Shigekura's death!!!
AAAAAAAAHHHHH! I'm already giving too much of the story! Oh, well, but the sequel won't be out for a long time! I'm sorry, but school has been quite stressful these last days… (when are the vacations???????)
~_^ mikim
"The Third Soul"
Chapter 12: The promise.
Standards Disclaimers Apply
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
The day came and went so fast that Tokio didn't realize it until the sunset. She had been sweeping the main porch when a bird cried out, causing her to look up and she finally saw the sunset… The sunset, it held so many memories… She leaned on her broom, gazing at the majestic star of the day. Another day… I've survived another day… Sighing profoundly, she walked away, leaving her broom in the kitchen closet, she quickly made her way to her room, and waiting for something she dreaded to happen.
Will he tonight?
She unfolded the futon and loosened her obi. Lying down, under the window, she gazed the fading blue of the sky. Slowly, she watched it turning blazing orange, then warm purple; she could almost see the first stars…
The door slid open and Saito stepped inside. Tokio turned her head to face him. He stood in the doorway, hard face, whose traits have been sculpted by the wind itself. The Wind. Her major element, the one who had advised her to ask for the Wolves assistance. The only wolves in whole Kyoto were the ShisenGumi. And who better than a man nicknamed Miburo, wolf of Mibu, to represent the Wolves the wind talked about. For the two days, they have spent together, Saito Hajime, Captain of the Third Squad of the ShisenGumi has protected her, held her, giving his own strength and some of his blood for her.
Why? Because his faith was stronger than anything in the world. Aku. Zoku. San. She had tried earlier to understand how he could believe his death would actually serve his faith, but she had failed.
He had agreed on linking his very soul to hers… He also had accepted to pretend being her husband… He had given her so much and she? What did he receive from her, apart her troubles and a new lethal enemy… Oh, she knew him. Better than anyone perhaps. But she only knew. She still didn't understand him.
She knew about his childhood, him being the only son of an old samurai family. His father wanted him to be the strongest. His training under his own father's sword. His blood splashing the ground as his father, angry for a wrong move, inflicted him a severe correction. His mother, weak and so beautiful, crying at her only son wounds, but too weak to stop her husband. His torn hands. His fiery golden eyes, so much like his father. His sisters he tried to protect from his father. His biggest sister smiling softly to him and kissing his cheek. His other sister holding him in her arms as she took him to the market with her. Their happy faces on their wedding days, but he had cried on these days because his sisters were leaving him alone. Him, alone, in the family dojo, as he had no friend to share this place with.
And then, his dying father, lying at his feet, who congratulated his son for killing him, his father, the horrified shriek of his sisters. His mother, killing herself, behind the shoji and him not fast enough to stop her from cutting her own throat. His sisters crying around him. He was 16 and has just killed his father, leading his mother to suicide and himself to the infinite darkness, which were now his world.
A warm calloused hand placed her on cheek jerked her from her musings on him: he had removed his outer light blue hakama and his katana was lying against the wall.
Lost in her own world, Tokio didn't see him coming closer and kneeling on the futon, calling her name softly. She didn't see it until he put his hand on her face.
"Where were you?"
She looked up at him, staring at him, at his golden eyes. Eyes, which fascinated her. She knew his eyes could hold the warmth of the sun but could also destroy anyone with its fiery angry flame that burnt sometimes. Now, the usual ironic flame was replaced by one she dared not to name… Could it be?
The words blurted out of her lips before she could stop them:
"Why did you kill your father?"
Saito's eyes widened, surprised and shocked. As if she had slapped him, he suddenly jumped backwards. Tokio cursed herself for her own careless words but didn't dare to look up at him: she could only remember the last time she had talked about his parents and the violent reaction that had followed. She leaned on a elbow, head bent, waiting for the outburst but nothing came. She risked a glance at him and found him, sitting a few feet from her, looking at his hands.
"Because he tried to kill me."
Tokio immediately felt guilty and tried to apologize. "Hajime… I'm sorry, I shouldn't have…"
His raw voice cut her pitiful attempt to make up things. "I hated him. I still do, I think." Tokio fell silent, she knew that there was more things to be said. Saito was still looking at his hands. "After that my sisters got married, since I was the last child, he started to train me. He would beat me up if I did one move wrong. I remember my mother's cries when she would try to stop my father at the beginning. But she only tried for the first few weeks, after she let the matter drop. I think that my father would hit her at night that's why she never tried again after. When I was 16, he decided that I was old enough and he tried to kill me. He was the first man I ever killed." Tokio bit her lower lip hard, getting on her knees, she placed her hands in his. He closed his long fingers around hers and squeezed them gently. He got on his knees and moved closer to her, an ironic flame burning in his eyes.
"What have you done to me?" he whispered huskily, his mouth a few inches from hers.
"I…I…" Tokio spluttered, not knowing what to do or say, as she was hypnotized by his eyes.
Hearing her splutter, made Saito smile with pure male pride, erasing the pain that his childhood always brought back and he kissed her, pushing her back on the futon.
Saito pushed some of Tokio hair away from her face. He gazed down at her pretty features as she laid down in his arms. They were curled in the futon, Saito's arms wrapped loosely around her. Both of them fully awake, looking in each other eyes.
Waiting.
Waiting for something they knew was coming, staring at each other. They didn't have to wait for a long time: clouds came running, covering the last rays of the sun, erasing the last traces of color, covering the city in its blackness. Heavy drops fell on the ground, each harder than the one before and soon nothing could be heard but the rain. Wind howled in the streets as a starving wolf. And he attacked.
.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.
Saito threw himself on his wife, falling heavily on Tokio, putting all his strength in his arms, he tried to hold her down as she screamed and shook with pain. The pain he felt too. He too could see the rain turning red, when Muraki stabbed for another time his victim, but not in one of her vital points. Oh, no, if Muraki hit the girl in one of her vital points, she'd die instantly! Oh, sure she was going to die, but not that fast! It'd be too easy and Tokio-chan had to pay, to be hurt to remember how to obey her master. And that damn wolf, he'd be the next!
Saito gritted his teeth against the pain, thinking that it was nothing compared to what Tokio was enduring, she was still holding him back: he felt her pain, but she wouldn't allow herself to drown herself in Saito and let all her pain wash over him as it did with her. She couldn't even cry, anguished cries only escaped her lips to be drown by the rain, moans and incoherent words of mercy also punctuated the assault.
She was kicking something away with all her might, struggling against Saito's hold, sometimes trying to vanish under him, as if she knew he would protect her. Then it stopped.
:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:
Tokio fell lifelessly against the futon and Saito collapsed on her, breathing heavily in her ear. Her senses, slowly, painfully, came back to her. She started to feel again her own body, her legs, arms, wrists captured in an iron cage. Hajime. She rested her cheek against his, listening to her heartbeat and his. Both hearts next to one another as he laid on top of her, beating the same rhythm of life. But for how long? Then, she cried, silently, softly.
Outside, a bird cried out and a wolf howled to death. They had both heard Muraki's last threat.
:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:
"SAITO!" The door flung open, revealing the Captains of the 1st and 2nd Squad of the ShisenGumi. Both men stopped dead in their tracks at the sight that greeted them: the Captain of the Third Squad of the ShisenGumi, lying on top of a woman, who was supposed to be his wife. Saito's face was buried in his wife neck, his hands still holding down her wrists above her head, while her face was turned in Saito's direction. Two burning golden eyes, in the midnight of her black hair falling on both of them, were glaring at the other two men, under Tokio's chin.
"Are we interrupting something?" Harada asked.
"Baka!" Okita whacked him on the back of his head, while Tokio slowly turned her eyes to them: empty. No word could describe her usually vivid eyes more. Her eyes, as black as the night, were emptied of any emotion, startled the young men. Okita gritted his teeth, a line of red blood was running down her chin.
Saito slowly, as if he was exhausted, raised to a kneeling position, looking intensely at her face. She had turned her head back to him when he had started to move. Expressionless, she let him brush away the last traces of tears off her eyes and brush her blood away.
"You should stop biting your lower lip." Saito stated, emotionless too.
"Harada, fetch Kagome-san, tell her Tokio-chan's ill and she needs her assistance." Okita directed Harada and after pushing him outside, stepped outside the room too and waited for Saito to join him.
The latter stood up slowly and followed by Tokio's eyes, made his way out of the room. He closed the door behind him, leaning on it, he waited for Okita to begin.
"The news of the death of Shigekura has spread out. We don't know how. Kondo wants us to be in patrol tonight, movement of fears have been detected near the east door." Okita quickly said.
Kagome came running in the stairs, followed by Harada, she pushed Saito aside and went in, closing the door abruptly behind her.
"Pff! She's worse that my mother!!" Harada joked. Both Okita and Saito glared at Harada who held both hands up in defense.
Okita turned back to Saito: "Shigekura's death was only known by the highest members of the government and we were in duty to avoid the information to go out. So…"
"So, there's a traitor in the ShisenGumi." Saito cut Okita and a smile slowly appeared on his lips. "Then, he's finally moving… But why that fast?"
"Saito? Care to explain?" Harada frowned at Saito, when the latter sighed heavily.
"Ahou ga. Remember, someone took someone else place in our troops."
"Muraki." Okita looked thoughtful.
Saito nodded and kept on. "He must have killed a man from my unit."
"Maybe not. Why would he want to have a place so close to you, knowing certainly you're looking for him? I mean, if he belonged to another unit, he could move easier than with you on his back." Okita interjected.
"I'm the next on his list." Silence followed.
Harada scratched his chin, he, too, was trying to figure out Muraki's next move. "Hmm, so he could stick around you, without attracting the attention and wait for the perfect occasion to jump at your throat."
"That sounds too easy, even Ahou ga here managed to understand. He's more intelligent than that. He must be planning something."
"You'd better stay here, tonight, no?" Harada let the insult pass, they had better things to worry about that a stupid name calling game.
"Oh, no. Better let him believe I didn't see anything coming. Whatever the rest of his plan is, I'd found out." Saito's smile widened. Then a thought crossed his mind, erasing completely his smile. "But, what annoys me is that she stays here, without protection."
Saito stared at the closed door, as if he could see through. Okita and Harada looked at each other, looking for a solution, but Kamuro Magami had forbidden them to be around Tokio till midnight.
"Hey, Okita, Kondo-sama still waiting for us." Harada reminded his younger friend.
"Oh, yeah. Well gotta go."
Saito nodded and watched them go away, waiting in front of his bedroom door. The pounding rain sounded more than ever dreadful.
Harada and Okita were walking towards Kondo's office, next to his bedroom, in front of the garden, at the first floor of the inn. "He has changed. Before, he wouldn't have cared a damn about her."
Okita nodded, not really listening to Harada.
"What's wrong with you? You haven't smiled or laughed at any of my jokes today. Am I losing my touch?" Harada smirked trying to lighten up the mood… Tokio's empty eyes still seemed to linger around him.
Okita stopped and glared at Harada, who sighed and slapped his forehead with his right hand, as comprehension dawned. "Oh, no. Don't tell me the interdiction still bothers you! Now, Saito turns sentimental. Okita without his annoying little smile! My! What did that girl do to us all?"
Surprised, Okita's eyes widened. He hadn't realized anything but Harada saw. Okita turned his gaze to a flower, nearby, which was drowning under the heavy rain. "She changed him. She changed us all." He murmured.
"Huh?"
"…That whoever ever crossed the path of a Magami will see his life change from point to point…"
Say, Saito, the old woman who told you that was right, ne?
"Nothing." Okita walked away, his long gone smile, coming back to his lips. Harada ran to catch up with him and slapped his back when he saw his friend smile, laughing hard.
"Now, that's the Okita I know! Come on! Tonight, we'll cut some Ishin down! That sounds damn fun!!!"
:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:
"Now, Saito-san. I want to know what happened to this child."
Saito glared at the older woman: Kagome had just stepped out Tokio's room, mad, and stood defiantly in front of the door, preventing Saito to get in.
"I'm not letting you in until you tell me what happened to her!" She put her fists on her hips and waited for his answer.
Saito narrowed his eyes, the less people involved the better. But, now that Muraki was in the inn, the whole inhabitants were, unknown to them, risking their lives every moment. What if the dumb bastard lost sanity and decided to play around? For what he had felt earlier, during Muraki's attack, Saito had been unable to break Tokio and Muraki's link because of the intense turmoil of emotions Muraki had let pass through him to Tokio and Saito.
Muraki clearly was now a madman. But a clever one. The most dangerous type of killer.
"What if he loses sight of where ends the truth and where begins the illusion?" Indeed, what if? Did you know it, Kamuro, that Muraki would be so obsessed by Tokio that he would lose his sanity? Did you?
Saito shook his head, startling Kagome who wasn't expecting an answer: for her, Saito was a cold-blooded murderer, no need to hide the truth, and for what she knew about him, she had expected him to glare down at her, push her aside without a word and get in the room.
"I can't." His deep, rash voice for an instant, at Kagome's ears, covering the sound of the rain. "Since the secret is not mine." Saito stared at Kagome, waiting for her answer, but he wouldn't tell her more.
Kagome's shoulder dropped as she looked at his hard face. His golden eyes, waiting for her answer, flickered with a determined flame: he wouldn't tell her more. Kagome sighed softly, sadly and head bent, walked away, under Saito's gaze. He turned back to the door, and when he was about to open it, Kagome's voice froze his breathing system.
"Whatever she's facing, she's in love with you. Madly. She doesn't even realize it but she will soon. Don't hurt her, I've never seen a so pure heart."
Hand on the door panel, Saito turned to watch Kagome walk downstairs. He took a deep breath and walk inside.
.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.
Tokio opened her eyes as he kneeled besides her. Kagome had made her change into her sleeping yukata. She knew he had stepped in the room but she only acknowledged his presence when she felt him near. She was curled in a tiny ball, lying on her side, facing the door. The floor, under the window, was already drenched.
"What happened?" She whispered.
"Shigekura, Vice-Governor of Kyoto had been murdered last night."
"Oh… Yes."
Saito frowned but Tokio had rolled on her back, sighing deeply, and closed her eyes. Saito stared at her and then stood up.
"Are you going out?" she asked.
"Yes. Movements of fear have been reported."
"Be careful." She looked up at him and for a long time, they only stared at each other, drowning at the other sight.
Saito turned away, took his katana and his light blue outer hakama and left the room. Tokio closed her eyes and sleep claimed her.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Mine.
Got it?
Mine!
You'll never have her!
NEVER!!
Not even in three lifetimes!
Out of my way!
Mine!
MINE!
MINE!
Tokio sat up abruptly in her bed, breathing hard, cold sweat running down her spine. Eyes wide, she put a shaking hand on her throat as the words she overheard in her nightmare played around her, taunting her, tempting her, hurting her... She was shivering, she drew her knees under her chin and hugged them, with trembling arms. It wasn't only a nightmare. She knew the voice but couldn't put a name on it. Somebody close to her had been screaming in her dreams. Wind blew in the bedroom, attracting her attention to the window: pitch black. The moon was hidden behind the dark, heavy clouds. It had stopped raining but a cold wind was blowing through the city streets. Thunder roared in the distant, sending cold goose bumps down her spine. The moon suddenly appeared from behind its dark curtain and Tokio was sent in another emotional turmoil: there was a halo around the moon. A halo around the moon. It only had one meaning. Only one.
A halo around the moon…
Death for someone close to her heart.
Thunder roared another time and lightings lit up the skies. The world went upside down, spinning, spinning and spinning faster and faster than never before. Someone she loved was about to die. Love… Die… Love… Die… Die… Lighting hit the city once, startling her, blazing the city into a golden, angry flame. The moon disappeared again behind the clouds. Tokio, frightened and cold, stood up and walked closer to the window. The floor under her feet was cold and wet, she leaned on the windowsill, waiting. Waiting for something that would tell her where to go to protect her loved one. Her hands tightened on the windowsill until the knuckles were white.
Hope it's not…
Lighting lit up the skies again, and the streets in the meantime. Right under Tokio's window, just outside, was a wolf, with a white stain on the chest staring up at the window and the animal golden eyes pierced her heart.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Since he had stepped out of the room, a question has been nagging Saito: Why hadn't he been able to break Muraki's control like the time before?
He and Okita, followed by their men were walking down a wet street, patrolling, inspiring the general sentiment of fear in the people's heart. It had stopped raining but a cold wind was turning around them.
Saito looked around him: his men were walking in perfect order, their swords clearly in view, nobody talked. Okita had his little smile back and was looking around him as if nothing could happen, that it was just a normal night patrol. As usual, Saito parted from his men, that was his mark and his men knew it: whenever there was a patrol, Saito would disappear alone in the night to hunt down whatever he was running after.
But he was a wolf and wolves always come back to the pack.
As Saito walked alone in the city streets, worry and doubt started to plague his heart. What if Okita was right, what if Muraki wasn't in his unit. What if he wanted to get Tokio first and then kill him. But it made no sense: for what he had seen and felt, Tokio with his protection was strong enough to resist him for now. Sure thing, if Saito didn't kill Muraki soon, she'll need some extra help but… Saito gritted his teeth. It's too late to doubt and
A cold wind hit him as if a wave was slapping him in the face. And the world changed.
Saito looked around him in surprise: he was in his family dojo where he hadn't put a foot in since… Saito withdrew his katana from its saya and waited. Footsteps made him turn around to face his mother.
His mother… She was as beautiful as in his memories: her light brown hair and gentle warm chocolate eyes. Her petite frame and perfect face made her look like a china doll. A broken doll if he remembered correctly: his mother had slid her throat open after that he, her very son, had killed her husband, his own father. Dead, she was dead already. That was just one of Muraki's trick. A smile came to his lips.
"You should have pick up someone else from my past, you know."
The woman in front of him chuckled lightly.
"Really? Why?" Her sweet voice made Saito remember his time as a child, when his mother was still happy and carefree, before his father became obsessed with his training.
"My mother was a good woman. But weak."
"Oh, I see. I thought it could help me to destabilize you…looks like I was wrong." She smiled.
"How could you take her looks? I thought you could take only the people you had killed." Saito looked at the woman, curious.
"Well, we're not in the real world, you may have noticed. We're in my illusion and here I'm whatever I want to be."
"So since it didn't work, why don't you show me your real face? I'd like to see the face of the man I'm about to kill."
"How nice, Saito-san."
The woman that was Muraki passed her hand in front of her face and vanished. Saito spun around, trying to locate him. Damn it! Where was that son of a bitch?
"if you wish to see through the illusion then, you'll see reality."
Tokio…
Saito gritted his teeth, it wasn't a place to remember. He firmly set his mind on his goal and pushed his memories at the back of his mind, where he had always buried them, far enough not to always burst in but not far enough for him to forget completely and concentrated on his enemy: Tokio had said to wish, to make his will bent under his wish, goal to see through the illusion, to see reality.
On the left.
Saito, just in time, dodged Muraki's katana aiming at his head, breaking in the meantime the illusion: the dojo, around them, shattered as if it only was a sand castle a child had just kicked in. Saito broke the contact and stepped backwards quickly and studied his opponent: Muraki was a young man around 25, his hair were silver and his blue orbs looked like the clear sky of a happy summer day. No wonder why Tokio couldn't see or remember his face: Muraki was way too unique, and so, too easy to find.
Muraki lured himself at Saito, yelling:
"She's mine! MINE! I've suffered too much, now it's my turn to have the light! It's not fair: why should only the Magami possess the light? Why not us? Not me? Why? If I make her mine, then I'll gain some light! Her light! I want her! She keeps me sane, I love her! I want her! She's mine, mine, mine! Mine. Got it? Mine! You'll never have her! NEVER!! Not even in three lifetimes! Out of my way! Mine! MINE! MINE!"
Saito blocked his attacks and avoided his blows, listening to his opponent speech. Pity touched his heart.
He thinks he loves her. No, he turned his obsession into love. He wants to hold her and have her "light", he wants her to love him... That's why he killed her mother and took mine appearance. The loss of his mother drove him to the edge but it's Tokio's refusal to let herself own by him that sent him over.
"Why did they choose you? Of all people, the closest to the darkness after me, was, is you! So why? I don't understand! Why didn't they pick up that boy from the Ishin? He, I could have easily broke him down! Why you? Why? Why? Why? Tokio! Tokio! Tokio!"
Muraki dropped to his knees and took his head in his hands, in pain. Saito watched him, silently, unmoving. Why me, indeed?
Still hugging his head, Muraki murmured just loud enough to Saito to hear: "How could you cut our connection? I was about to have her! How did you manage to do it? She was about to embrace my darkness and I was more than ready for her light, but you came along and took her away from me! How? How? I want to know! Was it Kamuro who told you how? You, a man without power, how could you?"
That's true… I broke his connection with Tokio, but only once. I failed the last time… Tokio, did you realize it? That I managed to do it, only because it pained me to see you cry because I…
Muraki suddenly stood up, crying, eyes full of hatred and resuming his attacking on Saito, yelling and crying.
"How dare you! How dare you to call for my woman? How dare you? I'll kill you!!!" His movements, completely erratic, surprised Saito by their force and rapidity. Muraki now possessed a madman's strength. Saito gritted his teeth and dodged his attacks but barely. Suddenly, he felt claws laboring his back. He cried out in pain and jumped aside, just in time to avoid being stab in the stomach. Muraki laughed madly, tears still falling from his eyes. He was murmuring words under his breath, words that Saito couldn't understand.
Saito froze in horror as he understood: as Muraki was losing himself, he was losing his control over his power, like his movements, his magic was bound to become erratic. How could he, a man without power, resist this kind of attacks?
……………………………………………
Tokio turned around from the window and ran to the door, she almost fell in the stairs as she was trying to go down as fast as she could. She slammed the kitchen door open, surprising Kagome and Arashi who were still cleaning it, and ran outside, without hearing Kagome and Arashi' s calls for her. She opened the garden gate and looked frantically around for the wolf. It came, walking casually, to her and after a short bark, turned around and started to run. Tokio quickly followed, running bare foot, at night, under a storm to a man she barely knew because he was the one closest to her heart.
Small drops fell on the ground.
……………………………………………
The wolf led her to a small alley, near the East Door but Saito was nowhere in sight. How could she find him? The last time she came to this part of the town she was barely 7. Panting and wet, Tokio suddenly felt so scared and frightened that she wished for a moment to disappear under the next rock. The wolf stroke his head against her leg, Tokio stared down at it and dropped to her knees, hugging the wolf.
"I'm sorry, I was being selfish. I'm coming. I'm scared but I don't want to lose you because you are so important to me, so please, wait for me. Hajime."
The wolf licked her cheeks, making her smile and vanished in the night. Tokio stood up and summoned her bird. It landed on her extended arm:
"Please, my friend, take your flight and help me to find Hajime."
The bird cried once and flew away. By its eyes, Tokio looked for the Miburo. A spell caught her attention, the bird aimed at it, as fast as it could, it entered the spell structure and destroyed it, allowing Tokio to step in the illusion.
.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.
It felt like it was the wind itself that had turned into a blade, hundred of blades, cutting his flesh, drinking his blood, pinning him to what was supposed to be the floor. Then it stopped. Saito, lying on the floor, coughed some blood and tried to sit up. Leaning on one elbow, he saw Muraki on his knees, shivering, holding his head, suddenly, he jerked his head behind, his mouth open as if he was yelling. But no sound escaped his lips. The man suddenly collapsed on the floor. Saito tried to stand up, groaning and cursing. Soft hands reached him from behind, warmth invaded him. Tokio. He turned around a little: her wide eyes were focused on Muraki. It was the second time that she met him. The first one, Death caressed her and almost brought her over, but her mother took her place.
Tokio swallowed hard and started to shake. She gritted her teeth against the fear and put her arm around Saito's waist. Saito nodded to her and she led him out the illusion.
.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:
Saito groaned as Tokio made him lean against the opposite wall. She looked frightened and cold, her hair were falling around her, much like a curtain, shielding her. Her wet yukata hugged her figure a little too much for Saito's comfort, so he dropped his gaze to the ground and noticed her bare feet.
She must have been in a hurry to go out in this state of dress. Saito smiled lazily. He felt like falling towards the ground.
A warm hand rested against his cheek.
"Hajime? Daijoubu ka?"
Saito looked up at her face. She was worried and scared, frightened by the amount of blood he was losing: her eyes kept on drifting between his wounds and his face.
"Please…" she whispered, coming closer to him, she rested her head against his uninjured shoulder and Saito placed his right arm around her waist. "Don't die… Not here… Not now… I… I… Hajime, I need to tell you… I…" She jerked from his embrace and put her hands on his shoulders. "Please, hang on, I'm going for some help. Please."
She turned around and ran. But a white hand grabbed her.
"Where were you going, my love?"
"Ah… No, no… Please… Let me go…" Tokio fought against the silver man, she couldn't look at his face. Fear was freezing her from inside.
Saito groaned and pushed himself off the wall, tightening his grip on his katana, still in his right hand, as if it was part of his body. Despite his deep wound in his back and his wound on his side, which had reopened, his steps were steady and his hold on his sword was firm.
The wolf, even deadly wounded, had to protect what was his.
It didn't matter anymore if what he was feeling for that little girl was because of the link that they shared. No, what was important now, was that someone he loved was about to be taken away from him, the Miburo couldn't stand it, no, he couldn't let happen to her what had happened to his father and mother, he recognized it: despite all that his father caused him, he still loves him perhaps he had never stopped to.
Saito shook his head, trying to clear his mind: he would try to find out for his feelings later, when this matter would be settled, when he would have some time to know her more, not because of their link but because of the time they would spend together, when he would have the guts to tell her how much importance she had taken in his life, when he would have time to clear up things with his disarranged feelings about himself, his father and Tokio.
::::::::::::::::::::~::::::::::::::::::::~::::::::::::::::::::
"He has changed." Atsuko stated. She was surrounded by trees, looking down in the pool at her feet.
"No, he's simply grown." Kamuro, besides her, answered, smiling. He, too, was looking in the water, where three people could be seen.
"What's the difference?"
"Hajime Saito killed one of his loved ones in the past, causing the death of his mother and the sorrow of his sisters. He felt like a weight for those who knew him because of who he was, because of what he was, so he went away. To let the others have a 'normal' life like they had before, he embraced the shadows. Now, he has someone to protect, someone that he loves. He loves again: Tokio has taught him how to love again. He's accepted what he was and who he was. This is called growing up: that's all the difference in the world, my dear." The man stayed silent for some time before sighing deeply. "Poor thing. Muraki still refuses to let the gift mark him as one of us."
"I don't understand."
"Of course not. You and I would never really understand him. I think the only person who could actually understand him is the Miburo. See, Muraki was born with the power, like us, as his father and mother. But, due to a painful experience from his childhood, he rejected his gift, to protect himself. He threw the gift away. But his power is too strong and has too much importance in his life to just let him go, so he's been living half- dead. Accepting a gift fully, like the power that we hold, is something that asks a great deal of bravery and strength. Unlike us, who are all gathered in a clan where we can count on each other, Muraki was alone and for what he could remember, the gift was only a curse to him."
"So he refused it."
"That's why he wants our little granddaughter. He thinks he can find a way to accept his gift with her at his side, since she had no problem to."
Atsuko looked thoughtfully at Kamuro for a long time, before smiling softly, mocking him a little. "I suppose that's why you're 'The First Elder'…" Silence fell around the two speakers as they kept on gazing at their magical water mirror. "Arashi loved you, from the bottom of her heart. She really did, you know. But we were twins, I was another part of her body, of her soul. That's why she went away without telling you a word. Because at that time, you wouldn't have understood."
Kamuro sighed heavily. "I know. I was jealous of your relationship. Because there was a part of her I couldn't reach, that only you could. I had given her all of me, I had let wander within my heart and soul, and I was being refused the same…" he chuckled lightly. "I was such a spoiled brat… Looks like I've grown too. But so have you."
Atsuko looked at her companion and whispered to him, a secret she longed to tell him for years. "Reiji knew about you… I told him a long time ago, when he asked me why you kept on looking at him. First, I used to lie and tell him it was because he had a great power, but once he cornered me, telling me he knew it wasn't the truth and that he wanted it… Clever little brat. I think it was when he was about to hit 9 years old…" Sadness overwhelmed her and she started to cry softly. Her once brother-in-law put his arms around her shoulders.
"It's over now… He's gone." His own pain was killing him softly but he would allowed it to take him within the welcoming arms of Death only when the child that was supposed to take his place would be ready. "His mother surely is happy to see him…but thank you for telling me." He added quietly, removing his arm from her shoulders.
"I think that we all need to grow up." Atsuko said, drying her tears.
"Yes and for that we're all going out to help. Fetch that grandson of mine, he's hiding near the cave, up in a tree. Tell Toya, he has to choose: it's either you or me. And I wouldn't be happy if I had to go there by myself."
As the woman walked away, the man whispered softly to the water:
"Yes, only you could understand him, Saito-san. Because like him, for a long time, you refused to accept that man for what he truly was: your father. Because of the pain he put you through, you hated him from the bottom of your young heart with an intensity that should have never reached for a boy of that age… But you accepted him, now. You accepted what you've done, you accepted the fact that you loved him even if you thought that you hated him. I wish that Muraki would see the light like you, but…"
::::::::::::::::::::~::::::::::::::::::::~::::::::::::::::::::
"Muraki. Let her go."
Tokio stopped fighting and turned around: Saito was standing a few meters from them, katana in hand, his ken-ki was brighter than never before. As ice in the sun, her fear of the killer holding her melt away. Tokio felt safe because he was there. Because he was always there.
Muraki slowly turned around to face Saito. The smirk on his lips disappeared as the intensity of his opponent ken-ki hit him.
How could this be? He was deeply wounded and losing a great amount of blood. More, he's just been deeply injured the day before. So how could he stand like that, in the middle of the night, drowning under a heavy rain while his blood was forming a red pool at his feet. Muraki growled in rage: the one he thought was already defeated still stood in his way. He sent Tokio crashing in a wall, nearby and yelled at Saito:
"How many times should I have to kill you? You should have let death take you! Now, I will greatly enjoy killing you really slowly!"
Saito took his fighting stance:
"I made a mistake, earlier, I should have killed you when you were at my mercy. But I pitied you, so I did nothing. This will not happen twice. Come."
Muraki lured himself at Saito "Pitied me? I don't want you to pity me! You bastard, I'll show you!"
Tokio stood up, back still on the wall, eyes wide at the fight going on. She was shaking, she couldn't do anything.
I'm such a coward.
Tokio clenched her fists. Even if I'm to die, then I'll die at least protecting him. He did so much for me, this isn't his battle, this is mine: I have to stop fearing him…Muraki…and everything will be alright.
She closed her eyes and focused on the two fighters in front of her. Fight off your fears, my girl.
A soft hand brushed her cheek, a familiar smell tingled her nose: her parents were with her.
Always, little one.
Father, how can I fight?
Do you love the Wolf?
I…
Do you?
…Yes.
Then, forget about the fear and let your love for him shine.
Your love for him will pierce the dark clouds above you.
Mother…
It's you who summoned all this rain and created this storm, because you were scared. Now, my daughter, let love outcast fear.
Mother… thank you.
It's a fine young man that you chose.
Tokio felt warmth invade her. Light surrounded her, filling her.
:::::::::::::::::::::::~:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Saito felt like he was watching his own fight with Muraki as a spectator of a show. How weird. Around him, a wolf and a bird were defending him from… Things… That was the only way he could put it to describe what were trying to attack him from behind. The wolf and bird were obviously stronger than Muraki's pets, but it didn't save them from several cuts and light wounds: the bird's white wings were covered with red and the wolf's fangs were dripping a red liquid. The wolf turned its head to the skies and howled in victory as the last of Muraki's toys died. The latter cried out in pain and Saito didn't miss the occasion to cast him a blow.
But it wasn't enough.
Muraki looked up at Saito, his eyes were injected with blood. From his mouth, red saliva was falling. He was panting and swearing, cursing Saito with words the latter couldn't understand. Something hit him with full force, sending him in the next wall, making him howl in pain. As if a sword, which had been placed in a fire, was torturing his insides, Saito felt himself losing it to pain. He crumbled on the ground, back leaning on the wall.
Something's missing.
He coughed blood and shakily wrapped his left arm around his torso, moaning.
No. This can't be happening.
Behind Muraki, Saito could see Tokio, shaking, on her knees, holding her middle, crying in pain.
Tokio…
"There is another way to free someone from a link, did you know, Miburo? Of course not, it's a forbidden spell, like one of her father used." Muraki explained, jerking his head in Tokio's direction. "Serves you right, Tokio- chan. Did you really believe I would have let you fall in love with this bastard?" Muraki turned back to Saito. "Anyway, I bet it hurts, no? I wouldn't know, the Magami are too coward to try to do something like that." Muraki sat on his heels in front of Saito and grinned. "You see, I've just torn both of your souls in two." He cocked his head on the side and amused himself by stabbing Saito in the hands, hips and arms, causing the Miburo to yell in pain, each time louder. His voice filled the night each time Muraki took away some of his life but if someone, of the houses around, heard him, he did as if nothing happened and probably kept on sleeping.
"I like the sound of the voice, Saito-san. But not as much as Tokio-chan's voice." He laughed again.
Tokio raised her head and glared at Muraki's back, she was hurting like hell and feeling numb in the same time, as if someone had just cut her one arm: the pain was so intense that she couldn't feel anything but she had to do something for Saito. She had to do something for the man she fell in love with. How easy it was to admit now that she felt she was about to lose him… She shook with horror as the man stab Saito in his right arm to make him yell again.
No.
The pain was tearing her apart, but she couldn't let it matter to her, right now. She had to help Saito, but how? She remembered how her parents' warmth surrounded her and stood up difficultly. She walked to stand behind Muraki, catching his sword with her bare hands barely in time to save Saito from another blow.
"What?" Muraki spun around, surprised. Muraki, angered, punched Tokio in the face, punch that she couldn't avoid since she had use her last bit of strength to stand up and catch the deadly sword, knocking her out. She fell on the ground like a lifeless doll.
Hajime…
"Feh, serves you right, bitch. I'll teach you later how to serve your master." Muraki turned back to Saito and a pair of glaring golden eyes greeted him.
Muraki fell backwards, astonished, as Saito's ken-ki once again, flared up.
"Don't you…" Panting, Saito glared at Muraki. "Dare… to touch…her."
Muraki blinked several times before answering, casting Saito his best wolfish smile:
"And who will stop me, Miburo? You?"
Saito braced himself and gathered his last bits of strength to stand up defiantly in front of Muraki, who astonished didn't make a move to stop him.
"Try me." Saito smiled in his most feral way and tightened his hold on his katana until his knuckled turned white.
Muraki couldn't believe his eyes. How could this man still stand up? He had been stabbed several times, had deep injuries, one on the back and one on his side, and he was still standing up. Muraki narrowed his eyes: magic was filling the air but where was the source of the magic? Muraki could almost see the magic: to him, it was like a golden aura coming around Saito, supporting his arms and legs, giving him strength.
Muraki jumped on his feet; anger was making his limbs shake, and raised his sword above his head, running madly in Saito's direction.
Saito, who waited until the very last moment, stepped a little on the side and drew his sword in Muraki's unprotected torso.
Muraki dropped his sword on the ground and gazed stupidly at the sword planted in his body. He blinked several times and started to fell backwards, murmuring:
"Tokio…"
As he hit the ground, his eyes fell on Tokio's still form: the golden aura was radiating from her body. She was the source. She was…
"Mother…"
A last small path of red blood made it way down Muraki's face.
Tokio moaned and pushed herself off the ground. She looked through her hair that had fallen on her face: Muraki was lying at Saito's feet, a sword pinched in his body. The Miburo, however, was still standing but it was obvious he was about to collapse. Tokio stood up quickly and ran to his side but she wasn't fast enough to catch him before that he hit the ground. She reached out for him, kneeling at his side and put his head on her lap, making him turn in the circle of her arms.
"HAJIME!" She cried out, as if with only a call she could push Death away.
The rain had stopped falling.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"OKITA-SAMA!"
Okita spun around as one of his recruits called out for him: the man pointed in the alley behind them direction. A wolf was there, sitting calmly as if it was waited to be noticed. As soon as Okita saw it, he understood who it was. The wolf stood up and turned its head to the skies, howling. It then turned around and disappeared in the night.
Okita lost no time:
"You!" he yelled, appointing one of his men. "Run to Harada, tell him to meet me in front of the East Door!"
The man ran in the opposite direction from where they were coming and Okita barked orders to his other fellow to keep on patrolling while he was away. He then ran to the East Door.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Out of breath, Harada let Okita in front of the East Door. The younger man was looking frantically around.
As soon as he arrived at a hearable distance, Harada yelled at Okita "What?"
"Saito needs us! Ah! There it is! Come on!"
Okita past Harada, running.
"Okita! Wait!" Harada cried out.
Okita yelled over his shoulder. "Come on, you dolt! Can't you see the wolf? It's covered with blood!"
"Wolf? I can't see any damn fucking animal in here!" Harada asked, disbelief.
But Okita didn't answer him and so Harada kept on running after his friend.
*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.
Tokio hugged Saito closer. She was crying her eyes out, sometimes looking up for someone who could help them. She had cried to the inhabitants of the houses around them to come outside and help them, but no one answered to her cries.
"Hajime," she whispered in his ear, "please, don't die. Please. Please." She sobbed harder and clutched and the fabric of his shirt. "Hajime… I love you."
A wolf howl caught her attention, making her look up again. The wolf came, running, followed the Captains of the First and Second Squad of the ShisenGumi. Both men were drenched and panting hard, but Tokio paid no attention to them as she was focused of the wolf in front of her.
The wolf looked at her and Saito for a long time, then turned around and started to walk away. Tokio let a small cry of despair escaped her lips:
"No!"
Okita and Harada watched, frozen at the scene in front of them: Saito, looking dead, in the girl's embrace.
"Come back!" Tokio cried out again. "Please! You don't have the right to leave me! You promised, you selfish bastard! COME BACK!" She was turning hysterical but it didn't stop the wolf of walking away.
Tokio clenched her fists:
"Fine! Then, I'll come with you!" She looked behind her and grabbed Muraki's sword, still crying. Her great white bird landed next to her. The wolf stopped frozen in its tracks, it, then, turned back slowly as if it couldn't believe what she had just said.
"Tokio-chan, NO!" Okita yelled, running to her. She had lifted the sword holding it by the blade, to her throat. She had intended to cut her own throat open but angry fangs snatched the sword away from her. Tokio watched the wolf that was Saito in disbelief as the wolf growled low in its throat as if it wanted to lecture her. Between her tears, she smiled and hugged Saito while the bird stroke its head against the wolf neck. The both of them then vanished together and Harada clearly saw Saito take a deep breath, a labored one but a breath.
Okita kneeled next to Saito:
"He needs medical attention or he'll die. Harada."
The young man didn't even bothered to answer and ran for a doctor. He was about to turn in a alley when a group of seven people caught his attention: as they came closer, Harada realized that it was Tokio's brother and the Magami first Elder surrounded by people that could only be the Magami Elder Council. Harada waited for them and led them to Tokio, Saito and Okita without a word.
:~.~:~.~:~.~:~.~:~.~:~.~:~.~:~.~:~.~:~.~:
He's been hurt. Injured. Because of her. If she had remained in the Magami Estate, if she…
Tokio covered her face with her hands and started crying, for at least the hundredth time. She was looking over Saito, who was resting in their room, trying to recover from his fight with Muraki, 2 weeks before. He had slept through the whole two weeks and Tokio had never left his side, scared that he might need anything or that she might no be there when he would wake up. The physician had told her and Okita, Saito would wake up soon but it's been almost 2 weeks now that he's been sleeping…
The old doctor who had came back for a check up was astonished but Okita and the others couldn't exactly explain the old man who tended the wounds of the Captain that it was the young woman as pale as a ghost who had actually saved the Miburo' s life and that his soul would have been broken. That's why he needed to sleep, Toya reassured them all saying that it was perfectly normal, but…
Saito moaned in his sleep and quickly, the young woman removed her hands and looked up at him. But the man remained still and Tokio started to sob again, she put her head in the hollow of his shoulder and whispered through her tears:
"Hajime, wake up, please, Hajime…" her voice broke when the sobs, more violent now, shook her violently. Finally, exhausted, she fell asleep against him.
::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=:=
Saito slowly became aware of his own body and injuries, something warm was pressed against his side and he felt a dead weight on his left shoulder. He tried to open his eyes when a familiar voice quietly said:
"Ah, I see that you finally decided to wake up, Saito-san."
Okita.
Saito groaned and opened his eyes, the younger man was sitting on his right, behind him the window was opened and Saito could see the full moon. He took his eyes back to the youngster who was smiling, as usual.
"Tokio-chan remained at your side through the days and nights that had followed your fight against Muraki. She wouldn't take any rest and so her brother cheated and put something in her tea, guess it worked."
Tokio was blissfully asleep next to him, in her sleep, she had thrown an arm around his waist and she had pressed herself against his side. Saito sighed and rested his cheek against the top of her head, closing his eyes, looking for what was supposed to be broken in his soul.
Muraki had destroyed their link, he had clearly felt it during the fight but still he hoped that… and Saito felt it.
Their link.
On one hand, he was relieved that it had survived; on the other, the sensible part told him that it was wrong. He was supposed to die. Not live, now she was bound to him, she'll never gain her freedom. Linked to a cold- hearted killer. She deserved better. But, a little voice, from the darker parts of his mind told him that he was a fool because he couldn't live without her. Oh, no, he'd rather die that feel again what Muraki made him felt when he cut their connection.
Saito opened his eyes when Okita spoke again:
"She was the one who called you back. After that Muraki broke your link and that you killed him and almost died in the process, she in a way or another, linked herself back to you. When we found the both of you," Okita kept on, "she was hugging you, crying her heart out, and coming from the middle of nowhere the wolf walked to her, deadly injured. Like you." Okita's smile flattered a little and his eyes took a vague expression, as if the man was looking at the past.
"Tokio-chan saw it too and extended her arms to it, telling it to come back to her, that it didn't have the right to leave her because it had promised, that it was selfish. First, I thought she had gone mad, then I understood: that was you she was calling back to life. But, as stubborn as you, the wolf started to walk away and she said she'd walk with you. A great bird came and she took your sword from your hand, the wolf stopped frozen and turned back and when she was about to stab herself, the wolf threw itself on the sword and sent it away from her. She hugged you and the bird disappeared as the wolf. Then, her brother and 6 other persons arrived and they did something. The brother told us they linked you back to her so that you'd lived. Harada and I disagree on this, we both believe you'd have live through it, because she called you back."
Saito listened to Okita's speech, dumbstruck, why? Why did she? The words were turning in his head. Okita probably saw his blank face and mocked Saito, saying:
"You, who are so proud of yourself because you understand the other at the perfection, when it comes to you!" the young man shook his head and added "She loves you, that why she did it. Baka ne." Okita rose to his feet and made his way out, "I bet now this wedding's no longer a way to hide her... she will wake up soon. The potion was supposed to last for 5 hours."
Still a little daze at the fact that Okita actually called him Baka, Saito watched him leave without a word.
He watched the moon disappeared behind the clouds, fascinated and saw it come back to shine again among the stars, by the window. So engrossed that he was in the awe of the moon that he didn't felt her wake up. He turned back his head when he heard quiet sobs and Tokio's eyes, full of tears, greeted him. She threw her arms around his neck and cried harder; a small smile made its way up to his lips and he hugged her back.
She was saying incoherent things to him but it didn't matter: he was just glad to be back, to have her even if it was just for a while. He couldn't let her link herself back to him while he could die any minute; after all, the war wasn't over.
She must have felt it because she stiffened in his arms and jerked from his embrace and yelled to him:
"How dared you? Dared to think that you could leave me behind!" Tokio then closed her little fists and started to hit him in the chest. "You, selfish bastard, trying to break your promise, now you're back and you're still thinking of leaving me behind? How dare you? You're mine, Hajime Saito! I won you over Death! You came back! To me! To me! Mine! Got it? Don't you dare to even think of leaving me behind!" She would have go on if Saito hadn't let a single moan of pain escaped his lips but well, he didn't actually plan it, but the pain and the shock of her yelling at him gave in.
Tokio stopped abruptly, feeling guilty and she threw herself abruptly back to him begging for him to forgive her.
Saito grunted and held her close, he knew he deserved it but he wanted her to stop apologizing to him, so he did the only sensible thing to him to quiet her: he kissed her.
Saito reluctantly let her go, opening his eyes: she had still hers closed and she slowly passed some trembling fingers on her lower lip.
"I guess I could have done this before to silence you…" he whispered. "I'm sorry."
::_::_::_::_::_::_::_::_::_::_::_::_::_::_::
After drying her tears, they lied down on the futon and under the pale light of the moon, she whispered to him what had happened while he was out.
She told him the Elders arrival; the ceremony of establishment of her brother…Saito listened quietly to her soft voice, a hand buried in her hair, sometimes playing with it. When she fell silent, they remained together, in the arms of each other, enjoying the quiet of the night, as if their world had stopped turning to let them share a moment of intimacy. When a growl broke the silence.
Tokio leaned on her elbow looking down at him, a graceful eyebrow up in a mocking manner, a smile tugging her lips. So when his stomach growled again, she laughed but her laughter broke when her own stomach growled back to him. They stared at each other and together they burst in laughter.
She put her forehead on his and said, giggling:
"See, even our bodies agree on, you and I belong to each other."
"I guess I lost my first battle over a little lady."
She smiled and shook her head negatively:
"Nobody lost here, there're only two winners, aren't there?" She asked, looking deeply in his golden eyes.
Saito caressed her cheek, down to her lips, which he gently traced with one finger: "Yes, there are." He pulled her back in his arms and kissed the top of her head. "I think, woman, we'd better start looking for some food before you wake that whole damn house up!" he teased as her stomach growled fiercely.
She pouted a little but helped him to stand up. Together, Saito's leaning on her, a arm across her shoulders, they went down the stairs and made their way to the kitchen. They found some snacks in one of the cupboards and they started to eat.
Tokio let her gaze wandered on her man. He was wearing a light yukata, revealing his hard chest, covered by a bandage. She pointed out that his bandage needed to be changed and she decided that he also needed a bath, much to Saito's reluctance.
…=…=…=…=…=…=…=…=…=…=…=…=…=…=…=
Tokio talked him into taking a bath at 3 in the morning: that's how Saito found himself in the bathhouse while his wife was lighting up the fire. Saito sighed and shook his head, he undressed himself, tied a towel around his waist and carefully, he undid the bandage around his torso. It was a pretty nasty cut, made by Muraki's sword, running on his stomach in a diagonal line. The skin was red and it was stinging him as he poured some now warm water on it, carefully. Following the line with one finger, he thought of what this new scar would forever meant for him… and for her. He had several other new scars, running on his arms, legs and hands where Muraki had stabbed him for pure fun… Muraki.
He remembered their fight: when the man cried and shook with misery as he explained to Saito how his obsession turned into love, how he feared the darkness he lived in.
Yes that could only be the reason: Muraki was born with a gift but he was scared by his gift, it only brought pain and misery to him, only darkness. So, he fought against it, perhaps even not consciously, but he fought against it, he refused to let himself marked by his gift. And when he met a little girl with the same gift as his but so happy, so carefree that she could practice on her own without protection, he felt jealous, he wanted to hold her light… And with time, Muraki turned his obsession into love. Saito sighed again and called himself foolish for feeling pity for an enemy, that wasn't in his nature, but here he couldn't help. Maybe because Muraki reminded himself as a child. When he was a child…
______________________________________
Tokio was in charge of lighting up the fire to heat up the bath: grumbling a little and making sure that nobody was there, she released a small spell that did the job. She walked back in the bathhouse, not daring to open the panel that separated her from the bathroom. Suddenly, she felt sorrow, grief, pain and misery passed through their link. Blinking tears back as the full emotional blast caught her, she did the only sensible thing to her: she slammed the door open.
______________________________________
The sound of the door being opened brutally jerked Saito out of his sad musings over his childhood and, astonished, he watched Tokio running to him. Again, she threw her arms around his neck and buried her head in his right shoulder. Saito smiled and stroke her head:
"Did your brother let you fall on your head while you were little?"
Tokio jerked her head away from his hand and looked up, outraged.
"What the hell does that mean?"
"Are you crazy?"
She pushed him away and he fell on his butt, but he was laughing lightly.
"Tokio, he said, you burst in the room and threw yourself to me as if there was a monster running after you? What do you want me to think?"
Pouting, she kneeled in front of him and gently put her arms back around his neck.
"I felt suddenly so lost and… bad… I…" unable to finish her sentence, she bit her lower lip.
"Stupid." Saito kissed her lightly. Tokio leaned again on his shoulder, sniffling. "I thought I had already asked you to stop crying."
"You didn't ask" she bit back "you barked." She pushed herself off him and looked at him. "By the way, you really need that bath, you stink."
Saito laughed again and stood up with her help.
He hugged her from behind as she had turned to leave him alone and whispered in her ear.
"I've learned my lesson. And I will keep my promise to you. I swear."
Tokio turned in his embrace and looked up at him.
"I love you too." She whispered and Saito tightened his hold on her, burying his head in her shoulder.
._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._.
THE END
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! IT'S FINALLY OVER!!!!!!!!! WAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!
Anyway, I wanted a write a lemon sequel but I found out that I can't write lemons !_! Bah, maybe later.
So how did you guys found it? I mean the story. Did you like it? Which part needs reworking? (I'm too tired to check in the dictionary if "reworking" really exists a word, so please, bear me.) Was the end understandable? It was quite hard to write and I think that it must be really confusing. Ah, I'm sorry!
I've just realized how much my ending (I mean the part with Tokio's mother) sounded like the Escaflowne one… Bouuuuh, bouuuuuuuuh, I didn't mean to, I'm sorry guys…
Anyway, I'm happy this finally came out. You see, I wrote this chapter THREE times.
I deleted the first version because it was horrible and the second time it was all too mushy for my taste… Argh but I kinda like how this story turned out. Anyway, thank you all for reviewing, for helping me. I hope you'll remember my fic and read the next works I'll do…
Now, see you all.
BTW, a sequel (not a lemon, though) is planned called "A Cat and a Dragon." It's on Tokio's weird answer when Saito told her about Shigekura's death!!!
AAAAAAAAHHHHH! I'm already giving too much of the story! Oh, well, but the sequel won't be out for a long time! I'm sorry, but school has been quite stressful these last days… (when are the vacations???????)
~_^ mikim