Chapter Fifteen - Fruition
Nakago awoke suddenly, body tense. He was bound, his hands tied behind his back and sitting on the floor in their suite. He groaned softly, feeling a lump on the top of his head throbbing painfully. Power of Seiryu or not, being clocked on the head still left a bump and one hell of a migraine. He shook his head slowly, clearing the haze a little, and examined the situation. His sword was on the other side of the room. Nifei was sitting on the couch with her hands tied in front of her and Miaka was laying unconsciously on floor. James and three other pirates were the only others in the room.
"What happened to her?" the blonde asked coldly.
"When she saw my men strike you down, like the weakling you are, she tried to get to you and was struck in the process. She'll be fine. Probably," he smirked.
"Ayuru-san," Nifei looked over to him when she heard him speak, looking, Nakago thought, genuinely emotional for the first time. "There's something wrong with him... he's... not normal."
Nakago flared his aura slightly, but found that something was draining his energy. He looked back at his wrists. The rope appeared normal but it seemed to have a rather strong draining spell on it. The symbol on his forehead glowed faintly. Nifei released a panicked cry, but he ignored her, feeling for the other auras. Miaka's aura was faint because she was unconscious, but it was healthy. Nifei had a normal human aura, though there was something very black about it. The guards had normal, weak auras, but James' aura was dark and twisted and definitely not human.
"What's your name, demon?" he asked the man.
"Most people call me James," he replied smoothly.
"What's your name, demon?" Nakago repeated, emphasizing the word demon slightly.
"So you're not totally blind to my aura, are you?" he laughed. Suddenly the man's handsome face twisted into a horrible, evil smirk, his eyes turning red. He cackled. "They call me Kuziko in the hells."
Nakago looked at Nifei; again, genuine emotion on her face. She hadn't been genuine about anything she felt since the moment he had met her. That was probably what disconcerted him so much, though he hadn't been able to place it until now. It had seemed that she was unable to express true emotions, even in stressful situations. It was subtle; she was a good actress. Now, however, she could no longer hide how helpless she felt. This situation was most definitely out of her control.
"So what do you want with us?" he asked conversationally. "More importantly, how were you freed from the book?"
"You can't be that dense, half-breed," the demon said. "Don't tell me you haven't noticed your power returning? You used it, or did you not realize?"
"I noticed, but since I do not have the privilege of conversing with Tenkou or Taiitsukun in this world, there is no way for me to know why, though I certainly have my conjectures."
"And those are?"
"That these worlds are merging again," he said.
"Correct," the demon said.
"I first formulated that hypothesis two years ago when the time in the book caught up with the this world. What I have yet to understand is why this is happening. Considering our last brush with hell being loosed, I imagine it has something to do with Taiitsukun sealing Tenkou's body and soul so that he could never wreak havoc on the world again."
"Yes," he said again, pacing around. Slowly his body was becoming less solid and more of a swirling mass of spirit, for lack of a better word.
"Care to expound?" the Seishi questioned, using this distraction to pull at the enchanted rope. He let his power die away to nearly nothing so that the spell would not be active and then began to untie the knot slowly.
"You're going to die anyway, so I may as well tell you. You and I both know that Taiitsukun, while powerful, is nothing compared to the full power of Tenkou. She sealed his body into the book, leaving his soul in this world's hells, but she failed to realize that as many loyal minions as she has, he has innumerably more. We have been working to free him. We have enlisted powerful sorcerers, such as Miboshi, to align the time in the book, which was what was needed to get Tenkou's mind and body onto the same plane of existence. Only one more thing is needed."
"And that is?" Nakago asked, hands still behind his back, though he had freed himself.
"I'm not stupid, Seiryu no Seishi, I'm not going to tell you that."
"So why do you want to kill me? I'm assuming you used the girl to try to kill me. What was the purpose of that?" he questioned.
The demon laughed out loud. "Don't think that your adventure before was an accident. Taiitsukun did choose you in particular for a reason. Because you and that girl there are destined for each other, though I'm sure she gave you some half-baked explanation."
"How is that?" he asked, for the first time very shocked and confused.
"It is in The Plan. Every person born has a person meant for them, that compliments them perfectly, that is the light to their dark or vice versa. Rarely does it happen that these people find each other. They may be of incompatible species, or of the same sex, but when they do and when they can bear children, they produce incredible power. Fate decided that you two are meant for each other. Tenkou did everything he could to prevent you from ever loving: giving you over to that emperor, killing your mother and that little friend of yours. Likewise, Taiitsukun knew that such a couple was a danger, so she gave Tamahome to Miaka to keep her occupied. Nobody truly expected that you would ever overcome your pasts, but after Nifei killed Tamahome, everybody in heaven and hell knew that you would gravitate toward each other."
He took it all in, trying to remain placid as ever. Finding out that not only had the hellish life he lead in the book being carefully choreographed, but that Miaka was actually fated to be with him was quite a shock. What was more shocking was that even Taiitsukun had gone to lengths to keep them apart. Was a child produced by them really to be so powerful? "So you then goaded her into trying to kill me, to prevent Miaka and I becoming a couple?"
"I didn't need to goad her, she was already stunningly jealous of you. All I had to do was offer to bring you to her to get her to do what I wanted. I arranged for Kanu to bring you here, and then I killed her, and the others."
"Why not just kill me yourself from the start? Why did Nifei need to be involved at all?"
"That was my plan, but when I discovered that I needed a particular artifact that was heavily guarded in order to resurrect Tenkou, I enlisted the influential Sui family. I would have just killed you both myself had Nifei not insisted that Miaka remain unhurt; fine, as long as I got what I wanted. It didn't all go quite according to plan, but once I kill you and the girl all will be right again."
"This seems awfully elaborate, why not just steal the artifact instead of involving Nifei?" Nakago questioned.
"Because," he said. "I still need to make a clean getaway, and that requires not being a wanted criminal. The authorities will blame all the murders and theft on Nifei's jealous insanity and I will slip away to bring this thousand year old plan into fruition. Besides, you seriously thwarted our efforts when you sent Miboshi back to hell, and that has a lot of us... rather annoyed, so many of the occupants of the hells would really, really like to see you both suffer. And anyway, isn't this just so much more fun?"
"No."
Yui, Keisuke, Tetsuya, and Hani stood in front of a modest house on the outskirts of Tokyo. They went to the mailbox and looked at the letters addressed to the occupant.
"Sui Nifei," Yui said. Somehow, they all expected it. "Daughter of the head of the Sui group, alarmingly close friend of Miaka."
"Isn't that the person with Miaka on the cruise?" Hani asked.
Keisuke nodded. "I can't believe... she could kill Tamahome."
Yui sat down on the steps and looked through the letters. "There's one that doesn't have a return address. It looks like it was delayed in being sent."
Keisuke sat down next to her and watched as she opened the letter. It read:
Yui, Keisuke, Tetsuya:
I gave this letter to my nurse with instructions to send it here after the end of the school year, the point at which this home would be vacated. By now I'm sure you all realize what this means. The one who killed me is Sui Nifei. I knew she was going to do it, but I couldn't prove it. I had been tutoring her for a while when she began to put moves on me. After I refused her, the threats began. Father was forthcoming about the affair involving my mother after I learned of it, and I know she would have done anything to protect her children from it. Nifei threatened to tell my family about the things my mother did when she was younger. I hope that if they ever do find out, they'll realize what kind of life she had been leading before and not lose respect for her. I can't stand the thought of them thinking that this was why she left. Mother died because it was her time. I need my brothers and sisters especially to continue seeing their beautiful, loving mother instead of a prostitute. As I said, I knew Nifei would kill me, but I didn't know how or when, so I took these precautions, leaving hints in hopes that Yui, the genius that she is, would figure it out. I knew that if anybody would it would be her. I am sorry I couldn't risk telling you of this when it happened, but I knew she would only hurt more people to get to Miaka. I feel like I betrayed you all by my secrecy, but I thought it better to keep you at a distance until I could offer proof, and here it is. Enclosed in this letter is a recording of Nifei's last visit to me in the hospital, where she confessed to what she had done and stated her reasons. If you turn this into the authorities I'm sure they will arrest her. Tell Miaka that I will always love her. I think I know who she will end up with, and that's fine. Give him this message for me: love her with absolute abandon. Love her with everything you have. Make her happy in my place. I will always love Miaka, but I want her to be happy with the person she chooses. I feel myself growing weaker now, so this letter is going to come to an end, as will I. Thank you all for making my years here amazing. I love all of you and I will see you all again someday, I'm sure. Goodbye.
-Tamahome
Yui was crying by the end. She closed her eyes and sobbed to herself. It was as if she had heard him from beyond the grave. The others stood quietly, taking in what they had heard. Hani took the CD out of the envelope.
"We need to take this to the police," she managed to say.
"You're right," Yui took the CD and put the letter in her purse. "We have to save Nakago before it's too late. I won't let Miaka lose somebody else she loves."
Nifei's eyes skittered around the room, from Nakago to Miaka's prone form, and then to the man who had admitted to being a demon. She couldn't believe her ill fortune. All this she had done for Miaka. She loved Miaka. She wanted to be with Miaka forever, and had not wanted any harm to befall her. She had been tricked, and now she was very angry. She shifted in her seat and pulled a knife out of her bra.
"N-Nifei..." Miaka groaned, finally stirring. "I'm sorry... I failed..."
"Don't be stupid!" the young woman snapped. "None of this is your fault."
"If I hadn't gotten involved with Nakago... you wouldn't have been hurt by that man... we wouldn't be here..." she was crying softly. Apparently, she hadn't heard everything "James" had been saying.
"Nothing happened to me," Nifei confessed, crying. "It was all a ploy, to get you to obey him. I didn't want you to get hurt, so... I had them pretend to rape me. I paid them to set this up. I paid with my life, and yours," she was weeping now.
"Why?" she rasped.
"I love you, Miaka... I've loved you since the day we met. I... I just wanted to be with you... I'm so sorry."
"And now, you will all pay for your interference. If you had left well enough alone, Miboshi would have released Tenkou and things would have been fine! Now you will all suffer before you die. You will all watch each other suffer..." he grinned and descended upon Miaka.
Nakago's eyes narrowed and he struggled more fiercely against his shackles. Nifei shrieked. "No, take me instead! Do anything you like, just don't hurt her!"
The demon smirked down at her, kissing her roughly. She twisted aside, kicking and struggling, but he hit her head, and she slumped limply, only groaning softly in protest as the man began to unbutton her clothing. Miaka heard her shirt rip sharply, but the world was hazy and she couldn't make her eyes focus, let alone force her body to obey her. She felt his hands, with supernatural chill about them, touching her skin. She turned her head; she could see Nakago from there. Her eyes focused on him and nothing more. She could see his piercing blue eyes gazing steadily at her, determined. She struggled again, screaming in protest, but the demon had inhuman strength. He forced her eyes to meet his, his crimson stare bearing into her. Nakago watched as her eyes glazed, her body relaxing suddenly.
"N-Na... ka... go...?" she whispered, questioningly.
Miaka looked up. Nakago was above her, looking down, pinning her hands to a bed. He was smirking. "Now I have you," his voice was smooth and playful.
"Where are we?" she asking, looking around. "Why is it so hard to breathe?"
"We've been playing..." he grinned. "You're only short of breath." His blue eyes twinkled mischievously and she tried to suppress a giggle. "We are in my apartment, silly Miko... where else would we be?"
"The cruise... what happened?" she asked suddenly, trying to sit up.
He held her in place. "Don't you remember? I killed the demon and the ship was docked a few days later. Don't you remember what we did after I saved us?"
"No..." she said, confused, looking around.
"I'm wounded, Miko," he smirked. "How could you forget losing your virginity to a sex god such as myself? You said it was the most amazing thing you'd ever felt, after all."
"I...? We...?" she looked at him, puzzled. "Why would I not remember?"
"Because of the hit on your head, probably. I will just have to refresh your memory..." he smiled, showing his perfect, beautiful teeth. He was naked over her now. She looked around, still scared and confused. What was going on? Something was... not right. Something was off.
"Don't think, just feel. You think too much," he said, kissing her neck, touching her breasts. She arched slightly. "It feels good, doesn't it? Just experience..."
Nakago glanced at Nifei, who had a knife in her hands and was quietly sawing away at her binds. She looked to Nakago with a look of determination in her eyes, nodding. Her bindings broke and she quietly slid toward Nakago, moving behind him and beginning to hack at his bounds.
The blue eyed former shogun tried to reach Miaka with his mind. It was unbearable to watch this demon touch his Miaka like that, to have her believe that it was him. His blood froze when he heard her speak again.
"Stop." Her voice was firm, but frightened.
"I won't... you're mine," he said in the too familiar voice of the Seiryu no Seishi. "Stop struggling!"
Miaka was crying now. "No, stop it, stop it, get off me!" She was all but naked now, and Nakago knew he needed to get to her.
"Miaka," he said quietly, but his whisper was overshadowed by a scream from Nifei. She dropped the little pocket knife she'd been using to free Nakago and leaped at the demon from behind. "Get away from her!" the woman screamed. Without breaking eye contact, the demon flared his aura outward, toward Nifei, and she fell to the floor with a soft thud, dead.