Hello guys!
Next chappie is up!
And hopefully it's better than chapter seven…
WARNING: CHARACTER DEATH IN THIS CHAPTER SO BE CAREFUL!
Disclaimers: I don't own Fushigi Yugi, Yu Watase does!
Akina is mine.
On to the story! Enjoy!
Chapter eight: Sayonara my love…
Morning had arrived to Konan and the sun's light was slowly wakening the country's inhabitants to a new day. The palace servants were the first ones to get up. Since they had their duties to attend and to prepare for the emperor's breakfast.
Akina had also woke up early this morning and carefully sneaked away from her room. She tiptoed thru the hall as she passed the seishi's bedrooms so she would not wake them up.
She successfully reached the end of the hall without disturbing anyone. Only some servants that passed by cast some confused glances at her while she was sneaking around in chibi form in the hall.
That did not bother her at all since she was focused to reach one seishi's room that was at the end of the hall, but as she approached the door noticed that it already was open. So Akina carefully poked her head inside the small room.
" Phew! No one woke up…… but where is he? The door to his room is wide open and no sign of him here... " Akina mentally growled while she walked off and rounded a corner to look for the seishi.
She looked in the dining room, out in the garden, even in the guards training room and asked servants if they knew of his whereabouts. But no one had seen him since he went to bed last night.
" Well, thanks anyway! " She said to a servant that had tried to help her.
" Sorry that I could not be of more assistant my lady! " The servant called after her as she went off again.
" Oh great, has he vanished into thin air? Well there is no use just standing here, might just as well continue to try and find him." She told herself.
Growing slightly frustrated she went on to search for the missing seishi. And a few seconds later she spotted him heading towards the palace shrine in a hurry.
" What the heck, what's he up to? " She wondered as she quietly neared the shrine of Suzaku. She poked her head around the corner and saw him enter the shrine.
Akina was surprised that he was not blocked away or something by the beast god's magic as he disappeared into the dark room.
" How can he enter the shrine when he's not a Suzaku seishi? Maybe because he fights to protect what's precious to him. Suzaku is the god of love… so maybe that's why he accepts him." She thought and sneaked up the stairs and stopped for a second before the shrine door.
" Oh, I certainly hope I'm doing the right thing now…" She thought and walked inside.
The shrine was huge, almost as big as Hotohori's throne room; maybe it was even bigger than that. But it was also dark and quiet and almost no decoration except for some curtains that hung between some of the pillars.
" This room could use a carpet and some sunlight…" She thought and continued to view the room.
Akina spotted the holy golden urn that was standing on its pedestal in the middle of the room. The fire was out, since they could not perform the summoning ceremony without Tamahome.
Akina tiptoed inside and carefully watched the seishi as he was standing behind one of the clothed pillars and his back was turned against her. He seemed to concentrate pretty hard on something so he did not notice her presence.
" Aha! Found you! "
She went over to him and tapped him lightly on the shoulder. The poor boy let out a surprised yelp and flew three feet high in the air while dropping a small box with cream on the floor as he landed.
" Hi Chiriko! What are you up to? " She asked, but she knew very well that he was reporting to Nakago and the rest of the Seiryu seishi's about what the Suzaku seven was doing now. But pretended that she didn't know.
" Suzaku-sama! Don't scare me like that Akina, you almost gave me a heart attack! " Chiriko said as he turned around to face her, his face was slightly pale. She replied with a small smile and bent down to pick up the small box and handed it over to him.
" Here you dropped it." She said and placed it carefully in Chiriko's hands. He thanked her and began to walk outside with a tight grip of the cream box.
" No don't leave right away! I still need to talk to you! " She mentally called after him.
" Hey Chiriko, want to join me for breakfast? " She asked and jogged after him to the shrine door. He looked torn about what to do, but soon he then agreed and joined up with her as they both walked thru the halls towards the dinning room.
Wanting to start conservation Akina said what first came into her mind.
" What was that cream for Chiriko? Are you using makeup as Nuriko? " Chiriko glanced at her with a very insulted expression on his face.
" I'm not a cross-dresser, and this is not makeup! It's…. a cream that I use soften my skin when it itches and burns…" He said quickly and used some on his other arm while pouting chibi style.
Akina could not help but laugh at his expression, and that he thought that she meant that he was a cross-dresser.
" If you have skin problems them why don't you let Mitsukake take a look on it and maybe he can heal you." Akina suggested and kept giggling as they entered the dinning room. Chiriko shook his head furiously.
" No, I don't want to waste Mitsukake's healing powers on me. What if something would happen and his powers were needed and he could not help because he healed me? " He asked and sat down beside her.
" I don't think anything would happen right now, but it's your choice…" She said as she patted him on the shoulder.
Then the servants quickly emerged from the kitchen and placed out different kinds of food on the table for them to choose from. Akina picked up a bowl of rice, while Chiriko also extended a hand for a bowl.
While they were eating Akina studied Chiriko from the
corner of her eye, trying to figure out what to say next. Then she
spotted his flute that was stuck into his belt.
" Chiriko… when was the first time you played on your flute? " She asked. The boy looked at her for a second before staring out into space while a happy smile slowly emerged onto his lips.
" The first time I played on it was when my father handed it to me on my eight birthday. I know that I practiced every single day until I finally could play a song on the flute. My entire family was happy that I could play and said that they had never heard such beautiful music before…" He said and sighed happily before he then started to eat.
Akina smiled and stuffed her mouth too. Both of them were sitting in complete silence until Chiriko was finished with his bowl and showed it away on the table. He excused himself as he rose up from the table and began to walk to the door when Akina's gentle voice stopped him.
" Chiriko… about your music, I also think it's beautiful, it makes me feel like… I'm floating on clouds…" He turned around and watched the young girl as she smiled brightly at him
" And not only are you making me and the Suzaku seven feel good. You are also kind enough to provide comfort with your beautiful music to all people who's suffering by the war. Making their burdens a bit easier and to help them see a better future for themselves and the country they live in…" She said and smiled even brighter at him this time.
Chiriko could not help but smile back at her and waved his hand in her direction before he turned around and walked outside and disappeared. Akina sighed and picked up another bowl of rice.
" I can now only hope that he understood what I was trying to tell him…" She thought and slowly continued to eat.
Then about twenty minutes later a cheerfully whistling Kouji walked into the room and sat down beside his little sister.
Morning Akina! Did my sister sleep well? " He asked and ruffled her hair. Akina giggled and covered her head with both of her arms so it would not get too messy.
" Ha, ha, stop it Kouji! You'll make it messy, and then I'll have to remake the plait again." She said as Kouji stopped his assault on her hair and chuckled.
" He, he, okay then sis. But I see no reason why I should not tease you like that! You're so cute when you're angry sis! " He said and dodged a playful punch from her.
" Meanie! " She said and tried punch him on his shoulder again. He dodged that one too and chuckled at her.
" You look like a little kitten that's trying to look dangerous. But everyone only thinks that the kitten looks cute when it attacks." He said chuckled at her again as she stuck out her tongue at him.
" You just wait soon his kitten will have fangs and can bite pretty hard too, as the older cat can!" Kouji laughed and nodded.
Then he too grabbed some food and started to eat as Nuriko, Mitsukake and Chichiri joined both of them for breakfast. Chichiri sat down beside Akina with Nuriko on his left side and Mitsukake sat down beside Kouji.
Chichiri turned his smiling face towards Akina, while she reached out for one of the rice bowls on the table.
" Good morning Akina, did you sleep well no da? " He asked as the young girl as she turned her gaze to his. Her face held a bright smile while she nodded and handed him a bowl of rice.
" Yes, very good actually. What about you Chichiri? " She asked
" Very good. Thanks, that was kind of you no da." He replied while he accepted the bowl and made Akina blush slightly.
" Stupid girl! You don't have to blush all the time around him! " She scolded herself and turned her attention back to the food. Chichiri was a bit confused by her reaction to his compliment.
" She blushes more than anyone else I know no da. But those small pink patches on her cheeks are pretty cute." He thought, as he himself began to blush by those thoughts and started to eat his food. Not noticing the gazes from the others.
" Is there something going on between Akina and Chichiri? They would make such a cute couple! But both of them seems to shy to make any move one each other… Maybe they need some Nuriko magic to help them out a little! " Nuriko thought as a plan formed itself in his mind.
" Seems my little sister is the main interest of a particular someone. Well this is going to be fun! " Kouji thought and smiled for himself in a mischievous way And exchanged glances with Nuriko, who nodded in his way.
" As long as they're careful about how far they're going into the relationship then it's fine by me. Akina and Chichiri is a bit too young to have kids…" Mitsukake reasoned with himself as he watched the two of them for a while.
Soon the rest of the gang joined them at the table. Hotohori came first and was followed by Miaka and Tasuki.
" Oy Genrou! Yer up now? " Kouji called to his bandit friend who muttered something and sat down beside Miaka and Hotohori.
" Morning everybody! " The miko chirped happily to them all and then turned her attention to the food.
Miaka immediately threw herself at the food and everyone who still wanted food were forced to fight for it. Since she grabbed a new plate after every fifth minute. Everyone sweat dropped at the gluttonous miko who did not seem to be bothered by everyone's glances.
" Miaka if you eat much more you're going to get fat! " Nuriko pointed out and received an evil glare from Miaka.
" I rather eat a good big meal than eat like a bird as you do, only because you're concerned at the mere thought of being fat! " The miko snapped back.
Nuriko's face turned bright red and he ran across the table in an attempt to strangle the miko. Tasuki held an angry chibi Miaka back as she tried to jump at an angry chibi Nuriko who was held back by Mitsukake and Kouji.
" You little twit I'm gonna kill you! " Nuriko screamed as he tried to break free from Mitsukake and Kouji's grip.
" Ha! If you do that then who's going to summon Suzaku, hmm! " Miaka shouted back at the angry cross-dresser. Akina and Chichiri sweat dropped and cast each other a glance and then looked over too the door.
" Shall we no da? If we stay in here much longer than we will probably get involved too no da… " Chichiri said as he stood up and offered Akina his hand.
" Yeah, lets go outside." She answered and gently entwined her hand with his and was pulled up to her feet. Both of them walked out as the argument started to heat up forgetting that they also still held each other's hand.
As they both walked away from the dining room they unconsciously steered they foot steps towards the garden and Akina's favorite spot under the large Sakura tree.
Sitting down next to each other they watched the pond as beautiful Sakura blossoms fell down into the pond and caused small ripples in it. And the wind carried the flowers across the garden into small whirls and finally settled down on the ground or continued away over the palace roof.
" Beautiful…" Akina mumbled and Chichiri had to agree with her.
" Yeah…"
They sat like that for what felt like ages and watched the scenery. Chichiri felt that his entire soul was at peace by just sitting there and enjoying Akina's company. He peeked at her from the corner of his good eye and saw her tranquil expression as she closed her eyes and let the wind caress her long white hair.
" She looks cute like that no da, it feels like this moment could freeze and just stay like this…" He thought and continued to watch her.
" It feels nice to just sit here with him, and knowing that I can fully relax under his watchful eyes and not have to worry about a single thing…I wish this could go on forever…" She thought and sighed.
Akina opened her eyes and was quite surprised that Chichiri's gaze met hers. Both immediately blushed and laughed nervously. Then they turned their attention to the ground to see that they still held each other's hands.
" Oops, um sorry no da! " Chichiri said as he blushed even more and loosened his hand from hers, to Akina's disappointment.
Chichiri could feel the disappointment by reading her chi and it confused him. He had expected her to get angry with him.
" Did I do something that upset her no da? Maybe is did not like when I held her hand like that…" He thought and looked away from her face. Akina watched him and wondered why he was so embarrassed to hold her hand.
" Maybe I'm pushing my luck a bit too far…Well I'll have him here and that's just as good as holding his hand." Then she started to speak with him.
" Chichiri… when Miaka have summoned Suzaku what will you do then? " She asked and made eye contact with the warrior. He thought about it for a moment before he answered.
" I don't really know no da… Maybe I'll return to Tai-Yi Jun's services or wandering around for a while no da…" He replied and pictured himself riding away somewhere with the company of Akina and the others.
" What about you then no da? Are you going to return to your world when this is all over? " He asked and part of him felt really sad when he thought of her leaving and never to return ever again.
" Why am I feeling this way? She just a friend, and a very close friend, right? " He thought and waited for her to reply.
" No, I won't return, I would rather much stay here and be with all of you guys." She answered short and simple keeping eye contact with him the whole time.
" That's nice to hear no da. I'm sure the others will be glad by your decision too." He said and affectionately ruffled her hair. She giggled and returned the favor, and soon all the ruffling turned into a wrestling match. Chichiri accidentally brushed his hand along her side, which made Akina squeak.
" No, not there it tickles! " She said and quickly realized her mistake as Chichiri's smile grew wider and he launched another attack at the girl.
" Eeek! No! " She laughed as Chichiri latched on to her waist and started to tickle her, while she laughed and screamed as she tried to wriggle out of his grasp.
" Hey that's no fair you're holding me back and tickling me, while I can't get out from your grasp to tickle you! " She managed to say between the laughter's and gasp for air.
Chichiri smiled and loosened his grip on her. And Akina quickly responded by turning around and tackled him with her shoulder.
" Daa! " Chichiri yelped as the both of them rolled down into the water with a loud splash. Akina started to tickle him on his waist and stomach, but she got no reaction from him as she tried.
" Your no fun, I can't tickle you! " She pouted while sending Chichiri an accusing glare. But in mean time Chichiri tackled her so she fell back into the ground water and he pinned her down by holding her hands above her head.
" I win no da! " He said and smiled a triumphal smile at the girl beneath him.
" You cheat! " Akina replied and stuck her tongue out at him, and both of them started to laugh whole heartily at the whole thing. They did not notice that all the noise they had made had lured audience to the garden to see what the all the racket was about.
" Well, well having a bit of fun you two ne? " Startled both of them looked up to see a smirking Kouji standing and looking down at them. A confused expression settled on both Akina and Chichiri's faces.
" Fun no da? " The monk asked still holding Akina pinned down in the water while he was leaning above her. The bandit laughed and tilted his head to the side as he made eye contact with Chichiri.
" And I who thought that you were a monk Chichiri! Have you abandoned your vows for my pretty little sister? " Kouji asked and laughed again. The " sister " comment made Chichiri even more confused.
" Sister no da? " He asked and looked from the bandit down to a blushing Akina who was still lying in the cold water beneath him.
" Oh umm, I-i'm sorry Akina I… here let me help you up…." The furiously blushing monk offered as he got up from her and pulled up the girl to her feet. Nuriko and the others walked up to them with small smiles on their faces. They were going to have much fun teasing the monk about this later.
" T-thanks Ch-chiri…" Akina said while her teeth were hacking loudly as she put her arms around herself to keep her body warm. The poor girl's clothes were drenched in water and she was quickly getting cold. Chichiri noticed this and then wrapped his Kesa around her shoulders.
She gave him a small smile in gratitude, and then both of them were greeted by Mitsukake who immediately began to check both of them for symptoms of a cold or injuries. When he was satisfied he gave Akina a long lecture about being careful with her newly healed ankle.
" Okay Mitsukake I will, I promise to be more careful! " She said and was then being led away by Kouji to her room. She looked over her shoulder and waved to Chichiri before turning her attention onto the road again.
Chichiri gazed after her, as she and Kouji went around the corner together and disappeared towards her room. He felt a small sting of jealousy in his heart and a part of him wanted to go after the two of them and also escort Akina back to her room.
" Hey Chichiri what were you two up to ne? " Nuriko asked and smiled mischievously at the monk.
" Nothing we just wrestled a little and accidentally rolled down into the water no da. And now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go and change into a dry tunic no da." He replied and bowed to Hotohori before marching away leaving a whining Nuriko behind with the others.
" Oh come on! Give as a clue of what happened Chichiri! " Nuriko called after the retreating monk. Who did not look back a single time at him.
" Oh just wait Chichiri, soon I'll do something about you and little Akina…" He thought and laughed evilly. Then suddenly they saw Chiriko running towards them. The poor boy tripped on the bridge that led out to the garden and fell down with his face into the hard ground.
" Ouch! " Was all he said when he got up and hurried over to the others.
" Your highness! " Chiriko called out as he ran over. He stopped in front of them to catch his breath and clean up his face from all the dirt. The young emperor went over to Chiriko and extended a hand against him.
" Yes Chiriko? What's the matter? " The emperor asked and put a calming hand on the boy's head. But the expression on the boy's face as he looked up made Hotohori understand that it was something important.
" T-tamahome's back! He is outside the palace walls and is demanding to hand over the Suzaku no miko and Akina! " The boy managed to say as he continued to gasp for air. Hotohori's soft expression turned unpleasantly threatening and he looked at Miaka.
" He's not going to lay hand on our miko ever again! Tasuki, Nuriko and Mitsukake you stay here and protect Miaka. Chiriko, you run and warn Chichiri and Kouji so they can look after Akina!"
" Yes your highness! " The young seishi bowed and then rushed off to find the other two seishi's.
" Then what about you your highness? What are you going to do? " Nuriko asked as Hotohori began to march away from the small group. Hotohori send him a quick glance over the shoulder, and that was all the others needed to understand what he was going to do.
" Take care of Miaka! " He ordered and went off.
Miaka watched him disappear into the hall and then turned her attention back to Tasuki and the others.
" We can't let them kill each other, we have to stop them! " Miaka pleaded with her warriors who looked at her in total disbelief.
" Miaka! He tried to kill you and now you want to save his sorry butt? " The bandit asked and grabbed her shoulders and shook her.
" If you go there now he will surely try to kill you and then go after Akina! Do you want to put her life into danger for his sake? " He shouted at her. Miaka looked pleadingly up into Tasuki's eyes and began to speak.
" Please Tasuki… I have not forgiven Tamahome for what he did to either one of you, but I don't want to see him killed either. I beg you, please help me stop both of them before we lose either one of them! " She begged him while she placed her hands on his chest.
Tasuki did not know what to do, either he would refuse and force Miaka to stay here so they could protect her. Or he could agree and run with her to where the two combatants were about to meet and put Miaka into direct danger. And by that disobey Hotohori's direct orders.
" Miaka… why are you making this so difficult for us? " He asked her.
" Please… If you guys come with me then you'll be able to keep an eye on me. And by that you're not disobeying Hotohori's orders." Miaka pleaded further and this time she moved her hands up to Tasuki's face and looked at him with her big puppy eyes.
" Please… for my sake…"
Tasuki knew that she would not stop pleading with him, and it was better that they could keep an eye on her. Than that she tried to run away from them alone. Tasuki sighed in defeat and nodded.
" Okay then! But you have to promise to stay near us and don't run off anywhere on your own, okay? " Miaka nodded.
" Yes I promise." She said.
Satisfied with that Tasuki and the gang began to run to the wall so that they could get a good view on the fight that was soon about to begin.
Akina's room…
Kouji and Akina entered her room and both made their way over to the bed. Kouji gently sat her down, pulled up her blanket and wrapped it around her over the Kesa.
" So what were you two up to over there ne? " Kouji asked as he sat down beside her with a big smirk across his face. Akina thought back to their wrestling match and blushed at the moment when the others appeared and found them in that position in the water.
" Nothing, we were only having some fun! " She answered and regretted it, as Kouji's smirk grew wider.
" Yeah I bet you two had some " Fun " alright! " He replied and laughed, as Akina blushed harder. She quickly reached down for her pillow and whacked Kouji hard in the head with it.
" Not " THAT " kind of " FUN ", you perverted bandit! We had a wrestling match and we accidentally rolled down into the water. Then we continued to wrestle some more as we landed down there…" She finished and whacked him again with the pillow.
" Aw, come on now Akina, I'm only joking with ya! I know Chichiri would not force himself on you. According to Tasuki there is no more honorable man around here." He said and ruffled her hair.
" That's right, Chichiri would never do anything that would disgrace anyone of us! " Akina stated proudly as she thought of the said monk.
" He better not, because if he does I'm going to beat him to a pulp! " Kouji said with a bit more serious expression on his face. But then he smiled again and ruffled Akina's hair.
She glared at him and then sighed and started to dry her hair with her blanket while Kouji watched her.
" He's a good guy…" Kouji began but got cut off as someone banged on the door, and then suddenly Chiriko and Chichiri burst thru the door and hurried over to Akina and Kouji.
" What's the matter guys? Why do you look so upset?" Kouji asked as he rose up and faced Chichiri.
" Tamahome's here, he's after the miko and Akina." Chichiri said and continued further.
" Chiriko went to fetch me, and told me that he spotted Tamahome by the palace wall. Hotohori ordered us to watch over Akina and to protect her. I believe the same goes for Chiriko since he finished his mission…" Chichiri told the bandit and went over to Akina's side.
" So he's here now… that bastard is going to pay for hurting my sister and Genrou like that! " Chichiri sat down beside Akina on her bed and spoke to her.
" You don't have to be afraid Akina, we'll protect you now no da." He said to her a put a comforting arm around her shoulder.
" I'm not worried at all, I have you here now Chichiri! " She replied and looked at him with a smile and confidence shining in her eyes as she gazed at him. She believed that he would protect her from harm and she had total confidence in him.
" Thank you… Even though I don't deserve your trust, you still believe in me, Akina…" He mentally said to her.
" Hey Chichiri are we going to stand here all day or what? " Kouji asked and looked at the door and then back to Chiriko.
" Where's Genrou? " He asked and nailed his sharp golden eyes into the younger boy. Chiriko looked a bit uneasy but told him that the bandit leader was protecting the miko right now.
" What? Mitsukake has not even healed him yet so he is not in fighting condition! " He yelled and ran out thru the door to find his friend.
" CHICHIRI TAKE CARE OF AKINA WHILE I'M GONE! " He shouted and disappeared. Akina immediately dropped the blanket and stood up as she began to run after him when Chichiri suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.
" Where are you going no da? You need to stay here where you're safe and out of harm's way no da! " He said and put and arm around her waist, making it more difficult for her to try to get away from him.
" I can't let my brother go into danger Chichiri! I just can't! " She yelled and struggled to get free.
" Brother? Are you and Kouji related? " He asked slightly confused.
" No, but Kouji asked me if he could call me sister. And even if it just was a short time ago when we met, he already has a place in my heart. Like you have a very special place in my heart... So please come with me and find him! " She begged him and cast him a pleading look over her shoulder.
Chichiri looked down into her blue eyes, as tears were forming into her eyes while she looked deeply into his eyes. When he did not reply right away Akina turned around in his arms and gently put her hands around his cheeks and continued to gaze into his eyes
" Please… Chichiri, I don't want to lose my brother again…"
" Again? Has she lost a brother before? I should try to talk to her about this again soon…" The tears where now slipping down on Akina's cheeks and she sniffed loudly. Chichiri sighed in defeat and wiped away the tears from her face.
" Please don't cry Akina… I want you to smile…." He thought as new tears fell while they looked at each other.
" Okay… we will go after him, but promise me that you'll stay by my side okay? I don't want you to get hurt again just because i wasn't able protect you again…" He mumbled and wiped away the last tear that fell from her cheek.
Akina's face broke up into a thankful smile and she carefully pulled down his face a little towards her own. A small gasp escaped his mouth, as she got closer to him.
" Thank you…" She reached up and kissed him on the same spot on the cheek where she had kissed him the night before in the garden. Chichiri blushed and smiled down at her.
" No problem no da." He replied and took her small hand into his and placed a gentle kiss on it. Akina was about to say something but was cut off.
" AHEM! " Chiriko coughed and startled the two youngsters who had completely forgotten that he was still in the room with him.
" Are we going or are you two going to stand like that forever? " He said and walked outside with an annoyed look on his face. Akina smiled after him and Chichiri began to speak.
" Come on now lets go find your brother no da."
" Yes. Lets go Chichiri. " She replied and took his hand in hers as they both ran away to find Kouji and the others.
Over with Hotohori and Tamahome…
Hotohori was standing in the courtyard and facing the traitor Tamahome. Who had come to claim the lives of his own miko and the young girl Akina..
" Tamahome you won't get past me, and you'll never lay hand on Miaka and Akina again! " the young emperor shouted at the ogre seishi who was only standing there and smirking.
" When you go to Konan to kill the miko and fetch the other girl. There is another enemy that needs to be dealt with in the palace."
" The emperor Hotohori is also a sworn enemy of Seiryu and must also be assassinated." Kill him and the Suzaku no miko, show no mercy. And don't forget to bring back the girl…" Nakago's words rang inside of Tamahome's head and anger boiled up inside of at the thought of those scum's that threatened the Seiryu summoning ceremony.
" Where's the Suzaku no miko and Akina? " He asked. Hotohori's answered by drawing his sword and throwing down another one at Tamahome's feet.
" Take up that sword! I will not do battle with an unarmed man! " He growled at the ogre seishi, and the red aura of Suzaku was now embracing Hotohori's body. Tamahome tossed away his black cape, picked up the sword and got into a fighting stance.
" Prepare yourself Tamahome! " The emperor yelled as he lunged at his old comrade. And as they engaged into combat Miaka Tasuki, and Nuriko arrived to see them both in a sword duel.
Hotohori made a swing with his sword and made a small cut on Tamahome's shoulder. But that did not concern the ogre seishi. He lashed out and tried to cut the emperor in his back.
Hotohori swirled around as the ogre seishi tried to attack him and blocked the blow. The fight got more intense for every second that passed. And Miaka decided to try and break up the two warriors from each other.
" No! Hotohori, Tamahome! " She yelled and was about to run up to them and stop the fight. But Tasuki grabbed her waist and pulled her back, refusing to let go of her.
" No Miaka, you stay here! " He ordered the struggling miko.
" B-but Hotohori and Tamahome will kill each other if I don't do something! " She cried out.
" You're staying here and that's final! You promised to stay by our side so that we could protect you while were here! " Tasuki growled, and Miaka immediately stopped struggling. He felt her body tremble and knew she was crying.
" Oh great…"
" Just stay here, and if anything should go terrible wrong we will try to stop it, okay Miaka? " He asked and turned around the miko so that she was facing him before pulling her into a hug.
" Promise? " She murmured into his chest as he gently petted her hair.
" It's a promise…" He murmured back into her brown hair.
" GENROU! " Tasuki snapped his head straight up to the direction from which Kouji's voice came from.
" KOUJI! " Tasuki called after his friend. The bandit neared his boss and the crying miko with Chichiri, Akina and Chiriko following close behind.
" Oh shit, the fight is already on! I wanted to get my hands on that bastard too! " Kouji growled as he watched the two fighting warriors trying to stab each other for every swing they made with their swords.
" Who's leading the fight? " He asked his boss.
" Hotohori has a clear upper hand since Tamahome cannot rely on the extra strength supply from his ogre mark."
" So to be straight, Hotohori is winning…" Kouji murmured and glanced to his left side as he saw a movement in the corner of his eye. And saw Akina running towards him.
" What the hell? I thought I told you to stay in you room! " He barked at Akina as she approached him with Chichiri by her side.
" Nutcase! Do you really expect me to hide in there when everyone else is out and trying to be of help during this fight? " Akina snarled as she went up by his side and turned her attention to the fight.
The warriors where now circling around each other and tried to find an opening in the other ones defense. Tamahome then darted at Hotohori and tried once again to get behind him and deal him a quick stab in the back. And Hotohori dodged this blow too.
Akina watched their movements as the attack turn more vicious, and she saw that they were about to end the fight.
" Oh no! Soon Hotohori will stab Tamahome! " She thought as she watched Hotohori's sword dancing in the air and met blows from Tamahome's sword in perfect deadly rhythm.
Tamahome swung his sword and tried to stab the emperor again but this time in his side. But as Tasuki said he did not stand a chance against Hotohori who was supplied with extra power from Suzaku's mark on his neck.
His red battle aura flashed more brightly and was given another rush of power to defeat the threat to the Suzaku no miko.
Everyone let out shocked gasps as they watched this and Akina buried her face into her hands so she would not see anything else. Chichiri felt her fright in her chi, so he reached out his arms and pulled her into an embrace, so that he could shield her from what was about to happen.
" I'll tell you when it's over…" He whispered as he caressed her head in a comforting way. Akina let out a small whimper, since she already knew what was about to happen.
" NO TAMAHOME, HOTOHORI STOP FIGHTING! " Miaka yelled as the warriors dashed at each other again. Tamahome made a heavy blow over his shoulder to stab his opponent in the head. Hotohori dodged the blow without any difficulty and then quickly stabbed Tamahome right in the chest.
Everything seemed to go in slow motion. Tamahome's face was showing an expression of pain and shock as the emperor's blade pierced thru his back. And then it was pulled out as Tamahome fell onto the ground and blood started to gather around him in a large pool.
" TAMAHOME! " The horrified cry of the miko was echoing throughout the whole palace as it started to rain.
" Hmph, useless idiot…" The shadow was sitting on the palace roof and had watched over the fight and hoped that Tamahome would get his hands on Akina. But instead got pierced and was bleeding heavily from his wounds.
" Seems he wasn't cut out for the mission… But I've got a reserve plan in my sleeve. Heh, heh!" The shadow laughed as he disappeared into nothing and left the ogre seishi to slowly die away right in front of his comrades.
" I'll be back soon little Akina… just you wait. Next time I will catch you for sure! "
Hotohori was standing beside Tamahome as everyone rushed over to them. Miaka dived down beside her old lover and cradled him into her lap.
" Tamahome hang in there! Mitsukake, quickly heal him! " She begged the healer who looked at Miaka with a sorrowful expression.
" I'm sorry Miaka, there is nothing I can do for him…" He said.
" What do you mean there is nothing you can do?
You have the power of healing, so you can heal his wounds! " She
shouted at the healer.
" His wounds I can heal, but the poison of Kodoku will never disappear from him. He will never thank you for this Miaka. He will only try to repay your kindness by killing you." He finished and looked at the dieing seishi.
" Mu-must kill the miko…" Tamahome whispered as he tried to reach out for his sword and stab Miaka. But Akina picked up the sword and threw it away as far as she could.
" Must… kill…Miaka………" Was the last thing Tamahome said before he gave up on his breath and died in Miaka's lap. Miaka started to cry and Tasuki was immediately by her side and took the crying miko into his arms.
" Shh… don't worry I'm here…" He whispered into her ear as he gently caressed her back to calm her down.
Hotohori went over and lifted up Tamahome's head from the miko's lap and placed it gently on the ground, and then carefully he reached out his hand and closed the seishi's open eyes.
" Oh Tamahome…… rest in peace…" He whispered and rose up to join the others to comfort the miko. Akina looked at the dead seishi's face and guilt flowed thru her.
" It's my fault… I could have saved him, but I let him die! It's my fault! " She thought as she started to cry and was pulled back into Chichiri's strong arms for comfort.
" Don't worry Akina, he's in a better place now… He will be much happier there than he ever was in this world…" He said and kissed her forehead, and then he turned his attention to the corpse of Tamahome and raised a hand in a small prayer to his god.
" Suzaku-sama… please guide his soul to a better place and to a better future…" He prayed and led Akina away from there as soldiers came and took the body away. And the others took Miaka back to her room. The rain continued to fall the whole day, as if it was crying for the loss of a celestial warrior………
Hi again!
Hope you guys aren't too upset with me… (Apologizes to all reviewers)
Tamahome's death was necessary for another character in the story…
Well please review me and tell me what you thought about this chapter!
Until next time.
Ja ne! -