title: mystic lily xx
anime series: full moon wo sagashite xx
disclaimer: Tanemura-sensei holds all rights for full moon wo sagashite characters
status: continued 3 xx
thank you Renzieyoung for reviewing the last chapter. hopefully more people will notice this litto fanfiC - and nowwwwwwwwwwwwww...
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Meroko emerged in the Spirit World safely, gazing at the familiar objects, smiling sadly to herself as she saw former friends.
'It's been quite a while, hasn't it?' she murmured quietly to herself.
'Is that you, Meroko?'
A sweet, innocent short-haired girl skipped happily towards her old friend. Her animal ears resembled those of a goat, two horns twisted in a gentle curl with stylish lines running around them. Her eyes bore memories of a fulfilling Shinigami life and forgotten dark scars, yet now they were shining with excitement to see her old friend.
'Why are you here today?'
'Eh? Ah…'
'You probably screwed something up again and the chief called you in, right?'
'Ah… well, perhaps… I'm in a hurry, so…'
'Ah! Hold on, Meroko!'
Meroko flew off, her eyebrows still creased. However, thinking silently as she flew towards her destination, she remembered her. It was Minami. She was happy... she had been happy to see her again… it had been so many years since they saw each other, and it had been so many years since Meroko had seen her smile and be so filled with joy to see her…
However, those painful memories returned as she flew on. Painful memories involving Izumi, painful memories between the three of them…
Sorry. I don't have the time to chat right now…
On the other side of the world, Mitsuki watched worriedly as Meroko's face was clenched in bitter anger – no, it was probably determination, thought Mitsuki. That must have been one of her old friends… oh no, I feel so sorry for her, she's being so rushed as not to be able to stay and talk to them just for that little bit… she looked so happy too… Meroko never mentioned any other friends of hers from the Spirit World… who was she?
Aside Mitsuki, Izumi was also watching. Ignoring Jonathan, he had startled when he saw both of them – Minami and Meroko, together in the Spirit World; moreover, a happy Minami to see Meroko and greet her after all these years… Izumi's eyebrows frowned, and he glared grimly at Meroko's face, knowing exactly why she was looking the way she was… the sudden encounter had spun memories out of the past and they were now painted on Meroko's usual cheerful face. Izumi grimaced to himself.
Meroko continued to fly swiftly towards the cave. She tried to stir the flying thoughts out of her head by concentrating on her target. Glancing up at the red moon, she noted that the eclipse had not started yet.
The eclipse hasn't started yet. Looks like I'll make it in time.
As she passed through the forest, she heard a strange flapping noise behind her; but as she turned slightly to identify the source of the noise, vines thrashed out at her, threatening to grind her to a pulp, to choke her, to slice her with their claw-like thorns. Meroko dodged them, squealing, scared, shaken. As two thick vines came crossing to make a lethal lunge at her, Meroko conjured a life-size doll that took her form to distract them as she flew on hastily. Mitsuki gasped as she watched Meroko.
'Be careful, Meroko!'
Man, what kind of forest is this!
Meroko sighed, and looked determinedly ahead. It seemed as though she had forgotten her worries for a brief moment – and then she saw it.
The cave…
In the real world, Mitsuki also sighed with relief. She had become so worried that her knees had weakened and given way – and as a result, she had collapsed onto the side of the little pool. As she looked up at Meroko's flying form, she saw a black shadow beginning to fall upon the red moon that encircled her view into the Spirit World.
'Ah! The eclipse has started…'
Mitsuki set the hourglass onto a flat rock and it began glowing. The sand commenced its painstaking journey into the final bell-jar. Tiny grains bounced around the glass surface, and trickled to fill the base.
Please… make it in time.
However, although she was oblivious to her mistake, Mitsuki had set the hourglass a few moments after the eclipse had started. Thus being said, the hourglass was ticking behind…
The cave opened its doors that bore the symbol of death – a large skull with empty, dark eyes. Meroko sped up as she knew that her time was restricted; but as she attempted to enter, her wings froze. Unable to support her weight, flap, or fly, Meroko went plunging into the cave, screaming. She hit the rocky ground heavily, and she moaned in pain. Without magic to make herself lightweight, she now struggled to push herself off the ground with her own physical strength; but it was difficult.
'Meroko, are you alright!'
Mitsuki gazed worriedly at Meroko's face which was filled with pain and frustration. However, she breathed out as she saw that Meroko had opened her eyes in determination, and she was doing well to attempt to stand up. Meroko inhaled painfully.
That's right…I can't use my powers in this cave…
As she looked up, a blue glimmer caught her eye. Positioned in the very heart of the cave was a dazzlingly white flower that bloomed out of thin air; Meroko identified it immediately as the Flower of Forgetfulness. Suddenly, as if it knew that it had been sought out, the flower glowed with a brilliant light, blinding Meroko as she crouched on the rocks, shielding her eyes. Her eyes began tearing as she opened them slowly, accustoming herself to the extreme light. As she rose to her feet, her left knee buckled with pain; a sharp rock had torn her stockings and grazed her sensitive skin. Meroko whimpered softly, pulling the stocking to cover the worse of the injury to conceal it from Mitsuki, not wanting her to notice and worry.
It's just a scratch…
From behind, she heard a gentle thud; but before she could turn around and identify the source of this, a flock of bats came screeching out at her, surrounding her head and screaming in her ears. Meroko screamed in fright.
'Meroko, run! Meroko!'
Meroko swiped at the annoying creatures, her eyes closed, aiming carelessly. The bats flew out of her reach, and eventually hovered away, still screeching, leaving Meroko alone. As she stepped away, gasping for breath and leaning against the hard walls of the cave, she heard Mitsuki's voice.
'Meroko! Time is – There's less than half left!'
Meroko was powered with a fresh wave of determination. All she had to do was enter the heart of the cave and retrieve the blooms that reflected a strange, eerie blue light, contrasting with the dark purples and blacks that Meroko was wafting in.
'Just a little further…' she told herself, stepping forward. 'I'll make it in time!'
Taking courageous steps towards the blue inner-cave, Meroko heard, once again, the bats screeching in the background – very faintly, as if they were travelling further away from her. Before she could even think about the reasons why the bats had not continued to attack her, a blue needle of pain stung her left wing. She gasped, eyes widening with shock, as feathers floated gently away from her wing. Another one slashed her face so that little scratches disfigured her beautiful face. Astonished, Meroko froze as she thought she heard a voice behind her.
'What's wrong?' Mitsuki called, her voice echoing from the other side of the world, watching Meroko's paralysed form in fear.
'Oh – noth –'
Before Meroko could finish her response, another stab of pain struck her shoulders, and she winced, flinching as another shiver of pain shot through her. Another slash crossed her other shoulder, and two others cut the sides of her thin waist, brushing a sensitive patch of skin, causing Meroko to suddenly stand upright and stare blindly ahead as the pain crossed her. The sharp needles didn't stop attacking her. A particularly sharp one cut into her left arm, blood slowly seeping out, another did the same to her right arm, several more severing feathers from her wings.
Mitsuki stepped back with horror at what she was seeing. Here was one of her best friends being tortured right in front of her eyes – and she couldn't do anything to help her! Meroko stumbled backwards, the pain numbing her mind.
'Meroko!'
Mitsuki's voice echoed throughout the cave; although it still sounded as if two voices were calling her. Awoken from her state of paralysis, Meroko caught herself before she fell backwards, her high-boots scuffing the ground. Gasping with pain, scratches and deep cuts all over her body, Meroko glared fiercely at the flower, remembering Izumi's words.
The flower holds strong powers. It punishes all who approaches it.
Mitsuki's eyes bore heavy signs of fear and astonishment as she watched drearily, helplessly. How could I do this to Meroko, she thought huskily, her heart tearing, I can't bear it anymore!
'Meroko!' she cried, despite her throat throbbing. 'Come back already!'
Meroko's mind was in a whirl. Flashes of Takuto flew through her mind; how he had accepted her scarf at Christmas, how he had stood up for her against Izumi, how he had always been there to talk sense to her about Mitsuki. I love him.
'I can't do something like that,'
Mitsuki hesitated. She knew that Meroko also had deep feelings for Takuto; longer than her own – what? Her own feelings… no, this is Meroko we're talking about here!
'But… at this rate…'
The hourglass's sand continued trickling…
'Mitsuki, I've finally found it. Something I can do for Takuto. So, I won't give up until the very end…' Meroko said this all very fast, as she knew that her time to do what she could for the one she loved was ticking away. She took a bracing step forward.
Mitsuki's eyes looked on helplessly at Meroko, who was pushing so persistently – all for Takuto. Her heart clenched, straining to do something; but what could she do? I have no powers like Shinigami – I am just Mitsuki… I am just… a girl who loves to sing… something that I can do for Meroko right now… what can I do for Meroko right now?
It struck her, as Meroko took quivering steps into the blue-illuminating heart of the cave. An unexpected pressure closed in on Meroko and she collapsed, still not used to holding her own weight as her powers had been stripped of her. She struggled to get up again – and then she heard Mitsuki's voice.
Doushite konna ni suki nandarou / why do I love you so?
Kimi no koe kanashii hodo kibiteru yo/ your voice is calling out with such sadness
Ima made nani ga sasaedatta ka / I never knew what was supporting me back then, and even now
Tooku hanareta wakatta yo / until we became so far apart…
Something I can do. This is all I can do, Mitsuki thought, her heart pumping and her throat aching as she sang with all the might her body was capable of. Meroko, don't give up.
Meroko smiled, despite all the pain that was flooding her. Overcoming this obstacle, Meroko understood that Mitsuki was doing all she could to send the most important message to her – and with this in mind, Meroko broke the overwhelming spell that the cave was inflicting upon her. Encouraged, Meroko also began singing, although weakly, with Mitsuki. Strengthened with a new rush of hope, Meroko continued her tedious path towards the flower, ignoring the quickened pricking of needles that continued to scar her.
The hourglass's sand continued trickling…
Doushite kimi wo suki ni nattandarou / why is it that I've fallen in love with you?
Kantau sugite kotaeru naranai / I can't easily find an answer…
Meroko stretched out a trembling hand, a grin spreading across her face, a sense of accomplishment washing over her as the Flower of Forgetfulness gleamed. Her fingers closed around the flower, and as she did so, a feeling of the worst torture – a thousand hot white knives plunging into her flesh – a furious flame licking her skin – a thousand claws ripping at her throat – her hair being yanked out of her hair – blew over her.
Meroko fainted, and fell unconscious, the lily clutched in her gloved hand.
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oh dear, that was a bit long, since i basically described everything that happened in the cave...maybe i'll edit this again after reviews to make it shorter...but i hope i got you torn on a cliffhanger! muahahaha keep reading...