Me no own Saiyuki! Promise!

*****

They got back to the town faster than when Yuen had first set out to find Xia. But she had come no closer to resolving the impending attack on the town. She marvelled at the apparent youkai strength Hakkai exhibited as he carried her for almost the entire way back. Assuming that Xia was just as strong, Yuen could almost feel confident that he can take care of himself. It didn't ease the nagging feeling in her chest.

Gojyo was waiting at the town entrance when Hakkai set her down, his tall figure clearly outlined by the lanterns set on both sides of the arch. "Oi. Didn't know picking up boys was a hobby of yours, 'kai."

"Iya desu ne," the green-eyed man - youkai - laughed. "It's Yuen-san, from the inn."

"Yuen?" The tall man leaned in for a closer look, surprise in his features as he recognized her face. "For Kami-sama's sake, what are you doing running around dressed as a boy?"

"I did it in case someone saw me, Gojyo-san," she stifled the giggle that threatened to come out at the astonishment on his face. "My mother wouldn't want to know her daughter had been running around in the dark last night." And possibly conclude that she had gone out to see Xia. Wen wasn't one to let her suspicions slip easily.

"Anou, Yuen-san," Hakkai asked gently. "When I saw you climb out of your window tonight, I thought it might have something to do with...someone's earlier visit?"

Yuen could almost feel her face flush at his statement. She knew their rooms had their windows on the same wall. Had he been watching hers the whole time? Or was he staring outside as a coincidence?

"Anou, hai," she nodded slowly, her mind quickly trying to figure out how much can she tell them and how much should she let them figure out for themselves. "Eu-meh had just told me that Xia was missing me, that's all."

"And the attack?"

She shook her head vigorously. "I wasn't expecting something like that to happen. This is a peaceful town, Hakkai-san."

"As peaceful as youkais living just a few miles away from a town biased against youkais."

Yuen blinked at him, her mind frozen for a moment at his rebuttal. ...has been attacking us ever since we left, Xia had told her. It was true the townspeople had been fearful of the youkais ever since the day they left; the same day when they had all gone insane and killed so many. It wasn't surprising for the humans to hold a grudge against all the youkais. It was logical to think that the townspeople would be sending out men to kill all the youkai they can find, once they realized that there were several living so close to the town; or for the youkai to kill humans in order to defend their territory. It was just enough reason for Xia and the others to decide that an all-out attack on the town would be proof of their determination to stay...or be some sort of final act of heroism.

She lowered her gaze to the ground, unable to meet his green eyes for a moment. "G-Gomen. I-I never knew about these attacks...until tonight..."

He stepped closer to her. "Sumimasen, Yuen-san. I didn't mean to-"

"I have to go." Her voice couldn't get any louder than a whisper. "My mother would be suspicious if she found out I'm gone."

The silence that followed was only broken by his sigh. "Hai. We'll walk back with you."

She wordlessly nodded and led the way through the still dark streets. She had only a few hours of sleep before Wen would wake her up to start work.

At first, Yuen thought she would have trouble falling asleep. But as soon as she changed back into her normal clothes and lay down, she had forgotten what her problems were.

It felt like she had just slept by the time Wen came by to shake her awake. "Yuen! Get up! It's already mid-morning!"

"H-Hai, okaasan..." she stifled a yawn and tried to get to her feet.

"Yuen."

She looked up blearily at the deadly calm tone in her mother's voice. "Hai?"

"Where did you go last night."

Yuen blinked, tried to bring her mind into focus when she remembered – she had not removed white ribbon from her hair. One end was now draped across her shoulder, with the small bits of tree bark embedded in the cloth bearing testimony as to where she had gone.

"You've been to see him again, haven't you."

"I-Iya, I-I've just gone out to-"

"Don't lie to me! You've been going out at night to visit him, haven't you? Him and his youkai relatives!"

"Dewa arimasen!" she rose at the accusation in her mother's voice. "I haven't been going out to see him!"

"And you haven't been dressing up as a boy." Wen was now scowling at her, her sharp eyes almost blazing with anger. "I told you to get rid of those clothes years ago."

"I-I was going to-"

"Give them to me! This time, I'll make sure it gets dumped somewhere no one will suspect my daughter of cross-dressing!"

Yuen complied reluctantly, moving to her dresser to gather the boyish clothes she kept, and handed them to her waiting mother.

Wen's mouth was pursed in disapproval as she took the bundle. "I take it you know of the impending youkai attack."

"Eh?" Yuen jerked back in surprise.

"You should know of it by now. The town officials were told of what the youkai," she had a derisive tone as she spoke the word, "were planning and are now arranging for a counter-attack."

"Na-nani...?"

"They've called for all the able-bodied to assemble in the town square later this afternoon. The men are beginning to boast of the kills they'll be making."

"D-demo-!"

Wen cut her off with a wave of her hand. "Forget it, Yuen. There's nothing you can do to change their minds. The town officials have decided long ago that we can't live with youkais. They were only waiting for something like this to happen."

But Yuen wasn't listening anymore. She had sank back into her bed, her knees suddenly weak as her mother's words and those of Xia's swirled in her head. ...has been attacking us... ...nothing you can do... ...waiting for something like this to happen...

"Yuen." Her mother was already at the door. "Don't forget your duties to Sanzo Houshi-sama. Even if they refused the officials' wishes, it wouldn't do good to refuse them our service as well."

And then, Yuen was left alone in her room. She couldn't stand up, couldn't think. Xia's and her mother's voices were circling in her mind. There was going to be a battle between humans and youkai today and she couldn't do anything to stop it. They've been fighting each other secretly for all those years. It was only then that she realized the depth of the hatred each had for the other.

And Xia was going to die!

Her throat closed up at the thought of Xia dying. Tears came to her eyes and she no longer could blink them away. She felt them run freely down her cheeks only to splash onto her night clothes. She couldn't do anything but look down on her lap at the hopelessness of her situation. Her vision blurred from the tears welling up, turning everything red.

Yuen blinked. Wetness dropped from her chin to add to the crimson circlets on her lap. Blood-tears. She was weeping blood.

There were stories told of women who wept blood. In the stories, it was said that a woman's blood pouring from her eyes is a sign that she, or her beloved, was going to die soon.

And yet, Yuen didn't care. Maybe it meant that she was ready to die now, same as Xia when the battle happens. There was no way the youkais would win, not against so many humans. And then even when they're insane there wasn't any guarantee that they wouldn't attack their own kind. Xia...

Her hand fell on the parchment beside her pillow. In her mind, Yuen could still see the colourful butterflies she and Xia had drawn when they were still getting to know each other. Back then, the two of them had felt like they were flying freely together despite her mother's objections. The parchment was the only thing she and Xia had created together.

Yuen stood and wiped her face dry. She dressed quickly and quietly, calmly stepping out of her room as soon as she was done. There was still something she had to do.

*****

A/N: Yes! This chapter's done! This time, I can actually promise (and hold on to that promise) that the next chapter will come out soon. In fact, it's already with my best friend and ever-devoted formatter/reviewer, Onna. The final two chapters are actually the reasons why I wrote this fic. I've written them way before I started chapter 1. *laughs*

Onna: *waves* I'll be posting the end within 2 days, and the epilogue two days after that. Hope you guys enjoyed this fic!