A/N: Well, did anyone else think that was a climactic ending for the last chapter? Or is anyone even reading any of these doggone things? I never know, sadly. Well, I suppose ya'll need to review if you are reading, right? Pweese? Ahem, anyway, my neighbors got a miniature donkey! And he's so cute! Not that you care, but he IS cute.
Yume no Fue
Chapter-Aishete'ru
By Futatsu no Kodou
He was still, so still and cold beneath her hand. His eyes were closed peacefully, and it didn't seem there was any breath left in him. Her heartbeat, if it was still going, was so faint, that even though she pressed her ear against his chest, she couldn't feel it. He was either dead, or dying, and there was nothing she could do about it. He was gone.
Her sorrowful gaze was drawn unwittingly to the hole in his stomach. About four inches, maybe, on both sides. She knew in her head that no one could possibly survive with those injuries, but her heart refused to accept it. Why, when she had finally realized her true feelings... why would Byakko take him from her now? Why would the four gods take him, why now?
In a futile motion, she sat cross-legged and sat his head in her lap, smoothing the hair back from his flushed face, so gentle in repose. She cradled him softly, tears flowing from her golden-green eyes and down her desert tanned cheeks. She shook her head, denying with all her will that he was leaving her. But she couldn't ignore the blood soaking into her clothes, the hole in his middle, and the absence of breath or heartbeat. She didn't want to see it.
The amazing spectacle of Genbu, the god-beast of Hokkan escaped her. She was aware of the battle taking place behind her, but her world had been reduced in an instant to only Amiboshi, her Kai-Ka. She couldn't stop her tears, and shuddering sobs racked her body as Yui summoned Genbu and seemingly vanquished Tenkou using the two shinzaho available to her. Why would she care who won that fight, when all it had brought her was sorrow?
--
Mitsukake sighed and his should slumped. It was all over. Yui had summoned Hokkan's deity, Genbu, and banished Tenkou. He was gone. He could reincarnate now. The force stopping him from moving on was gone. He could feel it waiting for him, in a way. He looked at his fellow seishi quietly as they all sat. Nuriko was rubbing his wrists with a wince, the red and gold bracelets back from their bracer form. Chiriko was already looking up, towards reincarnation. It was drawing them that way. But he didn't think any of them could go yet. They had more work to do before peace could come to them.
Tasuki was putting away his harisen, Chichiri inspecting his staff. Hotohori was sheathing his sword. It was over it seemed, but his knowing eyes were drawn to two forlorn forms a mere stone's throw away. As silence had descended on the group, a sobbing sound was heard from there. Wretched, and full of sorrow. He knew that sound, the sound of a heart in pain from the lost of someone beloved. Here was something he needed to do.
With a light grunt, Mitsukake drew himself up, walking over to the two. He was gathering a crowd behind him, hanging back a ways. They knew who the one on the ground was. Suboshi had saved his priestess one more time. Amiboshi and his twin brother were together again forever. Yet, Mitsukake could feel that both souls were still here, in this world. What could hold them here? But of course, it was there, the answer.
A young woman that none of them had ever seen before was huddled over Amiboshi's body, anguished sobs tearing through her frail looking form. There was a respectable silence among the group. They knew how Suboshi died, Tamahome told them. His own ryusuisei, and just again, a hole through the body of his twin brother. It was sad, in a way. Most of the Suzaku seishi had considered Amiboshi a tentative friend, despite his treachery in the summoning ritual.
Mitsukake laid a large hand gently on the young woman's shoulder, but she didn't move, Amiboshi's hand in her lap. Nuriko bit his lip. It was sad. Tasuki looked awkward, and Chiriko upset. It was time for him to try his hardest to help these two. It seemed they were the only two true victims of this fight. Mitsukake motioned to Chichiri, who nodded knowingly. The other warrior stepped forward and as gently as he could, drew the young woman away from Amiboshi's body.
"Please... no... don't take him away..." She sobbed brokenly, struggling weakly against Chichiri's firm grip. An arm reached out for Amiboshi, but the monk wrapped the girl in an embrace to stop her from moving. After a few more seconds of struggling, she went limp, and simply cried mournfully against the warrior's chest. He would have chosen Nuriko to comfort her, but for the fact that he was spectral.
With a serious look, Mitsukake laid a hand over the young man's middle, over the gaping hold that passed straight through his body. It would take a lot of power to heal this, and he might never be fully strong again, but he would be alive. In a few moments, he had gathered his power, and released it into Amiboshi's body. The wound began to slowly close, until his flesh knit together. A bit of color returned to him, and he began to stir.
Mitsukake slumped back, exhausted from the immense healing, and the power he had taken from himself to do it. The young woman looked up from Chichiri's chest to gape like a fish when Amiboshi's eyes opened. He weakly turned his head and smiled, just for a moment, before he slipped into a deep sleep.
---
Rekki twirled around, the many layered wedding dress swirling about her ankles. It was simply beautiful, a pure white and gold, the colors of Byakko. She and Kai-Ka, Amiboshi were to be married today at the tree in the middle of the village. For once, her father was sober, and she saw a glint of pride in his eyes that made her want to smile. She did, and twirled around once again for him, and he clapped softly. Everything was as it should be.
Every now and then, Kai-Ka was wracked with pains where the wound had been, and he sported an impressive scar, but he was alright again, and he loved her. She swelled with affections, she cared for him so much, and to find that he loved her as well was a wonderful feeling.
The whole village had turned out for the ceremony, and some of her friends, and people she had known all her life cheered for her when she stepped towards the tree, Amiboshi beside her in his ceremonial garb, looking as handsome as ever. He smiled gently at her, as friends, relatives, and aqaintences threw flower petals over them.
The ceremony was over before she even knew it, as the headman reverently tied her hand to Amiboshi's, a symbol of their marriage. As she smiled, she could see vague shapes in the corner of her eye. She didn't know what had transpired after the seishi had helped her and Kai-Ka back to the village, but she had a feeling that all was safe. The ghostly warriors had made one last journey before their reincarnation.
She nodded and smiled as they disappeared before throwing her arms around her husband, embracing him as tightly as she could, and their were smiles for her and Amiboshi the rest of their days. Rekki bore Amiboshi a set of fraternal twins, one girl, one boy. The girl looked like her father, the boy like his mother. They lived the rest of their lives out in Sairou, content for the remainder of their lives.
The End...
A/N: Was that good? I cried writing it, it touched me. I finally finished a story though, yeah. Anywho, review please!!
Yume no Fue
Chapter-Aishete'ru
By Futatsu no Kodou
He was still, so still and cold beneath her hand. His eyes were closed peacefully, and it didn't seem there was any breath left in him. Her heartbeat, if it was still going, was so faint, that even though she pressed her ear against his chest, she couldn't feel it. He was either dead, or dying, and there was nothing she could do about it. He was gone.
Her sorrowful gaze was drawn unwittingly to the hole in his stomach. About four inches, maybe, on both sides. She knew in her head that no one could possibly survive with those injuries, but her heart refused to accept it. Why, when she had finally realized her true feelings... why would Byakko take him from her now? Why would the four gods take him, why now?
In a futile motion, she sat cross-legged and sat his head in her lap, smoothing the hair back from his flushed face, so gentle in repose. She cradled him softly, tears flowing from her golden-green eyes and down her desert tanned cheeks. She shook her head, denying with all her will that he was leaving her. But she couldn't ignore the blood soaking into her clothes, the hole in his middle, and the absence of breath or heartbeat. She didn't want to see it.
The amazing spectacle of Genbu, the god-beast of Hokkan escaped her. She was aware of the battle taking place behind her, but her world had been reduced in an instant to only Amiboshi, her Kai-Ka. She couldn't stop her tears, and shuddering sobs racked her body as Yui summoned Genbu and seemingly vanquished Tenkou using the two shinzaho available to her. Why would she care who won that fight, when all it had brought her was sorrow?
--
Mitsukake sighed and his should slumped. It was all over. Yui had summoned Hokkan's deity, Genbu, and banished Tenkou. He was gone. He could reincarnate now. The force stopping him from moving on was gone. He could feel it waiting for him, in a way. He looked at his fellow seishi quietly as they all sat. Nuriko was rubbing his wrists with a wince, the red and gold bracelets back from their bracer form. Chiriko was already looking up, towards reincarnation. It was drawing them that way. But he didn't think any of them could go yet. They had more work to do before peace could come to them.
Tasuki was putting away his harisen, Chichiri inspecting his staff. Hotohori was sheathing his sword. It was over it seemed, but his knowing eyes were drawn to two forlorn forms a mere stone's throw away. As silence had descended on the group, a sobbing sound was heard from there. Wretched, and full of sorrow. He knew that sound, the sound of a heart in pain from the lost of someone beloved. Here was something he needed to do.
With a light grunt, Mitsukake drew himself up, walking over to the two. He was gathering a crowd behind him, hanging back a ways. They knew who the one on the ground was. Suboshi had saved his priestess one more time. Amiboshi and his twin brother were together again forever. Yet, Mitsukake could feel that both souls were still here, in this world. What could hold them here? But of course, it was there, the answer.
A young woman that none of them had ever seen before was huddled over Amiboshi's body, anguished sobs tearing through her frail looking form. There was a respectable silence among the group. They knew how Suboshi died, Tamahome told them. His own ryusuisei, and just again, a hole through the body of his twin brother. It was sad, in a way. Most of the Suzaku seishi had considered Amiboshi a tentative friend, despite his treachery in the summoning ritual.
Mitsukake laid a large hand gently on the young woman's shoulder, but she didn't move, Amiboshi's hand in her lap. Nuriko bit his lip. It was sad. Tasuki looked awkward, and Chiriko upset. It was time for him to try his hardest to help these two. It seemed they were the only two true victims of this fight. Mitsukake motioned to Chichiri, who nodded knowingly. The other warrior stepped forward and as gently as he could, drew the young woman away from Amiboshi's body.
"Please... no... don't take him away..." She sobbed brokenly, struggling weakly against Chichiri's firm grip. An arm reached out for Amiboshi, but the monk wrapped the girl in an embrace to stop her from moving. After a few more seconds of struggling, she went limp, and simply cried mournfully against the warrior's chest. He would have chosen Nuriko to comfort her, but for the fact that he was spectral.
With a serious look, Mitsukake laid a hand over the young man's middle, over the gaping hold that passed straight through his body. It would take a lot of power to heal this, and he might never be fully strong again, but he would be alive. In a few moments, he had gathered his power, and released it into Amiboshi's body. The wound began to slowly close, until his flesh knit together. A bit of color returned to him, and he began to stir.
Mitsukake slumped back, exhausted from the immense healing, and the power he had taken from himself to do it. The young woman looked up from Chichiri's chest to gape like a fish when Amiboshi's eyes opened. He weakly turned his head and smiled, just for a moment, before he slipped into a deep sleep.
---
Rekki twirled around, the many layered wedding dress swirling about her ankles. It was simply beautiful, a pure white and gold, the colors of Byakko. She and Kai-Ka, Amiboshi were to be married today at the tree in the middle of the village. For once, her father was sober, and she saw a glint of pride in his eyes that made her want to smile. She did, and twirled around once again for him, and he clapped softly. Everything was as it should be.
Every now and then, Kai-Ka was wracked with pains where the wound had been, and he sported an impressive scar, but he was alright again, and he loved her. She swelled with affections, she cared for him so much, and to find that he loved her as well was a wonderful feeling.
The whole village had turned out for the ceremony, and some of her friends, and people she had known all her life cheered for her when she stepped towards the tree, Amiboshi beside her in his ceremonial garb, looking as handsome as ever. He smiled gently at her, as friends, relatives, and aqaintences threw flower petals over them.
The ceremony was over before she even knew it, as the headman reverently tied her hand to Amiboshi's, a symbol of their marriage. As she smiled, she could see vague shapes in the corner of her eye. She didn't know what had transpired after the seishi had helped her and Kai-Ka back to the village, but she had a feeling that all was safe. The ghostly warriors had made one last journey before their reincarnation.
She nodded and smiled as they disappeared before throwing her arms around her husband, embracing him as tightly as she could, and their were smiles for her and Amiboshi the rest of their days. Rekki bore Amiboshi a set of fraternal twins, one girl, one boy. The girl looked like her father, the boy like his mother. They lived the rest of their lives out in Sairou, content for the remainder of their lives.
The End...
A/N: Was that good? I cried writing it, it touched me. I finally finished a story though, yeah. Anywho, review please!!