And we're back on schedule! Yay! Only a couple of weeks until the previously unreleased stuff (also known as Chapter 12 and onward) starts coming out, and I'm nervously anticipating everyone's reaction. This week we're in Sairo, as you might have guessed from the chapter title, so I'm dedicating this chapter to my little Subaru kitten, who will soon be six months and going into heat for the first time. Already watching the little dear like a hawk, since I do NOT want things happening before they ought ^_~ Also, work has picked up, which is always a good source of inspiration for me when writing…it's when work is slow and I have lots of free time that I don't seem to be able to write much, weird, ne? In any case, I'll stop rambling and let you get to enjoying the story!
Chapter 9:
Byakko's Country
When they were across the boarder into Sairo-koku, the seishi immediately headed for the capital city. They had decided that the best way to find information on the Crystal of Clear Sight would be to visit with the two remaining Byakko no shichiseishi. They might remember old stories or myths which could lead the Suzaku seishi to it. It took four nights of riding across the desert to reach the city, and by the time they arrived at Subaru and Tokaki's estate, the sun was already setting on the fifth.
As they rode up to the gate, Tokaki dropped out of one of the trees, his nimble carriage belying his hundred-plus years.
"Who are you?" he asked challengingly.
"Don't you recognize us?" Tamahome asked, surprised, "It's me, Master, Tamahome, and the rest of the Suzaku seishi with me!"
"Well, I don't recognize any of the three women ... "
"Three women?" Nuriko objected, "I'm not a woman!"
"That's Nuriko." Tamahome introduced him.
"But Nuriko was dead when you and Suzaku no Miko came to us! And Chiriko, the brave child who died so horribly during our battle, you don't mean to tell me this is him!" Tokaki objected, gesturing at Chiriko. "Come to think of it, Chichiri visited us two years ago in his wanderings and told us that all but he and Tasuki had died during the war against Kutou, so what are you doing here alive?"
"Did the news not reach you then?"
"What news?"
"All of Suzaku's seishi were revived. The only reason Hotohori's not here is because of the diplomatic difficulties it would have caused. I knew they were keeping all this pretty quiet, but I had no idea..."
"We had heard rumors," Subaru said, walking up the path toward them, "but we could scarcely credit them, they were so incredible!"
"If neither of the young women are seishi or Suzaku no Miko, then who are they?" Tokaki asked.
"They are the prophetrixes Suzaku no Mi and Suzaku no Mune, and they are the reason we are back among the living." Chiriko explained.
"Please, all of you come in." Subaru insisted, "Ignore my husband's rude behavior." She glared at Tokaki and invited them to dismount and stable their horses.
Over dinner, much discussion flew across the table over the Suzaku no Shichiseishi's reason for visiting.
"I wonder..." Subaru mused, "There was an old legend of a crystal hidden in the catacombs under Byakko's tower. Do you think that might be this Crystal of Clear Sight you seek?"
Everyone looked over at Iris as she suddenly tranced and her character blazed.
"The labyrinth holds the crystal safe, but beware its dangerous grip." she intoned.
Chichiri looked over at Elwing, whose character was also alight. "We'll find the crystal probably within the next two days, but there's a bad feeling associated with this. Someone may get hurt. Certainly the crystal is in those catacombs, though." she confirmed.
As their characters faded, both Elwing and Iris looked rather pale.
"Are you alright, no da?" Chichiri asked Elwing.
Simultaneously, Tasuki asked Iris, "What's wrong?"
"It seems to be harder to do this outside of Konan-koku." Iris explained.
"I'll be fine in a minute." Elwing assured Chichiri, gently brushing his arm with her fingers.
"Well, first thing tomorrow we'll take you to the catacombs, then." Tokaki told them.
"We also have a legend of Byakko no Mi and Mune." Subaru said, "It's interesting to see the two of you at work."
Chichiri shot an uneasy look at Elwing and Iris. "I think the two of you should get some sleep, no da." he suggested, "Tomorrow will be a long day, no da."
Elwing and Iris, who were fairly tired, agreed that this would be a good idea, so Subaru led them to a room where they could spend the night.
After dinner, Tokaki took Tamahome aside. "So, what ended up happening between you and Suzaku no Miko? She's obviously not with you."
"No, she's in her world. Somehow I know I'm with her, though. We'll be together once all this is over, that I know for sure. After all, we are married!" Tamahome grinned.
Tokaki patted his shoulder. "I admire your determination." he said.
The next morning, the Tokaki and Subaru who came to wake them were much younger, apparently in their early twenties. Elwing and Iris, of course, were rather confused, and Subaru explained that this was a part of her power, the ability to reverse or accelerate the effects of time on individuals.
"No one's been near the tower since it was ruined, we may have some trouble getting access to the catacombs, and I'm not even sure what kind of condition they're in." Tokaki explained, "We should probably split off into groups in order to search more efficiently and spend as little time in there as possible."
The secret entrance to the tunnels was not as badly damaged as might have been anticipated, and they had little trouble gaining access. Once they were inside, Tasuki lit the torches. The light revealed that the tunnel split off in four different directions.
"I guess this means we have to split into teams now." Nuriko observed.
"Elwing and I make one team, no da."
"And I think I'll go with Nuriko." Subaru decided.
"I'll go with Mitsukake and Chiriko." Tokaki offered.
"I guess that leaves me with you and Iris." Tamahome said to Tasuki.
Tasuki heaved a sigh of resignation. "I suppose." he said.
'He doesn't even want to go with me.' Iris thought. Over the past week or so, she had noticed Tasuki even more reluctant to be near her, seemingly drawing away from any hint of intimacy of any kind, even just friendly banter. Of course, his reasons for this were not the ones she supposed, but how was she to know that?
Tasuki, meanwhile, was thinking, 'I wish she'd cheer up, I don't like to see her so sad. I can't dare tell her how I feel, it would probably make her cry. I'm not sure why I feel this way, but until I figure it out, I can't let anyone know. Damn that stupid Obake-chan anyway! It would have been nice to be alone with Iris for a while anyway, even if I'm not ready to say anything yet.'
This was the first chance Elwing and Chichiri had had to be alone together since that first night at the inn, and they were reveling in it, even if it was in a dark tunnel under an ill-omened ruin.
"You know, there used to be a legend that if a couple watched the sunset from this tower, they would be together forever, no da." Chichiri told Elwing.
"Really?" She vaguely remembered something like that, but she couldn't for the life of her figure out why it sounded familiar. She decided it must just be one of those things that sounded like some kind of fairytale and brushed it from her mind. "I wonder how long we'll be in here?"
They walked along in silence for a while, hand in hand, each lost in thoughts of what possible future they might have. Finally Chichiri spoke up.
"I didn't want to ask when there were others around, but what is your impression of Tasuki and Iris's present situation? Even I can tell that something is really bothering Tasuki, no da."
Elwing laughed ruefully. "He's royally confused is about all I can pick up off the surface. I'm pretty sure he's realized his feelings for Iris, but for some reason he won't let himself simply live those feelings."
"Yes, that sounds like Tasuki, no da. He'll eventually let it slip, though, we'll just have to give him time, no da."
Subaru looked over at Nuriko, who was carrying their torch. "I'm still finding this all a little unbelievable." she admitted.
"That seems to be the usual response. I must say I find it all a little unbelievable too." Nuriko agreed.
"It makes me wonder what will happen when Byakko no Mi and Byakko no Mune arrive. Will they perhaps resurrect the Byakko seishi as well, or will we be born into new bodies? If we're born into new bodies, will we remember anything about this life? But I suppose I won't know until the time comes, will I, so no use worrying about it."
Nuriko smiled. "I certainly didn't know what to expect," he admitted, "but the only reassurance I have for you is that no God would deliberately harm his own chosen."
"No, I suppose not." Subaru agreed.
As they walked along, Tokaki kept throwing odd glances at Chiriko whenever he thought he wasn't looking.
Finally he spoke up. "So, now that you have your life back, what are you going to do with it?" he asked.
"Well, I still intend to take the civil service exams, and Hotohori kindly ordered that my previous rank be reinstated. Aside from that, I really don't know. Perhaps meet a girl I can spend the rest of my life with, who knows?" Chiriko answered, his blush hidden by the ruddy light of the torch.
Mitsukake looked over at him with one raised eyebrow. "Did you have anyone in mind?" he asked his young friend.
"Well, there's this girl I've noticed around the palace. She's gorgeous, but she always seems to be hiding from everyone. I'd like to get to know her." Chiriko smiled, half in daydream.
He thought back to that day almost two weeks ago. He had been in his room studying all morning, but he was getting hungry, so he decided to stretch his legs and get some air on his way to having lunch with the others. He was walking with his gaze averted, his head still in his books, when he bumped into someone.
"Oh!" she exclaimed, "I'm sorry, I didn't see you! Please forgive me, sir, everyone always says I'm too clumsy to be any use. I'm so sorry." she said, and started to sniffle.
Chiriko was slightly confused. He reached down to help her up, saying, "No, I should be the one to apologize. I wasn't looking where I was going." He looked down into her eyes and was startled to find they were silvery, even though her hair was a glossy purple-black. "Wh...who are you?" he asked, his heart suddenly pounding.
The girl looked frightened. "My name's Tia," she whispered, "and I'm not supposed to be here. Please don't tell on me. I just wanted to see the Suzaku no shichiseishi Chiriko. They say he's been reborn, like my... the Emperor, that is." She blushed and looked away as he did the same.
"Why do you want to see him?" Chiriko asked.
"Because...well..." she stammered.
They both heard footsteps approaching from around a corner. "I have to go!" she whispered, and, pulling her hands out of his, she bolted down a side-corridor toward the women's quarters.
He'd asked around a little, discreetly, but no one knew who she might be, and he didn't want to make trouble for her.
Mitsukake and Tokaki shared a knowing glance as they looked at young Chiriko, lost in daydreams. They could both well remember that first flush of love, and how it would come to mind at the slightest provocation.
Tasuki, Tamahome, and Iris walked along in silence. They were not so much lost in thought as unwilling to break the silence with uneasy words.
Abruptly, Iris spoke. "I feel strange all of a sudden." she said, "I think..."
The rest of her words were swallowed up in the rumbling growl of the cave collapsing on them.
"Iris!" Tasuki cried as he pushed her out of the way of falling debris and covered her with his own body to protect her. After a minute or so, the roaring stopped, and as the last few bits of stone clattered down, Tasuki rolled off Iris. "You okay? Not hurt anywhere, are you?" he asked, worry clearly evident in his voice.
"No, I think I'm okay." she said a little shakily.
"Oh, thank Suzaku." he breathed.
"I can't see a thing, though." Iris pointed out, "What happened to the torch?"
"I must've dropped it. It's probably buried under half a ton of rock." Tasuki reached to his shoulder-sheath and realized the tessen wasn't there. "Fuckin' shit!" he swore and began groping around in the dark. One hand came down on something soft.
"HEY!" Iris shouted and batted his hand away, "Watch what you're doing!"
"If I could fuckin' see, I would!" Tasuki growled back.
"What are you doing anyway?" Iris asked.
"Lookin' for my damn tessen so we can get some bloody light in here." he explained.
He continued to grope around, as did Iris. As she trailed her hand along the floor, she felt something warmish and sticky. She brought the hand up to her mouth, and with a touch of her tongue confirmed what it was.
"Blood." she spat. "Tasuki, are you alright? What about Tamahome?"
"I think I'm fine, I don't think I'm bleedin'," Tasuki said, "but I don't know where Tamahome is. That's why I need the tessen, we need light in here, dammit!"
"What about your character?" Iris suggested.
"You're a fuckin' genius! Why didn't I think of that?" Tasuki exclaimed. He rolled back his sleeve and concentrated his chi, bringing "Yoku" blazing to life.
The scene revealed by the red glow was not a good one. There was barely enough room for them to sit up, and the only thing which had saved their lives was that the ceiling in their section hadn't fallen in until the walls and ceilings on both sides had completely collapsed, so that the gigantic slab was half-supported by the rubble. Tamahome was lying prone on the ground with an ugly-looking gash opening up his left arm. The jagged piece of rock which had caused it was lying not five inches from Iris, and likely would have hit her had Tasuki not thrown her to the ground.
"Oh Gods and Goddesses!" Iris exclaimed. Quickly setting to work, she tore away the ruined left sleeve of Tamahome's jacket, then bound it tightly around his upper arm, holding the wound together and stopping the bleeding through application of pressure.
"Dammit, how come he's out cold?" Tasuki asked.
"I don't know." Iris admitted, feeling his head for cuts, "He probably got knocked out by some rock, but I don't think it's done any permanent damage."
"No permanent damage?! Suzaku's balls! This shouldn't have happened at all! I thought you could predict shit, how come you didn't predict this?!"
"I... I..." Iris's voice quivered as shock set in and adrenaline wore off, "I'm sorry!" she wailed brokenly, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry!" She curled up and buried her face in her hands, body wracked with sobs.
Tasuki thought his heart would break. 'Dammit, why can't I keep my fool mouth shut? I'm such an asshole!' he berated himself, 'I claim I love her, but I say horrible things to her to make her cry, when she could have been killed. If she had died and I hadn't told her how I feel...' he didn't even want to think about it. Resolved in his mind, he reached out and wrapped his arms around the distraught object of his affections. "Iris, it's okay, really it is." he consoled her, "I shouldn't've said that, it's just that I was scared. If somethin' really bad'd happened..." his voice broke and he hugged her tighter, "Fuck it. I just don't want anyone gettin' hurt..."
And then, as Tasuki was just about to finally tell Iris how he felt, Tokaki popped in.
"This must be the wrong tunnel." Elwing said to Chichiri, "It's getting smaller and smaller the further we go... Ughh..." she groaned as, at the same time Chichiri grimaced.
"I sense an extremely evil ki, no da." he said.
Elwing simply moaned. "An echo of malevolent anger." she said.
Just as suddenly, the sensation was gone. It was replaced, however, with the distant echo of rumbling and a deep sense of foreboding.
"Who?" Elwing asked, head pounding and character blazing, "Someone's been hurt, but I can't tell who!"
"I think it's Tamahome, no da." Chichiri said, "Iris and Tasuki may also be in danger, it might be best to gather the others together on our way, no da."
Throwing the kasa up into the air, he transported them to where Tokaki, Mitsukake and Chiriko were.
"What's wrong?" Mitsukake asked immediately upon seeing them, "Is Elwing ill?"
"No, I'm fine. I'm just not used to kasa travel as yet is all, I'll be fine in a minute."
"Something's happened to Tamahome's group, and we may need your skills Mitsukake, no da."
"Right." he nodded.
Chichiri once again used the kasa to take the whole group of them to Nuriko and Subaru.
"I heard a rumbling a minute ago, is someone trapped?" Nuriko asked.
"We think Tamahome may be, no da." Chichiri explained.
"What about the other two?" Subaru asked.
"Of them we're not so sure. They seem to be alright physically, though." Elwing said.
"Is everyone ready, no da?" Chichiri asked.
They all nodded. Chichiri threw the kasa up again and dropped them all in the empty corridor where Tasuki, Tamahome and Iris had been.
The first thing they saw was a wall of shattered rock at one end of the tunnel, and the second was that lying half-buried under some debris was a glint of metal. Chiriko leaned over to brush off the pebbles and lifted up Tasuki's tessen.
"Well, I guess that means they're in there, all right." Nuriko said, "Are you sure they're even alive?"
"I'm sure, no da. I can sense their ki, and besides, we would all have felt it if they had died, no da." Chichiri closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "This isn't a natural collapse, no da. I can sense traces of a trigger spell. I don't want to go past until I know the source of it, no da."
"I'm not of Suzaku, so it shouldn't react to me, I'll let them know we're here." Tokaki offered and teleported into the collapsed tunnel.
"Am I interrupting something Tasuki?" Tokaki asked as he looked around.
"Suzaku's bloody flamin' balls, can't you warn people when you're gonna just appear? Iris is upset enough already!" Tasuki growled at him.
"My apologies for trying to help." Tokaki snapped back. He looked around from his crouching position. "It's a miracle you didn't all get crushed." he marveled.
"Can you get us out of here?" Iris asked.
"Sorry, no; not til we know what triggered the collapse."
"What about Chichiri? Can't he come in here and get us?" Tasuki asked.
"He said something about this having been a trap and he's looking for the traces of the trigger spell he felt."
"And I think the crystal is under some of the rubble." Iris said, "That's what I was about to say when the tunnel collapsed."
Tokaki left to report all this and soon after, Chichiri arrived.
"I can't transport you out, the spell was triggered by Iris's presence, but I can hold the ceiling up with a kekkai, no da." he explained, "Nuriko will have us out in no time, no da." He said as he cast a kekkai above and around them, ensuring that the roof of the tunnel wouldn't come down on them as soon as Iris stepped over the spell trigger again, or even from perfectly natural causes when Nuriko shifted the rocks supporting it.
True to his word, only five minutes later, Nuriko managed to open enough of a space for them to walk through. Iris closed her eyes and tried to sense the crystal the way she had earlier.
"It's over there," she pointed as Mitsukake was busily healing Tamahome.
Everyone but she, Chichiri and Nuriko backed down the corridor as Nuriko carefully pulled rocks off the area Iris had indicated.
"There!" she crowed in excitement as a small grotto became visible, sunk just beneath the level of the floor. Reaching inside, she pulled out a long silver chain attached to a lens-like disc of chalcedony crystal.
"That must be it!" Nuriko elated.
"It is, it is indeed." Iris confirmed, smiling beatifically.
As she turned around to show the others, Tasuki sat down with a thump.
"What's wrong?" she asked, quite concerned, "Are you sure you didn't get hurt?"
"May I?" Elwing asked him. He nodded, so she laid a hand on his shoulder and did a quick check-over of him. "You'll be fine." she assured him and the others, "You just exhausted yourself." Elwing smiled. 'So, you do know your feelings.' she thought to herself.
"Now that we have the crystal, we should probably get out of here, no da." Chichiri said, sounding a little strained.
Everyone took the hint and started heading back to the surface. As soon as he was sure they were well out of range, Chichiri dropped the barrier and slipped into his kasa simultaneously, popping up behind Elwing and tapping her on the shoulder. Of course, she jumped, and this played right into Chichiri's plan as he caught and steadied her. "Sorry, did I surprise you, no da?" he asked, grinning.
"Oh, you." she growled playfully, "You just love startling people, don't you?"
"Especially you, no da." he agreed
They all listened to the rumble as the tunnel where Tasuki, Tamahome, and Iris had been trapped finally collapsed completely, and shuddered at the thought that they might have still been in there.
It took them much longer to walk out of the tunnel than it had to walk in, since Chichiri was scouting for more magical traps which might be triggered by their attempting to leave with the crystal. By the time they finally made it to the tunnel entrance, the sun was just setting.
Chichiri put his arm around Elwing and drew her close. "Isn't that a lovely shade of orange, no da?" he said appreciatively.
Elwing put her arm about her love's waist and leaned against him. "It certainly is." she agreed. She stole a quick glance and a light probe at Tasuki and knew that he also remembered what a sunset at this tower meant. 'Go to her.' she prompted him, sure that the sense of her message at least would get across, even if he didn't "hear" the message itself.
Nervously, Tasuki came up beside Iris and laid his hand on her shoulder.
"What?" Iris asked, surprised.
"I feel just a little dizzy still." Tasuki lied.
"Oh, that's fine then, feel free to lean on me." Iris said, a soft note of love in her voice which everyone but Tasuki seemed to clue in on.
There were happy smiles all around as the sun sank behind the city surrounded by desert.
'I have to tell her.' Tasuki thought, watching the clouds fade to purple, 'The next time I get a chance at her alone I swear I'll tell her.' He resolved, his heart swelling with love.
They returned with the crystal to Subaru and Tokaki's estate and were greeted by a rather unexpected visitor.
"Taiitsukun!" Subaru exclaimed with surprise.
"I came to speak with the Suzaku no shichiseishi." she explained, as terse as ever. "You have to be back within the palace in two days time." she instructed them, "It's absolutely imperative."
"Two days?! But it took us almost two WEEKS to get here, how are we supposed to get back in two days?" Tamahome ranted, but Taiitsukun was gone.
"Don't worry about it, no da." Chichiri reassured him, "I can get us there, no da."
"In that case, why don't you stay the night again." Subaru offered, "There's no point in arriving late at night and grubby after spelunking all day."
They accepted this offer gratefully, and baths and good food were provided for everyone.
The next morning, they all gathered out on the lawn and the horses were blindfolded, then Chichiri threw his kasa up into the air and in a flash of red light the whole group was transported to the front gate of the palace in Eiyo.
"Tell the Emperor we have returned, no da." Chichiri instructed the stunned guards.
They hurried to open the gates and summon grooms for the horses while one guard ran to inform Hotohori. It took only a couple of minutes for the imperial family, including Boushin, to arrive and welcome them home. When Boushin saw Elwing he came running up to her.
'Elwing-obachan!' he greeted her, 'You're back!'
She caught him up and hugged him. 'Of course,' she teased, 'Didn't I say I was coming back?'
"I'm so happy you returned safely!" Hotohori said, "I always worry when there's so little I can do to help."
"Yes, we returned both safely and successfully; we have the Crystal of Clear Sight, no da." Chichiri told Hotohori. "You probably shouldn't try to use the crystal until I've had a chance to make sure there aren't any magical traps in it, no da." Chichiri suggested to Iris.
She nodded, looking a little subdued. "I suppose not." she agreed quietly.
"Is something wrong?" Elwing asked.
"What?" Iris asked, looking up at her, "No, I was just thinking is all." She picked up her bags and headed off to her room. "I'm going to go unpack now." she grinned.
"Do you...need a hand with all that?" Tasuki asked her hesitantly.
"That would be nice." she said, blushing.
He took her bedroll and slung it over his shoulder and they headed off to her room.
'How come Iris-obachan is still sad?' Boushin asked.
'Because of her long trip she's kinda tired, and some things scared her.' Elwing explained.
"Things seem to be going better on that front." Hotohori observed as he watched the two of them walk off.
"Better, but he still hasn't said anything, and neither as she." Nuriko said, sounding a little annoyed.
"We should probably go unpack as well." Tamahome pointed out.
"I'll see you all at lunch, then." Hotohori agreed, "You will have to tell me what happened on your quest."
"Umm... Thanks." Iris said as Tasuki dropped the bedroll on her floor.
"It was no problem." he said nonchalantly, trying to ignore the butterflies which seemed to want to fly out of his mouth in the place of words.
"Well...umm...I'm gonna...unpack now, so..." Iris said hesitantly, looking at her bags.
"Oh." Tasuki said, "I... I guess I should go unpack now too." He hesitated at the door. "Iris?"
"Yes?" she looked up.
"Uhh... nothing, I'll tell you later." he stammered, distracted by the gold colour of her eyes.
"Oh...okay."
'I'll tell her after lunch...' Tasuki promised himself.
"What was up with that?" Iris wondered as she pulled things out of her pack and put them in the wardrobe. As she took her halter top out, a bit of straw fell out onto the floor. "Now where did that come from?" she laughed, "It's been a month since I fell into that haystack." She put the hay in one of the honeycombs in the wardrobe. "A memento," she giggled. As she continued to unpack, her hand fell on the Crystal of Clear Sight, and her mood darkened. 'Tasuki was right yesterday.' she thought to herself, 'I should have known the tunnel would collapse.' She held the crystal in front of her and looked at it swinging back and forth on its chain. 'Taiitsukun said this was supposed to augment my powers.' she mused. Sitting down on her bed, she held the crystal in both hands and looked deeply into it.
" 'Unbeknownst to the others, Suzaku no Mi was taking a dangerous step.' " Pithya read. "Oh, damn, no! Iris, don't do it!" she shouted, "Didn't Chichiri warn you?!"
"What's wrong?" Catherine asked.
"Iris is so damn insistent on proving her worth to Tasuki that she's going to try to use the crystal, even though she's been told to wait until they've had it checked for traps."
"Can't you do some kind of a summoning spell or something?"
"You can't just summon people out of other dimensions without the proper spell elements, and it's not something I've ever tried before. If I got something wrong ... "
"But can't you at least try? I know they'll probably have to return the way Miaka did, but at least we'd be able to talk to talk to them about all this. I mean, what are we going to tell their parents?"
"Especially Iris's." Pithya mused.
And there you have it, Tasuki's still being a baka, Iris is contemplating bad things, and I've left you on a bit of a cliffie…kinda. Not to worry, everything will be explained in next week's chapter, Chapter 10, otherwise known as the weird crossover chapter from HELL, and the reason for the fic's R rating…thought I'd warn you way in advance so you don't feel like it's all of a sudden way more gory than it was. As far as graphically violent scenes, I ascribe to the practice of my favourite authors, David and Leigh Eddings, who every once in a while slip in a graphic scene of violence and gore to add depth and realism to the story where it is necessary. Oh look, now I've scared off half my readers! **watches as readers of delicate sensibilities run for the hills** Don't worry, it's not that bad, and it's not all of the chapter, it's just one of those scenes that had to be written the way it is.
And on that note, I'll see you all again next week! Amaya-chan signing off!