AN: Hi people, just a quick note, Usagi is not another miko, just in case some of you are wondering. I won't be able to update next week, because of exams. And one last thing, *straps the more violent readers to their seats*. Now enjoy the chapter ^_~.
Thanks to: Shawna (That has to be the understatement of the year. Puts a Relena plush doll outside the den, that ought to scare away the perfect soldier), Kuroi Atropos (I hear you girl. Nakago *swoon*), Cheska, Craza_2K, Bluejello, Galexz, Jordan, Celes (then prove yourself after this chapter :P ), Tegasus (thanks for being the 200th reviewer!), Usa-chan (you'll find out, love the new chapter, it was hilarious!!!), Alexandrea Orozco (*grins and lick her whiskers* loved the treat, and don't worry, you can be sure that Chaos will get it. And of course I couldn't bare to kill Nuriko-chan, who's going to model female clothes for me then?), Queen Cosmos, LoveNuriko, Mika-chan( glad to know that you liked the AnC/SM story. Now I can bug you even more when I don't update *smirks*), themoonmaiden (As I said in the email, you'll see in this chapter if the Suzaku and Seiryuu really over looked their differences or not. ), Mikage, JLSCORPIO78, aya_mikage2002, Aya, Jade Nova (If you've noticed, I love slapping bishies. Gives me a sense of power *sweat drops*, just kidding. But torturing Naka-chan is fun *pouts*), and Aidenn ( Tokaki, Yohji, all hentais. But kawaii to boot.)
Chapter 10
"How is she?" Three voices asked simultaneously as the white haired lady walked out of Usagi's room.
Subaru glanced at the three young men briefly before she slowly shook her head. Sighing, she put the full tray on the table, before turning to meet the impatient seishi. "She's still refusing to eat. The poor girl. She's going to slowly waste away if this keeps up."
"What does she do in there anyways? The onna has been locking herself up in there for almost three days?!" Tasuki cried out, temper wearing thin. However, the glares from Nakago, Amiboshi, and Nuriko quickly shut him up.
A sudden slam jerked all the heads to where the Seiryuu no miko and Suzaku no miko sat. "Yui-chan? What's wrong?" Miaka asked in alarm as she looked up at her best friend. The short haired girl gripped the table tightly, anger evident in her tense form.
"Who does she thing she is?!?! Throwing a tantrum at a time like this! Doesn't the little brat princess realize that without her power, I'll never be able to go home?!" Yui screamed out in anger before she ran out, towards the bunny's room. "I'll make her eat! Even if it means I'll personally have to shove the food down her throat!"
"Wait! Seiryuu no miko," Subaru cried out, but the short haired girl didn't stop.
"Yui-chan!" Miaka tried to call her friend, but the other girl didn't hear her. Standing up, the auburn haired miko chased after her best friend.
"Miaka!!!" Tamahome cried out in hast before he bolted out after his beloved. The rest of the Suzaku and Seiryuu seishi followed out more slowly. Subaru sighed before she also walked out. No one could blame her, after all she did try to stop them.
Midway to her destination, a scream broke the tranquility of the beautiful villa. Picking up her pace a little, the female Byakko seishi arrived in front of Usagi's room, just in time to see Yui getting blasted by an invisible force, and slammed into Miaka.
"Yui-sama!" Suboshi cried before he helped to pick up his miko.
"I tried to stop you, Seiryuu no miko. But you didn't listen," the old lady reprimanded lightly, before pulling out a silk handkerchief to wipe the little trail of blood on the young girl's chin. "Usagi created a spell around her room. Anyone uninvited will be blocked from her room by a barrier."
Nakago sighed before he turned towards the garden. Just as he thought, she was punishing herself for what had happened. The spell would prevent anyone from entering. Even him.
"Demo," Chichiri frowned. "I'm sure that I sensed Suzaku's power, no da."
"Not only Suzaku's power," all the heads turned to stare at the shogun who hadn't expressed any concern, when his miko was blasted. "There is also some of Seiryuu's power."
"Masaka!" the blue haired monk closed his eyes immediately and concentrated some more. "Yes, I feel it now no da. Both Suzaku and Seiryuu are lending their powers to protect this girl no da."
"Yes, that's why none of you can enter her room," Subaru nodded. "The power of Suzaku keeps out the Seiryuu no miko and her seishi, while the power of Seiryuu blocks the path of the Suzakus."
"Demo, demo, how is that possible?" Miaka asked confused. "is she another miko?"
The Byakko seishi shook her head in denial. "I don't know."
How is that possible Usa-chan? Nakago asked himself. Through their bonding, he might had given her some of his power. The power of Seiryuu, but that still doesn't explain where she received Suzaku's gift. A nudge against his calf, brought the blond man's attention down to the furry head.
"Do you know Furball?" Nakago asked quietly, scratching the white tiger's head.
The tiger purred contently before she turned away, walking through the crowd of Suzaku and Seiryuu seishi. Everyone stopped their questions as the tiger opened the door of Usagi's room by pushing with her head. The squeak of the hinges could be heard as the white cat walked into the dark room, without being harmed by Usagi's barrier.
Snapping out of her shock, Yui quickly tried to follow the tiger, but again, the barrier blocked her from the open doorway.
After the tiger disappeared, the door slowly closed by itself. But not before Nakago caught a ray of silver in the darkened room. Usagi was lying on her back on the bed, eyes closed. She was still wearing her princess gown, that draped across the bed, some of the silk spilled down the edges, pooling around the floor. One pale arm laid across her stomach, while the other stretched out among the unbound silver, reaching out for someone who was not there.
Turning away abruptly, the blond shogun quickly escaped to his own temporal bedchamber. The image of Usagi's still body and lifeless expression haunting his mind and tugging at his heart. Falling onto his bed tiredly, Nakago pulled out a small shell; shin. It was all that was left of Tomo when the seishi died. He couldn't see Usa-chan right now, so might as well see what was hidden in Tomo's precious toy.
Opening the shell, a stream of ki flowed out, forming a screen. Slowly, the ki wavered, and an image began to form in front of Nakago. The blond man held his breath as the magnificent moon palace appeared…
~*~*~*~
"Anata," Subaru sighed, looking up at her husband, who was smoking away on his pipe, sitting on a tree. "What are we going to do?"
The old man grunted as he shifted on the branch he sat on. "I don't know Subaru. How's the girl right now?"
"She's still not eating, no matter how hard Xi Fang and I've tried. The poor daring. Her heart must be broken to pieces."
"I still find it hard to believe that she's Suzuno's granddaughter. To think, her and Tatara, that old dog. And the man didn't even tell me about it," Tokaki chuckled as he recalled when Taitsukun told Subaru and him the news. He didn't know that his jaws had dropped, until the old hag told him to pick it up.
"It does seem impossible, but Tatara and Suzuno deserved it. They have gone through so many hardships, and they were still separated. It's good to know that even though they were ripped apart, their love for each other still stayed so strong," Subaru sighed. "And to have such a beautiful granddaughter. I'm so happy that we are given the chance to meet Usagi-chan. Oh anata, we will finally be able to have someone to look after as a child."
"Yeah, I know love. But we still have to tell Tatara about the good news. I can't wait to see the expression on his face, when he knows that he has a granddaughter," Tokaki jumped off the tree to walk beside his wife. "Speaking of the old devil. What are we going to do about the shinzaho?"
"Taitsukun said to give Suzuno's mirror to the mikos. I feel that the Suzaku no miko is okay, she may be a little selfish and clumsy, but she has a good soul. It's the Seiryuu no miko that troubles me. Yui seems nice enough, but the way she reacted when Usagi-chan was sick, was just so heartless. She acted as if nothing in this would matters, except for her."
"Come on Subaru, let's not worry about it now. The shinzaho is safe with Tatara in the Byakko shrine. Right now, I want to find out which Suzaku or Seiryuu broke my little girl's heart," the old man cracked his knuckles as he smiled gleefully. "Whoever the baka is, he's going to learn the consequences of hurting my niece. I bet it's that big mouthed bandit, the one with the red hair. Or the purple haired one that looks like a woman. I swear by Byakko, when I get my hands on those two, they'll never be able to have children again!" The old seishi promised himself as his wife shook her head and dragged him away.
Unknown to the two old warriors, every single word of their conversation was overheard by an intruder. Stepping out from behind the bushes she was hiding in, the woman quickly headed for Yui's chamber, leaving only a strand of red hair on the branches.
Gripping the window sills tightly, the Seiryuu no miko glared hatefully at the perfect couple she was spying on. Why did Miaka have to have everything? The little thief, with her innocent looks. She stole Tamahome away, and expect Yui to believe that she was innocent? In the sudden fit of anger, the short haired girl grabbed the flower vase, and threw the fragile object towards the door. Narrowly missing the newcomer by a mere centimetres.
"Yui-sama," Soi stared in shock. "Is everything alright?"
"I just can't stand it anymore!" the younger woman exploded. "Why is everyone leaving me? First Miaka falls in love, stealing Tamahome away from me. Now Nakago is in love with that girl Usagi. Even Amiboshi has a crush on her. I don't have anything! I just want to go home…"
The red haired seishi smirked, and carefully pulled Yui into a hug. "Don't worry Yui-sama. Everything will work out. I promise," Soi's eyes darkened before she continued. "I have some good news for you Yui-sama."
"Good news?"
"Hai. I have discovered the whereabouts of the Byakko shinzaho. If you are ready, we can go tonight to retrieve it before the Byakko seishi give it to the Miaka."
Yui hesitated, even though her eyes shinned in the dark room. "Demo Soi…Didn't Taitsukun say that we need the shinzahos to defeat Chaos? If we use the Byakko shinzaho to summon Seiryuu, wouldn't it lose all of its powers and become useless?"
"Yui-sama, when you summon Seiryuu, you won't need the pitiful Suzaku seishi. And plus, after you summon the beast god, you can wish for the destruction of Chaos, and you can get your revenge by wishing for Tamahome and Nakago back to your side…" Soi argued.
"How are we going to summon Seiryuu if Amiboshi and Nakago won't work with us?" Yui asked, silently agreeing.
"Leave that to me Yui-sama. Take Suboshi and Miboshi with you tonight, and I'll handle Nakago. As for Amiboshi…" the seishi narrowed her eyes. "He's already a traitor. It won't matter if he's there or not. We will have the Byakko shinzaho, so it wouldn't matter if he's there or not. But if he gets in our way, then…"
The Seiryuu no miko nodded. "I'll leave you to make the preparations for tonight then."
Soi bowed and quickly left to find Suboshi.
Miaka, Usagi. You will soon feel how it is to be betrayed by your loved ones. the short haired girl thought darkly to herself before slamming her door shut.
~*~*~*~
"Usagi-san. Please, you have to eat something," Xi Fang pleaded, while she tired to tempt the silver haired girl with some steaming soup.
Without speaking, the goddess slowly shook her head.
Sighing, the dark haired girl put down the soup, and picked up a comb. Sitting beside the other girl, Xi Fang gently ran the teeth through the long shinny strands, which were full of tangles. "I know that you are hurt because of love. And don't denial it. I can tell. After all, I'm a girl too." Xi Fang said, even though she got no response.
"But you are being a little childish acting like this. You know that you are not the only one suffering. That cute lover of yours hasn't eaten anything either. He barely spoke to anyone, and after the scene outside your room this morning, he also locked himself up in his room. I shouldn't be prying into your private life, but whatever happened, if you love him so deeply, why can't you let him explain or give him a second chance?"
"Because he doesn't love me anymore." The quiet response startled Xi Fang, who wasn't expecting an answer.
"How do you know Usagi-san?"
"He told me. He accused me of breaking up my promises to him. And he…he said that I wasn't true to him," a crystal tear fell along with the whispered words.
"People say a lot of things they don't mean to when they are angry. I'm sure that he was just in a bad mood, and he didn't want to lose you."
Usagi was silent.
Getting up from the bed, Xi Fang walked over to the window, opening the shutters wide open, allowing the bright rays to enter the room for the first time in three days. Furball reluctantly looked up from beside Usagi, and growled at the sudden brightness.
"See the tower on the mountain Usagi-san?"
A small ruffling sound echoed in the room, as the bunny turned to see what the older girl was pointing to. A beautiful white temple shinned in the golden rays of the sun. "There is a legend, saying that if you truly love someone, you will be with that person forever, if you kiss under the temple before the sun sets."
The dark haired girl closed the shutters again, and got ready to leave.
"Xi Fang-san?" the quiet voice from the bed stopped the older girl.
Sitting up weakly on the bed, Usagi looked straight at the other girl. "Can you do me a favor?"
"Depends on what it is."
The goddess hesitated before continuing. "Can you tell Nakago to meet me at the temple before the sunsets…if…if he still loves me."
Xi Fang gave the other girl a huge smile. "Only if you promise to eat all the food I made for you." She said before she left. A happy expression on her face.
~*~*~*~
"Xi Fang!" The dark haired girl stopped as Subaru approached with Miaka and Yui. "How is Usagi-chan doing?"
Xi Fang grinned. "Much better Subaru-sama. I managed to convince her to seat some of the food."
"That's good. Do you have some time? It's almost supper time, and we need a lot of food to feed all the mouths. Miaka said that she can help you make supper if you want," the old lady sighed. Not that she didn't enjoy having company, but the thought of having to feed so many young men…
"I would love to. Demo… I have a message to deliver to Nakago-san," Xi Fang said slowly.
"It's okay Xi Fang-san. I can give the message to Nakago while you and Miaka make dinner," Yui offered with a kind smile.
The older girl hesitated, not knowing what to do. After all, Usagi-san entrusted the message to her, but Subaru-sama had taken her in after her parents died. "Okay. Can you please tell Nakago to go to the temple on the mountain to meet Usagi-san before the sunsets?"
"Sure No problem, I'll go tell him right now," Yui answered before she took off to where Nakago's room was.
Why do I feel that something bad is going to happen? Swallowing the nervousness, Xi Fang turned and followed Subaru to the kitchen.
~*~*~*~
"WOW! What are all these weird dishes?" an enthusiastic Tasuki breathed out in wonder, looking at the interesting brown mush on the table. "Did you make them Miaka?"
"Yep," the said girl beamed proudly.
"Food from another world," Chiriko said in awe. "Let's try!"
All the seishi quickly sat down and popped a piece of Miaka's cooking into their mouth…
*silence*
Before all different kinds of barfing and chocking sounds were heard around the table.
"What's wrong guys? You're acting as if it tastes horrible," Miaka asked in a flat voce.
"No, no! The soup taste wonderful," Tasuki said quickly, swallowing the delicious sop to wash away the taste of the dead animal in his mouth.
"Xi Fang made the soup."
The bandit chocked and spit the boiling liquid into his lap, as Xi Fang giggled quietly to herself.
Suddenly, the fun was interrupted when a frantic looking Nakago burst into the room. "Where is she? Did anyone see her? Usagi is gone!"
Everyone froze. "Gone? What do you mean she's gone?" Nuriko shouted out at last, slamming his chopsticks onto the table, breaking the utensils.
"I was going to talk to her, but she wasn't in her room!" Nakago cried out, patience running out. "I have to talk to her. I have to apologize to her!"
"Nakago-san?" Xi Fang asked.
"WHAT???"
"Why are you still here?" the girl asked, dread in her voice. "Didn't Yui-san tell you? I asked her to deliver Usagi-san's message to you."
"What message???" the blond shogun looked up in bewilderment. "I never got a message, I was in my room the whole time!"
"Oh no…" Xi Fang whispered in horror. "It can't be! Usagi-san wanted you to meet her at the temple on the mountain, before sunset, if you still loves her!"
"Before sun down?" Nakago turned to look at the red sky. Without wasting anymore time, he ran out of the villa, jumped onto his waiting horse, and raced into the dying day.
"HELL! Did she really go to the temple?" Tokaki swore. "Many people went missing because of monsters appearing there recently."
"I don't understand…Why didn't Yui-san deliver Usagi-san's message?" Xi Fang asked quietly to herself.
"Where is Yui anyways? And while we are on the subject, where are the rest of the Seiryuu seishi?" Tamahome demanded, shifting his accusing glare at the only Seiryuu seven present.
"I don't know, I haven't see the others the whole day," Amiboshi defended himself.
"Masaka!" Subaru gasped. "Can it be…?"
"Tatara!" Tokaki cried before the two Byakko seishi ran out of their home, heading straight for the Byakko shrine. The Suzaku seishi, Miaka, and Amiboshi followed close behind.
~*~*~*~
Usa-chan! Please don't let me be too late! Nakago prayed as he jumped off before the galloping horse stopped. Please, I have to apologize Usa-chan. Why didn't you tell me before? Why didn't you tell me what really happened? It's all my fault! Nakago forced back the tears that threatened to escape as he again thought back to the images Tomo's shin produced: Usagi's memories. From when they had first met, to when she was sent to his world. The scenes replayed in his mind, the times when Endymion harassed her, the sickening moment when the bastard brought his sword down… The memories kept flooding back to his mind, forcing him to feel the pain over and over. A price he was to pay for hurting her. A price he was happy to pay if she could forgive him.
He has to see her again, he has to apologize before it's too late. Finally, the blond man climbed to the top of the temple. The view was spectacular, the setting sun painting everything in a magnificent burning red shades.
"Usa-chan…" the wind carried away the lone name across the empty temple, where a golden necklace in the shape of a pair of dragons, hung from one of the posts.
Tokaki, Subaru, Miaka, Amiboshi, and the rest of the Suzaku seishi, ran out of the temple door, just in time to see Nakago fall on his knees, an golden necklace draped lifelessly in his shaking hands.
Tbc…
AN: *runs into her den, and pushed to command to close the door* Hurry up you stupid thing!!! *looks out side, where readers are approaching the den with beam canons and other dangerous weapons.