I don't own Fushigi Yuugi
Hey everyone. For those who let me reply to their reviews (sorry if I missed anyone I was doing it quickly last week on the night before I left home) they were alerted that my updates were going to be late. I found out after my last update that my parents were planning a small vacation on the way to my college, so we left a week earlier than I had originally thought. I didn't get onto campus until Saturday and then I was running around setting up my new room and getting supplies and such. So I actually didn't sit down on my computer until Monday, which was the first day of classes.
Updates maybe slow from here on out. I didn't get as far on these stories as I thought I would by now, so please be patient. I'm going to do my absolute best to update quickly.
For a few other details please see my bio (kind of important in my mind, explains a lot, but is only two paragraphs long). It's at the very end of the blog (right before the list of stories).
But hey, my birthday is tomorrow ... but I don't want to get any older -cries-
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Chapter 24
Byakko stared up at the mortal girl in horror. She had saved him from certain death, but now… Cursing under his breath he once again tried breaking the shadowy net that bound him to the ground. The strands cut into his skin and bent his chest plate, but he paid it no heed as he struggled with his captor.
Tears streaked Lily's face as she desperately gasped for air. Her blood stained hand rest gently over her injury as if she hoped to rid herself of the gruesome injury that gave no signs of relenting on its drastic flow. Slowly her fingers curled around her shirt and her face scrunched up in pain and desperation.
"Mortals are so weak," Fenrir mused aloud. It had been a shock for even him to have Lily jump in front of what should have been the implement of Byakko's demise. He would not argue however, he had wanted the girl dead for quite some time and the delinquent of a child had done it herself. Had he know it would have been this easy he wouldn't have pushed himself to get rid of her before now.
"Fenrir," Byakko growled as she continued to struggle with the netting. Unlike his last fight with it however it was actually moving against his might, slowly relenting to his strength as his anger amounted to new levels.
The wolf smirked, "growl all you want cat, you're not getting free of those bonds."
"You're fortunate I can't turn into my natural form," Byakko half snarled. "I'd take pleasure in digging my teeth into your worthless hide."
"Is that so?" the question was one said with a vile plot behind it, one that worried the tiger god as the beast of his annoyance moved closer to the injured teen.
"Leave her alone!"
vvv
Chichiri fell to one knee as his ankle once again gave out on him. Clutching his staff tightly he gritted his teeth and pulling himself back onto his feet. His face was pale, almost pasty, with a thin line of sweat lining his skin. His ankle was in very poor condition and wasn't about to give him any slack. If he placed any kind of weight on it it would not hesitate to buckle and cause him to fall, as it had several times already.
"Houjun, you alright?" Hikou called out to his friend.
"Given our predicament," Chichiri began as he balanced himself on one leg and defended himself from the crazed beasts about him, "yes."
Tasuki still lay unconscious on the ground where he had fallen. Scratches and bruises decorated his face and limbs, some of which had been obtained after he had fallen. Hikou and Chichiri were having a difficult time protecting him, let alone themselves, but they were not about to give up. They had come too far to simply give up now.
As they fought on a white tiger fell back onto its haunches, sapphire eyes trained onto his prey. It knew its prey was cunning, but weak from the long battle. The beast could win if it was to be more cunning than his meal.
And tigers were cunning by nature.
In the blink of an eye the beast's great muscles shifted forward as it lunged in a way only an animal of it's nature could accomplish.
vvv
There was nothing she could do to protect herself from the assault that came her way in the form of a backhand. It was Fenrir's twisted way of mocking and taunting her, to show her just how weak she really was. The slap was not very hard, it wouldn't have fazed the four beast gods, but to her badly injured body it was too much.
Her body twisted and her legs gave out beneath her, causing her to collapse into a rather uncomfortable position. She was saved from breaking anything due to her arms instinctively flying out to protect her, but the collision still sent white hot flashes of pain searing through every fiber of her body. On top of all that the taste of iron in her mouth nearly made her gag.
"Lily," Byakko pushed against the netting that still refused to snap against the stain he placed against it. His golden eyes were filled with worry as he watched the helpless girl struggling to even breath. She had come back to protect him and came back to be involved in something she never should have had to endure in the first place.
Coughing, Lily forced the blood out of her mouth and throat. It was deja vu all over again and it was not the sort she had ever wished to repeat. She really needed learn how to keep her emotions from getting the best of her, but even so, she was glad Byakko was safe.
"Lily, Lily, Lily," Fenrir mocked Byakko's worried tone. "That's all you worthless gods have been talking about. Not about fighting me or protecting those who foolishly praise you and ask for aid in their pitiful lives. All your concern lies in this –" he grabbed a fist full of Lily's hair and gave a rough tug, " – this mortal wench who can't listen to direction and who's weak heart has been stolen by the damned bird's bandit seshi."
He chuckled vilely, "and might I add that the boy is currently unconscious and will soon be a hearty snack for one of my beasts."
"Gen-ro," Lily murmured. She had been trying so hard to help them all – her friends, the gods and the people who were in grave danger because of Fenrir's appearance. It couldn't come to a roaring halt now! So much had already been done, defeating Fenrir was all that was left. Order was so close to being restored.
Fresh tears slid down her face, each shining magnificently in the bleak lighting of the stormy day. Her chest was uncomfortably warm and was throbbing as her life spilled from her. Making her feel even worse was the pain in her head caused by Fenrir tight grasp on her hair. The pain was on the boarder of being too much for her to handle.
"Keep crying brat," Fenrir said snidely, "it's all you're good for."
It was in that moment that he finally took notice of the strangeness of her tears. Curiously he let one slide onto his outstretched index finger, only to have to whip it to the side to get it off and remove the burning sensation from his skin. The pain it brought him was like nothing he had ever felt before and it greatly angered him. "What –"
All attention was directed to his left as a very displeased Suzaku cried his name. The distasteful and vexed look in his fiery eyes would have been beyond mortifying for any human to witness, but Fenrir was not of the race and so felt no such emotion.
In an instant Lily fell flat onto the ground. Her hair was in a great mess and some was even plastered onto her face. Fenrir was gone from her side, gone from all view, as if he had never been there to begin with. Not even Suzaku knew where he had gone.
Skidding to a halt the bird god narrowly missed crashing into the injured girl. With narrowed eyes he glanced all about him with the hopes of spotting the nuisance that had invaded his home world before he had a chance to surprise him. He had no such luck however, wherever Fenrir had gone he could neither see nor sense him. All he could do was keep his guard up.
His wait for the wolf's appearance was not long. Just as he knelt down to aid Lily he received a fierce blow right to the center of his face, effectively knocking him back. Suzaku's hand flew directly to his broken nose as he lay on his back and uttered words Lily could neither understand nor wished to.
Fenrir was once again standing at her side, arms crossed over his chest. "I would have thought you'd remember I have the ability to manipulate the shadows. I guess I gave you far too much credit."
"Too little credit is more like it," Seiryuu yelled just before tackling the would-be-god to the ground.
Genbu was the last of the gods to become re-involved in the conflict and his appearance was not to help Seiryuu. He had come to help Lily. Gently he placed an arm around her shoulders and turned her over, being very mindful of her gruesome injury as he did so. Her groans of pain worried him, but he was not at all surprised to hear them, if anything he was relived because it meant she was still alive.
She hissed when the tortoise god picked her up. The less she moved the less pain she felt, but even in her agony she knew the dangers of her current placement. She would have preferred another way to be moved however, not that she could think of a better way.
"Hang in there kid," he softly told her. Gingerly he scooped her up and carried her the few feet to where Byakko still lay entrapped in the net. Neither god had missed the pool of blood that had formed beneath the teen nor did they miss the sight of the fresh grass that lay where her head had once been. Neither, however, spoke a word about it, not wanting to attract any more attention than necessary.
Lily could scarcely stay up on her own as Genbu sat her down. It took several moments for the him to help her into a steady position, which ended up having one leg curled in towards her body and the other leg was placed so her knee was in the air, allowing her to carefully rest her chest upon it for support.
Looking up the black haired god saw Kouran standing not far away. She was quite wise for being cautious and keeping her distance, even in her worry for Lily. Even as a ghost she was not safe from Fenrir. Without hesitation the wolf could destroy her soul and she would cease to exist all together.
He would not worry for the ghostly woman however, she knew to be on her guard and stay away. It was something he wished Lily had picked up on, but her current condition was without a doubt their fault. They had asked far too much of her and had underestimated her personality, one which willed her to help those in need no matter what the cost was to herself. She was truly a selfless girl, a rare commodity amongst humans and for that he was thankful. He knew they had been very lucky to be able to call upon such a person to help them, but no one had foreseen the dangers to this extreme.
They were going to have to live with the consciences.
"Genbu, watch it," Byakko warned.
A quick glace over his shoulder was all the dark haired god needed to know Fenrir's attention was now on him. Closing his dark eyes he pulled himself to his feet and faced the object of all their problems. "Hurry up and get out of there Byakko, we need your help."
"Sure, no problem. Just let me finish my tea," his tone was one of sheer exasperation.
Before Genbu could respond Fenrir was before him. There was just enough time for him to throw and arm up in a typical martial arts defensive block before he was struck, his face hardened with his determination. The action had caught the wolf off guard, as did the god's next movement.
In a flash the tortoise god thrust his free palm forward, connecting it with his enemy's chest. While the blow was strong on it's own it was the force of the wind which followed that sent Fenrir catapulting back in the direction he had come from. He was tossed and turned as it trapped within a tornado and could not free himself of it until his body came in contact with the hard ground.
Raising a brow Genbu looked at his hand. The occurrence of the wind was not unknown to him, but he had not expected it. Since his release all his powers had been locked away inside of him, just as his natural form was. Something was breaking that seal.
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So what's breaking the seal? Is Lily going to survive?
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Thanks.
