A New World, Book 3 - Complete -

~Hakurei Shrine~ > Kosuzu's Grand Bookstore

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Iced Fairy:
"If love can destroy, can hatred save?"
Mima snarled softly as the impact of her staff against the Lunarian's sword sent them both reeling. She was having a hard time keeping form. It had been over a century since she materialized, and she felt detached, even given the amount of magic that kassha was pouring into her.

She inhaled, her ?breath? allowing her to refocus on her opponent. She saw the woman moving the fingers of her left hand in familiar patterns and felt a spike of disdain. ?Do you think such a weak exorcism can banish me?? She swiftly recited the spell she'd developed so many years ago to counter such magics.

?Evil spirit disperse!? the woman yelled, thrusting her hand forward as she finished her banishing ritual.

Mima blinked so the flash wouldn't blind her. When she opened her eyes she smiled at her opponents dumbfounded expression. She pointed at the ringed orb over her head that was slowly pulsing with corrupted lifeforce ripped from the trees around them. ?Now it's my turn. Orreries Sun!?

A wave of her staff sent four spinning orbs at the woman. As her target jumped back they merged together and exploded in a terrific blast. Deadly splinters of wood from the trees sliced through her form, but mere wood wasn't anything that could hurt her anymore. She did check behind her to make sure her summoner was still alive.

The kassha had grabbed hold of the little shrine maiden and was shielding her, both with magic and her own body. The sight made the knife in her back itch, so she looked away. She had someone to kill after all.

The woman had retreated to the treeline. Mima could smell the blood flowing from her wounds, only matched by the smoke from the burning shrine.

Mima felt odd as she remembered that this was the Hakurei shrine. She looked at her opponent with new feelings of amusement and disgust. ?Did someone finally set up a rival shrine? They kill your youkai lover? Or did you just have a bad fortune??

?Shut up ghost, don't bring me down to the level of these humans. I am a Lunarian! I am Uenaga Itaka,? The woman snarled. ?They were in our way so we eliminated them. Just like I'll eliminate you!? Itaka pointed and then the world turned into whiteness and pain.

Mima screamed as the lightning coursed through her undead form.

Fortunately when the power stopped so did the pain. She had no body to wound after all. Gripping her staff she swung it down as hard as she could while teleporting towards the woman. Her hands shuddered with the impact against Itaka's sword.

?I despise you,? Mima hissed in the woman's disgustingly perfect face.

?As if I care about the jealousy of a human ghost,? Itaka managed to grunt before gasping in pain. Mima felt a ripple of sadistic joy as her pressure forced Itaka onto the woman's wounded foot.

?Human? Human?? Mima sneered. ?I smell your blood. I can sense your heartbeat. You're just as human as all the others!? The dark sphere behind her began to pulse faster.

?You humans. You always point at someone and say, 'They're different. I'm the real human. They're just a mistake. They wear the wrong clothes. Say the wrong things. Use the wrong type of magic!'? She slammed her left hand down on her staff and was rewarded with another grunt of pain. ?You think that giving yourself a fancy name and hiding away makes you scum any different!? You are the same as the bastards that murdered me! And you murdered the family of one of the two humans that treated me like I had a right to exist! You humans are trash!?

?Shut up!? Itaka screamed as she pushed herself upright. ?I'm not a filthy human! I- AM- PURE!?

Mima's eyes opened wide in shock as she was slowly pushed back. Then her hatred flowed through her again. ?YOU- ARE- TRASH!?

Mima pushed as hard as she could, but Itaka wouldn't budge. They stood there, fighting each other, whispering spells, counterspells and curses.

Then suddenly the air went cold and Itaka screamed. The Lunarian tumbled backwards as eight gaki ripped into the flesh of her stomach. The sudden loss of opposition made Mima stumble forward.

Itaka yelled out a word of power and the blood she shed exploded into pure energy, banishing the ghosts. But she was open.

Mima pointed at the woman and sent a cascade of stars at her. Most of the barrage slammed into the woman's front, and those that didn't ricocheted into her sides and back. The woman's strained wards collapsed.

Mima hesitated as Itaka slumped. Her foe was down, but something was wrong. She felt that her summoner was distracted. She turned to check on the kassha and the girl.

Just as the the young miko grabbed the bloody knife in her back and slid it free.

There was a short strained cry as Mima whirled around. And then the girl was standing over the body of the Lunarian, her white top stained with the blood pumping out of the fallen woman's jugular.

Mima slowly floated between the young girl and the corpse before removing the knife from the dead bodies throat. She then turned to face the miko who was still staring at the ground.

?I'm sorry. I should have asked before pulling out the knife,? the girl said.

Mima simply shook her head. She wasn't sure how to respond.

Orin walked up behind the girl and pulled her into an embrace again. Mima wanted to yell at the kassha, but the magician realized that the Lunarian's final attack must have dazed the necromancer cat via backlash. There was nothing to be done.

They'd just have to deal with the consequences.

?Hitomi! Kanon!?

Mima looked up to see someone very familiar rush to the back of the shrine, frantically looking about. Then the woman froze. ?Mima??

?Marisa.? The ghost floated back and gestured to the two bodies and the young girl. ?The fight here is over.?

Marisa blanched at the sight of the bodies, then dropped to her knees. ?Dammit.? The magician pounded her fist into the ground. ?Dammit! Fuck! Fuck! FUCK!?

Marisa slammed her fist into the ground again, then slowly rose to her feet.

Orin's ears swept back as she lifted her head. ?I'm sorry sis. I couldn't make it in time. I ran over as soon as I heard. But the elevator is broken these days, and well....?

?No. I should have ignored Hitomi and warded the damn place. I should have dragged her back to the mansion. I... I knew I should have....? Marisa finally looked at the young miko. ?I'm sorry.?

?It wasn't your fault,? Kanon replied in a dead voice.

Orin looked at Marisa, as she smoothed the young girl's hair. ?I'm gonna to take her back home. The girls will keep her safe.? Orin turned Kanon so she could look the young girl in the eyes. ?You're a miko so the Reiuji Shrine will give you shelter, for as long as you need it. Auntie Orin promises, okay?

Kanon stared up at the kassha for long moment, before bursting into tears. Mima could only turn away from the piercing wails of the child. She floated away, as Marisa moved to help comfort the girl.

She stared down at the bloody knife that matched the one that had taken her life so long ago. ?Was I so different when I was human?? she asked quietly. But she couldn't answer that any more.

The knife disintegrated, returning to the fading memories of her long dead grudges.

Sighing she returned to where the living were discussing their fates. Kanon's crying had become simple sniffles now, though Orin was still holding her close. Marisa had turned away. Mima could tell her former apprentice was brooding, something the girl rarely did in public.

?Marisa's gonna go back to the war,? Orin said as she slowly helped Kanon rise to her feet. ?I'll be taking the girl to safety, at least until the war is over.? Orin gave the undead magician a questioning look. ?My summoning is gonna be over soon sis. You okay with me wandering off??

?I'm no second rate spirit. My magic will sustain me until I choose to leave," Mima replied. She looked over towards the fallen forms. "I'll look after the bodies until the Shinigami come."

Orin's eye's turned dark. ?Just the one sis. I'll be taking that one.? The kassha pointed towards the fallen Lunarian.

Mima looked at Marisa, but the living magician didn't move, so she shrugged. ?Safe trip home.?

?Take care sis.? Orin tossed the body into her cart, took Kanon by the hand then headed back into the trees. As they left, Mima floated to stand behind her former student.

Marisa was staring at the fire that was slowly dying as the shrine was consumed. Mima saw the young magician force her fists to unclench.

After a few moments she said, ?Tell me Marisa, how do you feel about these Lunarians??

Marisa was silent.

?Do you hate them??

There was another moment of silence. Then Marisa replied. ?Yes.?

?I want to smash every one of the bastards here on the Earth. If I have to I'll burn their damned Lunar Capitol off the face of the Moon with my Hakkero.? Marisa took another ragged breath.

Mima closed her eyes.

?Why??

Marisa stiffened at the question. A question a young girl who wanted to become a magician had once asked her vengeful ghostly mentor.

A question that had never been answered.

Mima nodded her head mournfully and placed a hand on the young magician's shoulder.

?I have nothing left to teach you, my apprentice.?

Marisa reached up and took her hand. Mima closed her eyes and allowed herself to feel the warmth of her student's emotions. Then she let the cold shroud of death cover her once more.

?Farewell. Marisa.?

?Goodbye. Mima.?

Alfred F. Jones:

--- Quote from: Iced Fairy on April 19, 2011, 04:43:50 PM ---?Shut up!? Itaka screamed as she pushed herself upright. ?I'm not a filthy human! I- AM- PURE!?

Mima's eyes opened wide in shock as she was slowly pushed back. Then her hatred flowed through her again. ?YOU- ARE- TRASH!?
--- End quote ---
I can't remember the last time I ever cheered this hard for Mima.

.... agh, war and its 'casualties'. :(

Eriaku:

--- Quote from: Iced Fairy on April 19, 2011, 04:43:50 PM ---?I'm sorry. I should have asked before pulling out the knife,? the girl said.

Mima simply shook her head. She wasn't sure how to respond.

Orin walked up behind the girl and pulled her into an embrace again. Mima wanted to yell at the kassha, but the magician realized that the Lunarian's final attack must have dazed the necromancer cat via backlash. There was nothing to be done.

They'd just have to deal with the consequences.

--- End quote ---

Mima was epic, and that's oddly thoughtful of Kanon; she's got a good heart. Still, so young and already she's watched her mother die, then killed the one responsible. Yeah, there will be consequences. For Marisa, too; she probably wouldn't have let Orin carry Itaka away before. it'll be interesting to see what she gets up to; heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned. Hopefully Alice is all right. Also, you probably meant Shinigami near the end there.

Iced Fairy:

--- Quote from: Eriaku on April 19, 2011, 10:52:40 PM ---Also, you probably meant Shinigami near the end there.
--- End quote ---
Need to add that to my spellcheck. I had Shikigami in from the earlier chapters....

And you need not worry about Alice. Her part in this tragedy is mostly over.

Something that caught my eye and reminded me of things here.

Sefam:
I'm speechless, I just love your writing Iced.

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