"Hearts Aflame" by Ai Yuukan

Chapter 16

"What's taking so long?" Vivien murmured as she stood outside her tent, looking across the horizon. Shouldn't Seiryuu's lackies be marching over those hills by now? She sighed softly as she watched Tasuki, in his wolf form, return from scanning the enemy's camp.

As soon as Tasuki returned to his normal form, Vivien threw her arms around him and planted a kiss on his startled, but smiling lips. "What took you so long, fangs?" She asked after everyone had started clearing their throats.

Tasuki sighed and squeezed Vivien's hand before confronting the others. "They haven't moved yet.. Apparently, Nakago is busy at the moment.. But I don't think it should continue for much longer.

Chichiri frowned. "What's taking them so long?"

Tamahome nodded his agreement. "It's not like them to stall."

Miaka cocked her head thoughtfully. "Maybe it has something to do with Lily-chan.."

"Lily-chan?" Chichiri echoed.

"Hai. Isn't she in love with Nakago, Kyo-chan?"

Vivien blushed. "Er.. ah.."

"In love with Nakago?!"

"We didn't know that!"

"How did this happen?!"

Samantha and Vivien sweatdropped. "Er.. you know.. things happen.." Samantha was at a loss. How could she explain how the most saintly of her sisters had fallen for their worst enemy?

Vivien looked really uncomfortable. "Yeah.. I mean, Sammy fell for a Seiryuu seishi, too, didn't she? And me with a fellow seishi..?"

Tamahome scoffed. "Amiboshi's the only decent Seiryuu seishi and there's nothing wrong with falling for a Suzaku seishi! Look at my master and Subaru-san!"

Chichiri nodded his agreement. "That's right, no da. You and Kyo- san's relationship is completely within the rules, but.. Lily-san with Nakago? That's.. hard to believe. How did this happen?"

Samantha sweatdropped. "Er.. maybe you should ask about that later, when the time's more appropriate. We're still waiting for Kotou to attack, remember? Maybe we'd better get ready..?" She tried to get her sister's attention, but Vivien was simply relaxing in Tasuki's arms, not listening anymore. Samantha rolled her eyes. It was just like her to get easily distracted.

Vivien closed her eyes and tried not to think of the near future. "Tasuki..?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm scared."

Tasuki looked down at Vivien. "Of what?"

Vivien shrugged helplessly. "I.. don't know, exactly.. but.. I just feel like things are about to happen.. something drastic.. something I won't be expecting.."

"Like what?"

Vivien's eyes flashed. "I.. don't know. But I know.. that whatever I'm feeling.. is scaring me, badly.." She nearly jumped as Suzaku voiced his agreement in her head. Indeed. It appears you have admirable instincts. My brothers are feeling it, too, and are very wary. You must take caution in all your actions. Do not.. change anything more.

Vivien stared at Lilian on her horse as the Seiryuu seishi rode in and felt a twinge of worry. Her sister smiled slightly as something unspoken passed between them. Vivien sighed worriedly. Both of them knew what was going to happen, and both knew that if they weren't forbidden, they wouldn't hesitate to prevent it.

Vivien looked at Nakago and stared openly. Somehow.. he looked.. different. Really.. different.. His face wasn't devoid of emotion like it usually was.. but actually angry.. What was going on?!

Miaka's gaze was on Tamahome. Turmoil brewed in her hazel eyes. "Tamahome.." She then turned to look at Lilian and her fellow Seiryuu seishi. Her eyes widened as they fell on her former best friend. "Yui!"

Yui stared at Miaka. "Miaka!"

Tasuki was scowling. He was rather edgy, and Vivien's nervousness didn't help. "It's about time you snakes showed up!" He snapped angrily. "You planned on attacking us while we slept, huh? You f^&!@^$ cowards!"

Vivien frowned worriedly at Tasuki. "Tasuki.."

Lilian looked to Yui. "Shall we test it, Yui-sama?" Her horse pranced. "Let's see if Seiryuu granted our first wish." She looked at Nakago and something unspoken passed between them. Nakago nodded.

"Indeed."

Tamahome extended his hand. "Let me have the holy sword now, Miaka!" Tamahome's eyes flashed. "And get down!" Nakago fired his chi blast at Tamahome.

Lilian and Vivien both looked away as Tamahome was forced back under the powerful chi.

"Tamahome!" Miaka ran to her lover.

Suboshi laughed. "This is great!"

Lilian frowned at him. "Urusai, Suboshi!" Lilian barked at her fellow seishi. Suboshi's smile faded. Lilian glared at him. "Just shut up!"

Vivien's eyes softened. Lily..

Soi returned her attention to the Suzaku seishi. "Their characters still aren't appearing. At the time Suzaku was sealed, they've apparently become.. ordinary humans." She observed. Their attention returned to Miaka and Tamahome.

"Tamahome! Hold on!" Miaka cried out tearfully.

"I'll hold them off!" Tamahome gritted out. "Take Hotohori's sword and go!"

Vivien glared at Tamahome. "Urusai, Tamahome! Stop trying to be such a goddamned hero and don't tell Miaka what to do!"

Miaka nodded tearfully. "Listen to Kyoku, Tamahome! You'd said we'd stay together! You said after the war, you'd make me your wife! I'm not going to leave you, no matter what!" She said fiercely.

Lilian closed her eyes. Yui turned to Nakago. "Nakago.. I'm sorry. I'll grant your wish later.."

Nakago's eyes widened. "Yui-sama!"

Yui glared at Miaka. "Kai-jin!"

"Yui-sama! Why are you..?!" Lilian gasped and turned around just in time to see Tasuki's sword fly towards Nakago. She saw white. "Nakago!"

Soi saw the sword, too. "Nakago! Look out!"

Lilian's eyes widened as she saw the, in slow-motion, Soi place herself in front of Nakago and get stabbed in her back. Lilian's heart thumped. Soi!

"Shit!" Tasuki swore.

Vivien stared at Lilian. Her sister was so pale.. her eyes so wide with.. Her heart stopped. "Lily!"

Lilian stared at Soi, and trembling, jumped off her horse and ran to her. "SOI!"

Miaka stared at Tasuki. "Tasuki.."

Lilian reached Soi. "Soi.." Her eyes were wide with shock. "Soi!" Soi was staring at Nakago.

Her eyes narrowed with pain. "Nakago.." Lilian held her friend's hand and gasped at the sudden mental attack as Soi's memory of Nakago filled her senses.

Vivien just watched, her heart breaking. Lily.. looked so.. shaken. Vivien closed her eyes. Just as she had felt when first.. Nuriko.. Tears gathered in her eyes. Her good friend.. Nuriko.. had.. then.. Chiriko.. Vivien couldn't prevent her tears any longer. Chiriko.. he had just been a kid.. If he had grown up, he would have been a very good man..

Soi smiled sadly at Nakago. "Ever.. since that day.. I.. wanted to.. see you. My final service to you.."

"Soi.." Lilian was crying.

Soi turned to Lilian. "Lilian.." She smiled weakly. "Lilian.. Nakago.. I.. love you both.. Take care.. of each other."

Nakago's eyes flashed. "Soi."

Vivien's knees threatened to buckle. She had never seen the enemy look like that before.. He looked.. changed. Fear started to thud in her heart.

Soi's hand went limp in Lilian's. Lilian closed her eyes. "SOI!!!"

"Nakago!" Suboshi yelled. "Yui-sama is..!"

Tamahome stared. "A blue light!"

Vivien stared as Yui glowed with a blue light. Miaka stared with fear. "Yui.. she doesn't seem like herself.." Miaka whispered.

"Say good-bye to Tamahome, Miaka." Yui said harshly. She closed her eyes. "To Seiryuu within me, grant my second wish!"

Vivien suddenly gasped with surprise as she suddenly felt a cool breeze rush past her. Tasuki was at her side in an instant. "Tasuki.. what's happening..?"

"Send us back to our world! I don't want Miaka to stay here in this book world! Send us back!"

Vivien shivered as her knees gave way. "So.. cold.." Suddenly, something icy and painful slashed through her senses. "Aah! Tasuki!"

"Vi!" Tasuki stared in horror, as in his arms, a red light started to surround Vivien.

Vivien started to shake, realizing what was happening. "We're going back!"

"N-no! Tamahome!"

"Miaka!"

Vivien stared as suddenly, her hand fell through Tasuki's chest. She was disappearing. "N-no.. Tasuki.. No.. I don't want to go.."

"Vi..!"

Vivien gave herself to the painful sensation of cold battling heat and then everything went black.

"Tasuki.." Vivien's eyes flickered open. She stared into total darkness. Wincing, she sat up. "W-Where am I?"

"Vivi..? Is that you?" Out of the darkness, Samantha came into view.

"Sammy!" Vivien gasped and jumped to her feet. "Sammy! Are you okay?!"

Samantha winced when Vivien grabbed her hand. "A little sore.. but I'm fine."

Vivien gasped at the scratches on Samantha's hands. "Sammy.. what..?"

"Sammy? Vivi?"

"Kathryn?!" Vivien and Samantha turned.

They saw Kathryn hobble towards them in a torn and ragged kimono. "Sammy.. Vivi.. it's Lily.."

"Lily?!"

"Is she okay?" Vivien asked Kathryn worriedly.

Kathryn sighed. "I think so. Her mental patterns are weak.. but still intact. She was merely knocked unconscious. I can wake her up.. but I'll need your help, Sammy."

Samantha frowned. "My help? How?"

"Your power of amplification. Please give me a boost of power. I can only spark conscious minds.. but just maybe, with your power boosting mine, I can jolt her awake.."

Samantha understood. "Hai." She covered Kathryn's hand with her own. "..now!"

Kathryn closed her eyes and touched her elder sister's forehead. Suddenly, Lilian's whole body jumped. Vivien's breath caught in her throat. She prayed the jolt was enough.

Kathryn started shaking Lilian's shoulders. "Lily!"

Lilian's eyes slowly opened. She stared right at Kathryn and paled. "AAHH! GHOST!" Lilian exclaimed, scooting back on her bottom, her back coming up against a wall.

Vivien grinned with relief, then chuckled. It must have been the flashlight she had held in front of Kathryn. Lilian blinked when Kathryn sweatdropped.

"Lily! I'm not dead! That's rude, you know." Kathryn humphed. She pushed her hair out of her face, irritated. Lilian stared as Vivien peeked out from behind Kathryn.

"Vivi!"

"It's Vi now, sis." Vivien said, smiling weakly. Samantha took her flashlight then.

"Tasuki calls her Vi." Samantha explained, stepping towards her sister, holding the flashlight. Lilian stared at her sisters.

"Where are we?" Lilian's eyes widened. "We're back! In our world!"

Vivien frowned. "You're sure quick. How'd you know that?"

Samantha shrugged. "Must be this flashlight. I hope the neighbor doesn't get angry that I filched this."

Kathryn smiled. "It's his just reward, I say, for running you out into the street for bothering him."

Lilian looked around her. "We're back.." She stood up suddenly. "Nakago!"

Her sisters slowly stood up. Vivien's heart pounded with pain and sadness. "We all left them behind, Lily."

"Vivi! Where are we?!"

Vivien frowned. Her sister's mind was as impressive as her own speed. "Oh! We're at the house we stayed at before. Keisuke and Tetsuya's. Only they don't own it yet."

"Nani?"

"Yeah. Remember, we're in the past, Lily? Or is it the present?" Kathryn wondered.

"You can't be serious!" Lilian exclaimed. She gasped. "I'm speaking in.. English!"

Samantha smiled sadly. "A little slow, are you?"

Lilian tried to think. "We're back in our world! Damn! How did this happen?! Of course! Yui's wish! She must have accidentally transported us here as well! Double damnation! What do we do now?! A-ha! We find Miaka and Yui!"

Vivien sweatdropped. "You should really stop doing that, Lily."

"Doing what?"

Vivien rolled her eyes. Like she didn't know! "Answering your own questions."

Lilian glared at Vivien. "This is no time to chat! We need to get a move- on!" She declared.

"But how?"

Kathryn sighed. "I'll do it."

Samantha brightened. "That's right! You can teleport!" She remembered Chichiri telling her that Kathryn's telepathic skills weren't all that strong, but it was accompanied by the additional power of teleportation to make up for that weak spot.

Vivien nodded her agreement. "But the question is: where?" Vivien murmured.

Lilian scowled impatiently. "Miaka's apartment, of course!"

"That's right!"

"Hello? How may I help you?" Ms. Yuuki asked the four foreign-looking girls at her door. Vivien, Lilian, and Kathryn sweatdropped.

Samantha grinned. "Hi, Yuuki-san. We're friends of Miaka and Keisuke's.. are they in?" She asked Miaka and Keisuke's mother in perfect Japanese.

Ms. Yuuki smiled. "Oh! You're their friends? Oh, come on in then."

Samantha smiled gratefully. "Arigatou, Yuuki-san."

Ms. Yuuki beamed, thinking of how polite Miaka's friends were. She walked back into her apartment. Kathryn closed the door behind them. "Miaka! Your friends are here!"

"Nani?!" Keisuke and Miaka skidded into the hall and gaped at Samantha, Lilian, Vivien, and Kathryn. "Kyoku!!"

Kathryn smiled at Keisuke. "Ne, how are you, Keisuke-kun?"

Keisuke looked flabbergasted. "Do I know you?"

Vivien sweatdropped. Oh, dear.

"Attack! We're almost through!" One of Nakago's soldiers shouted.

Tasuki swore. "The palace!"

Chichiri panted. "They're coming!"

Nakago halted his horse before the exhausted Suzaku seishi. "I could kill you here and now."

"Shit! What the hell are we supposed to do?!" Tasuki closed his eyes. His heart burned with an angry flame. "Vi... Tamahome and Miaka disappeared. and they took Vi with them!" He reached for his tessen, wanting to burn something right now. Nakago looked like a prime target. "Shit! I'm going to roast ya, Nakago!"

Chichiri stayed Tasuki. "We can't do anything to him right now, Tasuki!"

Nakago frowned at Suboshi. "Suboshi! How long are you going to stay like that? We're going to kill them." Tasuki stared at the fierce expression that passed the bastard's face.

Suboshi's eyes were glazed. "Yui-sama."

Nakago's eyes softened. "Don't worry about it. You'll see her again."

An arrow shot into the ground in front of him. Nakago's horse reared up. Nakago turned. "Who..?" He looked up to see a blue-haired, scarred bandit above him. Tasuki stared.

The bandit smirked. "Excuse me, but who might you be? We happen to be the way cool buds rescuing our leader. How wonderful! Come on in! Arigatou!"

Tasuki looked at his best friend excitedly. "Kouji!"

Nakago smirked. "Konan bandits, huh? We've already struck a blow. Suboshi, we'll retreat for now." He was perfectly aware he was more than capable of wiping out the Konan bandits, but he knew better than to assume anything. especially now.

A bandit spluttered, "Wait the hell up, you!"

Kouji shook his head no. "Don't bother. We can't beat them."

"Kouji!"

"Genrou!"

Everyone watched, exasperated and a little amused when Kouji and Tasuki did their merry little dance of greeting and pounded each other on the back. "It's been a while, Genrou!"

Tasuki grinned. "Hanging tough, Kouji?"

Kouji grinned back. "That was a close one. By the way." He looked around. "Where's the Suzaku no Miko? And Vivien? Are they okay?"

Tasuki's eyes were suddenly shadowed. Vi. He looked up at the sky, wondering where she was now. "Vi.."

Chichiri scratched his head, wondering how to answer the bandit's question. "Ano."

Vivien wrapped her arms around herself, trying to keep from shivering. She didn't know why she was feeling so.. cold.. She coughed and turned away from her sister.

"Vivi.. are you okay."

Vivien couldn't find the strength to correct her. She felt so weak.. like part of her was missing.. like her strength was just draining away.. She fell to her knees.

"Vivi!"

Vivien couldn't stop the tears from falling. "Tasuki.." Vivien closed her eyes. She had never felt such pain before.. Her stomach felt like it was being ripped apart.. Suzaku, what was happening to her?

Suzaku let his warmth course through his daughter's body, easing the pain. Vivien took short, panting breaths. She suddenly felt very faint.. I am sorry, my daughter, but this is all I am able to do.. Your condition.. is natural enough, so have no fear. You are suffering because she is away from home.. and she is not yet alive. That makes her weak. Her pain is giving you pain.

Vivien closed her eyes and gasped for breath. "W-What are you talking about?"

I speak of the life living within you.. She wants to go home. Your daughter is in.. pain.

Vivien wobbled. "I.. what?" She said faintly.

Your daughter is growing inside you even now. My blessings, daughter.