Together... (original archive) by Kaze-chan

Takiko lay asleep in her chamber in the Imperial Palace of Hokkan. In the hallway where the two of us sat, perched in chairs set outside her room for the purpose of watching over her, there was a strange silence. Almost calm, yet vibrating with invisible energy, as if the air itself was moving. No one passed by, everyone being centered on the defense of the outer wall - everyone except myself and the other Genbu no shichiseishi, protecting our miko after the god-calling ceremony.

I risked a glance in his direction. There was something about that boy that made you want to look out for him - yet at the same time you knew if he caught you doing just that, he'd punch you in the face with no hesitation. He truly was a formidable warrior, aside from myself the most powerful on the team. Over the past months each of the seven seishi had grown to fit together like the pieces of a child's play toy; if one part was missing, nothing would function. We knew our companions so intimately, as if we'd been together all our lives rather than less than half a year. Even Takiko, our beloved, regal miko, was a snug, custom-made part of our puzzle. We could read each other's moves, predict reactions with a startling clarity that had made even those familiar friends wonder if we had a mind-to-mind connection, which we didn't. We simply knew how each person would react to a situation and acted accordingly.

My companion caught me looking at him and grinned cockily. "Gettin' bored, Hikitsu?"

I grinned back. Around Tomite, I wasn't the reserved person most people knew. Something in his personality reminded me of a sibling, a younger brother I was still in charge of when Kaa-san was doing the cooking. "Well, there's certainly not much going on in here." I gestured around us to the empty corridor, stretching away to the horizon in either direction, the smoothness of the walls broken by heavy doors of dark wood. There were lanterns lit intermediately around the doors, but several had gone out, throwing the area into half-shadow.

Tomite sighed and leaned back in his chair, letting his head rest against the door frame. "Aa… I mean, I know guarding Takiko's important, and I'm glad they respected me enough to choose me for it, demo… I still wanna be out there. I wanna be in the action again." His young eyes sparked with the imaginary light of heroism during battle, and it was my turn to sigh. I had learned, long ago in the wars between clans, that there were almost no heroes in battle, and that I would definitely not be one of them. Tomite had yet to discover that, though, and I knew he lived for the day when he could prove his worth on the "glorious field of battle" - impressing Takiko along the way, of course.

But… for now, let him have his fantasies. I leaned back in the chair, resting my head against the smooth, cool wood off the doorframe, drifting into my thoughts like a leaf on the water - if the water wasn't frozen to ice. I faintly heard the sounds of battle, the screams of dying men, the agony of those who would live, but it all seemed so far away. Much closer was the shallow breathing of my fellow seishi, the light thump-thump-thump as he restlessly tapped his foot on the ground over and over. And over and over and over…

Me eye snapped open and I gave him an annoyed look. "Stop that, it's irritating." I aimed a whack at him with my left hand.

He ducked it easily and grinned. "Getting slow, eh Hikitsu?"

I folded my arms over my chest and huffed. "Sometimes you even ACT like a younger annoying brother."

"Ain't that a coincidence, because sometimes YOU act like an over-protective fusspot of an older brother." He smirked. I reached over and grabbed his hat off his head. "MATTE!" He dived for the hat, only succeeding in knocking his chair over and spilling himself ungracefully onto the floor. I laughed, something I didn't do enough, practically doubling over my stomach, still clutching his ridiculous little hat in my hand.

He glared and stood up swiftly, flapping his clothes to get them to lie straight and not strangle him anymore, then grabbed his hat again and jammed it on his head. "That's MY hat."

"What makes you think I'd want that thing?"

"Why did you take it in the first place?"

"Revenge."

"The HELL?!"

"Just shut up, you'll wake up Takiko." His eyes widened and his mouth clamped shut at the thought of waking up our Genbu no Miko. He hurriedly righted his chair and sat down with a heavy thud. I was very amused.

We retreated back into the comfortable silence of close friends, both of us thinking our own thoughts. I wondered what his were; what Iname and Uruki and Namame and the others were doing; what Takiko would do with her wishes… the ceremony… my mind drifted back to just that morning, when we seven seishi had stood in a connected ring around our miko at her alter, heard her chant the sacred ritual and throw the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho into the fire. The brilliant green light had come through the snow, the ceiling, then plummeted into the ground in a pillar surrounding Takiko… we were all washed with that light, bright yet gentle, like a parent's smile… I had felt… complete, needed, wanted even. Without me, this wouldn't have happened… without any of us, we couldn't have done it… Then the light surrounding Takiko had vanished, and the feelings with it, as she slowly collapsed. Urumiya and Tomite both ran forward from their places in the circle to catch her and lower her gently to the ground. Namame, our group's solitary female seishi, had taken charge of our miko at that point, taken her to her room and put her to bed. The whispered conference afterwards had been tense: despite the summoning, the Kutou army was attacking, and was winning. We seishi were going to have to fight again. With Takiko unconscious for Genbu knew how long and unable to use her wishes the only things we could do to prevent the enemy from completely overrunning the palace were fight and pray. We had all wanted to fight, but someone had suggested that two remain to guard Takiko in case anything should happen, or she should awaken. Tomite and I had been elected to that duty, and the others went out to face the invading army… without us…

"Ne, Hikitsu." I snapped back to reality, blinking my lone eye rapidly, turning my head to face my companion. "Was what you said before true?"

I blinked in confusion, a slight frown furrowing my brows. "What did I say before?"

"Y'know… that stuff about me being as annoying as a younger brother. Was it true?"

"Of course, you're one of the most annoying people I know."

"Iya, the brother bit."

"Oh."

He waited a moment before asking, again, impatiently. "Is it?"

I shrugged. "What else would it be?"

He laughed shortly, almost a bark, leaning back in his chair, slumping so his head rested on the back rung, pushing his hat forward at a rakish angle. "Don't ask me, a lot of times I can't tell whether you're being serious or joking."

"Hint: I don't usually joke."

"I know, I know. Listen, I was wondering, what are you going to do after all this is done? Are you gonna go home? Where is your home, anyway?"

I hid the wince his questions had evoked in me, long surpressed memories, scenes I'd tried again and again to forget but never truly was able to, everything swirling inside of me like a tornado of emotions. The thoughts, the remembered screams, cries… "Run! Run Emtato! Get away! Get awaaaaayyyy!" "You bastards! You hid from us?! Cowards in leather armor!" "Ototo! Ototo, where are you?!" The smell of fire, smoke, of my sister's clothes and dolls and mother's cooking utensils, father's leatherwork… all burning… burning to ashes… and I, new and young and powerless, unable to stop it, only able to hide and stare in horror…

"Hikitsu? Nani? Daijobu?"

I drew a shallow, shuddering breath, muting it to not catch his attention any further. But if I didn't say anything he'd keep giving me that almost-torturous puppy-dog look. "They're dead," I said flatly.

He shallowly sucked in breath, eyes widening minutely, mouth opening slightly; even though I wasn't looking at him I knew what was happening, it always happened when I told people… which was partially why I tried not to whenever possible. "H… How?"

I stared at the pale blue wall in front of me, so reminiscent of the clear, cloudless sky on that last day… "Our clan, the Kan Tribe, was always at odds with the stronger one just to the west, the Gen Tribe. They wanted our lands to graze their flocks on, but we fought them off repeatedly. When I was thirteen we heard that the Gen were planning to attack us in three days. We began preparing, but during the night some of their horsemen rode into our camp and set everything on fire. My sister and father were caught inside our burning home. My eldest sister, mother, and I somehow got out. We tried to get away, but the Gen grabbed my mother. She screamed at us to run. Then she shrieked. My sister and I kept running, but we lost each other in the smoke and dark. I could hear her calling to me, but I couldn't find her. I slept under a tree that night, and in the morning I went back. I found my mother, run through with a spear. My sister's throat had been cut. It seemed she'd at least been asleep at the time. I knew the rest of my family had been trapped in our yurt. There were only three survivors, me and two other children, a brother and sister who'd been hidden in a large hollow log overnight. I was old enough then to take care of myself somewhat, so I simply wandered, doing work and staying with other clans. Until I found Takiko." It was the most I'd spoken at one time since my family had been killed. It felt… strangely empty to have given away such a large part of myself, part I'd tried hard to ignore for eight years, especially to this inexperienced boy next to me… and somehow, it didn't.

I had been such a happy person before the raid. Even knowing the terrible burden of the glowing green symbol that had taken the place of my right eye hadn't dulled me. But… after losing everything… my sisters, my parents, my entire world… I'd closed up, like a flower at the dusk. Could it be, that after all these years of repressed pain and hidden emotions, stoic fronts and controlling my words… was I finally ready to trust others again?

His hand was suddenly solid on my shoulder. I didn't turn to look, just stared at the wall, waiting for him to speak. He seemed unable to gather his thoughts and make his mouth form the sounds he wanted, and sat there for a few moments quietly thinking. And when he did speak, it was formulaic, something I'd heard time and time before. "Hikitsu… I'm so sorry…"

"I know. It's not easy. But I'm fine." I wasn't, really, but I wasn't letting him know if I could help it.

"Look… if you wanted… you could come with me after we're… done here. I know Kaa-san would love to meet you. And my ototo, too, he reminds me of you in some ways…" He trailed off, running out of words and unable to express himself.

"I'll just go on my own, it's what I'm used to." I wouldn't pay attention to the small voice inside me telling me to listen to him… take him up on his offer… "I need to find a job soon, I'm almost out of money."

"C'mon, come with me, we could use some help at home."

I leaned back in my chair. "I'll think about it."

A soft noise to my left drew my attention, and I glanced up to see the door to Takiko's room swing slowly open, and our miko appear. We both stood respectfully and bowed, silently thanking the girl who would save our country. She smiled, that beautiful smile which had captured most of our fellow seishi in its spell, binding us to her from the beginning - even me. But even as she smiled I noticed the look of weariness on her face, in her eyes, and knew it was taking an immense amount of willpower for her to not show these things to us. I repressed most of my questions. "Takiko? Daijobu?"

She smiled tiredly at me. "I think so… it's just… calling a god takes more energy than I thought it would. I guess I'm a little worn out."

"You should go back to sleep." Tomite couldn't mask his anxiousness. I knew if anything happened to Takiko he'd blame himself till the end of time.

She shook her head slightly, smiling a little, a secret smile I couldn't understand. "Iya… I have to do something else first." She reached into a pocket of her pale red robe and withdrew a necklace - a bejeweled, elaborate necklace that sparkled in the light from the torches, glinting almost to the point of absurdity, but not quite. It was the necklace she'd worn at the ceremony to call Genbu, just a few hours before. But… there was something different about it. I just couldn't quite put my finger on what. "I want you to have this."

"Takiko… we can't, it belongs to you." Tomite began protesting, as I knew he would, but I looked slightly away, my mind beginning to work. Refusing sleep when she was that tired, coming to give us the necklace, having something else to do… none of it seemed right. She could have waited till she was completely rested to see us. Why was she coming now?

"Takiko." She turned to look at me inquisitively. "What are you going to do?"

She didn't answer for a long moment, looking at the floor instead. Her hands twisted together in front of her, her fingers weaving in and out of the necklace, a sure sign of her nervousness. "I'm… I'm using my wishes."

"And what will you wish for?"

Another long pause. "Peace… in Hokkan…… and…"

"And?"

She could only stare at me helplessly, her dark eyes large and shining with unshed tears, looking more like the fragile child she sometimes behaved as more than ever before, even when I had found her freezing in the snow all those months ago. I suddenly wanted to hug her, comfort her. She reminded me so much of my sister…

"And?" I repeated, letting none of my emotions show.

"Hikitsu…" I didn't look at her. I couldn't, for some reason. But suddenly she was grabbing me, wrapping her arms around my waist and burying her face in my arm, crying softly. "I'll miss you all so much…"

It hit me.

She…She was…going home?

"You're… you're… leaving us?" Tomite could barely speak. I glanced at him, and his still-boyish face was stunned. "T-Takiko… why?"

She didn't speak, just shook her head, still clinging to me tightly. I hesitantly put my arms around her, stroking her long brown hair, trying to tell her that everything would be all right… it would be all right.

A few moments later she took a deep breath and stepped back from me, her eyes reddened with tears and… pain? "I can't stay…" she whispered, so softly I almost didn't catch it. "I can't… I have to go… home… so…" She stepped forward again. My eye widened as she pressed the necklace into my hands. "Take this… so you'll remember me…" She gave me one last, painful look before turning to Tomite and sweeping him up in a hug. He started a little, then relaxed and hugged her tightly, his fingers tangling in her hair. He was close to crying, but he wouldn't do it, not in front of her… the one he wanted to impress…

She kissed him on the cheek and pulled away. His face clearly showed his pain, his disbelief that she was going, really leaving us. She glanced at him again and turned away swiftly, unable to take that look. Then she drew in a deep, shuddering breath, slowly looking up, straight in front of her, her eyes slightly unfocused and gazing over my shoulder. "Kai… jin."

There was a flash of brilliant green light that erupted from her forehead, but for some reason had no affect on my vision. I could see the mark of Genbu shining there, bright and promising and full of hope and sorrow at the same time. And suddenly, I was afraid.

"Genbu! Hear my wish! Protect Hokkan for all time!" Her voice was clear, loud, confident, the voice of the miko she was. The green light blazed on her forehead and exploded in a circle, enveloping us, and somehow I knew the entire palace, the entire city, the entire country with its radiance, granting Takiko's first wish to Genbu. She stood there, her arms raised in front of her, still staring unseeing at the wall, as the light seemed to flow around her, molding itself to her shape. Then it winked out, as fast as it had come. Takiko gave a little gasp and sank to the ground, the symbol gone, bracing herself on her hands and knees and breathing hard.

"Takiko!" We quickly dropped to the ground next to her, one on either side, and slowly helped her sit up. Her eyes were closed and she was shivering, despite the more than adequate warmth in the hallway, clenching her jaw and wrapping her arms around her small body. "What is it? What happened?"

"I don't know… It's just… it's painful. I don't know why…"

"Takiko, you should rest more before using your other wishes. I'm taking you back in your room." I stood up, bringing her with me, supporting her so she could stand on her own two feet. She looked so small and frail…

"Iya… Iya, I have to do this…" Her voice was choked, pained as I had never heard it before. That wasn't right, it should be rich and melodious and full of life, as it had always been, even through the roughest times at the very beginning. I put my hand under her chin and tilted her face gently upwards.

She was… crying… again…

I barely had time to register it before she was hugging me again, hanging on my neck even though I was so much taller. "I'm so sorry… I just can't stay… please don't forget me…"

I hugged her back again, my fear growing, and I didn't know why. "We won't, how can we? You're our miko."

"Iya… don't forget… Takiko…not the miko, just Takiko…" She kissed me on the cheek as she had Tomite and stepped back into her door, bracing herself with her hands, eyes shining with tears, still looking painfully at me. "Kai… kaijin."

Again the light. The green brilliance. The manifestation of her power, our power, the power of our god Genbu. The symbol appeared again, shining brighter than before. "Genbu, onegai… onegai… send me home!"

Something inside me snapped at hearing those words, the fear pouring over as if a dam had been opened. I jumped forward, my arm stretched out in front of me to stop her. "Takiko! Matte! TAKIKO!"

"Gomen nasai Hikitsu…." Her arm reached out to mine, and I felt her fingers lace between mine, grip them hard. "I… Aishiteru…"

Then… She was gone…

My hand tightened around nothing but empty air, still colored slightly green with the light that had vanished into nothing, taking Takiko - my Takiko. I felt myself falling to my knees, my right hand still held as if hers was in it, my left clutching the necklace so hard it would snap if it was not as fluid as water. The necklace… the necklace she had worn… it was all I had left… Oh Genbu, gods above, why didn't I see it earlier?! Why hadn't I realized it before she made that reckless wish?! Before she was ripped away from me forever?!

"Takiko… Takiko… come back…"

My words were cut off in a gasp as the ground beneath me heaved as if it were alive. I was thrown to the floor and next to me Tomite grabbed the wall to keep upright. One of the chairs fell over, striking me in the head sharply but not painfully. Then all was still again.

Tomite carefully pushed himself back on his feet, looking a little shaky. "Wha… what the hell was that?"

I got to my knees again, then carefully stood up, holding my arms out slightly to keep my balance. "I don't know…" I blinked and shook my head slowly, taking a tally of my physical and mental state. My head stung a little where the chair had hit it, but it was only a minor bump, one that would go away in a few minutes. My legs were still somewhat shaky from the earth's upheaval, but it was quickly fading. My heart, however… I looked away from Tomite, unable to be face-to-face with him at the moment. I had known all along that he was in love with Takiko; it was painfully obvious to everyone but the girl in question. She had never seemed to realize how deep Tomite's feelings ran… and now I knew why. Gods, if only I'd seen! Maybe she wouldn't have wished to leave us! I understood her reasoning, now that I saw: it hurt her to be around the one she loved without having him… me… return the feelings. I was blind, and not just in my eye.

"Ne, Hikitsu…" Tomite's voice was quiet, subdued, so unlike his normal brash, confident tone. "If it couldn't be me, I'm glad it was you."

I slowly looked at him, not quite sure what he was saying. He smiled, seeing the confusion written over my face. "Y'know… with Takiko. I kind of realized it awhile ago… she wasn't gonna come with me, because she'd follow you." He shrugged. "I got used to it after awhile. So like I said, if it wasn't me, good thing it's you."

"I… Thanks, Tomite."

"It's nothing, like I said I was kind of resigned to it awhile back. C'mon, let's go get some sleep, it's getting late." He began walking down the hall in the direction of the rooms reserved for the seishi.

I was slightly surprised. "You don't want to go out and fight?"

He stopped, looked back at me. "Not really… I've kind of lost the taste for it now."

I nodded silently, stepping up to walk next to him, my eye trained on the floor and fingering the necklace, wrapped in my thoughts. I could feel his concern for me plainly, but he remained silent as we took the short trip from the miko's room… former room… to our own.

Tomite gave his door a practiced kick when we got to it, then gave a satisfied grin as it popped out of its normally stuck position and swung into the room. "Oyasumi Hikitsu."

I grabbed him arm before he could go in, afraid all over again. I had lost Takiko before I had even realized I had her. The dark thought that I might lose Tomite as well bubbled to the surface of my mind. "Tomite, matte." He stopped, looking at me expectantly. "Is that offer still open?"

"Always is, always will be. You accepting it now?" He raised one dark eyebrow and smirked slightly, pulling out of my grasp.

"Hai. I don't… I don't want to make the same mistake twice."

A grin spread slowly over his face, one of his bright, cheerful grins that had kept all of us going many a time. He held his hand, thumb pointed upward, out to me expectantly. "Brothers?"

I smiled back, clasping his hand in mine. "Brothers."

"Good. Now I can stop worrying about you." He turned back to see the door had swung shut - and gotten stuck - again. "Damn thing." He kicked it again, making it bounce on its hinges.

"Ne, I though I was supposed to worry, I'm older." I hid a smile.

"You worry about everything else, I'll worry about you. Oyasumi…" he grinned. "Aniki." He stepped into his room and wedged the door shut behind him.

I smiled at it. "Oyasumi… ototo"