Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ White Stones in the Moonlight ❯ White Stones in the Moonlight ( Chapter 20 )

Disclaimer: The characters from Fushigi Yuugi are the creations and property of Yuu Watase and related enterprises. I do not own them, and do not make any profit from this fiction except for my own enjoyment in spending time with them.

This chapter is dedicated to my sister, Chichiri's Girl, who is worthy of the respect of the Suzaku shichiseishi for her tremendous strength and courage in the face of overwhelming loss. The Sorcerer himself would be proud to stand by your side, Beem… as am I.

*************************************************************** **********************************************

Chapter 17. White Stones in the Moonlight (Full company)

Part I. Nightfall

Musical Selection : "Poeme" by Secret Garden from their CD "White Stones," copyright 1997 PolyGram Publishing, Norway.

The full moon rose towards its zenith above Mount Taikyoku, its silver glow contrasting with the golden radiance of the mystical spheres which floated above the grounds outside Taiitsukun's palace. Eight figures shimmered into existence in the open courtyard, swaying slightly as they tried to regain their balance. Tasuki, Mitsukake and Chiriko turned around and around, staring open-mouthed at their surroundings, having never seen Mount Taikyoku before. Hotohori, Nuriko, Tamahome and Miaka recognized the courtyard but were still enchanted by the mystical effect of the gleaming spheres at night. Chichiri, frowning, stepped apart from the others and paced around the grounds, his keen senses alert as he surveyed the area.

Suddenly, four cherubic blue-haired girls popped into existence right beside the seishi. Tasuki and Chiriko shrieked in surprise. The blue-haired girls giggled and swooped among them, chattering enthusiastically.

"Greetings, greetings!"

"Suzaku no seishi!"

"Suzaku no Miko!"

"Do not be afraid!"

"We are Nyan-nyan!"

"We help, help!"

Miaka and Nuriko waved cheerily at the girls, Nuriko growling at Tasuki. "Get a grip, Fang-boy! They don't bite!"

Tasuki ducked as a Nyan-nyan swooped nearby. "I don't care," he grumbled. "They're fuckin' weird!"

Chichiri, impatient with the deliberate distractions, strode into the center of the confusion and slammed his shakujou into the ground, its rings chiming sharply. The Nyans immediately diverted their attention to him. They swooped and dove around the unflinching monk.

"Chichiri-sama's here!"

"Chichiri-sama's back!"

"Nyan-nyan missed Chichiri-sama!"

Chichiri stared intently at the Nyan-nyans, then, to the considerable surprise of his fellow seishi, he reached up and snatched one of them out of the air, pulling the Nyan off to the side for a private talk. The other Nyan-nyans began to twitter and swoop aimlessly without addressing any remarks to the rest of the seishi.

"All right, Nyan," Chichiri glared into the now silvery eyes of the lead girl. "What's going on here? Why did Taiitsukun send for all of us instead of just me and Tamahome?"

Nyan narrowed her eyes in malicious amusement. "Your business is with Taiitsukun, not her guardian spirit."

Chichiri stared at her icily. "Fine. Then get Taiitsukun here to explain herself."

Nyan pulled out of Chichiri's grasp, smoothing her tunic and straightening her ribbons. "The oracle appears in her own time, at the bequest of the gods. She does not follow the commands of renegade monks."

The mage stepped back. "Very well. I am a patient man. However, I'm afraid that I can't say the same for my young associates." Chichiri nodded at the figure of Tasuki, who had pulled out the tessen and was nervously pointing it at the duplicate Nyan-nyans which now swooped silently around him. "It seems likely that Taiitsukun's courtyard will shortly be in for some incendiary remodeling, given the level of anxiety in certain seishi who are kept waiting. I could try to calm him, of course…but who am I to interfere, being only a renegade monk?"

Nyan hissed suddenly in displeasure, noting the tensing of muscles in the tessen arm of the troublesome fifth seishi of Suzaku. She gave a quick wave of her hand, and the duplicate Nyan-nyans vanished, causing Tasuki to jump back with a surprised shout. Tamahome and Nuriko began laughing at him.

"Shut up, assholes!" he growled at them, pointing his tessen in their direction, intending to singe them slightly.

"Don't you point that thing at me, you fanged idiot!" shouted Nuriko.

Tamahome leaped forward to try to knock the tessen out of Tasuki's hands just as Tasuki yelled "Rekka Shin'en!" The flames shot out of the tessen, incinerating a rhododendron bush, and then all three seishi began brawling. Chichiri merely raised his eyebrows and lifted his hands as if to say "See?" Nyan growled deep in her chest, her eyes flashing silver and her form beginning to change.

"I wouldn't recommend it," Chichiri remarked drily. "Not unless you want that silver fur redone in charcoal. Not to mention getting a few lumps from Tamahome and Nuriko. They may be brawling now, but you'll be amazed at how quickly they'll pull together against a sudden threat. And although I know that you're not permitted to harm them, they won't know that - and I may not be quick enough to stop them. You see, I'm still meditating on Taiitsukun's motives, so I'm slightly distracted…"

Nyan hissed again at the insolent monk. "Very well. Taiitsukun will be here very shortly - so get your fellow seishi under control NOW!"

Chichiri turned and strode into the center of the brawl, slamming his shakujou into the ground. Tasuki and Nuriko stopped wrestling immediately, remembering how it felt to be on the receiving end of a blow from the ornate staff.

Miaka joined Chichiri in pulling them to their feet. "You guyyys…" she admonished softly.

At that moment, Taiitsukun materialized before them, her ribbons snaking around her. Everyone except Chichiri yelled in surprise. Hotohori covered his eyes in dismay at her ugliness, while Chiriko hid his face in Mitsukake's tunic.

"Sunakake-babaa!" breathed Tamahome.

"You said it, 'Home!" growled Tasuki under his breath. "I'm never gonna get used to that ugly mug of hers!"

Taiitsukun's voice rang out, harsh and displeased. "Suzaku no Seishi! Of all the Celestial Warriors I have ever known, you are the most troublesome! And when you consider those homicidal idiots who serve Seiryuu, that's no small accomplishment! Pull yourselves together," she glared at Hotohori, "and try to conduct yourselves with at least a modicum of the dignity expected from Suzaku's chosen ones!"

All of the seishi except for Chichiri shuffled their feet and grumbled. Chichiri stepped forward and met Taiitsukun's glare. "We are here as requested," he said softly. "What do you want of us, Taiitsukun?"

Taiitsukun turned a cold gaze on her erstwhile disciple. "You are here by Suzaku's command, not mine. I will speak to you in due time, Suzaku no Chichiri - but there are some matters that I must deal with first." She lifted her eyes towards the group. "Suzaku no Tamahome! Suzaku no Tasuki! Step forward, please!"

The two young seishi jumped guiltily, thinking that Taiitsukun had overheard their whispered comparisons of her face to various species of amphibians. "We are gonna get it nooow…" moaned Tamahome under his breath. They approached the oracle in trepidation.

Taiitsukun slowly descended from her previous position floating high above them to settle gently upon the ground before the two young seishi. To their complete surprise, she bent forward from the waist, bowing deeply before them. Tasuki and Tamahome stared at her, unsure of what to say or do.

Finally the oracle spoke. "I apologize most abjectly and sincerely to you for the suffering brought upon you by my carelessness. Suzaku no Tasuki…" she raised her eyes to meet his amber gaze. "There are no words nor recompense sufficient to atone for the wrongs you have suffered as a result of my actions; I will not insult you further by attempting to compensate you with material offerings. I can only assure you that your courage and strength, not to mention your compassion for your fellow victim of abuse, have taught me a great deal about the human spirit and forever instilled in me respect for you and your fellow man. And as for you, Suzaku no Tamahome…" she turned her eyes to his grey gaze, "Your suffering has also taught me much about the deep-seated honor in the human soul. You took responsibility upon yourself for the crimes of the demon that possessed you, and you incarcerated yourself for the safety of your fellow seishi but also in misguided atonement for my mistakes. This entire experience has made me aware that there are always consequences to actions, even the actions of celestial beings - and with the knowledge of those consequences comes responsibility. Therefore, in the future, I will take the utmost care in my personal dealings with humans. In other words, Suzaku no Tasuki and Suzaku no Tamahome - you have changed me, and for that you have my gratitude and my admiration."

Tasuki and Tamahome exchanged glances, then nodded at Taiitsukun, uncertain of what to say. They could hardly assure her that everything was all right - it wasn't, and forgiveness was something that they would have to work out over time. But Taiitsukun had not asked for their forgiveness, being perceptive enough to realize that it was an impertinence to ask them to put resentment over their violation behind them. She seemed satisfied with their response, and they were glad for her acknowledgment of her culpability and their suffering.

The oracle rose again to her former position. "Suzaku no Tamahome, step forward to reclaim your seishi power from Suzaku. You may choose whomever you like to stand with you."

Tamahome stepped forward, then, without turning around, he reached his hand behind him. Tasuki took the proffered hand, gripping it firmly and standing beside him. Their brother warriors and miko felt tears come to their eyes as they witnessed once again the bond of fraternal love between the two young men - a bond that had nearly been broken by evil, then strained by their mutual love for their miko, emerging from the forges of their trials to become stronger than ever before. Taiitsukun gestured to Nyan, who flew up to present her with her crystal shakujou. The oracle intoned a rhythmic sutra, infusing each phrase with ritual dignity. The shakujou suddenly blazed with crimson light, the crystal rings catching the light like a prism, sending multicolored beams of radiance shimmering throughout the courtyard like dancing rainbows. The rainbow light swirled across the awestruck features of the Suzaku family before consolidating once more into its original brilliant crimson hue. The crimson light then swirled upward out of the shakujou, pausing for a moment at its apex before spiraling back down towards Tamahome, sparkling around him before suddenly darting towards his forehead. The young seishi gasped as the power streamed into him, his knees buckling at the force of the impact. Tasuki swiftly moved his arms around Tamahome to support him, using his body to prop Tamahome, as the young warrior briefly leaned his head back against his brother's shoulder. Suddenly the oni sign blazed forth from his forehead, its pure crimson light shining out, illuminating the faces of his dearest friends. Tamahome pulled away from Tasuki, standing straight and strong on his own…then turned and took his brother into his arms. The rest of the seishi and Miaka exploded into cheers, tears falling as they rushed towards the two to congratulate and embrace them.

The oracle regarded them for a moment, her jaw tightening with some untold emotion. Nyan, too, bowed her head, momentarily overcome by the vivid display of love between the members of the Suzaku family. Finally, Taiitsukun seemed to regain control. Looking up, she sent out a silent message to the magician of Suzaku. Chichiri looked up startled from the center of the celebration, having briefly lost himself in the joy of the moment. He gently disentangled himself from his brothers' embrace and strode towards the oracle. Taiitsukun descended to float near the monk, speaking quietly and intensely as Nyan hovered protectively nearby.

Mitsukake suddenly looked up from the hugs, laughter and tears as he felt a jolt from Chichiri's ki. Looking around at the younger seishi, he noted that they did not seem to notice any disturbance, continuing in their happy interchanges. The tall physician withdrew as unobtrusively as possible from the group, walking purposefully towards the conference between magician and oracle.

Taiitsukun frowned at the doctor's approach. "I do not recall inviting you here, Suzaku no Mitsukake." she rebuked, her voice cold.

"I called him here," answered Chichiri, his voice vibrating with barely suppressed rage. "I think you need to hear from a human doctor about the possible consequences of your proposed actions upon these young people. Do you think that your celestial games will leave them untouched? What hypocrisy you spew, assuring us that you will take all due care in dealing with humans from here onward! The words have barely left your mouth before you once again play us for fools, violating all of us to serve your own purposes!"

Taiitsukun's eyes narrowed in rage, but she kept her voice icily controlled. "You will take care, Suzaku no Chichiri, for my patience with you wears very thin! I can only make promises as to my own actions. What I am telling you comes directly from your god, whom I do not presume to control! I will hear you out, out of respect for you and your insights, and I will also agree to hear from the healer of Suzaku. I will even transmit your concerns directly to Suzaku, allowing you to use my body as a direct conduit to your god. But I warn you, this decision has not been reached easily by the god who loves you. He has pondered the problem and all possible outcomes for many days, and it is unlikely that either of you have any new insights that he has not already taken into account. But I shall do as promised. Give me your hands…"

Taiitsukun reached out her hands and closed her eyes, tilting her head back. Chichiri and Mitsukake each took one of Taiitsukun's hands, then completed the circle by clasping hands with each other. Mitsukake flinched at the sudden jolt of power coursing through him. Chichiri merely closed his own eyes, concentrating his ki with an almost fierce energy.

Miaka looked up from the now quieter celebration, her eyes widening at the sight of the strange communion between Taiitsukun and the elder seishi. Tamahome followed her gaze to see lightning-like energy crackling around the three, giving off an ozone scent reminiscent of summer storms.

"What the fuck?!" breathed Tasuki softly, making Nuriko and Hotohori look up from their tender embrace.

Chiriko's eyes grew wide with wonder. "Suzaku…" he whispered in awe. "They are speaking with the god…"

Suddenly the circle broke apart, the seishi and oracle dropping their hands. Chichiri turned around slowly, picking up his shakujou with motions stiff and stunned…then whirled around, slamming the end of the staff into the ground in rage. The young seishi could hear his voice upraised in wrath as he lunged towards the oracle, Mitsukake restraining him, as Nyan's form appeared to glow silver for an instant. Taiitsukun floated higher but maintained her temper, waving a hand to seal off all sound from the watching seishi.

Chichiri panted, pulling against Mitsuskake's grip before finally yielding to the futility of his struggles. "What if I refuse to allow you to do this?!" he challenged Taiitsukun. "What if I decide to oppose you and Suzaku - what will you do then?!"

The oracle glared at him but still maintained her eerie composure. "Why, then, you may leave. Neither Suzaku nor I will attempt to stop you. You may take your brother seishi and your miko and leave this place and leave this country for all we care!" Her voice hardened. "But do not ever again present yourselves as servants of Suzaku! You will be only renegade warriors with no allegiance to anyone, and you may be content to watch the people of Konan die, crushed in the iron grip of Kutou, for your god will NEVER appear to you again! He has tolerated much from you, Chichiri, but this time you go too far! Your god has spoken directly to you, and if you persist in your defiance, the people of Konan will die for your arrogance, for it is far too late for us to find another set of celestial warriors to take your place!"

Chichiri stared at her, tears of rage falling from his eye. "How do you know that this is the only way? Convince me of that, at least! Is there no chance that we could make it work as we are now? Are you certain that there is no other way?!" His voice was broken, pleading.

Taiitsukun sighed. "As you are well aware, Chichiri, not even the gods can predict the future with perfect accuracy. But we have looked at all possible outcomes, and there is less than a one-in-twenty chance of you succeeding as things stand now." She frowned at the sudden hope in the monk's eye. "Do not consider it, Chichiri. You may be willing to gamble your fate and the fates of all your brother seishi on such odds, but your god is not willing to gamble with the lives of his people. His decision stands as is, and it is irrevocable."

Mitsukake put his hand on his brother's bowed shoulders, trying to impart some comfort to the grief-stricken monk. Taiitsukun's voice softened with compassion for her wounded disciple. "Chichiri… Suzaku agrees to exempt you from his…decree. He, in his wisdom and compassion, feels that you will act responsibly if he grants you this favor."

The monk looked up, his glance cold and cynical. "You know that I would not permit it in any case…" he breathed softly.

Taiitsukun frowned. "There is that consideration, too, yes," she conceded grudgingly, acknowledging his other powers.

Chichiri played his last hand. "Nor Mitsukake, either. I want Mitsukake exempted as well."

The oracle glared at him. "Justify this request, Chichiri. You are insolent in your continued demands."

The monk released his control, letting his features show his grief. "I need him," he said simply. "I need someone to share this burden. I can't do it alone…" he bowed his head, his sorrow making him appear young and vulnerable.

Taiitsukun floated silently for a moment, her face briefly reflecting his grief. She then hardened her features into their customary scowl. "Very well, Chichiri. Your god grants you your last request. And I remind you to remember his compassion the next time you feel the need to question his love." She turned her gaze upon the anxious, muttering group of young seishi who stood in the courtyard. "Now, if you will excuse me…it is time." Her voice was suddenly heavy with weariness. Taiitsukun turned away from the mage and the doctor and floated toward the five younger seishi and their miko. Nyan flew close by her side but remained uncharacteristically silent. The seishi and miko drew themselves up apprehensively, unsure of what to expect since witnessing Chichiri's obvious rage.

"Suzaku no Seishi and Suzaku no Miko." Taiitsukun's ancient voice rang out, resonating around the mountain, her solemn tones infused with ceremonial dignity. "I wish to congratulate you on your extraordinary courage and your even more extraordinary heart in meeting and overcoming this catastrophe that had occurred in your midst - a catastrophe which I, in my carelessness and to my everlasting regret, had brought upon you. I have already apologized to Suzaku no Tasuki and Suzaku no Tamahome, but I wish to extend my apologies to all of you. You have proven yourselves to be a true family in every sense of the word, and this ordeal has affected each and every one of you as it would any member of such a close-knit family."

Taiitsukun paused, her voice softening as she looked into the young, beautiful faces turned up toward her. "In all my centuries, I have seen many groups of Celestial Warriors - but never before have I witnessed this degree of unity and love between all members of a group. This cataclysmic event and the changes it precipitated within and between you could have torn you all apart; it could have forced you into opposing camps and destroyed forever any chance you had to work together as the cohesive unit you are required to be. But your love for one another exorcised the evil that had encroached upon you, driving back the darkness with the light of your pure souls. Once again, I congratulate you, Suzaku no Seishi and Suzaku no Miko - you are truly unique, even among the exceptional individuals who claim the title of Celestial Warriors."

The group relaxed and beamed in relief. Miaka squeezed Tasuki's and Tamahome's hands as they grinned at each other over her head. Nuriko leaned against Hotohori, beaming up at his emperor while at the same time placing a gentle hand on Chiriko's shoulder.

"However..." they looked up startled at Taiitsukun, who now floated higher above them, her voice becoming hard as she drew herself up. "However, this degree of unity between you has unfortunately happened too soon." She steadily met their startled gazes, although Nyan kept her eyes cast down. "What has happened between all of you was not meant to happen yet - not at this point in time. You have shifted loyalties..." she said, gazing at Miaka, "changed your priorities..." scowling at Hotohori, "altered your destinies," meeting Tamahome's frown. "These changes have transformed your dynamic as a group and have diverted you from the path of true Celestial Warriors...which is to devote yourselves to the service of your god. And your god cannot allow this digression, not from his seishi and especially not from his miko."

A ripple of anger ran through each warrior. Miaka lifted her eyes to Taiitsukun, her cheeks flushed with guilt. "Taiitsukun, please!" she cried out. "If my actions have displeased Suzaku in any way, let me be the one to receive his punishment! Don't punish any of the others for my choices!"

"No fuckin' way!" roared Tasuki, leaping in front of her. "I'm the one to blame for anything that's pissed off Suzaku - but if he's got a problem with Miaka, he'll hafta go through me first!"

Tamahome stepped up to stand beside Tasuki. "And me!" he snarled. Nuriko and Hotohori also moved to stand angrily beside them.

"Enough!" bellowed Taiitsukun, enraged. "I will hear no more of this blasphemy from any of you!" Nyan hovered closer to Taiitsukun, her eyes beginning to flash silver. Taiitsukun glared over at Chichiri and Mitsukake, who stood silently with clenched fists. "This is the very reason why the line between seishi and miko must not be crossed! This shifting of loyalties away from your god cannot be tolerated! You forget yourself, Suzaku no Tasuki! And the rest of you, as well! You forget to whom you owe your allegiance, your very existence!" She glowered at all of them. "By my command, you will all be silent before you succeed in angering your god, who up until now has shown you nothing but compassion!" They became quiet but remained defiant, muttering angrily.

Taiitsukun fixed them once again with her basilisk's stare. "Suzaku has no desire to punish any of you. You are his chosen ones, and he has not forgotten that. However, it appears that you have forgotten him." Having re-established her control of the situation, Taiitsukun lowered her voice. "I speak of the overwhelmingly strong connection which links each of you to the other, this connection that has been forged before its predestined time by the traumatic events of the past eleven days. Nothing now matters to you more than one another - not the Shinzaho...." once again she looked at Miaka, "nor the country of Konan..." looking at Hotohori, "nor the summoning of your god," she finished, frowning at all of them. "Your premature devotion to one another has taken precedence over the devotion you owe to your god, as you all have just vividly demonstrated." She glared at Tasuki, who returned her stare just as coldly. "From this point onward, your actions would be dictated primarily by your deep love for each other, causing you to put the personal welfare of your fellow seishi and miko above every other consideration. And in attempting to preserve each other above all, you stand to lose everything! All of your lives, and the lives of your fellow countrymen! If the summoning of Suzaku is not your foremost priority, then you will FAIL to summon him, and the people of Konan will die under the whip of Kutou. It is the destiny of Celestial Warriors to place the summoning of their god above all other purposes - by digressing from your destined path, everything that you have been born to protect stands in gravest peril. And that is not acceptable to your god!"

Taiitsukun drew a deep breath, looking at the shocked faces of the seishi and miko who stood before her. She concentrated her ki to keep her voice strong and steady. "So it is the decree of Suzaku that you all be returned to your original destined path, to the path you trod before the cataclysmic events precipitated by the advent of the oni."

Nuriko could keep silent no longer. "How can you hope to accomplish that?!" he burst out. "Do you mean to turn back time so that everything that happened to us, everything that changed us, never occurred?"

"No, Suzaku no Nuriko." Taiitsukun's voice was patient, suddenly gentle. "Time is not the linear path that you mortals believe it to be. It is a complex web that curves around itself, strands connecting to strands in such a way that tampering with any one thread can cause unseen complications throughout the entire web. There are very few beings who have the knowledge and the power to navigate the treacherous shoals of time modification...and even fewer of those beings who dare to make the attempt." Taiitsukun frowned, briefly recalling a wandering traveler who carried such knowledge and such daring, all hidden behind the cheerful insouciance of his green-blue gaze. She turned her gaze on Chichiri, who met her stare steadily, keeping his secrets to himself. Once again, Taiitsukun turned to address the rest of the seishi.

"As I said, we cannot undo what has been done...but Suzaku does have the power to erase all of your conscious memories of these events so that they no longer alter your relationships. And that is his decision - that your minds be caused to forget all that has occurred in the past eleven days. In your minds, you will return to where you were on the night of the Star-Gazing Festival, before the end of the Festival and the advent of the oni. The intervening time between then and now will be explained as time you have spent here on Mt. Taikyoku and at the Imperial Palace in special training for your mission to seek the Shinzaho." Taiitsukun finally lowered her gaze from the shocked, silent stares of the seishi and miko.

"No!" a voice cried out, shattering the silence. "I don't want that!" Tasuki's voice was desperate, thick with rage. "Let everyone else forget, let her forget me...but I'll keep my memories! I'll keep the memory of the degradation and the humiliation - if that's the only way that I can keep the memory of everyone reaching out their hands to pull me up again... if that's the only way that I can keep the memory of her love!"

"Suzaku no Tasuki!" barked Taiitsukun, her voice harsh. "This is not a choice that I am offering you! This is the decree of your god, and this is what shall happen, whether you will it or no!" She looked into his face, his eyes bright with tears of rage...and she saw the grief and pain behind his anger and felt the loss that she had unintentionally set him up for. Her voice softened with compassion as she struggled to make him understand the will of the gods. "You, of all people, have been the most profoundly changed by this experience...and the changes in you would go on to reverberate in your brother seishi and miko until we all ended up back at this point - and that is unacceptable to your god. So, I am sorry, Tasuki, but what you ask is impossible. The only thing that I can grant you...any of you... is a few last moments together before the spell takes effect."

Tasuki clenched his fists in impotent rage. Hotohori turned stricken golden eyes to Nuriko, clasping the shoulders of his love as he gazed into his tear-filled violet eyes, feeling the pain burn through his chest as he contemplated the loss of everything he had gained...as he contemplated a future in which he walked alone, accompanied only by his sense of duty. Nuriko's violet eyes reflected the same grief as he foresaw the same solitary journey through the end of his days. Tamahome stared down at the ground, confused by the burgeoning hope in his heart. "So she'll be mine again...really and truly mine? I'll have another chance with her?" he thought. He was torn by his conflicting emotions, feeling joy stirring in his heart...until he looked up at his brother's despair.

Tasuki felt a touch on his arm and turned away from glaring at Taiitsukun to see emerald eyes gazing up into his, the tears spilling freely as she fought for control.

"I...I guess this is good-bye, then," Miaka said softly, not allowing her voice to break, wanting to speak her heart to him in these last few moments they would share.

"Miaka, please don't..." Tasuki pleaded, suddenly gentle, "You know how it hurts me to see you cry. You know, we're still going to see each other every day..." He attempted a hopeful smile that might have been reassuring if it hadn't trembled and died on his lips.

"But we won't really see each other, will we? Not like this..." Miaka reached up her hand to caress his face, brushing his hair out of his eyes, "…not with eyes and hearts made clear by love."

"Miaka, listen..." Tasuki took her hands, staring intently into her eyes. "I loved you before any of this happened, and I promise to keep loving you and protecting you...I'll always be here for you!"

"But the difference is that I won't be here for you, will I?" Miaka's tears kept falling as she gazed at Tasuki with love, her voice now filled with bitter pain. "Yes, you'll go on loving me, sacrificing for me...and I'll go on taking you for granted, pushing my love for you so deep inside me that I'll never know it exists, leaving you to fight alone..." her voice broke at last. "To love…alone!" she gasped.

Tasuki took her face in his hands, unable to bear her pain, determined to give her hope, determined to give them both hope. "Miaka, please…you've got to believe like I do, with all my heart and soul…that someday I'll look into your eyes and see that love shining there again..." He caught his breath. "If not in this life," a sob escaped him, "then in the next."

Nyan flew up and began to pull Miaka gently away from Tasuki. Tasuki gazed at Miaka desperately, trying to hold onto every last moment, trying to keep hold of the tears that stood in his eyes, the last precious gifts he would ever receive from her...

Suddenly a voice cried out in grief and rage. "By all the Gods, you can let them have one last kiss!" Letting his fury take hold of him, Tamahome leaped forward and broke Nyan's grip on Miaka.

Miaka darted forward, flinging herself into Tasuki's arms. His mouth crashed down on hers, and they clung to each other fiercely, grasping at each other's clothes and hair, trying desperately to memorize the way it felt to hold their dearest love in their arms and to be held in return; trying to memorize the way their bodies curved into each other, melding them into one being, one soul. They clutched each other frantically, trying to force their bodies to remember what their minds would be compelled to forget.

Their brothers wept to see their desperation, Tamahome crying hardest, understanding the depth of their pain. Hotohori gripped Nuriko's hands tightly, knowing that momentarily, they, too, would lose all that they had gained in the past few days - they would lose the clarity of mind and heart Miaka had spoken of.

At a signal from Taiitsukun, Nyan held up her hand, conjuring mystical ice-like crystals from the air and gently scattering them over Tamahome. His sparkling grey eyes dimmed and closed, his arms falling to his sides, releasing her. She cast the snow of forgetfulness over Hotohori, Nuriko and Chiriko, tears falling from their eyes as their souls were forced to part from one another. She then flew up to the lovers, once again drawing Miaka gently out of Tasuki's grasp.

Miaka locked eyes with Tasuki as she was pulled back. "I love you, I'll always love you, I'll never stop loving you..." she chanted like a mantra, fighting to keep the memory of their love. Tasuki gripped her fingers, looking desperately into her eyes, watching as the enchanted snow fell upon her, melting into her.

Miaka gasped, shivering, her eyes fluttering closed. She opened them a few moments later, the emerald orbs now clouded, confused. Looking up at him, she murmured, "Ta... Tamahome?" turning her face away to look for her first love. Gently, Tasuki released her fingers...softly, lovingly, he let her go. He watched her walk away from him, her figure blurred by the tears standing in his eyes.

"Let it be, then," he thought, accepting the pain that burned through him like a cleansing flame. "If she's forgotten her love for me, then let me, too, forget… forget how it ever felt to be loved by her. Let it all end..." So thinking, he tilted his head back, the precious tears slipping from him at last, escaping him to mingle with the enchanted crystals that now fell upon him.

Nyan, her duties completed, flew back to Taiitsukun's side, clinging to the oracle and burying her face in her dress. Taiitsukun turned her face away from the young seishi of Suzaku, the lines around her mouth deepening as her jaw tightened.

Chichiri and Mitsukake stood apart, tears in their eyes, watching their friends as the mystical snow took effect. They saw Hotohori startle at his grasp on Nuriko, releasing the young seishi and stepping quickly away from him. Nuriko seemed to return to himself at that point, looking briefly at his emperor, then looking down again, gently touching the fingermarks that stood out on his hands, wondering who had gripped him so tightly. Chiriko looked up at his brother seishi, seeing their tears, then backed away quietly, keeping to himself. Miaka stood beside Tamahome, wondering dimly why her heart ached so much.

And Tasuki... Tasuki stood off by himself, his back to the others, touching his fingers to his face, then staring in wonder at the tears that glistened in his hand. His eyes were filled with such grief and pain and loss that Mitsukake and Chichiri wondered if the enchanted snow had failed to erase his memories. They approached their young brother, reaching out to comfort him.

"Tasuki... are you all right?" Mitsukake enquired gently. Amber eyes filled with tears turned to meet his gaze...then slid away from him to his companion, looking at the seishi that he remembered trusting.

"I...I don't understand it, Chichiri," Tasuki murmured hesitantly. "I feel as if I've just lost something - something that meant more to me than my own life...but try as I might, I can't seem to remember what it was..." his voice trailed off, confused and despondent.

Chichiri reached out and placed a comforting hand on Tasuki's head, gently ruffling his hair. "Don't worry, Tasuki. It will come back to you some day... I promise."

*************************************************************** ***************************

Part II. Moonlight

Musical Selection: "Illumination" by Secret Garden from their CD "White Stones", copyright 1997 PolyGram Publishing, Norway.

The moon shone full and bright over the Imperial Palace of Konan, casting its silver glow upon the buildings and grounds below. A tall figure stood quietly at the edge of the woods that bordered the east lawn, admiring the way the moonlight transformed the plush lawn into a silvery sea, the grass moving in the light breeze in wave-like ripples. He watched figures move about the balconies and grounds of the palace, the lights of the lanterns illuminating them as if they were players upon a stage, the actors unaware of their solitary audience who watched them with concern and love. The tall doctor sighed, unable to shake the feeling of wistful sorrow that had remained with him since last night's heartbreaking events on Mount Taikyoku. A twig snapped behind him, and he looked up quickly, glad to see his dearest friend step out of the darkness of the Imperial woods.

Chichiri stepped out into the moonlight, masked once more, once again concealing his features and his feelings from his brother warriors. He placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, feeling his brother's sorrow through his ki, sharing it in his own heart. The monk sighed, grateful for the doctor's presence, for someone to share the burden of the painful knowledge of all that had happened in the last one and one-half weeks.

Mitsukake smiled at the magician. "I was wondering where you had disappeared to this afternoon. I looked around, and suddenly you were gone."

Chichiri answered the gentle accusation. "I just felt the need to get away for awhile." He looked up at the doctor, removing his mask and admitting his vulnerability. "I kept getting this feeling that I was going to start babbling about all that had occurred, or maybe start screaming or crying...I just wanted it back so badly."

Mitsukake reached up to cover his friend's hand with his own, patting it comfortingly. He knew the "it" that Chichiri spoke of - that closeness, that togetherness that they had won from such a hard-fought battle, from such suffering and pain. He looked out across the lawn to the palace once again, suddenly noticing one of the players moving across the second-floor balcony. Chichiri's gaze fixed on the same sight.

Nuriko moved with the hesitance that the all of the younger seishi had shown since their memories were erased last night, as if unsure of where they were or what they were supposed to be doing. He walked up to the ornate doors that led to Hotohori's Imperial chambers and raised his hand to knock - but stopped. He covered his fist with his other hand, pulling them both into his chest, clasping them to his heart. Bowing his head sadly, he turned and began moving away from the doors. Mitsukake nudged Chichiri as the doors swung open silently, and the silhouette of the emperor suddenly appeared, watching Nuriko walk away. Hotohori raised a hand as if he were about to call Nuriko back - but then paused, lowering his hand without alerting the violet-haired seishi to his presence. He merely stood mute and invisible - watching, waiting...alone.

Further along the balcony, the small form of the youngest seishi exited his room. He held a bundle of scrolls in his arms, appearing to be both excited and mesmerized by his burden. As Nuriko approached him, Chiriko darted forward as if to share his excitement with his brother warrior - but noticed Nuriko wiping tears from his eyes. The young seishi hesitated, then drew back into the doorway of his room, letting Nuriko pass by him undisturbed, keeping his distance from the pain of the elder seishi.

Mitsukake drew a deep breath. "Ten mornings ago, I would have given my right arm to return to where things had been the evening before! I would have given anything to get back to this point. But in the days that followed, we gained so much... We regained all that we had lost and then so much more that now…now that we are back to where we started, I can't help feeling that we've lost. It sounds stupid to yearn for those days that resulted from so much suffering and anguish, but I can't help feeling the loss..." his voice trailed off, despondent.

Chichiri gripped his arm. "You needn't explain it to me, I feel exactly the same way. And I can't help questioning Suzaku's decision, worrying that he and Taiitsukun have made a terrible mistake. They're not human, you know, and they don't understand human hearts as completely as they pretend to. They may have erased the conscious memories of our brothers and Miaka, but they can't control the subconscious feelings that are reverberating in all of us. As Taiitsukun herself has said, they cannot undo what has been done. And as I see this suffering..." Chichiri nodded at the slowly moving vignette comprised of Nuriko, Hotohori and Chiriko, "I wonder how fair it is to leave them with their subconscious grief and yet leave them no recognition of where it comes from or how to deal with it."

The magician continued, sighing deeply. "And I have a sense of foreboding about the changes that have occurred because of last night. I spoke with Hotohori this morning, and he said that the ship that will carry us to Hokkan will be arriving tomorrow. He hopes to get it outfitted with everything we need within the next few days...but he won't be accompanying us on the search for the Shinzaho. He is yielding to his ministers' insistence that he remain in Konan. Somehow, I fear that this may be a tragic mistake. I don't like leaving him behind by himself - and I don't like breaking up our group. But I can hardly compel the emperor to obey me, and this is obviously what Suzaku wanted when he handed down his decision last night. I can only pray that this truly is for the best, and that we don't suffer for it."

Mitsukake shook his head. Hoping to leave these depressing thoughts behind, he changed the subject. "So where have you been all this time? Don't tell me that you've stayed in the woods for all these hours!"

Chichiri nodded. "As a matter of fact, that's exactly where I've been. There was something I needed to do..." He withdrew his hand from his kesa, holding out his palm. In his hand lay a quantity of white stones, each about the size of a fingertip. They were smooth and rounded, and their pristine surfaces caught the light of the moon, glimmering brightly with the same silver luminescence that beamed from the sky. Mitsukake caught his breath at their beauty.

"I've been setting these out in the woods for some time now, placing them in the ground as guidestones to help anyone lost in the woods find their way back to the palace. And just for my amusement, I've been experimenting with placing them in different patterns, trying to arrange them in some meaningful way. But I could never make up my mind as to the best pattern until tonight."

The magician's glance turned inward, growing misty with memory and emotion. "I was meditating on all that had happened in these past days, on how we had all been there for one another...and I realized that we were the guidestones in this time of terrible darkness. All of us, the Suzaku shichiseishi and our miko, were the white stones in the moonlight that brought each other home. We were the white stones that guided each other out of the deepest forest in the night. And that was when I finally hit on the pattern."

Chichiri gently used a fingertip to move the eight stones he held on the flat surface of his palm. He placed one stone near his fingers, then placed two stones slightly behind it to form a triangle. "This is Miaka, flanked by the two men who love her, Tamahome and Tasuki." The magician then placed three stones in a row behind the triangle, forming a yet larger triangle now composed of six stones. "And these are Nuriko, Hotohori, and Chiriko." He finished by placing two stones in a line behind the triangle. "And this is you and me, watching over them all." He smiled up at Mitsukake triumphantly.

Mitsukake stared at the glowing stones in wonder. "It's an arrow..." he breathed. "An arrow pointing the way home. An arrow pointing the way to safety, to warmth... to love."

"Yes..." the magician replied softly. "That's what we are to each other, wouldn't you agree? Guidestones pointing the way to love..."

The two elder seishi stood mesmerized, staring at the white stones in the magician's palm. Mitsukake pictured the glowing arrows set in the path in the woods, dozens of arrows reflecting the moonlight, forever serving as silent, secret memorials of the love of the Suzaku shichiseishi and miko for one another.

They finally roused themselves from their dreamlike state. "So how has he been doing today?" Chichiri asked softly. He didn't need to tell Mitsukake to whom he was referring.

Mitsukake smiled. "He got into three brawls with Tamahome and was punched into a wall twice by Nuriko. He even got me riled up once..." The tall doctor snorted at the memory. "I guess that I was hovering too close, forgetting that he wasn't used to me keeping an eye on him anymore. Anyway, he took me aside and informed me, gently for him, that although he said he didn't like girls, it didn't mean that he liked guys, and would I kindly keep my eyes to myself!"

Chichiri let out a shout of laughter. Mitsukake shook his head. "That little shit!" he growled in affectionate exasperation. "And he knows all about me and Shouka!"

Chichiri gasped with mirth. "That's our Tasuki, no da! Guaranteed to double your blood pressure in twenty words or less!"

Mitsukake sighed. "Yes, I'd almost say that he was back to normal...except for this." He nodded at the figure that wandered along the edge of the ornamental pond that bordered the southeast side of the palace. Every so often, the figure would stoop, pick up a rock and throw it into the water, then stand watching the ripples in the moonlight. "It's never been like him to brood before," the physician observed softly.

The monk turned to stare at the figure, all traces of laughter leaving his face. "His heart desperately seeks what it has lost," he murmured.

Mitsukake suddenly straightened, grasping Chichiri's arm. "His isn't the only one! Look there..." he pointed toward the southeast balcony.

The silhouette of their priestess suddenly appeared on the balcony, her loose, unbound hair blowing gently in the breeze as she approached the rail. She looked out toward the ornamental pond, her face turning toward the figure of her fifth seishi. Suddenly, as if he felt her gaze, Tasuki turned around and stared up at his priestess.

In that moment, the casual postures of their bodies transformed as if under a magical spell. Miaka leaned over the rail, her hair blowing towards Tasuki, as he tilted his chin up to meet her gaze. The muscles of their bodies moved, stretching towards each other with unconscious yearning - a yearning so strong that had they possessed wings, they would have flown into each other's arms. The two elder seishi held their breaths in wonder at the sight, Mitsukake wondering if the strength of the subconscious yearning between the two would be enough to break the forgetfulness spell. But Chichiri saw it differently. "Their minds cannot remember...but their bodies cannot forget," he breathed in awe.

That same spell seemed to take hold in Nuriko, turning him around to meet Hotohori's gaze. They, too, seemed to yearn towards one another, although neither took a single step towards the other.

At that moment, the silhouette of Tamahome appeared on the balcony beside Miaka. She turned towards him and away from her fifth seishi, her body now leaning towards her first love with all the tension and desire that had just been directed elsewhere. Tasuki stood watching the two for a moment longer, then turned back to the pond, picking up yet another stone to throw into the water. As if this broke the spell, Hotohori also turned away from Nuriko, looking in the opposite direction. Nuriko continued slowly on his way back towards his quarters, as Chiriko retreated further into his doorway.

"Do you think that we'll ever have it again? That unity..." Mitsukake's voice was choked with emotion, thick with longing. "That feeling of being one mind...one heart...one soul..."

Chichiri looked up into the tear-filled eyes of the healer. He placed a comforting hand on his arm. "Yes, I do, my friend." He looked down towards the figure at the pond. "In the words of a very wise young man...I do believe, with all my heart and soul, that I will see that love again... If not in this life...then in the next."

The warrior-monk, the magician of Suzaku, lifted the handful of stones to his lips, breathing a spell over them. The white stones instantly crumbled into shards, glinting like diamonds in the moonlight. Murmuring yet another spell, Chichiri flung the shards into the air, a mystical wind catching them up into a swirling, dancing stream. The stream of stones glittered in the moonlight, darting and swirling like a miniature comet, spiraling over the magician and the healer before skimming across the lawn towards the other members of the Suzaku family.

The tiny comet danced and glittered before the eyes of the Suzaku seishi and their miko, filling them with a sense of wonder and enchantment. As the magical shards of the stones passed each person, tiny bits of stardust fell upon them, casting yet another spell. And for a moment...in that moment...they all felt it once more: that unity, that sense of oneness that had so recently cradled them in its embrace. For this one moment, they were once again one heart, one soul. Each member of the Suzaku family gasped as they felt the overwhelming love for each other and from each other, the realization that they would never truly be alone as long as they had one another.

And this one moment, outside of time, would sustain them in the dark days to come. Whatever tragedy, grief or horror awaited them, they would have this one moment to hold in their hearts - to give them strength when they thought all was lost, to keep them fighting when all hope was gone. This one gift, returned to them by the magician of Suzaku, was the gift they could never lose: the gift of one another's love.

Once more basking in this love, the eight faces of the Suzaku shichiseishi and their miko turned to follow the magical dance of the mystical white stones as they swirled higher into the air, the glimmering shards catching and reflecting the moonlight until they finally became lost among the glittering stars of the velvet night.

Fin.

*************************************************************** ***************************

*************************************************************** ***************************

Glossary of Japanese terms:

Sunakake-babaa! - Tamahome's (and Taka's) panicked response to the sight of Taiitsukun's face. Babaa means "old hag" but I can't find a definition for "sunakake" - although the anime says "Lord of Hell" or something meaning "devil". But I have it on authority from my reviewers that it refers to a spirit like the sandman who would toss sand to make people sleep…but it must be one heck of an ugly sandman!

Author's note: (12-15-03) (Roku-chan looks up from behind a big pile of crumpled Kleenex) Okay, I'll admit it - I cried myself sick writing this. I damn near shorted out my keyboard trying to write the Tasuki-Miaka farewell scene - Hell, I re-enacted the opening scene of "Romancing the Stone," where Joan Wilder cries herself silly over the ending of her romance novel - only to discover that she's totally out of Kleenex and toilet paper, too. At least I didn't have to blow my nose on my grocery list - but I did have to keep getting up and running to the next room to get more Kleenex!

If I blind-sided most of you with this ending, I'm sorry for the trauma. But I can only say what I've said from the beginning - this fic plays like some celestial movie that I've tapped into... so the movie plays, and the movie says! I feel that I'm only the humble scribe that brings it to you - I feel totally under the control of this story instead of the other way around. This ending is not the result of any outside pressure - it has existed from the very first chapter. Obviously, the story wanted to circle back to canon - back to the search for the Shinzaho.

First of all, I want to thank each and every one of you, both readers and reviewers, for sticking with me through this long learning process. Yes, this was my first fic - and you can tell if you go back and read my early chapters - there's really been a lot of growth in my writing since then!

I'm going to mention a few of you by name because of your incredible and important influence on me. First of all, I am VERY grateful to Jades for her permission to use the central idea of her story as the launching point for "White Stones" - without her generosity, "White Stones" would either not exist at all, or exist in a far different format. Thank you again, Jades!

Next, I need to thank all of you reviewers who took time out of your busy schedules to drop me an encouraging note: in reverse order (so far) Lina Inverse, Yami Crystalline, Kouran, Lady Yin, and Ina - and very special thanks to Cherry Wolf and Sapphire Star, who reviewed me multiple times. You all have inspired me, so arigatou goziemashita! I'm VERY grateful!

Nowwww... what's next for me and for White Stones? Read on!.

First of all, we're not quite done with White Stones. That's right, I can't quite let go of it yet. I'm posting an epilogue to the series - my own fond farewell to my favorite couple. Then, I'm going to post some author's notes as a last epilogue, to explain my reasoning in creating some of the elements of this story, and how they tie into the canon anime series - Yes, they do! - This is only for those of you who dare to peek into the mind of the author! I warn you - it's dark and squishy in there!

Is there a sequel to White Stones? In a word…Yes. Mostly because I have to save Botswana from Purple Mouse… Just kidding! Seriously, the "movie" of this sequel has been playing in my head longer than White Stones - I first conceived of the sequel's rough plot more than a year ago. The setting of the story will probably have to be designated as AU because although it incorporates the canon anime through OVA 2 (see, there's that word again - canon!) it will not incorporate Eikou Den (OVA 3). I have a problem with the EikouDen storyline, soooo… I'm going to ignore it! La, la, la… When can you expect to begin seeing the first chapters of the sequel? Ummmm, probably not until this fall. I have a grant application to get out, PLUS two other FY fics which are starting up shortly.

Sigh… these author notes are getting toooooo long, so for those of you who are interested, I will go into more detail about these future fics after the White Stones Epilogue.

Oh, and one other thing, just for fun - Chichiri and Mitsukake know the truth about what happened over those mysterious eleven days - but there is also one other person who knows. Can you guess who? The clues are all there!

Ja ne, everybody… and thanks again!

*************************************************************** ***************************

Last, but not least…

To my beloved "Little Tasuki", the newest sparkling star in the night sky,

Know that your aunt believes, with all her heart and soul, that she will hold you in her arms one day… If not in this life…then in the next.

Love forever,

Roku-chan