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Chapter 18 – Sweet Sorrows
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"N-Nikyia?" Tamahome stuttered, the limp girl still in his arms. He was holding her tightly against his chest. If the girl had been alive, she would have suffocated to death by her brother's grip.
"You know I lost my family as well. Don't worry, Tamahome. My family will take care of yours just like I've been taking care of you."
"You've been taking care of me? Since when?" Tamahome glared. Nikyia crossed her arms defiantly.
"I got my ass kicked not too long ago trying to save yours from Kutou. Show some grati-"
The sentence remained unanswered, cut off by a piercing melody, the sound of a flute. All four of the group looked towards the door.
"That melody…" Nuriko whispered. "But he's dead."
"And we have the flute at the palace!" Miaka wiped a tear from her cheek as she jumped to her feet, already directing herself towards the door. Nuriko ran out after her, leaving Tamahome and Nikyia alone.
"Nikyia…do you think…he…?" Tamahome slowly lowered Yuiren's body to the ground and stood menacingly. Nikyia could tell what he was thinking. Amiboshi did it. But that didn't explain one thing.
"No…this is someone else. Perhaps someone close to Amiboshi; I don't know. But Amiboshi couldn't have made this." Nikyia gently touched the death wound of the small girl: a gaping hole in her torso. Outside, Miaka screamed. Tamahome's eyes widened.
"Miaka!!" Fury pounding in his eyes, he ran out of the house. Nikyia sighed, looking around once more at the carnage within. The stench of blood wafted heavily into her nose. It was a disgusting smell, but also one of rest.
"Suzaku's child…" a voice whispered in her head. Nikyia gasped and whirled around. Arafae hopped from his perch on a window to the floor in front of her, facing a number of apparitions. The ghost of Tamahome's father smiled, Yuiren clinging around his neck and sitting in his arms. Shunkei was clinging to his father's leg. Gyokuran and Chuei stood on both sides. And the other three…Nikyia felt a cry catching in her throat.
"Mama…Papa…G-Genrou…"
Mama smiled.
"Yes dear. It's us. We were in the neighborhood and thought we'd stop by for a visit."
"In the neighborhood?"
"Yes, Suzaku asked us to come get this family, help them on their way for the Crossing."
"The what?"
Nikyia's father grinned sheepishly.
"Oh right. You're still alive. Almost forgot."
"DAD!!"
Papa chuckled.
"The Crossing is what we call the passing between this world and the spiritual one. Suzaku actually came down and took us himself. He said it was his way of thanking us for taking care of you here."
"Tell my son not to worry about us now, Miss Nikyia. Tell him he's the pride of our family," Tamahome's father smiled softly. "And thank Sir Mitsukake again for what he did for us."
"Tell Tamahome I tried to save them. I wanted to grow up to be just like him. Please tell him," Chuei sniffled, rubbing a ghostly cheek.
"Tell big brother we love him," Gyokuran smiled, taking Shunkei's hand.
"Onii-chan came home, Papa. Just like I said he would," Yuiren beamed widely. "We're all together."
"Don't worry, Big Sister! I'll take care of them! Now I can have friends!" Genrou exclaimed happily. "And are you keeping your promise?"
Mama and Papa looked confusedly down at their little son. Nikyia sweatdropped, grinning.
"Yes, I am. I have to leave soon, but when I get back, I swear everything you wanted will be true. And we'll all be together again. I promise."
The little ghost (AN: Obake-chan!) boy beamed up at his older sibling and promptly latched onto her leg as best as he could, although being a ghost his arms went pretty much through the leg. His smile was none-the-less genuine. Unfortunately this reunion was not to last. Screams echoed in front outside with a clash of thunder.
"Miaka?! Nuriko?!" Nikyia whipped around, hoping to get a glance out the window. No luck. There was nothing to see.
Nikyia, get outside! I'll handle the rest in here! Arafae shook his wings impatiently. Nikyia nodded her agreement and ran for outside. She failed to see the woman waiting on the roof for the one still inside. She failed to hear Genrou yelling for her to move over the thunder. The next thing she knew was the magicked lightning landing a solid hit on her, the thousands of volts surging through her body. And then, nothing.
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A soft moan escaped Nikyia's lips as she awoke again, her eyelids parting slightly to allow her to see the sky above her. The sky was clear of any storm clouds, nor was there any sign of rain. The ground was dry. Her face, on the other hand was dripping.
"You're finally awake," a familiar, feminine voice chuckled. Nuriko. Of course.
"Nuri….what happened?" Nikyia whispered as Nuriko patted her forehead with a damp cloth.
"Soi, a Seiryuu seishi and Suboshi, Amiboshi's twin brother and fellow seishi. He has control over these strange balls on the end of a piece of rope. Knocked over a few trees while going after Miaka. He was the one who killed Tamahome's family. Soi was just watching over him and knocked us out when he needed help. Tamahome could've had him too. I don't know when she got you. Sit up." Nuriko helped her into a sitting position against a close tree as Nikyia gripped her pounding head. Being struck with lightning certainly left an aftershock.
"If this is what a hangover feels like I'm never letting you take me to a bar."
"Hangovers don't hurt half as bad. Trust me."
Still gripping her head, Nikyia managed to mutter, "Where's Miaka?"
"Sleeping, and Arafae with her. We've been taking shifts all night to make sure you didn't get a fever or die on us. The last thing we need is another death. Here." The purple haired seishi stuffed a small mug into her hands. "An old woman healer brought this by for when you woke up. Said she heard the screams and saw us crackling. I came to not long after she arrived, and she gave me some of this for all of us. Tamahome didn't even bother drinking some, he just ran in to go get his family. He's buried them."
Here, Nuriko paused.
"We've decided to leave him here. We haven't seen him since the sun set last night, and it's about time Miaka woke up. He's not in the right condition for-"
"I'm fine enough to travel, thank you very much," Tamahome smirked. He towered above the two, leaning on the tree Nikyia was propped against. "If someone will wake up Sleeping Gorgeous, we can get going."
"T-Tamahome?" Miaka yawned sleepily, sitting up. His voice was all she needed to be brought out of her sleepy reverie. A few minutes later, Tamahome said one last goodbye to the graves of his family as the town vanished behind them.
"So, Nikyia, what took you so darn long to get outside? You're usually the first one to come when there's trouble."
Nikyia nodded, thinking of the words she knew she had to say before they separated.
"Just ran into a few ghosts."
"GHOSTS?!" the whole group shrieked. Nikyia sighed, and glanced up pleadingly at Arafae.
You talk, he can't understand me, remember?
Nikyia sighed mentally.
Right.
"Yes. My family and yours, Tamahome. Suzaku sent my parents and brother to help your family in the passing from life to death. Your father wanted me to tell you he's proud of you. That you're the pride of the family even after death. Chuei said he wished he could have protected them more like you could have. He wanted to be just like you, you know."
Tamahome nodded, smiling solemnly.
"He tried to save them, Nikyia. I'm proud of him too."
Nikyia nodded.
"Gyokuran and Shunkei also reminded me to tell you they love you."
"And Yuiren?"
Here, Nikyia smiled.
"She barely seemed to notice she was dead. She was so happy that you came back. It was her last wish that you be there to bring the family together. She died happily."
"That's so sweet!" Nuriko honked his nose on the closest cloth, which happened to be Tamahome's shirt.
"NURIKO!!"
"I left my handkerchief back in the palace!! Lemme alone!!"
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The five other seishi ran to meet the returning group, curious on what had taken them so long. Chichiri's eye widened as Nikyia related the story of the Sou family massacre. Miaka was telling Hotohori, and the others were cheering on Tamahome as he held Tasuki dangerously over the water.
"That's so…incredibly familiar it's spooky no da…" Chichiri looked down at the flimsy mask in his hand.
"Isn't it? Of course, there were more connections than you would know, seeing you ran off before even giving me a chance to say goodbye."
"Are you going to hold that against me the whole time we're gone no da?" he smirked.
"We'll see…you're setting off soon, then?"
"Too soon no da. Within the hour, I'd say."
"You're right…too soon." Nikyia reached up to embrace him softly. Chichiri returned it.
"I won't forgive you if you don't come back no da."
Nikyia pulled back, smacking him lightly.
"What in Father's name makes you think I'm not gonna come back?!"
"Gut feeling knowing your other encounters with Jaden no da?"
"Luck for him. He's better in numbers than he is alone. Catch him alone once and he'll be dead, trust me."
"How no da?"
Nikyia sighed, then smiled. Reaching into a pocket on her shirt, she removed a small velvet box.
"How about if I seal the promise to come back with this?"
Chichiri blinked, taking the box from her.
"What is it no da?"
Inside was a necklace, made of small dried flowers and tiny shells.
"Genrou made it for me when I came back. You're probably more familiar with the custom than I am, but they say a woman makes a necklace like this, and on it puts a single piece of rice. If she can fit her name and the name of the man she loves on it, their love will be undying." She picked the necklace out of the box and held up a small bead: a grain of rice. On it, in tiny, almost unreadable, shaky handwriting, were three names: Big Sister Nikyia, Chichiri, Genrou.
"I guess when he met you, he spent a while trying to put that on and write all our names on it."
I don't see –my– name on it! Don't I count?
Nikyia sweatdropped.
"You're a pain in the arse, bird. Not a lover."
Chichiri chuckled as he took the necklace from her.
"Alright, so I keep the necklace-"
"And I swear, dead or alive I'll come back for it."
"I'd prefer alive. I won't be able to sleep well until you're back in my arms."
"And you get romantic the day I have to leave?"
"Is that a problem no da?" He replaced the necklace into it's box while saying this and closed it gently.
"Not much, but I'll certainly expect that same stuff when I get back."
"And I'll have it. I promise no da."
"CHICHIRIIII! C'mon!!" Chiriko called from the boat.
"Just one minute no da!!" the monk called back. Then he faced Arafae. "I expect you to be good to her. Look after her like I would."
Her father would kill me if I wouldn't. You just make sure –you– come back alive as well. Don't think you're not sailing into danger.
"Teleportation immunity no da." He faced Nikyia again. "I hope you have a place to stay while you're there."
Nikyia nodded.
"If I'm lucky enough to end up where Miaka lives, I should be able to stay with her family. Don't worry your head off. I'll be fine. I promise."
"CHICHIRIIIIII!!!!"
"HOLD ON NO DA!!" The man was practically going chibi with frustration. Then he sighed. "I guess I should say goodbye, huh no da?"
"It's not goodbye," Nikyia smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck. "It's a long goodnight."
One quick kiss later (with oohing and aahing from the deck, along with Nuriko blowing his nose on Tamahome again) the boat was setting sail. Nikyia and Hotohori stood together, watching as the ship sailed off into the distance. A moment later, in a sparkling of red light, Nikyia and Arafae were carried away as well, leaving Hotohori and his new Teddy bear alone on the dock.
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Dang, think that took me long enough to whip out? ^^;; Sorry for the delay minna! School is busting the heck out of my writers time, and I'm suffering from the evil –block.– Hopefully this chapter will have gotten me over it… Whatever ^^;; Again, sorry for the wait!!
Note: Has anyone ever thought of doing fanart for this?? Just wondering, if anyone's ever thought about it.
~TA~