Title: "Akewateru" : The Morning Light
by: TeddysFromHeyll
Rating: PG 13
Summary: The seishi have been reborn and are living their lives out as they please. But as the seishi find themselves drawn back to Miaka, they realize that maybe the peace they've finally found is not to last… Especially for Tasuki.
Status: Non-yaoi
Main Characters: Tasuki, Chichiri, Nuriko, Taka, Kouji, Natsumi

(Miaka)Scroll 4 :: Daigokuden
 A meeting is called by Chichiri about the arrival of Tasuki. Suspicions are aroused and careful daily watches over the unaware Souji are assigned to each seishi.

Night fell and when Keisuke was finally asleep, I found myself running down the dim streets of Tokyo. Bag in hand, I turned the corner sharply and slammed into someone.

"Taka?" I asked and looked up at the person a bit disoriented. And surely enough, the grinning face of Taka presented itself into the light. I looked around and shivered. There were still people roaming around a night, but this part of the neighborhood was eerily quiet. Taka noticed me shivering and put an arm around me as we continued to jog down the streets towards Mitsukake's clinic.

His clinic had been a very convenient meeting place when Hotohori-sama called everyone for a council. Mitsukake owned his own clinic and he didn't have to answer to anyone when it came to managing the hours it was open.

The reason of the meeting of this particular night was a bit obvious.

Taka knew it too. We had seen him in class.

The thought sent delightful chills down my spine and Taka sensed my happiness.

"I take it you're pretty excited he's here, ne?" His strides shortened to match mine and we were suddenly running at an even pace.

"You bet! We're finally complete again! A miko and her seven seishi. It's like a fairy tale again," I said brightly. We came to a railing. I halted, but he easily hopped over and landed not far down below. He turned on his heel and caught me as I jumped down into his arms seconds later. Moments later, we were up and running again.

"Fairy tale, huh?… You know that our last fairytale wasn't too happy," Taka said sadly. I sighed and the realism of his statement hit me pretty hard.

"I-I know Taka," I said quietly. "I'm just really happy that our group is all here, that's all." Taka sighed and stopped me for a moment. We came to a stop directly under a light pole, and it seemed almost like we were under a spotlight. He put his hands on my shoulders and earnestly, he told me,

"Gomen nasai, Miaka-chan. I didn't mean to get you down. It's just that ever since the whole Suzaka miko thing, I've been skeptical about ever really being happy again. But… all I really need to be happy is to be with you. Just ignore me, Miaka. I'm just bein' stupid." He gave me a hug and a deep kiss. I felt so much better…

*~*~*~*~*~*

We came to the darkened clinic and pushed on the door. It opened easily, and we could already hear the mumbling voices of our friends in the back room. The glow of the light from the other room spilled into the one we were in, and we immediately knew where they were. I set down my bag on the table just as Hotohori came out to greet us.

"Oh, Miaka… Taka…" Hotohori said, "You're here. As you can tell, everyone's in the back room. Head there and we'll start the meeting. I'm just going to get myself a drink." He proceeded to get himself some water from the filtered tap. I nodded and both Taka and I walked into the room holding hands.

Once we stepped inside, several heads looked up at us and we motioned for them to start. We sat down at the table on the end and waited. Hotohori-sama came in, sat down and cleared his voice,

"Minna-san. I think everyone pretty much knows why we're here. Mitsukake and Chichiri were speaking about it this afternoon. He's here, and the Suzaku seven have gathered together around Miaka," he started, "But since his coming, there have been concerns of complications." He looked at Chichiri, taking a sip from his glass of water. Chichiri leaned forward and placed his elbows on the table. The eight of us looked on. Yui and I looked at each other cautiously.

"First thing's first, no da. Tasuki still doesn't have his memory back, and I don't think it would be any good if any of us mentioned a thing about our past lives. He'll remember in good time. Revealing his past to him may either jolt his memories, or may cause regretful repercussion, no da. So I think it's best we wait until his memories resurface," Chichiri said, "And secondly… I think we need to keep an eye on Tasuki. The majority of us arrived days within each other, but I think we can all imagine that some other force is at work here, no da."

"We've all been assigned shifts or times to watch over Tasuki. We're all to keep a close eye on him at all times. If there is anything after or concerning him, then I want us to be there when something happens," said Hotohori.

"Taka, Chiriko, Hotohori can handle school hours. We're bound to have classes with him, no da. If not, then we'll just have to find some way to watch over him. The rest of us, Nuriko, me and mitsukake can handle after school shifts, no da. But if we are to watch him, we're going to have to be inconspicuous. I don't want to scare him. And besides, he probably still has his sharp instincts, so we may have a better chance just befriending him. It should be easy enough, considering our past, no da."

"And what about the mikos, Chichiri? I think we may need to watch them too," Chiriko spoke up. Chichiri nodded.

"I don't think we'll need very many people to watch Yui. Her seishi would have been summoned had there been any danger. As for Miaka, Taka pretty much has her covered afters chool and during school hours," Nuriko said. A few smiles and snickers sounded around the table. Nuriko winked and I turned bright red. I laughed nervously while Taka shuffled in his chair and turned a deeper shade of crimson.

"But even so, I think we'll arrange shifts for the miko as well. Miaka, I don't want you to ever be alone, understand, no da?"

"Hai… demo…"

"Demo… Miaka, what's wrong?" asked Hotohori.

"Demo… there's this girl at school…" I said, thinking about the girl Tasuki had been speaking with. "Her name is Yamanoto Natsumi. She's become pretty good friends with Tasuki, and it's only been the first day. I'd be happy for Tasuki, had it not been for this weird feeling I get whenever I see the two of them together."

Taka shuffled even more. I quickly waved my hands in defense, "Not like that! I just get a bad feeling whenever she's with him. I really like her, though. She's in a few of my classes, and she seems nice enough and quiet too…"

"Has anything unusual happened while she was around?" Chiriko asked. "Oh…I think I know her. I've seen her around a couple of times. She's the one with the black hair, little past the shoulder? Green eyes, I think?"

"Yeah, that's definitely her...Um… anything unusual? Well, while me and Taka were about to go and sit with him in the cafeteria, she came and took him away," I said thoughtfully, I added quickly, "But I think this could also very much be a coincidence. Which I think it is."

"Wait, no da. This feeling… is it something you sense, or is it just…"

"I dunno if this is an official feeling- feeling, if you know what I mean. But can we just keep an eye on her too?" I asked.

"It's going to be difficult trying to keep an eye on so many people, no da," Chichiri said, "But it's really up to you guys as well. We're all going to be watching them, no da."

"I, for one, think we can do it," Chiriko spoke up.

"Yeah, if anyone can do it, It'll be the seishi of suzaku, ne minna?" I laughed. The atmosphere was instantly lightened and I could tell everyone was feeling loads better.

"Then its settled, no da. Is anyone going to have trouble, no da? Any other concerns?" No one answered Chichiri.

"Now… who's hungry?" I asked. Everyone face-faulted.

"Miaka-chan… it's midnight!" Nuriko said, grabbing the table and getting himself up off the floor.

"Anou, it's been six hours since my last meal, and I'm starved." Nuriko laughed as I found my pack in the other room and came back to dump the contents onto the table. Needless to say, most of them gave in and took what I offered them.

Tasuki, I wish you were here, right now. But oh, now everything'll be okay because now that you're here… I looked around as everyone started losing the serious attitude. They started talking about old times, and how their pasts. Tama came and brushed up against my ankles. I knelt down to pick him up as I dumped the last of my backpack's contents onto the table.

…We're all complete…

Author's Note: Okay... um.. this incredibly short chapter has no substance whatsoever. All it does is raise suspicion. Curse my inexperience with FY fanfics. Silence! I am aware that this fanfic sucks... =.=*.... Well, anyway, interesting issues of Tasuki's personal life are brought to attention in the next chapter of Akewetaru! Tune in next week!

For life insurance: This fanfic was written without outside influence and is based on my ideas and my ideas alone. This means that any similarities between this fanfic and any others are simply coincidence. I copied no one.

~Amber~- Oh, I really hope you're right. I made the mistake of comparing how many reviews other people got and I had the sudden urge to skip all the prologue/beginning chapters and get straight to the plot. But I guess the fanfic will remain as slow as hell itself. LoL. And by the way- I've finished my second week of Sophomore year... egh.. it's been literally the longest week of my LIFE!!!
Shunu no miko- Arigatou! I feel all warm and PhuzZy inside now. lol! ^_^.

Allrighty. Said my part, and now it's time for you to do yours. Review!! I crave feedback- negative or not. Constructive criticism as well as nice comments welcome. Hehe. XD.