Kazuki and Yukihito looked on in stun as Chikane fell to her hands and knees, crying. No words were spoken, but the sound of Chikane's sobs conveyed more than words ever could. She was in agony. The physical pain caused by the cold was nothing compared to the emotional pain that she suffered from having Himeko taken away from her. After many long minutes, Kazuki spoke. "Miss Himemiya, we must get to the shrine. Come." Kazuki put his hand on Chikane's shoulder, intending to help her to her feet. At feeling his hand on her shoulder, Chikane violently threw Kazuki's arm away. "I can't..." she cried. "I can't perform the ritual alone." "You must!" Kazuki exclaimed. "Not without Himeko. If Ame no Murakumo is revived with the power of only one priestess, she won't have the power to seal Orochi away and the same thing that happened last year will happen again. I'll lose Himeko again and Orochi will just came back next year." Again, there were no words, just the sound of the wind and the sound of Chikane's crying voice ringing throughout the mountains. ---------- Take no Yamikazuchi flew up through the clouds toward the circular platform amidst the 8 torii in the Orochi realm. "He's back," Rehko said, seeing the giant mech flying toward them. "Wait," said Corona as Take no Yamikazuchi grew closer and more visible. "That isn't the same body that left four days ago." "Of course not," said Miyako with a smile. "Souma has taken Orochi's power into his body. Take no Yamikazuchi is complete now." By order of Tsubasa, Miyako had been observing Souma through the power of her mirror. Take no Yamikazuchi hovered in front of the number seven torii, allowing Souma to jump down from his other self's shoulder to take his place as Orochi's Seventh Neck. Take no Yamikazuchi then dropped Himeko onto the torii beside Souma, the blonde girl giving off a soft cry as she landed. "Hime?" Girochi said to himself, seeing the Solar Priestess looking around herself in a daze. He grabbed his chain and cried out, "How dare you hurt my Hime?!" Girochi rushed at Souma, throwing his chain at the Seventh Neck. However, Souma just stood there, calmly awaiting Girochi's attack. As Girochi approached him, Souma simply grabbed a hold of Girochi's chain, spun him around and threw him back the way he came. Girochi collided with the tablet between the supports of the number three torii, his body digging into the kanji for the number three carved into the tablet. "Tsk tsk tsk," said Miyako. "Naughty little brother, Girochi." Girochi growled at his defeat. Himeko, now noticing the seven Orochi members around her, cowered in fright. "Himeko," Souma said, looking at Himeko. "Finally, I have you." "Ogami..." Himeko whimpered. "Where am I?" "This is the Orochi's realm," replied Souma. "I've brought you here to protect you from the destruction of the world." "No!" Himeko cried. "I want to be with Chikane! I want to be with Chikane!" "I told you, the Lunar Priestess can't protect you. I thought that I had proven that by bringing you here. She couldn't prevent me from taking you. Don't you get it? She can't protect you!" "I don't care if she can or not. I just want to be with her!" "You would rather be destroyed along with the rest of the world than to be without some girl that was never supposed to exist in this reality?" "He is right, Solar Priestess," said Tsubasa, approaching Himeko. "Even if you manage to get back to your beloved Lunar Priestess, you won't be able to save the world that she lives in." "What do you call a world where you can't be with the ones you love?" Souma asked Himeko. "It's called Hell! And I don't want you to live through Hell." "No," Himeko said, "it's not Hell. As long as I can see Chikane, it will not be hell." "Unbelievable..." Souma sighed, handing Tsubasa's sword back to his brother. "Souma," said Tsubasa with a smile, "it is time to enlighten the Solar Priestess. Fill her heart with Orochi's power. Show her that she hates Chikane for not being able to save her. Show her that she belongs at your side." "Yes, Brother Tsubasa," replied Souma. Souma approached Himeko, who cowered under his form. Souma grabbed Himeko by the scruff of her Priestess uniform and brought her to her feet. He pulled apart the collar of Himeko's kimono. Himeko gasped as she comprehended Souma undressing her. However, Souma's intention was not to violate Himeko. It was simply to reveal the Solar Mark on the young priestess' chest. "Now, Himeko," said Souma. "It's time to show you the true meaning of what it means to be an Orochi." Souma started moving his hand toward the Solar Mark. Himeko looked at the hand extending toward her in fear. She knew that Souma was planning to inject Orochi's evil inside her just like what had happened to Chikane year before. "Souma, wait!" she cried. "Don't hesitate, Souma," Tsubasa counseled his brother. "Don't you remember what you told me?" Himeko asked. "You told me that you would always fight for me. You promised to protect me and the world in which I lived." Suddenly, Souma's hand stopped moving forward. "Souma?" said Tsubasa, surprised by Souma's action. "You said that you were willing to do whatever you had to in order to protect me and try to make me smile," said Himeko. "Don't listen to her, Souma!" yelled Tsubasa. Tsubasa looked deep into Souma, using his power as Orochi's First Neck to draw out the Orochi in Souma. Souma growled as the mark of Orochi appeared on his forehead. "You wanted to give me happiness," said Himeko. "Remember, Souma?" The Solar Mark on Himeko's chest lit up, the power of the Solar Priestess attempting to purify Souma's heart. "Souma," said Tsubasa, his eyes turning red with Orochi's power. "You are an Orochi. You take what you want without regard for others. That is what it means to be an Orochi!" Souma groaned in pain as the power of Orochi and of the Solar Priestess batteled inside him. His eyes were glowing red as he tried to maintain his resolve. "This isn't what I want, Souma," Himeko said. "If you really want to give me happiness like you said, you would send me back. You would take me back to Chikane." "You don't care about her!" Tsubasa cried. "You take what you want!" "I...take...what I want..." Souma said to himself. "What do you want, Souma?" Tsubasa asked his brother. "I want..." "What do you want?" "I want..." Himeko touched Souma's face, looked deep into his eyes, and said, "Please, Souma." "WHAT DO YOU WANT?!" The mark on Souma's forehead that was previously glowing an evil purple suddenly turned bright white and he cried out, "WHAT I WANT IS FOR HIMEKO TO BE HAPPY!!!!" Souma pushed Himeko as hard as he could away from him. Himeko cried out as she fell off of Souma's torii into the clouds below. Souma fell to his knees, panting heavily, the red glow in his eyes disappearing along with the mark on his forehead. "You disappoint me, Souma," Tsubasa grumbled. "I thought that you could keep your composure better than this." "Did I just see what I thought I saw?" exclaimed Korona, her mouth hanging open. "Yeah," said Rehko, "the Seventh Neck pushed the Solar Priestess away." "Does the Solar Priestess really have that kind of power?" Miyako wondered. "They did lock us away in our past lives, nya," Nekoko replied to Miyako. "I can't do this, Brother," breathed Souma. "I try to take what I want, just like an Orochi would. But...I just can't." "Are you going to betray us again, Souma?" asked a very agitated Tsubasa. Souma sighed and said, "No, Brother. I'm not going to betray you." Souma looked up at Tsubasa through teary eyes and said, "You're my brother. After all that's happened, I can't betray you. But I can't hurt Himeko either." "Does it really matter?" muttered Girochi. "That stupid shrine is destroyed anyway. The Priestesses can't bring back Ame no Murakumo even if they are together." "No," said Souma. "They can." Everyone looked at Souma in surprise. "There's another shrine." "There is?" asked Miyako. "Deep in the mountains. That's where I found them when I captured Himeko. Takeshi Himemiya told me about it." "Himemiya?" asked Korona. "You mean the Lunar Boob's father?" Girochi asked. "He has some strange power in him to control the Orochi," said Souma. "He can't be the Eighth Neck. I didn't sense that from him." "Could it be...?" Tsubasa said to himself. ---------- Himeko felt herself falling, falling without end. At first, she was so frightened that she could not bring herself to open her eyes. However, when she realized that she had not hit any ground, her fear started to disappear and the opened her eyes. When she did, she found herself in a starfield. Below her was a large, blue ball. She realized that the blue ball was the Earth. To her right was the moon. But what she was transfixed on was the object to her left, the sun. The warmth of the sun seemed to surround her. It was as if the rays of light from the sun were wrapping around her. And in the sun's embrace, Himeko felt safe. ---------- Kazuki and Yukihito continued to watch as Chikane weeped. Although the blizzard was still raging, Chikane would not move. Snow was piling up on top of her and her tears were beginning to freeze to her cheeks. "What's happening, Sensei?" Yukihito asked at seeing Chikane's condition. "I thought the Priestess uniform was supposed to protect her." "The uniforms enhance the power of the Priestesses," Kazuki explained. "If Chikane does not use her powers, the uniform will not protect her." Kazuki reached for Chikane again. "Chikane, please," said the shrine keeper. "We must get to the cave before you freeze to death." "I d-don't c-c-care," Chikane shivered. "I let H-H-Himeko d-d-down-n. I let h-her be t-t-taken away f-from m-m-me. I c-c-couldn't p-protect her. If I c-can't do that-t-t, I d-don't deserve t-t-to live." "Miss Himemiya!" Kazuki cried. Just then, the Lunar Mark on Chikane's back lit up momentarily. Chikane raised her head and looked out across the ridge. The blizzard was starting to subside and she could see a glowing, red speck of light falling from the sky toward the mountain at the end of the ridge. Much to the surprise of Kazuki and Yukihito, Chikane found the strength to stand up. Chikane started moving across the ridge, her strength rising with each step. Chikane's walking became faster and faster until she started running. The two shrine keepers had trouble keeping up with her. "What's going on?" wondered Yukihito. "How can she move this fast?" "Something is driving her toward the shrine," said Kazuki. "I have no idea what it is." The three of them ran for more than an hour across the ridge, but Chikane did not slow down. She continued running as fast as she could without letting the cold get to her. At the end of the ridge, Chikane suddenly stopped running and looked in awe at the sight before her. There was a gap in the clouds overhead and sunlight was shining down onto exactly one spot on the mountain. And in that single beam of sunlight was Himeko! The blonde had her hands clasped, her middle and index fingers sticking out as if she was performing a Shinto ritual. The Solar Mark on Himeko's chest was glowing brightly and her feet were hovering several inches off the ground. Her eyes were glazed over as if she was in a trance. Her body seemed to give off an aura, which had melted all of the snow in a 2-meter radius, vegetation visible beneath her feet. "Sensei, what is this?" asked Yukihito in awe. "This time," replied Kazuki, "I am completely at a loss." "Himeko..." said Chikane, walking closer to the blonde girl. She reached out and took Himeko's hands in her own. As she did so, the life returned to Himeko's eyes, the Solar Mark disappeared, and her feet floated back down to the ground. For a moment, Himeko looked around her with a confused expression on her face, as if she did not know what had just happened. She then noticed the dark-haired girl standing in front of her and said, "Chikane...?" "Himeko..." Chikane said, tears streaming down her cheeks. Tears came to Himeko's eyes as well and she cried out, "Chikane!" Himeko jumped into Chikane's arms and the two girls held each other tightly. "I was so scared, Chikane!" Himeko cried. "I was so afraid that the Orochi would turn me to their side, that I would become the Eighth Neck and try to kill you." "I'm sorry, Himeko," cried Chikane. "I'm sorry that I couldn't protect you from Ogami. I'm sorry Himeko! I'm so sorry!" "No, don't be sorry. It doesn't matter to me. Nothing matters to me as long as I can be with you!" Himeko took Chikane's face in her hands and kissed her. Chikane pulled Himeko close to her and kissed her back. For several long minutes, the two girls stood there, embracing each other tightly. Chikane looked at Himeko again and said, "I'm happy that...you're........." Chikane trailed off. Himeko suddenly knew that something was very wrong as Chikane grew heavy and started to let go of Himeko's body. Chikane managed to finish her sentence, "...safe," before collapsing in front of Himeko. "Chikane!" cried Himeko. "Quickly," commanded Kazuki, "get her into the cave!" Kazuki and Yukihito held Chikane by the shoulders and Himeko picked her up by the legs. Several meters away were two large rocks, each one with a circular paper streamer wrapped around it. Between the two rocks was a wooden torii, which led to the entrance of a cave. Having identified the former location of the Ogami Shrine, Kazuki, Yukihito, and Himeko quickly carried the unconscious Chikane in. ---------- Chikane's body heat had caused the snow on her priestess uniform to melt, which had soaked the uniform with near-freezing water, so their first priority was to get Chikane out of her clothes. Yukihito and Himeko performed that task while Kazuki started a fire. "We need to keep Chikane warm," said Kazuki in an authoritative manner. "Get a blanket." Himeko quickly obeyed Kazuki's orders and reached into her bag, taking out a large blanket and wrapping it around Chikane. Chikane was shivering violently and her skin was extremely pale. It was hard for anyone to believe that she had managed to run all the way to Himeko before passing out from hypothermia. "We must give Chikane a chance to regain her strength," said Kazuki. "Be very gentle with her; if her condition is bad enough, rough handling could cause her heart to stop." Himeko gasped at the prospect. "What is most important is to keep her still and keep her warm. We should rest now. We need to regain our strength after our journey, as well as ensure that Chikane will not be disturbed." "I'll stay with Chikane tonight," Himeko stated. "Good," said Kazuki. Kazuki and Yukihito set up their sleeping bags and slept next to the fire. Himeko gently laid Chikane down and got under the blanket with her. 'She's so cold,' Himeko thought as she touched Chikane's skin. Chikane was still shivering and her breathing was quick and shallow. Himeko knew that she needed to help her beloved warm up. She untied the obi of her Priestess uniform, dropped her pants, opened her kimono, and wrapped her arms and legs around Chikane. Himeko winced as Chikane's cold skin came in contact with hers. However, she knew that she had to endure so that her own body heat would warm Chikane. "Don't worry, Chikane," Himeko whispered to her beloved. "I'm not going to go anywhere. I will not let you die of the cold. Let my body warm you. Let the sun shine upon the moon. Bathe in the sun's light and let the sun warm you." The Solar Mark on Himeko's chest glowed as she held Chikane in her arms. It glowed with the brilliance of the sun and it's heat kept Chikane warm. After several minutes, Himeko felt Chikane's shivers begin to subside. The color began to return to Chikane's face and her breathing became deeper and slower. Himeko smiled in relief when she knew that Chikane's condition was improving. "Thank goodness," Himeko said. She embraced Chikane tightly and she heard Chikane sigh happily in her sleep. Although not having suffered hypothermia, Himeko was just as tired as Chikane was after their 5-day, 60-kilometer journey. Himeko fell into a peaceful sleep, not once loosening her grip on her dear, precious, beloved Chikane. To be continued... ---------- OMAKE: Kazuki and Yukihito woke up early the next morning to find Himeko and Chikane together under the blanket, both of them wrapped in the uniform of the Solar Priestess. Kazuki smiled and said, "It looks as if Chikane's condition has improved." "You know, Sensei," said Yukihito in a sultry voice, "I think I'm feeling a little cold too."
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