Chapter 25: Confrontation

Miramei stared at the red-blood eyes in front of her, feeling slightly frightened. Akuma leaned closer to the small, white face, reveling in her nervousness as he ran his hand through the blue-green curls.

"Lets not forget what happened with you and Konzen too. It was destiny for both of you to be together, huh? What did you do next to the poor, unsuspecting guy? Oh, I'm sure he never thought that his beloved had been enjoying herself in Hell."

Miramei sputtered in anger. How dare he talk about me like I'm some cheap whore! "Let me get this straight, Akuen. Ashi and I never did anything. I managed to get away because I was worried about you. But, I couldn't find you." Miramei's eyes narrowed. "Konzen and I didn't..."

She couldn't finish her sentence as a hand made contact with her cheek, the force of it sending her head nearly off her neck. She gasped in horror, feeling the stinging pain.

"How dare you say you were worried for me? You were enjoying every second of it! And when poor innocent me wanted to give you this too..."

He stuck the rose which was still in its red glory right under her nose. Miramei looked up in surprise, at Akuma's twisted face.

"I'd finally got up the courage to tell you my love. And to give you that. But it doesn't matter anymore." He savagely tore the rose apart, the petals falling forlornly to the ground.

He grabbed her chin again. "You are mine now. I will never ever let you get away again." He tore away her robe.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hakkai held an orb of light atop the damaged oracle as he chanted the spell they had managed to decipher from the book. Gojou and Goku stared hopefully as Konzen stood to one side, with folded arms.

Hakkai took his hand away, feeling his energy ebbing away to the last. The orb was slowly growing dimmer.... when suddenly a flash of light behind him nearly made him jump. And just in time too as that flash of light joined with the orb and together created a larger light which absorbed all of them for a moment.

"What the hell!" Gojou yelled as he tried to see through the bright flashes.

"My, my. Fancy this going on while I wasn't here."

A familiar, almost masculine voice sounded. Konzen grimaced. Its that woman again.

The light slowly cleared, and instead now the oracle shone, having been restored fully.

Kanzeon's face slowly took shape, along with her body as Goku and Gojou blinked rapidly.

"Thank you very much." Hakkai said, clapping a little.

"Saa, Iku zo." Konzen announced, leaning down at the oracle.

"Eh....iku e doko?" Goku asked curiously.

"Hell, baka!"

Kanzeon laughed. "I'll send you there myself." A mist started to envelop Sanzo...er, Konzen-ikkou as they started to disappear.

"I have my trust in you, Konzen." She smiled as she walked to her lotus pond. "You'll have to bring her back safe and sound or I'll knock your head off."

Suddenly her pond began rippling and slowly but surely, the water started becoming choppy. She whipped around, staring in amazement. Jiroushin, who had come to give her a report, exclaimed in horror, " Bousatsu-sama! Your.... pond!"

Kanzeon gritted her teeth. "Shit."

A lone lotus slowly disappeared from sight under the water. The waters soon regained their calm composure.

Jiroushin stared. "Bousatsu-sama, what does this mean? Your pond has never done such a thing before!"

"What does it mean?" She stared down. "They reached her too late."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Gojou felt himself floating through air before being unceremoniously dumped to the hard ground.

"Ite..." He groaned, lying flat on the ground, not bothering to move.

Suddenly he heard a yell from above and before he could move, Goku fell on top of him. Gojou went @_@ and "I'm squashed...."

"Waa, Gojou, you're so good to cushion my fall!" Goku grinned happily.

"Get off me, baka saru whatever did you eat!!" Gojou cried out when he suddenly went "mmpft!" as Hakkai fell on top of Goku.

"Itai yo, Hakkai!" Goku complained.

"Sumimasen ne..." Hakkai apologized, lying flat on top of Goku. "I think we should move..."

Before he could do that, Konzen fell on top of the three of them. By that time, Gojou temporarily passed out.

Konzen stepped off the human mattress. "Well, I can give you credit this once for doing what you should do for the first time."

Goku bent down to look at Gojou. "Ne, Konzen, I think Gojou fainted."

Gojou immediately jumped up and grabbed Goku by the collar. "What was that all about? What was that all about! Do you know I hate to support the three of you heaviest beings in the universe?" He shook Goku hard and buns, pieces of meat plus other stuff flew out of Goku's pockets.

He turned next to Hakkai. Hakkai pointed to Hakuryuu, grinning apologetically. "Hakuryuu was with me when we landed on Goku and you. Although Hakuryuu is small.... "

Gojou waved the rest of his explanation away when he reached next for Konzen. A bright shiny black Smith and Wesson pointed straight at his temple.

"Don't come near me." Konzen said before turning and walking away, along the hallway. The rest followed, with Gojou's grumblings and Goku's teasings causing echoes all the way.

Konzen suddenly stopped in front of huge black doors. The hallway ended here, or more precisely, led to here. His hands reached out to push open the door, but hesitated a moment.

"We'll be able to save her." Hakkai's calm voice washed over the other three. Konzen sniffed and pushed the doors open as hard as he could.

Thick, black darkness immediately surrounded them. Pulled them in even. The air had suddenly became suffocating. The four of them dropped to the floor, gasping.

"I... can't breathe!" Hakkai gasped.

"What the hell is this muck?" Gojou demanded, holding his throat.

Through the darkness, Konzen made out a faint figure. No, two. He tried walk, but dropped to his knees.

Just then the darkness cleared, and he spotted a fire in the middle of the room pricking through. A figure hung almost lifelessly beside it. Konzen stared, frozen.

Gojou, discovering that he could breathe once more, looked to where Konzen was looking. He gasped as he leaped up immediately and ran towards the figure. "Destiny!" He shook the white face that was hanging by the side, gently. "Hoi.....hoi!"

An orb of energy courtesy of Hakkai burst through and severed the chains. Miramei fell into Gojou's open arms. "Wake up, wake up, Destiny! What are you doing. Don't scare us!" He shook her harder this time.

Hakkai appeared behind him. "I think we should take her back first, Gojou. She looks as though she's just passed out."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They laid Miramei on the bed. Konzen still stood by one side, staring at Miramei but not getting any closer to her. Gojou, sitting by the bed, snapped irritatedly at him.

"Can't you get your selfish butt here for once for her?"

Hakkai stared down at the white face. I do hope nothing's happened to her. There's the same aura we felt around that room hanging around her.

The door opened and Kanzeon walked in. She had on a serious expression for once.

Goku looked at her hopefully. "Have you finally got the cure, Kanzeon?? Lets wake her up now. She's scaring me by lying so still."

Kanzeon noticed Konzen who standing stonily to one side before walking to the bed. She held some stuff under Miramei's nose. "I don't know what these can do but its worth a try."

Miramei suddenly sputtered and coughed. Gojou immediately turned to her. "You're alright! Finally!"

Miramei stared at him with sleepy gray eyes. "What....? Gojou?"

"Hey."

She turned her head to face that familiar voice. "What did you think you were doing there?"

She turned away from the blond head that was in front of her and covered her head with the pillow. I can't face him. I can't face him now.

Konzen nearly dropped his blank expression in surprise. What's wrong with her?

Suddenly Hakkai whipped around. "Akuma!"

A figure appeared in front of them from a mist. Akuma's sly, grinning smile met them all.

"Wasn't I good to let you all take her? You may think you have saved her...." He burst out laughing wickedly.

Miramei pulled the pillow around her head tightly as she fought to block off the sound. I never want to hear him. No. Never.

Kanzeon noticed Miramei's reaction. She stood up and demanded, "What have you come to see us for?"

Akuma started when he saw her. "Ah, Kanzeon Bousatsu-sama.... what a pleasure.... to finally meet one of the five gods who rule. Not that you'll be ruling much longer anyway."

"I hate people who talk brokenly."

Akuma looked at Konzen, his smile growing wider. "Of course. Just let it be known that Destruction Day will come soon, Konzen-sama. She was such fun to be with."

Konzen froze, hearing his words. Akuma noticed it and laughed.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. You never did have her after all. I was the first one then. She's beautiful both ways, Konzen...."

He cackled a last laugh before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Kanzeon's eyes widened at his statements. She shook Miramei hard and tried to pry the pillow off.

"Did what he say true? Miramei, answer me!"

Miramei tried to hug the pillow harder. She didn't want to see anyone, didn't want anyone to see her. Just leave me alone.

Konzen pulled off the pillow savagely. "What was he talking about, Miramei?"

She stared back at him, frightened, looking like a small helpless child that made him turn away. There was something in her expression that scared him.

She jumped out of the bed to grab a knife and faced them, tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't stop him..."

She rose the knife to her throat.

babyg: ^________^