Fateful Dreams*(7/9)By Sakata Ri Houjun ~*******************~ Despite the initial reaction shared by the others yesterday, Chichiri and Tasuki were greeted with warm, accepting smiles when they entered the kitchen, arms around one another. Chichiri ducked his head slightly, blushing at the attention and the certainty that they had heard him last night. Tasuki merely squeezed his lover and flashed a grin. "So what are you idiots staring at? You act like you haven't seen us before." Nuriko snickered behind her hand. Tasuki shot daggers at her with his eyes, his smile slipping slightly. "And what's so funny?" Nuriko opened her mouth to answer, but Miaka cut her off. "we're just so happy for you both." Everyone nodded in agreement. "Thanks," Chichiri returned, pulling away from Tasuki's embrace to take a seat at the table. "That means a lot coming from you." Tasuki took the empty chair next to him and immediately placed his hand in his lover's lap. The intensity of everyone's smiles doubled as Chichiri's blush deepened. But the oldest seishi made no move to remove Tasuki's hand. He cleared his throat and managed to look serious despite the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Did we miss breakfast?" Tasuki squeezed Chichiri's thigh with a wink as Nuriko laughed again. Chichiri realized the raven-haired woman was never going to live this down. I made certain that there was something left," Tamahome answered. "I was afraid we'd have to go get you out of bed." "I would have gladly gone," Nuriko protested before Hotohori firmly clamped a hand over her mouth. "What Tamahome means is that we didn't wish to disturb your sleep," Mitsukake countered before chuckling softly. Chiriko looked down nervously at his hands in his lap. "And I, for one, am relieved because for the longest time I was certain you two would never realize the inevitable." "See?" Tasuki elbowed his lover. "I told you that Chiriko ain't naive." "Can we please not talk about this anymore," Chichiri pleaded, his eyes meeting everyone's faces. "There's something more pressing." "The force you spoke of earlier," Hotohori nodded as he removed his hand from Nuriko's mouth. "After you two retired for the night, we noticed the increase of our powers," Chiriko said. "It seemed that your spell worked, Chichiri," Nuriko commented. "Of it did," Tasuki returned. "Chichiri wouldn't have taken the risk if it wasn't." "Tasuki..." The former monk placed a cool hand on top of his. "So, what's the next step?" Tamahome asked eagerly. "I need to put a barrier around Miaka, to protect her from any harm until I can figure out the source of this dark power." "Are you sure, Chichiri?" Miaka asked, her face scared. The former monk tilted his head at her question, surprised at her fear. "It's for your protection. This way, I can be certain that nothing will happen while we combat this foreign power that has targeted you." She bit her lip and nodded. "Of course. You are right. I don't know what I was thinking." "When are you going to do this?" Tamahome asked, wrapping his arms around his fiancée. "The sooner the better. It would be precedent to maintain her safety," Chiriko answered. Chichiri nodded. "Exactly my thoughts." As he stood, Tasuki removed his hands and then the oldest seishi motioned for Miaka to approach him. Rather nervously, she glanced at the others and felt Tamahome squeeze her in reassurance. Miaka pushed away from the table and walked over to the former monk. He smiled down at her before bringing up his hands before his face. With a soft chant, a red glow danced around the tips of his fingers. Chichiri then touched his fingers to Miaka's temple, suffusing her body with a red light. The former monk stiffened suddenly as he sensed something different within the Miko. Something felt...wrong about her. Using his ki that was glowing in his fingers, he probed Miaka's life force. He could feel her familiar signature, a permanent imprint upon his soul. But there was another life force, a stranger. Without giving away what he had just learned, he carefully reabsorbed the ki he had surrounded Miaka with and took a step back. Chichiri brought a hand to his face, pretending to be overcome with fatigue like he was last night. "Chichiri? What's wrong?" Miaka asked, her face etched in concern. "Barriers always take a lot out of me." "You're right. You don't look so good. You should go back to bed and rest. Now that the barrier's in place, I should be okay for now." Miaka turned to ask the seishi for help, only to find six pairs of shocked eyes staring at her. "Is there something wrong?" "Chichiri's barriers are the easiest of his spells to perform," Hotohori stated flatly. "I've seen him place one over the shrine to Suzaku and still he helped to perform the ceremony to summon the beast god." "A small one to protect you wouldn't drain him like that," Nuriko added. "Even if he actually cast the barrier," Mitsukake commented. "So what's that mean?" Miaka asked, spreading her hands out. "It means we now know that you aren't the Suzaku no Miko," Chichiri answered from behind her. "It's Miaka's body, but you're not her." "Of course it's me. I didn't know that you faked it. I mean, you used to pretend behind a mask and..." "Bullshit!" Tasuki snapped, rising to his feet. "Chichiri had put up so many barriers for you, the real Miaka would know. She knows what our powers feel like." "Who are you? What have you done to Miaka?" Tamahome's symbol flashed as his love and anger fueled his ki. "Surely you can guess." Miaka smiled sweetly at the enraged seishi. "Tamahome, don't lose yourself. You can't help Miaka if you're angry," Hotohori warned. Miaka turned and flashed a smile at the oldest seishi. "You never cease to amaze me, Chichiri. I knew you'd figure it out, but not so quickly. don't worry though. Miaka's safely hidden away, asleep within her own body, and I have you to thank for that." "What do you mean?" Tasuki asked after looking at his lover's shocked face. "Chichiri would have sensed me taking control of the Miko's body, but he was...distracted last light. It was the perfect moment to make my dreams into reality." "Miaka!" Tamahome shouted. He would have vaulted over the table if Nuriko hadn't restrained him. Miaka turned her attention back to the powerful seishi and gave a soft laugh. "Your voice cannot reach her and your love cannot release her. As soon as I'm done with this body, then she'll reawaken and won't even remember a thing." "What do you want Miaka for?" Hotohori asked, his gentle voice raised in anger. "Dear emperor of Konan, do you wish to have your empire restored to you, wife and son by your side?" She turned to Nuriko. "Or the courtesan? Do you wish to be reunited with your long-lost sister?" "What do you mean?" Nuriko asked. "I mean that everything you've lost in your last lives can be restored again as if you never died in the first place. Even more, you'll get to keep the things gained from this life as well. Basically the best of both worlds." Chichiri took a step back, fear clutching at his heart. It made sense. The fight with Tasuki had faded to the past. History didn't jus reenact itself all over again that night. It hadn't been his imagination. "You plan on melding the two worlds, to create on reality." Miaka turned to face Chichiri again, looking very impressed. "You still astonish me." "But that's impossible!" Tasuki shouted. "It doesn’t make fucking sense!" "Why would you want to do that?" Mitsukake asked. Miaka shrugged. "I did not come from either world so I missed out on becoming a part of your lives when I was alive. I watched you all, your adventures, how you lived and died. I cried and laughed with you as I experienced your fears and hoped. I loved with you and wished that I could somehow become a part of that world. Yet I was denied that because there was no link for me. I died hearing the laughter of the others who told me that you did did not truly exist. "But from the remnants of my shattered dreams, I pulled myself forward, aware of your existence. I realized that I had the power to accomplish my dream. I could give you all the happiness you deserve, the happiness I missed out on. I have that power, but I needed Miaka to unlock the door. "I though at first that this was for me, that's why I had confused Chichiri's memories." She turned back to the former monk and smiled sadly. "I'm sorry that I had put you through tat again. "But then I realized that it was you, the great Suzaku Shichiseishi that I wished to please. If this had been done a long time ago, Tamahome would haven't had to chase his beloved through the worlds and neither would Chichiri and Tasuki have either. "Now I can restore everything. Lost loved ones, homes, families, friends, everything. Ask and I'll give it to you once I have completed my task." She spread open her hands in an offer. "With your help, your powers, I can speed the process. Help me combine the two realities, please." "We can't help you," Chichiri answered flatly. "There is a reason why the two worlds are separate." "If that which separates the two realities is destroyed, then existence in both worlds would cease to be," Chiriko spoke up forcefully. "That's what Taiitsukun meant in Chichiri's dream." Miaka's eyes widened. "What? Surely you don't believe that?" "If Taiitsukun told Chichiri so, then we have no choice than to believe her," Nuriko answered. "We cannot let you do this," Hotohori added. Miaka shook her head sadly. "I thought you, of all people would support this." "We can't support such a plot," Mitsukake murmured. "Let Miaka go, now!" Tamahome's battle aura surrounded him as he glared at her. Hotohori held out his hand and the deity sword suddenly appeared. The other seishi took defensive stances, ready to stop the stranger who had possessed their Miko's body. Miaka too a step back, eyes narrowing. "You wish to free your Miko? You need to get through me first. Are you willing to make that sacrifice?"