"Ryuu!" Zakuro called out in frustration, as she ran after the Prince in the palace.
She held a bowl of rice in her hand and was dressed in warm, peasant clothes.
"Oi!" Zakuro called out, angrily, as Prince Ryuu climbed out of the palace into the dark courtyard.
Zakuro leaned against the wall, panting.
Fate of the world, my ass! Zakuro thought. What the fuck am I doing babysitting this brat?
Ten days ago, Chichiri and Nuriko had voted to stay in the castle to help the Royal Family.
Chichiri wanted to find the source of the strong demonic presence and Nuriko wanted to help Niu. Zakuro reluctantly agreed to be the companion of the moody Prince.
For the first couple of days, Ryuu ate ravenously, each bite from Zakuro's hand. He was polite and delightful, talking animatedly about the lessons he had learned that day. Zakuro smiled through it all, glad that the Prince was getting better.
Later she regretted every bit of energy she helped him gain. Prince Ryuu declared that Zakuro had to earn Ryuu's company, grinning happily as he set up traps for her.
When Zakuro refused to chase down Ryuu, he sulked and refused meals. Lady Niu would then come tearfully to Zakuro begging for her patience. Zakuro took a deep breath before getting ready to run after the Prince again. She felt tired in just 10 days.
"Prince giving you a hard time." Zakuro heard Mitsukake call out.
He stood next to a torch, the shadows dancing on his face, a cigarette hanging loosely on his lips.
"The worst." Zakuro complained, an edge in her voice. "That little brat is going to pay. This is the third time I have had to change!"
Mitsukake felt her forehead and then checked her pulse on her throat.
"You've lost weight." He said, his eyes on the torch. "And your heart rate is elevated."
"Really?" Zakuro replied, sarcastically. "Stress does nothing to the heart rate. That's why people don't get heart attacks for hypertension."
"Hypertension?" Mitsukake said, frowning.
Zakuro shook her head.
"Where did the brat go?" Zakuro asked, looking out the palace into the yard.
"This way!" The younger Prince Zemin, Zakuro's ally in Ryuu's recovery, called out.
Zakuro nodded and hurried away, making up her mind to force Chichiri and Nuriko to leave with her that night. She speed walked through the courtyard.
"He went through there." Prince Zemin called out from the Palace.
"Stay inside with the Guards." Zakuro called out over her shoulder.
She watched Ryuu's silhouette leaning against a tree.
"Ryuu!" Zakuro said angrily, as she marched towards him. "Get back inside! It's freezing out here!"
Zakuro squinted her eyes in the darkness, the cold creeping on her skin. Ryuu was hunched over, struggling to breathe, taking the support from the tree.
"RYUU!" Zakuro cried out. "HELP! WE NEED HELP!"
Zakuro rushed over to Ryuu and caught him firmly by the shoulders, trying to get him upright.
"I bring death." Ryuu murmured, before collapsing on Zakuro.
The guards arrived soon afterwards with Mitsukake in tow.
"He just passed out." Zakuro said, her voice panicked. "Help him!"
"His heart is weak." Mistsukake said, checking Ryuu's pulse. "Inform the King."
He carried Ryuu towards the castle, Zakuro bustling to keep up with him.
Zakuro was staring to feel bad for being mean to a sick kid. She followed Mitsukake into Ryuu's room. Chichiri, Niu and the mad King, Shirong, entered soon after, the mad King not looking so mad.
"You lied to us!" Chichiri said, close to shouting at the king.
"We had no choice." Shirong replied, his long brown hair neatly set with a small crown on his head.
He examined Ryuu carefully. Chichiri caught Zakuro's hand pulling her away from Ryuu.
"It's him." Chichiri said, frowning at Ryuu. "He is the one who is possessed. The King only acted insane to keep the kid safe. We're leaving!"
"What?" Zakuro said, looking at Ryuu. "Are you sure?"
Chichiri nodded, muttering under his breath.
"You risked Zakuro's life." Chichiri said, angrily. "If the demon doesn't kill you, I will."
"We did it to keep her safe." Mistukake said, as he quickly tied Ryuu to the bed. "She was the only one who instigated a response in the demon. The demon was slowly eating Ryuu away, hidden from priests. But lately, Ryuu seemed healthier. It was as though the demon found something it wanted more than Ryuu."
Mitsukake looked at Zakuro, frowning.
"She is marked." He continued. "The demon would have found it's way to her."
"You left her with Ryuu!" Lady Niu said, outraged. "You risked her life for your stupid theory."
"We were watching her all the time." Shirong answered. "She was never unsafe. We wanted to see what the demon's end game was."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Lady Niu said, her expression furious.
"I didn't want to risk..." Shirong started, but he faltered under his wife's glare.
"This place isn't safe." Chichiri murmured. "Get everybody and get out. I will try to exorcise the demon."
"Do you know how?" Zakuro asked, under her breath.
Chichiri slowly shook his head.
"I will figure something out." Chichiri said, twirling his staff.
Zakuro nodded and looked at Lady Niu, signalling towards the door.
"I'm staying!" Lady Niu said, adamantly. "Get Zemin to safety."
Zakuro started to argue but Mitsukake intervened.
"Save it." He said, checking Ryuu's pulse. "She is demonically stubborn. I wondered before if she was the one who was possessed."
Lady Niu bonked Mitsukake's head. Zakuro looked at Ryuu one final time and hurried out of the room. Nuriko was already gathering the people, who protectively hovered around Prince Zemin, from the castle at the gate.
"We need to go." Zakuro said, as she reached Nuriko.
"WATCH OUT!" Nuriko shouted, as she roughly pushed Zakuro aside.
Zakuro heard Nuriko grunt and several of the people from the castle scream in horror. Zakuro watched as Nuriko blocked Ryuu's way, Ryuu biting into Nuriko's arms drawing blood.
"NURIKO!" Zakuro screamed.
Ryuu jumped back, cackling merrily. Chichiri and Mitsukake ran towards the gate, Chichiri having a deep claw mark on his cheek.
"Get out!" Mitsukake said, urgently, as he braced himself for Ryuu.
"Take the villagers to the mountains." Nuriko instructed Zakuro.
"But..." Zakuro started to protest.
"GO!" Nuriko shouted, as Ryuu bounded towards them in all fours.
You're dead weight! Suzahara's voice rang in Zakuro's ears.
Zakuro took a couple of steps forward. She then turned around and ran towards the mountains, the scared people of the castle following her. She ran as fast as she could for as long as she could. She gave her best to running. And the villagers kept pace.
She stopped, taking the support of a tree. She looked back and saw the faint silhouette of the castle against the night sky. She fell to her knees and balanced herself on all fours.
Why did I come back here? Zakuro thought angrily as the people from the castle huddled around her.
They lit a small fire and the children huddled around it to keep warm.
"Damn it!" Zakuro cried in frustration punching the ground.
Zakuro held back her tears. That was the second time Zakuro would have gotten in the way. The second time she would have slowed them down.
Human vessal, huh? Zakuro thought. What a load of crap! I'm just a useless tiny porcelain doll for the others. Getting in their way. Getting kidnapped... TWICE!
Zakuro punched the ground again.
I'm dying. Zakuro remembered the way Ryuu had smiled serenely when he said that.
At that point, Zakuro had thought he was a coward. That he was wrong by giving up. But Zakuro realized that she was no better.
Why did I come back here? Zakuro thought, her mind calmer.
She had decided to come back because she wanted to be with Suzahara. But it was more than that. She had decided to come back because she wanted to give that world a fighting chance. She wanted to help save that world, in any way possible. And Zakuro wasn't one to dream big. She knew that the only way she could get around to saving the world was probably one soul at a time. She slowly got to her feet.
"Stay here." She told the people from the castle. "Keep Zemin safe."
She started walking, then running towards the castle.
She arrived at the castle to a horrific scene. Mitsukake, Nuriko and Chichiri were badly wounded, looking up towards the sky. The castle behind them had several rooms on fire, as though the candles made the curtains catch fire. Zakuro followed their gaze and saw Lady Niu and Shirong floating limply in the air, Ryuu a couple of feet from them, grinning ear to ear.
"Let them go!" Mitsukake said in a threatening voice.
Lady Niu yelped a little as she clutched her throat.
"Why would I do that?" Ryuu said, his voice malevolent. "I was taught never to leave a job unfinished. That I should never kill only one brother."
The king and the queen fell a couple of inches as Ryuu looked dazed. But almost immediately he was upright again, the royal couple back to their original spot.
"Ryuu doesn't like talking about it." Ryuu said, his eyes glowing yellow in the darkness.
"No." Zakuro said, angrily. "He just doesn't want to take responsibility he for the shit you've done."
Ryuu looked at Zakuro and Chichiri used the moment of distraction to bind Ryuu.
"What the hell are you do..." Chichiri started.
"Ryuu is strong, isn't he?" Zakuro said, making up wildly as she took a step forward, almost tripping over debris.
Chichiri muttered as the king and queen floated safely back to the ground, free from the demons clutches.
"You've had him for so long and yet, you don't have full control." Zakuro said, her voice sing song. "I know why you want me. But I have stronger demons that covet me more. They wouldn't let a low grade schmuck like you taint me."
Ryuu glared at Zakuro.
"What do you know of demons and their strength?" Ryuu hissed, struggling to get his hands free.
Zakuro wanted to keep the demon occupied. She wanted to get him riled up.
"I survived Zui Gao." Zakuro said, trying to smile impetuously. She even tossed her hair back.
Ryuu's eyes widened for a moment.
"Zui Gao?" Ryuu repeated.
"You are small fry and I'm a big prize." Zakuro said.
"NOW!" Mitsukake shouted.
Chichiri pointed towards the ground and Ryuu fell with good force. Shirong and Mitsukake held him down. Chichiri started muttering. Almost instantly, Ryuu started screaming.
"What're you doing?" Zakuro said, as she rushed to Chichiri.
"He's trying to separate the demon's life force from Ryuu's." Nuriko said, as she tended to Niu.
She bore deep cuts on her shoulders and one of her eyes was purple, swollen shut.
"Has he done that before?" Zakuro said, looking over her shoulder to see Ryuu struggle against Shirong and Mitsukake.
"It will work." Lady Niu said, resolutely.
But as though the work of a jinx, the moment Lady Niu said that, Shirong and Mitsukake were blasted away from Ryuu.
"Shit!" Chichiri cursed as he caught Zakuro by the hand and steered her back towards the castle gates.
Zakuro wriggled free a few moments later.
"I'm not running away!" Zakuro said, angrily.
"We're not running away." Chichiri said, grumpily. "We're luring the demon away from the others."
Zakuro turned around to Ryuu running towards them. She started running again, with Chichiri close on her heels.
"Whats the plan?" Zakuro called out to Chichiri as she ran.
"You're the one with the plans!" Chichiri said, angrily. "What were you thinking, making a demon angry?"
"It seemed like a good idea at the time!" Zakuro said, honestly as they reached the palace gates.
"You're mine!" Ryuu shouted as yellow tentacles rose from his body and rushed towards Zakuro.
The first tentacle hit Chichiri with blunt force and pulled him back.
"CHICHIRI!" Zakuro shouted as she continued running.
The tentacles closed in on her, completely detached from Ryuu's body.
Shit. Zakuro thought as she closed her eyes.
She waited for the tentacles to grab her and pull her back. But instead she felt strong hands around her. She opened her eyes to a cage of black feathers, a single black feather fallen on her nose.
"Would you like for me to carry you, Ojou-chan?" Zakuro heard a silky voice murmur in her ears.
"Yes!" Zakuro replied immediately. "Take me to Chichiri!"
"As you wish." Tamahome said, smiling a little.
Mei Fong and Mei Lin kept the demon away from Ryuu.
Even through all the chaos, Zakuro couldn't help but admire Mei Lin's sword-work. She adeptly kept the demon back.
Suzahara and Bao Shou hovered below the demon tentacle holding Chichiri, who struggled to get free, their eyes keen on the prize. Zakuro closed her eyes for a moment to calm herself.
Tamahome landed as close as possible to Chichiri but at a safe distance from the demon. Mitsukake and Nuriko were running towards Ryuu carrying Shirong and Niu, respectively. Shirong and Niu looked over Mitsukake and Nuriko's shoulders, their eyes fixed on Ryuu.
"Hey!" Zakuro shouted at the demon. "Slug face! Come and get me!"
"That wouldn't be wise, Ojou-chan." Tamahome said, amused.
Zakuro pushed her hair from her face.
"I may not be strong." Zakuro said, as the demon dropped Chichiri, and rushed towards Zakuro. "But I know what my friends are capable of."
"Chichiri!" Suzahara barked. "Trap it!"
Chichiri marked characters in the air and trapped the demon in a small, glowing ball.
"Tamahome!" Suzahara called out.
Tamahome smiled a little.
"As you wish, Master." Tamahome said, as he blasted energy towards the demon.
The demon disintegrated, leaving behind a small glowing orb.
"No fucking way!" Zakuro exclaimed, as the orb approached Suzahara.
"Come on!" Zakuro heard the desperate pleas of Mitsukake as he thumped Ryuu's chest. "Come on! Breath, damn it!"
"Ryuu!" Shirong said, his voice breaking.
Lady Niu and Nuriko cried quietly beside Mitsukake. Even in the dim light of the burning castle, Zakuro could make out Ryuu's pale face staring blankly at the sky. She walked towards him and fell to her knees.
I'm dying. His voice echoed in Zakuro's head.
"Like hell you are!" Zakuro said out loud, still buzzed from the adrenalin rush.
She gathered all her movie knowledge on CPR. She caught Mitsukake's hand and asked him to wait a moment. She pinched Ryuu's nose and elevated his head a little. She then opened his mouth and blew air into his lungs. She watched as his chest expanded and then slowly fall.
"Do it!" Zakuro told Mitsukake.
Mitsukake frowned and started thumping Ryuu's heart again. Zakuro counted to five beats and then asked him to stop. Zakuro blew air into his lungs again. In the fourth attempt, Ryuu coughed and bent to his side, gasping for air, the colour rushing to his face.
"Ryuu!" Lady Niu cried, pulling him into a hug.
"I killed them." Ryuu said, as he pushed Niu away. "I killed Mother and Father. It was me. Not.."
Shirong caught Ryuu's shoulder.
"It wasn't you." Shirong said, smiling kindly. "It was the demon."
Tears flooded down Ryuu's cheeks.
"I'm sorry!" He cried. "I'm so sorry!"
Zakuro sat on the ground, smiling at the lot in front of her. She looked at the castle behind them.
"Umm." Zakuro said, hesitantly. "Shouldn't we be doing something about the burning castle too?"
Everybody looked at Chichiri. He frowned, the gash on his face letting out droplets of blood.
"Feng." He muttered and water rose from the koi pond.
He then fell to the ground too, his eyes closed facing the sky. Nuriko smiled as she watched Niu fret over Ryuu and Shirong.
But Zakuro could feel the hair on the back of her neck standing. She sighed before she rose and turned around to face Suzahara.
"I know I left without saying anyth..." Zakuro started, wanting to apologize and thank Suzahara and the others for saving them.
But Suzahara quickly closed the distance between them and pulled her into an embrace, her chin on his shoulders.
"Don't." Suzahara murmured into her ears, hugging her tighter, as though she wasn't close enough. "Just don't. Just don't ever leave me again."
"Suzahara." Zakuro muttered.
She wanted to say something more. Something poetic or maybe snarky. But her mind was drawing a blank. She had missed him so much. His voice... his scent... his touch. She weakly touched his elbows.
This is real. Zakuro told herself. This is Suzahara caring.
"I can't think straight without you." Suzahara said, his voice etched in pain. "Every moment without you..."
Zakuro felt Suzahara's hand tighten.
Tell him. The voice in Zakuro's head screamed. Tell him you came back for him! Tell him that you love him!
Zakuro gulped.
"Suzahara." Zakuro said, her voice trembling. "I..."
"I love you." Suzahara said. "I know you probably think it's stupid. I know you don't feel the same way. I tried very hard to forget you. But the harder I tried, the more I hated myself for trying to let you go. Zakuro, I love you so much."
Zakuro's heart skipped a beat. Her mind raced and her body felt like it was floating away. But the earth felt very still. So still that she wasn't even sure if it was spinning anymore. But her world was spinning.
Happiness ran through her veins. Zakuro didn't know how much time had passed. It could have been seconds and it could have been days. But she didn't care. She didn't care because she was with him and only he mattered. Nothing else, not even time, mattered when she was with him.
She felt Suzahara relax a little. He slowly pulled away. Zakuro frowned in confusion.
"I'm sorry." Suzahara mumbled as he avoided eye contact. "I didn't mean to... I just... I'm sorry."
He took a couple of steps back, still not looking Zakuro in the eyes.
He turned around to walk away from Zakuro when she realized that she didn't say any of the things in her mind out loud. She held his hand as tightly as she could. He frowned in confusion at their interlocked hands.
Zakuro put his hand on her back, his arm around her again in a embrace, the way it was always supposed to be. She quickly closed the distance between them.
She didn't know how to express herself in words anymore. Her brain was working too fast to comprehend language. But she wanted her feelings to reach him. She wanted him to know.
How can I express happiness in words? Zakuro thought.
She took a single breath as she rose to her tippy toes and kissed his lips softly, one hand intertwined in his and the other on the back of his neck. She pulled back after a couple of moments.
"I think this means I love you too." Zakuro said, still smiling softly.
Suzahara smiled. Zakuro didn't realize until that moment how much she had missed that stupid smile of his which lit up his eyes.
Suzahara bent a little and Zakuro got to her feet again, off her tip-toes. His hand still held hers, in a firm yet gentle manner. He pushed Zakuro's hair behind her ears, cupping her face with his free hand.
Zakuro rested her free hand on his shoulder and closed her eyes as he got closer.
"Well, then." Zakuro heard Mitsukake. "We better get the Prince out of the cold."
Zakuro's and Suzahara's eyes snapped open. They jumped back from each other, finally realizing that they weren't alone.
"I will help you." Zakuro heard Nuriko.
She watched as Mitsukake carried Ryuu towards the castle, followed by Shirong, Niu and Nuriko.
Mei Lin was looking away from Zakuro and Suzahara, a surly expression on her face. Mei Fong was sitting next to Chichiri, facing the sky with his eyes closed. Tamahome was looking at Suzahara and Zakuro, a sly grin on his face.
"It's about time!" Chichiri said, finally facing Zakuro and Suzahara.
Zakuro felt the heat rise to her face. She was glad that it was too dark to see. Suzahara was nervously scratching his nose.
Damn! Zakuro thought, as she looked at a blushing Suzahara. He is so cute!
She coughed a little before speaking again, pushing away her embarrassment.
Everybody dates. Zakuro told herself firmly. It's nothing to be embarrassed about.
"We should check up on the Prince..." Zakuro said, her voice trailing away.
Chichiri nodded as he rose.
"So, how have you been, Suzahara?" Chichiri asked, as he walked in between Zakuro and Suzahara.
"I've been fine." Suzahara said, in a low voice. "It's good to see you again."
Chichiri nodded.
"How many challenges have you completed?" Chichiri continued.
"Including this one..." Suzahara said, hesitantly looking at Zakuro. "Five."
"WHAT!" Zakuro shouted scandalized. "FIVE! How is that possible? You were done with four before! How..."
Suzahara determinedly looked away from Zakuro.
"You didn't do any in the last nine months?!" Zakuro said, frowning.
"Well..." Suzahara countered. "It's not my fault! I missed you and stuff."
Zakuro snorted in reply.
"You never had a game plan to begin with." Zakuro said, rolling her eyes. "Don't blame it on me, God of Laziness!"
"If I were good at planning, I wouldn't need a Chief Strategist, would I?" Suzahara retorted.
The two bickered all the way to the castle, much to Chichiri's and Tamahome's amusement.
They did not notice Bao Shou, Mei Lin and Mei Fong hanging back.
"I can't believe this." Mei Lin said, her hands shaking in anger. "He was opening up to me. If only I had a little more time..."
"That's enough." Bao Shou said, calmly. "They want to be together. We cannot get in between them."
"But you wanted Zakuro..." Mei Fong mumbled.
"Not like this." Bao Shou said, as he started walking towards the castle.
Mei Lin and Mei Fong looked at each other for a moment, before following Bao Shou.
AN:
Well, it started. Zakuro and Suzahara are officially a couple. I know, I know. I should have included a couple more misunderstandings and a couple of plot twists. But I really wanted their love story to be simple. That is one of the major things I like about Watase Yuu's romance. No matter what is thrown at them, Miaka-Tamahome and Takiko-Uruki were in love. It was just that simple.
Let me know what you think!
As always, keep reading!