Chapter 7: Ou no Sakebi (The Emperor's Scream)
"Mirakuru," Hotohori approached the two friends. A wondering look crossed her face as she searched his eyes all the while a confused and curious Nuriko seaching hers.
"Yeah?..." She walked away with him, never letting his eyes stray from hers. *Hotohori, we must fight.* Somehow she'd almost forgot the battle going right next her, even though she could still hear the clashes of metal, Tasuki's voice calling out 'Recoshkiai!' with the power of his Diamond Tesshin, the punches, the kicks, the blows, the attacks, the power, the energy, the fighting, the battle, the hurt!!!!!!!!! *UHH!!!!!!!!!!!* Her heart screamed. *Stop!!! No more fighting, no more fighting, no more!!!!!!*
"I want to know something." Hotohori lead her behind a wall and out of the battle for a quick moment. The sun was know high in the sky and he felt fatigue; the night had been spent restlessly in thought and confusion. *What do I do? Part of me still loves Miaka but part of me--*
"What?" She looked him in the eyes, eagar to stop the battle, as well as to bring her lips to his.
"Do you love me?" His green eyes were beyond serious more, of an emotion. *...the truth...*
"Wha?!?!" Her eyes widened and her lips parted. *Your only thoughts have been of... me?...*
He nodded his head and softly smiled. "Because of you, I was up all night."
Her hands went to her mouth and her breath rushed out. "You can read my thoughts..." She gasped, "I only thought Nuriko, Daikonsen, Densetsu, and Kakusei could!"
"Only when I need to." He smiled again and then turned his head to the side, suddenly noticing a human figure.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Mirakuru!!!!!" Hotohori cried her name as an arrow pierced her back. Her eyes went to narrow slits and she fell into his arms. "Miracle!!!!!"
"Hmm," she smiled, seemingly calm. "You called me Miracle." She nodded. "Yeah, Hotohori... I do... love you--" Her hand went to his face, and then held tighter to him as another arrow pierced her flesh, this time going all the way through and out her stomach. The young Emperor felt the sharp point of the head against his torso and drew back.
His eyes went to slits as hers did previously. "Mirakuru!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He cried her name and his eyes became glazed with tears. She fell unconciously into his arms and then slipped to the ground. The pale, ashen color of her skin could no longer be seen, only the deep crimson blood.
"MIRAKURU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Her name left his lips louder and more painful than before.
Nuriko and Daikonsen rounded the corner and saw the sight of their friend's seemingly lifeless body, both their hair wiping violently. Both shades of purple eyes held power within them. Nuriko's body began to shake and then he heard the Kuto soldier behind them and took out his rage on him, sending him up into the air and hard to the ground, all the while fighting back tears of anger and sadness. "How could you do that to such an innocent, beautiful creater!"
Daikonsen dropped to her knees unable to support herself any longer. Taking her friends hand in her own, tears streamed down her cheeks. "Miraku-chan!!!!!" She screamed out her friend's name and held her tightly to her. Hotohori watched in dread and tears pierced his cheeks.
Nuriko fell to his knees along side Daikonsen, while the Densetsu and Kakusei ran to her. "Mirakuru--"
"What happened?!" Densetsu cried, "Chichiri!" She clung to her lover as he came up from behind her.
"I know."
"No..." Kakusei's mouth went dry. "No..." Tasuki touched the back of her head with his lips.
"I'm here."
"Mitsukake!" Miaka screamed as she watched her guardian slowly drift away into the land of death. He quietly sped over to the group.
"Quick!" Chiriko said with urgency to the healing seishi. "She's not breathing."
"We have to pull the arrows out first." Tasuki urged, Kakusei by his side in a state of shock, her eyes wide with fear. The seishi hesitated. "Someone has to!"
After a few moments, Nuriko looked at him. "I'll do it!" he cried, tears slipping down onto his clothes. He reached for the arrow head, but he was stopped by the handsome, now calm Emperor. Their hands touched and Nuriko blushed.
"Let me..." Nuriko didn't move. "Please..." He finally took his hand away and Hotohori grabbed one arrow head, all the while dreading of causing her more pain. Moments went on and he didn't move. *I don't want her to hurt.*
Nuriko sensed the Emperor's hesitence. "Here--" he said softly, putting his hand on his, "We'll do it together." He reached behind her, undoing the lacing to her front and back and slowly pulled down her shirt braking the tails of the arrows in the back. Nuriko watched as Hotohori easily broke the arrow in the front. Everyone watched in terror, just waiting for a mistake. "Everyone turn around." The other seishi did but the girls didn't take their eyes of her. Hotohori's breath rushed out when the front of her shirt went down to her waist, exposing her bra, clevage, and then a large wound and then another one would follow as Nuriko forced the other arrow through her body, then out her torso.
Hotohori watched blood seep into his hands as he broke the second arrow head. "Mirakuru..." He whispered her name so painfully and quietly that only Nuriko heard, but not looking up at him from his work.
Nuriko's eyes went to the Emperor's, searching for an answer. *That's the same look Miaka gave me when Tamahome's family died: fear, helplessness and pain.*
The Emperor then watched as Mitsukake knelt down in place of Nuriko, and put his hand directly above her wound. The symbol of being sad appeared on his left hand and the wound softly disappeared. "There." He stepped back.
"Thank you, Mitsuakake." Daikonsen whispered to him and then switched her glance back to her friend.
"Wait!" Miaka cried. "She's still not breathing!"
Hotohori's lips immediatetly went to hers. He blew in, holding her nose and then pushing, one... two... three... on her chest. Her lungs filled with air and then was realised. His mouth covered hers again and he blew desperately. *Open your eyes, don't do this to me. I need you!*
*Come on, Mirakuru, open your eyes,* Densetsu wanted to say.
*You musent die yet.* Kakusei thought.
*Your one of us--* Tamahome's thoughts blended with theirs
*The warriors of Suzaku--* Chichiri begun.
*We all fight together--* Tasuki continued.
*We all protect the Priestess--* Chiriko thought with them.
*Only together, we face the fight--* Daikonsen declared.
*We don't give up--* Mitsuakake continued.
*We never surrender--* Nuriko cried.
*We never give in--* Hotohori continued. *You can't die yet, this war isn't over, and we need you... I need you... We won't go on without you!*
"We fight as one!!!!!" Miaka cried aloud as she prayed for her life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Her lungs exhaled. One... Two... Three... He pressed on her chest. His lips touched hers again, all the while trying to save her. She breathed, this time on her own, her heart racing. He felt her breath against her face and rejoiced with the feeling of it's sweetness. Her lips were sweet, so soft, yet firm, filled with power and passion. *Hotohori--*
*Mirakuru...* His mouth grazed hers and he found her more than ready for him. Chills went up and down both of their bodies. And a wild fire ignited within his body, as well as hers. *Are you okay?*
*Because of you...*
"She's okay!" Daikonsen cried, tears starting to dry. Hotohori's head raised and he met her eyes: so blue, so passionate, so beautiful. And she saw his: emeralds, so calm, so perfect. Daikonsen leaped with joy. "Your okay!" Before Mirakuru got a chance to sit up she found herself in the arms of her friend. "I love you!!!!" Daikonsen said excitedly, almost smothering her friend.
Mirakuru grinned and then giggled slightly. Kakusei joined and through her arms around the two. *I almost had a heart attack!" She frowned. "Don't ever do that to me again!! Mirakuru let out a light laughter.
"I love you guys!" Densetsu was shortly behind, but just as enthusiastic.
"I love you too!" Daikonsen and Kakusei said together. And then Mirakuru let out all her laughter and found herself laughing so hard her stomache hurt and she started crying. Hotohori watched her, amused by her laughter.
*I've never seen her so happy.*
Tasuki, Nuriko, Tamahome, Miaka and Chiriko began to laugh all at one, and then Mitsukake and Chichiri let out a little chuckle. Soon Hotohori couldn't help but laugh slightly, suprised by her effect on all of them. And then his attention turned to the reason the were there: to fight.
"Soi, ready?" Nakago asked her.
"Yes." Soi and him stood close to each other and powered up. "This is going to be
interesting..."
"Mirakuru," Hotohori approached the two friends. A wondering look crossed her face as she searched his eyes all the while a confused and curious Nuriko seaching hers.
"Yeah?..." She walked away with him, never letting his eyes stray from hers. *Hotohori, we must fight.* Somehow she'd almost forgot the battle going right next her, even though she could still hear the clashes of metal, Tasuki's voice calling out 'Recoshkiai!' with the power of his Diamond Tesshin, the punches, the kicks, the blows, the attacks, the power, the energy, the fighting, the battle, the hurt!!!!!!!!! *UHH!!!!!!!!!!!* Her heart screamed. *Stop!!! No more fighting, no more fighting, no more!!!!!!*
"I want to know something." Hotohori lead her behind a wall and out of the battle for a quick moment. The sun was know high in the sky and he felt fatigue; the night had been spent restlessly in thought and confusion. *What do I do? Part of me still loves Miaka but part of me--*
"What?" She looked him in the eyes, eagar to stop the battle, as well as to bring her lips to his.
"Do you love me?" His green eyes were beyond serious more, of an emotion. *...the truth...*
"Wha?!?!" Her eyes widened and her lips parted. *Your only thoughts have been of... me?...*
He nodded his head and softly smiled. "Because of you, I was up all night."
Her hands went to her mouth and her breath rushed out. "You can read my thoughts..." She gasped, "I only thought Nuriko, Daikonsen, Densetsu, and Kakusei could!"
"Only when I need to." He smiled again and then turned his head to the side, suddenly noticing a human figure.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Mirakuru!!!!!" Hotohori cried her name as an arrow pierced her back. Her eyes went to narrow slits and she fell into his arms. "Miracle!!!!!"
"Hmm," she smiled, seemingly calm. "You called me Miracle." She nodded. "Yeah, Hotohori... I do... love you--" Her hand went to his face, and then held tighter to him as another arrow pierced her flesh, this time going all the way through and out her stomach. The young Emperor felt the sharp point of the head against his torso and drew back.
His eyes went to slits as hers did previously. "Mirakuru!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He cried her name and his eyes became glazed with tears. She fell unconciously into his arms and then slipped to the ground. The pale, ashen color of her skin could no longer be seen, only the deep crimson blood.
"MIRAKURU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Her name left his lips louder and more painful than before.
Nuriko and Daikonsen rounded the corner and saw the sight of their friend's seemingly lifeless body, both their hair wiping violently. Both shades of purple eyes held power within them. Nuriko's body began to shake and then he heard the Kuto soldier behind them and took out his rage on him, sending him up into the air and hard to the ground, all the while fighting back tears of anger and sadness. "How could you do that to such an innocent, beautiful creater!"
Daikonsen dropped to her knees unable to support herself any longer. Taking her friends hand in her own, tears streamed down her cheeks. "Miraku-chan!!!!!" She screamed out her friend's name and held her tightly to her. Hotohori watched in dread and tears pierced his cheeks.
Nuriko fell to his knees along side Daikonsen, while the Densetsu and Kakusei ran to her. "Mirakuru--"
"What happened?!" Densetsu cried, "Chichiri!" She clung to her lover as he came up from behind her.
"I know."
"No..." Kakusei's mouth went dry. "No..." Tasuki touched the back of her head with his lips.
"I'm here."
"Mitsukake!" Miaka screamed as she watched her guardian slowly drift away into the land of death. He quietly sped over to the group.
"Quick!" Chiriko said with urgency to the healing seishi. "She's not breathing."
"We have to pull the arrows out first." Tasuki urged, Kakusei by his side in a state of shock, her eyes wide with fear. The seishi hesitated. "Someone has to!"
After a few moments, Nuriko looked at him. "I'll do it!" he cried, tears slipping down onto his clothes. He reached for the arrow head, but he was stopped by the handsome, now calm Emperor. Their hands touched and Nuriko blushed.
"Let me..." Nuriko didn't move. "Please..." He finally took his hand away and Hotohori grabbed one arrow head, all the while dreading of causing her more pain. Moments went on and he didn't move. *I don't want her to hurt.*
Nuriko sensed the Emperor's hesitence. "Here--" he said softly, putting his hand on his, "We'll do it together." He reached behind her, undoing the lacing to her front and back and slowly pulled down her shirt braking the tails of the arrows in the back. Nuriko watched as Hotohori easily broke the arrow in the front. Everyone watched in terror, just waiting for a mistake. "Everyone turn around." The other seishi did but the girls didn't take their eyes of her. Hotohori's breath rushed out when the front of her shirt went down to her waist, exposing her bra, clevage, and then a large wound and then another one would follow as Nuriko forced the other arrow through her body, then out her torso.
Hotohori watched blood seep into his hands as he broke the second arrow head. "Mirakuru..." He whispered her name so painfully and quietly that only Nuriko heard, but not looking up at him from his work.
Nuriko's eyes went to the Emperor's, searching for an answer. *That's the same look Miaka gave me when Tamahome's family died: fear, helplessness and pain.*
The Emperor then watched as Mitsukake knelt down in place of Nuriko, and put his hand directly above her wound. The symbol of being sad appeared on his left hand and the wound softly disappeared. "There." He stepped back.
"Thank you, Mitsuakake." Daikonsen whispered to him and then switched her glance back to her friend.
"Wait!" Miaka cried. "She's still not breathing!"
Hotohori's lips immediatetly went to hers. He blew in, holding her nose and then pushing, one... two... three... on her chest. Her lungs filled with air and then was realised. His mouth covered hers again and he blew desperately. *Open your eyes, don't do this to me. I need you!*
*Come on, Mirakuru, open your eyes,* Densetsu wanted to say.
*You musent die yet.* Kakusei thought.
*Your one of us--* Tamahome's thoughts blended with theirs
*The warriors of Suzaku--* Chichiri begun.
*We all fight together--* Tasuki continued.
*We all protect the Priestess--* Chiriko thought with them.
*Only together, we face the fight--* Daikonsen declared.
*We don't give up--* Mitsuakake continued.
*We never surrender--* Nuriko cried.
*We never give in--* Hotohori continued. *You can't die yet, this war isn't over, and we need you... I need you... We won't go on without you!*
"We fight as one!!!!!" Miaka cried aloud as she prayed for her life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Her lungs exhaled. One... Two... Three... He pressed on her chest. His lips touched hers again, all the while trying to save her. She breathed, this time on her own, her heart racing. He felt her breath against her face and rejoiced with the feeling of it's sweetness. Her lips were sweet, so soft, yet firm, filled with power and passion. *Hotohori--*
*Mirakuru...* His mouth grazed hers and he found her more than ready for him. Chills went up and down both of their bodies. And a wild fire ignited within his body, as well as hers. *Are you okay?*
*Because of you...*
"She's okay!" Daikonsen cried, tears starting to dry. Hotohori's head raised and he met her eyes: so blue, so passionate, so beautiful. And she saw his: emeralds, so calm, so perfect. Daikonsen leaped with joy. "Your okay!" Before Mirakuru got a chance to sit up she found herself in the arms of her friend. "I love you!!!!" Daikonsen said excitedly, almost smothering her friend.
Mirakuru grinned and then giggled slightly. Kakusei joined and through her arms around the two. *I almost had a heart attack!" She frowned. "Don't ever do that to me again!! Mirakuru let out a light laughter.
"I love you guys!" Densetsu was shortly behind, but just as enthusiastic.
"I love you too!" Daikonsen and Kakusei said together. And then Mirakuru let out all her laughter and found herself laughing so hard her stomache hurt and she started crying. Hotohori watched her, amused by her laughter.
*I've never seen her so happy.*
Tasuki, Nuriko, Tamahome, Miaka and Chiriko began to laugh all at one, and then Mitsukake and Chichiri let out a little chuckle. Soon Hotohori couldn't help but laugh slightly, suprised by her effect on all of them. And then his attention turned to the reason the were there: to fight.
"Soi, ready?" Nakago asked her.
"Yes." Soi and him stood close to each other and powered up. "This is going to be
interesting..."