Chapter 34
The forest lay quiet before them, only the sound of nature tickling at their ears. Kailein walked just behind Tomo, her hand in his, watching his feather's bounce happily above his crowned head. She smiled, despite the dark, evil-lurking forest surrounding them. So long as she was with Tomo, everything would be fine.
It only seemed like yesterday that she had met the man of her dreams. . .
~~~flash back where the screen goes all fuzzy for a moment and then . . . ~~~
Kailein had been enjoying a peaceful walk in the forest of Maybury, walking her dog, Akita, a husky. Nothing seemed to be going wrong on that beautiful day of May as the sky was a bright blue above her head and the trees were showered with an array of bright green leaves. The ground was littered in dead leaves of Autumns past, crunching under her feet as she explored the beaten paths of the wood, seeing if she could find a new place to go.
She hadn't realized how close she had been walking to the porthole to Wolfdom, but she fortunately never discovered it. She walked right past it, with Akita pulling her forward. That's when the collar snapped, and the dog bounded free.
It was as though the sky suddenly turned gray. Kailein let out a moan and ran after her dog until she lost it. It was gone, and she spun around in circles, calling out the dog's name until her voice went hoarse. And then, she realized that she was lost.
"What do I do?" she said to her self, her voice trembling. "I'm lost in my own hometown because of this forest! Where do I go? Oh, how I wish some one would help me from this mess!"
That was when she spotted him. Andrew, also known as the Lone Wolf Warrior, walking down the beaten path. He hadn't seen her, but had heard her cries. Kailein knew there was something different about her classmate. She hid in the bushes, trying to hold her breath as the Lone Wolf Warrior came close, sniffing the air madly.
"Kailein?" he said out loud. "Funny, I'm so sure I just heard her voice just now."
He walked forward, getting closer and closer to Kailein's hiding spot. Kailien squeezed her eyes shut, hoping he wouldn't discover her. In her mind, her voice and heart was racing.
Oh, what had it been Makiko told me about that one day? she thought. I wish upon the Seven Stars of see. . . sie. . . oh, what was that word again? Seenu? Sienu? Seiu? Seiryu?
Kailein tried to contemplate what her Japanese friend had told her before, knowing that it was just a silly myth. She wouldn't even know whom she'd summon. All she knew was that Makiko had told her that whenever she was in trouble, all she had to do was chant the saying of the stars, and the one destined to be hers would appear. So, who would appear? Kailein thought.
She would've never guessed Tomo. She had never even seen the second half of the anime show of Fushigi Yuugi to know whom Tomo was. But as soon as she got her chant right, and the Lone Wolf Warrior was but an inch away from her face, a cackling sound interrupted the serene forest, and the Lone Wolf Warrior staggered back, his face full of confusion.
"What was that?" he gasped.
Frightened and confused, the Lone Wolf Warrior stumbled back and ran through the forest, trying hard to escape the cackling.
Relieved, Kailein stepped out of the bushes. Something cackled above her. She looked up and behold! Tomo was laying on his stomach along a large tree branch over her head.
"You're the one who summoned me, aren't you?" the sweet voice of the Seishi asked. He jumped down from the tree, and looked down upon Kailein. She thought he was a clown, what with the face paint, the crown, and the lovely long feathers at the top of his head. But his hair was pretty and long, and Kailein couldn't help but stare at it for awhile before Tomo began to speak again.
"Are you the Priestess of Seiryu?" he asked.
"Priestess of. . . what? No, I'm Kailein," she answered. "Who are you?"
"Who am I?" Tomo asked, taken aback. "You've summoned me and you don't know who I am?"
"I summoned for someone to save me!" Kailein said. "Someone of the Seiryu stars. How would have I known that I was going to someone a clown of all people?"
"I am no clown!" Tomo said, huffing. "I am Tomo, a protector of the Priestess of Seiryu, Master of Illusions."
"So, you're a clown," Kailein said, "just like I said."
"I'm not a clown!" Tomo cried. "Didn't you just hear what I said? I'm the Master of Illusions! How does that make me a clown?"
"Clowns do illusion acts," Kailein said, "like that trick with the long hanker-chief that comes out of the pocket. That's an illusion."
Tomo frowned at Kailein. "I guess you don't want to be saved after all. Perhaps I should go warn your attacker where you are. . . "
"Oh, please don't," Kailein pleaded. "I didn't mean to offend you! Please, you don't understand how Andrew is!"
Tomo crossed his arms over his chest. "So, I'm no clown?"
"No, you're no clown," Kailein said. "You're the Master of Illusions."
Tomo smiled, looking quite satisfied, turning away. Kailein couldn't help but take the moment to pull on his feathers.
"Da!! What did you do that for?!" Tomo cried, spinning harshly around.
"I want to have feathers in my hair!" Kailein cried. "Feathers are cool!"
"You. . . you like my feathers?" Tomo asked. "No one's liked my feathers before."
Kailein giggled. "You're silly. You think people should be afraid of someone like you? I told you before you look like a clown."
"You're mean," Tomo said, "I'm going to go get your pursuer and tell him where you are! People are frightened of me! Didn't you just see him rn away because of my cackle?!"
"Cackle?!" Kailein cried. "THAT is not a cackle . . . this is a cackle."
And her voice rang out loud and clear as she spread an eerie cackle bouncing through the forest. Tomo was in shock.
"I've never met any one who could over cackle me," he mused, his eyes lit up in excitement. "You should join me."
"Join you?" Kailein questioned. "What for?"
"I'll teach you the many wonders of illusion making," Tomo said, "your cackle is just too good to waste. Please, follow me and you can earn your self a worthy crown and feathers, and you'll be able to paint your face to express who you are."
Kailein thought for a moment. He was a very strange guy, but he seemed to really like her cackle. . . in any rate, he did save her as she did summon him. There was nothing better to do but to follow this queer man and become one like him.
~~~end of flash back where screen gets fuzzy and re-focuses again~~~
But now, Kailein was glad she had followed him. Not only did she improve his cackling, but the cackling proved to be a great tool against the Lone Wolf Warrior. He just couldn't stand it! Also, Kailein wore her pretty feathers, and Tomo cast a spell so that her hair would grow exceptionally long and blonde. And she walked through those dark woods with her hand in his, happy with the way things had turned out in her life.
Just then, a flash of lightening stopped them, and the two fell to the ground, blinded by the light.
"Soi!" Tomo cried.
"Sauce!" Kailein called out.
"Cheez-its!" said a random leaf on a random tree from behind them.
The lightening subsided, but it was not Soi Sauce that stood before them. It was none other than the Lone Wolf Warrior.
"So," he bellowed at Kailein and Tomo, "you're planning on retrieving the Shinzaho of Byakko? I can't allow you to summon your beast god."
"Why not?!" Kailein cried, getting to her feet. "I thought you wanted to stop Kristin. Why should you need to stop the Seiryu as well, huh?"
"Plans have changed," the Lone Wolf Warrior said, with a nasty grin on his face. "Because the Priestess of Seiryu has turned down my offer, I shall stop her from summoning the beast god and capture her as my bait to get Kristin to be my Priestess of the Wolf dom! Muh-ha ha ha ha!"
"You can't do that!" Tomo cried, getting to his feet. "We won't let you!"
"I thought you had a crush on Martha once!" Kailein cried.
"So I did," the Lone Wolf Warrior said, "but so does Boboshi 3!"
"What does that have anything to do with our argument?!" Tomo cried.
There was pause of silence.
Then, the theme for the Lone Wolf Warrior started playing in the back ground as he pointed a finger at Tomo.
"Your cackling days are over," the Lone Wolf Warrior said, his voice grave. "I now realize that it has been you who has stopped my in the forest from reaching Kailein, that she had summoned you of all people to save herself. Your cackling has been a nuscence to my ears until now. After listening to Phil's Theme for 36 hours straight, I've grown numb to any evil sounds!"
Tomo and Kailein began to cackle, but it was no use. The Lone Wolf Warrior just grinned at them. Then, his face got serious, and he shouted at the top of his lungs, "LONE WOLF WARRIOR!"
The wolf man became a wolf, and growled at Kailein. Tomo stood in her way, blocking her from attack. Vines shot up from the ground, ensnaring the wolf.
"Run!" Tomo cried, "while I finish him off. Warn Miboshi and Makiko that the Lone Wolf Warrior has become a bigger threat to us. Go, now!"
"What?!" Kailein cried, "I can't leave you, Tomo! You might die!"
"Just go!" Tomo cried.
"I won't leave you!" Kailein cried, and just then, the wolf managed to bight through the vines, and he jumped at Tomo, and began to claw and tear at him, growling all the way. The Seishi put up his hands and tried to pull the wolf off, bit it was proven difficult.
Kailein threw her self on the wolf, and tried to pry him off. She watched with tears in her eyes as the crown toppled off of her beloved's head, as the Wolf grabbed the feathers in his teeth and ripped them to shreds. Then, the jaws of the Wolf were around the Seishi's neck. Kailein kicked the Wolf hard in the ribs.
The Wolf staggered off of Tomo, who stopped to take in a breath. The Wolf lunged at Kailein, who darted away. She tripped, and found herself with her back to a great tree, and the Wolf leapt high in to the air, aimed for her. Just then, Tomo stepped in front of her and got the blow. The Wolf gnawed at his chest and clothes, and grabbed him by the neck again.
Kailein kicked at the Wolf, but it would not let go. Finally, she realized the only thing she could do was use her illusions against it. Purply vines shot out from the ground and strangled the Wolf. Temporarily down, Kailein grabbed Tomo by the hand and forced him to his feet, running wildly through the woods.
Soon, the Wolf was lost behind them. Tomo gave a cry and fell to the ground, pain over taking his body.
"Tomo!" Kailein cried, flinging herself on the ground besides him. "Are you okay? Oh, I swear that Lone Wolf Warrior is going to pay for this!"
Tomo was having difficulty breathing, as his chest heaved up and down. Kailein lay his head in her lap, his hair loose and all around him. She stroked his hair, watching his pained face. One of his ribs had been crushed by the jaws of the Wolf, and his neck was full of teeth marks. He was scratched, bruised and bleeding everywhere. His clothes barely hung on to him in ragged pieces. Kailein felt the tears come to her eyes.
"Oh, Tomo," she sighed, "how I love thee! Please don't leave me in this world! I can't bare to live it without you."
"I won't leave you," Tomo said, his voice scratchy. He coughed up some blood, and rest his head into Kailein's lap. "I'll be alright. Don't cry. We can find a doctor, and I'll be alright. The Suzaku . . . Amiboshi said one of them holds a healing power. Perhaps. . . perhaps he'll have the heart. . . "
"Don't talk," Kailein said, "it'll just get worse."
Tomo smiled, looking up at Kailein looking gently down upon him. Tears were forming at the edges of her eyes, and he put a finger up to her face, and wiped them away, smudging some of her face paint.
"I can't believe I used to love guys before," Tomo mused, "how pitiful and un-fulfilling my life would have been if I had never met you!"
"Oh, Tomo," Kailein whimpered. "I'm so glad I met you, too. I'm so glad you were the one I could summon. Don't you see? We were meant to be. I didn't summon the twins or Soi Sauce or Nakago. I summoned you."
Kailein took her beloved's hand, and held it close to her bosom. "My time spent with you was always the best. Romping through the woods, cackling all the way, frolicking in the fields with the sky a perfect shade of blue. Scaring random people and playing tricks on those who didn't like us. Those were the times, don't you remember?"
"It's as though it were just yesterday," Tomo said, his voice fading.
"It WAS yesterday," Kailein said, sniffling.
"Please," Tomo said, "I asked you not to cry."
"I can't help it," Kailein whimpered, "I love you!"
Tomo smiled. "I love you, too."
Kailein held him close, and despite the blood and running paint on his face, she kissed him warmly and passionately, and he returned the kiss just as gently. Then, as she pulled away, placing his head back in her lap, Kailein gave a sheepish smile and said in a little voice, "Tomo?"
"Yes, dear?" Tomo whispered, his eyes closed in peaceful rest.
"I'm carrying your child."
The forest lay quiet before them, only the sound of nature tickling at their ears. Kailein walked just behind Tomo, her hand in his, watching his feather's bounce happily above his crowned head. She smiled, despite the dark, evil-lurking forest surrounding them. So long as she was with Tomo, everything would be fine.
It only seemed like yesterday that she had met the man of her dreams. . .
~~~flash back where the screen goes all fuzzy for a moment and then . . . ~~~
Kailein had been enjoying a peaceful walk in the forest of Maybury, walking her dog, Akita, a husky. Nothing seemed to be going wrong on that beautiful day of May as the sky was a bright blue above her head and the trees were showered with an array of bright green leaves. The ground was littered in dead leaves of Autumns past, crunching under her feet as she explored the beaten paths of the wood, seeing if she could find a new place to go.
She hadn't realized how close she had been walking to the porthole to Wolfdom, but she fortunately never discovered it. She walked right past it, with Akita pulling her forward. That's when the collar snapped, and the dog bounded free.
It was as though the sky suddenly turned gray. Kailein let out a moan and ran after her dog until she lost it. It was gone, and she spun around in circles, calling out the dog's name until her voice went hoarse. And then, she realized that she was lost.
"What do I do?" she said to her self, her voice trembling. "I'm lost in my own hometown because of this forest! Where do I go? Oh, how I wish some one would help me from this mess!"
That was when she spotted him. Andrew, also known as the Lone Wolf Warrior, walking down the beaten path. He hadn't seen her, but had heard her cries. Kailein knew there was something different about her classmate. She hid in the bushes, trying to hold her breath as the Lone Wolf Warrior came close, sniffing the air madly.
"Kailein?" he said out loud. "Funny, I'm so sure I just heard her voice just now."
He walked forward, getting closer and closer to Kailein's hiding spot. Kailien squeezed her eyes shut, hoping he wouldn't discover her. In her mind, her voice and heart was racing.
Oh, what had it been Makiko told me about that one day? she thought. I wish upon the Seven Stars of see. . . sie. . . oh, what was that word again? Seenu? Sienu? Seiu? Seiryu?
Kailein tried to contemplate what her Japanese friend had told her before, knowing that it was just a silly myth. She wouldn't even know whom she'd summon. All she knew was that Makiko had told her that whenever she was in trouble, all she had to do was chant the saying of the stars, and the one destined to be hers would appear. So, who would appear? Kailein thought.
She would've never guessed Tomo. She had never even seen the second half of the anime show of Fushigi Yuugi to know whom Tomo was. But as soon as she got her chant right, and the Lone Wolf Warrior was but an inch away from her face, a cackling sound interrupted the serene forest, and the Lone Wolf Warrior staggered back, his face full of confusion.
"What was that?" he gasped.
Frightened and confused, the Lone Wolf Warrior stumbled back and ran through the forest, trying hard to escape the cackling.
Relieved, Kailein stepped out of the bushes. Something cackled above her. She looked up and behold! Tomo was laying on his stomach along a large tree branch over her head.
"You're the one who summoned me, aren't you?" the sweet voice of the Seishi asked. He jumped down from the tree, and looked down upon Kailein. She thought he was a clown, what with the face paint, the crown, and the lovely long feathers at the top of his head. But his hair was pretty and long, and Kailein couldn't help but stare at it for awhile before Tomo began to speak again.
"Are you the Priestess of Seiryu?" he asked.
"Priestess of. . . what? No, I'm Kailein," she answered. "Who are you?"
"Who am I?" Tomo asked, taken aback. "You've summoned me and you don't know who I am?"
"I summoned for someone to save me!" Kailein said. "Someone of the Seiryu stars. How would have I known that I was going to someone a clown of all people?"
"I am no clown!" Tomo said, huffing. "I am Tomo, a protector of the Priestess of Seiryu, Master of Illusions."
"So, you're a clown," Kailein said, "just like I said."
"I'm not a clown!" Tomo cried. "Didn't you just hear what I said? I'm the Master of Illusions! How does that make me a clown?"
"Clowns do illusion acts," Kailein said, "like that trick with the long hanker-chief that comes out of the pocket. That's an illusion."
Tomo frowned at Kailein. "I guess you don't want to be saved after all. Perhaps I should go warn your attacker where you are. . . "
"Oh, please don't," Kailein pleaded. "I didn't mean to offend you! Please, you don't understand how Andrew is!"
Tomo crossed his arms over his chest. "So, I'm no clown?"
"No, you're no clown," Kailein said. "You're the Master of Illusions."
Tomo smiled, looking quite satisfied, turning away. Kailein couldn't help but take the moment to pull on his feathers.
"Da!! What did you do that for?!" Tomo cried, spinning harshly around.
"I want to have feathers in my hair!" Kailein cried. "Feathers are cool!"
"You. . . you like my feathers?" Tomo asked. "No one's liked my feathers before."
Kailein giggled. "You're silly. You think people should be afraid of someone like you? I told you before you look like a clown."
"You're mean," Tomo said, "I'm going to go get your pursuer and tell him where you are! People are frightened of me! Didn't you just see him rn away because of my cackle?!"
"Cackle?!" Kailein cried. "THAT is not a cackle . . . this is a cackle."
And her voice rang out loud and clear as she spread an eerie cackle bouncing through the forest. Tomo was in shock.
"I've never met any one who could over cackle me," he mused, his eyes lit up in excitement. "You should join me."
"Join you?" Kailein questioned. "What for?"
"I'll teach you the many wonders of illusion making," Tomo said, "your cackle is just too good to waste. Please, follow me and you can earn your self a worthy crown and feathers, and you'll be able to paint your face to express who you are."
Kailein thought for a moment. He was a very strange guy, but he seemed to really like her cackle. . . in any rate, he did save her as she did summon him. There was nothing better to do but to follow this queer man and become one like him.
~~~end of flash back where screen gets fuzzy and re-focuses again~~~
But now, Kailein was glad she had followed him. Not only did she improve his cackling, but the cackling proved to be a great tool against the Lone Wolf Warrior. He just couldn't stand it! Also, Kailein wore her pretty feathers, and Tomo cast a spell so that her hair would grow exceptionally long and blonde. And she walked through those dark woods with her hand in his, happy with the way things had turned out in her life.
Just then, a flash of lightening stopped them, and the two fell to the ground, blinded by the light.
"Soi!" Tomo cried.
"Sauce!" Kailein called out.
"Cheez-its!" said a random leaf on a random tree from behind them.
The lightening subsided, but it was not Soi Sauce that stood before them. It was none other than the Lone Wolf Warrior.
"So," he bellowed at Kailein and Tomo, "you're planning on retrieving the Shinzaho of Byakko? I can't allow you to summon your beast god."
"Why not?!" Kailein cried, getting to her feet. "I thought you wanted to stop Kristin. Why should you need to stop the Seiryu as well, huh?"
"Plans have changed," the Lone Wolf Warrior said, with a nasty grin on his face. "Because the Priestess of Seiryu has turned down my offer, I shall stop her from summoning the beast god and capture her as my bait to get Kristin to be my Priestess of the Wolf dom! Muh-ha ha ha ha!"
"You can't do that!" Tomo cried, getting to his feet. "We won't let you!"
"I thought you had a crush on Martha once!" Kailein cried.
"So I did," the Lone Wolf Warrior said, "but so does Boboshi 3!"
"What does that have anything to do with our argument?!" Tomo cried.
There was pause of silence.
Then, the theme for the Lone Wolf Warrior started playing in the back ground as he pointed a finger at Tomo.
"Your cackling days are over," the Lone Wolf Warrior said, his voice grave. "I now realize that it has been you who has stopped my in the forest from reaching Kailein, that she had summoned you of all people to save herself. Your cackling has been a nuscence to my ears until now. After listening to Phil's Theme for 36 hours straight, I've grown numb to any evil sounds!"
Tomo and Kailein began to cackle, but it was no use. The Lone Wolf Warrior just grinned at them. Then, his face got serious, and he shouted at the top of his lungs, "LONE WOLF WARRIOR!"
The wolf man became a wolf, and growled at Kailein. Tomo stood in her way, blocking her from attack. Vines shot up from the ground, ensnaring the wolf.
"Run!" Tomo cried, "while I finish him off. Warn Miboshi and Makiko that the Lone Wolf Warrior has become a bigger threat to us. Go, now!"
"What?!" Kailein cried, "I can't leave you, Tomo! You might die!"
"Just go!" Tomo cried.
"I won't leave you!" Kailein cried, and just then, the wolf managed to bight through the vines, and he jumped at Tomo, and began to claw and tear at him, growling all the way. The Seishi put up his hands and tried to pull the wolf off, bit it was proven difficult.
Kailein threw her self on the wolf, and tried to pry him off. She watched with tears in her eyes as the crown toppled off of her beloved's head, as the Wolf grabbed the feathers in his teeth and ripped them to shreds. Then, the jaws of the Wolf were around the Seishi's neck. Kailein kicked the Wolf hard in the ribs.
The Wolf staggered off of Tomo, who stopped to take in a breath. The Wolf lunged at Kailein, who darted away. She tripped, and found herself with her back to a great tree, and the Wolf leapt high in to the air, aimed for her. Just then, Tomo stepped in front of her and got the blow. The Wolf gnawed at his chest and clothes, and grabbed him by the neck again.
Kailein kicked at the Wolf, but it would not let go. Finally, she realized the only thing she could do was use her illusions against it. Purply vines shot out from the ground and strangled the Wolf. Temporarily down, Kailein grabbed Tomo by the hand and forced him to his feet, running wildly through the woods.
Soon, the Wolf was lost behind them. Tomo gave a cry and fell to the ground, pain over taking his body.
"Tomo!" Kailein cried, flinging herself on the ground besides him. "Are you okay? Oh, I swear that Lone Wolf Warrior is going to pay for this!"
Tomo was having difficulty breathing, as his chest heaved up and down. Kailein lay his head in her lap, his hair loose and all around him. She stroked his hair, watching his pained face. One of his ribs had been crushed by the jaws of the Wolf, and his neck was full of teeth marks. He was scratched, bruised and bleeding everywhere. His clothes barely hung on to him in ragged pieces. Kailein felt the tears come to her eyes.
"Oh, Tomo," she sighed, "how I love thee! Please don't leave me in this world! I can't bare to live it without you."
"I won't leave you," Tomo said, his voice scratchy. He coughed up some blood, and rest his head into Kailein's lap. "I'll be alright. Don't cry. We can find a doctor, and I'll be alright. The Suzaku . . . Amiboshi said one of them holds a healing power. Perhaps. . . perhaps he'll have the heart. . . "
"Don't talk," Kailein said, "it'll just get worse."
Tomo smiled, looking up at Kailein looking gently down upon him. Tears were forming at the edges of her eyes, and he put a finger up to her face, and wiped them away, smudging some of her face paint.
"I can't believe I used to love guys before," Tomo mused, "how pitiful and un-fulfilling my life would have been if I had never met you!"
"Oh, Tomo," Kailein whimpered. "I'm so glad I met you, too. I'm so glad you were the one I could summon. Don't you see? We were meant to be. I didn't summon the twins or Soi Sauce or Nakago. I summoned you."
Kailein took her beloved's hand, and held it close to her bosom. "My time spent with you was always the best. Romping through the woods, cackling all the way, frolicking in the fields with the sky a perfect shade of blue. Scaring random people and playing tricks on those who didn't like us. Those were the times, don't you remember?"
"It's as though it were just yesterday," Tomo said, his voice fading.
"It WAS yesterday," Kailein said, sniffling.
"Please," Tomo said, "I asked you not to cry."
"I can't help it," Kailein whimpered, "I love you!"
Tomo smiled. "I love you, too."
Kailein held him close, and despite the blood and running paint on his face, she kissed him warmly and passionately, and he returned the kiss just as gently. Then, as she pulled away, placing his head back in her lap, Kailein gave a sheepish smile and said in a little voice, "Tomo?"
"Yes, dear?" Tomo whispered, his eyes closed in peaceful rest.
"I'm carrying your child."