(Chi)
I watched in astonishment as light smoke surrounded the princess. I watched her pull a blade from thin air as if it were nothing and I realized that I was in awe of her. I thought it not possible to be anymore awe stricken by this strange monarch, but here I was, heart pounding so hard in my ears that it mixed with the screaming of the voices in my mind.
As she held the weapon her features changed. They grew more serious and even more calculating. The air around her sizzled with tension.
I remained close at her side as we flew forward, swords clashing with the brothers. To my surprise, she knew how to handle a sword, and wield it well. She was holding up against Tsukuyomi. He was growing angrier and angrier with every blow she deflected. We worked with our backs against one another as we fought back. She ducked low and I swung the blade cleanly over her head, knocking Tsukuyomi back a few steps. I heard a yowl leave Susanoo and as I turned the princess turned from Tsukuyomi and ran full force, sliding between my parted legs and brought her sword up as her body seemed to lift itself to its feet. She nicked him quickly in the shoulder.
My attention shifted to Tsukuyomi, using aggressive offensive blows to continuously knock him backwards and further away from Misaki. I noticed that every step I took Misaki took one with me. She moved so fluidly; it was almost too beautiful to tear my eyes away from.
Susanoo slid to the right too quickly and his sword slashed the right side of Misaki's face. She screamed out in pain as blood dripped through her fingers and her skin split apart from the tip of her hairline to her jaw.
"Misaki!" I wrapped my free arm around her waist as it began to fold in on itself, pulling her flush against me as my vision turned red. The gash was thin, but I knew that it would leave a scar. All rational reasoning left me, and my body moved in a blur.
"I'm alright," she murmured reassuringly, before unexpectedly spinning out from beneath my arm and advancing upon Susanoo once again. She drove him backward with extreme force. She spun and I heard metal cut flesh seconds later. Susanoo had made a wrong step and Misaki anticipated it. Her blade now passed through the gods chest. His hands hovered around the blood drenched sword and his eyes were wide with anger and fear as she forced the blade deeper.
"Brother!" Tsukuyomi shouted. He was quick and was advancing on Misaki before she could react. Coiling my muscles I pushed myself off the ground, flying over and pushing Misaki to the ground and out of the way. She looked to me as Tsukuyomi's blade pierced my shoulder, a short gasp leaving me as I realized I felt no pain. I saws the shock in Misaki's eyes as I pivoted around, his blade still lodged in my bone. I bought the Muramasa up much quicker than he moved to knock it away and the tip of it broke his unflawed skin. Blood curdled in his mouth as I watched it turn from red to black. I used my palm to force the metal deeper into his body. My knees gave out with his as he crumpled at my feet. On my hands and knees I reached behind me and pulled the blade free. I dizzily heard the sound only are large amount of blood leaving the body could make.
"Chi-san,"
The split skin of my shoulder, nor the demon bite that was now searing hot beneath my tattered Kimono brought me nearly as much pain as the sound of her sobs. I clambered to my feet and turned. Susanoo lay in a puddle of his own blood nearest the entrance. I pulled the Muramasa from the dead gods body and sheathed upon my back once more. My speed was incredible as I thought of being at the princesses side and then there I was, without even a step taken. I bent down in front of her, grabbing her face with both my hands, examining the damage done. It was coated in a thin layer of her quick drying blood. Her hand wrapped around one of mine at her cheek and her smile was tender and sweet, even now.
"What took you so long ah?" she teased.
I laughed for but a second before yanking her to me and hugging her tight. I buried my face in her matted hair. "I came as fast as I could."
(Misaki)
As quickly as it had begun, it was over. The two gods lay dead before us and I was wrapped in Chi-sans arms once more. My sigh was long as I closed my eyes and allowed myself to enjoy his embrace and his voice as I wished.
I never held a blade before, but when I'd held that one, I felt power flow through me. It took hold of me and I did its bidding. I never felt so alive and powerful. When I prayed to Ama for help, I expected no answer. I was surprised when my prayer was answered, and the light began to form in my hands.
So, I was the daughter to the great goddess. My mind could not fathom that the one I had prayed to my entire life, the one my country coveted so dearly was the one who made my life possible at all. And Chi…Chi was Susanoo's own secret hidden within the mortal realm from Ama. One day we believed that we were simply a princess doomed to marry for everything but love, and a Samurai eager to complete his fathers legacy in protecting the royal family. Who knew that we would end up here in this way? Where the hell was here anyway?
"Chi-san?"
He pulled back to gaze at me, inviting me to ask my question.
"Where are we?"
He seemed to consider telling me before he actually did so.
"We are in Yomi, Kitsune."
The-the underworld?! All of this time trapped in this dark room and really it was just a piece of the underworld?! My eyes widened before they narrowed as I stared at him in new light. He..he traveled all the way here…to save me.
"How did you know where to find me? One moment I was in the palace at prayer and the next thing I knew I was standing on a bridge…speaking to Ama…" My head tilted to the side as I worked hard to remember. "In the midst of speaking to her, I was yanked over the bridge and down into the water."
He nodded slowly. "That is how she found me. The palace fell into an uproar when you were not found inside your rooms. We searched for you all throughout Hiroshima. I had a notion that you had not been taken by any mere thing. I read your journal…I am sorry. I found the passage on your nightmare and your initial dream of standing on the bridge. I'd had the same dream while I had the fever when I first arrived. I thought nothing of it until you. That is when
Ama summoned me. She told me of how to find you. We formulated a plan to deceive the brothers into thinking that Ama, hearing of your capture would become so grief stricken as she did long ago and result to hiding as she did long before us. They wanted to ambush her and kill her to start the world anew."
"I heard Susanoo say something along those line as well when he was rambling on in the dark. They wanted to gift the new world and Ama's power to their father, Isanagi," I replied.
His sigh was deep. "I am sorry Kitsune."
"What could you possibly have done to be sorry about?"
"For not arriving sooner. You have suffered."
I scrambled to my knees and took his grime covered face in my hands. "You have come for me all in the same, Chi-san. You have battled the underworld for me. How could I ask anything more of you?"
But now as I gazed at him, I felt that I did want more. When I opened my eyes to him, I felt a large sense of relief. I dreamed of him all through my suffering. He kept me alive through all the torture. As I inched closer to him his body going still, the walls began to shake and rumble. Bits of rubble fell from the ceiling as Chi pulled me to my feet. He gripped his head in pain and his eyes were squeezed shut. I tightened my grip on his arm as we limped together towards the stone doorway. A hiss broke through him as his legs almost completely gave out.
"Chi, what's wrong?"
"It's nothing your highness."
I wanted to smack him. "It is not nothing!"
Before he could argue with me further, we were pulled into a blur of speed before falling to our knees at the entrance of Yomi. The sky was dark and there were no stars or moon present. The trees swayed in the breeze breathing hard and staring up at the sky. We were free. We were finally free.
(Chi)
My thoughts raged out of control. I still felt the rage coursing through my veins and it almost made me want to laugh. But the voices in my mind were running rampant and I fought to keep a grip on myself. I felt my sanity slipping through my fingers as I lay here. I closed my eyes and tried to calm myself. But if it wasn't the rage it was the pain in my shoulder. It only grew worse as the minutes passed. But all of that was forgotten when Misaki crawled over to me. She lay beside me now, her head resting delicately on my chest.
"Susanoo…he stole my right eye. At least, I thought he'd
stolen it. I could feel every piece of muscle and tissue holding it in place tear as he pulled it from its socket. I-I thought I was going to die. But in my pain, I found solace in memory."
She raised her head to rest her chin on my chest.
"Our memories."
I remained quiet as we held each other's gaze. I just wanted to enjoy the way she was looking at me now. I was so used to her silver tongue and observant eyes. But this view she gave me, one where her eyes were soft and sweet nearly made my heart leap from my chest.
"Were they the ones where you dragged me everywhere?"
"Dragged?!" she scoffed. "You never refused."
I sighed contentedly, pushing hair from her face. "No, how could I when those adventures brought such a sweet smile to your face?"
She rose up on her elbows and before I knew what she was doing, her lips met mine.