~The Orochi Return~

OCC: Alright then.

Rin practically had to restrain herself from instantly running around the house and checking everything out herself. She had never seen a bigger, more beautiful home in her life. There seemed to be tens... no hundreds of maids preforming tasks around the estate and she absentmindedly found herself trying to count them.

Following her friend downstairs, they encountered whom Rin assumed to be Chikane's personal servant, politely smiling and waving a bit as they greeted each other. From the way Chikane addressed her as 'friend', Rin thought they were very close. As the pair began to ascend to the upper level, there was a question burning in her mind.

[color=indigo]"Besides your maids, is it just you living here?"/color]

I nodded as we continued to take our views both of the estate. Rin's view was more of a wondrous and curious look than mine. Mine happened to be a reflective and very reminiscent look. The gleams in my eyes held the memories that stored in my mind from so far back. In fact the memories were all quite distant to me that some of them had blur spots in them, proving them unclear for my own eyes to see. But then I spoke.

"Yes, it's just me living here. It's been a while since I've actually spent time in this estate to relax. I'm always out doing something nowadays. Back when I was in high school, things must have seemed so easy. I would follow the curriculum of the school. But now that I have graduated, I sort of do my own thing."

I glanced over to the piano, and then smiled again.

"Yeah, so it's just me here, to answer your question. My father is a business man, a hardworking one, and you'd think he'd retire any time soon, but no, he just keeps on going. He's getting older now, but, still makes sure everything in his life that's important to him is safe and secure. And my mom, well... she..."

I looked at a flower in a vase that my hand now was cupping gently. It started to droop and I was trying to pick it up, in its dying stages I guess.

"She passed on quite a while ago. She was old and quite sick and so she just decided to bravely take the plunge when the doctors told us there was nothing more they could do for her. But, not to worry I still have my dad with me here. And I always keep my mom in my heart."

I cleared my throat and let go of the flower.

"Sorry to have gotten off track. I must be rambling again. As for discussion, there is something I want to ask you about. Miyako was of no help to me."

I shrugged and began on my way to my room, hoping she would follow me.

Rin's eyes held a glint of sadness. How could Chikane not be lonely? Well, she did have her maids. At least she had some family, though. She can't remember a thing before joining the Orochi. Miyako was the closest thing to a mother she had ever had, mentoring her and taking care of her since the beginning.

Rin followed Chikane to her room, tilting her head a bit at the mention of Miyako. What would she want to know that she would ask Miyako of all people?

"Yeah, what is it?"

"Well.... I need to know all there is to know on these so-called priestesses of the sun and moon. More than Miyako could ever tell me, more than I ever knew. Every last detail. My memory is still fuzzy. So... I'm going to do something and you need to tell me if this is all really what it is or what it's really not. If that makes sense. Because right now, I am sort of a little confused and stressed about the whole thing."

I took a breath and calmed myself down from the thoughts swarming in my head at speeds I never knew they could even reach or produce. I came out with it then.

"How do you know someone is a priestess?"

Rin folded her arms and furrowed her eyebrows in deep thought. She tried to absorb everything Chikane had just said and come up with a logical explanation.

"Well, there is one obvious quality. The priestesses each have some sort of mark on their body that indicates whether they are the Solar Priestess or the Lunar Priestess. If we can figure out where it would be exactly and if you have one, I'll tell you everything I know."

She knew for a fact that Chikane was the Lunar Priestess, or at least from what the Orochi had told her. She had yet to find out who the Solar Priestess was, which might prove to be very interesting.

"Alright, so I think we should search for this marking you say that the priestesses have. I'm guessing the shape of it and the placement of it dictates which priestess the girl is."

I nodded and mentality prepared myself for what was about to happen. I stood up and closed my eyes, breathing in and out, then becoming relaxed.

"Since you know what you're doing more than I, you may search my body for any marking you think might be on me. I trust you Rin. For some reason."

I smiled softly and waited for her hands to be searching across my body for this mark. Hopefully her efforts wouldn't be in vain. And I had hoped she'd do it too, I mean it was a rather strange thing to ask of someone, but still, I needed to know. And I know Rin would be honest with me.

Rin's faced flushed suddenly. Was she really trusting her with this? She had to think of a logical place to start or this might become extremely awkward. She then remembered something that happened when they were battling Girochi, Nekoko and Corona in the park. That strange light she saw... Wasn't it coming from Chikane's neck? She had to start somewhere.

"Could you lift up your hair for a second?"

If Rin's hunch was right, a mark should be somewhere on the back of Chikane's neck. She waited until the other lifted her hair to take a peek and caught a glimpse of a small marking that looked like a crescent moon. Running her fingers through her own brunette locks, she released a heavy sigh. Miyako was right again, go figure.

"You'd better get comfortable. This is going to be a long story, Miss Lunar Priestess."

I lifted my hair and let her look on the back of my neck, but I couldn't help wondering; 'That's a strange place to start looking... does she know something I don't?' After a moment of taking a look at the back of my neck, she sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, as if coming to a realization about something. I opened my eyes, and that's when she stepped in front of me again, my blue eyes being able to meet hers again.

Lunar Priestess? So I was the Lunar Priestess! .... How did this come to be? Why me? I had so many questions to ask her, but instead, I bundled them up in my mind and sat down on my bed, facing Rin, seriously. I blinked and then sighed.

"Alright, I'm ready for this story now."

Rin thought for a moment about how she was to word everything.

"You've heard the legend of Orochi, right? Well, just as the beast has 8 heads, there are 8 powerful followers to him respectively. My friends that you encountered are just a few of those beings."

"Together with the Solar Priestess, you are to summon the great god Ame no Murakumo to defeat the Orochi and save the world... but it comes with a heavy cost. One of you must sacrifice the other and be incarcerated in the Moon Shrine forever- yeah, it's just as it sounds, it's a shrine on the moon."

"Unfortunately for you, this whole thing isn't a one time deal. In fact, you've done this whole thing before. You've just been reincarnated with all of those memories wiped clean."

Rin scratched the back of her head with an apologetic frown, taking a seat next to Chikane.

"I know this is a lot to take in and you must have tons of questions. I'll try to answer whatever I can, but this is really all I know."

She wished that she could've been of some help. She really had no idea of who else they could talk to, probably someone who seemed to know everything about the legend and the priestesses.

I blinked and nodded.

"Well you're right, it is certainly a lot to take in."

I tried my best to absorb the information she'd tossed at me. It was all a lot, but at least I knew one thing; The legend was true and I felt special just to be a part of it as I was.

"So, this is the beginning of a very long adventure I guess. Hey wait, aren't the Orochi my enemy and your friends? Should we be enemies then?"

I asked somewhat disheartened.

"Hmm... That never really crossed my mind."

Rin didn't know what to think. She knew they were supposed to be enemies, but what did Chikane ever do to her?

"Well, I guess it all comes down to whether you consider me a dangerous person or not."

She didn't mind what the other girl thought of her. She just wanted her to be safe. If that meant limiting contact with each other and possibly having to kill each other upon encounter, then so be it.

"I'm not afraid of you."

I smiled.

"I think you're a wonderful person."

Rin smiled brightly.

"You think so? You're actually the first person who has really said that to me."

Chikane was the only person outside of the Orochi that she even bothered trying to socialize with. Hearing such kind words from her made her happy.

"Yes. You haven't shown me any reason to hate you. It's not like you wronged me."

I smiled and then there was a knock on the door. Otoha entered my room with a tray of tea and some light, pleasant desserts, they seemed to be homemade cinnamon chip scones.

"I'm sorry to be intruding Miss Chikane, but your tea is ready. I hope you and your guest enjoy it."

She left the tray with us and then left happily to do her other duties. I smiled and picked it up and moved it with me to another room, across the hall. It was a room with many musical instruments in it. Even a home recording studio, which had just been installed. I set the tray down gently on the table in the room and proceeded to sit on the bench to the piano.

"Do you have any particular musical interests, Rin?"

Rin curiously followed Chikane to the other room. She was amazed at how many musical instruments were around the room, feeling a bit disappointed that she most likely couldn't play a lot of them.

"Some, but I probably can't play nearly as good as you."

She hadn't even heard her friend play and she was already starting to doubt her own musical abilities. She was also not one to really brag unless she was just teasing. Despite that, she was quite interested in hearing Chikane play a song.

"Well, I just thought, since there's not much else to do here but play instruments and louse around and perhaps watch some television. Things have changed, I'm almost never here anymore. I've been busy with other things."

I smiled and took a sip of my tea.

"Well then, shall I entertain you with song, until we decide to do something else? Or perhaps you may like to try some archery?"

I was suggesting things, though the atmosphere changed from exciting to evanescently boring.

"Hmm... Archery sounds like fun."

She had never really tried archery before and it seemed like it might be cool to try. At this point she was actually hoping for the Orochi to come rampaging through the city looking for her, but they probably didn't know she had even left.

Rin took a sip of her own tea as she looked out one of the windows, noticing that or was beginning to get dark. Then she suddenly remembered something she had been trying to remember for days.

"I know! There's a new business that's opening up soon and they're shooting off fireworks to celebrate. How about we watch them?"

"Sure, that sounds like fun."

I smiled, a better idea.

"When shall we be leaving for them?"

"We can leave right now if you want. I know of a really cool spot."

Rin grinned, happy that she would get to show someone her secret area. It was a quiet, somewhat secluded area, but it had an amazing view of the city.

"Alright, I shall notify Otoha that we are leaving to go watch this spectacular fireworks show."

I called Otoha to my room and she responded quite quickly. I let her know that we were going to go see the fireworks together, a ceremony she didn't have any knowledge of at first. So, of course she was nervous and worried, as only she should since she watches over me. However, once Rin explained things she seemed a little less skeptical. She smiled and wished me well on my way with Rin and that I would have fun. As I waved, we left, closing the door and shutting it behind me.

"Well, of all the things I've done, I'd say this has to be the most exciting."

Rin led Chikane to her secret spot. It was somewhat out and away from the city lights on a small forested area.

"Alright, you have to close you're eyes now. It's a surprise~"

She waited until her friend's eyes were closed before leading her farther, holding her hand softly. They climbed up a large hill, an old cherry blossom tree seemed to have it's branches hovering around it. Small blossom petals floated through the soft breeze that seemed to pick up around them.

"You can open your eyes now."

As she pulled back a few tree branches that were obscuring their view, Run was even surprised to see such an amazing view of the city and the colorful designs that now crackled through the night sky only added to the beauty.

I went with her, letting her lead me, waiting to show up at this so-called 'special' place. I was rather excited, wanting to see what all this surprise was about. It seemed to be a meaningful and significant place to her and whatever it looked like I wouldn't judge. And then I began to wonder how long I would have to keep my eyes closed, for I was already kinda anxious as to what I would see.

It was then that I opened my eyes and saw the most mysteriously beautiful mystically enticing sight I've ever seen in my life. This place was so wonderful, secretive, but I thought that added to the things I liked about it. I smiled and looked out into the distance, finding the beginnings of lights and some sounds that echoed to even our ears. Fireworks, I guessed. I seemed so taken with this... my eyes widened and I smiled softly at Rin.

"This is amazing, Rin."

"It's my own little place to just get away from everything."

Rin was happy that Chikane found her spot to be so wonderful. She then sat down on the cool grass, patting the spot next to her for Chikane to sit. Rin gazed at the colorful patterns in the sky, not really minding the thunderous echos coming from them.

After a while, she soon found herself leaning back in a laying position, her arms stretched out above her. The fireworks began to dwindle and the last few made their ascent before exploding in a magnificent finale, the stars shining through the smoke as it cleared.

"Man, that company may be small, but they can deliver."

Rin yawned a little between words.

I watched as the ceremonious fireworks ended. They were a bedazzling light show that had seemed not so far away, that is, further if I were to have watched them from my estate. I was glad we left and we were sitting in this sort of "loft" of a place. The grass was soft, the trees gave us privacy and protection in case of emergency. And there was a gentle pleasant breeze around the area at all times that didn't make you too cold. It was perfect, serene, and seemingly like a sort of "heaven on Earth". I smiled, how did Rin ever come in contact with this place?

Then I laid down too, smiling at her, as we faced each other. We were becoming good friends. Normally, I wouldn't lay down on the grass as for fear of ruining the outfits my father worked so hard to get for me, but, at this moment, it was good to just relax and be myself. No facades, no business, just friendship. Just a bond that made this moment mean something, something special. A moment, that, even with my fuzzy memory, I'd never forget. The stars and the moon twinkled above us as now the only sounds we could hear were the crickets making their music in the other patches of grass nearby. My features illuminated as then I looked up to the sky to actually see the moon in its full splendor shining down on me.

I sighed happily.

"That was a great show. It really captured my attention."

And in this light, it looked like I belonged under it, if you get what I mean.

Rin couldn't stop smiling even of she wanted to. She was just so happy that she finally got to share her special little place with a friend. What surprised her was the fact that she was so quick to bring Chikane to this area.

Something definitely caught Rin's attention alright. Chikane looked gorgeous under the illumination of the moon. Her friend was the Lunar Priestess after all, so it made perfect sense. Still, she found her cheeks beginning to heat up and turn a light, but still noticeable red color. Rin quickly shifted her gaze to something else, hoping that Chikane didn't catch her staring.

"You have to promise not to tell anyone about this place."

Rin was then able to look at the other, the red pigment still only slightly visible.

"It'll be our little secret."