Chikane impaled Himeko with the Lunar Priestess Blade. Chikane thrust her sheathed tanto into Himeko's crotch, shedding her virgin blood. Chikane fired an arrow at the Earth from the Lunar Shrine, her Orochi powers destroying everyone and everything that Himeko held dear to her. Chikane stood by and did nothing as she allowed Orochi's Seventh Neck to take Himeko away. But it was not Chikane. Chikane could see herself doing everything, but she could not control her own actions. She felt so helpless as she watched so many horrible things happen to Himeko because of Chikane. "Himeko," Chikane cried out. "I'm sorry. I've done so many terrible things to you. All I want is for you to smile. I don't want to see you hurt! I don't want this! Himeko, I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Chikane felt someone embracing her tightly. "I'm okay, Chikane," she heard Himeko's voice say. "I'm okay! Don't say that!" However, with the horrible images of her misdeeds continuously flashing before her eyes, Chikane could not stop herself from crying over and over again, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" The invisible arms around her held her tighter. "Chikane, please!" Himeko's voice ringed in her ears. "You're scaring me!" Chikane opened her eyes to see that it was Himeko that was embracing her and it was Himeko that was calling out to her. As she returned to reality, Chikane stopped crying and remained silent for a moment. Himeko, at hearing Chikane stop ranting, gently loosened her death hold on Chikane and looked into her eyes. "Chikane?" she asked. "Are you okay?" "Hime...ko..." Chikane breathed. Chikane wrapped her arms around Himeko and cried out, "Himeko!" "Chikane," said Himeko, "what's going on?" "Oh, Himeko," said Chikane. "I had horrible nightmares. I could see myself doing such horrible things to you: killing you with my Priestess Blade in our past lives, raping you, destroying the world, doing nothing to stop Ogami from taking you. Himeko, I've failed to do my duty as the Lunar Priestess and the one that loves you! I've been unable to fulfill my promise to protect you! I'm sorry, Himeko! I'm so sorry!" Chikane buried her face into Himeko's chest and cried. "It's not true, Chikane," Himeko said in a soft, soothing voice. "It's not true," she repeated. "It's not your fault. Killing me was a result the destruction that Orochi caused. Raping me and destroying the world were because of Orochi's influence. It's not your fault, Chikane. It's all because of Orochi. None of the pain that you have caused is your fault. You have to believe me, Chikane. It's not your fault." Himeko continued speaking words of forgiveness into her beloved's ear, trying to calm Chikane's troubled mind. After several minutes of embracing and encouraging words, Chikane's sobs started to die down. She returned Himeko's embrace and said, "Thank you, Himeko. Thank you." "You really scared us, Chikane," Himeko said. "I've never heard you talk in your sleep before, and I've definitely never heard you cry out in pain." "It's most likely delirium brought on by hypothermia," Yukihito said by the fire. "I've learned at the University that dramatic changes in the body's functions can cause changes in brain activity such as delirium." "Hypothermia may be part of Chikane's delirium," Kazuki said, sitting next to Yukihito. "But I also sensed a great deal of turmoil inside Chikane's soul as well." "Her soul?" Yukihito asked. "I was experiencing the horrible things that I had done because of Orochi," Chikane said. "What stands out in my mind the most is the most recent incident, when I was paralyzed by Orochi's evil aura that was emanating from Take no Yamikazuchi." "Isn't that the mech that you took control of last year?" Himeko asked. "I fear that Orochi is trying to retake control of Chikane," said Kazuki. "The pain in Chikane's heart is not enough to allow her to be fully consumed by Orochi's evil like she was last year, but it is possible that Orochi still has some influence over her." "I did feel what felt like a blade stabbing me in the back when I tried to summon Tsukuyomi no Mikoto," mentioned Chikane. "It was strands of Orochi's power that were trying to enter me. I did my best to drive them back." "You just have to remember," said Himeko, "that it was all because of Orochi that such horrible things happened. And I'm fine now, Chikane. I found my way back to you. You don't have to worry about me." "Himeko," said Chikane, her awareness coming back to her, "am I wrapped in your Priestess Uniform?" "Uh-huh," Himeko answered cheerfully. "You were so very cold when you found me. I needed to keep you warm and the blanket alone wasn't able to warm you up. So, I wrapped you in my Priestess Uniform and used my own body heat to warm you." Chikane smiled and wrapped her arms around Himeko, feeling her girlfriend's warm, soft skin against her own. "I always loved being warmed by the sun," Chikane sighed. "Do you feel well enough to perform the revival ritual?" Kazuki asked. Chikane put her hands against the ground and tried to push herself up onto her knees. It took a bit of effort, but she succeeded. As she did so, she heard Himeko gasp. She looked at Himeko, whose face was bright red. Chikane looked at Kazuki to see that his expression had not changed much, but he was also looking at Chikane, a little red in the face. Chikane then looked at herself to see that her breasts were fully exposed. Her face turned crimson as well and she quickly covered herself up, crying out in embarrassment. Yukihito held back a chuckle at the humorous event. Himeko smiled and started giggling as well. Chikane also started laughing at the situation, with Kazuki laughing in the end as well. "Himeko," Chikane said between laughed, "give me my clothes." Himeko continued laughing as she helped Chikane redress. ---------- "Vessel?" Souma echoed his brother's words. "Yes, a vessel," Tsubasa repeated. "Orochi's physical form was destroyed when Susanou defeated him. But Orochi still needs a physical presence to exist in this world." "So you're saying that Orochi has chosen Takeshi Himemiya as his vessel?" Korona asked. "It would appear so," said Rehko. "But Takeshi Himemiya's spirit is still inside," said Souma. "Otherwise he would not have told me to not hurt Chikane." "Could it be that Mister Himemiya is not resisting Orochi's influence?" Miyako suggested. "Which would mean that he's in league with Orochi," Souma added. "What are we going to do, nya?" asked Nekoko. "We'll worry about Takeshi Himemiya later," said the First Neck. "Right now, we have to find that shrine and destroy it before the Priestesses can revive Ame no Murakumo again." "Will this be another diversion plan?" Girochi asked. "No," Tsubasa answered. "It's doubtful the Priestesses would fall for that a second time. Besides, chances are that they are already at the shrine. The shrine will most likely be protected by powerful spells that forbid evil, so we will need all the firepower we have to bring down the barrier protecting it. For that, we will need all eight of Orochi's bodies, so we can't afford to be split into two groups." "What about Chikane?" Souma asked. "If Takeshi Himemiya is indeed Orochi's vessel, what will happen if we go against his demands and kill Chikane in the process?" "Leave that to us," said Miyako, Girochi standing beside her. Yatsu no Onokoshizuchi and Hi no Ashinazuchi appeared behind them. Miyako's other self extended its snake-like arms from its hips and Girochi's other self threw serpentine chains about. If the need should arise, they would use their other selves to reach deep into the cave and extract the Lunar Priestess by constriction. "Souma," Tsubasa said, "only you know the location of the shrine. You will have to guide us." "I only know the general area," said Souma. "I found Himeko before I found the shrine." "Then we'll just have to hope we can find it before the Priestesses revive Ame no Murakumo," Girochi said. "We can sense the Priestess's power, nya," Nekoko piped up. "Follow our senses and we'll find them, nya." "Souma," said the First Neck, "lead the way." Souma nodded and Take no Yamikazuchi appeared behind him. It was the Seventh Neck's constrained form, complete with the mouth-plate and blue coloration. Souma entered the circular portal in his other self's chest and the creature's green eyes lit up. The other Orochi members summoned their other selves and followed Souma to the mountains of western Japan. ---------- As soon as Kazuki, Yukihito, Himeko, and Chikane had eaten breakfast, they started walking deeper into the cave, Kazuki and Yukihito leading the way with flashlights to guide them. "It's so dark in here," said Himeko. "The revival ground is up ahead several hundred meters," Kazuki explained. "At least that's what my father calculated, based on the legend." "Speaking of the legend," Chikane said, "you still haven't told us the whole story. You said that there was a family that was connected to Susanou that settled in Mahoroba. What happened to them?" As Chikane asked her question, the four came across a large chamber. In the center of the chamber was a kamidana that was elevated on a rectangular platform. In front of the kamidana was a square-shaped, metal tablet, and in front of the tablet were small steps leading up to the platform. "Is this the revival ground?" asked Yukihito. "No," Kazuki answered. "The revival ground is farther into the cave than this." "Then," asked Himeko," what is this place." "You wanted to know the whole of the legend," said Kazuki. "It's all explained right here." Chikane and Himeko looked at the objects before them. They were dismayed by the imagery that they saw on the tablet: the event of Himeko impaling Chikane with the Solar Priestess Blade! Tears formed in the corners of Himeko's eyes and she cried, "I can't look." She turned around and ran into Chikane's arms, hiding herself from the horrible image in front of them. "Why would this tablet show what happened last year?" asked Chikane. "Every time the world is remade," explained Kazuki, "the image on this tablet changes according to how the sacrificial rite of the Priestesses was carried out. According to image shown right now, it seems that when the world was remade last year, it was Miss Kurusugawa that sacrificed Miss Himemiya's life." "It was the other way around in our past lives," Chikane mentioned. "I was the one that killed Himeko." "Still," said Himeko softly, "it makes me sad to see that image." "I know, Himeko," said Chikane, stroking the shorter girl's hair. "I know." Yukihito, curious about the purpose of the kamidana, walked up the steps and past the tablet to inspect what was written. "The writing on the kamidana is in Old Japanese," said Yukihito. "Can you read it, Yukihito?" asked Himeko. "Mister Ogami has been teaching me Old Japanese as part of my training," answered the college student. "I think I can read most of it." Looking at the text, Yukihito read, "'Here stands the Ogami Shrine. Here is the resting place of the god of swordsmen, Ame no Murakumo. Here is where the Shrine Maiden of the Sun and the Shrine Maiden of the Moon cease the evil god, Yamata no Orochi. Here is where the memory of the Shrine Maiden of the...'" Yukihito trailed off with a puzzled expression on his face. "Yukihito?" Kazuki asked. "I think I'm completely screwing up the translation," said Yukihito, squinting at the text, trying to make sure if he was actually reading what was written, "but I think that it reads, '...where the memory of the Shrine Maiden of the Moon is recorded.' I can't see how the memory of the Lunar Priestess would be recorded here and not the memory of the Solar Priestess." "Chikane," said Himeko. "Yes," said Chikane. "I'm thinking the same thing you are. It might be written here why I was able to see the future and the past, why my presence affects the memory of others, and why I am able to commune with Tsukuyomi." Yukihito, having read everything on that side of the kamidana, moved to the other side to read what was written there. "'The two Shrine Maidens must use their powers to break the Six Holy Swords to revive Ame no Murakumo and then use Ame no Murakumo's power to seal Orochi away inside the Lunar Shrine. Of the two Shrine Maidens, the Shrine Maiden of the Moon is of the most importance.'" Himeko, Chikane, and Kazuki listened intently to what Yukihito was reading. "'The Shrine Maiden of the Moon alone has the power to control the Ame no Murakumo.'" "I alone?" Chikane said. "Why?" "It doesn't say anything more about it," said Yukihito. "I remember," said Himeko. "When Souma and I boarded the Ame no Murakumo last year, Souma was piloting it almost completely. I hardly had any power over Ame no Murakumo's movements. It was as if it would only take commands from the person in the Lunar Priestess' place." "The Lunar Priestess' importance is a secret passed down through the Ogami family," Kazuki said. "It has never been mentioned because there was never a need for anyone else to know." Chikane looked at Kazuki and said, almost demanding an answer, "Why am I so important? Why do I have these powers? What family was it that was connected to Susanou?" Kazuki was silent for a moment. Eventually, the shrine keeper answered, "Do you know why Susanou fought Orochi in the first place? It was to help a family of earthly gods that Orochi was terrorizing. Orochi had already devoured seven of their eight children, and was coming for the eighth when Susanou came. The family offered their daughter's, Kushinada-Hime's, hand in marriage in exchange for defeating Orochi. After Orochi was defeated and sealed away, Susanou and Kushinada-Hime were married. The family that I spoke of is descended from Susanou and Kushinada-Hime." Kazuki paused for a moment, reading Chikane's expressions, deciding if she was ready to accept his explanation. He then finished, "The name of that family is Himemiya." To be continued... ---------- TERMINOLOGY: A tanto, literally stranlated as "short sword", is a Japanese dagger. Although not shown in the Kannazuki no Miko anime, Chikane used the tanto to rape Himeko in the manga. A kamidana is a miniature shrine. ---------- OMAKE: "Do you feel well enough to perform the revival ritual?" Kazuki asked. Chikane looked at Himeko in her arms and said, "Give us ten minutes." She pulled the blanket over their heads. From under the blanket came sounds of rustling clothes and mischievous giggling.
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