Ugh… they post my updated summary for the last chapter immediately, but didn't post the update for two hours! I hate that! Anyway, here's chapter five, but not before a shout out to all my loyal reviewers:
To Faeriesinger: Thank you so much for your two reviews! I felt so special after reading them (and I hadn't intended Kori to pose so dramatically, but more of a hands on the hips thing) but your idea was so much funnier!
To bakaneko, my first reviewer, I am so very grateful to you! I'm in your favorites!!! I feel so freakin' special!!!!!
To the Seasyngr, thank you so much for your two reviews, too! You guys make me feel so loved! Oh, and Kori's wittle secret will be revealed, but that is far to come… *laughs maniacally* Oh, and thanx for letting me know about disbelievingly. I'll addd (oops… better add that, too) it to my spellchecker.
Sun[Moon]-gIrL: I e-mailed you, so look for it, and let me know if you didn't get my e-mail!
And last, to NiteMare. I really appreciate your review, but that's what the story is for. To reveal the personality and thoughts of the character (in this case, Kori) to the reader. It's kind of gradual, ya know (no da)? Oh, and I meant original in that it follows the plot line of the story… I hadn't seen any of those in the FY section. Lord only knows how many self-insertions and new characters there are on this site!!! Oh yeah. And the thief thing only proves that not everybody's perfect (and helps the Reikakuzan Mountain Bandits seem a little less… evil). Sorry if this sounds rude!
~Taryn Eithne
Disclaimer: I own everything. I even own you. This is why you read my story and you review… review, I say, review! Eventually, I will even control what you think of my story. But hey, not every demon's perfect, eh… wait. I'm a Canadian demon!?
So on with the story:
Chapter Five: In the Darkness
"I can't see!?" Miaka cried helplessly while Hotohori took firm hold of her.
"Miaka!" he shouted (she's not deaf, hon), "Can you see me!?"
("I can't hear you now either, but…" ^^;) "Have I gone blind!?!" she asked as she tried desperately to see Hotohori in front of her. Yet with every second she tried, the worse the feeling that she really was blind sunk in. "No…"
"Nuriko! Tasuki, Kori! We must return to town, now!" Hotohori ordered, picking up Miaka and putting her on the horse. Everybody hurried out of the cemetery and towards town. They were there with half an hour, and found Shôka retrieving water at the town well. They ran to her and Hotohori helped Miaka down.
"Miss Shôka!!" Nuriko cried as Miaka climbed down from the horse. The beautiful lady turned and gave the now larger group a questioning glance.
"Can you cure Miaka's blindness!?" Hotohori cried, answering any questions the woman might have had. "She may have caught the plague!"
The bucket fell from Shôka's hands and she brought on of the tiny sleeves to her tiny mouth. "There is nothing I can do about that…" she whispered.
"What!?" The word seemed to linger as Shôka chose her words very carefully.
"I only have the ability to revive the dead," she stated slowly. "If she were to die, I could help you, but otherwise…" it was Shôka's turn to let her words drift.
"You want us to let her die!?" Tasuki cried suddenly, anger flashing through his eyes for the girl that her just barely knew.
"Uh… Tasuki?" Kori asked. "Why're you trying to intimidate me?" She smiled weakly and freed herself from his grip. He crossed his arms and turned away.
"It ain't fair intimidating women," he huffed, crossing his arm. Hotohori glanced at them, then shook his head lightly.
"Miaka…" he began as her face light up cheerily.
"I'll be fine!" she stated, turning the completely wrong direction. "They must have a doctor here. It may be useless, but there's no harm in trying!"
The others, including Shôka, nodded, though a little skeptically. They then all turned to Shôka, who quickly led them to the town doctor.
"What!?" Such a question seemed to come up very often.
"Absolutely not. There's nothing modern medicine can do about the plague." The gang had not so much as mentioned the plague when the doctor had denied them service.
"You haven't even examined me! And you call yourself a doctor!?" Miaka cried back to the doctor, her fists forming angry balls. "You should at least examine me! Are you listening to me!?" Miaka stormed over to a nearby figurine and pointed to it accusingly.
"Miaka, he's over here," Hotohori stated, pointing to the doctor on the other side of the room and sweat dropping.
The doctor sighed. "They say some demon is causing the plague…" Gasped flowed through the room. "Maybe Myo Ju-An can cure you, but we…"
"Th-this Myo Ju-An! Where is he!?" Miaka cried, taking the real doctor by the shoulders (lucky guess) roughly.
"He's just some drifter who came here about a year ago. He's living outside town." The man pulled himself as far from Miaka as possible. "Now you'll have to leave! You're infected and I could catch it!"
Tasuki huffed and began to head out of the small hospital. The others followed quickly behind him. Kori was the last one out, and she glanced back at the doctor, who had pushed himself into a corner, before she left. She gave him a quickly bowed and followed her friends through the town.
"Whadda quack!" Tasuki shouted as soon as they were out of earshot.
"Well," Miaka stated cheerfully, "At least he told us about this Myo Ju-An guy. Let's go find him!"
"Miaka's right! We can find this guy and—Miaka?" Kori paused mid-sentence as Shôka took hold of Miaka's arm. Miaka tensed immediately and shut her eyes tightly. Concern automatically etched itself across Shôka's face.
"Are you alright? Don't worry so," she quietly commanded Miaka, whose eyes flew open and regarded Shôka.
"Shôka…?" she whispered after a moment, feeling the wet cloth that was against her face removed. A sudden idea hit her and she took hold of Nuriko. "Shôka!!"
"I'm Nuriko," the cross-dresser replied, sweat-dropping. Miaka was going to reply, but the familiar call of a salesman particularly caught her attention. It wasn't actually the salesman that intrigued her, but the scent that his goods gave off: the smell of fish (because it is! Yay!). A small, "thwap" also intrigued her, and she went flying towards where a small fish had fallen from the merchant's baskets.
"I know that smell!" she cried as she ran, "FISH!" With that, she went diving for the fish, shouting, "And it's all mine!"
But just as Miaka reached her precious poisson, another hand covered it. Miaka felt the hand take her fish, and turned her head up to try and glare and whoever had intruded on her property. The man ignored her glare and continued to pull on the fish, thus beginning a relatively short battle.
"She's fightin' that hulk over one lousy fish…" Tasuki stated incredulously, sweat-dropping.
Kori sweat-dropped with him. "Gluttony has a new name!"
"I don't believe it," Nuriko was whispering to himself, "Even when she's blind, her hunger drives her on!"
"Miaka, doesn't need to act so energetic!" Hotohori stated suddenly, concern etched on his face along with the determination to end the small fight. He had almost reaching the squalling duo when Shôka turned away very quickly and dramatically.
"Shôka, you look pale as a ghost!" Nuriko noted with a hint of concern. Shôka shook her head and smiled.
"Oh, its nothing. I'm fine," she stated quietly. She then hesitated. "I do feel a bit tired, so I'll go home. Everyone, please stay at my house."
With that said, Shôka disappeared and the man fighting Miaka finally seized the fish from her grasp.
"How dare you steal food from a helpless sick person!?" Miaka cried as the man made a dash for the town exit. Miaka began to follow at full speed.
"Miaka!" Hotohori cried desperately after the ill gil, but she ignored him and kept running, at least until she reached the edge of the town and a clearing of woods. This was where the others caught up to her.
"Th-that took the last of my strength," she huffed, leaning heavily against her walking stick.
"Whaddya expect!? Are you sure yer sick!?" Tasuki cried, his face red and his breath short. Kori let out a gasp of agreement from her hunched-over body on the ground. Hotohori was about to speak, but before he could catch his breath, Miaka sniffed the air and turned towards a certain direction.
"My nose knows the way!" she shouted determinedly, "It's somewhere close by!" She began a trot towards another nearvyt clearig and paused as she approached it, finally seeing the old house that lay hidden in the woods. "It must be in that run-down hovel!" she cried, reaching the front of the house.
"You're surrounded! Come out holding me fish up!" she shouted angrily inside, waiting for a response. The others sweat-dropped.
"It isn't your fish!" Kori stated finally, but Miaka shushed her and began to investigate the house. The opened the tiny, beat up door and cautiously entered, Miaka and Hotohori going first.
A small mew caught the attention of the girl from Earth and she turned towards it, also following the scent of the fish that was now barren of skin and nestled in the young cat's mouth.
"A kitten?" Miaka asked, pausing mid-attack. "So that fish was for…"
"All this medicine…" Hotohori mumbled interrupting Miaka. "He couldn't be the Myo Ju-An fellow we've heard of!?"
"It could, and it is!" Tasuki replied loudly, throwing the door open for all to see the man inside, "Hey, yer Myo Ju-An, ain'tcha??" The man nodded solemnly. "Take a look at this chickie, woncha?"
Kori stepped in front of the rambling Tasuki and gave Myo Ju-An a warm smile. "Please, she's gone blind from that plague."
"Please, I beg of you. Your cat can even have my fish," Miaka added, "See, I'm even abandoning my lovely, tasty, juicy fish!"
"Cut th'fish talk already!" Tasuki cried, but hushed as Myo Ju-An turned away from them and gave a humph.
***
Hey! I am so sorry that this chapter isn't completed yet, either, but I'm just so lazy!! I promise it'll be finished by Sunday! But I'm going to see LotR Saturday, so I can't promise it by then! I'm SORRIE! That and I failed my Physics final today *sniffles*… But oh well. Here's most of chapter 5! Super duper long, ne?
~Taryn Eithne
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Ew… I cut this chapter at a really bad spot, didn't I? Oops, well, sorry! Hey, thanks, Seasyngr! I feel much better now! Sorry I was such a party-pooper earlier. But here's the rest of chapter five, and sorry about how small it is! I'll start chapter six as soon as I finish and post this one, I promise!
~Taryn Eithne
So the story continues…
Chapter Five Continued: Still In the Dark…ness
Myo Ju-An turned away as Tasuki shouted at Miaka. He spoke when the bandit had finished.
"I stopped being a doctor a long time ago. Leave."
"But you're looking after the animals…!" Nuriko countered, pointing to the kitten feasting on Miaka's fish.
Myo Ju-An whirled around quickly. "I want nothing to do with humans. Leave!!"
Thirty minutes passed before the group would finally give up and leave.
"Maybe we should try again later…" Kori suggested, looking back towards the hut that was quickly disappearing from view.
"Fine!" Tasuki shouted back, "Do what you want! The ass don't listen to people!" (I can't belive Tasuki would call someone an ass… wait, never mind. Yes I do.)
Miaka glanced at him, then began to focus on her feet.
"Are you all right, Miaka?" Hotohori asked quickly, noticing the small skip in step Miaka had taken. She let out a puff and glanced at the Emperor. She went to speak, but her knee suddenly gave in and she fell to the ground instead.
"Miaka??" Hotohori cried as she fell, and he leaned down to help her.
"Oh… no…" she muttered, "Now my legs are going…" She closed her eyes tight and sat there for a moment.
"Miaka…" No answer. "Miaka!"
As quickly as possible, Hotohori had scooped Miaka up and was running, full speed, towards the town. The others followed suit, and were, within moments, standing in Shôka's doorframe. She looked up as Hotohori brought Miaka forth.
"Little by little, she's losing control of her body," he huffed, and Shôka gasped.
"Please lay her down over here." Shôka made a gesture to a small bed. "I'll change her clothes for her."
Once Miaka was in the bed, she made a small whimper and Kori turned away. "Dammit!" Tasuki cried, banging a fist against his other hand, "There ain't nothing we can do!?"
Nuriko nodded in agreement. "It must be torture, living like that!"
Hotohori had taken Miaka's hand while Nuriko spole. Shôka saw him and sighed.
"We only have… one last resort," she whispered, closing her eyes and and putting her ahds together. All eyes turned towards hers as they opened again. "We must kill her." Sh turned to Miaka quickly. "I can use my power to revive her. She'll be perfectly healthy afterwards."
"That's abominable!" Kori cried, stepping forth, but a meek mumbling stopped her.
"It's fine with me," Miaka whispered, turning towards them. She gave a weak smile before continuing. "I need to find the constellations of Suzaku. I want to feel better… so please, Hotohori!"
The young Emperor hestiated with his words, so Miaka sighed. "Please!" she stated firmly, her eyes pleading with his own. He watched her silently for a moment.
"Everyone, leave the room…" Nobody budged. "Now. Her death… shall be by our hand."
Before anybody could utter a word of protest, Shôka had ushered all but Hotohori from the room.
"H-He can't be serious, can he?!?" Kori cried, turning to go back in the room. Shôka stopped her and Tasuki clenched his fists.
"It ain't possible! Give me a break!" he shouted, also turning towards Shôka. Nuriko glanced back, then turned back around and grasped her hands together.
"His Majesty…" he mumbled, glancing back again. The three gave each other worried looks before all hurling themselves to listen through the door.
"I can't hear what's going on!" Kori muttered, leanig further against the door.
"Nothing's going on, that's why!" Nuriko hissed back, also leaning further in.
"Wait… he's going to…"
"He can't!"
"He is… no, wait… oh, he is!"
All three of them held their breath as the familiar shhunk (that's really the noise it made in the book!) rang through the building, its echo like a ghostly haunting. Kori let out tha deep sigh, but was hushed by her two comrades.
"I am unable to kill you!" they all heard suddenly, and Nuriko let out a gasp.
"But you have to! Think of me and try again!" Miaka cried back, though all three of them were subconsciously shaking their heads in disagreement.
"I knew he wouldn't be able to do it!" Kori shouted victoriously, pulling her head from the wall. She gave a victory sign and turned to Shôka.
"Hold yer horses! They're still talkin'!" Tasuki hissed suddenly. He put his head up as far as he could get it. "Wh-What are those two doing!?"
"There's something going on in there!" Nuriko added. The two were plastered to the door until Nuriko gasped and pulled back. "His Majesty is coming!"
Everyone dove out of the way just in time to see Hotohori throw open the doors and rush out.
"Come!" he shouted as he ran away, "We must try again with Myo Ju-An!" Kori, Tasuki, and Nuriko nodded, following the Emperor as fast as they could. They didn't even think about it when Shôka didn't follow.
The group of four threw open the door to Myo Ju-An's hut the moment they arrived. He turned around quickly to see who had bombarded in, but turned away when he saw them.
"Oh," he stated unenthusiastically, "You again."
"Please!" Hotohori cried, "I beg of you to help Miaka!" When Myo Ju-An did nothing, Hotohori flew to his knees. Those who had followed him did so as well. "I'm on my knees! Please!"
"We're willin' to do anything! There ain't no other doctors!" Tasuki cried, looking up at Myo Ju-An.
"And Shôka's way…" Kori whispered.
"We just can't do that!" Nuriko added. Myo Ju-An clenched his fists and flew to face them, and Nuriko looked as if he had said something wrong.
"Did you just say… Shôka!?" Myo Ju-An asked very, very cautiously.
"Hm? Y-Yes," Hotohori replied. "Miaka is with her now…"
"That… that's impossible!"
The three looked to Myo Ju-An expectantly. "Shôka is dead. She died a year ago!"
"WHAT!?" Such a statement could be heard a mile away.
"Miaka may be in trouble…"
***
Bum, bum, BUUUUUM! And that's a wrap! I'm so happy I finally finished chapter five! I bet you're all ready to shoot me, too. Well, just in case, I'm entrusting my little brother to post the already written chapters, so go ahead! Shoot me! I dare ya! Anyway, I've got to babysit in about five minutes, so I'll try to get started on chapter six (the lasted unwritten chapter for a LONG time) tomorrow.
Happy New Year! This is the only present you're getting from me!
~Taryn Eithne
Another note! I finished this and added the author's note last night! Happy New Years, you guys! I'm starting Chapter Six as soon as I finished posting this, by the way!
~Tayrn Eithne