Disclaimer: I disclaim FY.
Warning: Violence and death, but nothing earth shattering.
Musical Accompaniment: The Laughing Forest by Jeff Victor, Lifescapes Duets: Flute/Harp CD
::grins brightly:: Wow! You guys have no idea how excited I was to see that so many of you reviewed Chapter 13. I feel looooved! ^__^ Again, I'd like to extend my thanks to my beta-reader Roku-chan, who so kindly took my work and reminded me that, yes, commas are a good thing. I'll catch ya'll later!
* * *
Miaka was determined to face death without fear, but as the sword whistled towards her neck, she shut her eyes in a reflexive flinch and waited to feel that deadly kiss of steel against her skin.
But what she heard was a clash, the sound of metal scraping against metal. Miaka's eyes sprang open and saw two figures standing before her, shielding her with their bodies and lives.
"Houjun! Shonin!" Miaka gasped, the names echoed by the other Seishi.
The Priest held his staff out protectively with one hand while the other held his beads in a prayer-like position. Houjun never said a word but the strings suddenly dissolved into nothing and everyone gently landed on the floor. At his feet Shonin stood prepared to launch herself at the killer, though she did manage to quickly wink at Miaka.
"Damn you!" the assassin roared, throwing a set of darts toward the Chichiri Seishi and Miaka. Though Kishuku shouted a warning to them, Houjun was already a step ahead of him. Spinning his shakujou in a tight circle, he deflected all the knives as Shonin jumped at the assassin. She dug her teeth into his shoulder as Chie clawed his neck from behind and Toshi buried his unsheathed claws into the man's side. Through their combined efforts they brought the assassin to the ground - but didn't kill him.
'We need him for answers!' Chie's 'voice was acidic. 'And I'm going to get them, his sanity be damned!'
"Nii-chaaaaan!" the children whimpered, encircling Kishuku and preventing him from dealing with the killer. However, the other Seishi looked more than willing to take care of the problem as Miaka stood to the side and watched with worried eyes.
"Take them out of here. They don't need to see or hear this," Houjun turned to Kishuku, who nodded quickly and shepherded the four into the most distant room of the house with gentle brotherly urging.
"Answer me this," Doukun spoke in a dark demanding tone. "Why are you so interested in Miaka? Why this Suzaku no Miko?"
"Heh…" the would-be-murderer replied, sneering through his pain. "I would sooner speak to dogs than the vultures of Suzaku."
Doukun opened his mouth to speak again when Chie and the ketsu pushed him to the side as Houjun protectively shielded Miaka with his body. The sound of arrows hitting human flesh echoed in Miaka's ears and she cringed into the Chichiri Seishi's arms. When the house was silent again Houjun slowly released the Miko and both turned to the body, now a morbid mockery of a pincushion.
Kneeling over him, Doukun closed the eyelids of the man with a shaky hand. "He's dead…" he said softly. "But then… dead men tell no tales."
"I'll take care of this, no da," Houjun put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Go tell Kishuku and the children it's safe - I don't sense any other malicious ki nearby."
'We'll go outside and scout around. I can't stay in here or I may end up doing something I'll regret,' Toshi decided, his fur still sticking up with protective anger. Doukun nodded and went into the back room as the ketsu exited the tiny abode. Standing above it, Houjun held his beads again but slowly waved his other hand palm-down back and forth over the body, chanting and praying quietly. Within seconds, all evidence of the assassin's presence had disappeared, including the blood and remnants of the sticky rope. Then he sighed and turned to Miaka.
"We'll talk later, Miaka-san, but right now I think it's best if you stay around long enough to help care for the children, no da," Houjun said, tilting his head in the direction of the coming voices.
Looking past him she saw Shunkei and Gyokuran holding onto their big brother for dear life as he reentered, tears still wet on their cheeks. Doukun and Chuuei were talking animatedly, and from nowhere Yuiren hurtled herself past Kishuku's legs right at Miaka.
"Onee-chan!" the little girl cried, wrapping her arms tightly around Miaka's legs and burying her face in the robe.
"It's all right, Yuiren-chan," she said soothingly, picking her up and stroking her back. "Houjun-san says it's safe again. You're home is safe, it's all right little one."
'She's right,' Shonin appeared next to her bondmate, looking at the children with wide-eyed interest. 'Everything's all right, we've made sure of that.'
Gyokuran turned her head and her eyes lit up. "'Nother ketsu!" she cried happily, trying to wriggle out of her brother's arms. "Can I see her please?"
Houjun and Miaka looked down at the vixen, who rolled on her back in the effort to look cute. It worked - Kishuku put the children down and both of them ran over to hug and cuddle Shonin, their fears forgotten.
'Cheater…' Toshi muttered as he padded out of the shadows and rubbed against Kishuku's leg. 'She's just new - the attention will wear off.'
"Bit jealous, ne?" Kishuku teased the leopard, which ignored the jibe. Then he cheerfully clapped Houjun on the back. "So we meet again old man! Glad you could hobble over and join us!"
"I have to be ready at all times, no da. I seem to be making a habit of saving your sorry butt, no da!" he winked. "But I am happy to see all of you again, no da." He shared the usual greetings with Doukun and Miaka before Kishuku took his attention again.
"Ah, you must meet the family!" and he went around reintroducing his siblings and father. However, minutes after Houjun met Sou-san, Miaka found him speaking furtively to Kishuku.
"Your father has an infection in his lungs, and it feels as if it's traveling to other parts of his body," Houjun explained. "I don't have the medicine on me and he needs some soon. This is a stupid question, but do you have any extra okane? I only have a few ryou on my person, not nearly enough to get him a full dosage…"
Kishuku shook his head regretfully. "I can't – we don't have enough to get his medicine and take care of my siblings after I go."
Houjun nodded thoughtfully. "When Saihitei comes we'll see if he'll lend you some okane for your father." Kishuku bowed to the Priest in thanks for all his help then went back to take care of the hungry kids.
His father is really sick - sicker than any of us thought, Miaka mused sadly as she put a sleeping Yuiren in her bed. I don't have any money, but I don't think me being here is helping any…
"So Kutou's looking for their Miko and Seishi too?" Chuuei's incredulous voice wafted from the front room. Miaka walked in and saw him sitting with Doukun, Houjun, and the three ketsu. She silently scooted down next to Doukun, shared a quick grin with him, then turned back to the topic.
"That's what I heard during my travel with Shonin back here," Houjun nodded. "It seems that once they heard Konan was looking for its Chosen Shichiseishi they began searching for their own."
"Wait, what?" Miaka asked, a sudden quickening coming to her pulse. "What do you mean, Chosen Shichiseishi? "
Houjun looked at Doukun and Chie with a look that Miaka clearly read as she doesn't know yet???, both of whom looked extremely abashed under his glare. However, Shonin picked up seamlessly and said to Miaka, 'We've been trying to keep this information as quiet as possible, but you deserve to hear what we know. It is true - we have been blessed with the knowledge that the Chosen Suzaku no Shichiseishi have been called to save Konan… and we know the brave Seishi that will become the channels for Suzaku himself.'
Both Miaka and Chuuei gasped. "The legends are true! The Chosen Seishi are going to bring peace to the country! And you know them!" Chuuei's voice was choked with awe. "How awesome!"
"When is it going to happen?" Miaka asked eagerly. Because the sooner we have peace the sooner I can go home… but that thought didn't have as much joy in it as before. Still, the thought that she was hearing first-hand about the Chosen Seishi brought an excitement to her heart she'd never felt before.
Doukun picked up her question. "We cannot say. As of right now, not all of them are gathered and they must be present if Suzaku is going to be called." He turned to the ketsu. "Someone was saying something about the Chosen Seiryuu Seishi. What was it?"
'That it's not just a fruitless searching on their part - they have good reason to be looking for theirs,' Toshi said, keeping the conversation within the room. 'From what the assassin was thinking before he died, it appears he was sent by the Chosen Nakago Seishi.'
A chill ran down Miaka's spine and Doukun furrowed his brow in great consternation. "Did you get anything else from them?" Chuuei asked, still sounding a bit amazed by the news but holding his own.
'Apparently they have found their Chosen Miko but not all the other Seishi,' Chie explained. 'But that was all I caught.' Nods from the other ketsu showed that they too gained very little from the man.
"This is not good," Doukun frowned, propping his chin on his fists. "Outside of the fact that we hold antagonistic feelings toward Kutou, does it strike anyone else as too coincidental that both Suzaku and Seiryuu are finding their Chosen at the same time?"
"No, it can't be just coincidence, no da. The gods must have something planned, though I'll be damned if I know what it is, no da," Houjun shook his head then turned to Shonin. "Unless the ketsu are keeping secrets from us." Though they teased their Seishi the animals had nothing more to divulge.
The group talked a bit more but Miaka's mind had begun to drift from the conversation. Chosen Suzaku no Miko… I wonder who it is… she thought lightly. I wonder what that would be like, to be the Miko that Suzaku blesses with his godly powers. I wonder if it's like when I first became a Miko, so alive and new and reborn. I wonder what's going to happen now that Kutou found a Miko. Too bad Yui-chan's not here, she's so smart; she could make all sorts of guesses. I wonder if she knew about the Chosen Seiryuu no Mi-
And Miaka's heart stopped as her vision went black.
"Miaka!" a trio of voices called for her. She felt a pair of arms holding her up and a second set of hands brushing her face but she didn't respond to that. It was as if she was separated from her body, sensing the touches without really feeling them. Her world was too focused on one thought.
My Yui-chan's the Chosen Seiryuu no Miko! She has to be, Miaka thought as she floated in a sea of stunned darkness. Because that's why they attacked my village, for Yui-chan. It has to be the reason… because just one normal Suzaku no Miko doesn't make a difference.
'Miaka!' Toshi's 'voice reached for her, sounding distant but clear. 'Miaka, are you all right?'
'Honey, what's wrong? What happened?' Shonin followed, her mind twinning with the leopard's to strengthen the touch, and in perfect harmony Chie's thoughts joined the braid.
'Wake up, Miaka-chan. Come on back with us,' she called gently but firmly. With a weak agreement, Miaka grasped the rope of their telepathic consciousness, felt them wrap around her mind, and pulled herself back into the waking world. Her senses slowly returned until she could feel the cool cloth on her forehead, smell something piercing her nose, and hear voices coming from six different directions.
"Nnnnn…" she groaned, slowly opening her eyes. Hovering nervously above her were the Seishi males, with Houjun holding a small spring of rosemary near her face. Miaka slowly turned her head and noticed she was lying on Chuuei's bed in the children's room. I wonder when I got here… she wondered absent-mindedly.
"Miaka-san, are you all right?" Doukun questioned slowly.
She replied in a whisper, "I think so… I don't know what came over me…"
"Stress, most likely," Kishuku said sympathetically. "Just rest for a little bit and we'll take care of you."
"We will, Miaka-chan, we promise!" Shunkei nodded, mimicking his brother's serious look. "We'll make sure you get sleep and good food because good food always makes you better."
Those gathered chuckled at the last part, and even Miaka couldn't help but join in. They know my weakness, she thought, looking up at Kishuku's grinning face.
Once Houjun double-checked her ki for weakness and found none, the group left Miaka to catch some sleep. For most of the time that's what she did, but for the rest she was thinking and plotting on this new revelation.
If I leave tonight after everyone's gone to sleep and the ketsu are out hunting, I can make it home and tell Nii-chan what happened. He and Tetsuya can figure something out - I know they can! And I can't just let Yui-chan stay trapped in Kutou without knowing that I'm here and worried about here. I'll tell them what's going on, say hi to Kaa-san, and then head to Kutou to find Yui-chan.
Once she was confident about her idea, Miaka stood up and walked through the house. She talked to the children, reassured the Seishi and ketsu that she was all right, and went through the actions of a normal day. Finally, when all the children - Doukun and Chuuei included - Miaka decided now was the time to go.
"I'm going outside for a few minutes - I think all that practicing of being an owl has affected my sleeping habits," she admitted shyly.
"Well, just be careful, all right?" Kishuku asked, looking at her with protective eyes. "No point teasing the Kutou soldiers by being careless."
"Ahhhh, I'll be fine! You worry too much," Miaka reassured him, giving him a quick hug and peck on the cheek before heading to the door. "See you in a few minutes."
Miaka wasn't lying about her sleeping habits; combining the nocturnal needs of the coyote and owl had made her appreciate the night a great deal more than before. She was all keyed up to make the run back to her village but she wanted to keep her human form, at least until she reached the edge of the village.
Kishuku's right, I don't want to attract attention. I think I'll cut through the forest though, even though it's a tiny bit dangerous. It should save me a good hour or so, so it can't be too much for me to handle, can it?
She was about to find out. Slipping into the start of woods with barely a whisper of leaves to mark her passage, Miaka walked all of ten feet before she started getting second thoughts.
It's really dark… maybe I should shift now… she thought, jumping slightly at every hoot and howl she heard. I've been practicing holding owl-form but I'm still not that good. I'll just wait a little longer…
Miaka had no idea how far she walked, only that each time she took a step she thought her heart was about to break out of her chest and she would be attacked by an assassin, a wild animal, or a combination of both. She had actually traveled a good distance before her luck ran out.
Okay, I think I'm all right. I don't know how much farther I have to go but I think I-
She froze in midstep, suddenly looking into the eyes and maw of a large man-eating tiger. It growled menacingly at her, standing a whole ten feet away and smelling her fear like a treat to be savored.
No no no I don't want to die I can't do this I can't
… I can handle this. I'll just shift and fly away, her mind rationalized, pushing panic aside for just a minute. So she stood against the tiger, tilted her chin up in defiance, and reached for the freedom of the sky.
She completed the shift quickly and cleanly, but what she didn't count on was the fact that the tiger would pounce her in owl-form. She shrieked high and shrilly, beating her untrained wings hard enough to nearly break them. The tiger landed just underneath her, but then turned and jumped a second time without more than a breath's pause. This time, as she saw those fangs and claws coming at her, Miaka's mind knew with anguished acceptance that she was going to die.
As the tiger's fangs came down on her feathery body, a red shield protected her from the deadly teeth, and a blast of energy knocked the animal to the side. A second and third convinced the tiger to find a better meal elsewhere, and it turned tail and ran.
Miaka lay on the ground, back to her natural human form, shaking with fear and relief and emotions she couldn't even name.
"It's all right, no da. You're safe, Miaka," Houjun said gently, bending down and offering his arms to her. She looked into his unmasked face, so open and kind, and knew that she was safe. Miaka let out a strangled cry of "Thank you!" and let herself be gathered into his arms.
She clutched at his kesa like a child holding a parent that just banished much-feared nightmares. She didn't care how he knew she was out here - she was just thankful he was there for her.
Through it all, the Priest was silent, offering his comfort through his presence. Finally, after a few minutes of peace, he brought her to her feet. "Come on, let's go back to the house. It's been a long night, and we all need the sleep, no da."
Miaka froze. "I can't go back. I can't keep putting Kishuku and his family in danger. It's not right and it's not fair," she tried to explain, but her frustration couldn't be held in any longer. "Why can't you understand that? Why?!"
"You must be more responsible for your actions, Miaka. I realize you want to protect Kishuku and the rest, and that is admirable. But you must keep in mind that you cannot simply follow your will without regard for the concerns of others, no da," he spoke with grave solemnity. "This isn't just about Kishuku - you can't go putting your own family in danger, too. You're safest with us even if it doesn't seem that way, no da."
"Then I'll go to Kutou alone!" she retorted, then covered her mouth in shock. I didn't want to say that!!
But Houjun just shook his head, taking it all in stride. "I don't know what's going through your mind, no da. I left Shonin and the ketsu back at the house to give you a small measure of privacy, but I'm sure it has something to do with the Mikos. That's what we last spoke of before you blacked out, no da." Miaka didn't make a comment either affirming or disputing that claim, so he continued. "But you have an obligation to your country that you cannot escape. There's something going on that's greater than you could ever have imagined, and you can't pretend that running away from it will make everything better, no da."
But Miaka was in no mood to hear any of this. After two close-calls with death, the attack on Kishuku's family, and the sudden incident with the tiger, Miaka was this close to keep running from Houjun, regardless of the advice he was so freely giving.
"I am being responsible!!" she screamed. "How can you say that? I'm just trying to keep Kishuku and his family safe! I'm trying to save my best friend, and go back home! I'm even trying to keep you and Doukun safe, too! I'm doing the best I can! Why can't you just let me be???"
"Because you are the Chosen Suzaku no Miko and you owe your life and duty to Konan before your own selfish wants."
Houjun's voice was intense and severe, so completely unlike the man he was ten minutes ago that Miaka took a step back from him. Oh my god… what is he talking about? I can't be - I'm just a normal Miko. And I can't be, because that would make me the enemy of Kutou and the Seir-
"You're lying! I'm not the Chosen Miko! I can't be! I can't!" Miaka shrieked, pointing accusingly at him. "You're lying, you're lying, you're lying!!!"
"But I'm not, Miaka, and you know I'm not. I wouldn't lie to you about this," he spoke in a much more composed voice, though his eye still flashed like an agate in the darkness.
"Then prove it!"
"I am the Chosen Chichiri Seishi," Houjun spoke with such terrible seriousness that Miaka couldn't not agree. "Doukun is the Chosen Chiriko Seishi, and Kishuku is the Chosen Tamahome Seishi. We were all drawn here by your ki and we are all here to protect you from harm."
Miaka's mind stopped. Her thoughts, her feelings had all drained away to leave a husk of dumfounded silence behind. But slowly, ever so slowly, her sanity returned and small specks of knowledge flashed through her head as if from another mind altogether.
Seishi…
Seishi means star warrior. Warrior of the gods and protector of the people in their lands. Gifted with the ketsu-bond that keeps them close to the hearts of our creators, they are the living proof that the gods do love us and care for us. And it is with the Mikos, the cherished priestesses and daughters of the seikuns, that they care and protect each country. However… the Seishi and Mikos are only human, and without divine aid they cannot save their world from the power of evil and chaos.
So the gods made a promise, that if their country were to stand on the verge of collapse they would send their Chosen Miko down - the one who could summon them to this world and save the land. She would be the vessel of the god, a chalice to be filled with holy light and power.
And with the Chosen Miko would be seven Chosen Seishi. Of the Chosen Suzaku no Seishi, four I have yet to know. But three…
Chiriko… Youthful, intelligent Doukun that gave me the gift of flight.
Chichiri… Insightful, good-humored Houjun that raised my spirits when I was hurt.
And Tamahome… Greedy, teasing Kishuku that made me feel as if I've finally found a home and a family I belong to.
My Shichiseishi…
Miaka's eyes filled with tears, not of sadness but of quiet acceptance and joy. He's right. Houjun was right. It's as if something inside of me has just been freed, as if I've suddenly been opened to Suzaku. And open to his power…
Suddenly her heart skipped a beat. The power of a god! How can I expect to hold such power, if I'm just as a mere mortal girl? And what happens if I can't do it - what if, no matter what I do, I fail to summon Suzaku? What if it's my fault Konan falls? Oh my God, I don't think I can handle that!
She looked at Houjun with great worry and whispered, "I'm scared…"
His voice was softer now, his eye as gentle as she remembered from when they first met in the Hospice. "I would be lying if I said I wasn't either, but it'll be all right because we'll do this together. We will be your warriors, your guides, your helping hands, and your friends for as long as you need us. But you have to be willing to help us, too, because Suzaku's grace will not come down on a reluctant heart. Please, Miaka… come back with me to those who care about you."
He extended his hand and Miaka hesitated.
If I do this… it'll really mean that I have to fight Yui-chan.
She blurted out, "I think my best friend is the Chosen Seiryuu no Miko. If I go back with you I'll be her enemy. Everyone knows Konan hates Kutou. And I can't do that - I can't fight someone I love."
The Chichiri Seishi looked at her with a mix of comprehension and perplexity. "I see your point, Miaka, but you don't have pr-"
"I know I don't have any proof about that," Miaka interrupted, staring back with stubborn strength. "But I know it's true. The same way I know you're the Chosen Chichiri and I'm the Chosen Miko…" she paused, putting a hand over her heart. "Because I can feel it in my heart. It's right, like nothing else has ever been right before. It's like I've been waiting to hear that for a long time and…" she drifted off.
Houjun smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. "I felt the same way, no da. And… and if you say that your friend is the Chosen Seiryuu no Miko, I cannot disagree, no da. But to be perfectly honest… it will not make a difference who the Miko is."
"Why?"
"Because you must still summon Suzaku, no da. If you don't… it could mean the downfall and destruction of Konan. No matter who the Seiryuu no Miko is, she cannot become a factor that will keep you from doing that. Do you understand, no da?"
Miaka looked at the ground, understanding his words and hating every second of it. She didn't want to fight, but the honorable part of her - the part her mother had always cultivated with pride - told her that she couldn't allow a whole country to fall because she was weak enough to let her emotions take too much control.
If I don't summon Suzaku it could destroy Konan. But if I do, it could mean the ending of my friendship between Yui-chan and me. I know in my head what I should do, but it's still something I can't even think of doing right now.
"I think so… but that doesn't mean you're going to be able to convince me right away to fight my Yui-chan."
"I didn't expect I'd ever be able to, but if things go smoothly, you may not even have to, no da. Still, what matters right now is that the rest of the Seishi show up soon, so we can return to the Palace, no da," Houjun said, removing his kasa from his neck and handing it to Miaka. "This will take us back to Kishuku's home. Put it over your head and I'll follow right after you, no da."
She gave a look of complete disbelief but complied. Who am I to argue with the man that saved my life - twice - and beat up a tiger? Miaka shrugged, then pulled the kasa over her head.
And found herself standing and gawking in the middle of the Sou house.
What a ride!!!
Regaining her composure, she saw Kishuku sleeping beside Toshi on the floor and snoring softly. With his back against the leopard's, it formed an almost symbolic picture of the ketsu as mirror image to his Seishi. She smiled, the affectionate sight warming her spirit. She noticed Shonin and Chie were nowhere in sight, so Miaka reached out for them and found the owl had gone on a lazy midnight flight and the fox was lounging near the river.
'Humans don't appreciate the nighttime enough, you know that?' Shonin teased, using Miaka's own thoughts for her purpose and making the Miko smile. Seconds later Houjun appeared behind her with the kasa back around his neck and the mask on his face. He wore a look of great worry and suspicion, but when he saw Miaka his expression lightened.
"Everyone's asleep," she whispered to the Priest.
"I know, no da," he whispered back. "I told Kishuku to get some rest and that I would take care of the situation, no da. He was incredibly worried, ready to go charging off through the woods for you, no da. He really does care about you - from what I can tell he loves you like another sister."
Miaka felt the heat rise through her whole body at the first part, but when Houjun spoke of sisterhood an icy waterfall replaced the feeling. So he doesn't care about me as more than just a friend… she thought with dismay, then perked up a touch. Still, that doesn't mean I can't try and change his mind!
The Priest gently pushed her in the direction of the bedrooms. "Go to bed. You'll need as much sleep as you can get, since I think tomorrow's going to be a busy day, no da."
"You too, Houjun-san. Goodnight," she smiled and headed towards the room. Then on impulse she spun on her heel and tightly hugged the elder man. "Thank you for watching out for me," she murmured. "I'm sorry I was so mean earlier, I don't really deserve the niceness you showed me."
He hugged her back, a smile in his voice. "There's no need for thanks or apologies, Miaka-chan. I care about you more than just a miko - you're also my friend."
"Then thanks for everything," she grinned up at him as she released him from the hug. "Sleep well, Houjun-kun." She felt good after sharing those few moments with the Priest, but when she crawled into bed her mind immediately turned to Yui and her ambiguous future.
I'm the Chosen Suzaku no Miko. My best friend is the Chosen Seiryuu no Miko. The whole fate of a country rests in my ability to call Suzaku down and bring peace with my wishes. Oh Suzaku, I'm so scared and afraid. What do I do now? Please, if there's any god above me listening, please help me.
But with no one to give her answers, Miaka simply closed her eyes and let the tears of fear and uncertainty lull her to sleep.
* * *
Yui huddled on her bed, glaring Seiryuu-blue daggers into matching self-assured eyes.
"For the last time, I don't believe you," she said, tired of this talk and dying to go home. "No decent Seishi would rampage a poor village, kidnap an innocent girl, and then try and tell her she's the legendary Chosen Seiryuu no Miko. Give it up already!"
"Yui-sama," his smooth baritone grated against her skin. "I have already told you, it was not the fault of Kutou that your village was ransacked as it was. Konan has been searching for their own Chosen Miko and Seishi and your home simply happened to be in their ruthless way."
"Liar!" she snapped back. "Konan's not like that!"
He smiled lazily, reminding her of the tiger he was soul-bonded to but much less humane than it. "But the rumors are very true, Yui-sama, for Konan has found their Chosen Miko, a girl who lived very close to you."
Her heart fluttered like a trapped bird that's seen the hunter come for it. "Now I know you're lying! Isn't that just a little too perfect, trying to pit me and my best friend against each other?" She crossed her arms and glared at him in defiance.
He sighed patiently. "Would you at least allow me to prove it to you? To let me defend my side?"
Yui nodded slowly, her good heart winning out over her disbelief. "All right."
Ayuru closed his eyes and the symbol kokoro gently shone upon his forehead. When it died away and he opened them, he said, "Taiyo has sent for Dajien, and he will be coming with something you will find very interesting."
All in all, Yui was not a happy woman. Putting aside the fact that her home and family had been attacked three days ago, she was also getting tired of the lies. Ayuru kept telling her she was the Chosen Seiryuu no Miko and that he himself was the Chosen Nakago Seishi, sent to protect her from all dangers. The only ones she found she could trust were the ketsu and another Chosen Seishi, but even the ketsu seemed to have their own agendas at times. Shunkaku was a nice enough boy, but she wasn't in any sort of mood to try and get along with anyone.
I just want to go home. If I were truly the Miko, Ayuru would listen to me without hesitation, she thought petulantly.
A few minutes later, which Yui spent silently staring at the ceiling and counting the tiles, a man entered the room and bowed before them. His dark blue hair was pulled into a tight topknot, emphasizing the severity of his face and eyes, which nearly glowed snake-yellow in the firelight. "Ayuru-san, Yui-sama, you have requested my presence?"
"I have," the blond stood up. "Dajien-san, Yui-sama does not believe that the Chosen Suzaku no Miko has been found. I am sure you can rectify that."
Dajien smiled and pulled a small object from his pocket. "As you may or may not know, Yui-sama, I am able to project my spirit across great distances. And I am able to enter the body of anyone I choose and keep the memories in this fang. To make a long story short, I found two people - a man and a girl- talking in the woods of Konan. Perhaps you would be interested in what they had to say."
He handed her the fang, which she took with trepidation. She waited a few seconds, hearing nothing, but then voices started coming up.
"…I'm doing the best I can! Why can't you just let me be???"
Miaka! Yui gasped aloud. I'd recognize her voice anywhere!
A second voice, lower and deeper than first picked up the train of words. "Because you are the Chosen Suzaku no Miko and you owe your life and duty to Konan before your own selfish wants."
No… no… it's not true… her mouth was open in a silent sob. No Miaka, you wouldn't turn against me…
They shared a few more words, but it sounded as if the conversation was mysteriously garbled. "What happened during these times?" she asked.
"I was distracted - I entered the girl's body and her mind was fighting mine without realizing it," Dajien explained. "I did not want my presence to be noted, for the other was a powerful magician that could have attacked me regardless of my form." Yui vaguely nodded while her attention stayed on the fang and the secrets it held.
Miaka's voice came back, clear as a crystal bell. "… But I know it's true. The same way I know you're the Chosen Chichiri and I'm the Chosen Miko… because I can feel it in my heart. It's right, like nothing else has ever been right before…"
And back to the man's. "… if you say that your friend is the Chosen Seiryuu no Miko, I cannot disagree, no da. But to be perfectly honest… it will not make a difference who the Miko is."
Yui stiffened in shock. Oh my god what are they saying? What does that mean, it doesn't matter?
"Because you must still summon Suzaku, no da. If you don't… it could mean the downfall and destruction of Konan. No matter who the Seiryuu no Miko is, she cannot become a factor that will keep you from doing that. Do you understand, no da?"
A pause; the suspense building up inside Yui was killing her one second at a time. Oh Miaka, please don't… please…
"… I think so…" And all the sound faded away to leave a painful silence in its wake.
"Miaka!" Yui screamed at the fang, then threw it away in a fit of rage. "You liar! Miaka, you liar! You said you'd never let the gods keep us apart! You liar!!!" Tears of anger and hurt and shame coursed down her cheeks and Yui brought her fists to her face to try and hide them from Ayuru and Dajien.
"I'm sorry, Yui-sama," Dajien said, sounding sincerely regretful. "I can see this girl meant a lot to you, and I'm only too sorry that you didn't mean the same to her." The only response he got was a sob of despair. Bowing quickly to the both of them, Dajien exited the room while Ayuru sat back on the bed.
"I wish I didn't have to show you that," he said, running a sympathetic hand up and down her back. "But I had to prove to you that Konan is not the home you thought it was. Kutou is where you belong, Yui-sama, and I will make sure that you are always taken care of here."
She cried for a few more minutes before finally wiping her face and looking at him with ice-cold orbs. Her voice was hard and unshakable in its heartless sharpness. "You were right, Ayuru. I am the Chosen Seiryuu no Miko, for I feel it just as Miaka did. So yes, I will summon Seiryuu and I will not let anything stop me from doing it, not even the Suzaku no Miko."
Ayuru only smiled.
* * *