Chapter 10: The "Real" World

This world was bright and busy. She covered her ears. Showing up in the middle of the city was not the best plan. A woman walked up to Jade. "Are you okay? Where are your parents? Are you lost?"
"Just not used to the noise. Thanks for asking."
She walked the streets making her way to where Miaka and Tamahome were. Keisuke answered the door. "Can I help you?"
Jade stepped back into the wall of the hall. "I-I need to talk with Miaka."
"Just a minute."
He closed the door leaving Jade in the hall. Miaka was in his room watching over Tamahome. "Miaka, there's a girl in ceremonial robes at the door asking for you. She seems a bit flighty."
"Green eyes?"
"Actually I think she has contacts because her whole eye is green."
Miaka ran to the door. She flung it open. "Jade, how did you get here?"
"The time lines are crossing. I can enter yours, at least for now."
"You need to go back."
"Not until I call Dios."
"You're going to call him here?"
"Yes."
Keisuke looked at Jade in disbelief, "What are you going to summon?"
"Dios, I said that."
"Wait. Where did that come from? Dios is not one of the four gods."
"I know. I'm not from that world."
He gave up on Jade answering his questions and looked to his sister. "Who is she?"
"What's with you?"
"Until recently she did not exist in the book. People addressed a Jade person but she wasn't there."
"She wasn't awake before."
"How does Dios fit then?"
Jade interjected, "Miaka, who is this idiot?"
"I'm her brother!"
"Dios is a god from my world, a world I do not remember."
"Where do you go when you vanish?"
"Out of time."
"That's a lie."
"Then I am. I'll go."
Jade went to the door and walked out. "Did I just miss something?"
"You called her a liar and she left."
"Why didn't she stop to put her shoes on?"
"She's never worn shoes that I've known of."
"I'll find her. She can't get too far."
He rushed out the door after her. He circled the block and didn't find her. At last he started to ask if people had seen her but still revealed no clues to where she went. He came back two hours later defeated. "I give up. I looked for hours. How far can a person get without shoes?"
"She might have slipped time. Did you check the park? If she is still here that is where she'd most likely go."
"No, why there?"
"She'll feel at home there."
"Fine I'll check there. If she's not there we've lost her."
Keisuke called Tetsuya to help him find Jade. His car would also be helpful. They drove to the park. It was getting late. The park, at first glance, looked empty. They split up to find her calling her as they searched. Hope was fading as they were running out of park. A groundskeeper approached Tetsuya, "This Jade, is she a little girl in temple robes?"
"Where is she?"
"Out by the pond. She won't answer, just sits calmly with her eyes closed."
"Thanks mister."
He ran to the pond and walked around it looking for her. There she was, just as he was told. He sat down in front of her. "Jade? Are you alright?"
He shook her shoulders. "Hey!"
She remained undisturbed. "Keisuke! Over here!"
"You found her! Miaka won't kill me now."
"So, what's wrong with her?"
"She's watching time."
"When's she going to wake-up?"
"In the book she does on her own time."
"This can't be good. Can we move her when she's like this?"
"I don't know. We can try."
Keisuke picked her up. Tetsuya brought his car as close as he could to the park. Keisuke buckled her into the back seat. "She's strange like this. She keeps upright, not falling forward like a sleeping person."
Tetsuya drove them back home. This time he carried Jade as Keisuke opened doors. "Miaka, I found her."
"You found her?"
"She's still not with us yet."
Tetsuya eased his way in. "Where should I put sleeping beauty?"
"I think my room would be best for now."
Tetsuya laid Jade down. "Hey Miaka, do you have any shoes from when you were younger?"
"No, why?"
"Her feet aren't used to pavement I guess because they are really cut- up."
"How long is she going to sleep?"
"I don't know Keisuke. Give her a kiss, maybe that's all Sleeping Beauty needs."
"I'm not kissing a girl I don't know past what's written in a book."
Tamahome stood in the doorway. "I'll do it if that will wake her."
He walked up to the side of the bed. Leaning into kiss her nose. "Oni, what are you doing?"
He opened his eyes as he now pulled his head back up. "Miaka said a kiss might wake you."
She sat up. "I'm not the one that needs protection. I have to call Dios tomorrow or both worlds will be lost."
Tamahome sat next to her and gave her a hug. "What did you see?"
"Hotohori and Mitsukake then Chichiri so sad. Soi is gone as well."
"You shouldn't watch those sad things."
"I'll be back. I need to talk to Dios."
"Why?"
"If I summon too soon Suzaku might not be available."
She tossed a small pile of white sand on the ground as she closed her eyes and vanished from time. She got her answers but waited on going back. Suboshi attacked Miaka and Yui remained cold to her. She returned after Nakago arrived.
He was fighting Tamahome. Nakago readied himself to kill Tamahome with the next attack. Jade ran in front of Tamahome. She crossed her arms at the wrists and concentrated. Nakago's life force hit the green light and was deflected. "You continue to annoy me. This has nothing to do with you anymore. Leave."
"Not by your orders Nakago."
Tamahome placed a hand on her shoulder. "Go, you have a god to call."
She nodded as Nakago shouted to Yui, 'Grant me my wish."
She hesitated. Jade called to her, "Unlock Suzaku or I'll be forced to seal Seriyu in you."
Jade sent out the final signal as Miaka called Suzaku. The Phoenix dealt with the Dragon as a man now stood behind Jade. His arms wrapped around her waist. He looked about seventeen. He stood about six feet tall. His hair was white, eyes purple, he had the same pale face, and was dressed in black. "Queen of Light, take your bow."
His words, they were a spell Ian had told her. She looked to him, "Prince of Peace, embrace the gloom."
"We can't have that. How do you want this situation fixed?"
She looked at the destruction around her from Nakago's battle with Tamahome. Next she turned her gaze to the battle in the sky. "This will never do. These worlds were never meant to be this close."
"Seal it away then."
"No. I care for both worlds. I can't accept that as an answer."
"What would you have me do then?"
"I have to think."
"Your first choice not in time and you still look to it for the answer. This is your only chance to change the path time will take and you don't know how to do it."
"I wasn't looking into the void, I was mapping in my own mind. To find the way to make all good natured dreams come true."
"That way does not exist. Choose how a world dies. Feel no guilt. It will be as if it never existed."
"If you seal it now my friends will be sealed here."
He shrugged. "Cost of living."
Jade watched as Miaka made her first wish. She watched as Nakago attacked and was amazed to see her friends back from the dead. Dios put a hand on her shoulder. "See what they are doing to this world? You must act soon."
"Give them time. Oni will beat Nakago. Just watch."
"He looks to be loosing."
"In time."
"In time there is nothing to gain, decide now."
"Dios, I looked at the stars last night."
"How is that significant to what's happening now?"
"There aren't as many visible but the brightest formations I remember from the sky in the world of the four gods I saw last night in this city's sky."
"Stars mean nothing. Countless stars and countless worlds across endless miles."
"Dios, are they really the same world at different times?"
"What gave you that idea? In this world people do not have powers like your friends."
"Did they ever?"
"No Jade. These worlds, similar as they might be were never the same world."
"Ok. Please be patient I will find the moment to act soon."
"Gods are rarely patient beings."
With the power of Suzaku behind him and Seriyu sealed away Tamahome's fist went through the Hin tribesman. "Waiting hurts nothing for the moment. Let them have their victory."
Jade walked to them, Nyan-nyans and Taiitsukun. Dios walked slowly behind her. Miaka returned the world to normal with her final wish. They all said a good-bye to Miaka as they returned leaving Miaka behind. "Dios, send Oni back through and wake him there."
Tamahome looked to Jade's expressionless eyes. "Are you sure?"
"You love her."
Dios cast an emerald light around Tamahome. Violet swirls became more and more prevalent until the sphere was completely violet and Tamahome was gone. He opened his eyes to find himself in a house with a family that seemed to had been his since birth by how they acted. He thought to himself how complete Dios was. As time was concerned he had always lived in that world.
"Dios, I have only one thing left to ask before you can go back."
"Yes my priestess?"
"Seal the book."
"They won't be able to use it again."
"That might be best."