Warnings: Sad stuff. Drama. And, never thought I'd have to say this, but…vomiting. --;

Notes: Just a small note before we begin: Miboshi is not Yui! ^_~ I know a lot of you guys think so because of the blond hair thing, but remember, Ryuuen already knows Yui, so he'd recognize her if Miboshi really had possessed her. ^_^ Yui is safe and sound somewhere out of the story. (I likes her not. No offense to Yui fans. ^_~ ) Major thanks to Ryu-chan for helping me with this chapter. ^_^ And to everyone else, I hope you like it! If it's bad, it's because I'm really really tired. **nodnod** So blame my early classes, not me. ^_~

Dedication: To Kaze-chan! You'll see why, and I hope you like it. ^_~

YET ANOTHER STORY

Chapter 22:

Only Emptiness

I stared at the door in front of me in surprise, and realized that, somehow, I was home. Back in the suburbs, staring at the green painted front door and the bronze handle… A glance behind me showed that my home street was silent and dead; not a soul walking on the new white sidewalk, not a car, not a bicycle driving down the road.

"How'd I get here?" I murmured aloud, confused. Where were the others? Where were Sai, and Houjun and Genrou and Miaka?

Maybe they'd come in and found me after Miboshi had knocked me unconscious. Maybe…maybe they'd taken me home, maybe the battle was over and we'd won already!

Did I sleep through the final battle??! What kind of seishi does THAT??!

And…why am I just standing here?

I didn't know why I was just standing at the door, or why I couldn't even remember walking up to the door. But in any event, I was home; reaching out a hand, I tentatively gripped the handle and pushed down, and the door swung open more easily than I'd expected.

Stepping inside, I could hear voices coming from the kitchen; muted voices, almost as if people were afraid of talking too loud. But I smiled anyway.

"Mom?" I said, loudly enough to be heard. "Kourin, Mom, Dad! I'm home!" Rokou was living alone now, so I didn't think he'd be there.

When the voices continued without a hint of interruption, I frowned. Hadn't they heard me?

"Kourin?" I tried again, moving down the hallway, past the shallow hall closet into the den. There, sitting on the blue couch and love seat and reclining chairs, were my family and friends: Mom, Dad, Kourin and Roukou, Miaka and Taka and Genrou and everyone, even Shouka and Kouran were there. Myojuan and Shouka were standing by the hearth, and Gen-chan was standing sullenly by the book case, his arms crossed tightly.

Why do they all look so sad?

The realization that they did look sad made me hesitate a bit, but I decided to announce my presence anyway. Maybe they were worried about me, for some reason. So I moved onto the carpet from the tile of the hallway and beamed around at everyone.

"Why the long faces?" I asked. "You guys look like somebody died, or something…"

I was cut off by a sound like a sob, and turned my head in horror at Miaka; my friend had put a hand to her mouth and was squeezing her eyes shut, her shoulders shaking as she began to cry. Horrified, I watched as Taka drew her into his arms, petting her hair and soothing her even though a tear was running down his own face…

…What…what happened?

"M…Miaka?" I asked quietly.

Sweet Suzaku…maybe someone DID die. Why didn't I know about it? Why didn't…

"Genrou," Myojuan said quietly, and I turned my wild eyes to my best friend, who had brought his own hand up to hide his eyes. I could tell his jaw was clenched, his chest heaving as he tried to suppress his own tears. My mind raced as Myojuan ambled over to put a hand on Gen-chan's shoulder, only to have Gen-chan jerk away almost angrily from his touch.

"Don't fuckin touch me," he growled brokenly, his voice wavering. "Don't you fuckin touch me with those useless hands of yours…"

"Gen-chan." This time it was my mother's voice, pleading from the couch, her brown eyes wet with tears, her round face pale. "Please. Please, not here; not now."

Mom?

Something happened. Something happened, oh god…

They were crying. And, I noticed, dressed in dark colors… Crying, dark colors, oh my god, someone's dead…Someone died and I slept through it, isn't that what happened? And the only one who's not here…the only one who's not here is…

"Sai!" I yelled frantically, bolting from the room. "Sai! Sai, where are you?" He wasn't in the kitchen, or the living room, or the dining room, even… My heart beating so hard I could barely move, I ran toward the stairs and forced myself up them, tears of fear beginning to form in my eyes.

No… No, no, no… this can't be happening, it CAN'T be, not to him! Suzaku, I was supposed to be the one to die! ME!!

Not in the bathroom, not in Rokou's or Kourin's rooms…

Sai…Sai, you can't be dead, you CAN'T be, I won't let you be dead! How am I supposed to live if you died because of me??! How could I not have been there?? No, I won't believe it…I won't!!

"Sai!" I wailed, bursting into my own bedroom…and nearly collapsed from relief.

There, kneeling at the side of my bed, was my Sai…dressed in black like everyone else, a snappy suit, as befit him. He didn't turn around when I entered, but I saw he was holding something in his hands, looking at it.

Smiling in relief, for the moment brushing aside the question of who had died—as selfish as it sounded, at least it wasn't Sai—I walked to his side and knelt down next to him, looking up at his face. "Sai? I was so worried; I couldn't find you anywhere. Are you o…"

But his shoulders started to shake, his head bowed…and with horror, I realized that he, too, was crying. He seemed to fold in on himself, lowering his head to the mattress and curling his arms around his head, cradling his shining hair in his own hands. His back heaved, and I could hear audible sobs emerging from the cavern his arms had formed, tearing raggedly through him, making my own chest hurt with every breath.

"Sai," I murmured, frightened. "Sai, what's happened? Don't cry…"

But when I tried to put my arms around him, to hold him close and comfort him…I connected with only air.

The terror spread, taking over the whole cavity of my chest and then some, and wordlessly, I tried again. And again. And again. But every time I tried to touch him… every time I tried, there was only emptiness before me. Only emptiness.

No. This can't be happening. This has to be a dream; a nightmare! THIS ISN'T REAL!! IT CAN'T BE!!!!

"S…Sai!" I choked, not giving up in my efforts, grasping and reaching and praying each time that I would hit something, that I would finally feel his warm hand against mine, that I would finally latch onto his clothing and hug him and never let go. But nothing happened. He wasn't there.

Don't be dead, Sai, please don't be dead, please, I'd give anything…

"Saihitei…are you all right?"

Houjun's quiet, gentle voice from the doorway…and then our blue-haired friend had moved into the room, reaching out a tentative hand to place it on Sai's shoulder. I could only stare at him, mouth wide open; why could Houjun touch him, and not me? Why could Houjun…

Wait…

"Houjun," Sai said in a sobbing whisper, "why? Why him?"

Downstairs…why didn't anybody even look at me? If Sai was dead… If Sai was dead, they would've come over to me, I know they would've…

"It's out of our hands now," was Houjun's still-gentle reply. "It was Suzaku's will; I know it's painful, but it must have happened for a reason. If Miboshi hadn't killed Ryuuen…we might not have found the strength to defeat him."

Miboshi…

Standing shakily, I backed up toward the wall, shaking my head back and forth even though…even though I knew they couldn't see me.

No. No, no, no, no, no…

Sai raised his head, his face hard and streaked with tears. "I should have been able to save him. I should have been able to do something, Houjun… I loved him"—his voice broke—"I loved him so much. What…what use is loving someone like that if it's going to end like this, if it makes you this helpless? If it won't even allow you to protect the person you care for the most in all the world?"

"Saihitei. You couldn't have done anything to…"

"I could have stopped him," Sai hissed, new anguish in his face. "I should have stopped him from going into that place with you; I should have trusted my instincts, I knew something awful would happen! I knew it… How could I have been so stupid?"

Shaking like a leaf, I slid down against the wall with wide, unbelieving eyes, and stared…just stared. My arms hung limply at my sides, brushing against the rough carpeting which I could feel against the backs of my hands…I could feel it, but not him…I couldn't feel anything that mattered.

"Sai." Houjun had put his arm around Sai's shoulders now, though my boyfriend's body was stiff and trembling. "He was chosen to go. And whether we like it or not… Whether we like it or not, we have to accept it."

Numb, I watched as Sai turned his face into Houjun's chest, sobbing like a child—"Not again," I could barely make out through his tears, "why did I leave him alone again?"—and I couldn't help it. I started sobbing, too. But there was no one there to comfort me. There was no one who could even see me.

I'm dead. I died, and Sai…

I was dully aware of the thing Sai had been holding tumbling to the ground, and robotically, I honed in on it… A little stuffed bear, dressed in a gray sweatshirt…

The one I got him for Valentine's Day, the one with the magnet in its nose…

I couldn't watch anymore; I clamped my eyes shut tightly, clenching my teeth against the pain in my heart.

Sai…Sai, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry I hurt you… I never want you to be sad because of me, I'm so sorry! You were right; I shouldn't have gone. But I can't win; I couldn't fight Suzaku's will. I wasn't strong enough…and now you're crying, and I can't touch you and I don't know what to do, oh, Sai…

Then there was a hand on my head, smoothing my hair back from my forehead in slow, tentative strokes. I nearly gasped aloud in surprise when I felt the touch; someone was there with me, someone was there…and I dared to believe that it was Sai, that somehow, Suzaku had taken pity on me and brought me back to life…

But the hand was too small to be Sai's…and besides, the voice didn't sound like Sai at all.

"Wake up, Ryuu-chan…wake up…"

Who…who's talking to me? Please, please, wake me up… Tell me it's a dream, tell me it's not real, tell me…

"Ryuuen."

I felt a throbbing ache in my head, and my entire body seemed to sigh in relief at the feeling.

I can't be dead. My head wouldn't hurt if I was dead.

It was a dream. This is what's real. I was asleep…I was only asleep…I'm not dead.

Bathed in relief, I forced my eyes to open, squinting up into a blurry world of mottled color. There was a face hovering above mine…at least, I thought it was a face. And I felt a strand of long hair brush my cheek as the face bent over me…pale hair, a pale face…

"Are you awake?" the face inquired gently.

Wincing against the quickly returning pain in my head, I blinked a few times to clear my vision, bringing one fist up to rub at my eye. As the world came into focus, despite the throbbing pressure I felt at my left temple, I was able to recognize the features that slowly sharpened before me.

"D…Doulin?" I croaked, my dry throat making my voice sound little and pathetic.

Her mouth curved into a smile. "Yeah. How do you feel?" As I struggled weakly to sit up, she held my shoulders firmly in place. "No no, don't you move; if you sit up now, your headache will just get worse," she said.

Moving my eyes, at least, around the room, I saw that we were in some sort of…I don't know, some sort of bubble made of pearly, swirling cloud-like stuff that was only moderately opaque. Despite the transient appearance of the ceiling and walls, the ground beneath me felt hard and cold; Doulin was holding my head in her lap, but the rest of me was stretched out on the floor like a dummy.

I swallowed. "M…Miboshi…threw me into the wall."

She nodded. "Yeah, you've got quite a goose egg on your head."

"…What?"

"A goose egg. A big lump, you know. And it's almost as purple as your hair."

"Wh…where are we?"

Continuing to pet my hair, she sighed. "We are the proud residents of the Miboshi Penitentiary. As for where we are, I really couldn't say. But Kaen and Lanva are here, as well as lots of others. Or…I suppose I should call them Soi and Tokaki now, eh, Nuriko?" The smile returned, small and quirky.

I processed this. "You…remember now?"

"Nice way to be informed, isn't it? Having it shoved into your head by a cheerleader bitch with an attitude problem," she said, trying to joke.

"Are…are you okay?" I worried.

"Hey, I'm not the one who's been unconscious for five hours," she winked. "Don't worry about me, Ryuuen; I'm fine. We all are."

As the walls of the bubble swirled and swirled, I started to see other bubbles outside, forming a circle around some sort of Mother Ship bubble that glowed yellow. Predicting my questions, Doulin continued to explain.

"Those are all prison cells like this one. One prisoner per bubble, usually. And Miboshi does whatever she does in the big one in the middle. I'm sure you must be aware of the whole Conversion To Evil thing by now. Well, I don't know how she does it, and I don't want to know; all I know is, she hasn't wanted me there yet, and she hasn't taken Kaen or Lanva, either."

I shivered. "Have you seen anyone who…who has been turned evil?"

"Only one. Toroki. He was the one who…brought us here. Other than that, no one I know…well, not personally…not in this life," she added, her voice fading. "I'm almost sure she's got more of the Byakko seishi out there working for her, and one of the Genbu, too. She's too scared to send the Seiryuu back out, since I've heard one of them had his spell broken, and she can't afford to lose another. She wants to summon the blasted god, you know. Psychopath."

I wanted to ask her how she'd heard all this, since she was isolated in her own cell. But a frightened spark had worked its way into my heart, and I had to ask, "What about…Suzaku?"

Her hand stopped on my head, and she didn't say anything for a long time. Too long.

"D…Doulin," I pressed, "why did he put me in your cell if they're only meant for one person?"

"I'm going to help you sit up, okay?" she said, but the seriousness in her voice said that she wasn't trying to change the subject, she just wanted to look me in the eye. So, painfully, slowly, she helped me raise myself up into a sitting position; my head spun for a while, and I felt suddenly very nauseous, but I forced myself to swallow and lift my head.

"Why'd he put me in with you?" I asked again, not able to stop my voice from trembling a little.

She looked at me sympathetically, then reached out and tucked some of my hair behind my ear. "Miboshi instructed…that I should take care of you," she explained quietly. "She said you mustn't die, if there was any chance you would, because…she needs you."

My skin turned to ice, and I swallowed again, feeling even more sick. "He… she's going to make me evil," I whispered. "Isn't he."

Turning her eyes to me sharply, she clenched her jaw. "You don't know that; you don't know. Don't think about it, Ryuuen; I've thought about it for too long, and trust me, the best thing to do is find something else to worry about."

"He could have killed me, but he didn't," I replied stubbornly, closing my eyes tight to combat the churning in my stomach. "Why…why would he let me live if she didn't need me? And what could he possibly need me for, if not to turn me against my friends?"

She looked like she didn't want to believe it, but I knew she was smarter than that. Maybe she wanted to cling to her denial, but it made sense, and I couldn't ignore it. I was the only one Miboshi had, the only Suzaku seishi he had, and therefore…I was the only chance he had to get rid of the others. Unless…

"Did you…did you see him bring anyone else in besides me?" I asked, almost afraid to hear the answer. If Houjun and Suboshi had been caught, as well… My face had broken out into a cold sweat by now, and I could barely contain my trembling.

How could this happen? Is this my punishment, Suzaku? My punishment for not wanting to die?

But Doulin was shaking her head. "I didn't see anyone else. And I looked."

For the most part, I was relieved; things had gone as planned, and the others were safe. But there was a speck of life inside me that grew even more terrified at the news, because now, I really was the only one.

I'm the only one he has. And that means he HAS to use me; to stop the others from getting him, he HAS to…

"Ryuuen…" Doulin's voice sounded hollow in my ears, far away. "You just got awfully pale; are you…"

I took a few deep breaths, but to no avail. "I…I'm gonna throw up," I managed to mumble, and lurched to the side so I wouldn't puke all over my poor friend. And puke I did, as embarrassing as it was. I won't get into the gory details; Doulin approached me even though I would have rather she hadn't, brushing my hair back from my face and holding my head gently. I was in no position to tell her to leave me alone, and I suppose her presence was nice, in a way. She murmured comforting words like she was my big sister, or something, and when I'd finally finished, breath heaving and tears running down my face, she rubbed my back and turned me away from the awful mess I'd made. But not before I had time to see it seem to melt into the ground. Waste disposal at its finest.

"Looks like you had a concussion," she said soothingly, maneuvering my head back onto her lap. "I thought you might; you were unconscious for a long time. But you should feel better now, at least."

My stomach did feel better, almost back to normal, but I can't say I was pleased with the situation. "I'm sorry, Doulin," I rasped. "I'm sorry; that was so gross…"

"Hey, you can't help it," she clicked kindly. "It isn't as if you slammed yourself into a wall."

We were both silent for a while as I regained what was left of my composure, wiping self-consciously at my mouth. I hadn't ever thrown up in front of anyone before, not since I was really young, and I couldn't help but mope about it a little. Pretty soon, though, the annoying little voice inside my head reminded me that there were more important things at stake than my dignity, and I heaved a sigh.

He's gonna turn me evil. And then he'll send me back to everyone, and they won't know…and Sai…what if I hurt Sai?

Don't think about it, Ryuuen…not now. Remember what Sai said? It's no use to worry about it, it will just make me crazy, and I can't afford to be crazy now. I need to THINK. I need to keep my head.

"Why…why do you call Miboshi a she?" I asked quietly. "I mean…it looks like a she. But he's a demon, right? A male one, or so Doukun thought."

"Not this time," she said, sounding satisfied. "Nope. Miboshi's not a demon anymore, Ryuu-chan; she's a girl. Just a girl."

Shocked, I pondered this. "A…girl? You mean…he didn't just possess the body of the girl…"

"No. She's got some interesting powers that I don't remember Miboshi having—like this whole bubble effect we've got here—but as far as I can tell, she's real. Miboshi's capability to possess people came with being a demon, and wasn't one of his seishi powers; did you know that?"

"No," I breathed. "No, I didn't know."

"Well, it's logical, if you think about it," she continued. "Being a girl, and not a demon, I mean. If she could just possess the bodies of random seishi to get the ones she wanted, why would she go through all the trouble of turning them evil to serve her? It would certainly be a more dependable method, wouldn't it?"

Of course… Of course, it makes sense! If she could do her own dirty work that easily, why would she bother with Chuin and Toroki and everyone else she's used? Well, at least that makes it a LITTLE better; at least we don't have to worry about her possessing someone again! All we have to worry about is…

"Um," I said in a small voice, "so…you don't know exactly how she does it? Turns people evil, I mean…"

"No, Ryuu-chan; I don't have a clue," she said after a slight pause, her tone subdued. "She…she tried to take me, right after she brought me here…but I nailed her. Kicked her in the head, in fact; I knew those aikido classes I took freshman year would come in handy someday."

"You…hurt her?" I asked, in awe, picking myself up slowly to look her in the eye.

She nodded proudly. "It should have done her more damage than it did, but I must've been off guard. Of course, it was a short-lived victory; she started screaming inside my head, and I couldn't follow up. She hasn't tried to take me again, though. I'd like to think she's scared of me now."

"Do you think she is?"

"No. I just think there are easier people to turn. People who won't put up as much of a fight." Pursing her lips, she regarded me seriously. "Ryuu-chan…promise me that, if she tries with you, you'll put up a fight. Fight as hard as you can."

Fight? I tried to fight her before, and look where it got me! Even with my power, I couldn't fight her; how am I supposed to succeed if I try?

I opened my mouth to tell her I'd do my best…but before I could say anything, the air seemed to…change. Not exactly sure what had happened, I stared around at the walls of the bubble only to see them fade until nothing was left but air; it was as if someone had switched the power off, or something.

Doulin grabbed my arm, and I gave a start…and then…

"Ah, so you're awake," said a pleasant female voice. And, surprisingly enough, it came from Miboshi; she had changed from all black to blue jeans and a pink cotton blouse, and was smiling sweetly, a strange and incongruous appearance with her previous scowling and sneering.

A look up at Doulin showed that she, at least, was scowling and sneering enough for the both of them. Standing up and pulling me with her, still gripping my arm tightly enough to hurt, she growled, "Back for more, bitch?"

Miboshi just kept smiling, and turned her eyes to me. "Nuriko," she said, addressing me like I was a little kid, "will you come talk with me for a while? I've got something important to tell you, and I'm sure Subaru won't mind…"

"Subaru minds very much," Doulin said through clenched teeth.

"Now, really…" The blond girl's eyes were sad, back to their normal deep blue color instead of the creepy slits I'd seen in the prison. "I really don't know why I keep you around. I've been awfully kind, you know; even though you refuse to help me, I've kept you in here without violence, given you food… It's almost charitable of me, don't you think?" She smiled at me again, and I shivered despite myself. "I'm sure Nuriko would want you to continue to live here…unmolested…and well. Wouldn't you, Nuriko?"

There was a glint in her eye which set my heart pounding, a tiny, evil light that implied what she had left unsaid.

If I don't go with her…she'll do something to Doulin.

But if I do go with her, she'll make me evil! And all my friends will suffer; SAI will suffer!

I didn't know what to do. How could I choose between the person with me here and now, the person whom I would have to watch suffer, and the people I loved, who were so far away, but close to my heart…?

But wait. Even if she hurts Doulin, she'll take me anyway. She'll force me to go somehow. So what's the use of resisting if it will only make it harder? Should Doulin's safety be sacrificed as well as the others', if by going now I can maybe save one person? Just one?

"Doulin," I whispered, shutting my eyes, my shoulders slumping, "let me go."

She was silent, and I could feel her staring at me, horrified. "But…"

"I'll fight it," I said under my breath. "I promise. I'll try as hard as I can. But please; let me go."

I suppose I had shocked her enough to make her obey me, and she released me slowly. Taking a few steps forward toward the blond girl, I raised my head and looked her in the eye.

"If I come with you now, you'll leave Doulin alone," I said shakily, trying to appear braver and stronger than I was. "All right?" In my heart, I knew I couldn't trust her as far as I could throw her…okay, well, maybe that wasn't the best example to give. I didn't trust Miboshi to keep her promise. But it was better than nothing, so I said it anyway.

Miboshi grinned. "Of course, Nuriko. Subaru is…uncooperative, but it makes no difference to me whether she lives or not. She is mine, and, well, I suppose that's all that matters." Shrugging, she held out her hand to me. "Come along, now. Let's have our little talk."

And with so many conflicting emotions running through my head that it was nearly impossible to try to sort through them, I dazedly reached out my hand…and followed her.

TBC…

Notes: I'm sorry if it was bad. ^^;; And I'm sorry about the beginning part! If I fooled anyone, well, I told you I wouldn't ever kill Ryuuen, didn't I? ^_~ Anyway, thanks for reading!

YET ANOTHER STORY AKUGI!! Take One:

Doulin: Miboshi's not a demon anymore, Ryuu-chan; she's a girl. Just a girl.

Miboshi: **who, surprisingly, turns out to be none other than Gwen Stefani of No Doubt!! O.o;; **
Cuz I'm just a girl, I'd rather not be
Cuz they won't let me drive late at night
I'm just a girl, guess I'm some kind of freak
Cuz they all sit and stare with their eyes…!

Ryuuen: …

Doulin: **mutters** Well, she's got the freak part right…

YET ANOTHER STORY AKUGI!! Take Two:

Doulin: Back for more, bitch?!?!

Miboshi: BRING IT ON!!!!!

**girl fight**

Ryuuen: …