Author's note: Arigatou for staying this far Minna! I apologize again for
the late-ness of my chapters recently, but I think I can get them to post
now on my mom's computer, we'll see. Thank you for all the reviews! My
inbox was full! (maybe because of the two-chapter update?)
To Metajoker: Ah, my most opinionated reviewer! How are ya? She's a timer, huh? Cheatin' on Tasuki with a ghost? (heh heh, just kidding.) See now why I liked that past review of yours, where you said Nakago should just stab her and get it over with? Ya read my mind! Your views on Inami actually have a lot of truth to them, that's why I enjoy your reviews. ^_^ Don't worry, all the Inami-trauma-rama will be over soon.
To Polynesia: "Authoress"? I like it. You don't think she's really dead huh? Well, you'll have to read and find out what happens. Wait, that's kinda mean, I'll just tell you.
She's dead! Bwa ha ha! And thanks for the site. I actually all ready had it saved to favorites and every scan on the page is in my folder! I like how Watase did Uruki, it was creative. Thakns a lot though! I can't wait to see how she does Inami... I hope she's not a man...
(And I love you too.)
To Amaya: And the award for the longest review ever goes too... but anyway... I got a kick out of your comments on the kiss. I didn't plan on that, I just threw it in there. And Yes! Nuriko didn't die! I love Nuriko to pieces, how could I kill him?! (*cough* *cough* yet... *cough*)
To MarydFair: Is it cruel of me to kill Inami off when the relationship gets good? Yes. That's why I did it. *evil smile* I'm glad you find Boushin and Saori's love angle good, I try to make it that way. ^_^ I don't know if Mayo could wish for Saori to summon Suzaku... is Saori even capable of doing so? And who says I'm going to save the Suzaku's butts? Maybe I'll just end this story in a very sad, depressing way, since apparently I'm good at it....
To BD: You like my angst? *gets teary eyed* Thank you! (And Nuriko's voice is dang sexy!)
To PresidentPrinceoftheT.K.Fanclub: Holy cow is that a long name to respond to. But I love new reviewers! Another one who hopes Inami ain't dead, huh? I'll be sure to tell her she has fans.
Chapter 68 : Return of the Dead
Saori sat at the dining table, turning clumps of rice over with two pairs of finely decorated chopsticks in her breakfast bowl. Yui, Miaka, and Tamahome sat with her, and the conversation was fairly bleak. It sounded almost as if every one of them were forcing the words. Despite the bright sunshine, this morning was another painful one. The outside war continued on again, and Konan armies had made a surprise attack on Kutou at sunrise, but that's all the palace dwellers knew for now.
"Where is he right now?" Yui asked, resting her head on the palm over her hand.
"Still in his room, I think." Tamahome answered.
Again, the silence continued. Saori was sure that any minute now a cricket would hop onto the table and start chirping to fill up the empty space. Maybe the silence was good though... but right now Saori wished she could rise up from the pit of depression that had been dug deeper and deeper over the past few weeks and be her old self again. The fact that Mayo was still gone didn't help the matter either.
The chair next to Saori was pulled out and another rice bowl was placed on the table. Nuriko sat down and stirred his rice a bit. "So, how is everyone?" He asked.
"Meh." Saori mumbled. She blinked and sat up. "NURIKO!" She shrieked, throwing her arms around him. She almost knocked both of them over.
"Nuriko!" Miaka squealed, running around the table to him. "You're better! You're better!"
"I am, I am!" Nuriko laughed. "Saori, this is a very uncomfortable position..."
"S-sorry..." Saori released him and stood up.
Nuriko smiled, his face back to its bright aura.
"When did this happen?" Tamahome asked.
"This morning, I guess." Nuriko explained. "I don't know why, but I just feel... rejuvenated."
"Thank the heavens." Yui spoke up.
"I'll admit, it's weird though." Nuriko explained, sitting up more in his chair.
"Being up and about again?" Miaka asked.
Nuriko smiled. "No, not that. It's just... I've never... ~felt~ like this before."
"Felt like what?" Tamahome asked.
Nuriko stood up and moved behind his chair. He clasped one hand on either side of it and hoisted it up a bit. "I guess this is what it feels like to be normal, huh?"
Miaka's mind shrunk back for a moment. That's right... Suzaku was sealed, Nuriko doesn't have his strength anymore.
It was true that the power-shift would be the strangest for Nuriko. Nuriko hadn't been around when Suzaku was first sealed, and by the time he came back Suzaku had been summoned again. Plus, unlike Tamahome, Tasuki, and Chichiri, Nuriko's power was something that always came naturally for him, he never had to work for it or live without it. For the first time in his entire existence, Nuriko had the strength of a normal man.
"I guess this re-defines the definition of heavy, huh?" Nuriko put the chair down.
Miaka nodded. "I'm glad you're back, Nuriko."
"I've missed a lot, haven't I?" Nuriko sat back down, his smile fading a bit. "Boushin's the emperor again."
Tamahome nodded. "His highness... Hotohori's grave has been placed, if you want to visit him."
Nuriko nodded. "I think I'll do that then." He looked up. "Where's Chichiri and Tasuki? Chiriko?"
"Chiriko's in with Boushin again... I think..." Saori explained. "I'm not sure where Chichiri is, and Tasuki..."
Nuriko looked forward, his cheerful attitude stopped for the time being as he took a deep breath. "I won't be surprised if he's sleeping in today."
"Yeah..." Miaka agreed.
Nuriko shook his head, getting his purple bangs out of his eyes. "It's funny, really. Inami stopped in to see me the night before she left..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The curtains of the window were closed in the rear of the room, so the entering sunlight was dimmed. Tasuki lay on the bed in the corner, on top of the covers, staring up at the ceiling above him. He looked only at one spot, and his body lay straight and still. The room was deathly quiet, the only sound being the very quiet whisper of his breathing. A vase that had sat upon the dresser near the window was shattered on the floor, the polished floorboards still a bit wet from the spilled water. Everything was silent, and Tasuki rested there, in the same position he had held for hours.
.
~"I think... I'm falling in love with you..."~
.
A longer inhale interrupted the pattern of his breathing, but it soon continued on its normal course.
.
~"You are a COMPLETE idiot!"~ .
The corner of Tasuki's mouth curved up very slightly as the memories flashed through his mind again. It was so hard to believe she was gone, it felt like she had just returned to Hokkan for a while... or something. When Tamahome had told him... he refused to believe it; at first.
But being stubborn wouldn't do anything.
Tasuki felt his eyes watering again, but didn't do anything to stop it.
******************************
"Is it a message from Akue?" Prince Seki asked when his father accepted the envelope from a servant.
"No... the seal is from the Emperor." Emperor Sanoii said, bringing the letter up to his throne, snapping it lightly in his hands to break the wax seal.
"Emperor Boushin, correct?"
Sanoii nodded.
Seki scanned the decorated ceiling of the large throne room. "I wonder what he would be sending us."
"Perhaps something to do with the strike on Kutou this morning, but it would have gotten here faster than usual." Sanoii suggested as he read the letter.
Seki patiently waited, brushing a loose strand of black hair from his face. The Konan attack on Kutou had been genius in his opinion. The timing was near perfect, and the blow was unexpected since Konan is so frequently on the defensive.
A whisp of air from his father called the prince to turn around. A worried expression covered Sanoii's eyes.
"Chichiue?" Seki asked, stepping forward. "Is it bad?"
Sanoii shook his head and laid the letter on his lap. After some hesitation, Seki took it from him and read it himself. It started out formally like usual, and...
Seki stared at the parchment in shock, not even finishing the note like his father had. "Miss Cheinun..." He paused, "she's..."
Sanoii stood up from his throne and walked down the few marble steps to the floor, pacing towards the side windows. He stopped before them, placing his hands behind his back.
Seki's eyes dropped to read the rest of the letter, though the shock made it hard to comprehend the words. He couldn't remember a time when Akue wasn't around, he had practically grown up with her. He passed her room so often.... he didn't know what to do, what to say.
"Inami of the Genbu seven." Sanoii finally broke the stunned silence, not moving once from his placement to look at the prince. The name was strange to say. "Our god sent her to watch over Hokkan, and now he has chosen to take her back. It is only our fault that she was a friend."
"I can't... believe...." Seki stumbled.
"I will make funeral arrangements." Sanoii stated, still keeping his face away. "Write a letter to her family."
"H-hai..." Seki spoke.
***************************
"Where have you been?" Mayo asked in an accusing voice when Nakago rode up to the Kutou palace, the slamming of the gates echoing in the distance. Suboshi and Amiboshi had accompanied Mayo outside.
"I took care of a few things." Nakago said, smirking.
"I thought perhaps you had gone into battle." Mayo said, folding her arms.
"No, my priestess, but I would like to discuss something with you later."
"Why not now?" Mayo questioned.
Nakago remained calm, of course.
"Well?" Mayo complained.
"It is something that need be said alone, priestess." Nakago eyed the twins. "Though I will tell you now that I will most likely be leaving your presence again soon. I'm afraid my rank calls me away."
Mayo sighed, frustrated. "This damn war is taking up too much of my time AND your time." She folded her arms. "I'm going to make sure it ends quicker."
"Lady Mayo?" Amiboshi asked, confused.
Mayo smiled cunningly. "I know what to do, too, I've been thinking it over for a while now."
"And what might that be?" Nakago's low voice inquired.
Mayo didn't wait to explain. "KAI JIN!" She shouted, startling the three warriors. Blue light flew to her forehead, and the sky around them almost seemed to darken.
"Mayo-sama!" Suboshi stepped forward.
"I wish for Seiryu to enhance the powers of my warriors, make them stronger than any other! I want to end this war sooner!"
The blue light emitting from Mayo flew like a laser towards Amiboshi, Nakago, and Suboshi, another beam straying into the palace. Suboshi tried to dodge it at first, but found that it couldn't be avoided. When it hit him, a strange sensation swept over his entire body. He looked through the light at his brother, seeing Amiboshi's right shoulder light up. When he looked at himself, his left was glowing fiercely as well. Then the meteor bells around Suboshi's waist dissolved into thin air.
Finally, the light stopped. Mayo collapsed to her knees, breathing hard.
"What... happened...?" Amiboshi asked, looking at his hands.
Nakago smirked. Though his powers were all ready at their strongest potential, his body had gotten a large energy boost.
"What's that?!" Suboshi asked, pointing at something past Mayo.
Mayo lifted her head, seeing the area of air in front of her begin to sparkle. Not even Nakago knew what was going on. The golden glints in the air increased and formed into the shape of a human, and in a second they radiated a pillar of blue light that reached up far into the earth's atmosphere. Suboshi reached for his ryuseisui, but they weren't there.
The light dimmed down, and disappeared. There stood a tall, thin man, his eyes an eerie dark gray. His shoulders were broad and he had a rather handsome figure. His long, pink hair was fastened back loosely in a ponytail, and three braids fell over his shoulder and alongside his face. He wore a long sleeved tan robe, and had an odd top-like object in his hand.
Nakago dismounted from his horse and threatingly waved his hand by the hilt of his sword, his eyebrows lowered. "Who are you?" The question was more of a command.
The young man smiled wryly. "Why Nakago, you don't recognize me?" His voice was slick. He lifted his hand up and inspected it. "It's been a long time since I've seen this form..."
Mayo managed to stand up, a hand resting on her chest as she still struggled to breathe. "Tell us... who you are..."
"You are the priestess?" He smiled again, and got down on one knee. "Thank you ever so kindly for your wish. It gave me the power to be reborn."
Mayo's eyes went wide, and she stepped back, remembering what Nakago had told her when she first agreed to be the priestess of Seiryu.
"No..." Mayo gasped, "You're...." She stuttered.
"You're..." . . .
"Miboshi!?"
***************************
"I'm afraid it's impossible to summon Suzaku now, no da." Chichiri explained, his staff turned over in his hand so that the golden rings waved above the floor.
"Impossible?" Miaka asked.
"The likelihood of it when we lost the shinzaho was low, no da." He explained, "But Suzaku is sealed now. There's only one way he can be brought back, no da."
"How?" Miaka inquired.
Chichiri lifted his head towards Yui. "If Mayo makes the wish to grant you that power, no da, like Yui did, no da."
Miaka's shoulders fell. "I never even see her..."
"Mayo's heart is still too clouded by hatred and doubt for her to see what she's really doing." Yui cut in. "For all we know, she may have made her second wish all ready. She never was very patient."
Miaka looked out the open window. The Seraglio was visible from where she stood, and parts of the garden were still destroyed from the attack that happened not too long ago. Miaka had thought the harp would be safe. If she had been more careful, all of this wouldn't have happened. Suzaku may have been summoned by now, everyone would still have their powers.... maybe even some of the deaths could have been prevented...
"It's not your fault, no da." Chichiri said as if reading her mind. "We will either succeed in the end or be left to surrender, but nothing is your blame, no da."
Miaka's lip quivered. "Maybe, but..."
"You were brought back into our world to save us, no da." Chichiri reminded. "Perhaps the reason you are still here is because your mission is not yet over, no da."
Yui smiled, and nodded.
***************************
"Here we go Hikari." Tetsuya said, sitting the young girl down on the carpet of his apartment. "Let's see if we can find anything for you to eat."
Hikari batted her small hands onto the plush carpet.
Tetsuya walked over to the refrigerator and opened it up, looking around for any baby food that remained from the bottles they had brought over from Miaka's. Tetsuya noticed they were out of beer too.
"Nothing's here..." He pulled a gallon of milk off the top shelf. "Are you allowed to have this yet, or is it still formula?"
Hikari glanced over, curious.
"Do I have to heat it up?" Tetsuya mumbled as he looked around for the small diaper bag Yui always had with her before she went into the book herself. He glanced back at the fridge, still stressed from the day's work. He raised an eyebrow and took his glasses off, looking at one of the pictures held to the fridge with a magnet.
"What the.... "Tetsuya pulled the photo off. His eyes widened. It was a picture of him, Yui, Tetsuya, Keisuke, Taka, Miaka, and Saori.... but...
"Mayo?" Tetsuya questioned quietly. Keisuke's arm floated about in the photo, but the shoulders of the girl it was around weren't there. Mayo wasn't in the picture.
"Oh hell...." Tetsuya muttered, dashing for the phone. "Not good...."
****************************
Mayo sat on the edge of the bed after resting from her previous experience. Miboshi was back. She smiled. What will the Suzaku seven do once they see her warriors now?
Mayo lifted the edge of her skirt to settle an itch that had suddenly sprung up, but as her fingers connected with her calf, she felt something abnormal. Grabbing the fabric and pulling it up, she gasped.
"Oh no..." She said, fear in her voice. "Not me too...."
On the right side of her right leg grew sleek, blue scales, connecting with her normal skin as if they had always been there. Mayo knew that with one more wish, she might not have the heart to keep her body from being devoured.
Mayo tugged her skirt back down to hide the evidence of her weak spirit. "It doesn't matter now..." she told herself, "As soon as we defeat the Suzaku seven, everything will be better.... everything.... I'll just have to use my third wish carefully...." Her violet eyes looked towards the ceiling.
"Or not at all."
To Metajoker: Ah, my most opinionated reviewer! How are ya? She's a timer, huh? Cheatin' on Tasuki with a ghost? (heh heh, just kidding.) See now why I liked that past review of yours, where you said Nakago should just stab her and get it over with? Ya read my mind! Your views on Inami actually have a lot of truth to them, that's why I enjoy your reviews. ^_^ Don't worry, all the Inami-trauma-rama will be over soon.
To Polynesia: "Authoress"? I like it. You don't think she's really dead huh? Well, you'll have to read and find out what happens. Wait, that's kinda mean, I'll just tell you.
She's dead! Bwa ha ha! And thanks for the site. I actually all ready had it saved to favorites and every scan on the page is in my folder! I like how Watase did Uruki, it was creative. Thakns a lot though! I can't wait to see how she does Inami... I hope she's not a man...
(And I love you too.)
To Amaya: And the award for the longest review ever goes too... but anyway... I got a kick out of your comments on the kiss. I didn't plan on that, I just threw it in there. And Yes! Nuriko didn't die! I love Nuriko to pieces, how could I kill him?! (*cough* *cough* yet... *cough*)
To MarydFair: Is it cruel of me to kill Inami off when the relationship gets good? Yes. That's why I did it. *evil smile* I'm glad you find Boushin and Saori's love angle good, I try to make it that way. ^_^ I don't know if Mayo could wish for Saori to summon Suzaku... is Saori even capable of doing so? And who says I'm going to save the Suzaku's butts? Maybe I'll just end this story in a very sad, depressing way, since apparently I'm good at it....
To BD: You like my angst? *gets teary eyed* Thank you! (And Nuriko's voice is dang sexy!)
To PresidentPrinceoftheT.K.Fanclub: Holy cow is that a long name to respond to. But I love new reviewers! Another one who hopes Inami ain't dead, huh? I'll be sure to tell her she has fans.
Chapter 68 : Return of the Dead
Saori sat at the dining table, turning clumps of rice over with two pairs of finely decorated chopsticks in her breakfast bowl. Yui, Miaka, and Tamahome sat with her, and the conversation was fairly bleak. It sounded almost as if every one of them were forcing the words. Despite the bright sunshine, this morning was another painful one. The outside war continued on again, and Konan armies had made a surprise attack on Kutou at sunrise, but that's all the palace dwellers knew for now.
"Where is he right now?" Yui asked, resting her head on the palm over her hand.
"Still in his room, I think." Tamahome answered.
Again, the silence continued. Saori was sure that any minute now a cricket would hop onto the table and start chirping to fill up the empty space. Maybe the silence was good though... but right now Saori wished she could rise up from the pit of depression that had been dug deeper and deeper over the past few weeks and be her old self again. The fact that Mayo was still gone didn't help the matter either.
The chair next to Saori was pulled out and another rice bowl was placed on the table. Nuriko sat down and stirred his rice a bit. "So, how is everyone?" He asked.
"Meh." Saori mumbled. She blinked and sat up. "NURIKO!" She shrieked, throwing her arms around him. She almost knocked both of them over.
"Nuriko!" Miaka squealed, running around the table to him. "You're better! You're better!"
"I am, I am!" Nuriko laughed. "Saori, this is a very uncomfortable position..."
"S-sorry..." Saori released him and stood up.
Nuriko smiled, his face back to its bright aura.
"When did this happen?" Tamahome asked.
"This morning, I guess." Nuriko explained. "I don't know why, but I just feel... rejuvenated."
"Thank the heavens." Yui spoke up.
"I'll admit, it's weird though." Nuriko explained, sitting up more in his chair.
"Being up and about again?" Miaka asked.
Nuriko smiled. "No, not that. It's just... I've never... ~felt~ like this before."
"Felt like what?" Tamahome asked.
Nuriko stood up and moved behind his chair. He clasped one hand on either side of it and hoisted it up a bit. "I guess this is what it feels like to be normal, huh?"
Miaka's mind shrunk back for a moment. That's right... Suzaku was sealed, Nuriko doesn't have his strength anymore.
It was true that the power-shift would be the strangest for Nuriko. Nuriko hadn't been around when Suzaku was first sealed, and by the time he came back Suzaku had been summoned again. Plus, unlike Tamahome, Tasuki, and Chichiri, Nuriko's power was something that always came naturally for him, he never had to work for it or live without it. For the first time in his entire existence, Nuriko had the strength of a normal man.
"I guess this re-defines the definition of heavy, huh?" Nuriko put the chair down.
Miaka nodded. "I'm glad you're back, Nuriko."
"I've missed a lot, haven't I?" Nuriko sat back down, his smile fading a bit. "Boushin's the emperor again."
Tamahome nodded. "His highness... Hotohori's grave has been placed, if you want to visit him."
Nuriko nodded. "I think I'll do that then." He looked up. "Where's Chichiri and Tasuki? Chiriko?"
"Chiriko's in with Boushin again... I think..." Saori explained. "I'm not sure where Chichiri is, and Tasuki..."
Nuriko looked forward, his cheerful attitude stopped for the time being as he took a deep breath. "I won't be surprised if he's sleeping in today."
"Yeah..." Miaka agreed.
Nuriko shook his head, getting his purple bangs out of his eyes. "It's funny, really. Inami stopped in to see me the night before she left..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The curtains of the window were closed in the rear of the room, so the entering sunlight was dimmed. Tasuki lay on the bed in the corner, on top of the covers, staring up at the ceiling above him. He looked only at one spot, and his body lay straight and still. The room was deathly quiet, the only sound being the very quiet whisper of his breathing. A vase that had sat upon the dresser near the window was shattered on the floor, the polished floorboards still a bit wet from the spilled water. Everything was silent, and Tasuki rested there, in the same position he had held for hours.
.
~"I think... I'm falling in love with you..."~
.
A longer inhale interrupted the pattern of his breathing, but it soon continued on its normal course.
.
~"You are a COMPLETE idiot!"~ .
The corner of Tasuki's mouth curved up very slightly as the memories flashed through his mind again. It was so hard to believe she was gone, it felt like she had just returned to Hokkan for a while... or something. When Tamahome had told him... he refused to believe it; at first.
But being stubborn wouldn't do anything.
Tasuki felt his eyes watering again, but didn't do anything to stop it.
******************************
"Is it a message from Akue?" Prince Seki asked when his father accepted the envelope from a servant.
"No... the seal is from the Emperor." Emperor Sanoii said, bringing the letter up to his throne, snapping it lightly in his hands to break the wax seal.
"Emperor Boushin, correct?"
Sanoii nodded.
Seki scanned the decorated ceiling of the large throne room. "I wonder what he would be sending us."
"Perhaps something to do with the strike on Kutou this morning, but it would have gotten here faster than usual." Sanoii suggested as he read the letter.
Seki patiently waited, brushing a loose strand of black hair from his face. The Konan attack on Kutou had been genius in his opinion. The timing was near perfect, and the blow was unexpected since Konan is so frequently on the defensive.
A whisp of air from his father called the prince to turn around. A worried expression covered Sanoii's eyes.
"Chichiue?" Seki asked, stepping forward. "Is it bad?"
Sanoii shook his head and laid the letter on his lap. After some hesitation, Seki took it from him and read it himself. It started out formally like usual, and...
Seki stared at the parchment in shock, not even finishing the note like his father had. "Miss Cheinun..." He paused, "she's..."
Sanoii stood up from his throne and walked down the few marble steps to the floor, pacing towards the side windows. He stopped before them, placing his hands behind his back.
Seki's eyes dropped to read the rest of the letter, though the shock made it hard to comprehend the words. He couldn't remember a time when Akue wasn't around, he had practically grown up with her. He passed her room so often.... he didn't know what to do, what to say.
"Inami of the Genbu seven." Sanoii finally broke the stunned silence, not moving once from his placement to look at the prince. The name was strange to say. "Our god sent her to watch over Hokkan, and now he has chosen to take her back. It is only our fault that she was a friend."
"I can't... believe...." Seki stumbled.
"I will make funeral arrangements." Sanoii stated, still keeping his face away. "Write a letter to her family."
"H-hai..." Seki spoke.
***************************
"Where have you been?" Mayo asked in an accusing voice when Nakago rode up to the Kutou palace, the slamming of the gates echoing in the distance. Suboshi and Amiboshi had accompanied Mayo outside.
"I took care of a few things." Nakago said, smirking.
"I thought perhaps you had gone into battle." Mayo said, folding her arms.
"No, my priestess, but I would like to discuss something with you later."
"Why not now?" Mayo questioned.
Nakago remained calm, of course.
"Well?" Mayo complained.
"It is something that need be said alone, priestess." Nakago eyed the twins. "Though I will tell you now that I will most likely be leaving your presence again soon. I'm afraid my rank calls me away."
Mayo sighed, frustrated. "This damn war is taking up too much of my time AND your time." She folded her arms. "I'm going to make sure it ends quicker."
"Lady Mayo?" Amiboshi asked, confused.
Mayo smiled cunningly. "I know what to do, too, I've been thinking it over for a while now."
"And what might that be?" Nakago's low voice inquired.
Mayo didn't wait to explain. "KAI JIN!" She shouted, startling the three warriors. Blue light flew to her forehead, and the sky around them almost seemed to darken.
"Mayo-sama!" Suboshi stepped forward.
"I wish for Seiryu to enhance the powers of my warriors, make them stronger than any other! I want to end this war sooner!"
The blue light emitting from Mayo flew like a laser towards Amiboshi, Nakago, and Suboshi, another beam straying into the palace. Suboshi tried to dodge it at first, but found that it couldn't be avoided. When it hit him, a strange sensation swept over his entire body. He looked through the light at his brother, seeing Amiboshi's right shoulder light up. When he looked at himself, his left was glowing fiercely as well. Then the meteor bells around Suboshi's waist dissolved into thin air.
Finally, the light stopped. Mayo collapsed to her knees, breathing hard.
"What... happened...?" Amiboshi asked, looking at his hands.
Nakago smirked. Though his powers were all ready at their strongest potential, his body had gotten a large energy boost.
"What's that?!" Suboshi asked, pointing at something past Mayo.
Mayo lifted her head, seeing the area of air in front of her begin to sparkle. Not even Nakago knew what was going on. The golden glints in the air increased and formed into the shape of a human, and in a second they radiated a pillar of blue light that reached up far into the earth's atmosphere. Suboshi reached for his ryuseisui, but they weren't there.
The light dimmed down, and disappeared. There stood a tall, thin man, his eyes an eerie dark gray. His shoulders were broad and he had a rather handsome figure. His long, pink hair was fastened back loosely in a ponytail, and three braids fell over his shoulder and alongside his face. He wore a long sleeved tan robe, and had an odd top-like object in his hand.
Nakago dismounted from his horse and threatingly waved his hand by the hilt of his sword, his eyebrows lowered. "Who are you?" The question was more of a command.
The young man smiled wryly. "Why Nakago, you don't recognize me?" His voice was slick. He lifted his hand up and inspected it. "It's been a long time since I've seen this form..."
Mayo managed to stand up, a hand resting on her chest as she still struggled to breathe. "Tell us... who you are..."
"You are the priestess?" He smiled again, and got down on one knee. "Thank you ever so kindly for your wish. It gave me the power to be reborn."
Mayo's eyes went wide, and she stepped back, remembering what Nakago had told her when she first agreed to be the priestess of Seiryu.
"No..." Mayo gasped, "You're...." She stuttered.
"You're..." . . .
"Miboshi!?"
***************************
"I'm afraid it's impossible to summon Suzaku now, no da." Chichiri explained, his staff turned over in his hand so that the golden rings waved above the floor.
"Impossible?" Miaka asked.
"The likelihood of it when we lost the shinzaho was low, no da." He explained, "But Suzaku is sealed now. There's only one way he can be brought back, no da."
"How?" Miaka inquired.
Chichiri lifted his head towards Yui. "If Mayo makes the wish to grant you that power, no da, like Yui did, no da."
Miaka's shoulders fell. "I never even see her..."
"Mayo's heart is still too clouded by hatred and doubt for her to see what she's really doing." Yui cut in. "For all we know, she may have made her second wish all ready. She never was very patient."
Miaka looked out the open window. The Seraglio was visible from where she stood, and parts of the garden were still destroyed from the attack that happened not too long ago. Miaka had thought the harp would be safe. If she had been more careful, all of this wouldn't have happened. Suzaku may have been summoned by now, everyone would still have their powers.... maybe even some of the deaths could have been prevented...
"It's not your fault, no da." Chichiri said as if reading her mind. "We will either succeed in the end or be left to surrender, but nothing is your blame, no da."
Miaka's lip quivered. "Maybe, but..."
"You were brought back into our world to save us, no da." Chichiri reminded. "Perhaps the reason you are still here is because your mission is not yet over, no da."
Yui smiled, and nodded.
***************************
"Here we go Hikari." Tetsuya said, sitting the young girl down on the carpet of his apartment. "Let's see if we can find anything for you to eat."
Hikari batted her small hands onto the plush carpet.
Tetsuya walked over to the refrigerator and opened it up, looking around for any baby food that remained from the bottles they had brought over from Miaka's. Tetsuya noticed they were out of beer too.
"Nothing's here..." He pulled a gallon of milk off the top shelf. "Are you allowed to have this yet, or is it still formula?"
Hikari glanced over, curious.
"Do I have to heat it up?" Tetsuya mumbled as he looked around for the small diaper bag Yui always had with her before she went into the book herself. He glanced back at the fridge, still stressed from the day's work. He raised an eyebrow and took his glasses off, looking at one of the pictures held to the fridge with a magnet.
"What the.... "Tetsuya pulled the photo off. His eyes widened. It was a picture of him, Yui, Tetsuya, Keisuke, Taka, Miaka, and Saori.... but...
"Mayo?" Tetsuya questioned quietly. Keisuke's arm floated about in the photo, but the shoulders of the girl it was around weren't there. Mayo wasn't in the picture.
"Oh hell...." Tetsuya muttered, dashing for the phone. "Not good...."
****************************
Mayo sat on the edge of the bed after resting from her previous experience. Miboshi was back. She smiled. What will the Suzaku seven do once they see her warriors now?
Mayo lifted the edge of her skirt to settle an itch that had suddenly sprung up, but as her fingers connected with her calf, she felt something abnormal. Grabbing the fabric and pulling it up, she gasped.
"Oh no..." She said, fear in her voice. "Not me too...."
On the right side of her right leg grew sleek, blue scales, connecting with her normal skin as if they had always been there. Mayo knew that with one more wish, she might not have the heart to keep her body from being devoured.
Mayo tugged her skirt back down to hide the evidence of her weak spirit. "It doesn't matter now..." she told herself, "As soon as we defeat the Suzaku seven, everything will be better.... everything.... I'll just have to use my third wish carefully...." Her violet eyes looked towards the ceiling.
"Or not at all."