by: Asurahime
Chapter 6- Learning to Trust, or Knowing to Hate?
A split-second later, Tasuki saw that Azeruse once again has managed to open her eyes and smile thinly.
"What happened now?" asked the girl as she tried to get up.
Tasuki brushed her hair out of her eyes. "Don't worry, you're safe now. Although, I don't know why ya just keep trying to..."
Before he could finish the sentence, he was holding nothing but empty air. "What in the fuck---" the ex-bandit swore as he turned around to see where Azeruse went.
Azeruse was held closely by Amiboshi as he stroked her hair and mumbled reassurances. Soi was giving Azeruse a looking over for any wounds that Mitsukake might have missed. When she found none, she stepped in front of Amiboshi and Azeruse to protect the girl, while Amiboshi looked up and glared darkly at Tasuki. Nakago and Tomo, with their regained strength set up a barrier separating the two groups, while Ashitare growled menacingly at the Suzaku group.
After receiving confirmation from Soi that Azeruse in now fully conscious and has been restored to normal health, Yui walked over to the barrier accompanied by Suboshi.
"I thank you greatly for healing the girl, but don't think this will stop the battle tomorrow. And yes, before you ask; Azeruse was Miaka, Miaka is Azeruse. She lost her memory when she came here." Yui enlightened the Suzaku Shichiseishi.
"Yui-sama, Azeruse-san is..." pointed Suboshi.
Yui looked back to see tears coming out of Azeruse's royal blue and amber eyes. "Azeruse-chan... what's wrong??"
Must we fight all the time?!! The blue-haired girl focused her emotionless gaze on Yui. "I... was Miaka... but Miaka is the Priestess of Suzaku. I am the cause of all this suffering?!? ....I just, don't remember."
Amiboshi held the girl even closer to him; an action which caused the Suzaku Shichiseishi to comment... some rather rudely.
"Let her go! Miaka-san doesn't belong to Seiryuu!!" screamed Chiriko.
Nakago looked at the Suzaku Shichiseishi with mock pity. "Last time I remember, neither does she belong to Suzaku."
Insults were passed back and forth like this, until Tasuki noticed that Azeruse's eyes were overly bright and her cheeks were wet with tears. That caused his remaining sanity to snap and made him undergo into a berserk mode.
"Who in the fuck is the damn bastard who made her cry?! Seiryuu Seishi or not, she's still Miaka, and whoever makes Miaka cry is on my shit list!! Who did it?!!" yelled Tasuki as he unsheathed his tessen one more time. It looked like not even the dampening spells that the Nakago erected will be able to stop his ki.
"Rekka Shinen!!!"
As his uncontrolled fire was about to beat against the barrier, Azeruse ran to the wall screaming for Nakago and Tomo to drop it; but it was too late. No one but Azeruse could sense the reflective shield that was also cast on the wall of power.
"Yamete!!! Onegai, Yamete!!!!" cried Azeruse, running towards the barrier at full speed, careless of the fact that she sent Amiboshi hurtling backwards.
When Tasuki's flames connected, the barrier's reflective shield threw the spell back at him at full force. In a few seconds after he cast his spell, Tasuki was deep into the white-hot core of his own flames.
As Nakago and Tomo dispersed the barrier, Azeruse ran faster to Tasuki, who was still being assaulted by his creation. The others of the Suzaku Shichiseishi were too shocked to help, or their powers couldn't stop the fire. The Seventh Seishi of Seiryuu transformed her sword into two and stopped about five feet away from the red-haired ex-bandit. Azeruse crossed her two swords and then whirled them rapidly in a circular motion.
"Hurricane Slash!!" A small typhoon or icy wind sped to Tasuki and put out his flames.
The Suzaku group surrounded Tasuki immediately.
"Tasuki!! Oi, Fang-boy!! Wake up you damn arsonist!!", yelled Tamahome.
"Mitsukake, can you heal him?" asked Nuriko.
"Hayaku, na no da!! I can't do anything for him when he's this badly hurt!" cried Chichiri, gripping his staff.
Mitsukake shook his head sadly. "I can only use this power once a day, and my divine water is able to regenerate things, but it needs the support of my skill. I an afraid that it may be too late until my power regenerates."
"No.... it's not possible..." whispered Hotohori.
"Tasuki-san..." Chiriko didn't even bother holding back his tears.
Tears were also flowing freely from Azeruse's eyes when she heard the helplessness of the situation. Soon, the Seiryuu Shichiseishi surrounded her.
Amiboshi tried to reason with her. "..... Azeruse, you tried your best... it's not your fault...!!!"
Azeruse simply turned away from him and to the shock of everyone, went over to kneel next to the unconscious Tasuki. "It's not Tasuki's time yet..."
Everyone started at hearing her words.
"Demo... Mitsukake's poweres, no da--" started Chichiri.
".......... I'll heal him." replied Azeruse.
Tomo looked the girl strangely. He remembered how she healed before. "Azeruse-chan, don't tell me you're going to..."
Without another word, she cut him off removing her left armguard and slashing her wrist.
The Seiryuu Shichiseishi were violently starting to protest, and the Suzaku Seishi were just dumb-struck.
Azeruse actually glaed coldly at the others, not sparing herself. "Look, you're saying that I used to be the 'Priestess of Suzaku', so even if it's true or not, it's still partly my fault that Tasuki's like this now. It's my responsibility to make things right again!! Yui, please understand."
Tasuki finally woke up an looked up at Azeruse. "A-Azeruse? Am I dead?"
"Tasuki?!" whispered the others of Suzaku.
The blue-haired girl smiled wryly. "If you're dead, do you actually think you'd be hurting so much as you are right now??"
The red-haired seishi saw something red and warm against his clothing. "Azeruse, wha-why are you bleeding... instead of me?! Here, wrap this around your a-ah!!" Tasuki gave her the bandage which used to hide his 'Yoku' sign, but his movement caused him pain. "Fuck!! What's the matter with this?..... I guess I'm still alive."
After wrapping her wrist with the piece of cloth, Azeruse forced Tasuki to keep still. "Chichiri, Soi, Mitsukake--- can you help me bring Tasuki up to his room?"
The three nodded without complaint. Mitsukake gave his vial of divine water for Azeruse to use. "This will work on you, since you can heal yourself."
When she finished, he took his vial back and he and Chichiri carried Tasuki using some sort of make-shift stretcher. Mitsukake was also kind enough to use his last resources to put Tasuki to sleep again.
"Soi, can you get some medicinal herbs from the gardes? I'll need rose hips, juniper, and vervain." asked Azeruse. Soi repeated the list to the girl then she rushed off.
~He tried to protect you... you have done well, my child...~
I try to find out what's right and wrong. Thank you, Asura. smiled the girl.
~*~*~*~*~
When Chichiri and Mitsukake deposited Tasuki on his bed, a strange thing happened. His 'Yoku' sign flared brightly just as Azeruse's 'Ko' sign shone blue. Then they both faded as if they never blazed.
"What are you going to do now, no da?" asked Chichiri as he glanced at the girl.
"Daijoobu, I won't harm him. Tasuki tried to protect me after all." said Azeruse as she got a fire going in the room. A few moments later, Soi entered, delivered the herbs, look anxiously at the blue-haired girl, and then left without a word.
Mitsukake examined Tasuki. "He's in pretty bad condition, you know? The only direct way to heal him is by raising his 'ki'; and the only ways to do that is by fighting or... that other way."
Azeruse remained expressionless as she threw the rose hips and juniper into the fire, saving the vervain. "Must it come to that?? There are other ways of healing."
"I don't know, not even my magic can do anything now. I am completely drained, no da. This barrier for Suzaku's offensive magic is strong, and it's difficult for me to heal. I am even amazed that Tasuki was able to break through the shield. Now, his life is in your hands." said the monk as he left the room reluctantly.
"I guess there is no other choice... a life for a life... so that's what it means." whispered Azeruse. "Ne, Mitsukake-san, would you please go to the others? I'll handle this from now on."
Mitsukake went to the door; but before he left, he turned back to the girl. "Arigatoo Gozaimasu, Azeruse-san. Please be careful of the powers that you are about to summon."
When he left, Azeruse sat on a chair next to Tasuki's sleeping form. She quickly cast a simple spell to bring him out of his slumber.
Tasuki opened his eyes and was surprised at seeing two blue-violet lamps looking into his own amber ones.
"Daijoobu desu ka? Tasuki?" asked Azeruse.
"Yeah, if being fine means nearly dying, then I am simply genki." said Tasuki sarcastically.
"Tasuki." said Azeruse forcefully, causing him to look up. "Your powers disappearing because your ki is in its lowest levels."
Tasuki turned pale and brought forth whole volleys of abuse until he calmed down enough to ask the emotionless Azeruse a straight question. "Is there anything anyone can do about it?"
Azeruse was silent as Tasuki stared at her hopefully. ".... .... .... ...."
"Well, is there??"
".... .... .... There is only one way...."
"How? I'll do nearly anything, I can't protect you... or Miaka without my powers." cried Tasuki.
The blue-haired girl smiled ironically. "Anything? Unfortunately, it's probably gonna cost us both... but I do owe you... it's your choice."
Tasuki looked at Azeruse confusedly for a moment. "No, it's your choice... I'd risk anything, 'cause I'm the one who's powerless now."
~Your choice, Azeruse...~, stated Asura as it responded to its wielder's answer.
Azeruse went up to Tasuki, nodded and repeated. "A life for a life; my debt will be repaid."
~*~*~*~*~
Outside, Chichiri and Mitsukake explained the predicament to both sides of the opposition. This caused quite some ruckus as Amiboshi began to state his absolute disapproval of the curing method. The calmed him down when Nuriko pinned him to the wall as Soi took away his flute.
Beyond all this was the emperor Hotohori's thoughts.
There must be something wrong with me. Every time that I figure out how she feels about me, it is always changed by a person or event. Tamahome, Nuriko, the kodoku, Shikonki, Tasuki, her kidnapping, and this amnesia of hers!! All these prevented Miaka from truly knowing who I really am beneath the surface. Even now that she is a Seiryuu Seishi, she still has the spirit and the determination that caused me to fall in love with her in the first place... now, she has sword-skills that even I never knew existed, and it is turned against her friends. It is Tasuki and Amiboshi who are obviously fighting for her feelings... heh, it's pretty strange, because before, Tasuki said her absolutely loathed girls!!
All these thoughts ran through Hotohori's mind, until one last involuntary message crept into his meditation and scattered all other thoughts.
Miaka o shiawase ni shite agete kudasai. Daisuki, Miaka. Wo ai ni...
_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_
Preview of Chapter 7
The Innocent Youth, Careless and Kind
Azeruse nodded as she told Tasuki to go to sleep. Amiboshi led her back to her room and made sure she got ready for bed. When she was ready to go to sleep, Amiboshi sat at the edge of her bed and held Azeruse's hand.
"We don't have to fight tomorrow, do we? Because I don't think me and Tasuki will be able to handle it yet." assessed Azeruse.
"No, Yui-sama delayed it until you two get better. Mostly because you are much too kind and just to be fighting with someone having an advantage." said Amiboshi.
"She's right. Amiboshi?" asked Azeruse thoughtfully.
"Yes?"
"How does it feel like to care for someone?"
I thought you would know that better than anyone else...., thought Amiboshi. "I don't really know, but to me, it means protecting and loving that person with all your heart. You would even sacrifice everything for that one special person, even your life."
"Really?" asked the girl as she smiled at the green-haired flutist.
"Really. Now go to sleep." said Amiboshi as he started to play a melody on his flute.
*****************************************************************************************************************
Chapter Notes:
Sorry that that chapter was so short minna! It was the best I could come up with. Thanks for those of you who commented on my fic!! You guys are the reason why I'm still writing this thing. Well, what will happedn in the next chapter? Or should I say... next chapters?? Oh, and "Miaka o shiawase ni shite agete kudasai" means something like him wanting her to be happy. I am waring you that this fic is far from over!!! There is still that little bit about the ******* and the (-spoiler deleted-), you know? Special thanks to you who helped me on this fic with a few pointers. You know who you are!!! Sorry Dom-chan, but I'm am not going to turn this into a Tamahome/Miaka thing, this is a Tasuki/Miaka fic, remember? Oh, and take care of those fan arts I gave you!! As soon as I get a scanner, I will put up an image gallery of this thing... I doubt I'll get one until X-mas though... *sigh*. I'll *try* and finish putting up the next chapters of this fic soon. Minna, mata ne!!! C+C o kudasai!!!
*****************************************************************************************************************
Disclaimers:
None of the Fushigi Yuugi characters are mine, Azeruse is mine, Asura belongs to SquareSoft, the attack 'Hurricane Slash' belongs to Enix. Once again, my hands are hurting, my wrist is kind of sore because I held my sword wrong in fencing class. (I still kicked the other's butt though!!) So I guess I'll stop this fic here today. I need a rest anyway!! Flames and comments are welcome at the same place. Jaa!
Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho^^Chapter Five^^Chapter Seven