updated 6.2000
Fushigi Yuugi is copyrighted to Watase Yuu, Bandai, Tokyo Television, Flower Comics, and others. No infringement is intended!
Word List: sumimasen=excuse me/sorry wakatta=i understand/understand
minna=everybody yokatta=kinda like I'm relieved gomennasai/gomen=sorry
sugoi=great/amazing itai=hurts/ouch nani=what nisan/nichan=brother
nesan/nechan=sister otousan=father onegai=please
arigatou=thank you iya=no (in a way) matte=wait
Chapter 10: The Price of Unity
"Kamei..." Hatsui whispered at the lifeless body, "Kamei...answer me...wake up!"
Namame felt her pulse. There was still a faint heartbeat.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?!" Hatsui whirled around at Uruki, who was watching from a distance, her face ashen, being supported by Iname.
"I didn't do anything..." she murmured, still in shock. All she did was slap the girl... Another thought suddenly crossed her mind; what if she had struck the temple...? A hard blow to that tender area can cause death...
"Didn't do anything...!" Hatsui fumed.
"Hatsui calm down," Namame said coldly, "I don't think Uruki caused her to faint like this..."
"Well sumimasen Namame-sama, I was only trying to get to the bottom of this," Hatsui spat out, "Care to tell me how to wake her up, o wiseman?"
"Keep a leash on that temper of yours," Namame warned.
"And what are you going to do if I don't?" Hatsui challenged.
"That's enough you two," Urumiya stood between them, "Your bickering certainly won't wake up the Miko!"
"This is certainly very interesting," Tomite said from the sidelines.
"Are you so easily amused?" Hikitsu glared at the young man.
The other shrugged carelessly, "We don't stand a chance against Seiryuu..."
"Well, at least we agree on something..." Hikitsu admitted.
"Tsk tsk tsk, falling apart at such a little crisis," an unrecognizable voice lamented, "How will they ever face what lies ahead? There is much to be done..."
"It seems as if something is sapping her energy from within," Urumiya looked up from examining the Miko, his voice a little unsteady, "We should take the Miko to see Initsukun immediately!"
"I think that's a good idea," Iname spoke up.
Without a word, Hatsui gently lifted Kamei's limp body, and mounted the horse. Namame and the others followed suit.
"Uruki and I will catch up..." Iname told them.
"Just follow this path," Urumiya instructed.
Iname nodded, "Be careful."
"You too," Namame nodded at them and the company split.
"Oi, Urumiya! Is that it up ahead?" Hatsui yelled back at them from the head, pointing out a cloudy hulk rising against the horizon up ahead.
"This trail should lead up straight to the mountain," Urumiya said, "We have to hurry, I don't know how much longer the Miko will hold."
"What are we going to do if we loose the Miko?" Tomite asked Hikitsu.
"What the hell are you talking about back there?!" Hatsui barked at the young man, "We're not going to loose her!"
Tomite made a face, "Che, what's wrong with him?"
"Everybody's under a lot of stress Tomite, I suggest you watch what you say," Hikitsu told him quietly.
Hatsui forged on, looking down at Kamei's paling face occasionally, his thoughts whirling into a frenzy. He heard Namame not far behind him, and slowed just a bit for the other man to catch up.
"Namame," Hatsui said so that nobody else could hear, "What's your feelings towards the Miko?"
"I am her protector, as a Seishi should be," Namame glanced at Hatsui out of the corner of his eyes. He saw the way Hatsui was holding Kamei, as if she was a delicate glass vase, protecting her from all possible harms. "Now is not the time to discuss these things...Kamei is in danger..."
"Wakatta," Hatsui seemed unsatisfied, but nodded, the edges of his mouth drawing down a little, "We'll continue this later."
Iname cleaned up the house and washed the blood-splattered floor and walls. He didn't quit until the house was just like it had been before. Walking outside, he went to find Uruki, and found her kneeling at the newly dug grave. The way her shoulders trembled seemed to shake his own heart, and he reached out wordlessly to her.
Uruki turned to him gratefully and broke down crying against him. As much as he liked being close to her, he hated the situation that had brought them so close together. Uruki was usually so much stronger than he was, personality-wise, and it shook him to see her hurting like this. As much as he hated fighting, he couldn't forgive the Kutou people who had done this...to Sou-san, who had been like a father to him, to Uruki, whom he grew up with, and to the Genbu no Miko.
"Don't ever leave me Gyuulou..." Uruki sobbed into his chest.
To hear these words under such a situation was like a knife through his heart.
"I won't Orume," he told her, quiet tears rolling down his face. When she couldn't be strong, he had to be strong for her, "I'll never leave you, I'll stay by your side forever..."
"How do we get through here??" Tomite blinked at the impossible tangle of trees in front of them.
Namame drew his sword and hacked at the plants.
"I don't think that'll work no matter how good a swordsman you are," Hatsui smiled a little bit. There was something unimaginably funny about Namame cutting at the tough plants with a straight face. He suddenly realized that he hasn't smiled in a long time.
"Perhaps I can help," Hikitsu stepped forward. The silver haired man held his left hand towards the dense forest and a green glow started accumulating at the tips of his fingers. With his back to the rest of the group, they couldn't see that a green glow was seeping through his right eye-patch as well.
It was unnoticeable at first, but then, suddenly, the branches, shrubs, and trees started retreating, creating a tunnel in the impenetrable forest.
"Sugoi!" Tomite exclaimed. "I didn't know you were hiding such a powerful trick!" Tomite walked forward, leading his horse behind and suddenly came crashing down. "Ite~~~," he sat there, smiling sheepishly.
Hatsui touched the opening of the tunnel and felt something slippery. "Ice?" he asked.
Hikitsu nodded, "My powers are traditional to the Seishis of Genbu. I wield the power to control ice."
"Let's hurry," Urumiya said, leading this time.
"Yui-chan? What's happening??" Miaka asked Yui, her brow furrowing.
"I don't know Miaka..." Yui told her.
They were sitting in Miaka's living room. The sun was still high in the sky. It had only been two hours since they found the book.
(If I said the time was later, before, I'm sorry! Just think only two hours passed. ^-^')
The doorknob rattled, making the girls jump, somebody was opening the door.
"Miaka! You here?" Keisuke's voice came from the doorway.
"Yui?" Tetsuya poked his head in, "Ah, I knew you would be here."
"Hey Miaka," Taka strolled in as well.
They hid the book behind their back and tried to act as normal as possible.
"Is something wrong Miaka," Taka asked, arching a brow. He could always tell when something was bothering her.
"Huh? No...nothing...!" Miaka smiled, "Why would you think something was wrong? Just because we're hiding a book behind us doesn't mean there's anything wrong!"
"Miaka!" Yui knocked her on the head.
"Gomen!!" Miaka lamented.
"What book?" Tetsuya asked, a sinking feeling in his stomach, but of course it can't be that book.
"Don't tell me Miaka's actually studying!" Keisuke teased.
"Nisan!!" Miaka stood and used the book to knock his head.
"Lemme see..." Keisuke grabbed it, "Shijin Tenchi..."
The book dropped out of his hands and fluttered open on the living room floor. They all stared at it in silence.
"Somebody was absorbed," Yui said, breaking the silence.
"Nani?!" Taka practically jumped out of his skin.
"Actually we think her brother was absorbed too," Miaka added.
Tetsuya sat down heavily with his head in his hands.
"Again...?" Keisuke murmured.
"How much longer?" Tomite asked for the tenth time.
"How would I know?" Hikitsu muttered. Tomite reminded him of his younger sister, he mused silently.
"Where the tip pierces the sky, you shall find the sacred temple of Genbu... So the saying goes..." Urumiya looked around. They had already left the forest behind them and trudged through deep snow, leading their horses.
Hatsui suddenly stopped and looked back with a strange smile on his face.
"Is something wrong?" Namame asked worriedly.
"No...no, its just that, looking at all of you, this surrounding...it seems as if I just remembered a long lost memory..." Hatsui said.
Namame looked at him, "Hearing you say that...it does seem like it happened before..." He looked at Kamei. Only she seems to be different...
"I see a plateau ahead," Urumiya shielded his eyes against the glare of the snow, "I'll transfer some energy to the Miko again."
They all followed behind him, heads down. The truth was, everyone was exhausted. A lot of things have happened and it seemed hard to believe that it had only been a few days since their last meeting with Amiboshi.
"Minna!" Urumiya's shout made them all look up and the company came to an abrupt halt.
"Nani...!" Hatsui stared at the sight in front of him.
"What is the meaning of this??" Namame secretly pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming.
Tomite rubbed his eyes, "Is that an illusion?"
Urumiya reached his hand to touch the aurora like screen in front of them towards the other side. Behind the screen of light was an emerald lake, surrounded by lush greenery. The image called to them like a siren's song, drawing them forward.
"It's warm..." Urumiya whispered.
Hatsui took Kamei into his arms and they all crossed over. The warm air came at them with a rush and they felt all their weariness drain away magically.
"Welcome," a raspy voice said.
As they looked up and saw the speaker, the color drained from all of their faces.
"Wha--what is that??" Tomite clutched Hikitsu's arm, "It-it looks like...I don't even know what it is!"
*image description: imagine taiitsukun with green hair and clothes in shades of green o.o*
"Show some respect for an elderly!" The floating ancient old woman's mouth pinched as if she tasted something sour.
"Ah...I think I'm going to throw up..." Hatsui looked really miserable.
"Here Hatsui, I'll hold Kamei. You don't look too well," Namame patted him on the back.
"I'm fine," Hatsui glared at him stubbornly.
Urumiya was the only one unperturbed... "You are Initsukun ne? Please help our Miko."
"I am very displeased with you," the old woman sneered, "As Seishis you are supposed to handle situations like these better."
"We just went through hell you scary obaba! What do you want from us!" Hatsui snapped back.
"Who did you say is an 'OBABA'?!" Without any warning, the wrinkled face was right in front of his, and Hatsui backed away, turning a darker shade of blue. She turned around, muttering, "That's what they call my sister, Taiitsukun, but I'm one thousand years younger than her!"
"Please Initsukun," Urumiya pleaded, "You must know what's wrong with Kamei-sama."
"As a matter of fact, I do! Follow me," she said brusquely, and started "flying" towards the emerald lake. She didn't stop there though, and kept going towards the island in the middle. A white tower rose from the isle towards the crystalline sky. It seemed to be shining of its own light, and if possible, even brighter than the sun.
"Hey! We can't walk across water," Tomite yelled after her.
"Did you ever try? If you want to save the Miko, you should be able to at least follow me," she threw back over her shoulder.
They all looked at each other, and Hatsui looked at Kamei. Her face an unhealthy white. Drawing in a long breath, he looked straight and started walking. The others stared at him as, sure enough, he was walking on the serene jade surface, and followed his example.
Namame looked down and saw fish swimming under their feet. Tomite jumped once as a snapping turtle suddenly nipped at him. The water didn't seem like it was frozen since it lapped around their feet...
"Strange..." Namame murmured, "We're defying all that's sensible."
Just as he said those words, the water that seemed solid before turned into the liquid that it was. Amused cackling came from the floating old woman and see came wafting down, peering at Namame. He floundered in the water, his face a little flushed.
Initsukun's face crinkled into a grin, "You are treading on a different level now Namame. Everything that seemed logical might not be relevant. Choose what to believe carefully."
"Nyan-nyan," Initsukun called.
Out of the green orbs floating in the air popped green haired little girls. The company stared on, wide-eyed, as they seemed to be everywhere at once.
"Put the Miko over here," the old woman instructed.
"Haaaiiii~~" They all ran to obey.
Two of them took Kamei from Hatsui, who let go reluctantly, and two more stared up at him.
"Nani?" Hatsui asked, smiling uneasily.
"We think you need healing!" One said in an excited voice.
"You look a little green!" The other piped in.
"It must be because this is your first time seeing Initsukun," another said to the group.
A fourth one nodded as she was helping Namame with his wet clothes, "Nn, nn, she thinks she is better looking than Taiitsukun, but actually she's worse!"
The nesting birds suddenly broke into wild flight as two Nyan-nyan came flying through the roof. "Aiyaaaaahhhh~!"
"What's wrong with Kamei-sama?" Namame asked worriedly.
They all sat around the bed where Kamei laid motionlessly.
"She has fallen under a curse," Initsukun said.
"Curse?" Hikitsu asked.
"Seiryuu's...?" Hatsui looked at Kamei.
Urumiya sat holding Kamei's hand, keeping her chi steady.
Initsukun closed her eyes. "It seems like somebody is trying to take over her soul..."
"Nani?!" They all looked at the woman unbelievingly.
"How do we stop this?" Hatsui demanded.
"You must go into her mind and rid the evil that is growing there," she said, "Urumiya will serve as the doorway since he can connect with her mind. Only two people can go at once, or you will cause damage to her." She suddenly broke off and seemed to be looking at something faraway. "I think the last two Seishis are here."
Uruki and Iname suddenly popped out of the thin air, appearing not far from them. The two sat in a heap, staring around dazed. They were just on their horses...
"Since you lagged behind, you get to go first," Initsukun said.
"What?" Iname asked.
Uruki looked at Kamei. "What's wrong with her?" she asked in a small voice.
"Somebody is trying to take the Miko's soul. We have to get rid of the evil in her mind." Urumiya summarized.
"I can go!" Hatsui protested.
"Uruki, Iname, your duty," Initsukun glared at him, "You'll get your turn Hatsui, I don't think you know what we are dealing with here."
"But-" he protested, but quieted with a scary look from the old obaba.
"What should we do?" Iname asked quietly.
"Whoever cast the curse will try to attack her spirit by making her let go of her hold on life," Initsukun told them.
There was a deafening silence in the room as that bit of information sank in.
"She won't be able to hold on long..." Namame remembered the mental state Kamei was in.
"Take my hand Iname, and take Uruki's with your other one. Then, concentrate." Urumiya said, holding out his hand to Iname, his forehead already glowing, they had no time to waste.
Drip...drip...drip...drip...
Kamei opened her eyes slowly. It was pitch black around her and the only sound was the sound of water splashing. She looked down and saw a pond shimmering green. It was just like the one outside of Uruki's house.
She knew the source of the dripping now, it was herself. Her tears were raining into the pond, causing tiny ripples to spread across the surface.
"Even a weak blade of grass such as this, can cause such a big change. One action can become great..."
Uruki's father, Sou, appeared below her, looking across the pond, and then disappeared again.
"I'm sorry..." her voice croaked out, echoing, sounding pitiful in her own ears.
Without any warning, she dropped towards the pond a little. Looking at either side, she saw that the green ivy vines were the only things holding her up. As she watched, they lost their hold on her.
Snap
She fell, tumbling through the air, and came crashing into the pond, breaking the calm surface. Kamei didn't fight as the water drew her into its fathoms...
"Where are we?" Uruki asked softly, "It's so dark..."
"We should be in Miko-sama's mind..." Iname said.
Drip...drip...drip...drip...
Above their head seemed to be a watery surface and droplets of liquid were disturbing it.
Uruki suddenly drew to a stop.
"What is it?" Iname asked her.
"Do you hear that?" she asked, straining her ears.
The sound of a little child crying came to them, faint at first, but soon grew to a deafening roar. Up ahead was a little light. They ran towards it, covering their ears in order to block out the sorrowful sound, and without realizing it, they stepped into another world...
"Get back!" a male voice whispered urgently. "Take Kamei and Toka and hide!" A man was motioning a woman to go deeper into the house.
"Otousan..." a little girl with short black hair wined, looking back as her mother dragged her away. She saw her father pick up a baseball bat and walk down stairs.
After a while, there was some shouting, and then suddenly, a loud bang. The little girl broke away from her mother and ran downstairs. She found her father lying on the ground, as if he was sleeping...
"Wake up..." she nudged him, "Otousan...wake..."
Her hand felt warm sticky liquid, and the little girl looked to see what it was. The red liquid dripped off of her tiny hands and on to her white nightgown. Her breath quickened as she realized what it was and her small body started shaking violently.
"Otousan? Otousan!???" the little girl cried. Her mother came running up to her and forced her to turn her head away, but it was too late...
"Otousan!!!!!" Her piercing scream was soon joined by a baby's cry and the sound of sirens far off in the distance...
Uruki turned her head away from the scene with tears pouring down her face. Her heart threatened to break within her chest.
"That was...Kamei-sama..." Iname whispered, echoing what Uruki was thinking herself.
"It's all your fault," a familiar voice accused.
The child's crying became deafening and the scene in front of them broke into a million pieces. The child's wail died down as the glass-like shards rained down on them.
"Otousan!!" Uruki stared unbelievingly.
"It can't be!" Iname looked at Sou-san standing in front of a crying little girl.
"I showed you my hospitality and what did I get in return for it?" Sou's voice was bitter and angry, "A stab in the heart!"
Uruki stared at the man and finally heard what he had said. Clenching her fists, she stalked towards the thing that looked like her father. "How dare you!" she fumed, "My father would never say such a thing!!"
"Uruki," Iname pulled her arm, "Get back, something is amiss."
"You bet something is amiss, how dare that thing impersonate my father!" She knelt down by the little girl who had transformed into Kamei now.
"But he's right..." Kamei was staring at her hands in her lap, "I killed him. If it wasn't for me..."
"Yes...yes..." the man who wasn't Uruki's father nodded.
Iname got in front of them in case there was a need for defense.
"Gomen!! Gomen..." Uruki suddenly burst out, hugging the girl to her. "I said...I shouldn't have... Don't listen to that thing Kamei! That's not my father, don't listen...onegai!"
"If I didn't go to your house, if I didn't come into your life," Kamei sobbed, "Your father would still be alive...I took your father away from you..."
"Kamei! Stop it!!" Uruki found herself crying too. They weren't so different after all... "Remember the truth Kamei...remember what my father really said."
A fuzzy image materialized in front of them, and the fake Sou sneered. Uruki's father was kneeling by the pond, touching a blade of grass to the pond's surface.
"Even a weak blade of grass such as this, can cause such a big change. One action can become great..."
Uruki's father turned around and smiled at Kamei.
"Don't despair Miko-sama. Even if we humans have no control over what life gives us, at least we can control how we take it. Everybody has fears and doubts, but the truly great and courageous plod on despite it all. Do your best, don't be too hard on yourself, and trust in the people who want to help you... That's all you can do and nobody would expect anymore from you..."
"That's my father..." Uruki whispered to her.
"Thank you..." Kamei said as the image faded and turned to Uruki, "I..."
"You don't need to say anything," Uruki smiled softly, smudging away her tears, "Let's put our past behind us and hope for a better future..."
Kamei blinked, her eyes shimmering with tears, "Arigatou..." To her surprise, she found herself hugging the other woman tightly.
A green light enveloped her and suddenly, Kamei started rising. She looked at them helplessly.
"Don't worry Kamei," Uruki smiled at her, "We'll be with you all the way."
Kamei nodded and returned a weak smile. She closed her eyes tightly as she rose through the layer of watery surface above them, but nothing bad happened.
A growl came from near them and Uruki saw Iname facing an insubstantial shadow. His flute materialized in his hand and he started playing. The shadow blurred and stretched.
"It's not over," the shadow that had been the fake Sou hissed and disappeared.
Uruki and Iname opened their eyes and came back to the outside world.
"Well done," Initsukun said.
"Thank-," Uruki turned and suddenly stopped, "WHAT IS THAT?!!"
Kamei was conscious that she was still somewhere in that lake or pond she fell into, but she could breathe. It was dark and cold, but within her heart, she felt Uruki's forgiveness, and that kept her warm despite all else.
She came through another "layer" and stood on what seemed to be solid ground. Looking above her, she could see the ivy vines, and the rippling surface.
"Nechan~," a voice said softly from behind her and she turned.
"Toka..." Kamei whispered.
"Nechan~," Toka looked about four years old, smiling happily, running towards her.
Kamei ran to him and he reached up, looking up at her with wide innocent eyes.
"Why did you leave me...?" he said in a sad voice.
Kamei kneeled down in front of him. His chin had started to tremble and his brows started furrowing.
"Why did you leave me...?" Toka sobbed and tears were running out of his eyes. "Why did you bring me here and leave me...?" He looked down at the ground
"I didn't...don't cry Toka..." Kamei shook him gently.
"Why did you bring me here, and leave me...to die...?" Toka demanded, his voice angry now and no longer that of a child. He reached forward and clenched her throat, maturing in front of her eyes.
"Stop it Toka..." Kamei begged, "Stop it..." Toka now looked like what he had been the last time she saw him...as Amiboshi. She reached feebly towards his face. "Stop..." she choked out.
"How could you? Why...nechan...why did you leave me to die?" he sobbed, his hold slacking a little.
"I didn't leave..." Her field of vision was getting smaller.
"Why did you kill me?" he demanded, a blue aura surrounding him.
Kamei tried to push him away and droplets of his tears fell on her hand.
"Please Toka, stop..." she pushed against him weakly, she wouldn't last too much longer.
Something caught her eyes and they focused on her hands. Where Toka's tears had touched them were streaks of red. Looking up, she saw streaks of crimson blood running down the side of Toka's face. Searching, she found the source at his left temple where the kanji "Amiboshi" had appeared. His grip on her throat slackened and he dropped his hands to his sides, swaying on his knees. "Why did you leave me...?" he said so faintly that she could barely hear as he fell backwards.
"Toka!!!!!" Kamei rushed to him and saw the life drain out of his eyes just as his blood drained into her clothes...
"This is a creepy place..." Tomite looked around, "We're inside the Miko's mind?"
"So it seems," Hikitsu replied absently.
"What do we do?" Tomite asked him.
"I don't--," Hikitsu didn't finish his sentence as he saw that they were walking in blood.
"What is this..." Tomite asked, his voice shaking.
Hikitsu looked up and saw what Tomite was looking at. Kamei sat there with an unknown man in her arms, crying.
"Miko-sama..." Hikitsu walked closer. "Please, leave this place."
They tried to get her to let go of whomever she held and realized that all the blood had come from that person.
"He's dead," Tomite said, "Let go." She's not only incompetent, she's crazy too... He thought silently to himself.
"No...please," she pleaded, sobbing, "Don't take him away from me...I promised I would never leave him again."
"But Miko-sama," Hikitsu said, "This is not healthy."
"He's dead!" Tomite yelled at her. She was starting to scare him.
"I killed him...I left him...I did this to him..." Kamei hugged him tighter.
Tomite tried to get her to loosen her grip. Strangely enough, although there was a lot of blood, it didn't come off on his hands.
"PLEASE DON'T TAKE MY BROTHER AWAY FROM ME!!!" Kamei screamed, sobbing hysterically.
"Brother...?" Tomite and Hikitsu said at the same time, backing off with surprise.
"He's the only thing I have left in this world..." she said brokenly, "I abandoned him... I'm the reason he's here...and I left him... What kind of a sister am I..?"
Hikitsu understood her then, and suddenly saw her in a new light. He saw himself in her position long ago, but not too long ago in his mind.
His little sister had pestered him every single day to go out and play with her, but he had been too busy with his own work. She got mad one day and left... When she didn't come back by sunset, he went searching for her, and found her broken body in a valley of rocks. She had stumbled on that narrow path far above, too treacherous for a little girl to walk alone, and fell. He didn't know how many days he cried over her body, not being able to leave her there, his guilt binding him there like shackles. He didn't leave until someone found him and forced him away...
"Kamei..." he knelt down next to her, speaking softly, "This is an illusion... It's not real..."
Tomite watched them silently. His hands clenched in fists so tight that they were shaking. In a way, he understood her now. He remembered himself in Kamei's brother's position.
He had gone hunting although his older sister told him not to. By his bad luck, he got in an accident and broke his leg, not being able to go home. Somehow, his sister had found him. Expecting to be scolded until his ears hurt, he was surprised when she just clutched him close to her and started crying. He could still hear her words...
Don't ever do that again... You are the only thing I have left in this world...don't ever do that again...!
Much of the same things that Kamei just said.
"Kamei...you know this isn't your brother," Tomite knelt in front of her, kindly lifting her face. "Your brother knows that you haven't abandoned him... This isn't your brother."
Kamei blinked at him. "Illusion...?" she realized for the first time.
The figure in her arms started to fade and Hikitsu and Tomite helped her up. She remembered reality now and remembered that Toka was alive...
"But...I did bring him to this world..." she said softly.
Tomite faced her, "We'll help you find him," he said, smiling.
Her head snapped up as she realized that the mistrust in their eyes had been replaced by respect, and smiled back hesitantly. Just then, she found herself rising once more.
"Thank you..." she told them gratefully. Looking up, she saw an image of Toka in the rippling surface of the pond. Kamei closed her eyes and whispered, "I still owe you ice cream Toka...we promised..."
"The Miko's not that bad," Tomite reflected quietly.
"So we agree on something else," Hikitsu laughed.
Panic stole into her once all of her body went through the transparent layer of water. Kamei stopped breathing quickly as she realized there wasn't any air...only water. Desperately, she swam toward what she thought was the surface. Just when she seemed to be getting to the surface, she would reach up with the last burst of her strength to feel nothing but more water. Every muscle in her body screamed with agony, by now even the water seemed to have lost all of its buoyancy. Rather, it seemed to weigh her down. She fought constantly against the urge to open her mouth.
But what's the point...? I'm dying...
Kamei stopped swimming, taking a last look at the light above, taking a last look at life... Just before she closed her eyes, Toka's face appeared in front of her.
Nechan...
Kamei reached for him, but he was gone... That brief mirage reminded her of why she had to live.
Toka...Toka is waiting for me ...and... Uruki...she'll drag me out of my grave if I let Sou-san die in vain... Also...Iname...Hikitsu...Tomite...Hatsui...Namame...Urumiya... I can't die!!
With renewed strength, she fought against the forces that pulled her down...but it seemed a hopeless fight...
Genbu...help me...!
Two strong hands grabbed her and she broke out of the water, choking for breath.
"Kamei!" Somebody supported her as her legs grew weak.
"Hatsui...! Namame..." They stood around her, in the water, keeping her from falling back.
"Onto the shore," Namame and Hatsui guided her out of the water which still seemed to be tugging her back, but neither of the men loosened their grip on her.
Kamei collapsed onto the mossy bank, almost having the urge to kiss it with relief.
"What happened?" she asked them.
"Someone is trying to steal your soul," Namame told her.
Kamei looked at them blankly, "Take my soul...?"
"Well, no need worrying about it Kamei," Hatsui grinned, "You are out of danger now."
"Don't be so sure." A blood-chilling laughter rang through Kamei's mind.
Namame drew out his sword, shining with his chi, and Hatsui's whip materialized in his hand.
"Get behind me Kamei," Hatsui got in front of her.
"You've done well, Genbu Seishis," a feminine voice said, a cloaked figure walking into existence. "You seem dedicated to your Miko...but are you willing to die for her?"
"Nani?" Kamei grabbed Hatsui's arm, "What are you talking about?"
"If you continue on your journey," the woman said, her eyes flashing yellow from the shadow of her hood, "If the Miko is to live, one of you will die. This I tell you from the mouth of Seiryuu himself."
"Why should we believe you?" Hatsui spat out with disgust, "A Seiryuu Seishi."
"If you don't believe me, just ask your Initsukun," the woman laughed.
Initsukun appeared between them, just then. "As the future stands now. One of you will give his life for the Miko."
"Iya..." Kamei backed off with horror, "That can't be!"
Namame and Hatsui looked back at her. Both of their eyes glimmering with a strange light.
Namame stuck his sword in the ground, and turned to Initsukun. "If my life shall be required, then so be it. I wasn't there for my clan, I wasn't there for Kouryuu, I will be there for my Miko, even if it means at the cost of my life."
"Namame..." Kamei cried helplessly.
"I think I have more to loose if I don't give my life," Hatsui smiled at her. "Is this what you wanted to hear obaba?" He turned back to Initsukun. "Everyone of us would give our life for our Miko," he said with conviction.
"Hatsui..." Kamei walked up to them. "I don't want it!" Kamei yelled at them, burning with anger. "I DON'T WANT ANY OF YOU TO DIE FOR ME."
"Kamei..." Namame and Hatsui looked back at her in surprise. They had never heard her voice like that before. It seemed so strong...
"You have lost Seiryuu Seishi," Initsukun said, "Leave now."
The woman hissed, her eyes turning red.
"Minna, hurry, let's get out of here," Urumiya suddenly materialized in front of them. Concentrating his chi, he cast a portal out of Kamei's mind-trap.
Hatsui grabbed Kamei's hand and the three went through the doorway.
"Urumiya ka..." the woman was saying, "Or should I say Lin Seisin..."
Urumiya glared at the hooded figure, "How did you know my real name?"
"Hmph," the woman turned her back on him, her voice full of bitter contempt, "We are not finished yet, you and I. I will return the favor that you did me long ago."
"Matte!" Urumiya yelled, but the figure had already disappeared.
"Kamei...?"
The voices called her back to herself. Kamei opened her eyes to look upon the concerned faces of the Seishis.
"Yokatta," Uruki smiled.
"Don't celebrate too quickly," the ancient voice said.
She looks so much like that old woman I saw at my family's old estate, Kamei thought.
"Your greatest trials still awaits you Genbu no Miko and Genbu Seishis," Initsukun closed her eyes.
"Why has Hokkan lost Genbu's protection...and why did he ask for my help?" Kamei asked.
"The reason Genbu can't protect Hokkan anymore is because..." she opened her eyes again, "...Genbu has already been sealed."
Good place to stop ^.^ *evil laughter*. *ahem, cough cough* Hope you enjoyed it. ^.~