Summer Snow

curiouzkatt: Hello, long time no hear. It's been more than ten years since my last update, so I doubt anyone would even bother reading this. But, if there is anyone out there who would actually go through this fanfic that has practically died in the depths of a childhood forgotten, well, welcome to the cringe. It's my cringe though. I'm not sure how much of an improvement this is to my previous writing when I was in highschool, but here I am giving that forgotten energetic child a chance to finish work that started out on a whim. Wow, 20 years to finish a story with less than 20 chapters. Well, the important bit is we're finishing, and once we do, we can go on do other cringe things. This will probably be the third to the last chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own Saiyuki.

Chapter Eleven: Smoke and Mirrors

Mili fiddled with the silver ring on her right index finger as Kusanagi was gathering some documents in her study. She remembered the day Blue had given it to her, and how it was a communicator. …but with them gone, it was now only a memento. She noticed her hand shaking slightly and gripped it with her other hand. She was so confused with everything that had been happening, the dream she had, and the boys, Zeia, the truth.. it had been a lot. She returned her gaze to the woman who had the answers, and possibly help her make sense of everything.

She felt her anger well up again at the thought of Zeia's betrayal, and her friends choosing to believe her. Her sudden appearance in their lives was too convenient, everything had to be a lie.

Kusanagi watched the girl as she slowly laid down one of the scrolls on her table, rustling as it unfurled to get her attention. When their eyes met, she beckoned the girl to come closer. She pointed at the scroll where it showed Earth on the left, and Togenkyo on the right. It was depicting the early discovery of the connection between two worlds as beams of light and clouds, as if trying to describe a mystical connection.

"We've been researching on this connections for years," Kusanagi started, unrolling another scroll that showed a depiction of the higher plane where gods reside. "Heaven, Nirvana, The Beyond.. people through the centuries have called this place many things.." she pointed at the structures that looked like Chinese temples. "For ease of relaying information, we'll just refer to it as Heaven" Mili nodded, waiting for her to continue.

"Now, Heaven has always been seen as the end goal of life, where people end up after being good on Earth, or having accomplished their purpose in life, or reaching Nirvana as those Buddhist loved to call it." Another scroll unfurled, this time showing a figure striking people below with a lightning bolt. "That could never be farther from the truth. Heaven is simply a different dimension, where people who have found it just realize more things beyond the senses of the mortal realm."

Mili furrowed her brows. If it hadn't been for everything that has happened in the last few months, she would have never thought of believing such blasphemous words. "Now, this came with a price, since not everyone agreed on how mortals should go on living. They saw it as power." Kusanagi enunciated this statement, pausing to emphasize the point that Heaven was not forgiveness and goodness. "People have suffered in the hands of such.. "Enlightened Ones", suffering as Youkai in Togenkyo, being mindless beings who only wanted to kill and being killed off by righteous humans."

"But what about Earth? We don't have Youkai.." Mili muttered.

Kusanagi offered a soft smile. "That's what the world has come to believe and accepted. Vampires, dwarves, elves, dragons, fairies, aren't they extraordinary creatures? Wouldn't want say, not human?" she watched the girl's eyes widen with understanding, muttering to herself, realizing they were real. Kusanagi felt a sense of victory, slowly luring the girl further in with the stories she was weaving.

She laid down another scroll that showed the story of the Journey to the West, with darkness on the left side, and the shadow of the Demon God, Gyumao seeming to emanate the darkness. On the right part of the scroll, it shows the travelers moving to the west while fighting demons attacking them, with the light of Heaven behind them, as if being commanded by Kanzeon herself. "Now, humans always depict darkness as wrong, and light as right. But look at it from Gyoukumen Koushu's point of view, where she only wants to be back with her lover and the father of her daughter."

Mili nodded reluctantly. That did not seem to sit well with her as it was different from what she understood the world so far. "But where do my friends come in? Why do we have powers? Why is this happening? Why are they protecting Zeia?" I was their friend longer.

"Zeia is a pawn of the gods." Kusanagi said simply shrugging lightly. "Her appearance in your group was suspiciously too convenient." She sighed. "She mercilessly killed all those boys.."

Mili lowered her gaze, looking at the scroll again. It was all too much, it's as if she could taste the sorrow behind her throat, dry, and bitter. "This Prophecy.. how does it really end? Is there a way to stop everything?"

Kusanagi smiled. "I thought you'd never ask."

Linlin was stirred awake by the sounds of clinking gadgets, and someone quietly shuffling in the next room. She could tell it was Blue, judging from the painstaking movements to not wake anyone up. She rolled to her side, seeing the light under the crack of Alex's room. He would have gotten along with the boys.

There was a sound of something falling on the carpet and springs coming loose, and a whispered "Ah shit!", and hurried movements to sort things out. Linlin decided she couldn't get back to sleep and quietly moved to the connecting door, giving a gentle knock. "Can I come in?" She could hear Blue jump, then shuffle to the door. He peeked at her shyly.

"Hey Linlin, I'm sorry for the noise.. I couldn't sleep." He opened the door wider to let her in. "I mean, obviously, but, I didn't want to bother anyone for anything-" he stopped himself, and went back to the floor, struggling to sit since he was still recovering from some injuries.

Linlin joined him, quietly scanning the remnants of their base, and the chaos of gadgets. She felt the pang of sadness, knowing that the ones who made all of it possible were now painful memories, for all of them. Especially Blue. She watched him connect two monitors to their CPU, which seems to have been rearranged based on what was recoverable. She knew better than to stop him from doing what he wanted at this time. Her own journey into grief for Alex was only something she could walk, and she knew she needed more time. And that was one close kin, what more for five others?

Her eyes rested on the items Zeia said needed further checking. It was a small locked safe, a box seeming able to contain maybe a gadget or laptop. It was wide enough for an important device. She reached out to it and studied it. "Do you know what's in this thing?"

Blue looked, and hurriedly took the box, remembering something important. She watched him rack his brain for the code, then with a few turns and twists, the box popped open, revealing one silver bangle and one armlet inlaid with sapphire gems and a short bladed weapon, carved with the same sapphire as its hilt and part of its blade. It could have been a wakizashi, but it was shorter. "We were meant to give you this yesterday but.." he trailed off.

Linlin took them from the box and wore the accessories, the bangle on her left wrist, and the armlet on her right arm. She sheathed the blade, and sincerely looked at Blue. "Thank you. I will treasure these with my life." Blue smiled, his eyes misting up a little and they both stayed in silence for a few moments.

"Well, I'm glad you like them!" Blue suddenly piped up. "Because aside from being pretty, they're actually meant to turn you into a magical princess."

"I'm sorry what?" Linlin nearly took off the bangle to hit the boy which was met with a good laugh.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" he paused to catch his breath. "They're amplifiers. Like limiters work to contain energy –"

KSSSSHHHT! *-killing the darkness*

Linlin immediately turned to the sound. Blue's hand shot up to keep her silent. A tracker was working, and it was picking up someone's signal. Her mind raced, wondering what was happening and if any of her friends were in danger.

*-a is the real darkn-* KSSSSSHHT! you are – KSSSHT! one who KSSSSHHT! your friends-

Kusanagi! They were listening to Kusanagi. The signal seems to have been waning as Blue tried to get the connection back. "That was Mili's ring.." Blue muttered. It didn't take much for them to put two and two together that Mili had already escaped and was with the enemy being brainwashed.

"Where is she?" Linlin asked quietly, mind racing on the possible next steps. They were still not in the best condition, but Mili was in danger, and all the more so the longer they do nothing.

"The tracker isn't working as well right now, but she's in the Research Institute" Blue looked like he could burn a hole into the monitor. "Wait. She's on the move, she's headed to Neri Park. .. but why?"

"She's going to fight Zeia." Linlin raced off to wake the others while Blue tried to configure and regain communications with the trackers. Their computer had been banged up badly, and he was going to need more time.

The four were up and ready in no time and Sanzo had ordered Hakkai to stay with Blue. Someone needed to make sure he wasn't defenseless in the middle of this night. Linlin immediately called up Mayumi, but it was taking a while to get to her phone. She left a quick message and to call her back and head to Neri Park.

Hakuryu was quickly at the ready and they were soon off, with Gojyo at the wheel. "I've about had it with all these disturbances!" he yelled speeding off into the night, Sanzo preparing his bullets, sutra already on his shoulders.

Goku was silent, a serious expression on his face. He felt uncomfortable having left Hakkai alone at the Kazuya residence.

"He'll be fine, stupid monkey." Sanzo muttered, predicting what the boy was thinking. "If anyone has to be worried, it's them with us, racing off to God knows what."

"Yes, Sanzo, I know, but something doesn't feel right."

"I can kick you off Hakuryu so you can run home if you want!" Gojyo yelled. "If anything, I'm sure you just want to eat more from Shun's cooking." Something seemed to have clicked in Goku's brain and he jumped off Hakuryu and sped off in the opposite direction. Gojyo hit the brakes and yelled after him. "OI YOU BRAT, GET BACK HERE!"

Mili was in cat form, prowling on rooftops, making her way to Neri Park. Kusanagi was right, if there was anyone who could stop Zeia, it was her. She just needed to help distract Zeia so Kusanagi can finish the prophecy and things will be back to normal.

She slowed down once she reached the trees outside the park and turned herself into an owl. Quietly, she glided near where the tree house had been. It was as if nothing was ever there, as if no memories were ever made, as if no one had died there. She felt her throat tighten, and let out a muffled hoot before she caught herself. She spotted movement and saw Zeia sitting on one of the branches, looking up at the stars. She shifted into a jaguar, growling angrily. She hated how she looked so innocent, despite her true nature. Dropping to the ground, she approached her cautiously.

"I've been waiting for you." Zeia turned to her direction without looking. "I know what you want, but I won't fight you."

"Don't give me that bullshit, Zeia." Mili growled louder. "And to think I ever considered you as a friend!" she lunged, swiping at the other girl, who simply jumped out of the way, using the trees for cover and to slow her down. She gave chase, with full intent to tear her apart but Zeia's unwillingness to fight back only made her angrier. "GET BACK HERE AND FIGHT ME YOU COWARD!"

"We shouldn't be fighting, Mili. Kusanagi is the real enemy."

"NO! She told me the truth!" Mili shifted into a gorilla, grabbing Zeia's leg and slamming her down through the clearing ahead.

The girl broke her fall by rolling into the crash and prepared to defend herself, summoning her staff. Blood was dripping into her locket. It would seem that she had no choice but to fight, hopefully enough to slow her down to buy some time for the others.

"This whole prophecy is fake!" Mili screamed, uprooting a small tree and throwing it at Zeia. "YOU'RE THE ENEMY! You're just a pawn of the gods!"

Zeia dodged, and as she landed, she was caught in the grip of an anaconda that slowly tightened its grip on her body. She winced. She needed to get out of the lock without hurting Mili! In a split second, she heard the whizzing sound of an arrow, and managed to topple herself to avoid a fatal hit on Mili, but the arrow sank into her right shoulder, and through the back.

Right after the initial shock and pain, electricity coursed through the arrow and through her body. Soon enough, both her and Mili were screaming in agony as the electricity course through them both on contact. With the shock, Mili uncontrollably shifted into other animals before losing consciousness, releasing Zeia in the process, breaking the arrow.

There was no more electricity, but Zeia still had the rest of the arrow on her shoulder. Shaking her head to clear her vision, she saw a shadow overhead and land nearby. She knew it was Kusanagi. She had to get Mili out of danger.

"Oh, darling Zeia, you are not going anywhere," Kusanagi chimed in her sing song yet menacing voice. She swiftly grabbed Zeia's leg with one of her mental tentacles, holding Zeia up to her face upside down. She smirked. "This is revenge for cutting into my skin."

Zeia glared at her "What did you do to Mili?"

"Hm? Nothing. I just simply showed her the truth of what you really are, the truest of evils, killing all those poor, innocent boys." She said sweetly, sickening and mocking. "I only got in your way to try and save them, but I was too late." She continued, frowning and smiling in continued mockery and acting, as if to continue the ruse with Mili.

"You're despicable, playing with people's emotions."

"Ah, but aren't you the despicable one? Replacing their friend as if you have always been there?" Kusanagi scowled. "You're the one who deserves to die." She raised one of her tentacles, about to strike when an unmistakable "TZIING!" rang through the air, cutting Zeia loose from Kusanagi. Taking advantage, Zeia grabbed a tentacle for leverage to hit Kusanagi in the face with her knee.

Having broken free, she dropped and rolled away, just in time as Gojyo's scythe pierced through the air, cutting into some ninjas nearby. Sanzo shot at Kusanagi to get some distance from her and the injured girls. "Gojyo! Check on Mili!" he yelled, but the red head was already on it, reaching the half conscious girl and fending off monsters.

"Why did we leave the healer behind?" he yelled to no one in particular. "Hakkai would be super efficient right about now!"

"Ch!"

Right through the bushes came out Mayumi, running straight for Mili with Linlin behind her fending off ninjas chasing them. "I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm late!" she wailed, immediately checking on Mili to administer first aid. Having secured Mayumi with Gojyo, Linlin made a run for Zeia.

"I got your message, and I did my best to stop her." Zeia explained the moment she was within earshot.

"You don't have to explain. I'm sorry we're late." Linlin assured her, checking the damage of the arrow. She brought out the dagger Blue gave her and cut the tip. Zeia was definitely in no further condition to fight. A few feet away, they could hear Sanzo chanting, and in an instant, the ninjas were disintegrated by the sutra's power. After which, Gojyo ran after Kusanagi, doing a tag-team with Sanzo and managing to destroy and dislodge her mechanical tentacles.

Swiftly, Gojyo managed to tie her up with his chain. No one else was left, the ninjas had all been dispersed or dead.

On the other end of the field, Mili had regained consciousness and was trying to get away from Mayumi. She was too injured to shapeshift. "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! Zeia is evil!"

"She's not! Kusanagi was just brainwashing you!"
"No! I saw her kill everyone here! They're all dead!"
"Blue is still alive!"

"Why would you lie to me like this Mayumi? That's cruel!"

"Please keep still! Don't injure yourself further!" Mayumi pleaded, not willing to sedate her friend again. "Please believe me, Blue is alive!" Mili seemed to register the sincerity of her friend and slowly calmed down.

As things settled, Linlin glared at Kusanagi and clenched her fists. She hated everything she has done to her, and everyone she cared about. She was just right there, sitting and smiling at her, as if she knew secrets she could never understand. "You're the one who deserves to die the most!"

Kusanagi chuckled. "Are you that willing to have blood on your hands? Is that what justice is for you?"

"You killed my brother, you tortured my friends! You deserve to suffer!"

The woman laughed. "Those things may be true, but did it ever occur to you, that I'm not the only darkness you seek?" As she said this, a dark mist started to slowly emanate from her, engulfing her and slowly, Gojyo's chains broke one by one. Kusanagi's eyes started to glow red, and her body began to mutate, growing bigger, and as tall as the treehouse Her once metal tentacles, were now actual limbs, flailing uncontrollably as her consciousness cleared into a giant monster. What resulted in the transformation was a giant creature that both had eyes and legs like a spider, and tentacles to attack them with. There was no rhyme or reason, just an abomination and it was out to destroy them.

"What the ?" Gojyo exclaimed, jumping out of the way of one of her tentacles. "We have to get out of here! Hakuryu!" Gojyo grabbed Mili and Mayumi and helped them onto the jeep, driving towards the rest to secure Zeia.

Linlin began striking icicles at the monster to help the others get a head start. "We can't let Kusanagi get anywhere else! This has to end here!"

Understanding the situation, Gojyo and Sanzo nodded. Gojyo loaded Zeia onto the jeep and instructed Hakuryu to drive the girls back home and make sure they're safe. With the minions gone, they should be able to get home to Hakkai and Goku without any trouble. "I hate to say this, but, this would be easier if we had more help."

"You'd be more helpful if you kept your mouth shut!" Sanzo yelled, dodging a flailing limb.

"Well do you have a suggestion?" Gojyo retorted, to which the monk responded with shooting the monster near its eyes. The monster screeched and swiped at them again, angrier than ever.

"We're likely just annoying mosquitoes to this monster!" Linlin felt frustrated as well since no matter how much power she felt she had, it was no match against a monstrous evil. No matter how powerful she felt, it seems to mean nothing. But she wasn't going to give up. Channeling her energy, she created the beginning of an ice barrier, surrounding the complete area around the monster, with them in it. This way, no one else would get involved. Slowly, she raised the ice, running on its edge to slowly make it higher.

"Are you trying to make me laugh, little one?" Kusanagi said, making screeching sounds and slammed against part of the wall, cracking and throwing Linlin flying among some trees.

"Linlin!" Gojyo yelled, using the instance to be able to slice off a limb, earning a screech and an attack with its leg. He could tell that it was growing back, as if the energy from his scythe was being used to mend it.

TZIIING!

Sanzo fired a bullet to the growing leg and it stopped completely. "GOJYO! DO IT AGAIN!"

"Would be music to my ears if a woman said that instead."

"DO YOU WANT THE BULLET THROUGH YOUR HEAD INSTEAD?"

Linlin managed to hang on to some branches to help slow down her fall. She eventually hit a large enough branch that knocked the wind out of her. Sighing in relief, she oriented herself from outside the "arena" she had made out of ice. She could hear the monster shrieking and bullets whizzing. It would seem the men had managed to find a solution, but they would surely need help. She needed to get back into the fray.

Out of nowhere, she heard flapping of wings and it landed nearby. She was worried that it might have been Mili, and jerked her head to the direction of the creature. To her surprise, it was looking at her. It was a familiar looking parrot.

"Polly want a cracker?" it said, rustling its wings at her. "Wark, don't worry, daddy's here!"

"Huh?"

Before she could open her mouth, a sound of a sniper fired from one of the higher trees, and she barely registered the streak of blue that shot from it, right into one of the monster's eyes. The monster Kusanagi thrashed at the pain caused by the bullet, screaming in agony as if she was being burned alive. What was going on?

Polly the Parrot flapped its wings and took flight, repeating what it said: "dadd'y here daddy's here daddy's here!" It flew into the trees, as if reporting back to someone. Another earth shattering crash got Linlin's attention back to the fight and jumped off the tree and used her ice to slide her faster up and into the ice blockade. "Sanzo! Gojyo! Are you guys okay?"

The men grunted some reply, but it seemed that they were okay, tired but okay. Based from the damage on the monster, they have been able cut off most of its legs and stop it from regrowing, however, it seemed to have managed to grow legs in new spots, making it an uneven and more grotesque monster than it originally was.

"We'll end up tired before this thing gives out." Gojyo muttered.

"What was that bullet earlier that hit it?" Sanzo asked. "It seems that it's not healing from the damage it made."

"I don't know." Linlin shook her head. "It seemed like a sniper shot it from one of the trees. Whoever it is, they have our back, in the least."

Linlin ran for the monster's legs, holding them down on the ground to help the two with cutting down its legs, that just seem to keep coming back. Upon waving her arm, she remembered the gifts she received from the boys.

There was no time for second-guessing. She wielded her dagger with her left hand, then touched the bangle to the armlet. Focus. She could feel her energy surging through the sapphires, giving them a whitish glow. She ran for one of the legs and slid with her ice to cut through the base. The monster shrieked in pain, and where the leg had been attached was boiling, and could no longer regenerate. It had the same effect as the sniper's bullet.

"It's working!" Gojyo exclaimed. "I've got an idea!" he began extending his chain to trap three legs on one side so Linlin could cut through them in one go. Sanzo, on the other hand, kept shooting at the eyes.

"Here we go!" Linlin formed a slide towards the side with Gojyo's chain and swiftly cut through the legs, forcing the monster to fall on its side, unable to move further. Kusanagi flailed in frustration, shooting out an extra tentacle, hitting Linlin's ice, throwing her off to the ground.

"You fucking bitch! This isn't over!" Kusanagi quickly grabbed Linlin and threw her around like a rag doll.

"Damn it!" Gojyo jumped into action and cut the tentacle that had Linlin. Another sniper shot rang, hitting the monster's head. A few more strikes should take it down for good.

Sanzo ran over to where Linlin crashed to check if she was okay. She seemed beaten up worse, but she could still fight. "We can't let her find the sniper or we're done for." Linlin nodded. "You have to keep her busy with removing the limbs. I'll have to use the sutra, but you need to strike with your dagger as soon as I finish my chant."

Linlin staggered, nodded, and made her way to the other limbs to stop the monster's movement completely. After the last legs were cut and while cutting off the tentacles, Sanzo began his chant/ Gojyo and Linlin kept coming at the monster's attempts to fight back, cutting off before they grew out completely.

Kusanagi was trying to locate the sniper, and was about to shoot out a new limb when she heard the chant and the sutras grab hold of her form.

This was their cue! Linlin made a dash for it, icing her path, jumping through the middle, dagger in hand. She channeled everything she had and felt the dagger turn into a full sword. As she struck down, Kusanagi distorted a part of her form to strike another tentacle. Linlin was helpless with her motion, but a bullet nicked the tentacle off as she struck down.