Disclaimers: I don't own Fushigi Yuugi.
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Narrator's POV
The figure in the doorway stepped inside the cave. "So," it began in a low male voice, "I have finally found you, Dugureng." Iname stared, frozen to the spot. He knew that voice. He had heard it so many times. But now, it was hard and cold, like the blizzard that he and the other seishi had fought to get through just the day before. It stung him, just as the fierce wind of the blizzard had, to hear that voice, which he had always associated with comfort and acceptance, talk to him in that tone of voice with him.
"I suppose so, Kuro. You don't seem to be very happy to see me," he answered, trying to keep his voice from shaking. It was a loosing battle. Kuro smirked as he heard the quiver in Iname's voice.
"Iname, who is this?" A voice said. Iname looked behind him and saw that it was Takiko. Kuro also looked at Takiko and the other Genbu Seishi.
"So, Dugureng, these are the people who you've betrayed your nation for? You've decided that these scum are better then me as well as all of Kutou!" Kuro's words stung Iname, and he looked away. 'He's right. I've run away from Kutou, from him, to be with these people. I've run from my fears, and my enemy. But even worse, I've run from my friend,' he thought miserably.
"Kuro... Please listen to me. These people aren't bad. They-" he started.
"What do you know?! They murdered my father! They're barbarians! They don't care about others. They only care about themselves." Kuro yelled, his voice echoing throughout the cave.
"Kuro, please. Someone in Hokkan killed your father. This is true. But these did not. The chances are that they weren't even there when he was killed. And many people form Kutou have killed people from Hokkan. People with family and friends. Besides, this is war, Kuro! In war, people die. That's the way things work. There has never been a war where nobody has died. Never!" Iname tried to persuade the man who had once been his friend, but to no avail.
"Don't you see, Dugureng? Their all the same. They're all murdering barbarians! They've stolen everything from me. They already stole my father, and now they're stealing you!"
"They haven't stolen me, Kuro. I went with them on my own. It's my destiny as one of the Genbu Seishi, even if I was born in Kutou. I haven't stopped caring for you. You were... no... are my best friend. For a long time, you were my only friend. I wish that I hadn't had to betray my country, and everything that I've ever known. But I know why I had to betray them, so I don't regret doing what I did. But..." Tears began to run down Iname's cheeks as he talked. "I do regret betraying you. I wish I hadn't had to do it. Back in Kutou, you were the only person who ever really cared what happened to me." Iname stopped, trying to find a way to convince Kuro of how he felt, but failing.
"You're lying. You never really cared about me. It was all just an act. And after I trusted you all this time! You betrayed me! I'll never forgive you! I'll kill you, and the rest of the Genbu Seishi!" With that, Kuro pulled off his cloak and pulled out a large war ax. He lunged at the Genbu Seishi in front of him, crazed with rage. Iname and the other seishi barely dodged the attack, Tomite pulling Takiko out of the way. Kuro turned towards Iname and began to advance. Hikitsu quickly raised his hand to create an ice snake and freeze Kuro so that Iname wouldn't be hurt.
"Hikitsu, stop! Don't hurt him!" Iname yelled to him. Hikitsu faltered and the ice snake disappeared.
"What's wrong, Dugureng? Don't have the nerve to let him kill me? Or do you just want to kill me yourself?" Iname's attacker taunted, then lunged for Iname's throat. Iname dodged just in time and the war ax hit the stone wall of the cave. As Kuro tried to wedge his ax out of the wall, Iname scrambled towards his pack, grabbing the abandoned blade next to it. He turned to face Kuro just as he managed to pull his ax out of the wall with a jerk. For a second Kuro was off balance, but he recovered quickly. 'Why? Why didn't he attack me while I was off balance?' Kuro wondered, but pushed the thought aside as he lunged, determined to kill the man who was once his best friend.
Iname didn't want to fight Kuro. He was the person who had accepted him for who he was when nobody else would. However, he would still fight Kuro. Because if he didn't, and Kuro killed him, then Genbu would not be summoned. And he may kill the other seishi and Takiko, too. Or, they would kill him. Iname couldn't let that happen. If anyone was going to kill Kuro, then he would do it. Then he would at least be out of his misery.
Iname put up a shield to stop Kuro from cutting him in half. Kuro cursed and tried to break it. But, of corse, it wouldn't break. "Kuro! Please stop this. It's useless. I don't want to have to kill you!" Iname cried as Kuro surveyed his shield, trying to find it's weakness.
"Coward! Come out of there and fight me like a man!" He yelled, acting like he hadn't heard Iname, even though everyone knew that he had. But Iname didn't put the shield down. Kuro cursed some more and looked around the cave. His eyes rested on Takiko. He smirked an ran towards the small girl.
"TAKIKO!!!" cried Tomite, but he was to far away to save her. Takiko eyes widened in fear as she saw Kuro coming towards her. She tried to run, but stumbled and fell onto the cold stone. Kuro was about to kill her, when something was embedded in his back. He stumbled back, and fell, blood dripping down his back...
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Iname's POV
Just before Kuro killed Takiko, I threw my sword, embedding it in his back. I had done it on impulse. "D-Dugureng?" He whispered just before he fell. I ran up to him, tears streaming down my face.
"Kuro. Kuro!" I cried, lifting him in my arms. He smiled weakly at me.
"Well, Dugureng? Are you... happy? You've... killed me." His voice was soft and barely audible, but I could still hear him.
"No. No! Kuro, you have to live. I don't want it to end like this!" I looked around frantically. Hatsui walked over to me and crouched.
"If you want, I can heal him. But if he attacks one of us again the we'll just have to kill him, Iname," he said quietly. I looked down at my dying friend and nodded slowly. Hatsui drew out his knife and was about to make a long cut in his left arm when Kuro spoke again.
"D-don't... bother." We both looked at him.
"Kuro?! What are you saying? We can save you! We can go back to the way things used to be! Don't you remember everything that we did together? We... We can start over."
"No.... We can't. Things will... never be the same, and... you know it. I... I was stupid.... to think that you'd... ever betray me. Besides.... I don't... want to live... anymore."
"W-what? What are you saying, Kuro?" He grinned weakly at me. "Hey... Dugureng.... this way... I'll be with... my father.... and... Yind..."
"No... No. You can't... You can't die. Yind and your father will always be with you. No matter what. You don't have to die to be together.! Don't you remember? How Yind and you promised each other just before she died that you'd always be together!" To my surprise, he laughed.
"Dugureng.... I'll miss you... My friend......" His eyes closed slowly, and with that, he was gone. Gone forever. I slowly set him on the cold floor of the cave and stared at his still face.
"Kuro...." I whispered softly. But he would never answer. I felt like there was a great emptiness inside me where he had once been. He had been such a big part of my life, and I had killed him. I had killed my best friend. "You... you... fool..."
The others watched silently as I wept. I didn't even notice them. After a few hours, I went outside the cave to bury him. Once I did, I found a large stone and carved his name into it. I shoved it into the ground by the grave and looked at my work. "You deserved better, Kuro," I said to the spirit that I knew would never answer me.
I don't know how long I stood there. I don't really care. Finally, Takiko walked out of the cave and stood by me also looking at the grave. "I-Iname... I... I suppose that I should thank you. You saved my life. And... I'm really sorry.... About Kuro." I watched her face as she struggled to find words to express herself.
"It's okay. He.... I don't think that he wanted to live anymore. At least this way, he can be with Yind," I replied.
"There's something I've been wondering about through this entire ordeal." A scratchy low voice said behind me Takiko and I turned and saw and old woman appear out of thin air. Her while hair was pulled back into a small knot at the top of her head. She looked very strange, standing there in the snow. No doubt she had once been beautiful. But now she wasn't, although I wouldn't quite call her ugly. There was something about her that I couldn't quite place my finger on. She looked at our surprised faces and smiled a bit, showing her teeth. The woman looked as if she had seen better days. Her clothes had once fit better and there were many patches in them. Everything she wore was second rate and had been used past its time. Her hazel eyes where hollow and haunted, as if they had seen horrible things. She had about seven earrings in one ear and three in the other, and she was leaning on a old, yet smooth, wooden staff. She wore no shoes and her skirt was ripped at the bottom, as were her sleeves, even though the bitter wind and snow were cold enough to give her frost bite. She acted as if she didn't need them. But that staff... It looked polished and new. There were intricate carvings in it and it was obviously expensive. It looked like it didn't belong on this strange old woman who was standing barefoot in the snow with thin, patched and ripped clothes that couldn't have offered much warmth. She just stood there, her cloths and a few bits of hair that had struggled out of her bun blowing in the wind while we looked her over. Finally, she spoke again, "Who is this Yind person that you talk about so much?"
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~End of Chapter 22~
Can you guess who the old woman is? I already know who she is, and I can tell you, I'm going to have fun with her. Have you guessed how she can appear out of thin air? If you don't remember, I mentioned her in chapter 20 as well, but it was only for a second. Also, then I called her "it" because I hadn't decided what gender I was going to make her, and even if I had, I didn't want to give anything away. I hope that I haven't given anything away in this. If I have, then I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. Anyway, please review. I haven't gotten any reviews in a while. When I made Takiko and Tomite confess their love for each other, I thought that I'd get a few more reviews, but as of now, I've only gotten two, and one of them was for chapter two (I still liked it! Don't think that I'm mad that you didn't read the whole thing before reviewing! I like any reviews!). Thanks to anyone who has reviewed. I really enjoy them. Even the ones that criticize me. They help me get better. So whether you want to flame me, or complement me, the please review. Thanks! More coming soon!
