Miaka stared at Chiriko, completely shell-shocked. She felt numb, like a block of ice had suddenly engulfed her.
"Chi-Chiriko?" she whispered.
Chiriko didn't move. Miaka slowly remembered what had happened. Chiriko had been hurt trying to save her.
Miaka walked over to Chiriko and sat down next to him. "Chiriko, wake up!" she begged, fighting tears. "Come on, wake up."
Chiriko stirred and looked up at Miaka. "Miaka-sama, I'm dying," he said simply, as if stating a well known fact.
"That's not true," Miaka protested. "So your hair and clothes are a little bloody and you're wounded. Don't worry. Mitsukake will heal you right up."
"Miaka-sama," Chiriko whispered. "When I die, I want you to take care of my sister."
"But, you're not dying," she insisted. "We'll both take care of your sister. You'll see."
Chiriko gave Miaka one last smile. "Mia. . .ka-sama," Chiriko whispered softly, his life fading. "Thank. . .you. Thank the. . .Suzaku Seven. . .for their. . .kindness. . itsukake-sama. . .and Hotohori-sama. And please. . .protect. . .my. . .sister. . ."
Chiriko's eyes turned a dull gray. His head fell back and he closed his eyes.
"Chiriko," Miaka whispered. Tears poured down her face in endless rivers. She didn't bother to brush them away. "CHIRIKO!"
The Suzaku Seven rushed toward them, hoping they weren't too late. "Miaka, are you all right?" he asked. "What's wrong?"
"Chiriko," Miaka sobbed. "It's Chiriko."
Nuriko noticed the blood. It was splattered all over the place. Chiriko's clothes were stained crimson red, as well as Miaka's arms.
Nuriko sank to her knees and looked at Chiriko softly.
"Nuriko, what's going on?" Chichiri asked. "What happened to Miaka? To Chiriko?"
The tears in Nuriko's eyes were the only explanation Chichiri needed. Chichiri gasped. "Chiriko, is he really. . .?"
Mitsukake walked over to Chiriko and took his hand. Shaking his head, he turned to everyone and sighed. "He's dead," he whispered.
Hotohori walked over to Chiriko and ruffled his hair fondly. "Chiriko."
Tasuki pounded his fists on the ground and screamed as though his heart were breaking. "Who's the bastard that did this to him!" he cried. "WHO!"
"Poor Chiriko," Nuriko said.
Tamahome was last to arrive. No one needed to tell him what had happened. Tasuki's screams, Nuriko's wistful whispers and tears, Chichiri's silence, Mitsukake's solemnless, Hotohori's tears, and Miaka's shaking shoulders were proof enough of what had happened.
Slowly, he walked over to Miaka and sat down next to her.
Miaka looked up at Tamahome with a pitiful, tear-stained face. "He's dead," she whispered. "He's dead." More tears flowed down her face. "Chiriko's dead and it's all my fault!"
Tamahome took the sobbing Miaka in his arms. "I'm sorry. I should've been here earlier."
"Oh, Tamahome!" Miaka sobbed. "He died in my arms. He told me to thank everyone for him."
"Thank us?" Chichiri said. "We should be the ones thanking him, you know?"
"Damn straight!" Tasuki said.
"He had a good heart," Mitsukake said.
"I'm going to miss him," Nuriko said, two lone tears falling down his face.
"We'll remember him," Hotohori said softly, blinking away tears. "His kindness will live in our hearts forever."
The crying and mourning eventually ceased. They had to give Chiriko a proper burial. So they did. Everyone gave prayers. Tasuki ran away with a strangled sobbed, Chichiri left sniffing and rubbing his nose, Mitsukake took his cat in his hands and stroked it then left, Nuriko rubbed her eyes and ran off, and Hotohori just walked away with an ashen face. Only Miaka and Tamahome were left. Miaka, who hadn't stopped crying, shed silent tears and undid her hair ribbons. They were her favorite ones, pink satin and ideal for holding her auburn hair buns together. She looked for something to tie them together. Tamahome gave her a small rock and a green leaf. The leaf smelled fresh and had a smooth, waxy feeling. It was the kind of leaf Chiriko would've played as a whistle.
Silently, solemnly, Miaka tied her hair ribbons on the stem of the leaf and placed them on Chiriko's grave. Tamahome placed the rock on the bundle to prevent them from flying away.
"Sayonara," Miaka whispered, "and thank you."
Silenlty, Tamahome and Miaka left. One hair ribbon flew away with a blood-stained leaf. Thunder crashed and rain began to pour. The miserable weather seemed to also be mourning the death of the youngest of the Suzaku Seven.
Ohh, I wish this wasn't so sad. I do know that Chiriko dies in the second season, which is where the idea for this fanfic came from, but it's still hard to take.