Chapter Forty-Six

Toroki leaned against the wall while sitting on the bed, his small fingers running through Aoi-Yuki's fur. The animal was sitting on his lap, warming the boy's lower body and purring as he felt his back being stroked. Toroki's eyes closed and a small yet ecstatic smile was on his face.

'Today's the day,' he thought. He almost felt so overwhelmed with excitement he wanted to cry. 'I'll finally get to go home . . . I'll get to see Uncle Shuri, Amai . . . everyone! And everything will be okay.'

His thoughts unconsciously shifted to his more recent memories, ones that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Remembering Reikoku, the pain that he was given and the things he was forced to do . . . He hated himself for it. 'If only I was a soldier like everyone else . . . not some little brat.'

Toroki was relieved to have his thoughts disturbed when Aoi-Yuki's head picked up and he licked the blond's arm lightly, giving him conscience to another presence close by. Giving him one last good scratch between the ears he sat up and the tiger got off of the warriors' belly, also picking up someone other than the two. Toroki jumped off of the bed and got down on all fours, his nose sniffing at the ground. When he seemed to find what he was sensing he smiled and looked up to Aoi-Yuki, who was still sitting comfortably on the bed.

"I smell a bird, Byakko," Toroki said, continuing to track it down by scent. Aoi-Yuki finally got off the bed to follow the smell as well, and they continued to look until they reached a blank wall. At the bottom there was a huge hole among cracks, one so big that it showed the outside. Feet were walking by a trampled dirt path carelessly, not noticing the boy who looked around the ground. Right before them, pecking at the ground was a small white bird. "Hello . . ."

The bird stopped and picked its head up, looking in the direction of Toroki and Aoi-Yuki. The boy held out his hand and as if drawn the bird hopped on its twig-like legs onto the palm. Toroki sat up, crossing his legs on the floor while lifting his hand to eye-level, letting the bird balance on his fingers. He looked down to Aoi-Yuki, who was watching it curiously. "Don't eat it."

As he held the bird close to his face it pecked his nose. He kissed its forehead back affectionately, petting Aoi-Yuki at the same time so he wouldn't get jealous and giggled. He was never as pleased around people as he was with animals; they were always just so calming, so innocent.

"What's your name?" he asked the bird, and with tiny peeps he instantly was able to understand. Toroki smiled, then his eyes became distant and his body tense. He seemed to be looking through the wall and onto the street, through the crowds of people. The bird kissed his nose again, though this time he solemnly frowned. "Could you do something for me?"

At this the bird seemed to nod, but on the back of its neck a tiny symbol began to burn, waiting for a command. It embedded itself into its small white feathers, glowing. "Please listen; look for a handsome black-haired man; he stands confidently, and you'll recognize him right away because he has blood in his scent. It's very strong. So if you could . . . please find him."

As soon as his words were finished the bird hopped off the boy's fingers and spread its wings, flying through the hole near the floor. On its back was a small warrior symbol. Toroki's frown remained and his body stayed on edge, then he looked down to Aoi-Yuki, who started to rub his head against his side. "Do you smell him too? He just seems close, like he's following me . . ."

A low growl emitted from the tiger as he comforted the boy, and in reply he smiled and gave him a tight hug around his middle. "That's good! At least I'm not going crazy."

For a moment he was fine, just sitting there and being comforted. He felt he could take things, that he was protected; everything would be fine. After all, Suzuno had made that promise. Then suddenly Toroki jolted as he heard the same bird he has been just speaking with squawk loudly in pain. It was shrieking and sharp, and only stopped when there was a distinct thud outside. He didn't want to look but slowly he kneeled down, his heart nearly stopping when he saw the beautiful white feathers stained with a tampering dark liquid.

Even more frightening were the black boots behind it. His breathing began to pace in an uneven manner. He willed himself to stand before the boots could move and he ran as quickly as he could to the door of the room, flinging it open and running into the hallway. 'Reikoku . . He's here!'

x x x

Suzuno and Higashi were sitting in the kitchen and as the woman whispered into the young girls' ear her eyes became wide. She didn't know why she was so surprised; perhaps it was because Amefuri had no idea. He wasn't supposed to know. She didn't know who he was, and yet at the same time this was the same person who helped make Amefuri, and by not being there he became the person he was today. It was so hard to take in, so . . . incredible.

"Suzuno, Suzuno!" both of them turned to see Toroki running hastily down into the kitchen, his eyes filled with fear. Suzuno went to go make him a bowl of stew but she barely had the time; she hardly took a step on the ground before his fingers tightly grabbed hold of the long skirt of her uniform, pulling on them as tears began to well along his bottom lid. "He's here . . ."

"Here?" Suzuno repeated, not exactly sure what she should do, or what he was even talking about. She was a bit startled, even panicky in reaction to him. 'He's really scared . . . I can feel it.'

"Reikoku!" Toroki shouted in a muffled but loud voice. His cheeks were already starting to burn red from some sort of pressure, and his soft, pretty skin began to wet. "H-He's coming here, in this house . . . and he's gonna . . . he'll kill anyone to get to me . . . He will . . ."

'What on earth?' Suzuno thought, trying to pull his face away from her skirt so she could hear him better, but to no avail. He was clinging harder than ever, and even when she kneeled down he dove into her chest and curled like a ball. She held him in a comforting manner even if she didn't know what was going on, and she could feel him shake terribly.

"I don't wanna go back . . ." he told her in a small voice. He suddenly stood up, startling her as he pulled her hand to run towards the door. "We have to go! We've gotta leave right now."

"I don't understand," Suzuno quickly said, a panic rising in her as started to pull her to the door. She turned to Higashi who was still sitting at the table, but her face seemed rather serious as she stood up and watched them. Suzuno didn't know why she looked like she knew what was going on. 'This is happening too fast! Reikoku? How can he be here already?'

Toroki's hands gripped the Priestess' fingers for dear life, his nails digging into the skin of her palm unconsciously. Suzuno felt something tug hard at the bottom of her skirt, looking down and realizing Aoi-Yuki was there too. She tried to resist just a little, wondering what was going on, but both were trying to get her to the door to leave. Suddenly the door broke open itself and slammed itself against the wall it was opened with such force. A chill rose through her spine as she saw the man.

'Reikoku,' she thought, remembering that strong, painfully attractive dark face. A smirk had risen; he was obviously pleased with her surprised yet suddenly anxious expression. She could never forget that person, the one who left such a deep impression in not only her mind, but in everyone else in her party as well. 'Back where we met Danko . . . the black haired man is Reikoku!'

Higashi, though not exactly sober, had quickly put a connection between the child's fear and the man who had so loudly invaded her home. She tried her best to sneakily take the kitchen knife that had been used to cut the vegetables for the stew, then she walked till she was between Suzuno, Toroki and Reikoku. Her expression was harsh and serious.

"What do you want in my house?" she said, her voice sounding angry. She waited for an answer, and when none came she gripped the handle of the knife tightly. "Why! If you don't have anything, leave! You have no business coming in here!"

Higashi held up the knife and charged towards Reikoku, but he, not in the least phased, grabbed the arm right around the wrist, stopping her attack completely. A dread rose in her face as he seemed to squeeze harder and harder, the smile still evident on his expression until she couldn't take the pain anymore. She dropped the kitchen knife after a small crack could be heard, and with that he flung her against the wall. She fell to the floor, unconscious.

"Higashi!" Suzuno called before her voice became lost. Reikoku was now approaching her, and she suddenly flinched when she felt Toroki's grip tighten on her skin. He had dared himself to look up at the one man he feared most, his entire body shaking violently and his face tear-stricken. Despite her own trepidation, Suzuno wanted to keep strong for him. She refused to let her eyes leave her enemy.

But right before the two Reikoku had stopped, his focus completely on the young blond boy before him. He kneeled to the child's height, holding out a hand as if to offer something. Toroki looked down at it for only a second before focusing on Reikoku's face again. The black haired man grinned darkly. "Rua . . . how have you been?"

At this Toroki turned his face around towards Suzuno again, burying his face in her skirt. He didn't answer, and while Suzuno worried about herself and Toroki she was a bit confused. She distinctly remembered that term as well, as something that was like a command in Midoru. 'Rua?'

Reikoku seemed to read her mind. With Toroki's reply he frowned, disappointed, then stood up to answer for her. "Rua is Toroki's real name, before he became a Warrior of Byakko." His frown then turned into a smirk again. "And if he won't answer me, then I suppose I should turn to you. How have you been? Has your journey to find the seven warriors gone well? I know you can't have them all, but surely there's some progress."

Suzuno kept up with Toroki's lead, refusing to answer, though she still did not turn away. She watched with sheer determination as he waited, then a flicker of anger rose in him. Before she could even dodge he tightly gripped of the jaw of her mouth and pulled her face nearly nose to nose with his. She flinched, and she heard Toroki whimper.

"I may have let him slide with being so discourteous, but I won't let that happen with you, Priestess." Reikoku spoke in a cold voice. It was then that her mind started to waver, her body giving in to the nervousness she was feeling. But she couldn't; she had to hold in there. He finally closed his eyes, sighing. "Fine."

The hand that had hold of Suzuno's chin pushed her away forcibly, throwing back her neck and making her stumble backwards onto the table. She felt her backside hit the table and a heavy pain rose through her body and she shut her eyes tight out of instinct. When she opened them, she had only just realized that Toroki was away from her body, and

444444444444444444444444444444444444444er heart started to beat even heavier. 'Toroki!'

She found him right next to Reikoku, whose face no longer held any sort of pleasure. His expression was one of pure annoyance, and he almost scoffed as he glared down at the Priestess. Suzuno's body abruptly felt numb, and she had to hold onto the edge of the table to stay up.

"I don't have a lot of time," Reikoku said, pulling at the collar of Toroki's shirt he was holding him. The little boy was so weak against such a powerful man he could do nothing to defy it. "I need to take Rua with me. There's an entire country waiting for me, and he's going to help me get it."

Suzuno wasn't sure what to do. Her mind was racing, but not comprehending. Her legs felt weak, and she was surer than anything in the world that she didn't stand a chance against Reikoku. Then as Reikoku turned to leave the home, dragging Toroki with him she looked into the little boy's eyes. He suddenly screamed, pushing away from Reikoku as much as he could while reaching for Suzuno's hand. "Suzuno! Suzuno!"

'No . . . I can do this!' With those eyes and that hand waiting for her to take it, any fear she felt was gone. All doubts, all dilemmas, everything. Before Reikoku had walked through the door he had opened she grabbed Toroki's hand, pulling him towards her with all she could. The clothing that Reikoku had grabbed hold of ripped between his fingers, and the small warrior was back in her arms again. She hugged him tightly, and he hugged her back. "Toroki . . ."

Toroki clung around her waist once again, hiding his face in her clothes. But before she could celebrate she felt something sharp swipe by her neck, and a warm liquid dripped. When she looked down, the tip of a rather sharp, thin sword was just underneath her skin, ready and willing to slash again. Reikoku's face was now beyond irritated. "I tried being nice."

"N-Not nice enough," Suzuno retorted unexpectedly. She hadn't stuttered because she was afraid anymore; somehow, a reckless emotion had welled up inside her chest, like she didn't care was what going to happen. She felt the point of the sword cut a little deeper, making her bite her lip. She was trying her best not to express any pain.

Just when the weight was almost becoming a little much, almost too much for her to take Reikoku had stopped, and even yelped a bit. She wasn't sure, but she felt the power behind the sword weaken. While she couldn't move her neck, the sword still in her way, her eyes focused down to the source of his sudden pain. Aoi-Yuki had his jaws clamped around the man's leg, his teeth digging in. Something about the vision made her relieved. He really could feel pain.

'So he is human!' she thought, and she looked at the sword in his hand. Right now, his focus was elsewhere, and it would only be momentarily. It was either now, or she might not get the chance to try and stand up for herself again.

When Reikoku was trying to kick off the baby tiger from his leg Suzuno took the moment to grab the blade of the sword in between her hands. She felt the sharp cut in them, but she ignored it as she pulled back, arranging the sword to turn and let her fingers grasp the hilt. As Reikoku turned his face to look at her he shut his eyes tightly. She swung the sword as much as she could, leaving a long, deep gash across his entire face. It took a moment, but afterwards, from above the eyebrow on his right side to the jawbone on his lower left, he was beginning to bleed heavily.

Reikoku didn't bother to retrieve his sword back from the suddenly confident Priestess, and though seeing much red his eyes were weak and almost unfocused. Before he had shut his eyes, right before his own sword cut his skin, he could have sworn he had seen an aura around her . . . a distinct, white aura.

"Priestess," he muttered, his voice full of resentment. Before anything more could happen he stood erect, finally kicking off Aoi-Yuki harshly and taking many steps back towards the door, using his hand to clean the blood from his eyes. He was beginning to feel hazy, and ashamed. At last he turned and a dark, rushing cloud seemed to fill the doorway. He stepped through it, and just as the obscurity disappeared, Reikoku too, was gone.

Suzuno's period of unkempt excitement was beginning to fall as she realized what she had done. She sighed heavily, not necessarily scared nor regretting anything. She was just surprised that she had actually done it. Even when she had come to this world full of weapons and dangerous battles, the last thing she expected to do was wield a weapon herself. But she was amazed at the power behind it. 'I . . . I actually did it! I fought . . . and won!'

Toroki, who had been hiding in the shirt of her school uniform the entire time, turned slowly to see what had happened. His eyes peeked cautiously at the surrounding area, and when he couldn't see Reikoku the grip his fingers had around the cloth had loosened. However, the hairs on the back of his neck were still standing; he could smell Reikoku's scent everywhere, and it made him increasingly nervous.

As his eyes trailed further he saw Aoi-Yuki, who was lying on his side. He finally let go of Suzuno and ran quickly to his pet's side, kneeling down and picking him up, cradling him in his arms. For a moment his breath had stopped, but he found relief when Aoi-Yuki's small heartbeat could be felt against him. He turned to Suzuno, his lip quivering. "Byakko's okay."

"Everything . . . should be okay," Suzuno said in a soft voice. Just as she had spoken she dropped the sword with a loud clank, feeling her neck. The blood from the slit in her hands and her throat mixed, and she let herself fall to the floor. Toroki, still carrying Aoi-Yuki hurried over to her side once again. Now that the adrenaline was gone, a full force of pain swept through her entire body. 'This really hurts!'

"Suzuno!" Toroki said in a worried voice, propping Aoi-Yuki just a bit on his knees and one arm so the other could reach out to touch her face. His eyes looked upset now, and worried. "Suzuno, you're hurt really bad!"

She wanted desperately to reply, say anything that would calm him down just a bit. An 'I'm fine' would have been short and sweet, but she felt like if she talked her throat would rip apart. Instead she took the hand he had, holding it and smiling softly and reassuringly. Toroki almost looked surprised, then he turned his face and wiped the tears onto the sleeve of his shirt.

"You really did keep your promise, Suzuno . . ."

x x x

Okay:D This chapter is finally released. I've been wanting this one to go out for a while now, for some reason. Gack, it makes Toroki look even more like a baby though . . . and such a damsel in distress! Suzuno did do great though in her first battle of swords.

And we'll be seeing Reikoku again, as he is now the said attacker in Midoru too. It was supposed to be sort of obvious, I guess, but it hadn't been made obvious to the actualy characters so this was an important scene. T.T And hey! Suzuno's got a sword now! Reikoku didn't even take it back . "http/ Suzuno Oosugi- Ack! –Keeps quiet about who Ame-chan's real father is- It's definitely going to be an important character though, despite the fact that he's dead. And . . . and . . . You . . . XD XD XD Ack! T.T I can't imagine this story ending, either. It's been my longest project, and even though it's been so long I still have so many to introduce and such a long way to go!

Even out of the characters we have, not much about them is known. We even still have some mysteries around Suzuno. "http/ quillian91- Thank you:D I'm glad that I finally got to put in a Subaru and Lanva moment in this story again . . . I adore them, and they never get enough coverage. And yeay, more Ame-chan fans! XD Truthfully, I feel that Tatara hasn't had any coverage at all, even though he has. T.T I feel he's barely in the story! Nooo . . . I must make him more active and impulsive! XD But th "http/ Queen of the Paperclips- -giggles- Oh yes, the horizontal tango indeed . . . And they support Ame-chan's relationship because they've known him longer. Or more like Lanva and Amefuri feel the same way about Tatara. Subaru doesn't really mind either way- she just wants Suzuno to be happy:D

Ack, I haven't read any other FY stories. T.T It sounds interesting though! I'd love to see others' portrayal of the Byakko warriors . . . A mature blind young man? O.o Ack! So different! I must read it . . . are th "http/ YueMichiruNaragisawaMiko- lol, yeah! XD That would be a very scary thought, them getting together . . . Neither of them are even remotely gay, even though Amefuri did once say he would service men if he was paid. There is gonna be a gay character (Not a warrior!) in the future though, and he thinks Tatara and Ame-chan are both ha "http/ RabidMantisGirl- OMGosh! XD XD XD You would be the first to join a hate Toroki club if there was such a thing, wouldn't you? Lol! Out of my favorite Adult Swim show currently on, I'd have to go with Aqua Teen Hunger Force . . . Number one in the hood, G:D But overall, I love Home Movies and all the anime shows (Paranoia Agent and Samurai Champloo!), and Futurama, Family Guy and America "http/ The Emerald Princess- O.O Hatsuharu-sama! I'm not worthy . . . Kyaa! –Mega-hugs- And such a long, wonderful review! And thank you for the tip on my writing- I'm always looking for it to be better! Currently I'm editing all of my chapters for grammer, and when I'm finished with them all they'll be put up and pretty-fied. XD

Chocolate! –Eats it