Disclaimer: I don't own it so don't sue me.
Thanks to...
Chibificgrl-100: Thanks so much and I know it took me a while. It's all explained in the author's notes. Yes...bunny suit.
Metajoker: Yea, I know. I've been bad about the whole "up-dating frequently" thing. I try. Sometimes. And I know about the dialogue, it just seems that sometimes it would make sense (in my deranged mind) to place thoughts in response to what people say or actions. I don't know. I'm weird like that. And Yui is bitchy because she hates Yume and also because Yume invaded her room and was waiting for her. How'd you feel if you just got out of the shower after a stressful day of being a bitch to your supposed best friend and found some girl and her dog in your room? Would you be happy? I know I wouldn't be.
chiri26: Thanks for both of your reviews! Tasuki does care about Yume. I think. He's just...bad about expressing his feelings.
Songwind: I actually used that...It was a good idea. I tweaked it a bit but it's still there. I would do that but I'm not familiar enough with the exact wording of certain scenes going on with the Suzaku people. I meant include a bit of it in the next chapter but if I don't, it will definitely be in the one after that. You just have to hold on a little bit more. I know I shouldn't put myself down but sometimes it's just like, "Man! I suck!" But, in the future, I will keep my negative comments out of my author's notes.
neppy: Yes, the thing with Soi is this chapter.
Fyfangirl26: You know, I want my own bunny suit. It would be so cool. I'd never wear it but just to have it...I don't know. I'm a freak. o.O I liked the role playing, too. I'm glad you like it.
Otaku Pitcher: I'm glad it makes you smile. That makes me smile. I look forward to reading your guys' comments. It makes me happy to know that what I say is considered, as well, not just read and forgotten. And, I'm sorry, but this chapter will not have any appearances by any of the SUZAKU seven. Other people may show up but not them. Maybe next chapter, definitely the one after that.
VanyD: Yes, bunny suit.
Author's Note: Whew! This chapter has like killed my brain. I wrote the entire thing from the top of my head, (this is covered in depth at the end of the chapter author's note) and man, it takes a lot out of me. That's also why it took so long to get up. I had a bunch of different versions of this, many of which were funny yet very, very out of character, and finally I settled on this one. The remaining chapters, for the most part, will all be written off the top of my head so you will have to bear with my slowness for a little while longer. The good news is that when I write from the top of my head, the chapters seem to wind up longer. At the moment, this one is almost 3,500 words. And I'm still typing the author's note. Now it is 3,500 words. Wahoo! Anyway, it may take a while but like I have said before, this story is almost over. I mean, five, ten more chapters and it's done. No more Wishful Thinking. There will be a sequel, which I am currently planning, but I don't know for sure when that will come out. I guess my point is, you've stuck with me this long, please don't ditch me now!
Chapter 31: The Way the Dice Fall
I had been sitting in the same corner of my cell for what seemed like an eternity but was probably only about forty-five minutes. I had passed the time by thinking of all the possible "what if?" scenarios that could happen to me. It was not very confidence boosting. All of them started with me being found by someone: I knew that I could never get out of here on my own. Unfortunately, it was usually Nakago who found me. After that, nothing much was in common. In a few, I somehow managed to escape in various ways. The most interesting method of my escape was when I simply disappeared and reappeared somewhere else. Nearly every time, in those cases, it was in a room surrounded by all the people in this world and my own who either hate me or who I hate. I feel it's safe to say that those were not very comforting at all. Of course, they didn't compare to the ones where I didn't escape and was found by Nakago. Those I didn't even want to think about, let alone remember. I shuddered just thinking of thinking of them. They will be giving me nightmares for years. Then there were the ones where I found the group; only they were all dead or trying to kill me. In one particularly bizarre one, some guy who reminded me of Shiriko rescued me, which made absolutely no sense because Shiriko is a dog, not a hot guy. So yea, I had a lot on my mind and none of it served to calm my nerves.
As I was considering the different faces of my demise, I heard a sound and froze. It was the creaking of a door and the distant echo of footsteps. They were getting louder which meant whoever was making them was getting closer. On impulse, I moved back as far as I could into the corner, wishing I could just disappear into the shadows. All of the situations that I had imagined in which I was found by Nakago and couldn't escape flashed before my eyes in one quick instant. It was enough to make me whimper and shake. The footsteps were in the hallway now. A word was exchanged and the sound of keys being passed over was heard. One person left. 'Probably the guard,' I thought bitterly. Upon hearing the keys passed over, I knew it was not Shiriko leading the others to rescue me. The guard never would have given the keys to them. 'This is it but I'm not going down without a fight.' I sent one final prayer out for Shiriko to still be alive and, pulling myself together, stood up. I refuse to let him see me huddling on the floor like a trapped mouse cornered by a hungry cat. The key entered the lock and the door opened. Standing there was a rather tall woman. In the poor light, I could not tell much else about her but I could only guess who it was.
"You're Soi, right?" I asked, trying unsuccessfully to keep any emotion out of my voice. I wound up sounding rather gruff.
If she was shocked that I knew her name, she certainly didn't show it. "Yes and you are Yume, correct?" Her voice was rather taunting, not at all the type of voice I would have connected with a decent person. It sounded more like the voice a girl who grew up on street corners would have. I suppose it suited her fine, if what I heard about her was true.
"Yep."
She took a step back, as though making room for me to exit the cell. I made a move towards the door and when she didn't protest, went into the hall. The light showed her hair color, which was a nice maroon tint, and her facial expression. She reminded me of a lioness surveying a new opponent, or maybe her next meal. At the moment, I couldn't tell which. She walked around me, looking me up and down. When she returned to where she began, she said, "My, my, my. You are a little child, aren't you?"
I proceeded to circle her in the same fashion and, upon reaching my original location, said in the same, cutting manner, "And you, you remind me of a common, low-paid, working on a street corner 'cause no pimp wants her, whore."
She pulled her lips back in a snarl. "What would a child know about being a whore? At least I have experience," she responded.
"Only because you have no standards, you wanton," I retorted.
Her eyes went wide and her face went red with rage. "Bitch."
"Nice comeback. I can see why Nakago loves having you around. Good for conversations, aren't you?" I taunted. "Oh wait. He doesn't like having you around. At least, that's what the other night seems to imply."
Her face went to an even darker shade of red, if that was possible. "How dare you, you wench! Nakago is and always will be mine. Back off or I will kill you," she hissed.
"Why don't you tell him to back off of me? I seem to remember it was he who started it, not me," I snapped back, narrowing my eyes. "I don't know why you even care so much about him. He doesn't give a flying cow about you. It's not like he's even worth your tears. I mean, if he's trying to have sex with a teenager, something's not right." I turned my head to the side in a mock thoughtful pose. "Or maybe he's just not being satisfied," I added in what sounded like a considering tone.
"Oh that's it. You are so dead." She raised her hand and slapped me.
"What the hell? Is this some sort of chick fight? You're going to kill me by slapping? Yea, ok." And, contradicting all that I had just said, I slapped her back. Hard.
Clutching her check, she glared at me. "That was just because I wanted to hit you before I reduced you to a pile of charred flesh that even the bugs won't touch."
"Really? And how will you do that? I really want to know how a low-grade whore will reduce me to a pile of charred anything," I sneered.
"Like this." Out of nowhere, lightning struck the cell door directly behind me. All that was left was a scorched piece of wood still smoldering. Soi was smirking now. 'Fuck.' "Any last requests?" she inquired.
"Actually, yes. I was wondering if you could hook me up with a bunny suit. You see, I was trying to scream before but it didn't feel right without the suit. Or at least something I can use for a fluffy tail?" I asked in a futile attempt to stall for time so that the rescuers I knew would never come could get here.
"Shut up." She began to repeat the motion that had set the door ablaze and I took a step back.
"Soi, that is enough," a voice I immediately recognized sounded. 'Double fuck. I went from the bitch who wants to kill me to the bastard who wants to...well, I don't know what he wants to do to me and I'd rather not find out. Gods! Why do you hate me so?' "You may leave us now. I can take care of Yume by myself."
"You lucked out this time but there'll be a next time," she threatened.
"I'm looking forward to it," I replied, smiling.
She took another step towards me but Nakago put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. "Soi, I told you to leave, so go."
She trudged out looking like a sulky little child whose lollipop just got taken away. "Well now," he said upon walking towards me. "This is an interesting turn of events."
I took a step back but found I had nowhere to go. Once again, I found the image of a mouse being cornered by a cat pop into my mind. 'You know, just once I'd like to be the freakin' cat,' I thought irritably. "Not really. I knew I'd wind up running into you at some point during my stay in your fine dungeon. It was only a matter of time before you showed up. My luck seems to be working against me lately," I remarked. "But, now that I have run into you, what are the chances of you letting me go and forgetting you ever met me in the first place?"
"Slim to none," he replied.
"Hmm...Thought so. Oh well. I guess we'll just have to repeat what happened last time we met. And I thought I would be able to depart here without hurting a soul. Oh well. If we must, let's just get it over with," I sighed.
"I have something else in mind," he told me, moving even closer to me so that I really was trapped in the corner.
The stairs were just behind his shoulder. 'If I can just get past him somehow, I can find the others and...and...' My mind drew a blank. 'Oh who am I kidding. I don't even know how I did what I did last time. I have a better chance of kicking him where it hurts and running like hell than knocking him out again. Let's face it, I'm screwed.'
"Well, I know I don't really need to ask, but what might that be?" I questioned half-heartedly.
"I have a proposition for you. I want you to join my side again. I know that you can no longer spy for me, as your cover was blown, but someone with your kind of power could be a great help to my cause. I will give you time to consider my offer," he answered. I could hardly believe my ears. 'He wants me to join him again? What, is he on crack? Why would I do that?'
"And what would I get out of this little deal?" I asked him. "Sounds to me like I have everything to give and nothing to receive in return."
"Why, you will get to live, of course," he responded, smiling. "If you refuse, it would be like you were declaring yourself my enemy and I can't just let an enemy walk free."
I stood there, staring at him, indignation melting to shock. "You can't actually be serious, can you?" I asked rhetorically. "You cannot possibly think, even for a minute, that I would ever, ever join forces with you again on my own free will. No, even you are not truly that dense. So what is it then? Do you think that I will choose you over death? Or do you believe that I will believe those to be my only options? No, Nakago. I will not join you nor will I die. Have you forgotten so soon my power?" I looked at him with a semblance of feigned superiority.
"If that is how you feel, then I have no choice other than to keep you here. I have other matters to attend to at the moment. You will remain here until you change your mind. I refuse to allow anyone to interfere in my plans," he said with what might have been a touch of sadness in voice. He waved his hand and that familiar blue light shone from it, and I knew he was trying to paralyze me. Rather than spoil everything, I went along with it and pretended to be unable to move. He brushed a hand across my cheek. "It really is too bad that things are working out like this between us."
I regarded him coldly. "Things are only this way because you make them like that, Nakago," I responded.
"Well, it is of little importance. You will come around, one way or another." And with that he exited the scene. I waited until I could no longer hear the sound of his steps before taking a step towards the stairs and peering up them. He was gone.
'Guys, I could really use some help right about now,' I called to the voices in my head. 'What should I do?' There was a moment of pause before Seiryuu said, 'You must come here. Things are not going as planned. My warriors have the second Shinzaho. I will be summoned soon and once that happens, I will be unable to help you. I will be one with the Priestess then.' 'Well, what do I have to do?' I asked again. 'Close your eyes and allow me to have complete and total control of you: body, mind and soul. Surrender to my will and all be well,' he told me. His voice was hypnotic: it lulled me into a trance. I felt calm, peaceful. I felt safe and surprisingly happy to be under another's control. 'This is how it was meant to be,' I thought happily. 'Did I think it? Am I thinking now?' That train of thoughts led me to confusion and so I abandoned it, sinking back into the calm of the void. Nothing could harm me here; no one could reach me. Abruptly, it ended and I was out in the open again. 'Open your eyes, Yume. We're here,' Seiryuu told me.
I did as I was told and had to practically force my mouth shut to keep from gaping. I had never seen such a bizarre yet beautiful place in my life. (A/N: This realm is of my own creation and as such may not be what you might consider the way it should be. I'm sorry but this how I choose to represent it so please do not tell me it is inaccurate. I know.) The ground was paved in white tiles as far as I could see, except where a huge fountain or garden was placed. A few large buildings that resembled palaces were arranged around a circular courtyard, the largest with a small path leading up to it and in the center, the other two to the side and smaller. All had at least two columns in front. The whole design of the buildings almost made me think of Greek architecture but I dismissed that immediately. They were far more beautiful than any Greek or Roman buildings I had ever seen. Everything seemed to flow together to create one scene of immense beauty and perfection rather than have been placed by any mortal hand.
"I take it you like it then," I heard a male voice say from behind me. I almost jumped. I knew that voice, but it was not in my head.
"Byakko!" I turned around and hugged the white-haired god.
His eyes widened momentarily before he returned the hug. "Whoa. Happy to see me, aren't you?"
"What are you doing outside of my head? I didn't think you could do that," I asked, sounding way more like a child than I would have hoped. I released him and looked up into his eyes. The others were there, too, I saw. Genbu was snickering.
"What, no hug for me?" Suzaku joked.
"Do you want one?" I asked back.
"Well...it would be nice. Byakko always gets hugs," he grumbled.
"That's because I'm huggable," he beamed. I laughed but hugged the red- haired phoenix god as well.
"So really, where am I and why am I here?" I repeated.
"You're in our world, called the God's realm by some. You are here because our plans have fallen through. We had hoped to avoid this but with the way certain events have played out, we have no choice but to awaken what lies within you," Seiryuu told me. "The dice do not always favor the gods, it seems."
"What?"
Author's Note: Am I evil or what? Muahahahaha. Ok. So maybe that wasn't the best cliffhanger ending in the world but it has to have you thinking, right? Right?! Good. Anyway, I hope you liked that chapter. I did write most of it, well, all of it, actually, off the top of my head. That's why it took so long. I kept getting off into really bad fight scenes with Nakago and stuff. Then I re-watched the episodes in which the whole Miaka imprisoned and Chiriko dying scenes over again and said, "Fuck. I did this whole thing wrong! That can't happen because if Chiriko's already dead, Nakago would be here, Soi would be there, the group would be all split up..." and in an attempt to save my sanity, I just edited out the whole scene in which Yume encountered the others and found out he was dead. That will happen in the chapter after next, when she meets them at the Konan palace. You're going to have to wait just a little bit longer until the Suzaku seishi return to the plot. Well, I haven't actually wrote the next few chapters (since I rewrote this one, all the ones following must be change) but I might consider inserting a little part here and there where one of the other people is focused on. I don't know, maybe planning of the war, reaction to Chiriko's death, whatever happened to Shiriko... Fluff stuff. Don't expect anything, though, cause I'm not promising anything. Got it? Ok then.
I don't actually have a quote for the next chapter ready but I'll try to create something off the top of my head that will be in there. Uhh...Let me see here, oh! That could work!
"You haven't heard me before because I did not speak."
Uh-oh! What could it mean? If you thought it was confusing now, just wait until you see what I have in store for you later on.
~Smack
Thanks to...
Chibificgrl-100: Thanks so much and I know it took me a while. It's all explained in the author's notes. Yes...bunny suit.
Metajoker: Yea, I know. I've been bad about the whole "up-dating frequently" thing. I try. Sometimes. And I know about the dialogue, it just seems that sometimes it would make sense (in my deranged mind) to place thoughts in response to what people say or actions. I don't know. I'm weird like that. And Yui is bitchy because she hates Yume and also because Yume invaded her room and was waiting for her. How'd you feel if you just got out of the shower after a stressful day of being a bitch to your supposed best friend and found some girl and her dog in your room? Would you be happy? I know I wouldn't be.
chiri26: Thanks for both of your reviews! Tasuki does care about Yume. I think. He's just...bad about expressing his feelings.
Songwind: I actually used that...It was a good idea. I tweaked it a bit but it's still there. I would do that but I'm not familiar enough with the exact wording of certain scenes going on with the Suzaku people. I meant include a bit of it in the next chapter but if I don't, it will definitely be in the one after that. You just have to hold on a little bit more. I know I shouldn't put myself down but sometimes it's just like, "Man! I suck!" But, in the future, I will keep my negative comments out of my author's notes.
neppy: Yes, the thing with Soi is this chapter.
Fyfangirl26: You know, I want my own bunny suit. It would be so cool. I'd never wear it but just to have it...I don't know. I'm a freak. o.O I liked the role playing, too. I'm glad you like it.
Otaku Pitcher: I'm glad it makes you smile. That makes me smile. I look forward to reading your guys' comments. It makes me happy to know that what I say is considered, as well, not just read and forgotten. And, I'm sorry, but this chapter will not have any appearances by any of the SUZAKU seven. Other people may show up but not them. Maybe next chapter, definitely the one after that.
VanyD: Yes, bunny suit.
Author's Note: Whew! This chapter has like killed my brain. I wrote the entire thing from the top of my head, (this is covered in depth at the end of the chapter author's note) and man, it takes a lot out of me. That's also why it took so long to get up. I had a bunch of different versions of this, many of which were funny yet very, very out of character, and finally I settled on this one. The remaining chapters, for the most part, will all be written off the top of my head so you will have to bear with my slowness for a little while longer. The good news is that when I write from the top of my head, the chapters seem to wind up longer. At the moment, this one is almost 3,500 words. And I'm still typing the author's note. Now it is 3,500 words. Wahoo! Anyway, it may take a while but like I have said before, this story is almost over. I mean, five, ten more chapters and it's done. No more Wishful Thinking. There will be a sequel, which I am currently planning, but I don't know for sure when that will come out. I guess my point is, you've stuck with me this long, please don't ditch me now!
Chapter 31: The Way the Dice Fall
I had been sitting in the same corner of my cell for what seemed like an eternity but was probably only about forty-five minutes. I had passed the time by thinking of all the possible "what if?" scenarios that could happen to me. It was not very confidence boosting. All of them started with me being found by someone: I knew that I could never get out of here on my own. Unfortunately, it was usually Nakago who found me. After that, nothing much was in common. In a few, I somehow managed to escape in various ways. The most interesting method of my escape was when I simply disappeared and reappeared somewhere else. Nearly every time, in those cases, it was in a room surrounded by all the people in this world and my own who either hate me or who I hate. I feel it's safe to say that those were not very comforting at all. Of course, they didn't compare to the ones where I didn't escape and was found by Nakago. Those I didn't even want to think about, let alone remember. I shuddered just thinking of thinking of them. They will be giving me nightmares for years. Then there were the ones where I found the group; only they were all dead or trying to kill me. In one particularly bizarre one, some guy who reminded me of Shiriko rescued me, which made absolutely no sense because Shiriko is a dog, not a hot guy. So yea, I had a lot on my mind and none of it served to calm my nerves.
As I was considering the different faces of my demise, I heard a sound and froze. It was the creaking of a door and the distant echo of footsteps. They were getting louder which meant whoever was making them was getting closer. On impulse, I moved back as far as I could into the corner, wishing I could just disappear into the shadows. All of the situations that I had imagined in which I was found by Nakago and couldn't escape flashed before my eyes in one quick instant. It was enough to make me whimper and shake. The footsteps were in the hallway now. A word was exchanged and the sound of keys being passed over was heard. One person left. 'Probably the guard,' I thought bitterly. Upon hearing the keys passed over, I knew it was not Shiriko leading the others to rescue me. The guard never would have given the keys to them. 'This is it but I'm not going down without a fight.' I sent one final prayer out for Shiriko to still be alive and, pulling myself together, stood up. I refuse to let him see me huddling on the floor like a trapped mouse cornered by a hungry cat. The key entered the lock and the door opened. Standing there was a rather tall woman. In the poor light, I could not tell much else about her but I could only guess who it was.
"You're Soi, right?" I asked, trying unsuccessfully to keep any emotion out of my voice. I wound up sounding rather gruff.
If she was shocked that I knew her name, she certainly didn't show it. "Yes and you are Yume, correct?" Her voice was rather taunting, not at all the type of voice I would have connected with a decent person. It sounded more like the voice a girl who grew up on street corners would have. I suppose it suited her fine, if what I heard about her was true.
"Yep."
She took a step back, as though making room for me to exit the cell. I made a move towards the door and when she didn't protest, went into the hall. The light showed her hair color, which was a nice maroon tint, and her facial expression. She reminded me of a lioness surveying a new opponent, or maybe her next meal. At the moment, I couldn't tell which. She walked around me, looking me up and down. When she returned to where she began, she said, "My, my, my. You are a little child, aren't you?"
I proceeded to circle her in the same fashion and, upon reaching my original location, said in the same, cutting manner, "And you, you remind me of a common, low-paid, working on a street corner 'cause no pimp wants her, whore."
She pulled her lips back in a snarl. "What would a child know about being a whore? At least I have experience," she responded.
"Only because you have no standards, you wanton," I retorted.
Her eyes went wide and her face went red with rage. "Bitch."
"Nice comeback. I can see why Nakago loves having you around. Good for conversations, aren't you?" I taunted. "Oh wait. He doesn't like having you around. At least, that's what the other night seems to imply."
Her face went to an even darker shade of red, if that was possible. "How dare you, you wench! Nakago is and always will be mine. Back off or I will kill you," she hissed.
"Why don't you tell him to back off of me? I seem to remember it was he who started it, not me," I snapped back, narrowing my eyes. "I don't know why you even care so much about him. He doesn't give a flying cow about you. It's not like he's even worth your tears. I mean, if he's trying to have sex with a teenager, something's not right." I turned my head to the side in a mock thoughtful pose. "Or maybe he's just not being satisfied," I added in what sounded like a considering tone.
"Oh that's it. You are so dead." She raised her hand and slapped me.
"What the hell? Is this some sort of chick fight? You're going to kill me by slapping? Yea, ok." And, contradicting all that I had just said, I slapped her back. Hard.
Clutching her check, she glared at me. "That was just because I wanted to hit you before I reduced you to a pile of charred flesh that even the bugs won't touch."
"Really? And how will you do that? I really want to know how a low-grade whore will reduce me to a pile of charred anything," I sneered.
"Like this." Out of nowhere, lightning struck the cell door directly behind me. All that was left was a scorched piece of wood still smoldering. Soi was smirking now. 'Fuck.' "Any last requests?" she inquired.
"Actually, yes. I was wondering if you could hook me up with a bunny suit. You see, I was trying to scream before but it didn't feel right without the suit. Or at least something I can use for a fluffy tail?" I asked in a futile attempt to stall for time so that the rescuers I knew would never come could get here.
"Shut up." She began to repeat the motion that had set the door ablaze and I took a step back.
"Soi, that is enough," a voice I immediately recognized sounded. 'Double fuck. I went from the bitch who wants to kill me to the bastard who wants to...well, I don't know what he wants to do to me and I'd rather not find out. Gods! Why do you hate me so?' "You may leave us now. I can take care of Yume by myself."
"You lucked out this time but there'll be a next time," she threatened.
"I'm looking forward to it," I replied, smiling.
She took another step towards me but Nakago put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. "Soi, I told you to leave, so go."
She trudged out looking like a sulky little child whose lollipop just got taken away. "Well now," he said upon walking towards me. "This is an interesting turn of events."
I took a step back but found I had nowhere to go. Once again, I found the image of a mouse being cornered by a cat pop into my mind. 'You know, just once I'd like to be the freakin' cat,' I thought irritably. "Not really. I knew I'd wind up running into you at some point during my stay in your fine dungeon. It was only a matter of time before you showed up. My luck seems to be working against me lately," I remarked. "But, now that I have run into you, what are the chances of you letting me go and forgetting you ever met me in the first place?"
"Slim to none," he replied.
"Hmm...Thought so. Oh well. I guess we'll just have to repeat what happened last time we met. And I thought I would be able to depart here without hurting a soul. Oh well. If we must, let's just get it over with," I sighed.
"I have something else in mind," he told me, moving even closer to me so that I really was trapped in the corner.
The stairs were just behind his shoulder. 'If I can just get past him somehow, I can find the others and...and...' My mind drew a blank. 'Oh who am I kidding. I don't even know how I did what I did last time. I have a better chance of kicking him where it hurts and running like hell than knocking him out again. Let's face it, I'm screwed.'
"Well, I know I don't really need to ask, but what might that be?" I questioned half-heartedly.
"I have a proposition for you. I want you to join my side again. I know that you can no longer spy for me, as your cover was blown, but someone with your kind of power could be a great help to my cause. I will give you time to consider my offer," he answered. I could hardly believe my ears. 'He wants me to join him again? What, is he on crack? Why would I do that?'
"And what would I get out of this little deal?" I asked him. "Sounds to me like I have everything to give and nothing to receive in return."
"Why, you will get to live, of course," he responded, smiling. "If you refuse, it would be like you were declaring yourself my enemy and I can't just let an enemy walk free."
I stood there, staring at him, indignation melting to shock. "You can't actually be serious, can you?" I asked rhetorically. "You cannot possibly think, even for a minute, that I would ever, ever join forces with you again on my own free will. No, even you are not truly that dense. So what is it then? Do you think that I will choose you over death? Or do you believe that I will believe those to be my only options? No, Nakago. I will not join you nor will I die. Have you forgotten so soon my power?" I looked at him with a semblance of feigned superiority.
"If that is how you feel, then I have no choice other than to keep you here. I have other matters to attend to at the moment. You will remain here until you change your mind. I refuse to allow anyone to interfere in my plans," he said with what might have been a touch of sadness in voice. He waved his hand and that familiar blue light shone from it, and I knew he was trying to paralyze me. Rather than spoil everything, I went along with it and pretended to be unable to move. He brushed a hand across my cheek. "It really is too bad that things are working out like this between us."
I regarded him coldly. "Things are only this way because you make them like that, Nakago," I responded.
"Well, it is of little importance. You will come around, one way or another." And with that he exited the scene. I waited until I could no longer hear the sound of his steps before taking a step towards the stairs and peering up them. He was gone.
'Guys, I could really use some help right about now,' I called to the voices in my head. 'What should I do?' There was a moment of pause before Seiryuu said, 'You must come here. Things are not going as planned. My warriors have the second Shinzaho. I will be summoned soon and once that happens, I will be unable to help you. I will be one with the Priestess then.' 'Well, what do I have to do?' I asked again. 'Close your eyes and allow me to have complete and total control of you: body, mind and soul. Surrender to my will and all be well,' he told me. His voice was hypnotic: it lulled me into a trance. I felt calm, peaceful. I felt safe and surprisingly happy to be under another's control. 'This is how it was meant to be,' I thought happily. 'Did I think it? Am I thinking now?' That train of thoughts led me to confusion and so I abandoned it, sinking back into the calm of the void. Nothing could harm me here; no one could reach me. Abruptly, it ended and I was out in the open again. 'Open your eyes, Yume. We're here,' Seiryuu told me.
I did as I was told and had to practically force my mouth shut to keep from gaping. I had never seen such a bizarre yet beautiful place in my life. (A/N: This realm is of my own creation and as such may not be what you might consider the way it should be. I'm sorry but this how I choose to represent it so please do not tell me it is inaccurate. I know.) The ground was paved in white tiles as far as I could see, except where a huge fountain or garden was placed. A few large buildings that resembled palaces were arranged around a circular courtyard, the largest with a small path leading up to it and in the center, the other two to the side and smaller. All had at least two columns in front. The whole design of the buildings almost made me think of Greek architecture but I dismissed that immediately. They were far more beautiful than any Greek or Roman buildings I had ever seen. Everything seemed to flow together to create one scene of immense beauty and perfection rather than have been placed by any mortal hand.
"I take it you like it then," I heard a male voice say from behind me. I almost jumped. I knew that voice, but it was not in my head.
"Byakko!" I turned around and hugged the white-haired god.
His eyes widened momentarily before he returned the hug. "Whoa. Happy to see me, aren't you?"
"What are you doing outside of my head? I didn't think you could do that," I asked, sounding way more like a child than I would have hoped. I released him and looked up into his eyes. The others were there, too, I saw. Genbu was snickering.
"What, no hug for me?" Suzaku joked.
"Do you want one?" I asked back.
"Well...it would be nice. Byakko always gets hugs," he grumbled.
"That's because I'm huggable," he beamed. I laughed but hugged the red- haired phoenix god as well.
"So really, where am I and why am I here?" I repeated.
"You're in our world, called the God's realm by some. You are here because our plans have fallen through. We had hoped to avoid this but with the way certain events have played out, we have no choice but to awaken what lies within you," Seiryuu told me. "The dice do not always favor the gods, it seems."
"What?"
Author's Note: Am I evil or what? Muahahahaha. Ok. So maybe that wasn't the best cliffhanger ending in the world but it has to have you thinking, right? Right?! Good. Anyway, I hope you liked that chapter. I did write most of it, well, all of it, actually, off the top of my head. That's why it took so long. I kept getting off into really bad fight scenes with Nakago and stuff. Then I re-watched the episodes in which the whole Miaka imprisoned and Chiriko dying scenes over again and said, "Fuck. I did this whole thing wrong! That can't happen because if Chiriko's already dead, Nakago would be here, Soi would be there, the group would be all split up..." and in an attempt to save my sanity, I just edited out the whole scene in which Yume encountered the others and found out he was dead. That will happen in the chapter after next, when she meets them at the Konan palace. You're going to have to wait just a little bit longer until the Suzaku seishi return to the plot. Well, I haven't actually wrote the next few chapters (since I rewrote this one, all the ones following must be change) but I might consider inserting a little part here and there where one of the other people is focused on. I don't know, maybe planning of the war, reaction to Chiriko's death, whatever happened to Shiriko... Fluff stuff. Don't expect anything, though, cause I'm not promising anything. Got it? Ok then.
I don't actually have a quote for the next chapter ready but I'll try to create something off the top of my head that will be in there. Uhh...Let me see here, oh! That could work!
"You haven't heard me before because I did not speak."
Uh-oh! What could it mean? If you thought it was confusing now, just wait until you see what I have in store for you later on.
~Smack