Chapter 139 - A Touch Of Miracles 1

A group of Kitsuna children were making plans under the shade of a tree, one day, while on break from harvesting magic beans…

"Tonight, we'll go," a young Ceres had announced. "It's decided."

Her parents were both Yako-nin, descended from a long ancestral line of powerful Yang vessels, which gave her inside knowledge into the organization of the night sentries. Thus, she'd been able to determine when would be the safest night for the group to do the unthinkable:

To venture out into the forest, after dark.

Mina was fidgeting nervously. "I don't know if this is a good idea…"

"Don't be such a chicken!" another of their friends said. "After all, the Yako-nin will protect us if something goes wrong, won't they?"

Another of the Kitsuna kids nodded. "That's right. It's their sworn duty."

"Ow...but I'm still scared," Mina whined. "I heard them howling, once...and I've been sleeping early, ever since." Gripping her ears in her hands, she closed her eyes and shook her head in a tantrum. "I don't even wanna KNOW what they LOOK like!"

Ceres, always the calmer and more mature of the two, rested a hand on her shoulder. "I'm scared too, Mina-chan, but there's no other way to face our fears."

Mina sniffed, giving a faint smile. "You're so brave, Ceres-kun."

...

Mina was lying snugly in her bed, when she slowly opened her eyes to gaze up at the familiar barren ceiling. Too weak to even sit up, but alive.

'I'm...not dead?'

How could this be? She was certain she had felt Ceres's lightning attack pierce her—all at once painfully spreading all throughout her body: Pulling the air from her lungs and turning her legs into jelly. Clouding her vision with darkness...as all she could hear was Hotaru, crying, as he cradled her in his arms.

That should've been the end, she thought: the last and final triumph of her sad, pathetic life...

"Hotaru!" she gasped.

Was he still alive?

Or, had her attempted sacrifice failed completely?

She was surprised to see Ceres was there, seated on a chair by her bedside, with her eyebrows still creased in worry, even as a relieved smile formed on her lips.

"Mina-san," she softly said. "Thank God you're awake."

"How long...has it been?"

"You've been asleep for three days," she answered, then paused, briefly fumbling her lip with a sudden nervous air about her. "And, for a while there, I was really beginning to worry that...maybe you—" 

Mina raised up her hand, cupping it gently against her cheek.

"No. That's not what I meant."

"Mina-san—"

"What I meant, was 'how long has it been since you were last happy to see me.'"

Ceres made a choking sound.

"What is it, Ceres-kun? Is it because I remind you of that day, whenever you look at me? Is that why you never come home, anymore? Even when you're so starved of chi that you can't perform a basic spell properly?"

"This isn't the time for us to be arguing, Mina-chan. You need to rest—"

"How am I not DEAD, Ceres-kun?"

Ceres had risen from the chair and turned her back, nearly about to leave the room, when she suddenly froze with her ears visibly perked, and three flowing tails of black ceasing their usual swaying.

Mina was propped up on one elbow, her bare breasts and bandage-wrapped body showing.

"Tell me...because I don't understand."

Ceres shut his eyes, biting his lip as he recalled the events of that day with palpable anguish.

"It's because of HIM: the boy."

…

Ceres's POV:

Oh, dear God. How could this happen?!

I just shot Mina, when she jumped in the way of my lightning bolt at the last second.

Damn it! It's all because I'm so low on chi that I had to take so long to charge. Which was how she was able to wait for just the right moment, to jump in front of the boy!

But why, though? Why would she think to forfeit her life to save some kid?!

I feel...disgust...like a toxic bile, rising from my stomach into my throat, as I'm watching the kid pathetically cling onto Mina's lifeless body, screaming and crying as if that'll do any good. Yet, I know that disgust isn't really aimed at him; or even at Mina, for what she did to tease me while I was watching her in crow form, earlier.

This overwhelming sense of disgust I feel...is only aimed at myself.

I am the only one to blame, because I was the one that had distanced myself from Mina in the first place. Which led to her resorting to such drastic measures, so that her voice would finally be heard.

I had been so selfish, wrapped up in my own pain, that I never noticed...until this moment, when she lay dead before me.

My breath seizes as I watch the boy press his hands against Mina's shoulders, crying out in anguish, begging for her to rise. And I know it is my duty to kill him, next, but I am frozen by my own sympathy—a hollow warmth that wrestles with the bile within me for dominance while I stand, in hesitation, clutching my blade fan to strike.

As a protector of the village, I must kill the boy for intruding upon our holy shrine.

In such a situation as this, however…

Can such an innocent thing really pose a threat to us? This same creature that now sobs over the corpse of my fallen, dearest friend? Trying so desperately to stir her, as if she had simply fallen into a nap?

It's pitiful; I should just put the poor thing out of its misery.

But now…what's this?!

A strange light is exuding from the boy's hands, like he's using the Yin vessel's innate healing powers! But that couldn't possibly be…!

"DON'T DIE, MINA-SAAAN!"

…

"Hotaru-san revived me?!" Mina asked Ceres, her eyes wide in shock at what they had just told her. "And without having to lick me?"

Ceres nodded. "Just by touching you with his hands."

"But he hasn't Yin transformed!"

"I know, but I'm certain of what I saw. One moment you were completely still, until the boy summoned that power and brought you back to life."

"What does it mean?" Mina reflected, looking down in awe.

"He must already be in Yin form."

"No," Mina said, shaking her head as she squinted her eyes in concentration. "Although...he said something curious to me, as we were walking to the shrine."

Ceres looked at her sharply, with piqued interest.

Mina was frowning, understanding the severity of what she was about to share; what troubles it could bring to Hotaru, if word of it ever fell into the wrong hands. 

"You mustn't tell anyone...especially not the matron."

"I promise," she said, crossing her arms with an intense look to her coal black eyes. "I've decided to defect from the Yako-nin, at any rate. That is to say, I will continue to serve them by name only"—she grinned—''but, from now on, my allegiance lies first and foremost with you, and the village." She frowned. "NOT to the Six-tailed Matron."

She grunted in surprise as Mina suddenly leaned forward, to hug her.

"But Mina-san…! You're indecent!"

She giggled in Ceres's ear. "Aren't we a harmonious pair?"

"Only because the matron decided it."

"Is that a polite way of saying you're not interested?" Mina said, surprising Ceres again: this time by nibbling on their ear, causing them to yelp.

"N-not at all! I just don't want you to feel pressured—"

"I WANT to, though, Ceres. I want YOU."

They were just about to kiss, when Mina was suddenly brought out of the moment by the sound of clattering dishware and swirling sink water, beyond the slightly ajar bedroom door.

She looked to Ceres, mortified. "Who'd you let inside our house?!"

Ceres smirked. "Who do you think?"

"Hotaru-san? But what's that I'm smelling?" she sniffed the air again, with a concerned look. "Like something…"—her voice raised—"burning!?"

Ceres shrugged. "One of the village girls is helping him bake you a cake, it seems."

"'It seems?'" Mina repeated, peering at Ceres with suspicion. "You snuck in here without him noticing, didn't you? And he still doesn't know you're here."

"Ah! Wait, Mina-chan! Don't tell him!" Ceres pleaded—growing flustered as she quickly tried to block Mina's path to the door, only to be swept aside. "We don't need any unnecessary arguments in the house right now, do we? Everyone should be celebrating the fact that you've survived!"

"Ohhh…! So NOW I see what's going on!" Mina scoffed, glaring down at Ceres as they hung onto her arm. "You're avoiding Hotaru because you're afraid he'll be angry at you!"

"And why WOULDN'T he be angry?! I was the one who almost killed you!"

Mina calmed, showing a mild face. "Almost, by accident."

"Yes! When I was actually aiming at HIM!"

Mina still was adamant, as she lightly brushed Ceres off her arm. "You're always hurting people, by 'accident,' and then retreating into the shadows, aren't you?"

It was a precise, hard-hitting blow.

One that sent Ceres reeling, for a moment, until she could recover herself.

"That's…" Ceres made a bitter frown, promising, "we'll talk, okay?" After which she paused, raising her head to directly meet Mina's expectant gaze while awkwardy fumbling her lip, before then adding softly, "for now...just know that I'm glad you're okay."