Disclaimer: See Chap. 1.
A/N:
And finally, here's chapter six, which was made with the inspiration of the song, "Turn Me On" by Kevin Lyttle for some reason.
Previously on "Reflections Through the Mirror: Reversed Universes": Yui, Tamahome, Hotohori, and Keisuke have finally reached Kutou, where they encounter Miaka, Soi, and Nakago.
Chapter Six:
Seiryuu no Miko – Divided Friendship
Tetsuya was practically dancing around Keisuke and Miaka's living room; who could've blamed him though? Through that storm, nobody would've been happier, other than those in "The Universe of the Four Gods."
"'As the Suzaku and Seiryuu no Miko talked together, Tamahome and Nakago chatted animatedly together,'" he read.
(NEXT SCENE)
The characters "Kokoro" and "Oni" glowed with blue and red light on each of Tamahome and Nakago's forehead.
"Seiryuu has sensed you!" gasped Soi, who just entered the room, the "Bo" character shining luminously on her upper left thigh.
"I refuse to leave without Miaka," said Yui, "and I won't rest until I get her with me in Konan!"
"But Seiryuu—he is not an opponent to mess with, Suzaku no Miko!" cried Soi.
"And so," said Yui in defense, "what is your point? Suzaku will be and can be as strong as Seiryuu."
"Suzaku no Miko?" asked Miaka.
"'Priestess of Suzaku' or 'Maiden of Suzaku,'" said Yui, translating for her friend.
Hotohori took his "The Universe of the Four Gods" out of his pocket, unfolded it, and read it out loud,
"This is a story of a girl who gathered the seven Seishi of Suzaku. She obtained omnipotent power and made her wishes come true. The story itself is an incantation. Whoever finishes reading it will receive this power. As soon as the page is turned, the story will become the truth and begin."
"Why doesn't it mention the Seiryuu no Miko?" asked Miaka.
"I don't know, Your Eminence," said Nakago, bringing out his own copy of the "Shi Jin Ten Cho."
As Hotohori read over his scroll, he gasped, and read,
"This is also the story of a girl who obtained the power of Seiryuu by gathering the seven Seishi of Seiryuu. However, her will not being strong enough, was devoured by the God himself. Those without the will may not perform the ceremony, and if they succeed, will however be merged with the God as punishment for not having the required, virgin body.
"The ceremonial tradition has been well-kept throughout the years that the Suzaku, Byakko, Genbu, and Seiryuu no Miko have appeared, and peace was won. The legend depicts that two of the Maidens were not strong enough, and were devoured by the God, while the other two were strong enough, and the Gods withdrew.
"To the story of the Seiryuu no Miko, she was not strong enough, and therefore the God devoured her, her body ashes among the winds of change."
"That won't happen to me, right?" asked Miaka frightfully.
"Do not worry, Maiden of Seiryuu," said Soi. "We will protect you."
"It says another passage!" exclaimed Tamahome as he took the scroll from Hotohori's hand.
"The story of the Seiryuu and Suzaku no Miko lead to a tragic death of many warriors, and the betrayal of dear friendships. The Seiryuu no Miko claimed to do these for the right things—" and here Tamahome stopped. "I don't think this is just an ordinary Shi Jin Ten Cho, Hotohori-sama. It records all the happenings from two hundred years ago, and two hundred years to the future."
"Well, do not spoil it whether we are to summon Suzaku or not," said Hotohori.
"Or do we summon Seiryuu or not," added Soi.
"Really, I think we have to get back to Konan," said Hotohori. "They will be worried."
"Miaka, go and start packing! You're coming with us!" said Yui, and normally, Hotohori would've protested, but seeing as it made Yui happy, he just decided to go with it.
"Okay!" said Miaka, and sped out of the room, Soi and Nakago following her. Keisuke decided to go look around, aided with Tamahome, and so Yui and Hotohori were left alone.
"Eh, Lady Yui?" asked Hotohori. "Why did you bother coming back?"
"I came back for Miaka, you idiot," snapped Yui sharply without meaning to. "I mean, she's my best friend after all; why shouldn't I?"
'You just don't know,' Hotohori thought, shaking his head, staring out the now cloudy and yet bright window. 'You just don't know that I love you.'
"Why bother come after her when you know she is a creature of SEIRYUU?" asked Hotohori menacingly.
"I don't care if she's a creature of Seiryuu or NOT!" shouted Yui. "She. Is. My. Friend. I WILL NOT LET ANYTHING HAPPEN TO HER!"
"Damn you, Suzaku no Miko!" accused Hotohori. "This is all your fault!"
"My fault—hah; how, pray tell, was it my fault?"
"It's the fact that you even ENTERED KONAN is your fault!"
"Oh!" cried Yui triumphantly. "So the 'Wo ai ni' you told me the other day wasn't true, was it? You were just using me as a tool, wanting me to fulfill your STUPID CHILDISH DREAMS OF HAVING ME FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU! Well guess WHAT, Hotohori! That's never going to happen!"
Hotohori was quite taken aback with the Suzaku no Miko, and both didn't notice Miaka outside the door, listening and watching.
"You just don't know the truth, Suzaku no Miko," said Hotohori quietly, regaining his composure. "You don't know. While I was raised as a child, I was told many stories of the fabled Suzaku no Miko that would one day arrive and protect Konan from Kutou. I've dreamt of meeting this Suzaku no Miko that I knew nothing about, seeing her in my dreams, in the wind, everywhere.
"When you arrived, I thought I was just a dream, and pinched myself, which felt real, and so that was a stupid idea. I fell in love with you, Yui. It's just that—being the emperor, you don't just "fall in love" not even with the Suzaku no Miko herself; it's arranged by the Council unless otherwise overruled by the Emperor, which was my father a few years ago. That's why all those ladies in my court are there; it's all Father's fault, actually."
Yui was as shocked as Miaka to learn the truth about Hotohori's past. Who would know the cool, calm, and collected emperor had such a complex past?
"And now, Yui..." mumbled Hotohori, topaz gazing into sapphire; "and now that you have come, I really mean it, Yui; wo ai ni. Wattashi...wo ai ni."
And right there, he kissed her in a full, warm, passionate kiss which shocked Miaka more than Yui.
'They were all lies!' Miaka thought. 'All those words that made me trust you! You never came back for me! You came back for Hotohori! Well I want Hotohori, and I'm going to get him.'
She went back inside, and now found Hotohori and Yui just 'talking on friendly terms' as if nothing had happened.
"I'm back!" said Miaka, trying to keep a cheerful face.
"Then let's go!" said Yui, standing up with Hotohori's help.
"Can I show you something first, Yui?" asked Miaka, quite serious now.
"Sure," said Yui shrugging. "I'll be right back, Hotohori," and she waved, letting Miaka drag her.
(NEXT SCENE)
'Holy crap!!!' Tetsuya thought. 'This is crazy!! Miaka wouldn't do THAT!!!'
"'The Seiryuu no Miko lead the Suzaku no Miko into Seiryuu's Shrine,'" he read. "Uh-oh; NOT GOOD!!"
(NEXT SCENE)
"Where are you leading me, Miaka?" asked Yui.
"You'll see," came her friend's reply.
Miaka finally stopped, and opened great oak doors. Yui didn't notice the dragon statues right above it, for the light had dimmed.
The inside was a cool, collected place. It had statues of a male with dragon wings and a dragon tail all around it, and one fountain with the head of a dragon with soul-piercing red eyes in the middle of it. Pools and ponds of water circled and surrounded the shrine.
Yui let out a furious gasp of pain as she fell onto the ground, her legs and knees weak, her head as if a truck had fallen on it.
"Miaka, what's happening to me?" she asked.
"Don't you see, Yui?" asked Miaka intelligently. "We're in the Shrine of Seiryuu, and you are the SUZAKU no Miko."
'Shrine of Seiryuu...Suzaku no Miko...' and the two words flashed in her head as she crouched lower on the granite floor, clutching her stomach which was feeling as if it were going to be ripped out any second.
"You said all you could to make me trust you!!" accused Miaka, "and now I see that it isn't true. YOU DIDN'T COME BACK FOR ME!! All you came back for was Hotohori! Well, who's outsmarted who, Yui? I won't let you have Hotohori. You know why? Because I like Hotohori, and I can't let him have you; he's too good for you. NAKAGO!"
"I'm so sorry, Suzaku no Miko," choked out Nakago, voice filled with thick regret. The "Kokoro" ("Heart") character was shining brightly on the center of his forehead as he raised his hand. A blue orb circled one of his slender fingers, and he blasted Yui straight into the dragon statue, letting her drop into the freezing fountain.
"Why, Miaka?" asked Yui; "why won't you believe me? Everything I told you...everything was true!"
"THEY WERE LIES!!" shouted Miaka. "NAKAGO!"
The character glowed, a blue orb around two fingers, and blasted Yui into the farther corner of the room, niether of them noticing the red glow surrounding the girl.
(NEXT SCENE)
"YUI!" shouted Hotohori and Tamahome as they gathered with Soi and Keisuke. Tamahome and Hotohori's characters, "Ogre" and "Star" let of a spark of light that would burn every time one would touch it. An 'X' shaped character appeared on Hotohori's forehead, while one appeared on the back of Tamahome's right hand.
"Soi, lead us to the Shrine of Seiryuu," said Keisuke; "I need to see this. I need to see. Please."
Soi sighed, and led them to the temple. It was open, and Soi walked right through, seeing as she herself was a Seiryuu Sei. Hotohori, Keisuke, and Tamahome were all deflected.
(NEXT SCENE)
"Suzaku no Miko!" shouted Soi, seeing Yui, bleeding deeply, the blood soaking her uniform's skirt.
"Don't mind her!!" shrieked Miaka. "Kill her, Soi! PLEASE!!"
"Kill the Suzaku no Miko?!!?" asked Soi darkly, her eyes darker, her voice lower.
"Don't delay, Soi," said Nakago. "Attack her."
Soi turned to him, surprised, but she saw that Nakago's eyes were with tears and full of regret.
'Since I am Her Eminence's Sei, I have to,' said Soi. 'But Lady Yui...she can't have be the one who betrayed Lady Miaka.'
"THUNDER DRAGOON!" shouted Soi, and an amazing dragon created of blue thunder appeared in front of Yui, and electrified her madly.
"YUI!!!!" shouted Hotohori from the outside, the X shaped character glowing madly. Tears sprung from his eyes; how dare they touch the SUZAKU NO MIKO!? He pushed with all his power as he felt Tamahome's surging through him. He looked over his shoulder, and saw that his dear friend was lending him his Chi. "Thank you," he said, and pushed forward.
Miaka noticed this, and cried to Nakago, "Prevent him!! Stop him!!"
The Seiryuu Sei raised his left palm and tried (note, the keyword here is tried) to strengthen his barrier. But Hotohori contained too much power. With an anguished cry, Hotohori broke through, and teleported towards Yui, and cradled her in his arms.
'He would go that far for her?' asked Miaka.
Suzaku's character shone brightly on Hotohori's forehead, blood dripping from his imperial robes, carrying Yui, cradling her in his arms. A fiery red-orange aura surrounded him and Yui, and the Character of Suzaku also showed on Yui's forehead. As quick as a wink, Hotohori destroyed the barrier, and Tamahome and Keisuke rushed in.
Hotohori handed Yui to Keisuke, who went beside Soi, who put a lightning barrier around him.
Suzaku's character gave off its light from Tamahome's right hand.
"You dare harm the Suzaku no Miko!?" roared Hotohori.
"Nakago..." said Tamahome, tears of anguish in his eyes, "I thought you were smarter than this..."
"Tama—" began Nakago, but found it useless. Tamahome wouldn't—he couldn't—tolerate any form of betrayal, and it showed in his actions.
"Why do you even bother protecting her?" asked Miaka.
Tamahome and Hotohori snorted. "And I thought the Seiryuu no Miko was smart," acknowledged Tamahome.
"She is our Maiden, our Priestess, our Protector," said Hotohori. "We protect her as she protects us. The Suzaku no Miko is our source of strength, as well as Suzaku himself. We do our duty as her Sei, and we shan't let the forces of Seiryuu stop us, even if Nakago was Tamahome's friend."
Soi fell to her knees, catching the attention of everyone in the room. "I knew I was wrong," she cried, crystalline tears falling down her cheeks. "I chose to become a Seiryuu Sei for power—I was power hungry back then, but now I see.... You don't become a Sei to obtain the power. That's the Maiden's job. I only did it because I was turned away...men raped me...they tried to kill me...my own father sold me as a slave...when Nakago came.
"I actually believed him that I would get revenge on those men and my father, but when I actually killed them, I expected to feel proud of myself. But I didn't. I felt sorry for them...I am so stupid. I shouldn't have let rage and emotion control me. Suzaku has taught Seiryuu this day. I withdraw from this current battle."
"TRAITOR!" shouted Miaka as she watched Soi stoop down, trying to use her Chi to heal Yui. "HOW DARE YOU?"
'Soi...!' thought Nakago.
"And you dare to call her a traitor?" came Yui's voice.
Each and every single person in Seiryuu's Shrine looked to see Yui surrounded by a blazing flame. Everyone could see the 'X' shaped Character of Suzaku on her forehead, letting off a red hue. Her hair seemed like phoenix wings, glowing in the luminous spark. The blood she shed circled around her, forming a shield around her upper and lower body, as well as a visor for her eyes.
"You don't understand do you, Miaka?" asked Yui darkly. "Soi is risking her life—she sold her life from you. She has become an ally of the Suzaku Seven, therefore making her the unofficial eighth warrior, even though still a Sei of Seiryuu. Suzaku is protecting her with his mighty wings as he watches over us. The flame of his wings surrounds her. His eyes watch her, wandering forever over us.
"Suzaku is the god of love, Miaka, and Soi has truly shown a few of the effects of the word itself," she continued. "There hasn't been an act so courageous like this, and Suzaku is proud. As for you, Nakago, even though I know that you haven't intended to attack me, you still had to obey her. Therefore, I will let it slide this time.
"But Miaka, you will never be forgiven within the bowels of Suzaku's eyes, wings, flame, and heart. He has shown mercy for you today, for he, using his power, is preventing me from hurting you. Next time, I will show NO mercy, and you shall face the worst you have. Hotohori! Keisuke! Soi! Tamahome!"
And every person's name who was called gathered around Yui, holding her hand and her shoulder. And Yui smirked. "Till next time," she said haughtily, and teleported, leaving Nakago and Miaka staring effortlessly into the dark air.
Ending A/N:
Whoa...that was pretty long, wasn't it, compared to the others? (Hopefully it is!) OOC-ness there, don't you think, especially with Soi?
Preview:
Soi is now an unofficial Sei of Suzaku! Meanwhile, Miaka finds Suboshi and Amiboshi, as Yui finds Chichiri and Tasuki.
Next:
Accepting Truth – Four New Sei To Appear!