This chapter is probably my shortest one, but remember what happens here
for later. much later. just tuck it away in the back of your head to re-
surface when ready. ^_^
Chapter 20 : Reflections of Two Worlds
"No reflection?" Tasuki asked. Instead of his beige outfit, he wore tan pants and a black overcoat. "That kinda sucks. It's just like Tak... Tamahome. Or how Tamahome used to be."
Tamahome nodded at the remembrance of the incident during the collection of the memory jewels.
"Saori wasn't destined to be here, no da." Chichiri explained. He and the others minus Nuriko, Hotohori, and Mitsukake stood in the front room. "She said so herself, the only reason she is here is for Mayo, no da. Suzaku has no need of her presence."
"Is she disappearing?" Miaka asked.
"Nothing is for sure, no da."
Chiriko looked away. "Where is Nuriko at this time?"
"He's up with Saori." Boushin answered. "He's trying to cheer her up."
"They both need some cheering if ya ask me." Tasuki replied. "I was talking to Nuriko earlier, he isn't the happiest camper himself." Tasuki smirked a little. "Kinda funny actually, when he was talkin' I heard his voice waver, ya know, 'squeak.' I think he's finally starting to lose that feminine tone of his."
Miaka smiled.
Just then, the quick footsteps of the Hokkan Ambassador were heard as she entered the front room. She gave the group only a glance as she walked steadily towards the opposite exit, several books and papers gripped firmly in her hands.
"And where the heck d'ya think you're going?" Tasuki asked.
Inami slowed only slightly. "Mekan..." She said quietly looking away, "Has been completely obliterated. It's been burnt to the ground."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Damn Kutou army..." Tamahome cursed, leaning back in his chair. "They just attack the helpless and leave, not man enough to stay and take on a fight!"
"Taka..." Miaka whispered.
"It never seems to end..." Nuriko propped himself up on his elbows. The Suzaku Seven plus some surrounded the long, rectangular table they've found themselves at so many times. Saori was absent, still in her bedroom. At least now she was resting, trying to overcome the stress of the day.
"We should attack the capital and get it over with." Inami stated sourly.
"We can't take such a risk without immensive preparations and training, you know that." Hotohori scolded.
"Why are your panties in such a wad?" Tasuki asked, smart alikey.
Inami looked at Tasuki through the corner of her eyes. "First of all, you should not comment on my undergarments at such a meeting." She looked back at her papers. "I have close relatives in Mekan." She shut her eyes hard. "I apologize for my earlier suggestion, Emperor. Perhaps, though, those preparations and trainings should begin soon."
Hotohori nodded. "I agree. I will have word sent to Hokkan of our new plans. Inami and Chichiri, I would like you to help me outline them afterwards."
The two nodded.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You should be so hard on yourself." Boushin held Saori's hand tightly, sitting beside her form on her bed. Saori lay in the bed, looking away from the prince.
"None of this happened before my arrival." Saori whispered, sounding weak. "Perhaps your god is telling me to leave because I'm bad luck."
Boushin squeezed Saori's hand so tightly is was almost painful. "Don't say such things. War as been in the air with Kutou since I can remember, it was bound to come out of the box sooner or later. You're being here is just a coincidence."
Saori turned back to the young emperor. "You don't know that though, do you, Boushin?"
Boushin's grip loosened. He closed his eyes.
"Saori, your arrival can only be a blessing upon us."
"No." Saori interrupted. "My arrival was for Mayo, And I haven't even found her yet." Her voice raised slightly, a hint of anger woven throughout it.
"That is not your fault either!" Boushin shouted, alarming Saori. He was quiet for a few seconds before gathering his words and beginning again. "Saori, do you believe me to be a wise ruler?"
Saori, a little taken back, slowly nodded.
Boushin took his grip back up. "Then why won't you believe me when what I say is true?"
"Boushin..." Saori whispered.
After a moment Boushin gradually began to lean over, nearing himself to the girl before him.
A light line of red crossed Saori's cheeks, visible even in the dim light. "he's so close..." she thought. "I can feel his breath..."
"Saori-chan?" Miaka entered the room, Mitsukake and Chiriko behind her.
Boushin quickly sat up.
"Miaka?" Saori asked.
"I came to see if you were feeling all right, I brought Mitsukake, just in case."
Saori sat up, releasing Boushin's hand. "I'm fine, really." Saori assured as Miaka reached her bed.
"I'm glad." Miaka smiled.
Saori smiled back, but made a choking noise. Miaka and Boushin jumped.
Saori shut her eyes tightly, her left hand gripping the front of her shirt. He breath quickened and grew heavier, as if she was gasping desperately for air.
"Saori-chan!" Boushin yelled.
"Saori!" Miaka grabbed her friend's shoulders.
Chiriko and Mitsukake quickly ran over.
"Mitsukake!" Miaka yelled. "Do something!"
Right then, a bright, red light emerged from Saori's chest. It spread throughout the whole room, shining through the windows.
Saori looked down. Her arm, once clearly visible, flashed and disappeared in front of her eyes. Her right leg began to do the same.
"SAORI!" Boushin screamed.
******************************
"NANI?!!!" Tetsuya exclaimed.
Yui stood up, dropping the book onto the floor by her feet. Keisuke choked on his beer.
In front of them, by the kitchen in front of the counter was a flashing red light. Saori's outline glimmered lightly, an arm and leg forming slowly.
"Why is she appearing here?!!" Keisuke shouted.
"This is where the book is!" Yui answered.
"Saori..." Tetsuya whispered.
********************************
Saori screamed as the red light consumed her. She opened her eyes frantically. She was no longer surrounded by Miaka and Boushin... her whole room was gone! Instead of walls there was red, shimmering light. She floated in the middle of it, her short hair blowing messily around her face. She felt her body being raised up.
She looked up into the light, and then closed her eyes hard. "Suzaku! Please don't take me back! Not yet!!!" She cried, trying to understand the fullness of what was happening.
Yellow specks of glitter flashed about her.
"I still have to save Mayo! Please! You must let me!" Saori continued to beg into nothingness. "Don't make my efforts useless! SUZAKU! I'LL DO ANYTHING!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!"
Saori's image on the bed slowly darkened before Miaka's, Boushin's, Chiriko's, and Mitsukake's eyes. She was now nothing more than a shadow.
Both of Boushin's knees were on the bed as he stared into the swirl of light. He called out Saori's name again in unison with Miaka.
The light swirled into a tight ring and slowly disappeared. Saori laid on her bed, opposite of how she was before. Her arms were covering her head, her eyes shut tightly. She lay on her side, her knees brought up.
"Saori?" Boushin asked.
Saori slowly opened her eyes, got up, and looked around. She was still there. She was still in the book. Saori smiled, giving a sigh of relief. She collapsed, resting her weary body.
"Saori!" Miaka called out.
"I'm okay..." Saori whispered, her eyes closed. "I'll be all right..."
Chapter 20 : Reflections of Two Worlds
"No reflection?" Tasuki asked. Instead of his beige outfit, he wore tan pants and a black overcoat. "That kinda sucks. It's just like Tak... Tamahome. Or how Tamahome used to be."
Tamahome nodded at the remembrance of the incident during the collection of the memory jewels.
"Saori wasn't destined to be here, no da." Chichiri explained. He and the others minus Nuriko, Hotohori, and Mitsukake stood in the front room. "She said so herself, the only reason she is here is for Mayo, no da. Suzaku has no need of her presence."
"Is she disappearing?" Miaka asked.
"Nothing is for sure, no da."
Chiriko looked away. "Where is Nuriko at this time?"
"He's up with Saori." Boushin answered. "He's trying to cheer her up."
"They both need some cheering if ya ask me." Tasuki replied. "I was talking to Nuriko earlier, he isn't the happiest camper himself." Tasuki smirked a little. "Kinda funny actually, when he was talkin' I heard his voice waver, ya know, 'squeak.' I think he's finally starting to lose that feminine tone of his."
Miaka smiled.
Just then, the quick footsteps of the Hokkan Ambassador were heard as she entered the front room. She gave the group only a glance as she walked steadily towards the opposite exit, several books and papers gripped firmly in her hands.
"And where the heck d'ya think you're going?" Tasuki asked.
Inami slowed only slightly. "Mekan..." She said quietly looking away, "Has been completely obliterated. It's been burnt to the ground."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Damn Kutou army..." Tamahome cursed, leaning back in his chair. "They just attack the helpless and leave, not man enough to stay and take on a fight!"
"Taka..." Miaka whispered.
"It never seems to end..." Nuriko propped himself up on his elbows. The Suzaku Seven plus some surrounded the long, rectangular table they've found themselves at so many times. Saori was absent, still in her bedroom. At least now she was resting, trying to overcome the stress of the day.
"We should attack the capital and get it over with." Inami stated sourly.
"We can't take such a risk without immensive preparations and training, you know that." Hotohori scolded.
"Why are your panties in such a wad?" Tasuki asked, smart alikey.
Inami looked at Tasuki through the corner of her eyes. "First of all, you should not comment on my undergarments at such a meeting." She looked back at her papers. "I have close relatives in Mekan." She shut her eyes hard. "I apologize for my earlier suggestion, Emperor. Perhaps, though, those preparations and trainings should begin soon."
Hotohori nodded. "I agree. I will have word sent to Hokkan of our new plans. Inami and Chichiri, I would like you to help me outline them afterwards."
The two nodded.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You should be so hard on yourself." Boushin held Saori's hand tightly, sitting beside her form on her bed. Saori lay in the bed, looking away from the prince.
"None of this happened before my arrival." Saori whispered, sounding weak. "Perhaps your god is telling me to leave because I'm bad luck."
Boushin squeezed Saori's hand so tightly is was almost painful. "Don't say such things. War as been in the air with Kutou since I can remember, it was bound to come out of the box sooner or later. You're being here is just a coincidence."
Saori turned back to the young emperor. "You don't know that though, do you, Boushin?"
Boushin's grip loosened. He closed his eyes.
"Saori, your arrival can only be a blessing upon us."
"No." Saori interrupted. "My arrival was for Mayo, And I haven't even found her yet." Her voice raised slightly, a hint of anger woven throughout it.
"That is not your fault either!" Boushin shouted, alarming Saori. He was quiet for a few seconds before gathering his words and beginning again. "Saori, do you believe me to be a wise ruler?"
Saori, a little taken back, slowly nodded.
Boushin took his grip back up. "Then why won't you believe me when what I say is true?"
"Boushin..." Saori whispered.
After a moment Boushin gradually began to lean over, nearing himself to the girl before him.
A light line of red crossed Saori's cheeks, visible even in the dim light. "he's so close..." she thought. "I can feel his breath..."
"Saori-chan?" Miaka entered the room, Mitsukake and Chiriko behind her.
Boushin quickly sat up.
"Miaka?" Saori asked.
"I came to see if you were feeling all right, I brought Mitsukake, just in case."
Saori sat up, releasing Boushin's hand. "I'm fine, really." Saori assured as Miaka reached her bed.
"I'm glad." Miaka smiled.
Saori smiled back, but made a choking noise. Miaka and Boushin jumped.
Saori shut her eyes tightly, her left hand gripping the front of her shirt. He breath quickened and grew heavier, as if she was gasping desperately for air.
"Saori-chan!" Boushin yelled.
"Saori!" Miaka grabbed her friend's shoulders.
Chiriko and Mitsukake quickly ran over.
"Mitsukake!" Miaka yelled. "Do something!"
Right then, a bright, red light emerged from Saori's chest. It spread throughout the whole room, shining through the windows.
Saori looked down. Her arm, once clearly visible, flashed and disappeared in front of her eyes. Her right leg began to do the same.
"SAORI!" Boushin screamed.
******************************
"NANI?!!!" Tetsuya exclaimed.
Yui stood up, dropping the book onto the floor by her feet. Keisuke choked on his beer.
In front of them, by the kitchen in front of the counter was a flashing red light. Saori's outline glimmered lightly, an arm and leg forming slowly.
"Why is she appearing here?!!" Keisuke shouted.
"This is where the book is!" Yui answered.
"Saori..." Tetsuya whispered.
********************************
Saori screamed as the red light consumed her. She opened her eyes frantically. She was no longer surrounded by Miaka and Boushin... her whole room was gone! Instead of walls there was red, shimmering light. She floated in the middle of it, her short hair blowing messily around her face. She felt her body being raised up.
She looked up into the light, and then closed her eyes hard. "Suzaku! Please don't take me back! Not yet!!!" She cried, trying to understand the fullness of what was happening.
Yellow specks of glitter flashed about her.
"I still have to save Mayo! Please! You must let me!" Saori continued to beg into nothingness. "Don't make my efforts useless! SUZAKU! I'LL DO ANYTHING!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!"
Saori's image on the bed slowly darkened before Miaka's, Boushin's, Chiriko's, and Mitsukake's eyes. She was now nothing more than a shadow.
Both of Boushin's knees were on the bed as he stared into the swirl of light. He called out Saori's name again in unison with Miaka.
The light swirled into a tight ring and slowly disappeared. Saori laid on her bed, opposite of how she was before. Her arms were covering her head, her eyes shut tightly. She lay on her side, her knees brought up.
"Saori?" Boushin asked.
Saori slowly opened her eyes, got up, and looked around. She was still there. She was still in the book. Saori smiled, giving a sigh of relief. She collapsed, resting her weary body.
"Saori!" Miaka called out.
"I'm okay..." Saori whispered, her eyes closed. "I'll be all right..."