Title: Seduction is a Fine Art - Part 5

Rating: PG-13 - O_o?! I wrote something that's rated PG-13?! *faints*

Series: Yoriden Samurai Troopers/Ronin Warriors

Characters: Sh'ten/Anubis and original.

Notes: This is a tear jerker! It was really hard for me to write it *sighs* But I'll tell you now it's got a happy ending, so don't fret too much.

Translation of the Japanese:

"Atashi no yariki nara ai ga... kimi ni totte da yo..." - My endless love is only for you."

"Suki da" - very, very, very loosely translated "I love you"

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Seduction is a Fine Art - Part 5

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"It was fated that I would not live to fully enjoy my life…"

Those words echo in my ears even now as I sit in meditation.

She had been wounded badly in one of the raids we did every once in a great while on people who still would not submit to Master Argo.

I still shake my head in wonderment when I remember what she did.

She stood there, a placid expression on her face as an old samurai ran her through. She did not even flinch as she reached out and grabbed the man's face in her hands, and it seemed instantly, he was disengaged into black ash.

Her lips went up in a smirk as she pulled the sword out of her body with no reaction. She seemed… resolute about what had happened.

Almost as if she knew…

This wound, however, did not incapacitate her, but seemed to drive her forward with more fury. I thought nothing of it as she whipped her sword through throngs of people.

It bothered me, in a way, to see her so vicious. Yet I knew she was called the Mistress of Death, so it should not have surprised me. I suppose it was because I saw that she had a different side, a side I was starting to recognize as her.

After all was said and done, the wound was far more severe than we first believed.

She had collapsed after the last opponent was destroyed, and her eyes remained closed until we brought her back to Master Argo's palace.

Shinare smiled at me, her hand gently brushing my hair out of my face. She then said the words that would forever change me, and I think she understood it as well.

"It was fated that I would not live to fully enjoy my life, Oni. I am indeed sorry that I have kept something vitally important from you, but I know you well now, and I know you would rage against the fates, trying to seek a solution that cannot be found.

"When I was younger it was ordained, within the books of prophecy, that I would die before I truly began to live. I never found out the meaning to that until recently with you.

"My key would be my death. That is why I wept when you allowed me to speak freely, Oni." She drew in a painful breath and smiled again at me before she continued. "I was a warrior, raised as a man due to my father's biased will against women. He wanted a son to succeed him. I, however, was a woman. I was raised as a man, fought like a man, and was trained to have no feelings."

She sighed quietly. "I know now what my mother met when she told me I was slowly killing myself." She shook herself slightly before she looked intently at me. "Please do not think that this can, or could have been avoided.

"I am not meant to live with you as I would enjoy, as I would wish. You must accept that we will one day meet again in our afterlife, and we shall find our happiness there."

Her hand's pressure became tight. "Please promise me not to allow your cruelty to dominate you." There were tears in her eyes as she said this last part. "Please tell me that you will harbor no ill will towards my death."

A silver tear dripped down her face. My free hand trembled as it wiped the wetness away.

"Shinare, you know my feelings." I brought her hand to my face and pushed my cheek against her palm. "Is there no other way?" I placed her hand against my chest beneath the folds of my kimono, and brought my now free hand up to trace the smooth lines of her face, my index finger gently running along her lips.

She watched me for a few seconds then closed her eyes, her tears falling down her cheeks.

What I felt of my heart broke in that instant. That utter look of pain and vulnerability that flashed on her face tore at me.

I watched her for a few seconds before I sat beside her on our shared bed and leaned over her. I brushed kisses over her face and this only made her sob harder.

Shinare leaned her face against my cheek, and I felt her cool, tear-slicked cheek against my own flushed skin. Weakly, she wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me close to her, tugging me to be beside her.

Finally I obliged, allowing her to roll on her side. She pushed her face against my neck as I wrapped my arms around her, my fingers gently stroking her temple.

My fingers trailed from the soft honey hair down to her chin and softly stroked her shoulder through her loose kimono.

"Shinare," I whispered softly into her ear. "Atashi no yariki nara ai ga... kimi ni totte da yo..."

I felt her lips curve in a soft smile as she drew a rattling breath.

"Suki da, Shuten Doji."

I felt her sigh, and then she went still.

I lay there for a while, my arms wrapped around her still warm body, as I buried my face into her honey gold locks.

I tried to weep for her, but no tears would come.

Later on, the rest of the Masho and I carried her out to the surrounding countryside in a solemn procession. Specifically we took her body to the one place where there still was life within the youjakai.

It was a small clearing on the edge of a brilliant blue lake, and as we all built her pyre, we sang and prayed softly.

For once we were all of one mind and agreement, our objections pushed aside as well as our anger.

We prepared her, as a warrior would be, for indeed she was a great warrior. Her gender was regardless of this.

Finally, everything was prepared, and we placed her upon her pyre and chanted for her soul to return to our gods.

With a soft touch on my shoulder, the others signaled that I should light her pyre. I did so with reluctance to see her body burn to ash, but I knew she found some joy in our beliefs and I would not deny her.

The other Masho and I stayed well into the next day until there was nothing but ash left.

Nazza, Rajura, and Anubisu each touched my shoulder again before they left to say a silent goodbye to her.

I had a feeling that all three of them would not care about anything again…

Neither would I…

I was numb within and I threw myself totally into my training, my fighting, and I ended up becoming Master Argo's right hand.

Her last warning was strange, enigmatic like the rest of her.

Now that I have been freed from Argo's hold by Kaosu, I realized all what she was telling me.

She was right.

I lived in darkness until I was freed.

I only wish I knew the full extent of what she knew about my future…

Often I lay on the ground where I have decided to rest, and I can feel her lying beside me, her heart beat against my own chest. I feel her soft hands against my skin and I try to weep, but still no tears come.

I cannot mourn for that which has not truly left me.

She exists, even only within my heart, soul, and memories…