Slayers FUSHIGI Crossover fanfiction written by Ming-Ling (tama_neko_chan@hotmail.com) - - > http://members.limitless.org/~mingling/sf.html < - - Volume 6: Hokkankoku Slayers FUSHIGI Episode 21: LAND! WE'VE FINALLY MADE IT TO HOKKANKOKU! EVERYONE WAS IN HIGH SPIRITS as the smudge of land on the horizon readily grew larger with each passing swell. "Look at that," gasped Mitsukake. "All those mountains... and there's snow on them! Even at this time of the year." Chiriko nodded. "Hokkankoku is a lot colder than the other countries because it's so far north." Nuriko shivered slightly. "I thought it was a little chilly, but I assumed it was the ocean. Ne, Tasuki-chaaan..." The bandit eyed him warily. "Nani?" "Let me use your fan to keep me warm!" Tasuki got a large sweatdrop. "Oi, this is a halisen! It's not to be used for trivial things like that!" Lina eyed the dock that was now visible. "Hmm... where in this place is the Shinzahou, anyways? It's not like we can look it up in the Shijintenchiso any more, you know." Everyone stopped and looked at her, including Tasuki, who was sullenly fanning Nuriko with his halisen. "What do you mean?" asked the bandit. Lina scratched her head. "Well, we've been told by Taiitsukun to go find the Genbu no Shinzahou so we came here, to Hokkankoku, that's supposed to be guarded by Genbu, right? But she never told us where it was or even where to start looking!" Tamahome shrugged. "Well just have to find out as we go along. This wouldn't be a quest otherwise, would it?" He grinned at the others. "I suppose that the first order of business would be to find out more about the Genbu no Shinzahou, ne?" "What's wrong, Chiriko, no da?" Chiriko was looking at the floor with his brow furrowed. "Hokkankoku is three times as large as Konankoku." He didn't notice the face faults of the other Shichi Seishi, because he continued, "It's not going to be an easy time. However..." "However?" prompted Tasuki, who had stopped fanning Nuriko upon hearing the shock over Hokkankoku's size. "Once, when I was a little boy, a friend told me about a story he had heard about somebody called Genbu no Miko. I don't remember all the details, but he said something about the summoning being in a holy cave in one of the mountains." "More mountains, ne?" commented Nuriko, shooting Tasuki a dirty look. "Well, that's a bit of a help at least. Still, I think the best thing to do is ask around in the city. It's got to be a famous legend." "Hai!" the others agreed. There was little left for them to do but wait until they docked. Lina smiled and stretched her arms out. "We've finally made it to Hokkankoku!" she proclaimed, throwing her arms wide and missing Mitsukake by centimeters. He unobtrusively moved out of t he way as she clenched her fist and slapped it into her palm. "Now, our task, if we choose to accept it, is to find the Genbu no Shinzahou. Where it is I have no idea. Well, okay, so we think it's in some holy mountain somewhere. Anyways, our first order of business is..." The others waited expectantly. "...To find a good place to eat and chow down!" They all got sweatdrops. "Oi!" growled Tasuki. "You're the one who's all hell-bent on finding the Shinzahou and saying we have to find more information and you want to go find some %#&*@ place to eat?!" Nuriko tapped him gently on the shoulder (or at least, gently in Nuriko-terms, it felt to Tasuki like a very hard prod) and whispered in the bandit's ear, "She's always like this. Trust me, once she gets something to eat, she'll be much easier to manage." So it was that the Shichi Seishi found themselves scouring the streets not for the Genbu no Shinzahou or even information regarding its location, but scouring the streets for a cheap restaurant. "This is embarrassing," mumbled Mitsukake. "You'd be amazed at how fast you get used to it," shrugged Tamahome. Chichiri's eyebrows rose an inch. "What's that, na no da?" He pointed to a stone block set in the middle of the city square. Writing was carved on its sides, but it was of no language anyone knew. "Who cares?" Lina patted her stomach. "We'll operate better on full stomachs, so let everything else go until we find a restaurant. Ahh, that looks like a likely place." "You mean she'll operate better," whispered Tasuki to Mitsukake, who merely sighed. They entered the small establishment. Lina instantly plopped down in a chair and ordered the entire menu's contents without bothering to look at it. "While we're here, let's get some plans worked out," she said. "We're going to have to spread out and ask people if they know more information," commented Chiriko. "We should go in pairs, that way it's safer." There were nods of agreement. Lina took control of the conversation. "Right, so let's divvy up the groups. Mitsukake, Chiriko, you two should see if you can't find any town guardsmen or officials and ask them. Tasuki, Chichiri, try asking the people on the street who look like they might know more information. Nuriko, Tamahome, um... you'll be with me, and we're going to ask about that pillar. I noticed it had some sort of turtle painted on the top, so it may have to deal with Genbu no Miko and the Shinzahou and all that hoopla. "We'll meet back at the pillar, since it seems like a good landmark, at sunset by the latest. Come back instantly when you find more information. We'll regroup there, discuss what we've found out, and hopefully find out where to find the Genbu no Shinzahou. Are we clear?" Nods of agreement. The food arrived. "Good! So let's eat! Itadakimasu!" The others watched aghast as Lina dove into the food, literally. Tamahome, Nuriko, and Chichiri just shrugged it off and snuck off a few pieces of dinner, leaving Tasuki, Mitsukake, and Chiriko to fend for themselves. Predictably, a fight broke out, this time between Lina and Tasuki. After much fang baring, obscenity shouting, and a lot plate breaking had occurred, everything was worked out, mainly because there was no food left. They left the restaurant with the owner looking a bit shell- shocked and split up into groups. They were about to set off when Chiriko stopped them. "Ne, what is it, Chiriko-chan?" Tasuki ruffled a hand through his red hair. "Minna..." He looked nervous. "Ganbatte, minna. Good luck!" "Awww," smiled Tasuki. "How cute." He ruffled Chiriko's hair. "Good luck to you too, kid. Don't worry, everything's going to work out fine." Chiriko smiled, his nervousness gone. He waved to them, and then they all went their separate ways. Lina, Nuriko, and Tamahome looked at the pillar curiously. Tamahome scratched his head. "It's no language I know," he remarked, peering at the wiggly lines. "Me neither," admitted Lina. "But that's definitely Genbu up there." She gestured to the carving at the top of each side, of a strange black tortoise and snake combination. A bee perched there, buzzing its little wings. "Hey, ma'am," she called to a passerby. "What do you know about this pillar?" "Ne? Oh, this? This is a memorial to Genbu no Miko. She summoned Genbu over 200 years ago. Sadly, no one can read the writing on this pillar now." The old woman shook her head sadly. "Oh, thanks anyway," said Lina. "I know someone who can read it," said a voice from behind them. They turned. Tamahome gasped. "Amiboshi?" The young boy looked at them critically. "What are you doing here?" he asked, with an unusually hard edge to his voice. "We're looking for the Genbu no Shinzahou, so we can summon Suzaku," answered Tamahome. "But... how can this be? How can you be here?" Amiboshi shook his head. "Never mind that. It's not important now. What's important is that you're here. Searching for the Shinzahou." "A...Amiboshi..." Tamahome took out a small wooden flute. "When you fell... when you let go of this... I kept it... I suppose I should give this back to you..." The younger boy took the flute with tears pooling in his eyes. "An...my flute," he stumbled, holding it as if it was made of glass. "I see," he said, with the same hard edge. Lina frowned. Something wasn't right here... "Like I said, I heard of some people who know what it says. I was going to go meet with them right now, so if you want to come with me..." "Don't forget about us," snorted Lina, arms folded across her chest. "Yeah. We're a team, you know," Nuriko added, winking. Amiboshi shook his head. "No!" he said quickly. "I mean, they won't like it if a big group comes up to them, they might not tell if it's like that..." "I understand," interrupted Tamahome. "People who sell information don't like big groups attracting attention to them. Amiboshi, you and I will go there. Lina-chan, Nuriko-chan, wait here for us. We shouldn't be long." "But -" started Lina. Tamahome smiled. "Don't worry, I'll be fine." Amiboshi shifted his feet nervously. "Let's get going." "Yosh. I'll be back soon, okay?" He followed the younger boy, and the two disappeared down a side street. "Nuriko..." "Ne?" "Something doesn't feel right. That wasn't the Amiboshi I remembered. He seemed so much... colder, and more distant." "Hmm," mused Nuriko. "You're right... something was wrong. But I don't know what." "Oi, how far is it?" asked Tamahome. "We're almost there." Tamahome nodded, but frowned internally. Amiboshi was so much colder to him. Did he blame him for... what could Amiboshi blame him for? He even returned his flute... but maybe it had to do with them chasing him towards the river? He couldn't figure it out. He was overjoyed to see that the younger boy was still alive, but as for Amiboshi... He certainly didn't seem to be glad. Surprised, yes, even a bit shocked... "In here," said the young boy, pulling Tamahome out of his thoughts. "In this tavern." Tamahome raised a skeptical eyebrow as they stepped inside. It was a cheap tavern by the looks of it. The stench of beer and other alcohol was strong in the air, and the lighting was dim. It was full of a bunch of street roughs who looked like they did nothing but pick fights, pick pockets, and get roaring drunk. Amiboshi walked up to one of the toughs and said to him, "I hear this bar has a good reputation for special drinks." He looked up and nodded. "The beer from the east is good," he commented. A password, thought Tamahome, tensing as he felt the stares of the occupants. He hoped things would be wrapped up quickly. "A friend recommended the 'dragon's breath'," nodded Amiboshi. "It packs a hard punch." The man glanced at Tamahome. A long password, Tamahome groaned to himself, wondering why every person with the slightest secret had to cloak it in about two hundred and seventy-three sayings. A couple of the other men started getting up and moving towards them. The man Amiboshi was talking to nodded and motioned him outside. "Wait here," said Amiboshi, following him out. Tamahome rolled his eyes and sighed, folding his arms across his chest. "This better not take long," he grumbled. "I hope Lina-chan and the others are okay." As soon as the door closed behind Amiboshi, all the men stood up. Tamahome looked around. "What, is it closing time already?" "Shaddup!" yelled one. "Charge!" They surrounded Tamahome with intent of great bodily damage. "Are we ready?" asked a harsh voice from beside Amiboshi. He turned and nodded. "Hai, Ashitare. Let's go back to the pillar. Suzaku no Miko and one of the Suzaku no Shichi Seishi should be there." "Blood..." The strange bestial man who looked to be part wolf, licked his lips expectantly. "This will be a good fight." The boy clenched his fist, gripping the wooden flute tightly. His eyes were like ice as he said, "Let's go and kill Suzaku no Miko." Slayers FUSHIGI Episode 22: ATTACK! THE TRUTH BEHIND AMIBOSHI - AND THE GENBU NO SHINZAHOU! NURIKO YAWNED. He leaned back against the pillar and stretched his arms wide. "Ne, Tamahome sure is taking a while," he remarked as he returned to his former reclined position. "What do you think he's doing?" Lina shrugged. "I don't know, but I'm worried. Amiboshi didn't seem right. Oh, but he can probably take care of himself pretty well, ne? He'll probably even manage to make a bit of profit in the deal, knowing him." "Mmm..." "Nuriko-chan..." "Mm?" Lina turned to him. "About that time we were in the cave, and you were talking about your sister... is that true? I mean, well, um, yeah..." He nodded, "It's true. I tried to live her life. But I think that being with the Suzaku no Shichi Seishi has changed something..." "Oh?" He tapped her nose. "But that's a secret. Anyways, it's been really good being with the Shichi Seishi. It's been a long time since I've really felt like part of a group, part of a whole. Depended on by others, dependent on others... Makes me feel like a big brother again." A vein popped on Lina's forehead. "Himitsu, ne? Sore wa himitsu desu!" She crossed her arms angrily and blew out some air, disturbing a passing bee. "Ne? What's wrong, Lina?" blinked Nuriko. "This whole thing is some stupid secret. When I bought the book, in my world I mean, the clerk who sold it to me said it would be very interesting. When I asked him why he just said, 'Sore wa himitsu desu' and left it at that. Now I understand what he was saying... oooooh, if I could get my hands on that clerk, I'd -" A few, clear notes drifted towards them on the breeze. The music from a flute. "Amiboshi?!" gasped Lina and Nuriko. He stood there in front of them, playing the flute. Beside him was an ugly, wolf-like man who was smiling and showing his fangs. "Amiboshi! Where's Tamahome-kun?" demanded Lina. "Why isn't he with you?" "Suzaku no Miko..." He glared at her, gripping his flute tightly. "Yeah? What?" He threw the flute at her. "You! You're the one! You killed my aniki!" A small, spinning ball attached to a rope began to float in the air in front of him. It lashed out at Lina as the boy screamed, "I'll kill you for that!" Lina threw herself down as the strange weapon whizzed by her hair. "Aniki... what are you talking about?" "Lina-chan! Abunai!" Lina and Nuriko leapt to their feet, getting out of the way of the deadly spinning ball. "Who are you?" demanded Nuriko. "Amiboshi was my brother, and you killed him! Therefore, I'll kill you!" The boy who was not Amiboshi leapt in the air above her, bearing down with his spinning ball and rope. Lina gasped and froze for a split second. She remembered Tamahome talking to her about Amiboshi, about how he had let go of the flute, about how he had a younger brother he was determined to protect... "You're twins? Su...Suboshi!" "I'll kill you! I'll kill you with my ryuuseisui! I'll avenge my aniki!" "LINA!" Nuriko reached out to help her, but his arm was snatched back. "Suzaku no Shichi Seishi," said the other man in a deep, gravelly voice. Nuriko struggled against the strong grip. "Let go!" He yanked himself free and turned to face the... whoever it was. "What do you want?" He smiled as he answered, "Blood." Lina didn't have time to worry about Nuriko and the strange wolf- man. She had plenty on her hands just dealing with psycho yo-yo boy. After dodging successful attacks by the ryuuseisui, she had had enough. This person wasn't Amiboshi and she didn't feel any sympathy for him. It was time to get personal. It was time to get mad. She slid Hotohori's deity sword out of her sheath and faced down Suboshi, who had a wide grin on his face. "You're not bad, Suzaku no Miko," he snickered. "No wonder Soi lost to you guys. But I'll beat you! My aniki will be avenged!" Soi? That meant they were... Seiryuu no Shichi Seishi! Lina slashed out with her sword as the spinning ball zeroed in on her. To her surprise, instead of slicing through the string, the string wrapped itself around her blade. Suboshi pulled back and yanked the sword of out Lina's grip. "Lina-chan!" Nuriko gasped as he glanced her way. He and the wolf-man were in the process of a staring contest, waiting for the first move, comparing each other's strengths. "Hah! That was so easy," Suboshi smirked. "Soi is such a weakling to have be beaten by you. But I'm not. I'll kill you for killing my aniki!" His ryuuseisui spiraled towards Lina. "Flare Arrow!" Magic was instinct for Lina, and the spell was past her lips before she consciously registered the fact. A burst of fire flew forth from her hands. Shocked, Suboshi barely managed to get out of the way. Nuriko (having much experience with Lina's anger) ducked. The other Seiryuu no Shichi Seishi wasn't as lucky. The spell blazed over his left shoulder, leaving him howling in pain. "Ashitare!" gasped Suboshi, glaring at Lina. Lina was in her element. She pointed a finger at Suboshi and said, "Next time I'm hitting both of you. Flare..." "Let's go, Ashitare!" Suboshi ran off, with the wolf-man not far behind him. He managed one backward glance before he scattered, and the baleful look in his eyes was not a pretty sight. The town square was empty. "Lina-chan... are you alright?" She blinked several times. "My magic... it worked... it actually worked for once!" "Lina..." "Crimson light that burns so bright, into my hand now gather your light." Lina reached for the power within her, calling it forth... No light spell hovered in the air. Lina slumped down. "Why doesn't my light spell works? It's a lot easier than casting the flare arrow." Nuriko patted her gently. And gently in normal terms, not in Nuriko-terms. "I think... remember how Taiitsukun sprinkled the ashes of the Shijintenchiso on you? That was when she gave all of us power upgrades... maybe that was yours." The ability to cast the flare arrow. It wasn't much, but it was a start and it was better than nothing. Lina bent down and picked up Hotohori's sword. "I... Tamahome-kun! If that boy... Suboshi... attacked us, then what happened to Tamahome-kun?" Must you ask? Very well, if you insist. Tamahome was standing in the middle of a cheap and not-very-highly reputable tavern surrounded by drunks and tavern goons who, on Suboshi's signal, had started to attack. Of course, this is Tamahome we're talking about. Lina need not have worried. Therefore, five minutes later, Tamahome wiped his hands off and surveyed the pile of bruising brutes in the corner. "Che," he sighed. "I'm leaving." Tamahome stretched as he stepped outside and headed back towards the town square. "I'm back," he called out as he arrived, "But I didn't find anything. Amiboshi led me to this tavern and then left, and that's when some thugs decided to brawl, which is why it took me so long to get here." "Tamahome!" smiled Lina. "You're okay!" "Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be? And where'd Amiboshi go? Did he find out the information we were looking for?" "Ne, Tamahome," Nuriko said nervously. "That wasn't Amiboshi. It was... his twin. Suboshi. And he doesn't like us very much because he blames us for killing Amiboshi." "Su...Suboshi?" They nodded. "I'm sorry, Tamahome... I knew you really felt a connection with Amiboshi." Nuriko glanced down and saw the boy's flute, lying discarded on the ground. He picked it up and offered it to Tamahome. "I think you should hold on to this..." He nodded silently, eyes closed. "Hai..." "Oi, minna-san!" Tasuki stomped up with Chichiri in tow. "Did you find anything about this stupid piece of rock, because we certainly didn't?" Lina shook her head. "Nope, but we ran into two more Seiryuu no Shichi Seishi." "NANI?" "Eh?" asked Mitsukake and Chiriko in unison as they returned. Lina shrugged. "Oh, just that Amiboshi's little twin brother Suboshi and some wolf-guy who I think is named Ashitare attacked me and Nuriko here. Suboshi blames us for Amiboshi's death, by the way, but at least one of my magic spells works again." They stared at her, aghast. "Then nobody found any information about the Genbu no Shinzahou, no da?" "We did," Chiriko piped up. Everyone turned and stared at him. Chiriko gulped. "We found a government official and talked to him about it. He says that over 200 years ago, Kutoukoku attacked Hokkankoku. A girl arrived from another world and summoned Genbu, who granted her wishes. After that, she returned to her own world. During the ceremony, she wore a special necklace and that necklace became the Shinzahou. The official wasn't sure, but he thinks that it's located in the holy shrine on Mount Black where the summoning ceremony was held." "I see, no da..." nodded Chichiri. "So where's Mount Black, na no da?" "It's to the north of here, not too far, but the cave is high up." "Well then, we should head out early tomorrow morning," said Lina. "No use starting when it's already starting to get dark. Let's go find an inn and relax for the night." "Hai!" Tamahome sat at the table alone, brooding. Staring at the cup of sake he had purchased wasn't helping him too much, but at least he could relax. "Tamahome..." Nuriko stepped into the inn's dining room, surprised to see the fellow Suzaku no Shichi Seishi already there. "What's wrong? You look depressed." "I am depressed, that's why," responded the blue-haired Shichi Seishi. "Whenever I hear about how the miko returns to her own world after all of this is over is just plain depressing!" Nuriko examined the cup of sake. "You know why? That drink's not going to do anything for you!" He turned to the waiter and whispered something in his ear. "Now, a Nuriko special with dumplings... that'll make you feel better." "Nuriko... special?" He winked. "Of course it will!" And so it was that Tamahome eyed the glass with the strange colored liquid that smelt strongly of alcohol. And so it was that Tamahome took a very small sip. And so it was that Tamahome gagged and coughed and very nearly spit it into Nuriko's face. He managed to save himself just in time, however, and the look on his face was priceless. Nuriko laughed his head off. Tamahome was not pleased. He gave Nuriko a very dirty look and then... and then... he looked back down at the table, deep in his own thoughts. Nuriko raised an eyebrow. "Ne, you really are depressed, aren't you?" He shook his head. "Well, if a Nuriko special didn't perk you up... Hmph! All over Lina-chan, isn't it. Whenever anybody mentions her going home you go into a blue funk for days on end. Come on, Tama-kun. You knew she would return to her own world after all this is over. She doesn't fit in here. She's rude and brash and short-tempered and destructive, and if she wasn't Suzaku no Miko, she would have been arrested years ago." "That's not true!" Tamahome protested heatedly. "Yes it is. She fits in here like a phoenix among pigeons. Tamahome, we all know you care deeply for her. But you're not the only one. We all do. We would all give our lives to protect her. We're all going to miss her a lot when she leaves, but she will leave someday. You're not the only one who loves her." "Nuriko... Have you ever lost anyone really close to you?" There was a long pause. Finally, the purple-haired Shichi Seishi replied softly, "Yes... I have." Tamahome was taken aback. "Oh... I..." "It's okay, don't worry. It happened many years ago. My little sister, Kourin, died in an accident. Everyone wanted me to forget her, but I couldn't, so I took on her name and her life. But when I did that, I think that Ryuuen disappeared. And then I was so caught up in being Kourin that I almost forgot what it was to be Ryuuen. But then, I met you and Lina, and the other Shichi Seishi. And Ryuuen... returned. I feel like a big brother around you guys. It's really been good for me. Before, I didn't know who I was or what I was trying to be, but now... Now I do know. And it's thanks to you and to Lina-chan." Tamahome looked up at his fellow Shichi Seishi, unable to say anything. Nuriko picked up the knife from the table before Tamahome could find a suitable reply. In one fluid motion, he sliced off his braid. "Nuriko!" "Kourin... she's gone... forever. And someday, Lina will leave too. But we, as Shichi Seishi, will always have each other. I have a family again. I think that now... it's finally time to put Kourin to rest." "Are... are you sure about it?" He smiled at Tamahome and winked. "Of course it is!" He patted Tamahome gently, albeit in Nuriko-terms, because Tamahome's head bounced up and down like a cork in the middle of a squall. "Don't worry about me. We should be worrying about finding the Genbu no Shinzahou!" "Hai!" Lina leaned against the walls in the hallway, stunned at Nuriko's revelations. Tears gently traced their paths down her cheeks. They all cared for her so deeply. How could she leave them like this? What would her third wish be? Slayers FUSHIGI Episode 23: ASCEND! SURPRISES ABOUND ON MOUNT BLACK! THE SUN SHONE BRIGHTLY over the mountains, creating a picturesque setting. It was quite impressive, the way the light glinted off the brilliantly white snow. It reminded Lina of shaved ice on a hot summer's day. However, this was not a hot summer's day. In fact, it was pretty near freezing, or at least it felt close enough. Flakes of snow drifted on the chilly breeze. The sun's reflection sent blinding light into everyone's eyes. "Are you sure this is the right mountain?" asked Lina peevishly, eyeing the steep slope they had yet to traverse. "This is the place on the map, Lina-san," said Chiriko from beside her. "The official said it was only halfway up the mountainside." Lina looked up. Halfway up the mountainside was still half a mountainside too far away. "What I wouldn't give for a levitation spell right now," she said to herself through gritted, chattering teeth. "Even a cup of hot coffee would do!" Someone chuckled from behind her. Lina popped a vein and turned on Tasuki, who was grinning widely. "Don't like the cold any, ne, Lina-chan?" grinned the red-haired bandit. Lina noted that he was very carefully fanning himself with the halisen. Meaning that Tasuki wasn't feeling the chill. She very neatly popped a second vein. "Cheater! Give me that halisen!" "Whaa? It's my halisen, Taiitsukun herself gave it to me!" "I don't care! Gimmie! Gimmiegimmiegimmie GIMMIE! I MUST HAVE WARMTH!" Lina started chasing after Tasuki. "Ne, doesn't this look familiar?" asked Nuriko, shrugging helplessly. "But if we don't hurry, they'll get to the cave long before us." A sweatdrop rolled down the back of Chichiri's head. "Those two will never stop fighting, na no da," he sighed softly. The remaining Shichi Seishi let out sighs of their own and followed. Lina slipped on a slippery patch of ice and landed face down in the snow. Tasuki towered over her, laughing triumphantly. "I win, I win!" he crowed, fanning Lina gently with the fan. Five more veins popped on Lina's head, and she threw herself at Tasuki, reaching out for the halisen... ... And stopped halfway through as she noticed a large rock wall. Tasuki jerked back in surprise and slipped on a different patch of ice. "Itai!" Lina wasn't paying attention. "This is..." she began, staring at the large boulder that appeared to be blocking something. "This is the shrine of Genbu?" "Eh?" blinked Tasuki as he picked himself up. "Already? But how do we get in with that rock in the way?" "Easy." Lina turned and cupped her hands around her mouth. "NURIKO! WE HAVE A JOB FOR YOU!" Further down the mountainside, Nuriko winced. "That girl will bring an avalanche down on us if she's not careful," he chided. "How in the world did those two get up there so fast?" "You know Lina," snorted Tamahome. "Runs on two modes: Anger and Food. When she's either really mad or really hungry, she can do just about anything without realizing it." "NURIKO! HURRY UP, WHY DON'T YOU?! HAVEN'T GOT ALL DAY AND WE ALREADY FOUND THE SHRINE! NURIKO? MINNA?!" "Aiyah, na no da," Chichiri felt impelled to comment. "They're right there, no da!" Lina was jumping up and down and waving her arms, trying to get their attention. "What took you so long?!" she demanded at the same time. "We can't get anywhere with that big rock in the way, so Nuriko, if you'd oblige us, we could -" The boulder crashed down a foot away from Lina. Nuriko wiped his hands neatly. "Already done." Mitsukake and Chiriko stared in amazement. It was their first major viewing of the extent of Nuriko's strength. Tasuki was unimpressed, or at least was doing a good job of giving said impression. "So, do we just go in?" wondered Mitsukake, laying the palm of his hand on the cold stone door. "Or do..." His words trailed off as the monolithic doors slowly creaked open. "Kowaii!" gasped Chiriko, grabbing onto Tasuki in fright. "Oi! You're the one who told us all this stuff about a shrine being in the mountain, what are you scared about?" "Yosh! Let's go!" Lina boldly marched through the doors, leaving the others to follow in her footsteps (again). "Kowaii," murmured Chiriko nervously, sticking very close to Tasuki. "I can't see anything!" "Oi, none of us can, so don't cling to my leg like that. I can't walk when you do that!" "Gomen nasai, Tasuki-san, but..." Chiriko sniffled softly. "I'm not that strong..." Lina concentrated all of her power in front of her. "Flare arrow!" A very tiny flare arrow glowed from Lina's hands. She gritted her teeth as her instinct and her intelligence warred with each other. Instinct told her to build it up as large as possible and fling it at approaching enemies. Intelligence warned her of the dangers and told her to control her impulse. Keeping a very tight leash on the power, Lina kept the spell blazing enough for it to work in place of her usual light spell. "UWAAA!" she screamed, very nearly loosing her grip on the spell. Things were better with the lights off. At least then they didn't have to learn that the funny crunching sound underfoot was that of bones. "Abunai, no da! I can sense a strong ki, no da." As if waiting for such a cue, two shadows separated themselves at the far end of the cave and started glowing a pale green. "Seiryuu no Shichi Seishi?" wondered Tamahome. "Trespassers?" said the shadow on the left. "Must we deal with them again, Hikitsu?" The taller shadow on the right sighed. "I suppose so, Tomite. After all, we are here to protect the Genbu no Shinzahou." "Genbu no Shichi Seishi, no da," Chichiri corrected. "Well, that's a confirmation if I ever heard one," Lina commented two seconds before bolts of ice came streaking at them and one second before Tamahome shoved her behind the others. "Hey!" she protested as the Suzaku no Shichi Seishi blocked the attack. "I..." Her voice trailed off as she watched them form a wall between her and the attacking Shichi Seishi. Nuriko's words sprang into her mind. We all know you care deeply for her. But you're not the only one. We all do. We would all give our lives to protect her. She felt frozen in place, unable to do anything but watch. The taller man sent forth ice snakes, or at least that's what Lina thought they were, but Tasuki countered with his halisen. His 'Lekka Shinen' and the resulting blaze shriveled them up into puddles of water. Then the shorter man sent a strange disc of energy out at Nuriko. It spun around him in ever tightening circles, but after a frustrating moment, the symbol for willow flashed red and the disc shattered. Undaunted, Chichiri aimed his own attack, setting a circle of red ki flaring around the taller man, while Tamahome leapt towards the shorter one, leg stretched out to knock him down... ... Only to pass straight through the stranger and land on the floor. Hikitsu snapped his fingers and quenched the red ki, unscathed. "Ghosts?" cried Mitsukake. "How can that be?" Tomite laughed. "We've been here for two hundred years, protecting the Genbu no Shinzahou! You can't defeat us." The Suzaku no Shichi Seishi took a collective step back, stunned. Tomite sent out a barrage of ice shards, slashing the others except for Lina, who was still behind the others. We can't win this way... she thought to herself. "Stop it!" Lina cried, pushing to stand in front of the others with her arms spread wide, as if she alone could protect all of them. The attack faltered. She drew Hotohori's deity sword and faced the Genbu no Shichi Seishi. "I challenge you," she said evenly. "We came here seeking the Genbu no Shinzahou because we need it to summon Suzaku. As Suzaku no Miko, I challenge you." "Li-Lina!" Tomite looked Hikitsu, who rubbed his chin. "A challenge, you say. You who claim to be Suzaku no Miko... very well, we have a challenge for you. Break from this prison of ice and we will recognize you to truly be the phoenix's priestess." "Prison of ice?" blinked Lina. "Starting now." Hikitsu gestured and suddenly, Lina's boots were surrounded by thick, cold ice. "Lina!" Tamahome ran to her but was stopped by an invisible barrier, another sheet of ice. "Lina, stop! What are you doing?" The ice crept up her legs and froze around her hips. This was the prison of ice, Lina knew now. It was cold and numbing, and she shivered. How could she break free? She couldn't very well flare arrow herself; that would be reckless, not to mention a very stupid idea. What could she do? Tamahome and the others banged fruitlessly on the ice wall, helpless to watch as the ice froze around Lina's arms and shoulders. Of course, being stupid and reckless was nothing new to Lina. What else did she have to loose? As the ice reached her lips, she cast her spell. "Flare arrow!" She was encased in ice. What had happened? Didn't her spell work? Tamahome slumped down. Lina was entirely frozen now... why didn't she do something? Why couldn't anyone do anything? The deity sword shone. Lina's spell had somehow wrapped itself around the blade. The combined powers made it shine as brightly as Gourry's sword of light (but without the annoying hum.) "Tamahome! Look!" pointed Chiriko. Shafts of light exploded outward from the sword. Cracks appeared in the ice, and then, it was breaking up altogether. Lina's fire magic blasted outward from the sword and boiled every last bit of water left. Tomite and Hikitsu looked like they had seen a ghost. Hikitsu recovered more quickly, and gestured again. The wall between Lina and her Shichi Seishi collapsed, and a big reunion ensued in which there was much hugging and gasping and reassuring going on. Lina pushed the others aside and stood up tall, holding the sword in front of her. "Did I pass your challenge?" she dared. Tomite nodded slowly. "Yes... you are Suzaku no Miko. As such, you are truly worthy of being given the Genbu no Shinzahou. Come... follow us." The door behind the two Shichi Seishi opened softly, revealing a serene chamber within. "This is where we summoned Genbu," said Hikitsu softly. "And that..." he motioned towards the small pedestal wrapped in green cloth. On top of it lay a beautifully detailed golden necklace. "That is the Genbu no Shinzahou." Lina stepped up and picked it up gently, as if it was a magic charm that changed the owner into a frog instead of let the owner summon giant red birds that granted three wishes. "This is it, you guys," she said softly, turning to the others with tears in her eyes. "We finally got the Genbu no Shinzahou! We can call Suzaku and save Konankoku!" "Um..." mumbled Tomite from behind her, looking sheepish. "You mean you didn't know?" "Know what?" asked everyone else. "Oh. You didn't." Tomite sighed, then said quickly, "You still need to get the Byakko no Shinzahou. You can't summon Suzaku unless you have both of them." It took two seconds for the storm to break. "BYAKKO NO SHINZAHOU?!" screamed Tasuki, yanking his fan out and ready to do battle. "Are you telling me that we have to go all the way to Sailokoku now and go through this whole shebang again to get the Byakko no Shinzahou!?" Hikitsu nodded. Twenty-five and a half fume marks filled the room, emitted by various people in various stages of anger. The strange thing was, Lina didn't even contribute the half fume-mark (that was Chiriko.) "Whoa, calm down you guys," she said, smiling widely. "We already have the Genbu no Shinzahou! We're halfway there, ne? Come on. Taiitsukun never said all we had to get was this. She just said we did have to get it. So she didn't lie then, right? Come on. Let's get going to Sailokoku and get the Byakko no Shinzahou and summon Suzaku and get the hell out of here." "Lina's not angry?" blinked Nuriko incredulously. "Ne, Lina, are you feeling okay?" He held a hand to her forehead. "No, you don't have a fever or anything..." She swatted his hand away in annoyance. "I'm feeling fine, don't worry. Let's just get this whole thing over with. I'm getting sick and tired of it all." She turned to the Genbu no Shichi Seishi. "Arigatou, you two. I'm sure you did a great job protecting Genbu no Miko and the Shinzahou. I mean, well... good luck, I guess..." (After all, what does one say to 200-year-old spirits?) "Thank you, too," said Hikitsu. "After 200 years, our duty is finally over." Lina smiled and looked at the Suzaku no Shichi Seishi. "Yosh! Let's head out to Sailokoku!" Lina turned back one last time and waved to Hikitsu and Tomite. "Thanks a lot! For everything! And..." Her voice trailed off as the door slowly shut. "That must have been really hard," said Mitsukake off to one side, patting Tama-neko's head. "To have stayed behind to protect the Genbu no Shinzahou for two hundred years... that's dedication." Lina looked at the necklace clutched in her hands. So much rode on such a delicate piece of jewelry. "Yeah," she agreed. Something knocked her down. A shadow loomed above her. "Lina-chan!" His face and left shoulder were badly burnt, but his hulking appearance and bestial features meant it was... "Ashitare!" He snatched the Shinzahou out of Lina's hands, slashing them badly in order to force her to let go. He paused for one second and looked at everybody with eyes full of pure hatred before turning around and running off, full speed ahead. "No!" screamed Lina. "The Genbu no Shinzahou!" Slayers FUSHIGI Episode 24: TRAGEDY! A STAR FALLS FROM THE HEAVENS! IT ALL HAPPENED so fast. Lina didn't even have a chance to react. Ashitare appeared out of nowhere, knocked her down and snatched the Genbu no Shinzahou in the space of several seconds. He gave everyone a baleful look and then took off in a shot. Her hands were bleeding. Ashitare had slashed them in order to make her let go. "No! The...The Genbu no Shinzahou!" she gasped. Nuriko shot off after the Seiryuu no Shichi Seishi in a flash. "Nuriko, matte!" yelled Tamahome, but it was too late. He was already fading in the distance. "Mitsukake-san!" Chiriko squealed. "Hurry! Lina-san is hurt!" Tamahome glanced at the others for a second, then took off after Nuriko, which Chichiri only seconds behind him. Tasuki was torn between helping the others get the Shinzahou and protecting Lina in case the strange wolf-man reappeared. He settled down on waiting, pacing nervously as he watched Mitsukake pass his hands over Lina's. Red light glowed between them and the wounds slowly healed. "Ne, Mitsukake," said Lina weakly, still a bit dazed from the shock, "I could have done that myself." "Come on, let's get going!" shouted Tasuki, eager to be off and doing something, rather than pacing and waiting. "Wait," the healer Shichi Seishi counseled. "Let Lina get her wits back. She's still a little in shock right now. Just give her a few minutes." Tasuki swore several times, kicking at the snow with his boots. His mind was searching for Tamahome, Chichiri, and Nuriko, trying to find out what was going on. Ashitare was fast, but Nuriko was determined. He was also lighter, and the snow covering the ground was a disadvantage for the heavier Ashitare, who had to plow through the thick white mass. "Gotcha!" Nuriko threw himself at the Seiryuu no Shichi Seishi, shoving him towards the ground. Snow flew up all around them. Ashitare shoved Nuriko roughly off him, still clutching the Shinzahou. "So, you want the Shinzahou?" he asked in a gravelly voice. "Of course I do!" shouted Nuriko, going into a fighting crouch. His bracelets flashed red as they grew to cover his wrists, the same as they had during the storm. He could feel the power surging through him as he yelled, "Come on!" Ashitare snarled as he negligently tossed the Shinzahou to one side and leapt towards Nuriko, claws slashing. He's fast! Nuriko realized as he rolled out of the way, his shirt partially shredded. Blood dripped onto the ground. And strong! Nuriko grunted as he slammed his fist into Ashitare, who winced but showed little evidence of pain. They both retreated back, regarding the other, attempting to read the other's next move. Nuriko held his side, which was slowly bleeding; Ashitare rubbed his arm, which was sore. But I'm faster! And I'm stronger! And I have to get the Genbu no Shinzahou back! For Hotohori-sama... For Konankoku! For Lina! Nuriko snapped off an enormous branch from a tree and charged Ashitare, swinging as hard as he could. Ashitare waited until the last possible moment, then jumped over the improvised club. He had been expecting that. With surprising swiftness, the purple-haired Shichi Seishi swung the tree limb around, hitting Ashitare in the back and slamming him into the ground in a burst of white snow. Out of the snow, the wolfish man leapt, straight at Nuriko. He fell, crying out as Ashitare's claws raked his back. Far away, Hotohori looked up suddenly from the army reports he was reading. "Heika?" asked one of his generals. He blinked several times, trying to dissipate the sudden dizzying feeling. Something was wrong. "Heika?" The emperor rubbed his face. "Nothing... I'm fine. Just a strange feeling I got." On Mount Black, six heads shot upright. They all knew something was wrong. Something that had to do with Nuriko and the Genbu no Shinzahou. "NURIKO!" Time slowed. Ashitare pushed ruthlessly down on him, snickering evilly. "Blood," he grinned, licking his lips. "When I finish, I'll go kill Suzaku no Miko too. She'll pay for burning my face like this. For making Nakago-sama angry at me." He gritted his teeth, ignoring the blood that was pooling below him, and the weight that was crushing him from above. He was strong. He was stronger. He would win. He had to. Suzaku's power filled him, gathering strength around the bracelets given to him by Taiitsukun. "And then I'll go and give Nakago-sama the Genbu no Shinzahou," smirked Ashitare, evidently enjoying the Suzaku no Shichi Seishi's pain. "And then we'll summon Seiryuu. What do you think of that?" He gripped his hands, searching for good purchase under the snow. "That won't happen!" His hands met solid rock underneath. He pushed, pushed as hard as he could, sending Ashitare flying off of his back in surprise. Nuriko stood up tall, despite his wounds, and snarled, "I won't let that happen!" He charged Ashitare before the Seiryuu no Shichi Seishi could recover, slamming him into a tree. He wrapped his arms around the wolf-man's neck, squeezing... Ashitare went limp. Time resumed its natural speed. Nuriko dropped the body, feeling weary and pain in every movement. He told Ashitare softly, "Gomen nasai. I can't let you hurt Suzaku no Miko, or summon Seiryuu." He turned then, to recover the Shinzahou and to rest. Slowly, gently, he picked up the golden necklace and brushed it off. "Lina-chan, minna... hurry." Footsteps crunched through the snow. Nuriko spun around happily. His elation died when he saw... "Su...Suboshi!" His eyes were ice, far colder than the eyes of the Genbu no Shichi Seishi. "You." He looked at Ashitare's slumped form. "You did this." Nuriko said nothing. "Give me the Shinzahou." Nuriko said nothing. "Give it to me! Now!!" Nuriko looked at Suboshi. He said nothing. His ryuuseisui spun dangerously by his side, whirring softly. "Give. Me. The. Shinzahou. Now." "No." Inwardly, his mind shouted at his companions, telling them to hurry. Outwardly, he was the picture of peace and calm. Suboshi's eye twitched. "Then die!" he growled, flinging his weapon at the purple-haired man. Time slowed again. He saw it coming at him. He tried to dodge it, to move out of the way, but his body, weak from the previous fight, couldn't respond fast enough. The ryuuseisui spun around him, wrapping him tightly. One of the balls bit into his hand. He fell, still gripping the Shinzahou. "Stubborn, aren't we?" smirked the younger boy who seemed to hold none of he warmth that his twin brother, Amiboshi had. Suboshi casually stepped on Nuriko's arm, bent down, and pried his fingers off the Shinzahou. He dangled the necklace in front of Nuriko's face. "This is for my aniki." The ryuuseisui suddenly untangled itself from Nuriko's body, slashing him deeply in the process. Suboshi smirked as he held the weapon's string. He looked once more at Nuriko, then dashed off. Time resumed its proper pace again. "Nuriko! Nuriko? Nuriko!" Tamahome's and Chichiri's voices echoed through the trees. "I'm right... here..." he said softly, pushing himself into a kneeling position and ignoring the blood that was seeping into the ground below him. "Nuriko!!" "Baka... don't you listen? I'm here." Tamahome and Chichiri burst into the clearing, wide eyed and breathing heavily. Tamahome was next to him in a flash. "Nuriko! What happened to you? No... don't say anything! Just hold on! Mitsukake will be here any minute!" "Suboshi... took the Shinzahou," Nuriko sighed. "I couldn't stop him..." "Hold on! Don't... Don't die on us! You can't!" Tears flowed down from Tamahome's face, gently splashing onto Nuriko. "Baka, don't worry about me. You should be finding the Shinzahou. If Nakago gets it..." "Nuriko..." Chichiri said softly. His mask was off, his scar gleamed white, and tears were pooling in his good eye. "Nuriko, you..." "Don't look... so gloomy, Tama-chan... remember what I told you? Don't forget that... okay? Thank you... for everything... for accepting me... for being a family for me..." "Didn't you say we'd always be together?!" shouted Tamahome, tears flying. "You said that, too! Nuriko... oniichan... you..." "Arigatou..." He smiled, closing his eyes. We would all give our lives to protect her. His words echoed in Tamahome's mind. "NURIKO!" Hotohori dropped the scroll. It fell to the ground with a soft clatter. "Heika?" It felt like a part him had torn apart. A part of him had disappeared forever. Something was gone... something that would never, ever be filled again. Several images flashed in his mind. A quirky smile. An easy laugh. Purple hair. Then, darkness. Nuriko...? "Heika! Quick! Someone get a healer!" Lina and Tasuki ran, Mitsukake and Chiriko just heartbeats behind them. Chichiri looked up sadly when they arrived. He still held his mask in his hand, and tears rolled down his cheek. "Nu...Nuriko?" gasped Lina. Tasuki blinked several times. "Oi... what's going on?" He took a faltering step towards Tamahome and Nuriko. "Hey, wake up, Nuriko! We gotta go get the Shinzahou, right?" He turned to Mitsukake. "Oi, why are you just standing there?" Angrily, he yelled, "You're a healer! Why are you just standing there? Why aren't you healing Nuriko!?" He stood there, head down, motionless. "Oi! Nuriko! Wake up! You can't be dead!" He tried to get closer, but Chichiri stopped him. "Nuriko! We were just talking earlier! Wake up!" He tried to push Chichiri aside, but the monk would not budge. "Nuriko? Please... wake up... You can't be dead... Wake up..." His voice trailed off as he lowered his head began to cry. "He said... he said we were like a family for him. He... he thanked us before..." Tamahome looked up at the others. "He would," said Lina softly. "He was like a big brother. He would joke and tease us, but he always had our best interests in mind." "He was a good man. We must pay our respects to him. But after that, we have to recover the Genbu no Shinzahou. Nuriko... would want that from us, na no da." It took the rest of the day to dig a grave for Nuriko. The earth was cold and frozen in many places, and progress was slow. They lowered his body into the ground. Mitsukake had used his powers and repaired the damage two battles had wrought, and he looked peaceful, as if he was merely asleep. Before they began to replace the dirt, Tamahome tossed a small bag onto Nuriko's body. "His braid," he explained to the others. They nodded, and continued the task at hand. "Good-bye, Nuriko," said Lina softly as the last handful of dirt was patted into place. She stared up at the stars. In the clear night air near the top of a mountain, there were many more stars than could be seen from below. They twinkled back at her through the black void. The others were asleep, the fire was nothing more than a few red embers, but Lina could not sleep. "Nuriko..." There was an emptiness deep inside of her. He would never tease her again, never taunt Tamahome and Tasuki with calls of Tama-chan or Fang-chan. He would never smile again. I know that sometimes when you're depressed, it seems like nothing will ever work out again, but it does. Life does go on, and things start looking up again - but only if you're willing to continue living. Nuriko's words came back to her as she sat there, staring at the sky. He's right, Lina thought to herself. We can't let this stop us. We can't forget him, but we can't let this stop our quest. We have to summon Suzaku and make everything right again. What would her third wish be? A thin buzzing distracted her. She glared in its direction, then blinked at the fat, furry bumblebee that was sitting on her blanket. She stared at it. It stared at her. (Or at least, that was the impression Lina got, considering how hard it was to determine what it was doing.) Then, it flew off, disappearing among the stars of the sky. High overhead, a glimmering point arced as it fell towards the ground. A shooting star! Nuriko... Indeed, a star had fallen from the heavens. But not in vain. No. Not in vain.