The Secrets that Last
Chapter 7
*One Week Later*
Ren gazed at the sun. It had just risen, bathing the land in its golden wonder. There had always been something about the sun that made him comfortable. He smiled.
"It's almost time to leave minna-chan. Have you all prepared?" He closed his eyes as he spoke.
The people behind him nodded, grunting their confirmation.
In the past week the relationship between Ren and the Suzako warriors had seemed to go from initial suspicion and mistrust, excluding Tasuki, Miaka, and Nuriko, to loyal friends and companions. Ren had somehow worked his magic, as Tasuki had said, and gained the seishi's trust one by one. Tamahome had been the hardest to convince of his good intensions, but in the end, everyone seemed to have a special fondness for the blonde warrior that had so suddenly walked into all their lives. The man was simply and utterly irresistible. Beyond his curious nightly disappearances and his downright disinterest in the Lady Usagi, he acted as if he were no more than a normal wanderer. On many occasions during his stay he had happily lent a hand to the servants and workers around the palace, a surprising action by anyone's standards.
"Good. Let's go." Ren gently nudged Starlight to go, opening his eyes. The stallion obediently complied.
Usagi had worked her way into the seishi's hearts as well. For some odd reason she seemed to be able to get to them as easily as Miaka had when she first came. Of course, Nuriko hadn't been half as hard on her as Miaka.surprisingly. The two seemed to have some secret that made them almost act indifferent around each other. Nuriko seemed to treat the other girl as a person worth his time rather than an adversary. Hotohori was never seen without the fair young woman when darkness set in. He had been visiting her nightly and bringing her to meet the others. Miaka and Tamahome seemed to enjoy her company. Chichiri, Tasuki, and Touji on the other hand acted strangely whenever in her presence. Her eyes seemed to always sparkle more animatedly when she gazed at the three of them.
"Hey Ren-chan," Nuriko called from his horse.
"Hai?"
"When do we get there?"
"If Lady Time grants me her guidance, we shall be at the mountain's base before sunset."
Touji glanced at him in slight annoyance. "Oh! So you let them take Time's Trail but not us, huh? So that's how it's gonna be, huh? They don't have to travel the normal way."
Ren rolled his eyes. "Touji, as I recall, it was your desire to take the long way. You wanted to 'taste the world as the god's had bid you to', correct?"
Touji grunted, sweat-dropping. "Yeah, demo."
"It is not my fault that the moment we made the decision to take the long way you tripped and fell face first into a bee's nest, were chased into a lake, bitten by a snake, and poked with sticks by children that thought you were dead."
Tasuki burst out laughing, nearly falling off his horse. The group tried to hide their amusement while Touji blushed furiously.
"Ren! You promised not to tell anyone!"
Ren shrugged. "Hai. And you promised not to complain. Now, take this way minna-chan." He headed toward the forest. "We'll be there in no time at all."
Everyone complied. Despite his odd sense of direction and such, Ren always seemed to know what he was talking about.
"I've never traveled this way before." Hotohori said softly. "I was always told that the forest held magic beyond our mind's comprehension and that we are never to enter it without the specific advisement of our elders."
Ren smiled. "Hai. There is much magic in this forest. The key to making it through is using that magic to our advantage. Allow me to show you."
Ren raised his hand and toughed a small bud. The small green cocoon blossomed into an exquisite multi-colored flower beneath his touch.
"I just took some of the energy from the forest and focused it on this flower. It reacted by reaching its full potential."
"It's so pretty Ren-chan." Miaka smiled.
Tamahome touched the petals. "What magic is this?" he asked confusedly.
Chichiri answered. "It's called a Surroundings Spell, no da. When you use the magic of your surroundings to enhance them, no da."
"Correct." Ren smiled.
"You've just reminded me Chichiri-san. I must ask you all to decide the order in which you shall be trained. I will take you one-by-one into an alternate dimension in which, by a years end you shall emerge at the end of three days fully trained. There shall be three tasks at the end of each year, once you've overcome them you shall emerge from the dimension and I shall take the next trainee into the realm. Who wants to go first?"
Chichiri shifted on his horse. "So you're saying that we'll be going through a full year's training in this sub-dimension while in reality it is only three days by our calendar, no da?"
"Hai."
"Then I,"
Miaka grinned. "I'll go first! As the Suzako no Miko I think I *should* go first!"
Nuriko interrupted. "Iie! Me! I should go first! After all, we don't want little Miaka being trained without one of us going through it first! And since I'm the strongest I think I should go first!"
Chiriko sweat-dropped.
Mitsukake frowned. "Iie. I think I should go first, that way I'll be able to heal anyone after me."
Chichiri began again. "Demo."
"Well I think I should go first." Hotohori interrupted. "I am after all, the emperor."
Ren sighed as they all continued to bicker over who should go first.
Tasuki pulled up beside him.
"I'll go last." He stated simply.
Ren glanced at him, nodding. "Hai. When night falls and shadows your face, steal into the night to the cove where we used to practice. You should begin your personal training as soon as we arrive. Bring Touji along as well if you wish. I'll tell him to bring his Earth Stone."
Tasuki nodded. "Right. So we're finally almost there. This is the time that you spoke of when we were children isn't it? The time when our destinies would be decided."
Ren smiled fondly at his childhood companion. "Hai. It is my friend. We were so young back then. We both grew up too fast I suppose. A shame that we never finished your training then. It would have made this time much easier."
Tasuki stared at Ren, his eyes burning with emotion at the mention of Ren's departure.
"How far is it?" he asked softly.
Ren sighed. "Chaos has drawn so close in such short time. He's feeding so relentlessly off of Kutou's people that his strength has nearly tripled from when I first arrived. The sooner we complete your training the better."
"I just have one question for you Ren."
"Very well. I am tired of avoiding this I suppose. What is it that you wish to know my friend? I will tell you as honestly as I am able."
Tasuki stared at Ren for a long moment. In all his years he had never seen his best friend look so worn and tired. He looked away, closing his eyes as he spoke.
"It's the same question I've had since we were young. How will you defeat Chaos, Ren?"
Ren smiled sadly. "Tasuki-chan, the answer you fear may be the one I give. I will take on my true form. The one no mortal eyes have witnessed without penalty. I shall become one with my past and future. My power will reach its full potential, just like the flower, and I will defeat Chaos with all the energy of my being. He stands no chance against my absolute form. The being that lives within my soul, my true self."
"And what will become of you then? Once you reach your ultimate form you can't turn back. I've known that since long before you told me. A being so perfect as yourself belongs nowhere but the realm of the god's. Your splendor would bring blind to see, mute to words, deaf to hear.Just like in the texts. You couldn't live here like that. All the magic in the world couldn't hide who you are from mortal instincts, however lame they may be compared to your own."
Ren nodded, looking straight ahead. "Hai. And for once I am unable to deny your words. If I am drawn to use my Cosmos Beam I will have to become a Godde-, a God. And you're right. I will have to live among the gods for the rest of eternity."
Tasuki nodded, his eyes blurring. "I see. So I was right before. You're only here because you need us to help you defeat Chaos and then you'll be leaving again. I know you have no choice."
"Tasuki,"
"Iie. I'm not mad or anything. I think I knew that before, I just didn't want to admit it to myself. Oh well, you'll still visit though, right?" His voice cracked.
Ren swallowed hard. "Of course. Not even the gods could keep me from you for that long. I could never forget you. Ever."
Tasuki nodded, sniffling and leaning his head on his horse's neck. "I think I'll go talk to Touji now." He mumbled softly, allowing Ren to go ahead of him.
Ren stared at the path before him.
"Setsuna-chan, onegai, make this journey as short as possible. The more I think about what is to come, the more I doubt my readiness for what I must do. When I reach Serenity I will have to call upon my heart for the final transformation. I just don't want to think about it anymore is all. Onegai, make time's hand move quickly."
Chapter 7
*One Week Later*
Ren gazed at the sun. It had just risen, bathing the land in its golden wonder. There had always been something about the sun that made him comfortable. He smiled.
"It's almost time to leave minna-chan. Have you all prepared?" He closed his eyes as he spoke.
The people behind him nodded, grunting their confirmation.
In the past week the relationship between Ren and the Suzako warriors had seemed to go from initial suspicion and mistrust, excluding Tasuki, Miaka, and Nuriko, to loyal friends and companions. Ren had somehow worked his magic, as Tasuki had said, and gained the seishi's trust one by one. Tamahome had been the hardest to convince of his good intensions, but in the end, everyone seemed to have a special fondness for the blonde warrior that had so suddenly walked into all their lives. The man was simply and utterly irresistible. Beyond his curious nightly disappearances and his downright disinterest in the Lady Usagi, he acted as if he were no more than a normal wanderer. On many occasions during his stay he had happily lent a hand to the servants and workers around the palace, a surprising action by anyone's standards.
"Good. Let's go." Ren gently nudged Starlight to go, opening his eyes. The stallion obediently complied.
Usagi had worked her way into the seishi's hearts as well. For some odd reason she seemed to be able to get to them as easily as Miaka had when she first came. Of course, Nuriko hadn't been half as hard on her as Miaka.surprisingly. The two seemed to have some secret that made them almost act indifferent around each other. Nuriko seemed to treat the other girl as a person worth his time rather than an adversary. Hotohori was never seen without the fair young woman when darkness set in. He had been visiting her nightly and bringing her to meet the others. Miaka and Tamahome seemed to enjoy her company. Chichiri, Tasuki, and Touji on the other hand acted strangely whenever in her presence. Her eyes seemed to always sparkle more animatedly when she gazed at the three of them.
"Hey Ren-chan," Nuriko called from his horse.
"Hai?"
"When do we get there?"
"If Lady Time grants me her guidance, we shall be at the mountain's base before sunset."
Touji glanced at him in slight annoyance. "Oh! So you let them take Time's Trail but not us, huh? So that's how it's gonna be, huh? They don't have to travel the normal way."
Ren rolled his eyes. "Touji, as I recall, it was your desire to take the long way. You wanted to 'taste the world as the god's had bid you to', correct?"
Touji grunted, sweat-dropping. "Yeah, demo."
"It is not my fault that the moment we made the decision to take the long way you tripped and fell face first into a bee's nest, were chased into a lake, bitten by a snake, and poked with sticks by children that thought you were dead."
Tasuki burst out laughing, nearly falling off his horse. The group tried to hide their amusement while Touji blushed furiously.
"Ren! You promised not to tell anyone!"
Ren shrugged. "Hai. And you promised not to complain. Now, take this way minna-chan." He headed toward the forest. "We'll be there in no time at all."
Everyone complied. Despite his odd sense of direction and such, Ren always seemed to know what he was talking about.
"I've never traveled this way before." Hotohori said softly. "I was always told that the forest held magic beyond our mind's comprehension and that we are never to enter it without the specific advisement of our elders."
Ren smiled. "Hai. There is much magic in this forest. The key to making it through is using that magic to our advantage. Allow me to show you."
Ren raised his hand and toughed a small bud. The small green cocoon blossomed into an exquisite multi-colored flower beneath his touch.
"I just took some of the energy from the forest and focused it on this flower. It reacted by reaching its full potential."
"It's so pretty Ren-chan." Miaka smiled.
Tamahome touched the petals. "What magic is this?" he asked confusedly.
Chichiri answered. "It's called a Surroundings Spell, no da. When you use the magic of your surroundings to enhance them, no da."
"Correct." Ren smiled.
"You've just reminded me Chichiri-san. I must ask you all to decide the order in which you shall be trained. I will take you one-by-one into an alternate dimension in which, by a years end you shall emerge at the end of three days fully trained. There shall be three tasks at the end of each year, once you've overcome them you shall emerge from the dimension and I shall take the next trainee into the realm. Who wants to go first?"
Chichiri shifted on his horse. "So you're saying that we'll be going through a full year's training in this sub-dimension while in reality it is only three days by our calendar, no da?"
"Hai."
"Then I,"
Miaka grinned. "I'll go first! As the Suzako no Miko I think I *should* go first!"
Nuriko interrupted. "Iie! Me! I should go first! After all, we don't want little Miaka being trained without one of us going through it first! And since I'm the strongest I think I should go first!"
Chiriko sweat-dropped.
Mitsukake frowned. "Iie. I think I should go first, that way I'll be able to heal anyone after me."
Chichiri began again. "Demo."
"Well I think I should go first." Hotohori interrupted. "I am after all, the emperor."
Ren sighed as they all continued to bicker over who should go first.
Tasuki pulled up beside him.
"I'll go last." He stated simply.
Ren glanced at him, nodding. "Hai. When night falls and shadows your face, steal into the night to the cove where we used to practice. You should begin your personal training as soon as we arrive. Bring Touji along as well if you wish. I'll tell him to bring his Earth Stone."
Tasuki nodded. "Right. So we're finally almost there. This is the time that you spoke of when we were children isn't it? The time when our destinies would be decided."
Ren smiled fondly at his childhood companion. "Hai. It is my friend. We were so young back then. We both grew up too fast I suppose. A shame that we never finished your training then. It would have made this time much easier."
Tasuki stared at Ren, his eyes burning with emotion at the mention of Ren's departure.
"How far is it?" he asked softly.
Ren sighed. "Chaos has drawn so close in such short time. He's feeding so relentlessly off of Kutou's people that his strength has nearly tripled from when I first arrived. The sooner we complete your training the better."
"I just have one question for you Ren."
"Very well. I am tired of avoiding this I suppose. What is it that you wish to know my friend? I will tell you as honestly as I am able."
Tasuki stared at Ren for a long moment. In all his years he had never seen his best friend look so worn and tired. He looked away, closing his eyes as he spoke.
"It's the same question I've had since we were young. How will you defeat Chaos, Ren?"
Ren smiled sadly. "Tasuki-chan, the answer you fear may be the one I give. I will take on my true form. The one no mortal eyes have witnessed without penalty. I shall become one with my past and future. My power will reach its full potential, just like the flower, and I will defeat Chaos with all the energy of my being. He stands no chance against my absolute form. The being that lives within my soul, my true self."
"And what will become of you then? Once you reach your ultimate form you can't turn back. I've known that since long before you told me. A being so perfect as yourself belongs nowhere but the realm of the god's. Your splendor would bring blind to see, mute to words, deaf to hear.Just like in the texts. You couldn't live here like that. All the magic in the world couldn't hide who you are from mortal instincts, however lame they may be compared to your own."
Ren nodded, looking straight ahead. "Hai. And for once I am unable to deny your words. If I am drawn to use my Cosmos Beam I will have to become a Godde-, a God. And you're right. I will have to live among the gods for the rest of eternity."
Tasuki nodded, his eyes blurring. "I see. So I was right before. You're only here because you need us to help you defeat Chaos and then you'll be leaving again. I know you have no choice."
"Tasuki,"
"Iie. I'm not mad or anything. I think I knew that before, I just didn't want to admit it to myself. Oh well, you'll still visit though, right?" His voice cracked.
Ren swallowed hard. "Of course. Not even the gods could keep me from you for that long. I could never forget you. Ever."
Tasuki nodded, sniffling and leaning his head on his horse's neck. "I think I'll go talk to Touji now." He mumbled softly, allowing Ren to go ahead of him.
Ren stared at the path before him.
"Setsuna-chan, onegai, make this journey as short as possible. The more I think about what is to come, the more I doubt my readiness for what I must do. When I reach Serenity I will have to call upon my heart for the final transformation. I just don't want to think about it anymore is all. Onegai, make time's hand move quickly."