Should I even bother writing? I suggest you just read the chapter. So here's what I forgot last chapter…

So on with the story…

Chapter Seventeen: The Decisive Flame

"Damn!" Tamahome shouted, "He's heading towards town!"

"We can't let him go!!" Tasuki added, both running after the boy.

"Wait, both of you…" Miaka began, but both were already gone.

"I can't keep up with them! Chichiri!! Help me catch up with them!" In an instant, both of them were gone, too.

"We'll run," Nuriko stated blandly, following after where Tasuki and Tamahome had disappeared. Kori sighed and followed as quickly as she could.

"Miaka, what happened to him!?" Kori cried as she looked around for the missing Amiboshi.

"He fell into the river. With the flood, there's no chance he could have survived."

"Really… I can't believe he was a Sieryu Celestial Warrior." Nuriko said.

"His death is… grievious, however we underestimated the enemy," Hotohori added, looking intently into the water.

"What're we blamin' ourselves for?" Tasuki shouted. "He was stating horrible things about the Priestess even just before he died! He deserved t'die--"

"Don't say that!" Miaka cried fiercly. "He might have been an enemy, but he wasn't evil! An evil person could never make such beautiful music!"

"I concur (that's my favorite word!! Go Chiriko… er, mysterious voice!)." Everybody turned to see a young boy standing behind a few guards. "I observed a certain kindness in the sounds he made today…"

"How'd that kid get in here!?" A nearby guard began, heading for the boy.

"Silence!" Hotohori shouted before the guard could get near him. The little boy put a small piece of grass to his lips and blew. The sound was a faint whistle, but Miaka apparently recognized it.

"That was the other sound. Then you were—"

"Exactly." The boy smiled. "I used this grass whistle to interfere with the sound waves of his song.. But also, his chi was faltering slightly."

Miaka glanced down and then noticed the small character on his foot. "It's the character!!" she cried, pointing at it. The boy glanced down.

"Whaaaaat!?" Tasuki cried as everybody's mouth fell open.

"Then you're…" Tamahome stared in disbelief.

"Precisely. I am Odokun. My Celestial name is Chiriko."

"You're the real Chiriko!? How did you find your way here!?"

Chiriko smiled at Miaka's question. "I was studying for the Kakyo exam into the bureaucracy…" Both Miaka and Kori grimaced at the word exam, "However, when I noticed abnormalties in your constellations, I made my way here posthaste." Chiriko smiled again.

"The Buddhist Ministry informed me of a boy of thirteen whose Shoshi exam scores were extraordinary," Hotohori stated as the small boy bowed to him.

"Wow!" Tamahome whistled and turned to Tasuki. "You know how hard the Kakyo is!?"

"How would I know?" Tasuki muttered back.

"Hey, guys…" Kori stated suddenly.

"Wha—Kori, you're bleeding!" Miaka gasped.

"Really…?" Kori glanced down at the spot that was now damp with blood. "I didn't realize Amiboshi had stabbed me, too! Oh well! We've got more important things!" She pointed to the smoke rising from the spot in the palace where the summoning was taking place.

"That's right, the ceremony!" Miaka shouted, running towards the altar. "The fire is still burning. We might still have time!" Everybody began their run towards the altar. Miaka paused once to look back at the flowing river.

"Goodbye… Amiboshi…" she whispered before following the others.

***

Bum bum buuuuuum!!!

Oh, and I came to a small realization… I can't post the next chapter for s a few reasons, so it's not going up today. I'm so sorry! You only get what you were earilier promised!! But it'll go up tomorrow, and you'll love it!!! Oo… I'm getting excited!

Well, BE SURE TO REVIEW!!!

Oh, and I promise promise promise you'll want to keep an eye out for the next chapter of Secrets Best Left Alone, Chapter Eighteen: A Turn of the Tides!!! Though I think the title sort of gives it away… dang, I didn't want to giv it away to you…

Oh well!

~Taryn Eithne

"'I… uh… hate to interrupt anything,' Chiriko squeaked finally. 'But that guy over there doesn't look well…'"

Big teaser line for the big chapter!!! Well, not big, just super important! Yay!