The White Rose of Chireiden

[Alfred F. Jones]

?And now, according to the tradition of the kasha...? Rin unwound her arm from her mother's and, taking a deep breath, she went down on the floor, bending one knee, kneeling to the sisters. ?I owe you a blood debt. For this, I offer my unconditional servitude for as long as you desire it of me.?

?You-- what?!? Koishi exclaimed.

?It is tradition,? Rin replied. ?I am obligated to offer my life to those who save the life of a parent. Specifically to you, Satori, who rescued my mother from the flames. The usual is twenty-five years of service, but you could ask anything of me and I would give it.?

?M-me?? Satori stammered. ?You? Serving me??

?You can't turn it down,? the kasha girl said with a hint of desperation in her voice. ?I must serve you, or I would disgrace my family.?

?What do you think, Koishi?? Satori asked.

?I say-- let her pay the debt.? Koishi winked at her sister. ?She can be your pet.?

?... pet??

Koishi nodded slowly, Utsuho by her side. ?You've been wanting one for a while, Satori.?

?How did you...? Satori interrupted herself mid-sentence and laughed. ?Oh wow, did I really think about it that much??

Koishi smiled and reached over to play with her sister's hair. ?It's all right. I'm just happy it all turned out well.?

Satori nodded. She turned to Rin and extended her hand. Rin took it and Satori raised her up, a gentle smile on her face. ?In that case, I humbly accept your offer.?

The kasha seemed to understand what this meant, because they all burst into cheers at that moment. Rin's mother approached Satori and though Satori clearly didn't know what she was saying, she could understand the sentiment. The two hugged.

Koishi tugged on Rin's sleeve. ?You really mean that??

?Yes. I have to do this to honor my family.? Rin nodded. ?It might seem like a strange tradition, I realize.?

?No, it's fine.? Koishi was about to finish the conversation when she remembered something. ?Hey, Rin. I never learned what your family name is.?

?Kaenbyou. Rin Kaenbyou.? Rin shook her hand. ?You can call me Orin. It's nice to meet you, Koishi-sama.?

?Oh, don't call us -sama,? Koishi replied. ?Neither of us really like that.?

?All right then, Koishi.? Orin nodded. ?I look forward to serving you two. And I promise,? she added with a wink as Satori and Orin's mother came to hug them, ?that if there's ever a fire where you live, I'll be the first one there to rescue you.?

?Hahaha! Thanks, Orin.? Satori laughed and Orin went over to hug her. Koishi smiled.

Utsuho tapped her shoulder. ?Hey, you don't hate me, do you??

?Eh? Why would you think that, Okuu??

?Because you're replacing me with Orin,? Utsuho replied, a sad frown on her face.

Koishi burst out laughing. ?No, no! I don't hate you! I'm not replacing you with anybody! But Orin is going to live with us now, as Satori's pet! Remember how we came down here to find a pet??

?So it looks like we found one!? Utsuho laughed. ?Maybe it didn't turn out how we expected, but who cares??

Koishi looked down and put her hand in Utsuho's and squeezed it. Utsuho looked startled at first, then smiled at her master and squeezed back.

?I don't have anything to pack,? Orin said to Satori. ?All I've got is my cart. So... I guess I'll just go with you three, I guess.?

?Hm. What do you think, Koi-chan?? Satori asked her sister.

Koishi smiled. ?Sure. Let's go home. Walking together sounds like a good idea.?

?Actually--? Orin picked Satori up by the back of her collar and hoisted her into her wheelbarrow. ?Let's see who the more loyal pet is! Utsuho, you're on!?

Koishi watched Rin bound up the wall of the nearest house in an instant just as she felt Utsuho's strong arms pick her up and toss her onto her back.

?Come on, Koishi, let's get her!? And with that, Utsuho took off, soaring above the rooftops as Orin kept a remarkably fast pace just ahead of them, leaping from building to building.

And the two Komeijis laughed with exhilaration, going back to the Palace of the Earth Spirits with another new member of the family.

Orin had to be hospitalized later for smoke inhalation, but that was another story.

-----

?And I promise...?

Many years later, Orin was sitting in the kitchen of a decent house, talking with her mother as her other siblings drifted in and out of the house on various errands. A loaf of bread was baking in the oven and the house was warm enough that they could wear their preferred clothing without putting on shawls or wraps.

They had been talking about... something. Orin no longer remembered, because at that moment, the resounding crack of stone crumbling reached their ears. Orin and her mother looked at one another, then raced out through the door to their roof, where they had a largely unobstructed view of the ghetto.

There! Off in the distance. With the torche-- what?! Had they come through the wall? Surely not... but there were no tunnels over there! They must have blasted their way in! They were invading Chireiden!

Always quick to action, Orin raced downstairs, yelling for her brothers and sisters. She gathered them around her and her mother. She explained that they did not have much time before they attacked the ghetto. The rest of the city would be fine; the army would surely protect the Palace and the federal district, but the safety of the ghetto could never be guaranteed. That was fine. The ghetto had built a huge system of underground tunnels for this reason. They would be safe there, but they had to get there first.

Orin led her family out of the house, leaving a kiss on the doorframe, because they would probably never see that house again. She had her wheelbarrow, and her other siblings did as well, save the youngest sister. They would have raised the alarm, but the ghetto was so well interconnected that already kasha were pouring out into the streets, all heading to the secret caves.

Orin thought it was remarkable how little panic there was. She guessed it was the result of centuries of oppression. The kasha had been attacked on all fronts by all peoples and they had still managed to survive. Even this, the latest attack, would not stop them from surviving. It was a pretty fatalistic point of view, but it was how they had come to deal with it.

She followed them in to the cave entrance, in the center of the ghetto. It was a bit cramped and there was not much in the way of light, but there were supplies enough that the entire kasha population could last a week-- and they did not expect to be down here long enough for that. There were various auxiliary tunnels; Rin and her family stayed in one of the ones closest to the entrance.

?... that if there's ever a fire where you live...?

Rin kissed her mother and siblings on the cheek and told them she was going back up to offer her evacuation services to any elderly kasha who would need it. Her mother kissed her back and gave her her blessing, and her brothers and sisters kissed her too. Orin told them farewell and headed back up to the surface, telling the black-and-white robed religious leaders who were in charge what she was planning. They gave her leave and gave her the instructions to knock on the door later to get back into the caves. She saluted and dashed off.

The far side of the ghetto was on fire. Again. She was ready to panic until she remembered that there was nobody in there. The evacuation had gone remarkably well. She could not smell any traces of remaining kasha in their buildings. But she needed a better vantage point, so she dashed to the top of the temple and looked out from the highest tower.

What she saw made her jaw drop.

The fire was set on various parts of the city, not just the ghetto. And there was one particular trail of fire that led straight into the Palace of the Earth Spirits. Somehow the invading army had made it past the winding circular walls surrounding the Palace in no time at all! How had this happened...? Unless there was no army at all-- oh no! Wasn't that one of the things she had overheard when she had been in the Palace yesterday? Satori had been sitting at the table with Orin in her arms when some satori nobles had walked by, talking about it. It was notable because satori did not speak aloud; they could communicate with their minds, after all. But what she had heard had made Orin perk her ears up-- what did they mean, that one half of the army had been sent up to the surface to deal with a threat to Chireiden's water supply? That the other half had been sent to deal with the 'crazy flower youkai', and that the city was defenseless?

As she watched, the unthinkable happened: Fire! In the Palace of the Earth Spirits! The fire was breaking out on the lower floors, and helped by what seemed from this distance like more and more torches being thrown at the building. The attack had come so suddenly-- the only reason the kasha had managed to get out in time was because their escape route was so close at hand. But surely the satori had no idea what was going on until it was too late.

Surely Koishi and Satori were stuck in there... and with Utsuho having run away from them for absolutely no reason a few days back, they had no way out of the Palace's upper floors.

?... I'll be the first one there to rescue you.?

Orin checked the sleeves of her dress. She had been lucky enough to have remembered to carry her evil spirit bombs today. And she had her wheelbarrow.

Whispering a quick prayer, she leaped off the roof of the temple and dashed off, leaping from building to building, getting closer and closer. Some soldiers shot arrows up at her or threw rocks, but they did not faze her. An arrow clipped one of her tails, but she kept going. There were people to rescue in the Palace of the Earth Spirits, and she could not waste any time--

?Satori, Koishi, it's time to fulfill my promise. I'm coming for you!?

-----

[Alfred F. Jones]

The look on Sumire's face was one of pure shock.

?Re-- Utsuho? Prisoner?? Sumire pointed at the yatagarasu, who stood at Shinki's height, head bowed in submission.

Shinki nodded. ?Or head maid. Whichever you prefer.? She shrugged. ?As I said before, I am not interested in killing her. But neither does she get a choice in this matter.?

?W-what? Why??

?Because she asked me to.?

Utsuho glanced at Sumire and nodded to her, confirming the story. Sumire took a deep breath and nodded. ?I shall present your ultimatum to Eiki-sama.?

Utsuho followed Sumire with her eyes. Eiki did not look like she was in any condition to hear this. Her eyes were still red with tears and Komachi had to support her to keep her standing upright. She regretted having to burden the shinigami with yet more trouble, but she had no choice.

She could tell when Sumire told Eiki. The expression of pain on Eiki's face was unmistakable. Komachi held her up, saying things to her. Utsuho concentrated to hear.

?Eiki, pull yourself together. Please, just hold on long enough to sign the agreement, and then we can go someplace quiet and talk about it. Please, just hold on.?

Utsuho looked at the ground. She did not regret having gone to Eiki for help before Chireiden had been attacked, but if it had managed to destroy her so thoroughly... if only there had been a better way. But sometimes, there was no better way.

Eiki began to stagger towards Shinki. She looked... hollow was a good way of putting it. Utsuho had admired her earlier, for her confident stride and unfailing self-assurance, but something had happened to Eiki to make it look like she had been broken in half.

Still, with Komachi by her side, she could at least stand. ?Shinki,? she greeted her. Utsuho winced. Even her voice sounded empty. She seemed so tired, so exhausted.

?Eiki, I agree to your terms, on the condition that Reiuzi Utsuho is delivered into my custody.?

?Wh-- what?? Eiki asked. It was almost painful to hear her 'asking', like a child, with none of the authority of her position, not even a fraction of her earlier confidence.

?In my defense, she asked,? Shinki replied. ?She asked to take the punishment, so I have accepted her generous offer: take her as prisoner, and I shall sign your agreement and leave Chireiden in peace.?

?What...? Eiki looked like she was going to break down again. Komachi turned to her and without a moment's hesitation dragged her away.

Sumire glanced at them and turned to Shinki. ?We shall get a reply from our general, please wait a moment--? Then she followed them.

Some hasty deliberation. Eiki was starting to turn hysterical. Komachi pulled her up by her shirt collar and made her stand up straight while Sumire spoke to her. As Komachi rubbed her back, Eiki began to straighten on her own. It wasn't much, but it would be enough to tell Shinki what she wanted to know.

Shinki did not show any sign of impatience or weakness. She was still carrying Yumeko in her arms. Utsuho and Orin were speaking to one another. Yuugi and Parsee were also having a quiet conversation.

Then Sumire and Komachi returned, flanking their exhausted shinigami general.

?Sumire,? she said quietly, and Sumire left her side to present the final treaty's scroll, displaying the recently-added final provision, concerning the yatagarasu's captivity.

?That agreement says that Utsuho will go with you as your recompense for losses incurred during the war. However, she must sign her name to it to prove that her captivity is willing. Is that fair to you??

Utsuho knew enough to realize that this was a trap for Shinki. If Shinki was forcing her into being her prisoner, it would be found out here. She would have expected this from Eiki, but given her current emotional state, she thought the idea was more likely to have come from Sumire.

Unfortunately, Shinki wasn't forcing her to be her prisoner, so this last-ditch effort to save her would be for nothing.

Shinki smiled at Eiki, but it wasn't a very warm smile. ?I accept this agreement.? She turned to Utsuho. ?Well then, sign it if you want.?

It was a test for her as well. Utsuho could not afford to show any weakness right now, and especially not in front of such an intimidating person as Shinki. And Shinki wanted to see how much she believed what she said.

She knew she could not show any hesitation, but even then, as she walked towards Sumire, she paused and took a step back. What did this sacrifice mean? Sure, it was heroic, and that appealed to her, but... she would no longer be able to see them again.

She looked over at Orin and Satori. She felt some lingering resentment towards both Satori and Koishi-- Satori because of what she had said to her sister and Utsuho's master, Koishi because of what she had done to Yumeko. Really, wasn't Koishi the one who should really be taking this punishment? Utsuho had done nothing wrong, but it was her who was taking the burden. Was it all right, for her to do this? Wasn't it a better idea for Koishi to take it--

But then she remembered how Koishi had reached out for her hand, that time, long ago. When all her family had died and she had had no one to care for her. When she had been lower than an outcast amongst the Yatagarasu, someone had had compassion for her...

She recalled how Orin had given her service to Satori for saving her mother's life, how she had devoted herself to the satori girl's well-being for the selfless act she had shown in turn. Well, Utsuho was not without her honor, either. Koishi had saved her life twice that time: First when she prevented her death in taking her from the rest of the Yatagarasu, and the second when she gave her a new life, serving someone she was grateful to. As she saw it, Utsuho had returned that favor once so far: when she saved Koishi from falling to her death from the burning Palace of the Earth Spirits. She still had yet to make the scales even, though...

And with this, Utsuho would finally be able to pay her life debt to Koishi Komeiji.

She knew the look on Orin and Satori's faces. They wanted to rush over to her and try to talk her out of it. Utsuho wasn't terribly bright, but in her favor, she knew she wasn't. If she gave Orin and Satori a chance to convince her to stay, they would succeed. They would poke holes in her logic, they would persuade her to not follow her sense of honor and instead go for self-preservation.

So she could not risk it. She flashed them a smile, turned to Sumire, accepted the pen, and before Orin or Satori could object, she signed her name and station: Utsuho Reiuzi, hellcrow of Chireiden.

[Alfred F. Jones]

Utsuho noticed the faint look of envy on Sumire's face. She considered that she had one more thing to be grateful to Koishi for: she had let her sit in on her lessons, and Utsuho had learned to read from the best satori tutors the underground had to offer. Her life with Koishi had been nothing short of wonderful, come to think of it...

Yes, that same life with Koishi that she had just signed away.

But she had signed her name. She could not take it back. She had to live with the consequences now. So she spun on her heel and walked back to look Shinki-- her new master-- in the eye.

Shinki did not flinch. If she knew what thoughts Utsuho had just had going through her head, she did not give a hint of it. She looked at Utsuho, all business. ?Would you carry her, please??

It was a request, though soon, Shinki would not have to ask her 'please' anymore. But it had been her choice, and she had just finished signing away her freedom to have any authority in her own life. Utsuho looked down, then nodded.

Shinki handed her Yumeko's limp body and took the pen that Sumire offered her to sign it with. It was the same one Utsuho had just used to sell her freedom.

She took a deep breath.

?And with this, my involvement in Chireiden comes to an end...?

Utsuho closed her eyes, watching Shinki's pen move across the paper.

?For now, anyway.?

She signed it with a flourish. Sumire nodded and closed the final scroll, a bit too hastily by Utsuho's standards, and walked over to her general's side.

Shinki looked at Eiki with a sinister grin. ?So, did you get what you wanted??

Eiki looked like she was about to burst into tears again. Komachi held her up and glared up at Shinki. ?Just get out of here,? she snapped.

Shinki laughed again, but there was no joy in it, none whatsoever. ?Of course, of course.?

She turned to Yuki, who had stood by Shinki's side, all but unnoticed by everyone up to this point. ?I trust you can bring back the prisoners. Go get Mai if you want.?

Yuki nodded. ?Which way??

Sumire seemed hesitant to leave Eiki's side, but she did her duty. ?Over this way,? she said, guiding Yuki to the Higan side of the Hell of Blazing Fires.

Shinki approached Utsuho and took Yumeko's body back into her arms again. For a moment, Utsuho saw a hint of compassion on her face when she looked at her maid, but when she looked back up at her and spoke, it was gone. ?Feel free to say good bye to them,? she said, nodding to the tattered remains of the Komeiji household. ?But when we get going, I expect to have you in chains.?

Utsuho was taken aback. She was only now starting to understand what giving herself up into captivity meant-- and she was beginning to think that it wouldn't be as heroic as she had portrayed it in her mind. But she had signed her name to it, and the contract was binding.

She had no choice but to say goodbye.

?Satori, Orin--? She wanted to say something else, but there was a sudden heat in her throat, as if someone had lit a match on the inside. It was like her throat was closing and burning at the same time.

?Oh, Okuu--? Orin was faster than Satori. She reached Utsuho first and threw her arms around her, as if she'd never let her go. Satori hung behind, not wanting to interrupt the two.

?Orin,? Utsuho chuckled, hugging her back. ?I'm really going to miss you.?

?Okuu, don't leave,? the kasha begged, shaking her head, her loosened red hair tickling Utsuho's neck. ?Satori-sama needs both of us... please, don't go.?

?I have to go.? Utsuho smiled, hoping that it didn't look as artificial as it felt. ?Satori is your master, Rin. Koishi is mine. You and I would both give up our lives for them.?

?Yes, but you're not dying,? Orin objected, already starting to cry. ?You're going to go live with that devil woman and she's going to hurt you and she doesn't care about you...? Tears began flowing down her cheeks and Rin's voice started to get more and more indistinct as she sobbed, falling back into her native language. ?Ok-- Okuu, Shinki's a reekeh, a gilgl in gantsn!?

Utsuho glanced up at Shinki to see if she understood that. Shinki was looking away.

?Rin, it's all right.? She put her hand under Orin's chin and forced her head up to look at her. ?I'll be fine, I promise.?

Orin held Utsuho's gaze for a few seconds before she began to cry again. She buried her face in Utsuho's chest, shaking her head, letting her tears moisten the hellcrow's burnt white shirt. ?Okuu, loz mikh nisht alayn! Please don't leave me!?

?I have to,? Utsuho said, her voice breaking. She had to stay strong; she didn't want to cry while Shinki was here.

?Rin, listen to me,? she said, placing her hands on Orin's shoulders. She pushed her away from her and forced her to look into her eyes again. Orin was not that much shorter than Utsuho, but she wasn't as strongly built, either. Her tattered green dress was hanging off of her frame now, and she looked smaller than ever.

Utsuho took a deep breath. ?Rin, look at me,? she ordered. Orin stopped trying to look away. ?I'm going to be gone for a while. I need you to take care of Satori-sama and Koishi-sama for me.?

?Bu-- no, Okuu! No!? Orin tried to shout back, but her tears were coming too fast for her now. Utsuho felt a burning in her throat and eyes. She wanted to cry, too. But she had to be strong.

?Listen to me, Rin. I need you to protect Satori and Koishi while I'm away. If you want to do anything good for me, Rin, I need you to do this. I won't be able to look after them from where I'm going. If I know that you're protecting them, then I know I'll be all right.?

Orin shook her head in disbelief. ?I ca-- can't do that, Okuu, not without you... please.?

?I've done my best to protect you all,? Utsuho continued, smiling at Orin. ?Now I need you to take my place. Can you do that for me, Rin Kaenbyou??

The kasha girl looked like she was going to break in two any moment. But she swallowed and nodded, tears still coming down her cheeks and sorrow still in her eyes, but now with a new duty and a determination to match. ?Y-- yes. I will protect Satori-sama and Koishi-sama... in your place and mine, Utsuho Reiuzi.?

Utsuho felt tears spring to her own eyes, but they did not fall. ?Thank you.?

[Alfred F. Jones]

Satori followed after. Shinki was still standing near Utsuho, and her eyes followed Satori. Satori looked up at Shinki. Utsuho thought it was remarkable how much presence Satori had, when she was so much smaller than Shinki in every way. She was skinny, short, and looked unintimidating apart from the noble Third Eye over her heart. Shinki radiated power in every way, but Utsuho saw that in reality, they were not so far apart; both of them were dead set in their convictions that what they were doing was right.

?You're a queen already, Satori,? she thought.

Satori's Third Eye turned to look at Utsuho when she said that, and soon her other two eyes followed. She broke eye contact with Shinki, who walked off to the Makai side of the Hell of Blazing Fires. Was it to give her privacy? Utsuho doubted it. But she didn't object to Satori rushing to her side, so she accepted it.

?Utsuho!? she cried, joining Orin in hugging the hellcrow.

?Satori-sama,? Utsuho began, and then the strangest thing happened: She began to cry. She had thought she was strong enough to hold them back, so she was more surprised than anyone when she felt tears running down her cheeks.

?Why are you going? WHY?? Satori begged, her eyes looking up at Utsuho, asking her how she could do this. Even her Third Eye was looking up at her, with something akin to pity in its expression.

?You heard why,? Utsuho replied, struggling to keep her voice level even through her tears. ?I... I love Koishi. She saved me from my old life and gave me a new one. I-- I have to do something to return that.?

?Ah...? Satori winced upon hearing her sister's name. Utsuho thought it must be painful to hear how someone else loved Koishi more than her sister did.

?You're absolutely right, Utsuho,? the pink-haired satori replied. Utsuho looked down at her. She was surprised to see a glistening in Satori's eyes-- she was also trying to keep back tears. ?I... I can't forgive Koishi for doing... what she did.?

?Sa-- Satori, I don't wan... want my last memory of you to be how mu-- much you hate Koishi-sama,? Utsuho sputtered, ignoring her own tears. ?Please... if you see her again...?

?I... I'll try,? Satori said, wiping her face with her dirty white sleeve. ?Th-- thank you, Okuu. Thank you for sa-- saving her when I couldn't...?

Utsuho smiled and put her hand on Satori's head. She was a bit more than a head taller than Satori, so she was tall enough to ruffle her hair one last time.

?Oh, UTSUHO!? Satori broke down entirely, hugging Utsuho with all the strength her small frame could possibly contain.

Utsuho hugged her back, wrapping her arms around both Orin and Satori and holding them close to her. ?I love you two... so much,? she forced out through her burning throat, torn inside between never wanting this moment to end, and hating the idea that she might never see them again.

They held their hug for a while. Utsuho felt the warmth and love of the two youkai girls she had grown up with, savoring the moment as best she could, tucking it away into her heart for later.

They were only interrupted when Yuugi's booming voice reached their ears. ?Yamame! Go to the Bism Caves and bring back all the youkai that ran out that way! Parsee, manage the bridges, we're gonna have a lot of people comin' back over 'em real soon! Kisume, get up there and tell me how things are going! One fireball if it's goin' smooth, two if it's a riot, three when you see Makai packing up and going!?

?Ah,? Satori began. Utsuho had been brought back to reality as well and released her fierce hug around her master and her kasha friend. ?They're bringing all the people back...?

?And you should be involved, Satori-sama,? Utsuho said with a smile. Her tears were drying up on their own now, but she wiped the remaining ones away with her arm. ?You're the queen, after all.?

?Ah, that's right... I am,? Satori nodded. ?I should go... and start supervising or something...?

?And I should go to the ghetto,? Orin said, releasing Utsuho from her hug as well. ?All the kasha are in the tunnels under the ground... someone has to tell them that it's safe to come out.?

?And I should go find Koishi,? Utsuho continued. ?I want to see her before I leave.?

?You're not leaving yet, are you?? Satori cried.

?I don't think so,? the hellcrow replied, looking over at the Makai army. ?Not immediately. It'll take an hour at least to move all those demons up to the surface if they hurry. I've got a bit of time.?

?If you see Koishi... tell her to come back,? Satori asked. ?I want to talk to her again.?

Utsuho paused, realizing what this meant, and smiled. ?Thank you, Satori-sama. I'll do that.?

They all had tasks to do, but none of them turned away to do them. Satori, Utsuho, and Orin stood there in stasis, not wanting to turn away, because if they blinked, Utsuho would be gone.

?We will see each other again before I leave,? the hellcrow said, a hint of her earlier determination in her voice. ?I promise.?

Satori and Orin looked at each other. Satori nodded. Orin bowed. ?We will see you again,? the kasha replied. ?We promise.?

With that vow ringing in her ears, Utsuho closed her eyes, bowed in return, and turned away, kicked off from the ground, and leaped into the air, spreading her wings and soaring off over the remains of the city, looking for her master.


Whee, long update. Also, I have my profile set to see 50 posts per page, and the default is 30... As I see it, I've just moved into the fourth page of this thread, but I guess to everyone else, it now looks like six pages. Awesome.

As always, reviews, constructive criticism, offers to bear my children, murder threats, etc., are encouraged. I always like to know what I'm doing wrong and what I'm doing write right.

[Dizzy H. "Muffin" Muffin]

Dang, that was emotionally charged.

I'm trying not to think "But if Utsuho goes to Makai, it'll create a time paradox!" ...

Ah well, I can't wait to see the look on Shinki's face, so to speak, when she finds out Alice's reaction to "Sure, I practically committed genocide, and the satori species is probably going to go extinct because there's only two left and they're both female, but I did it all for you!"

[Serp]

Whew.  You sure know how to get the feel of a scene right.

[Chaore]

I laughed at all the silly foreshadowing there was in the fire scene. Am I terrible person? >:

Also, Seconding Moofin. In fact, if there is one scene I'd request you draw from the story, it'd probably be that one.

[FinnKaenbyou]

Utsuho is the manliest character in this whole story.

If she turns evil under Shinki's orders, I will be very sad. :<

And we've seen very little of Koishi outside of flashbacks, haven't we?

[IcedFairy]

Ah well, I can't wait to see the look on Shinki's face, so to speak, when she finds out Alice's reaction to "Sure, I practically committed genocide, and the satori species is probably going to go extinct because there's only two left and they're both female, but I did it all for you!"

Yeah I'm looking forward to that with a very dark and vindictive sense of humor.

[Silent Harmony]

Dammit Ruro! I'm not an emotional guy, but you had me this close to tears during those goodbyes.

[Kasu]

If she turns evil under Shinki's orders, I will be very sad. :<

Now that I think about it, she doesn't have her control rod yet...

Anyway, epic update was epic.

[Dizzy H. "Muffin" Muffin]

Oh yeah, I meant to mention: Satori really shouldn't be so surprised that Koishi read her mind. As for "thought of it that often," all it takes is once, really.

[Gpop]

Damn it's another long update >.<

Not that it's a bad thing >.> compared to my crap fic ;_;

Anyways, damn Ruro I want your babies.

[Esifex]

And so, things start coming to a head. Will Yumemi and Chiyuri be able to break Reimu and Utsuho out of Makai? Will a time paradox occur that will somehow wipe out all of Touhou's existence because of their inability?
Will I get shot for poking holes and making fun of foreshadowing devices?
Find out next time, on White Rose of Chireiden! Or, Satori Eye Z!

* Esifex is shot, multiple times.

[An Odd Sea Slug]

* Odda C. blows away the smoke from his gun.

This fic is giving me Parsee vibes, and making me wanna see what happens next. <_>

And the goodbye scene... Oh... Oh my god... *runs for kleenex...*

EDIT: Speaking of that scene, this song started playing in my head during it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ng_aGXlrQ8c

[Dorian White]

I'm curious how much influence Shinki will have over Utsuho.

Ah well, I can't wait to see the look on Shinki's face, so to speak, when she finds out Alice's reaction to "Sure, I practically committed genocide, and the satori species is probably going to go extinct because there's only two left and they're both female, but I did it all for you!"

Oh oh oh, oh that will be expensive.

[Serp]

I'm curious how much influence Shinki will have over Utsuho.

I have my theories.



Edit:  Hm, Utsuho as Santa Claus hasn't occured to me before now for some reason.

[Alfred F. Jones]

Update is a day late, sorry. I got sick yesterday. Feeling better now. It pleases me that Rou caught that Koishi hasn't actually shown up in a long while; let's fix that!

Also, the first part of this is the main reason why they shouldn't let biology students like me write fantasy-genre fiction.

-----

Satori as a race were cursed with curious hindrances to propagating their species, among them: Just over ten percent of the satori race was male. There was no real stigmatization against males, it was simply that Y chromosomes were rare in the satori gene pool, even within males themselves. Another: In the entire satori population of Chireiden and the Ancient City combined, a fourth of them were sterile. No one quite understood why this was possible; maybe a lack of sun exposure had something to do with it. But none of the other underground-dwelling youkai suffered from sterility at such high percentages.

Furthermore: the Third Eye's development not only stunted but replaced the pituitary gland entirely, cutting off hormone-driven growth processes early. It was the reason why Third Eye-bearing satori were so small compared to their non Third Eye-bearing brethren; and in the females, the reason they were so flat-chested. In both genders, though, it had yet another nasty setback: no hormones meant an absent sex drive. The end result was that satori were physically capable of intercourse, but they had no motivation to do so.

With all these odds against them, it was a miracle that there was a satori population at all. They could only perpetuate their numbers because of the non Third Eye-bearing satori-- satori whose Third Eyes had never made it to full development. It happened naturally at around age ten or so for the kids; around half of them would develop their Third Eyes in full, half would not.

Some outsiders were confused at this, and put forth the idea that satori were made, not born; it was half true. All satori were born with a rudimentary Third Eye, which looked like a shriveled grape at birth, with withered cords tying into the brain, the base of the skull, the right wrist, the heart, the stomach, and so on. But not all of them made it; at age ten, by seemingly pure chance, the Third Eye of any given satori teenager would just... fall off. There was no shame in it amongst the satori; in a way, they were the lucky ones. Without a Third Eye-- or a Terza Occhia, as it was called-- they could live their lives as normal youkai, even though they still all lived on the fifth floor of the Palace of the Earth Spirits. They were accepted in both underground and satori society, whereas satori with fully developed Third Eyes still had a bad reputation around the Ancient City.

In any case, their existence was the only reason the satori population could maintain its numbers. And even then, a satori maiden could only bear one child every five years. In this, Koishi and Satori were anomalies, being only three years apart and born from the same mother. However, it took so long to work up the desire to have children that at any given point in time, there were only a handful of young satori living in all of the subterranean realms.

In their youth, Satori and Koishi were the only children in the entire Palace of the Earth Spirits.

They had a caring if constantly busy father, and of the two sisters, only Satori remembered her mother at all. She had died giving birth to Koishi, so Koishi could not remember her. Satori had only the vaguest recollections of a pink-haired woman with a tender, fragile air about her. Satori did not resent her sister, nor did her father. These things happened.

Left to their own devices for the most part, the sisters grew up together more intimately than even normal siblings did. All the older satori thought that they were twins at first; they were three years apart, but there was an uncanny resemblance between them. Both had pink hair, both had the same build and same sense of humour. And the both of them liked to scurry around the Palazzo playing with one another, especially hide-and-seek.

It was an excellent kind of game to play when you lived in a place like the Palace of the Earth Spirits, with its ten floors, dozens of corridors, dungeons, a roof, and infinitely many little nooks and crannies perfect for a tiny girl to hide in. This might have seemed like an unfair challenge for the seeker, but being satori, they could both detect the other's presence on the same floor. For the Komeiji sisters, hide-and-seek was not so much a game where the aim was to find the best hiding place, it was a test where the aim was to quiet the mind enough that thoughts and desires were kept silent and conscious activity was kept to a bare minimum.

Koishi was much better at this than her sister. The younger satori would find some place in the Palace inside a cupboard or beneath a desk and hide there, then focus her mind on nothing and hold it there for hours and hours. It was easier for her to still her thoughts and maintain a quiet mind than her sister, although she could still mess up if she was reminded beforehand of how much she loved cute fuzzy things or of today's self-defense, language, or art lesson. Satori quickly figured out how to distract her sister, but Koishi adapted, reducing her mental activity to its lowest functions, pondering her own thoughts within a sphere of five meters or so, and still being able to sound out her sister's presence. It was a competition of skill with the Third Eye as much as the mind-- and in this, Koishi far outclassed her sister.

She knew how to remain unseen on all levels when she did not wish to be seen, almost to the point of disappearing entirely-- but not quite. Part of the fun was in leaking her presence, after all. She would let a thought slip through her mental barriers, and Satori would pick up on it, throw open the cupboard door, and say, ?Encontrare, sorella bella,? with a smile.

But this wasn't a game, and this time, she did not want to be found.

Koishi took in a sharp breath.

The last few minutes had passed in a blur. She was standing on the edge of the Hell of Blazing Fires, with no idea how she had gotten there or where she had come from. Her Third Eye wasn't burning anymore, but it did feel a bit numb. She looked around. The crowd of returning refugees she had run through was far behind. She looked down at herself. Her tattered, dirty, burnt white yukata did not offer any clues. She had gotten here somehow, but her mind was not offering any details. It was like she had come to the edge on pure impulse, without even thinking about it...

She took a moment to get her bearings. She was sitting now on the edge on the Makai army side; this was good, as she could not risk being recognized by someone on the Higan side. She looked down and saw the pink-haired form of her sister, and she did not want her sister to see her in turn. She did not want to talk to her or see her face up close. So she did not let any of her thoughts leak. She kept them all inside so that Satori could not hear them.

It was curious, though, how no one else seemed to be able to see or hear her, either. Koishi was forced to go a bit over the edge and sit on a rock outcropping just above the lava because too many demons going to the Makai side were tripping over her. She wasn't that tiny, so there was no reason for so many of them falling over her.

The bubbling, hissing red liquid sloshed on the rock she was sitting on, but she did not feel the least bit afraid. She did not feel much of anything. Except a lingering resentment towards Satori, and even that was dulling.

Then she saw Shinki emerge from the Makai side of the tent, the black-white witch from earlier by her side, and she felt a jolt of fear dance like static electricity up her spine. She got up and hid behind a large rock, watching Shinki. The goddess did not notice her-- or if she did, she did not recognize who it was-- and walked on, right past Koishi's hidden location, to the center where Eiki Shiki and her deputies were waiting for her. And with them were Satori, Orin, Okuu, and the Chireiden Resistance people that had helped her out earlier.

[Alfred F. Jones]

?Hey. You're in my way.?

Koishi ignored it at first. For some reason, maybe the lighting, Makai demons could not see her, so it was not directed at he--

?You. In the white yukata. If you can call it a white yukata anymore.?

Koishi froze.

?Excuse me? Hello? Lu-chan, do you mind waking her up? I think she might be sleeping.?

?I'm not sleeping.? The sound of her own voice startled her. It was so much less cheerful than it had been before.

The satori girl turned to face the owner of that little-kid voice, only to find that the bearer was indeed a young girl. She was short, a bit shorter than Koishi herself, and had short blonde hair with a blue ribbon through it. She was accompanied by another blonde, a smiling woman in a white summer dress--

Alarm klaxons sounded in her head as she saw the woman. This was the one that Orin had blown to pieces an hour ago when she had been carting Koishi up the wall of the Palace of the Spirits. Koishi's fingers twitched at her waist, and she cursed the lack of a weapon there for self-defense-- she could have really used a rapier right then. The thought of Parsee's globe of green light occurred to her, but she did not know how to use that 'danmaku' thing. She was helpless.

The motion of Koishi's fingers was not lost on the little girl. She frowned. ?We're not going to attack you.?

?You don't have to,? Koishi replied in a low voice. ?She already did.?

?Lu-chan?? the girl asked. ?What is it??

?She's a satori,? the woman identified, opening her perpetually closed eyes to look at Koishi's own. ?Your mother came down here to kill them all, Alice.?

?Why?? Alice asked as Koishi shuddered and backed up against the rock. She had nowhere to run. She had nothing to defend herself with. Where could she run or hide?

?For the glory of the empire,? her companion stated. But Koishi could tell that she did not believe it. How could she tell, though? Koishi could not readily identify what it was about her words that told her they were falsehood-- it was an undercurrent, a subtle tone of disgust.

?Bah. What does this girl have to do with that?? Alice looked up at Koishi. ?What's your name??

Koishi hesitated. Was it a good idea to give her name away to this person? Who was she? What on earth was a little girl doing with the armies of Makai, anyway? Was she a weapon for Shinki? A servant? Why would Shinki want such a child for her servant, though?

Did she have anything to lose by answering?

?Koishi,? she responded on impulse. ?Una Satori del Palazzo degli Spiriti della Terra.?

Responding in the language of the satori was probably the best thing she could have done. Alice was surprised at first-- then she smiled. ?Oh my, was that a spell? It wasn't a very good one, it must have failed.?

?Non ? un incantesimo. Si tratta di una lingua.? Koishi began to relax a bit. ?La lingua dei Satori. The language of the satori race.?

?It's... lovely,? Alice replied.

Koishi was taken aback. No one in Chireiden dared call the language of the satori beautiful. Those who bore the Third Eye on their chests were feared, not admired. The odd dialect of the yatagarasu they tolerated, and the language of the kasha they scorned, but the language of the satori was never mentioned. It was rare to hear it in the first place, given that satori communicated with their Terza Occhia, but when you did hear it, it was because a satori was angry, angry enough to want to express it verbally. It was not so much a language amongst the people of the Ancient City as it was a whip to be feared.

But this girl did not know the history behind it. She didn't care to know the nuances of the relationship between the satori and the rest of the underground youkai. She just heard strange words and thought them to be beautiful-- an opinion that Koishi had always held, and it was a relief to hear that someone outside the satori race shared it, too, even in a situation like this.

?What's the point in killing her?? Alice asked her companion.

?There is none,? the woman answered-- again surprising Koishi. ?It's just to satisfy a thirst for blood and a ridiculous conqueror's ethic.?

?I see.? Alice seemed to be taking it under serious consideration. Was she really human? No, she had to be a youkai-- and as such, she had to be far older than she looked.

?There's no point in telling Mother about her, is there?? Alice asked.

Koishi was struck by a sudden thought. There was only one reason for Alice to talk about her mother down here. And the thought ?mother? in Alice's mind came up with the image of a white-haired goddess--

Oh no... this is Shinki's daughter.

But the woman shook her head, again mystifying Koishi. ?None at all. You told me yourself earlier that there's no point to killing anyone else. The war is over.?

?Good.? Alice nodded to her friend and looked at Koishi. ?I'm Alice, daughter of the empress Shinki, ruler of Makai.? She extended her hand. ?And you are??

?That is... quite an introduction,? Koishi replied, releasing a breath she didn't even know she had been holding in. She extended her hand to the friendly girl. ?I'm Koishi, a satori of Chireiden.?

She didn't know if it was a good idea to tell Alice her last name just yet-- and Alice reminding her of official rankings reminded her that she was technically still a princess of Chireiden, and of the order of succession. With the death of the rest of the satori race apart from her, the throne of the Palace of the Earth Spirits went to Satori, her older sister.

Of course-- she glanced over at the charred remains of the Palace-- it wasn't as if that meant much now. So maybe she really was a free citizen now. No use in keeping that blasted last name, then.

?Oh, you don't have family names down here, either?? Alice asked.

?Hm?? Koishi asked.

?In Makai, we don't keep family names,? Alice explained. ?Gensokyo does, though. I guess Chireiden doesn't have family names, either.?

?Uh, not quite.? Koishi cleared her throat. ?I just don't like my last name very much.?

?Ah, I see.? Alice seemed to accept her reason. She turned to her friend. ?And this is Luize, one of my mother's servants.?

?Luize,? Koishi repeated as the blonde woman looked at her. She could still hear Luize's thoughts, though for some reason her Third Eye's ability seemed... muffled, somehow. She heard the telltale shock of recognition; Luize matched up the vision of the girl in front of her and the girl riding in Orin's cart earlier. But she did not show any visible signs of it.

[Alfred F. Jones]

?Anyway, Koishi. I want to borrow your rock.?

?My what??

Alice pointed. Koishi was suddenly aware of the large rock she had her back to. ?Oh. Sure.?

?Lu-chan, could you give me a hand?? Alice asked. Luize nodded dutifully and boosted Alice's small frame up onto the rock. She scrambled on top, and took her seat looking over the Hell of Blazing Fires, watching the peace conference from afar.

Koishi wanted to climb up on top to look, too, but she could not decide who she was more scared to have see her: Shinki or Satori. She noticed Luize watching her from the side. Koishi did not move at first, but her Third Eye rolled in its socket, followed by her own blue-eyed gaze.

?I am sorry about earlier,? Luize said. ?I was following orders. Part of being in a group is that sometimes you don't get to do what you want, after all.?

The satori girl nodded. ?I understand.? And she did; she was a daughter of nobles, after all. Though... it was starting to sink in, now, how little that meant. The life she had always known was left a smoldering ruin; she had been prepared her entire life for a future that no longer existed. All those language, statecraft, combat, science lessons she had had for years from the palace tutors-- was there a point to them anymore? Was there a point to anything anymore?

Everyone who had wanted to see her succeed was dead. Or in her sister's case: dead to her. It was like that fire had burned apart the ties that kept Koishi's future in place, and now she had nothing to do, no place to go. When Alice and Luize and Shinki left, where would Koishi go back to? Home? She had no home anymore. She had lost everything in that fire. Her books, her clothes, her prized possessions-- her aunts and uncles, her cousins, her father--

And she no longer had a sister who would accept her as family anymore.

She was... all alone.

That word and its concept was new to her. Sure, she had always been one of the only young satori in the Palace of the Earth Spirits when she'd been growing up, but she had always, always had Satori with her. Even in the echoing, lonely halls of the Palace, she had always had her smiling, loving sister by her side.

Now she was utterly on her own. And the thought made her feel as if she'd lost a vital part of herself-- like an arm had just been cut off. Could she live without her sister? Would she?

Did she have any choice in the matter?

Where would she go? What would she do? Could she go back to Satori and beg forgiveness?What could she devote her life to doing now, why would she do it, what reason was there for her to keep going, how could she make a decision like that so suddenly--

Was it better, then, for someone who had been scorned by the nation, family, sister she had once loved to just go off and die so that she would not bother them anymore?

?Koishi.?

The satori blinked, realizing that her name had been called. She looked up to see Alice looking over her shoulder, back down at her.

?Come on up if you like.?

Koishi did not know what she wanted for the rest of her life-- but her reflex conditions took over at this point. Almost on pure impulse, she obeyed Alice and hopped up on one leg, onto the rock. Alice smiled; some part of Koishi wondered why. She was probably just enjoying her quick response.

Alice, despite whatever age she really was, was still very short. So the satori girl looked out over Alice's head, observing her sister from afar. That blonde maid-- what was her name, again?-- was in Shinki's arms, and Shinki was yelling... something, she couldn't tell what.

She could not hear anything from all the way up here, at least not with her ears. She judged the distance between them; she didn't think her Terza Occhia would have much of an effect. It would be difficult to pick up on any thoughts from this distance.

Unthinkingly, Koishi ran her finger along the lid of her closed Third Eye, and the feeling did not get through to her, her memory did not register it, and she forgot about it in the very next second.

Koishi was still watching the action down below-- while she had been spacing out, the Higan tent had fallen, and a few powerful thoughts struck the haze of numbness she had been trapped in since she had fled her sister. It was from Eiki, the shinigami of Higan. Her pride had finally managed to destroy her. Her actions had been exposed; what she had done was righteous, but it had been for all the wrong reasons. She had thought herself higher than the Yama, and she had been proven wrong. She had tried to fulfill her ambitions and save the people of Chireiden, but it was because she had wanted to add to her own glory. And now she was breaking apart.

The satori girl watched, seeing through Eiki's thoughts in the space of a few moments, but not letting them have any impact on her. Inside, some part of her was confused. Why wasn't she feeling bad? Why could she not remember feelings, emotions? Why did it seem that she was like a rock at the bottom  of a fast-moving stream, and everything flowed over her, but she never partook in it?

Why did she feel so separate from everything else?

Koishi's touch lingered on her Third Eye again, but this time it registered, if only a little. She looked down, and was mildly surprised at not seeing her Third Eye gaze back.

?Oh. It must have closed or something.?

She paused. The confused part of her was demanding to know how or why this had happened, but it was getting weaker every moment, being replaced by a curious emptiness, a haze that muffled her own thoughts, served as a sort of insulation from the emotions that had hurt Koishi earlier.

?There's nothing great about being able to hear people's thoughts.?

Because she had developed her Third Eye, she had been able to grow up with Satori in the Palace-- and what had that gotten her? Rejected, scorned by the person she loved most. Because she had developed her Third Eye, she had been able to take Utsuho home-- and yet Utsuho had turned against her, trying to defend that blonde maid from her when she had wanted to take revenge for her family. Because she had developed her Third Eye, she had saved Orin from the fire long ago-- and yet Orin had not tried to defend her, and had sided with her sister.

If no one here wanted her, then she would have to--

The haze in her mind had thickened. Joy, hope, faith, love-- they had only hurt her in the end. She sealed them away. She didn't need them if all they were going to do was hurt her. She was sick of being battered by that which she had once loved. Greed, revenge, mistrust-- them too. A lingering resentment, but she could make use of that, so she left it.

As for the rest-- she would not need them where she was going.

Move on impulse. Tap Alice's shoulder. The girl turns. Looks. Koishi speaks.

?Can you help me get out??

Alice frowns. ?What do you mean? You're not trapped in anything.?

Struggle to make her understand. Koishi speaks without thinking now.

?I want to leave Chireiden.?

The blonde woman starts. She's surprised.

But Alice smiles.

?Sure, I think I can help you with that.?


Update is shorter than usual. >_< Sorry. This was hard to write. This week has not been the easiest. One good thing that happened, though: Thanks to Kira.Lu, the Italian actually makes sense now. AWESOME. Thanks for all the help!

[Tengukami]

I played Dungeons & Dragons (first edition) for a number of years, and always had an affinity for the Drow. Mostly because they lived underground. Always fascinated me how things live down there. You really bring the experience to vivid life. And as always, you make the reader care about the characters. I love it when you update.

[Dizzy H. "Muffin" Muffin]

Man, the amount of thought you've put into the species puts me to shame.

Now come up with an explanation for Satori's arms.

[Esifex]

Man, the amount of thought you've put into the species puts me to shame.

Just you? Nope. All of us.

Also, for the goodbye scene, this music is almost appropriate? Kinda melancholic.

[Yamachanadu]

Heh, I've always loved punnet squares and heredity problems.  :V

Nice to see Alice rebelling more creatively than the BSOD we were expecting too.

[Dizzy H. "Muffin" Muffin]

Nah, it was going to be Shinki who BSOD'd in response to Alice's rebellion.

[Yamachanadu]

Nah, it was going to be Shinki who BSOD'd in response to Alice's rebellion.

Gosh, I get so confused sometimes.

[Dorian White]

I have my theories.

That would explain a lot of things.

Man, the amount of thought you've put into the species puts me to shame.

It isn't only the species, the whole story is pretty well thought out and balanced. That make it so hard for me to believe that it's only based on that "emigrant worker idea".

[♛ Apher-Forte]

Yet more beautiful chapters, if only my updates are as consistent and quality as yours, I would be most happy.
for now, however allow me to praise your lovely way with words.

[Gpop]

I just read all that...

...

* Gpop just hugs Koishi really hard <3

[Nobu]

* Nobu spent a third of the last thirty hours reading the entire thing.

* Nobu froth at the mouth.

oh man ohman ohmanohman
sogood. sogoodsogoodsogood. good good.
love ruro love love lovelove. ruro love
bitchmuthafuckaplease raperaperaperape bust cap

Somebody turn me off please. ;_;