Warnings and Disclaimers on Chapter one!!
Thanks: Arigatou to "AniDragon, The Vampire Riona" (Well, you know it's been a long time since I've updated when someone changes their name and thank you for reviewing and your drawing!), Hikari Shiro, and Quoth the Raven (Yay! Interior struggle!) for all your reviews and compliments! I feel so special! Anyways, I have the biggest apology that I owe everyone for not updating, but with exams coming up, projects due, and an outdoor education thing to go to. Luckily, muse is back in the form of Yanagi no Tenshi *waves*! My other muse left and went to terrorize high school students and their stereotypes.
Willow's Heart-- The Appearance"K'so!" Nuriko stopped abruptly at the sight of the Suzaku seishi and miko. His rose eyes traveled across each of them, seeing Miaka's hurt and disbelief, Tamahome's anger, Hotohori's frozen shock, Mitsukake's disappointment, and Chiriko's sadness. Immediately, he searched for a pair of feral golden eyes and found them closer to the ground as Tasuki had apparently collapsed to his knees. The pure emotion found behind those eyes he had come to care for pained his heart. The pain, hurt, doubt, and betrayal were obvious, but Nuriko hardened his eyes.
"Why did you do this, Nuriko?" Miaka took a step forward just to be stopped by a protective Tamahome.
"Why did I do what, Miaka-san? I'll try to answer most of your questions." Nuriko found a garden bench a few meters off and sat gracefully. Nakago… He opened his mind to his lover. Nakago, I need you. Not hearing an answer right away, he decided than it was necessary for him to tell the truth, or some of it.
"Are you still with Seiryuu?" Tamahome voiced determinedly.
"The Blue Dragon's powers still grace me with its presence and my loyalties lie with them."
"A simple yes would suffice, no da." Chichiri looked angry. Nuriko nodded softly and his rose eyes once again scanned the group. Tasuki had managed to get back to his feet, but his unruly, flamed hair covered his face, hiding his emotions from Nuriko's eyes.
"Do ya have any feelings for us?" Nuriko heard Tasuki's pained whisper and he felt his eyes sting with tears. Blinking them back, he approached the fiery seishi. Tamahome made a movement to stop him, but Miaka held him back. If by fate or chance, she felt like they needed to speak to each other. Nuriko's movements mirrored those of a wildcat, fluid beauty, but somehow sadder. Tasuki raised his head, eyes burning into Nuriko's and the violet-haired seishi ran a small, pale hand along his cheek.
"Miaka is kind." Nuriko kept his eyes on Tasuki though as he spoke. "Tamahome is quick to anger and judgment, but he cares deeply for Miaka. Chichiri is smart and suspicious. Hotohori does what is best for his country. Mitsukake has the soul of a healer and Chiriko is too young to be placed among the war. You, my golden bandit, are special, but I have another." At that, blue light flooded the riverside and Nakago stood before them, symbol blazing. Nuriko turned to his lover, but his heart was torn between the man he loved and the one he was beginning to love. "Nakago." It took everything in him to not run into the general's arms.
"Nuriko, how…?" Nuriko just tilted his head towards Chichiri. "I see."
"Nakago, let's go back…" A calloused hand tightened over Nuriko's wrist. His bewildered violet eyes focused on Tasuki.
"No." The voice sounded rough, not at all like the Tasuki who held him. "You can't leave. He has ya under a spell."
"Yes, Nuriko, he caught you at a vulnerable moment." Hotohori reached out with his words.
A bitter laugh tainted the perfect voice. "You would know. You drove me out here when you hurt me."
"I…I'm sorry; desperately sorry. I was scared." Hotohori's true feelings coming out at the time when all was at stake.
"You take that back now, when I need it the least."
"Nuriko… no matter what Hotohori did ta ya, find yer way home. Ta us, ta me." The last part was whispered too softly for audibility. Tasuki's heart pained him even as he spoke those words. Just looking at the beautiful seishi caused a stirring in his heart. His grip around the slender wrist tightened.
"Home… I don't have a home now. Just my place… which is by Nakago's side. He took me in, Tasuki, when my pain was almost too overwhelming." Inside his soul, another window was opened, shattering dormant memories everywhere. Everything about Tasuki he had ever known flooded his mind: kidnapping Miaka, saving them from zombies, helping him fight the zombies; just the two of them, the looks, the rather "playful" beatings, and the comforting words from a mouth known for its crassness. An anguished scream tore from his lips as the memories that rightfully belonged there fought against the spell. They were happy times and the spell could not allow happy memories to resurface. Darkness consumed his mind.
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~Tasuki's POV~
My hand was still wrapped around Nuriko's wrist as I watched his neutral expression twist in pain. His eyes widened for a split second and I thought I saw remembrance and true recognition in his rose eyes. Then, he fell. I was already in a position to catch him, but faster than Nuriko's body could fall, Nakago appeared at my side. One powerful blow knocked me backwards into one of the garden benches. The first thing I saw when the stars cleared from my vision was Nakago with Nuriko cradled gently in his arms. Gently, now that's one thing I would never think General Nakago capable of: Gentleness… Kindness, actual caring, but he showed all of these and more to the one I cared for, the young man drifting in a net of unconsciousness in the arms of an enemy… who cares. Well, at least he seems to care.
"Do not touch him, bandit." Nakago's ice blue eyes filled me with a chill. "He belongs to me."
"Nuriko belongs ta no one, but himself."
"You have no idea what he has been through. It is his mind that refuses to remember. I just strengthened the effects."
"Kisama!" I screamed and I ran at him. I don't know why, but my feelings were threatening to overflow, so I just attacked him. Well, I tried in any case. He moved aside faster than I ever could. I guessed it had something to do with him being evil. "You'll never know Nuriko da way we did!"
"I've seen into his mind, heart, and soul. That is more than any of you can say." He pointedly glanced at Chichiri. "You only skimmed his mind."
"We understand him!" Miaka cried out and I winced. I knew that we had no right to say that. We knew no more about Nuriko than he ever told us, which was not an amount worth counting. When I think about it, we hardly know him.
"Understand him?" Nakago shifted the prone body in his arms. "Do you know why he dressed the way he did? Do you know why he had a never faltering smile? Do you know the pain he feels when the smallest thing triggers a horrible memory?"
"No." I interrupted Nakago. "We hardly knew a thing 'bout him… 'bout his masks." A smug smile almost formed on Nakago's face, but I continued. "However, we try ta understand and we do care. We don't try to use spells ta manipulate him. We… We are his friends."
"You are all sad excuses for friends."
"I'll admit that." I sighed sadly and grabbed the tessen from my back. "But we still can't let ya take him." Even Tamahome was posed for a fight. Hotohori had drawn his sword and Chichiri was already muttering a ward or spell. I shook my head. No. I would be the first one to make an attack. "REKKA SHINEN!" Flame licked the tessen and I could feel the heat. I fed off it. The power, the heat, the fire, was intoxicating. My adrenaline rush was short-lived. A blue and black ball of chi centered at the general of Kutou and spread, knocking all of us backwards. Chichiri tried to block it and before I lost consciousness I saw Chichiri lose to the black and blue energy, screaming out a name and a desperate call.
"Nuriko! Stop!"
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Another chapter! So sleepy now and it's not even that late, but I have to work tomorrow. I bid thee all good night and of course please revieweth! My mom just rented Hamlet… don't ask. Hope you like the chapter!
~Nuriko no Tenshi~