Nuriko tried desperately to blot out the sound of the flute, clutching his ears and trying to stay on his feet. Yumi was already on her knees, moaning. The sound seemed to slice through his mind like a knife, making to hard to think and breathe. He didn't know what Tamahome was doing. He had played his flute before, but it had never done anything to them.
"REKKA SHINEN!" Tasuki yelled, swinging his harisen, which promptly erupted in flames, sending them towards Tamahome. Nuriko watched in constrained horror as the right shoulder of the man's shirt burned away to reveal a glowing blue symbol. It was Amiboshi, the Seiryu warrior. Was it not an hour's time ago that Nuriko had been chatting away with another Seiryu warrior, and now this one was going to kill him? Had they been deceived all along?
There was someone else on the wall now. Nuriko could barely make him out, racing along the edge. He looked exactly like Amiboshi, the one they had thought was Tamahome. Then who was this new man? Amiboshi was playing his flute faster, and the pain in Nuriko's head increased, almost bringing him to his knees, but he kept his eyes on the figure racing towards Amiboshi.
The unknown man jumped and kicked Amiboshi square in the chest, making the blasted noise coming from the flute to cease. Nuriko could breath again. Amiboshi flipped backwards, clutching his chest and landed back on his feet on the ground beneath the north gate. The other man jumped down as well, attacking the Seiryu warrior fiercely, punching so quickly that Nuriko could hardly follow his movements, but he did see one thing. There was a red symbol glowing in the middle of the man's forehead. He was the real Tamahome.
Yumi stood shakily when the sound of the flute stopped cutting through her mind, allowing her to stand. She would never make fun of the pains of one of Megumi's migraines ever again. But what did Tamahome think he was doing? She watched as the two men who looked exactly alike fought, and she could see now. Tamahome was actually Amiboshi, and the new man was… Tamahome, judging from the glowing red symbol on his forehead… Yumi was confused. Amiboshi was barely managing to block each punch of Tamahome's, slowly having to back up and retreat under the other man's assault. They were getting close to the river.
"Hey, whoever that new guy is, he's doin a good job! Lookit that Seiryu bastard, he doesn't have a chance!" Tasuki said the last part with disdain as he helped Yumi straighten and stop shaking. That was Amiboshi? Megumi's warrior had tried to kill them? But she had said she didn't know where he was. Was she lying? Amiboshi's face flickered, revealing a younger, frightened visage.
"Aniki!" She heard someone yell. She turned around to see Megumi staring at her in disbelief. Soi was standing beside her priestess, glaring daggers at Yumi. Suboshi was starting to race forward; two strange looking balls connected by a thin rope whirring around his head. Tasuki immediately stepped forward to meet him, not wanting him near Yumi.
Yumi turned back as Tamahome forced Amiboshi back bit by bit. His face flickered again, and she recognized it as Suboshi's mirror image, his twin brother. Without realizing it, Yumi began to run forward. Even though she could never forgive one of Megumi's warriors, Nakago, she didn't want this one to die. He had helped her before.
"Tamahome! Stop!" She cried out to her true warrior. Tamahome.
"Aniki!" Suboshi called at the same time. Almost as if she were watching in slow motion, she saw Amiboshi stiffen when he heard Suboshi call him. Tamahome ducked down and kicked the Seiryu warrior's legs out from under him and he began to fall. He flickered, and suddenly his appearance fell away, revealing his true likeness and the stunned look on his face as he fell backwards towards the river. She could vaguely hear Megumi scream, and Suboshi cry out. Tamahome himself stopped suddenly and stared at Amiboshi as he fell, trying to catch Amiboshi's hand, even as he slipped out of Tamahome's reach.
Yumi reached him, trying to grab his hand, but she missed by mere inches and he fell. Yumi hit the ground beside the river, staring into it as she watched the swollen water rage and flow. There was no trace of Amiboshi, and she knew that no one could have survived the flooding river. Slowly, she turned to face Megumi.
-
Megumi could vaguely hear someone scream. She thought it might have been her. Amiboshi was going to die. The man with the glowing red symbol on his forehead had forced him back against the riverbank. Then he had kicked his legs out from under him and he had fallen into the river. Amiboshi was… dead?
There was a hollow hole in her heart. She had promised not to let anything hurt him or Suboshi, and she had broken it. Megumi didn't know why breaking a promise bothered her by itself. She had broken promises numerous times before. Her mother would tell her to call when she got to someone's house and she would forget, or she'd promise her brother that she would play with him and then decide she didn't want to. Breaking promises was nothing new to the priestess of Seiryu.
Megumi didn't understand why tears coursed down her pale cheeks. She looked down and realized that she had sat down on the ground. She brought a small hand to her face in a feeble attempt to stem the flow of her tears. Why shouldn't I be sad? I mean, he was a good friend and everything. He was a nice guy. I don't want people to die… Megumi thought, feeling detached from her body. She was transparent again. The dirt showed through the parts of her she could see. It didn't bother her that much anymore.
"You bastards…" Megumi heard someone whisper. Yumi's 'favorite' had backed up to stand beside her, probably due to the fact that Suboshi's ryusuisei were whirling around his body with sufficient force to pass through anyone whose body came into contact with them. Yumi was staring blankly at Yumi, sprawled on her stomach at the bank of the river.
Suboshi was on his hands and knees; his head bowed as his weapon swirled around his body viciously. Tears coursed down his cheeks as they did on Megumi's. He had just lost his twin brother. They shared a special connection. What would it be like to feel your brother die? As she watched, Suboshi got to his feet, his hands clenched into tight fists at his sides.
"You bastards!" He shouted, the ryusuisei going faster and faster, spinning around him. There was a look of intense hate on his face even as his tears of grief streamed from his eyes. "That was my brother! My twin brother! And you killed him!" Suboshi shouted again. He didn't direct his anger just at the man with the symbol on his forehead, but everyone who served Suzaku in front of him, even Yumi.
"Ya deserve it fer what your damn general tried to do to Yumi!" Tasuki shouted right back, stepping protectively in front of Yumi, who looked as if she was in shock.
"I'll kill you all! Just like you killed my aniki!" Suboshi choked out, throwing his hand forward. The ryusuisei spun down the length of his arm before shooting towards Tasuki and Yumi. Megumi watched, her hands no longer trying to stop her tears. She could barely register that Soi roughly pulled her into a standing position.
Tasuki cursed colorfully as he seized Yumi by the waist and jumped out of the way. He was very fast, but even then he barely dodged the flying weapons. Soi sighed and left Megumi to herself as she calmly walked forward. Suboshi was still crying, his face contorted with raw hate as he controlled his ryusuisei. He was too intent upon trying to kill the targets of his loathing to notice when Soi came up behind him.
In one swift chop to his neck Suboshi stiffened and slumped forward. Soi caught him before he fell, hoisting him up and slinging him over her shoulder as she had done to Nuriko earlier. Under the startled gazes of the Suzaku warriors she calmly walked forward and retrieved the ryusuisei that had dropped to the ground and turned around to walk back.
"Come, Your Eminence. We're leaving now." Soi said softly, taking her shoulder and turning her around to face the palace. Megumi shot one last wounded look at Yumi before following Soi. Even unconscious, tears continued to fall from Suboshi's closed eyes.
-
Yumi watched in stunned silence as her best friend turned her back and left. It was as though her voice had been frozen. She could say nothing to defend herself, and Megumi was gone. As though from a distance, she could feel Tasuki's arms squeeze her protectively, even though the danger was gone. Yumi knew there was no forgiveness this time. From the way Megumi reacted, it was obvious that she was very attached to Amiboshi. She may even have loved him. Yumi tried to think of how she would react if Soi or Nakago had killed Tasuki, and she understood Megumi's pain completely. A few tears leaked from her eyes of their own accord, just thinking of how Megumi must feel. She felt a gentle hand brush them away.
"Tasuki… What do we do?" Yumi asked, catching his hand upon her cheek. She looked up at him. I don't know what to do. What do I do? Yumi tried to compose herself, remembering the arrival of the real Tamahome. Reluctantly, Tasuki let her go. I'm safe now, I promise.
"Tamahome?" Yumi put a hand on the young man's shoulder. He looked to be about the same age as Tasuki, that is to say, nineteen. He looked very similar to the guise under which Amiboshi had been posing. A red character glowed brightly on his forehead, though it quickly faded. He looked at Yumi. His eyes were full of sadness and regret.
"Why?" He asked. Yumi had no idea how to answer him. "That man… he was a good person. He saved my sister's life. And I killed him." As if on cue, a small girl walked into view. She was scared and shaking, not to mention heavily bandaged.
"Aniki?" She asked in a small, little-girl voice. "Is everything okay now?" Tamahome nodded sadly and bent to pick the child up.
"Yes, Yuiren. You're safe now." Yumi tried not to stare at the girl. She couldn't have been more than five years old, but Yumi would never understand how she could have sustained such horrendous wounds and survived.
"Nuriko!" Yumi called suddenly. In a flash, both of her warriors, Tasuki and Nuriko, were at her side. "Nuriko, please take Tamahome to the palace and have Mitsukake take care of Yuiren." She turned back to Tamahome.
"You are a warrior of Suzaku, aren't you?" She asked, but she didn't need Tamahome to answer. She took the jeweled necklace, which still hung about her throat, and dangled it in front of Tamahome. In response, the jewel glowed red, as did Tamahome for a moment. Nothing appeared before him, but the jewel DID glow. That was enough. It was the real Tamahome. But that doesn't matter. It's too late now. So what if I have all seven warriors? I've been… she didn't want to say the word, not even in her head. Defiled. I' have to face it whether I want to or not. I've been raped. She smiled lightly.
"Tamahome, Mitsukake is another warrior of Suzaku, and he's a wonderful doctor. He'll take care of you're sister. Nuriko will take care of introducing you to Hotohori, Chichiri, and Chiriko. You'll like Nuriko. He's kinda strange at first, but his heart is in the right place." Nuriko rolled his eyes at her, and smiled to show that he understood. Now, Megumi can't summon Seiryu. Isn't this pathetic? We both tried so hard, and now, neither one of us can do what we meant to. Yumi glanced at the river, praying silently for the chance that Amiboshi would survive. She shook her head sadly, not knowing when she would see her best friend again, if ever. The two of them were now stuck in this world, but at least Yumi had the one she loved. The one Megumi loved… I hurt Megumi very badly this time.
Yumi looked back toward the palace. There's no reason to go there anymore. I could just… But Yumi hated admitting defeat.
"I'll see you in a few days, okay, Nuriko? I'll miss you until then!" She called more cheerfully than she felt. Yumi didn't have to say anything to Tasuki. He knew what she was up to.
"I guess we're gonna get goin' then?" He asked her. Yumi nodded and allowed herself to be lifted up onto the horse's back. She noticed that this one was the one Tasuki had been riding on their journey a few days ago. I didn't know we got them back… Yatsu. That's his name. Tasuki easily lifted Yumi and carefully placed her in the saddle, waiting for to settle before jumping up onto the horse's back, sitting in the saddle behind Yumi. He must have gotten better with horses in his time as a "Seiryu warrior," for he expertly kicked the horse into a quick trot. I think it's a trot, anyway. The sky cleared immediately, but Yumi couldn't think about the weather kindly. Amiboshi was dead. So what if he's a Seiryu warrior. He was a good person. He had been among the Suzaku people for many days, and always was helpful. Now he's dead. Yumi leaned back against Tasuki, thinking, praying for Amiboshi's survival, even she knew it was futile. Tasuki put a hand around her waist, gently, so that she wouldn't fall.
"Tasuki?" Yumi said softly. "I feel like I need to apologize to Megumi." Yumi's heart felt as though it were being squeezed. She wondered what it meant.
"She's the one who should apologize to me. Right? Everything has been going wrong for us, and it's all because of Seiryu." She could feel Tasuki tense slightly. She stole Tasuki from me, tried to make him kill me. That was forgivable, since she probably wasn't directly behind it. But Nakago… and now she makes ME feel bad when something goes wrong for her? Damn it all, but whole VILLAGES has been slaughtered because of the priestess of Seiryu. Villages full of people whom it was MY duty to protect. Tasuki didn't say anything.
Why do I want to go back and find her? Why do I feel like I need to see her right now, before it's too late? Too late for what? I don't even know… Yumi shook her head slightly. I'm so confused. But I do know that Megumi didn't deserve to watch the man she loved die, don't I? Don't I?
They traveled in silence until the sky began to darken. But it wasn't uncomfortable silence. There was just no need for either of them to say anything, so they didn't. Yumi could feel the rhythm of the horse, but had no idea what kind of gait he was in now. It felt faster, a little wilder. If she remembered correctly, it had only taken Yumi one night to walk from Mt. Reikaku to the capitol, so they would probably be there soon. Yumi closed her eyes, trusting Tasuki to find his way home. Home. Maybe it will be my home as well. Through her closed eyelids, Yumi could tell that the sun had gone down, and she felt Tasuki slow the horse, still holding her with one arm. He really must have improved at handling horses. She didn't realize that she had dozed off until Tasuki woke her, whispering in her ear.
"We're here." Yumi opened her eyes sleepily and felt Tasuki lift her out of the saddle. Yumi came fully awake, looking around through the gloom. It seemed like such a long time since she had last been here, a different lifetime, almost. She was weary from the ride, and was grateful when Tasuki carried her bag for her. To either side, Yumi could see the dark shadows of trees, but straight ahead, there was the cheerful warmth and glow of a building, partially hidden by the trees. Tasuki tied Yatsu to a post, probably there for that express purpose, and led Yumi up to the door. Yumi felt Tasuki put a hand around her waist protectively. Without knocking, Tasuki pushed the door open and strode inside.