A/N - Thanks for the reviews, everyone Once I've put up chapter 12, updates won't be so frequent, because I'll have to actually write them. XD I'll try, though... anyway, today we meet Tharaide, your local angsty phoenix. Onwards!
"Dinner's ready, everyone!" said Tohru, trying her hardest to sound bright and cheerful. The effort was not returned. Yuki nodded his thanks and silently began to eat; Kyo turned away, not meeting her eyes.
It was like this now. Life had returned to something that could be called "normal" for the Sohmas, but without Shigure everything was different. The entire family, with the probable exception of Akito, had been shocked by his sudden death. Though Hatori regularly stopped by to check up on them, and the visits of Momiji and Haru had become even more frequent, the house seemed empty. Tohru knew they wouldn't be able to stay much longer, with the former owner slain. She only hoped that Yuki would not be forced to return to the Sohma Estate. Perhaps he would be permitted to live with his brother Ayame. The siblings did not get on well, but anything was better than returning to Akito.
It was worst for Kyo. The family was shocked indeed, and he was paying for it. Tohru felt a stab of pity in her heart as she looked at him. The Cat was a shell of his former self. He barely spoke to her or to Yuki anymore, probably because Yuki blamed him for Shigure's death, and though he still squabbled and fought with Haru and Uo-chan, it was with none of his former vehemence. He had always been ostracized from the family, and the tragedy had only made it worse.
Yuki, on the other hand, had only grown more and more withdrawn. Despite what Tohru said, he obstinately refused to forgive Kyo, and though they rarely fought anymore, the pair's rivalry had evolved into stark animosity.
They were both startled when Kyo spoke, his voice barely audible. "Tohru, Yuki… I'm…" He trailed off, gulped, and tried again. "Could you ever forgive me… for… what happened?"
Tohru opened her mouth, about to speak, but Yuki beat her to it. A cold rage was in his eyes. "How can we?" he whispered, and he stood up. "How can we ever forgive you?" he shouted. "Can't you see what you've done? You've killed someone who was one of us, one of the only members of our family who was willing to take you in! No, I could never forgive you. Akito's right, Kyo… you really are a monster."
A look of mingled horror, fury, and sadness filled Kyo's eyes. Unable to take any more, he rushed from the room. Yuki collapsed back onto his chair, tears running down his face. "It wasn't his fault, Yuki," said Tohru, feeling absolutely horrified that the tension had reached this point. "I know you're upset… but you can't lay the blame on him just like that."
"What else can I do?" whispered Yuki, looking up at her with anguish in his eyes. With that, he too rose and left the room, leaving Tohru alone and feeling even more hopeless than she had before.
Everyone felt so miserable that nobody noticed the odd presence of smoke, hovering around the place where Kuroi's lair had been.
---
After Hatori and the others had left, the laboratory was pitch-black and silent. But not for long. Two bright flashes in quick succession flared up, leaving two beings standing there, a boy and a girl, perhaps in their late teens or twenties. The fires died away and the girl stepped forward, shaking ashes from her waist-length red hair. Certainly an odd method of travel. Her companion, whose hair was darker, followed suit.
"What a mess," said the girl with disgust, looking around her. Her strange golden eyes were narrowed. "Misaya, are you sure this is the place?"
"Quite sure, Tharaide," Misaya replied. "The Council was quite clear. Check that side over there."
"Frankly, I'm worried," said Tharaide with a frown, moving around the room. "It was supposed to be a power transfer spell, and you know those are illegal. For a human to gain the power…"
"We're just lucky it was a human," said Misaya, bending over to look underneath an overturned table. "If one of Shiro's old group had found the ring, it would have been a disaster. It would have been theoretically possible to resurrect him."
Tharaide shuddered. It's been fifteen years since… Aloud, she replied, "They were exiled, and most of his army was magically constructed anyway. Let's just find it and get out of here."
The pair moved systematically about the room. Misaya seemed relatively at ease, a cheerful expression on his face, but Tharaide's shoulders were hunched and her face was serious. It was always like that between the two of them, and it had been for years. Finally, each stopped as the other let out a gasp of surprise.
"Found it!" said Misaya, grinning and tossing the magical object from hand to hand. "Tharaide, let's…"
He trailed off as he saw his friend kneeling on the other end of the room. "What'd you find?"
"A human," she murmured. "He must have been left in the aftermath of some battle here…" Misaya walked over to her to find her crouched over Shigure, feeling his pulse. "I can't believe it. He's still alive."
"Tharaide…" He sighed. Ever since the incident with Seita, she's been like this. Always gloomy, always taking some fancy into her head. "We can't waste time on a human. He might even be the culprit, have you thought of that?"
"It just doesn't feel right to leave anyone here in this state, human or not," said Tharaide. "He's badly injured, Misaya. I doubt human medicine would do any good at this point, you know that." She was silent for a while before speaking again. "Besides… if he knows anything about the incident with the ring, the council may be interested."
Misaya shook his head. "If he survives the fire, which I doubt. Few humans can take it. Ah, well, it's all the same to me. Let's go."
Tharaide straightened herself, still supporting Shigure with one arm, and her eyes took on a look of concentration. Two scarlet-and-gold wings flared out from her back, and the fire engulfed the three of them.
Five minutes later, only scattered ashes and scorch marks showed that any of them had ever been there.