A/N again! Yep :) Just one thing, actually: Suzaku. Yes, we wrote her in someone's presence, but for now we won't say who it is. We have never mentioned it before and there won't be any revelations in this story either. Sorry!
"But you chose him!" Byakko blurted, red eyes wide and full of disbelief at what he was hearing.
"It was my wish for him to take Genbu's place," the Lord of GensouKai agreed. "But for him to fulfill this role, something has to change."
Rikugo felt Sohryu shift closer to him and he was surprised by the expression of annoyance and... protection?
The Emperor walked down from the throne and approached, an immensely powerful presence that had them all breathless. Sohryu didn't move. He wasn't challenging, but he was making a point.
Sohryu, no, Rikugo thought frantically.
"It is in my interest that you shall be their equal in rank, status and power," the Emperor continued. "It is my wish."
He raised a hand and touched Rikugo's forehead with gentle fingers. All the astrologer's eyes flew open and he gasped as the limitless power entered his body. It wasn't painful, it wasn't bad, it didn't really hurt... but it was... it was... more than any shikigami of their rank, and theirs was the highest, could possibly bear for long. The energy was potent, enveloped the whole universe and beyond, saw everything, touched everything, was both weak and powerful, was more than one being could harness in all lifetimes.
Rikugo wanted to step away, scared, frightened, actually terrified, but the dark eyes held him, paralyzed him. He looked into the vast infinity of the universe and a tremor raced through him.
You did the right thing then, Rikugo, a well-known voice told him gently. You saved a life, you sacrificed your power, but it is over now. Rise again, Divine Commander Rikugo. Rikugo no Genbu.
And his aura exploded in glorious energy. Rikugo's eyes closed and he almost moaned, then it was suddenly over. He felt a steadying hand at his elbow as he swayed, and when he opened his normal eyes, he looked straight at Sohryu. The dragon's gray-blue eyes were wide in astonishment. Suzaku and Byakko were hovering behind him, radiating delight and happiness.
His aura... he felt it expand, felt it like it had been before he had cut his hair...
The hair!
The weight was back, a heavy mass spilling over his shoulders in white-blond waves.
The spiritual energy of a dragon was stored in his hair. It was easy to judge one's opponent by just looking at him, and Rikugo had voluntarily cut off his source of power, to help Byakko.
Now it was back.
All of it.
Sohryu reached out and brushed through some loose strands. "Welcome back, Rikugo," he whispered, only loud enough for them to hear it.
"Thank you," the astrologer replied.
Their eyes met in a silent conversation and Sohryu smiled more, removing his touch. Byakko just beamed at him, so obviously happy, and close to just hugging his fellow Protector. There was no fear, no apprehension, and Rikugo breathed a sigh of relief. Suzaku pounded his back in delight.
Rikugo looked at the figure of the Golden Emperor, inclined his head, and the Emperor smiled.
° ° °
The letter arrived a day after the party, after Genbu's ascension to the new Lord of GensouKai. Ryu had been just as surprised as Watson, who had received the letter from a messenger. Opening the parchment, the Count read over the lines.
The sheet of paper fluttered from suddenly nerveless fingers and he started to tremble.
No...
No... no!
"Sir?" Watson asked.
Ryu just whirled around and disappeared in the Palace. The gnome frowned with worry, then picked up the letter, glancing at it.
It was an invitation.
Into the Palace of Enma-Daiou.
Watson felt alarm course through him and despite his loyalty to his master, maybe even because of it, he immediately sent a very urgent message to Tsuzuki, the only one he could reach from here.
° ° °
The palace of Enma-Daiou was a large, splendorous affair. Tsuzuki had been here before and he hadn't liked it either time. He hated the vast halls, the expensive tapestries, wooden pillars with their gilded crests, as well as the polished floor.
Yes, he had been here before. Each time he had met the master of this place, the Lord of Hades, and each time he had been left with more anger and rage than before, with this feeling of helplessness.
Not this time, he swore to himself.
This time he would make a difference, whatever that was.
He had been invited, formally, by a messenger, and when he had heard that Ryu had received the same letter, his instincts had screamed at him.
Tsuzuki looked at the man at his side, the half mask floating about half a head higher than his own face, the pair of gloves the only other visible accessories.
"Ryu?" he murmured.
"I'm fine," was the equally soft reply.
He would protect his friend, Tsuzuki decided. Against Enma-Daiou, whatever the Lord of Hades had planned. They had fought, they had won, they knew the truth, and Genbu was now the new Emperor. Whatever Enma wanted, they would weather the storm. Nothing he could deal out now could be worse than what had already happened to them all.
It was with surprise that Tsuzuki noted that the room they were led into by the servants ahead of them wasn't empty.
"Watari?" he whispered, shocked.
The blond scientist looked nervous. 003 was on his shoulder, feather's fluffed up, and when they discovered him, a sliver of relief, quickly followed by even more worry, crossed the young features of the other shinigami.
"Uh, hi. You got an invitation, too?"
"Yes..."
"Why?"
"I have no idea."
Watari looked at the Count, puzzlement in his eyes. "You, too?"
Ryu nodded. "I believe I know what my role here is. I defied Enma-Daiou. I am a servant of him; it is my punishment."
"You're not going to get punished," Tsuzuki ground out, his aura flaring a little.
Ryu placed a gloved hand onto his shoulder, squeezing gently. "Asato," he murmured.
Before Tsuzuki could say something, the heavy drapes parted. The moment the first figure stepped out from behind the partitions, Tsuzuki felt a strong aura flare to life and he gasped. He heard a similar exclamation from Ryu when the second man appeared, and finally Enma-Daiou joined them, dressed as always in perfectly exquisite robes. The handsome face was a pleasant mask, but the eyes... old, ancient, filled with so much knowledge... Tsuzuki shivered.
I'll never be you, he swore to himself. Never!
A fourth figure stepped up and while Tsuzuki had never seen Genbu in his new form, he knew exactly who he was looking at.
"Welcome," the Lord of Heaven greeted them. "We have called you here because of your involvement in these latest of events as well as your future roles."
Tsuzuki grit his teeth. No, he thought angrily. I won't be him. I will never become Enma! Never! I'm not going to be a cold-hearted bastard.
The fine smile on Enma's lips made him want to strangle the other. He felt a calming touch from Touda and he reined in his temper.
"Due to events related to us, the Lords of Heaven and Hell, as well as the Emperor have come to the following decision. Enma-Daiou will remain Lord of Hades until a successor is ready to take his place."
Tsuzuki's face was a mask, and not even his eyes gave anything away. He could almost see Ryu wince, even though the man was invisible. And he thought he heard a soft whisper of pained denial.
"Because of Enma-Daiou's betrayal we will appoint observers to Meifu, to act as our eyes and ears, as our ambassadors and our representatives."
Enma's face was cool, distant, his features almost hidden by his elaborate hair-style and the headdress.
They exchanged wary looks.
"Nothing will happen to any of you. We will give you our promise. Enma-Daiou shall not touch you unless you wish to ascend. Our observers shall make sure of that as well."
The heavily robed figure was silent for a moment, then nodded at the Lord of Hell. Tsuzuki tensed more.
"Heaven has had a representative in Meifu for four decades," the celestial figure announced. "She was a guardian angel of the shinigami Watari Yutaka and gave up her status to remain at his side after her assignment ran out. She took on the name given to her by her shinigami protégée and chose to become a shikigami to serve him faithfully. Hereby, Heaven reinstates the angel as such. She will be our eyes and ears in Meifu, serving Watari Yutaka in times of need, remaining at his side, and guarding against another betrayal by Enma-Daiou."
Watari's eyes were wide as saucers as her heard the words. A soft hoot could be heard, then 003 launched herself from the blond's shoulder. In a flash of bright light she transformed into the young girl they had seen only once before, the guardian angel 003 had always been and who no one had known of until the fateful day a devil had come to claim Watari's soul. A soul promised to him by his best friend and later lover.
"003...?" Watari stammered.
The girl smiled, her expression calm and loving and very peaceful, though her eyes reflected a core of steel that told them that despite her appearance, she was anything but a child.
The Lord of Hell stepped forward, a smirk on his lips. His dark eyes fell on Ryu, who had frozen in shock. Tsuzuki could hear his panicked breathing.
"Well, to make it short: before I have to pick some poor bugger in Hell who'll have a miserable time staying in Meifu, I decided to give this honor to you, Ryu."
Ryu shook his head slowly, starting to tremble.
"You were a human when you were born, but nothing of that has remained, right? You absorbed the one you meant to make a deal with, and you are one of us. You are a creature of Hell, a demon, and your rank has just been decided upon. Aside from Tsuzuki, who could have made it as my second, you are my prime choice. Congratulations."
The Lord of Hell snapped his fingers and Ryu gasped loudly as the seal broke. He felt it rip apart, disintegrate to never be back, and his demonic power roared free. His blood boiled, his soul cried out in joy and fear, and he clenched his hands into fists, almost puncturing his palms with his suddenly growing claws.
Red eyes widened in pain and astonishment as wings broke free, though nothing else happened. He was still his human self, more or less, in shape, aside from a few features.
The mask lay forgotten on the floor.
The Lord of Hell smirked more. "Can't scare your friends now, can we? You'll learn control soon enough, pal. You better train those powers. You are a bit rusty."
Ryu panted, feeling the heavy appendages on his back, and suddenly his senses took in the close presence of the angel. 003 met his wide, fearful gaze calmly and she smiled. Her head bowed slightly in acknowledgment of her partner in this job.
"GensouKai has not chosen a specific observer," the Emperor announced. "Tsuzuki's bond to the hell serpent Touda shall be enough. Enma cannot severe it and he cannot influence it."
Tsuzuki blinked. What? He looked at Enma-Daiou again, who hadn't moved at all, just watched proceedings with a faint smile.
"Meifu shall know of your status, demon and angel," the Lord of Heaven concluded the audience. "You shall be the only ones of your kind to freely roam the world of the shinigami."
And with those words, it was over. The three men and one angel were left alone, exchanging confused looks. Ryu picked up the mask with shaky fingers, the heavy wings moving with every turn.
"Ryu?" Tsuzuki inquired.
"I'm fine," was the automatic reply.
003 walked over to her demonic counterpart and the Count stiffened. Her face was solemn, without fear or judgment, and she reached out, touching the wings. He almost jumped back at her tender caress, then gasped as the appendages disappeared.
"What..." Tsuzuki started.
"Thank you," Ryu only whispered.
She smiled more, then transformed back into her owl form, landing on Watari's shoulder, hooting once.
"Let's go," the demon only said, the mask still firmly in hand.
He had a lot to deal with.
And worst of it was the realization that now everyone would know just who and what he was. He had gone through the same in GensouKai already, but here was his home. This was where he worked.
He knew it might just turn out to be a lot worse.
tbc...