OVA 2: The Transience Of A Water Mirror
The Suzaku Warriors watched in horror as a bubble formed around their Priestess. The odd water wouldn't allow them to move at all. "This is th' same water as before!!!" Tasuki cried as he clung to Jade, his fear of water intensified since his recent experience with it. The other seishi struggled against the water, but to no sucess. Chichiri looked furious. "Hikou, stop this now!!! Show yourself! HIKOU!!!" Miaka looked at him. "Chichiri?" An image popped up in front of them, and it showed two men fighting on a riverbank. "Why?! Why did you betray me, Hikou?!" said the one, his voice idenitcal to Chichiri's. He raised a knife and pointed it at the other man. "Give her back!!! Give her back to me, Hikou!!!" Tasuki looked confused. "Who are they?" Jade knew instantly. "The one with the knife is Chichiri! Except here, he has both of his eyes..." she trailed off, looking at the monk guiltily. The other man fell in, and Chichiri grabbed his hand. "Help me Houjun!" he cried, but the current was too strong, and it drug him under. The image faded as Chichiri cried "STOP IT!!!" A blast of water hit the monk and sent him flying into the wall. An evil chuckle filled the air. "Chichiri...or should I say, Houjun...don't you remember?" A man with dark blue hair and skeletal bat wings suddenly appeared. "Eight years ago...the day you killed me, just as I showed your friends...that is why I'm taking away everything from you now...so that you can experience what it's like to lose everything dear to you because of a so-called friend...This is why I'll be taking your beloved Priestess with me! If you want her back, you'll have to come to me..." He smirked as Taka fiercly faught against the water's grip. "MIAKA!!!" he cried, but it was no use. Hikou disappeared with Miaka, making a hole in the celing on the way out.
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Chichiri lay, slumped against the wall in the shallow pool of water. The others rushed over to him. "Chichiri!" Chiriko cried. Hotohori sighed. "I'm afraid he's unconcious..." Tasuki and Jade looked back at Nuriko. "So, how's it goin' over there?" the redhead asked. Nuriko rolled his eyes. "He's still out of it..." Taka was still reaching upward, his face a mask of pure shock and horror. Jade sweatdropped. "I can see that..."
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Later, in Chichiri's room, Taka and Nuriko were in a heated arguement. "Wait, Taka! You can't go!!!" The young man didn't hesitate. "I have to, Nuriko! Otherwise, Miaka might be hurt somehow!" The purple haired seishi still tried to argue his point, but it was a lost case. Hotohori was backing the seishi as well, but Taka wouldn't take no for an answer. Tasuki looked down at his monk friend. "I bet Chichiri knows where they are, but he's still out of it..." he said, sighing. Mitsukake was checking him over, trying to decide if he could revive him or not. He shook his head. "We'll just have to wait for nature to take it's course..." Jade was very worried; after all, the monk was one of her closest friends. Tasuki saw her face and pulled her down onto a chair with him so that she was sitting in his lap. "Hey Jade, remember that time th' two of us an' Kouji pilaged that rich guy's house?" She saw his smile, and she knew that he was trying to cheer her up. Well, that story was the best one for the job. She started laughing. "I remember that! You two were trying on all of his clothes and eating all the food...and I was busy with the jewels. See, a woman is always the one who gets the job done." she said, smirking. The bandit laughed. "Well, onna, if you wanna think that..." She mock-glared at him, and he just laughed harder. They calmed down and looked over at Chichiri. Mitsukake sighed. "Who knows when he'll wake up..." Then, the monk's voice could be heard faintly. "I can't fight him..." he said weakly. The healer asked if he felt any pain, but Chichiri just continued on. "You all saw it...how I murdered my own best friend...my fiance, Korin...she told me one day that she could not marry me anymore because she and Hikou had kissed. Virtually, my best friend stole her away from me. Soon after that, we had a huge flood." Hotohori, Tasuki, Mitsukake, and Nuriko nodded, remembering the huge storm. "It took away everything...my family...my beloved...but I can't kill Hikou again. I can't bring myself to do it..." he trailed off, looking pained. Mitsukake quietly told his story, trying to express to Chichiri that he understood what he had gone through. "Chichiri, we're all here for you. We know that it'll be hard for you to dash salt on that wound again, but we need to get Miaka back. Besides, you should face your friend and end this, once and for all. I'll even go for you! Heh, for once, I can look out for you instead of the other way around!" Jade said, smiling. Chichiri sat up. "That's very kind of you, Jade, but I'll go. It doesn't matter anymore. I need to face him. Thank you all for helping me see that."
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Miaka was floating above Hikou, beating on the bubble she was encaged in. "Let me go!" she cried. The water demon (I don't know what he is, so I'll just call him that) smirked. "Oh, don't worry. I'm sure your friends will be coming soon. That is, assuming they're not cowards..." This enraged the Priestess even more. "If you're Chichiri's best friend, why are you doing this?!" "Hmph. He is not my friend. Lord Tenkou made me a demon lord, so I am now Konki, one of the Four Kings of the Earth. My water has probably gained enough strength to enter your world now. I plan on using your body as a medium to the other world as well as luring Chichiri here. The water I produce with my wings will make people lose their senses and twist their feelings. Tasuki was a perfect example. Since both Chichiri and Kokyu could resist it, I chose someone that had the strongest bond with another...and that was that moron. His love for the Celeste Warrior was twisted into love for you, cracking both his and your relationships with those you love most. I wanted you all to experience the pain I did. But, somehow, he managed to break through. I suppose it's that beloved brat of his's fault, so I'll punish her extra hard!" Miaka redoubled her efforts. "No you won't! My friends are much stronger than you! They're the Suzaku Warriors!" Hikou glared at her. "The love between friends is merely an illusion..." A blue circle formed in front of him, and in it, Miaka could see Yui taking a bath. "Yui-chan! What are you going to do to her?!" He smirked. "Let's see her true feelings, shall we?" He raised his hand, and the water in her bathtub swirled around her. She cried out as it entered her body. Miaka was horrified. "Hikou, stop it!" His smirk of satisfaction fell as they heard Yui's voice say that she was worried about Miaka and that she should never give up. The water demon was furious. "Let her go, Hikou!" Miaka cried, and he stopped, to her surprise. She slumped back into the tub, and the image disappeared. Keisuke and Tetsuya rushed in to help her, but she told them that she was fine; she was just talking to Miaka.
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Chichiri grabbed his staff and walked out into the hall. Tasuki was waiting for him. "I'm goin' with ya, no matter what you say. I have to...because what Hikou did to you is what I almost did...and they're not angry or anything...especially Jade. I still feel awful, but she told me hundreds of times that she still loves me. I always thought of Miaka like a little sister, and the only way I loved her was like a brother would. Somehow, he twisted it together with my love for Jade, and I'm not sure what happened after that...I don't really care if I die, because I know it'll be for the people I care most about." Chichiri ruffled the bandit's hair and smiled. "Well, no one's perfect...that's why no one can successfully like alone, no da." "Exactly why I don't plan on it. Count me in too!" They both turned to see Jade step out of the shadows, smirking. Instead of wearing her usual bandit garb, she was wearing jean shorts and a black tank top, her sword strapped to her back. "I'm not letting Tasuki out of my sight after almost losing him. Besides, what kind of fiance and friend would I be, not to fight alongside you two? I'm going!" Taka walked up. "Make that four." Chichiri chuckled. "Okay, but you'll have to babysit yourselves..." He pulled out his staff, and the four warriors disappeared.
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Miaka gasped as her bubble began to fill with water. Hikou smirked. "Now you can experience the tortures of drowning, just as I did when my supposed friend killed me." Suddenly, he heard an explosion and whipped around to see the four warriors surrounded by a white light. Chichiri lowered his staff, and the light disappeared. "Hikou! Release Miaka now!!!" he commanded. The water demon smirked. "Why? What will you do if I don't?" he asked, sneering. "My friends who serve Suzaku mean more to me than anything else. I'm willing to do whatever it takes for them to remain safe. Even if it means killing you!" Miaka tried to stop the monk from fighting his best friend, but he didn't listen. Hikou's smirk broadened. "Well, I suppose you'll have to do it before your lovely Priestess drowns, now won't you?" Taka, Jade, and Tasuki readied their weapons. "We'll take care of Miaka!" Taka yelled. He looked over at the redheads, and they nodded. The bandit drove his tessan into the ground, flames bursting out and heading towards Hikou. Jade muttered an incantation, holding her sword out. "Seiryoku ken!!!" A blast of energy ran off of her sword and also went towards the water demon. He threw up a wall of water, stopping both attacks. "Damnit..." the Celeste Warrrior mumbled, making her way to the bandit. Hikou sent a heavy fire of water blasts, hitting the warriors hard. Tasuki shielded Jade, taking the attacks that were ment for her. The demon was furious. "You can't protect her forever! It's all her fault my little plan didn't work, now she'll have to pay the price!!!" He began charging a giant blast of water. Chichiri chanted a spell, and was surrounded by a glowing red aura. The two attacks met, head on, the monk's driving the water back to hit Hikou. Jade, who was clinging to Tasuki's shoulder, watched, wide eyed. "Woah..." Taka breathed. Tasuki nodded, dumbfounded. "No shit, man." Miaka once again attempted to stop the fighting, but she was ignored. (A.N. I think this happens often, ne? And why does it take her forever to drown? An normal human would have died while she's still able to talk.) The two friends began charging their attacks to the full amount, ready to hit each other. Then, Chichiri froze everything and teleported to Hikou, grabbing him and wrapping them both in his kasa. "I'll save you Hikou..." he said quietly. "TASUKI!!! USE YOUR FIRE TO BURN MY ROBE!!! CONCENTRATE EVERYTHING ON BURNING IT!!!" Jade gasped. "But Chichiri, you'll die too!" "It doesn't matter anymore, just do it!!! We don't have much time!!!" Tasuki raised his tessan with his shaking hand, but stopped. "I can't! You're one of my best friends!!!" "My body can't take much more of this!!! You have to do it now!!!" the monk cried. Tasuki turned away. "Why is this happenin' again?! This is the same way Chiriko died, I can' do it!" he cried. Miaka asked Taka to save Chichiri right before the water took it's toll and she fell unconcious. (About time!!!) Taka watched in horror. "Miaka!" He looked over at the bandits. "Do it." he said. Tasuki looked at him as if he were crazy before nodding. "Okay..." Jade suddenly piped up "Tasuki, I have an idea!" He looked at her hopefully. "You know how the other day, Miaka said that you and I look alike? I finally figured out why. We are connected by an invisible bond. If we combine our chi into one, we can combine my chi blast and your fire to make a powerful attack. If Taka hits the kasa the same moment as the attack, it will destroy the kasa and Hikou, but it might not hit Chichiri! I think this is our only hope, please trust me!" He smirked. "Okay,if it'll save Chichiri..." He bent and kissed her. Everything turned red around them, and Tasuki's voice came into Jade's head. Are you sure about this? We'll have to use my body, but it'll use up most of your energy...She nodded, and her body turned into a red ball and entered his. Taka looked over, and his eyes widened. Jade was nowhere to be seen, and Tasuki stood smirking, his amber eyes now emerald green. The wolf madallion was around his neck, but other than that, he looked the same. "Okay Taka, you heard the woman. Start runnin'!" Taka nodded and took off towards the kasa. The bandit rose one of his hands, and it started to glow red. The other hand was charging up his tessan. His eyes snapped open, and an energy blast wrapped with tendrils of fire flew towards Hikou and Chichiri. Taka hit the kasa just as the blast did, breaking the barrier and hitting Hikou. The demon started to disentigrate, his eyes wide in horror. "No...how could I be killed again by some mere children?!" Chichiri watched, trembling. "Hikou..."
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The bubble Miaka was in popped, and Taka ran over and caught her. Tasuki walked over to where what was left of Hikou was lying in a puddle, the monk holding his hand. Jade slid out of the bandit, unconcious and naked, and he caught her and held her gently. Tears were pouring down Chichiri's face as he held the watery hand of his best friend. "W-Why aren't you letting go of my hand?" Hikou asked weakly. The monk told him that he promised not to let go. "We'll all be reunited in heaven...she always loved you, Chichiri...because you're such a nice guy...did you ever believe that she would betray you like that?" They all saw an image of a younger Hikou and Chichiri's fiance, Korin. He told her that he had always loved her, and then kissed her. She hadn't stopped him because she was so surprised. Feeling guitly, the young woman told Chichiri/Houjun that she couldn't marry him anymore because she had been kissed by another man. "I was the one that started everything...because I couldn't keep my feelings in check. That's why I cast that spell, so that all of you saw what happened when feelings get out of control...the human heart is a powerful thing, and I underestimated it. I thought that Kokyu had ruined my whole plan, but in reality, it was the strength of friendship and love. No one could ever destroy that. But I was angry, so a demon posessed my body after I died. I thought that I could get my revenge, but it turns out, you still wanted my friendship. I still want yours, Houjun. It's all my fault that you were hurt like that, because I was such a fool. If she would have seen the scar...it would have hurt her too." Chichiri started sobbing, feeling horrible that he had let go before. "You are my dearest friend, and I have always loved you! I'm sorry! Please don't go!!!" Hikou disappeared, his voice heard one last time. "Houjun...forgive me, please..." The monk bowed his head in reverence to his old friend.
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Later, Mitsukake was healing Chichiri's wounds, everyone joking and talking happily. Nuriko smiled. "Are those three asleep in there?" he asked. They opened the door slightly to see Taka sprawled out over the bed, the firey haired couple entangled together beside him. All of them were deeply sleeping. "Yeah out like lights..." Miaka giggled softly as she closed the door. "I owe them my life. If Tasuki and Jade hadn't combined their chi and used that attack, I probably would have died as well...!" Chichiri shot up, looking at the door. Standing in the doorway was a man with electric yellow hair and an odd blue mark on his forehead. "Ah, so you sensed my presence Chichiri. I'm impressed. I am Yousui, the last of the Great Kings!" The Suzaku Warriors noticed that they were attached to threads. "Don't move!" Nuriko cautioned. The man chuckled evilly. Suddenly, he was hit with a large red chi blast. They all watched, stunned. "That life force..." Chichiri said quietly. Then, they all saw someone they thought had disappeared forever. "Tamahome!!!" (cool music again)
So, how was it? I always find this part sad...sniff...so, last chapter of OVA 2, then we get to the wedding preperations! Yay!