Author notes: So sorry for not updating for a while XD I've been dealing with homework, not being able to find a job, laziness… But mostly laziness. Plus it was kinda hard to figure out everybody's clothes. They didn't wear PANTS for god sake! Plus I made a change to Kaiya's title, instead of Mistress of the Chronicles. I've made it Mistress of Time. Hope you love this chapter. Hell, I'd be happy if you liked it!
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Kaiya opened her eyes. Upon focusing her eyes, she found herself staring at somebody's face. She turned her head a bit to see that it was a man with a white cat on his shoulder.
"You're awake, no da!" the man said cheerfully.
"Meow!" the cat… said and raised a paw.
"This guy's name is Tama, no da." the man said.
His hair was sky-blue, and closely cropped to his skull – except for a ponytail at the nape of his neck, and long bangs that defied gravity by curling up and over to one side as if they had a mind o their own. He wore a cone shaped straw hat, secured under his chin with a long, white string. His shirt was loose and plain white, and he wore dark green pants. His blue drape that descended over one shoulder and was secured around his waist was dotted with large, white swirly rings, like bubbles. His strange outfit was crowned with a necklace of widely spaced, fat, green beads. But by far, the most unusual feature was his face. His eyes while expressive seemed to be closed. His face was a perfect study of pleasantness. In his right hand, he held a staff. The staff was topped with two heart-shaped metal loops, one atop the other. The lower heart held four smaller rings that dangled from it.
Kaiya placed her hands on the bed and pushed herself to sit up, only to lie back down under the covers when she discovered she was naked.
"Why am I naked?" she cried, her eyes screwed shut and hands gripping the blanket tightly. 'Did... Did he do something to me...?'
As if knowing what she was thinking, the man answered her unspoken question.
"Y-you don't have to worry about if I did anything to you, n-no da. I'm a monk, so..." The man said, knowing very well what he would say next would contradictwhatever he hadjust said to her. He silently thanked the mask on his facethat hid his blush."H-here're your clothes, n-no da."
Kaiya opened her eyes and looked at the man. He was standing straight. The front of his body faced her, but his head was turned to the side. He had her clothes neatly folded and held out to her, as if on a silver plate.
Kaiya gently took them from him and held them close to her.
'Where am I?' she wondered. 'How'd I get here?'
Suddenly, she remembered and her eyes became blank and emotionless.
'That's right… I killed myself…' she thought, 'I'm dead.'
The man sensed something unusual about the girl and turned his head back to her. He looked down at her. She was staring into space, a blank look on her face. Before he could ask what was wrong, the doors opened and a voice called out.
"Chichiri!"
Kaiya and the blue haired man turned their attention to the doors to see a woman with a squat, aged body, and an old, cragged face. Her brows were heavy over wizened eyes, and her jowls and earlobes sagged with the ages. Long gray hair was twisted on top of her head into a fat bun, held in place by a gold hairpiece, complete with long, spiked fingers that poked up, framing the top of her head. The remainder of her hair hung in a thick tail down her back, forming a silver cape over her white and green robes.
Kaiya shrieked and hid the rest of herself under the blankets.
"Why was I sent to hell?" she shouted.
"Oh, be quiet. You're not even dead…" the woman said sternly, then turned to the blue haired man. "Chichiri."
The strange man looked from the girl to the woman. His faced showed the same pleasantness as before.
"Yes, Taiitsukun, no da?" he said.
'Least I know their names now.' Kaiya thought, peeking out from the covers.
"They're here." the woman said, "Bring themto meso I can explain what's going on."
"What about her, no da?" Chichiri asked, pointing a finger at Kaiya.
"She will remain here. We will see you and the others when you arrive." said Taiitsukun.
"Alright then, no da." Chichiri said reluctantly.
Tama raised a paw to say goodbye.
Chichiri placed his cape flat on the floor and stood on top of it. He silently muttered a spell, then lightly tapped his cape with the end of his staff. The ground below him glowed a bright red.
Kaiya leaned over the bed and gaped. The ground appeared to be absorbing him whole. Soon, Chichiri was completely gone, along with Tama, and the cape was absorbed as well.
"How-how did he...?" she stammered.
"Are you quite done?" said Taiitsukun.
Kaiya sat up and nodded, although her face showed the complete opposite.
"Get dressed. I have questions to ask you." Taiitsukun said and walked out of the room, closing the doors behind her.
Kaiya quickly got out of bed and put on her uniform. After finishing the last button on her jacket, she held up her right hand and looked at the character.
'So I'm still alive...' she thought. She held up her other hand and looked at both her wrists. She found that they were bandaged. 'How is it I'm still alive...'
Kaiya walked out of the room, and into another. It appeared to be like some sort of throne room. Blue satin curtains covered the walls. The tiled floors were a sandy color and a red carpet lead to the throne, where Taiitsukun sat. Kaiya stood before Taiitsukun.
"What's your name?" Taiitsukun asked.
Kaiya looked uncomfortably at Taiitsukun.
"M-my name is Kaiya, Kaiya Niigata." she said quietly.
"Kaiya, will you tell me what that character on your right hand is?" Taiitsukun asked.
Kaiya's eyes widened.
"I-it's nothing." she lied, "I just drew it on my hand one day."
Taiitsukun closed her eyes for a moment.
"It is no mere drawing." she said, "My disciple, Chichiri, found you injured and brought you here, to Mt. Taikyoku, to be healed. But it seems you cannot be healed with magic. That character forms a barrier against healing magic around you. I have tried to remove it, but it is useless. I doubt you would place a curse on yourself. In other words, somebody else put it on you."
"How did... How did your disciple find me?" Kaiya asked, trying to change the subject.
"He saw a magenta colored pillar of light shoot up to the sky from a forest. He sensed a great energy and followed it, finding you." Taiitsukun answered.
"Magenta colored pillar...?" Kaiya repeated. She paused a moment, thinking back to before she passed out. She suddenly remembered seeing a strange light and hearing a voice just before passing out. But she hesitated to relay her memory to Taiitsukun. "Before I passed out... I think I saw that color you're talking about... and... I heard a voice in my head. It called me, "Mistress of Time...""
Taiitsukun's eyes widened, and leaned forward a bit.
"You are the Mistress of Time?" she exclaimed.
"I-I don't know. All I heard was a voice calling me that and I was supposed to help a priestess and warriors or something..." Kaiya said nervously.
Taiitsukun opened her mouth to say something but stopped and leaned back.
"They're here." she said.
Kaiya looked up, her face showing confusion.
"Who's they?" she asked.
Taiitsukun ignored her question and floated off her chair to a large green door on her right.
"Come." she ordered Kaiya, who was hesitant to oblige, "They must know the even greater dangers now..."
Kaiya continued to follow Taiitsukun, having no clue what the old woman was mumbling about, but kept her mouth shut.
The door led to the outside. Thescenary was breath taking. It was an ethereal landscape of mountains and temples. Strange, lavender spheres floated, suspended in the misty air that twined its way through the rocky spires.
"Only a select few are allowed to view this mountain." said Taiitsukun, noticing Kaiya's surprised reaction. Taiitsukun held up her hands, fingers interlaced. In one fluid motion, she snapped them apart with a gasp. Power streamed from them to surround Kaiya.
Kaiya was sent screaming into the air, sitting upon a large, pink tile. Her eyes were tightly shut and she gripped the edges of the tile tightly, making her knuckles go white.
The pink tile moved forward, swiftly and smoothly twining around the peaks and lavender globes, intent on its course.
When Kaiya could no longer feel any movement of the tile, she opened her eyes. She found herself on solid ground once more and also some transparent people in front of her.
"Agh! A sand witch!"
Kaiya looked to her right to see Taka, clinging onto a man with bright orange hair and a large grin upon his face, fang-like teeth appearing in the corners of his mouth. The man wore a lavender colored, vest-like overcoat with white sleeves, and white pants. On his ears, he wore two, blue teardrop shaped earrings and around his neck, he wore an evenly spaced necklace of small blue beads.
'What's Taka doing here?' Kaiya wondered.
"Who're you calling a sand witch!" Taiitsukun demanded, a hint of anger in her voice.
The man with the orange hair laughed.
"Too bad ya lost yer' memories." he said, "It's gonna take ya a while ta' get used ta her again!"
"Taiitsukun! Kaiya?"
Kaiya turned her attention to her front.
"Mi-Miaka?" Kaiya asked, surprised, and stood up.
Miaka ran over and tackled, slash hugged, Kaiya, causing the two girls to fall. Kaiya put her hands on the ground beside her and pushed the two of them up into a sitting position, with Miaka still smiling and hugging her. Kaiya placed a hand on Miaka's shoulder and tried to push off the weight keeping her down.
"Miaka!" she said, laughing a little, "Get off of me! It's great to see you again, but I can't keep us sitting up forever!"
Finally, Miaka let go and pulled away. It was then that she noticed the bandages on Kaiya's wrist. Her smiling face quickly went away and was replaced by worry. Miaka grabbed Kaiya's left arm and looked at the wrist.
"Kaiya, what happened? Are you alright?" she asked.
"It's okay, Miaka, no da. I found her and brought her to Mt. Taikyoku to be healed, no da."
Kaiya tilted her head back to see Chichiri behind her, upside down in her view. Tama popped out from his left shoulder and waved a paw.
"You're that guy who disappeared into the floor!" Kaiya exclaimed, pointing a finger at him.
Chichiri bent over Kaiya. Surprisingly, or unsurprisingly, he still had a smile on his face.
"The name's Chichiri, no da." he said.
"Ah, so you're the girl Chichiri brought in?"
Kaiya turned her head back to the front.
"Ah, that's right. You don't know everyone, huh, Kaiya?" Miaka said and stood up. She held out a hand to help Kaiya up. She pointed to a man with short purple hair and pink eyes. He wore a pink traveling robe with a baby blue color and a yellow sash around his waist. He also wore dark violet pants.
"That's Nuriko." Miaka said, then pointed to a man with brown, spiky hair and blue eyes. Around his forehead he wore two headbands, one purple and one green, that crossed, like an X. he wore a lime green tunic with white pants. He had a yellow cloth wrapped around his shoulders and a purple sash around his waist. "Mitsukake." Then to a boy beside him. The boy had light brown hair, short bangs that covered his forehead and two longer bangs beside his face, and a ponytail at the top of his head and he had golden-brown eyes. The boy wore two layers of robes. The first layer was just plain white. The second layer was a light-yellow color with a red neckline. "Chiriko."
"Nice to meet you." Chiriko said and smiled happily at them.
"Are your wounds healing well?" Mitsukake asked. His face showed the sincerity and concern he felt, and Kaiya couldn't help but smile at him and nod.
Miaka continued her introductions.
"That's Hotohori." she said and pointed to another man beside Chiriko. He had long, dark brown hair that was tied into a low ponytail and was hung over one shoulder and his eyes were a bright golden color. Like Nuriko, he wore a traveling robe as well. It was crimson on the top and bottom, but had pink cloth around his waste like a corset and he had a purple sash around that.
Kaiya couldn't help but stare at the man. He was perhaps the most gorgeous man she had ever seen.
"It is nice to meet you." Hotohori said, smiling at her.
Kaiya blushed, then nodded and dropped her gaze.
"And behind us..." Miaka said and turned around to point to the orange haired man. "That's Tasuki."
Taka had regained his composure and now stood beside Tasuki. Tasuki didn't seem all that happy to see her.
Kaiya fidgeted under his stare... or glare... she couldn't tell which one it was.
Miaka then pointed to Taiitsukun and Chichiri.
"And you've already met Taiitsukun and Chichiri." she said.
Chichiri continued to smile the same pleasant smile she had first seen him with.
She didn't know what, but something didn't seem right about his face.
"Taiitsukun, I don't know about the others, but I'd like to know what that character on her hand is." said Mitsukake, "I traveled with Miaka and the others back then, and not once have I seen such strange magic, not even from Nakago."
Mitsukake, Nuriko, Chiriko, Hotohori, and Chichiri looked to Taiitsukun. Miaka, Taka, and Tasuki looked at Kaiya in confusion.
"Very well." said Taiitsukun, "Kaiya has powers of her own. Powers that could be used for good, or evil. If her powers were to fall into the wrong hands, nothing could be done. On her right hand, is a character for 'Death' as you all know. But that character is a c-"
Kaiya quickly ran in front of Taiitsukun and put a finger to her own lips in a shushing manner.
"Please, please don't tell them." she begged.
Taiitsukun raised an eyebrow.
"Why ever not? This information is important. They need to know." Taiitsukun said sternly.
Kaiya's expression became emotionless once more.
"I just don't want them to worry. I mean, I don't even know you people, except for Miaka and Taka, and you guys want to look after me? It's just too much for me to ask. And Miaka and Taka are two of my best friends, I don't want to see them or any of you sad." she said.
Taiitsukun noticed the emptiness in her eyes and voice. The old woman closed her eyes and sighed.
"Very well, but you must tell them on your own, in time." she said.
Kaiya's eyes returned to normal and she smiled.
"Taiitsukun?" Mitsukake asked.
Kaiya turned around and stood beside Taiitsukun.
Taiitsukun coughed once into her hand.
"Yes. As I was saying... I am not completely sure what it is, right now. But rest assured, you will know in time." she answered, looking at Kaiya.
The warriors and priestess were not satisfied with the answer, but accepted it. The only one who still seemed to be curious, was Chichiri.
'What does she want to keep secret, no da? And why?' he thought.
Back in the real world...
The students of Jounan had all assembled in the school gym to hear the candidates' speeches for student council. On the stage, the staff seemed to have a small problem.
"Yui Hongo is not here..."
"Should we disqualify her?"
"Maybe we should..."
Shigyou stood at the curtain's sides, arms crossed over his chest and head hung low. He had a calm look on his face.
"We can't allow that, can we?" he said, "I'm right, aren't I? You'd disqualify a candidate just because they don't make a speech today?"
Shigyou looked up at the teacher.
"No democratic election I know works that way." he said.
The teacher sighed and walked through the curtains to the front of the stage.
"And up next, a keynote speech by the presidential candidate, from class 1-A, Ren Shigyou." he said and left the stage. In his place came Shigyou.
Excited cries from the students were shouted to Shigyou as he came on stage.
"Shigyou!"
"Cool!"
"You're the best!"
Shigyou stood in front of the microphone, waiting for it to quiet down.
"I shall be your new student council president." he announced.
Back in the book world...
Taiitsukun handed a small, round, pink stone to Taka.
Kaiya looked at the stone with an intent gaze.
'I think I've seen something like that before...' she thought.
The small stone glowed and began to dissolve in Taka's hand.
"I fought... Was wounded... All for Miaka's sake." he muttered as the stone fully dissolved, "How could I have forgotten THAT?"
"That one just now was my jewel, no da!" Chichiri said.
Kaiya stood silently, confused as hell about what was going on. She tugged lightly on Miaka's sleeve.
"What's going on?" she asked.
Miaka turned to Kaiya and began to explain.
"This is the world where I first met Taka in, although he was known as Tamahome back then. In order for him to go to our world, his memory was divided into seven stones." she said, then turned to Nuriko and the others with a happy smile, "So, if you return all of them to Taka, he'll get all of his memories back!"
Nuriko and the others looked at her with a sad expression on their faces.
"I'm sorry, Miaka, but we don't have the others." said Nuriko.
"Why?" Miaka asked, her smile fading.
"I'll explain why." Taiitsukun announced.
Back in the real world...
Shigyou was continuing his speech.
"Teachers try to control you, because they say, "That's the rule." Even physically punishing you, saying they're "Teaching you a lesson."" he said, "I'm sure you don't approve of that."
All around the gymnasium, teachers and students alike began to look like they've been hypnotized. Their pupils were small, and their eyes showed a bright pink color.
"All of you must desire to change the world to what you want it to be. But you've all given up hope of ever having that power." he continued, "From this moment forward, you shall be reborn."
Back in the book world...
"They have not been able to be reborn into the form they desire." said Taiitsukun.
'So those guys are actually dead...' Kaiya thought, 'No wonder they're so transparent and pale.'
"But, why? Why haven't Hotohori and the others been able to be reborn?" Miaka asked, worry in her voice.
"An evil demon's life force is interfering with it." Taiitsukun answered.
Shigyou...
"All that interferes with this shall be swept away. Listen to the voices deep within your hearts."
Taiitsukun...
"It is an evil submerged deep within peoples' hearts."
Kaiya's eyes began to grow blank.
'Deep within peoples' hearts...' Kaiya repeated in her thoughts.
"People awaken it and make it grow." Taiitsukun continued.
Chichiri furrowed his brows and looked to the ground.
"Pretty soon, it leads to conflict, no da." he said sadly.
Shigyou...
"I'm counting on the help from each and every one of you to help build a new era."
Taiitsukun...
"It does it by making people believe they'll achieve happiness by doing it."
Shigyou...
A faint, purple glow appeared in his eyes.
"Lend me your strength!"
Taiitsukun...
"Suzaku desires your help."
Chichiri looked at Kaiya through the corner of his eye. She had the same blank look as before when he was with her at the palace. Once again, he could not sense what was going on in the girl or... wasn't going on.
Shigyou...
"Now come with me..."
Taiitsukun...
"You must once again join forces!"
Both...
"For a new battle awaits!"
Book world...
"Miaka... Kaiya... To you and the Suzaku seven, I leave this task." said Taiitsukun.
"Taiitsukun... If we're unable to find the stones... what will happen?" Miaka asked, worried.
Taiitsukun closed her eyes, carefully focusing her thoughts before speaking.
"There are seven stones in all. If you do not find them all, it's still okay, but," she answered, and opened her eyes, "should the stones fall into the enemy's hands, disaster shall strike and Taka will disappear."
Taka's eyes became wide.
"I'll... disappear?" he repeated in a quiet whisper.
Behind the group, streams of purple light appeared from the mountains as soon as Taiitsukun had finished speaking. The lightsdisappeared and explosions followed after.
Everyone abruptly turned their attention to the loud rumbling.
"Huh? What the...?" Tasuki shouted.
"It's an earthquake!" Chiriko exclaimed.
"Here!" said Mitsukake.
Real world...
The students stood up and clapped, still appearing to be hypnotized.
Back in the book world...
Explosion after explosion came, followed by the fall of the mountains.
"Mt. Taikyoku...!" said Hotohori, disbelief in his eyes.
"Taiitsukun! What's happening?" Taka demanded, frantic.
Taiitsukun's face grew grave.
"This much... He's gathered this much power now...?" she muttered.
Suddenly, an explosion came from behind Taiitsukun. What shot up seemed to be a stream of energy. The energy's bright colors darkened Taiitsukun's figure, making her appear like nothing more than a silhouette.
Miaka took a step forward.
"Taiitsukun!" she shouted in worry. She began to run towards Taiitsukun, but was blocked off by another explosion.
"Miaka!" Taka shouted.
A large bulge of explosive energy appeared next to Miaka. She screamed as it exploded.
"Miaka!" Tasuki shouted and ran to her.
Kaiya stood calmly at the center of the explosions. Her eyes were wide, blank, and staring at the crumbling mountain before her. She suddenly felt a strange ache in her heart. Not the pain of the curse, but... something different... something sad. At that point, tears began to flow down her face.
Kaiya gently touched her cheeks and looked at her hand.
'Why am I crying...?' she wondered. She suddenly heard a voice.
Because it is your fault... Your fault this is happening... From the moment you were born... you were destined to bring destruction...
Kenji's face flashed through her mind. He appeared to be so happy and carefree. Then another flash entered her mind. It was Kenji again, but he was bloody and lifeless on the ground.
'It's my fault...' she thought and hung her head low.
A bulge of energy exploded in front of her.
Kaiya looked up, her eyes still blank, and took a step towards the explosion. She suddenly felt a hand around her left wrist and looked back.
She blinked and her eyes returned to normal. The one who had grabbed her was Chichiri. His brows were furrowed and his face showed worry. He held uphis straw hat.
Tama leapt off of Chichiri's shoulder and onto Kaiya's. He was shaking with fear.
Kaiya used her free hand to place a hand on his head, comforting him.
"Come on!" Chichiri shouted and threw his hat up into the air. A crimson light came out of it and Kaiya felt herself disappear.
Just as the last of her vanished, an explosion happened exactly where she was.
In the real world...
Shigyou stood in front of the audience with a smug smile on his face. In his mind, he began to laugh evilly.
Elsewhere...
A man in darkness grinned. This time, his body was in shadows but his head was visible. He appeared to be sitting in an armchair. Between his thumb and index finger, he held a small, glowing, round, purple object. He looked down at it and his grin became wider.
"This will be fun..." he muttered. He loosened the pressure on the stone and it began to dull into a black color, blending in with the shadows.
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Author notes: YAY! I'm done! I probably could have added this to the beginning... but then it would be thirty pages of writing. Remember, I'm alternating updates between my two stories. Hope you liked it.
