Chapter Thirty-Seven: Last Angel

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Chapter Thirty-Seven:
Last Angel



The onsen Ken had picked to take Shiwa to was an hour outside of Tokyo and given the area, rather private. The idea of a day or two of relaxation sounded like heaven to Shiwa and she was more than happy to let him lead her wherever.

Ken had arranged for a private room with their own spring and wasted no time in trying to convince Shiwa to join him in the warm water.

“The whole point of us being here is so you can relax… and stop freaking out about Mei Li.” Ken coaxed her. “I know, you blame yourself, but…” He paused. “But she wouldn’t want you to be so sad.”

Shyly, Shiwa came outside to the warm spring where Ken was sitting, looking at him with dark eyes, tired and unhappy from the lack of sleep she’d been getting. “You’re right…” She said. “But now that Okamio has vanished, I don’t know… things just seem to get harder.”

“Oh, darling, stop worrying. Eventually, we’ll beat Long. It won’t bring Mei Li back, but at least we’ll stop him from doing something to anyone else.” Ken reached out his hand to her. “Now, come on… relax. Or I’ll come out of the water and drag you in myself.”

She finally smiled at him; her body feeling like some of the weight that had settled on it was gone. She untied her robe. “Oh, Ken, osu. There will be no need for that.”

The robe dropped and Ken raised an eyebrow. “You really are just too much.” He remarked. “Come here…”

She giggled, sank into the water and curled against him. Her muscles relaxed. She felt, for the first time in a long time, at peace.

If only everything was like this…

Long’s kisses felt cold. His skin felt cold. Okamio, no longer chained or confined to her room, felt almost sick when she made love to him… almost.

Because despite every once of shit he’d ever put her through, she would still come back to him. After 4 millennia of lies and deceit and mistrust, she would still return to his arms… to the cold embrace of the hakaijin who had written her entire life for her, who had given her everything and loved her.

She came back to him because he was the only ounce of stability she’d had after the Rebellion. After that, her mother was sealed away, Shiwa was dead, and she was exiled. Okamio had been alone.

But Long had always been with her.

Just like now.

As his kisses grew more intense, Okamio forced herself to relax. She may hate this, but one wrong move could cost her everything. And it wasn’t like Long would rape her. He had… more sense than that. And she also knew that there was a reason as to why Long was keeping her alive.

Rio.

Rio had not looked at Okamio directly since Mei Li died. She knew why. She looked, sounded, and even behaved (sometimes) just like her other half. And Long was planning to exploit that.

Sneaky bastard. If she knew the exact manner of how to get rid of him, she would do it herself. But, she knew she must be patient, bide her time and wait. She knew there was a secret to getting rid of him. But she didn’t know what it was. So, she had to endure.

And she knew she had to give in… just long enough for him to think she was doing as she was told. After all, the only truly bad thing about this mess was that she couldn’t escape.

If she waited long enough, she wouldn’t have to. She’d be rescued.

All she had to do was play along and she would be just fine…

“Retsu, stop pacing and come to bed.” Mele wailed as Retsu paced around the dark bedroom. “I’m sure Okamio will come back eventually.”

“What if Long has her?” Retsu asked. “What if he’s holding her prisoner!?”

“And what if I decide to stab you with my tongue because you won’t let me sleep?” Mele tossed her hair back a bit, and sighed. “I know you’re worried about her, but dammit Retsu! Get some sleep!”

Retsu sighed and then raised an eyebrow. “Darling Chameleon…. Would you mind using that tongue in another fashion?”

The long tongue grabbed Retsu’s wrist and yanked him into bed. “Only if you promise no more pacing.”

“I swear.”

She giggled and kissed him, them…. Making sure no more coherent words were spoken for the rest of the night.

But he had to try again. “Mele, I…”

“Shhhh.” She kissed him again.

He sighed, but he could not deny that this time, he did not mind.

Mei Li’s kisses warmed Rio’s body and made his spine tingle. He’d never felt this way before. She’d awoken something in him that was not there before.

“Rio-sama…” She moaned as his kisses trailed down her body, his hands caressing every ounce of skin he could reach. She wanted this so much….

“Mei Li-sama…” He breathed. “You ignite a fire in me…”

Her laugh was breathy. “And you in me, my beautiful waka-jishio…” She sighed as he began to pull at the laces of her dress.

“I never thought I would feel again…” He murmured, his kisses spreading heat through her. “You make me feel… alive.”

Mei Li knew what that felt like. She felt almost human again when Rio was with her, when he kissed her, when he touched her…. He awoke the dormant parts of her that had lay in sleep for centuries. He made her feel lust, true passion and for the first time since Gou… actual love. She knew she was falling for him. And she knew she was falling hard.

And Rio was falling right back…he’d never thought he’d be so taken with Rageku’s beautiful daughter or that the two would match up so well. It was like the chemistry with them just clicked. He loved it. He wanted more of it. Mei Li was his soulmate… he was positive of it.

He pulled his head back a bit and kissed her. “I love you, Mei Li…”

Rio opened his eyes, trying to ignore the pain in his chest. He sighed, rolling over, fingering the necklace on which he kept his and Mei Li’s wedding bands. He wasn’t sure why he had decided not to kill himself when Mei Li had died. He knew it would not bring her back. He knew defeating Long would not bring her back. Nothing could bring her back.

Is this the price I must pay for my sins? He thought. Am I doomed to be alone forever? Am I to live my life without my soulmate?

He felt like crying, but the tears would not come. But he knew that Mei Li would not want him to give up. She had to be cheering him on from wherever she was. And maybe, should Long take his life… he would get to be with her again.

Do you really want to give Long the satisfaction of winning? He thought he could hear her. Come on, my love, you are better than this. Did you come this far to let him destroy you?

His eyes shot open. He knew she was right. He did not come this far to let Long ruin him this way. For the sake of Mei Li… he would never let her sacrifice be in vain. Long would die, if not by his hand, then by another’s.

He would see to that.

From the mirror, Mei Li wept quietly. “Rio…”

Ken was victorious. He’d finally gotten Shiwa to relax. As she rested against one side of the warm hot spring, her eyes closed, her body totally at ease, he smiled. She was so beautiful and so special and he had hoped this little getaway would help set her mind at ease. He knew what had happened to her had been hard. And he could stand watching her suffer no longer.

If she hadn’t agreed to this, he’d have kidnapped her…

“Shiwa-chan…” He’d returned with sake for them. “I have something for us to drink.”

“Oh…” One dark eye opened. “What is it?”

“Sake…and its nice and warm.”

She smiled. “I haven’t had sake in years.” She sat up a bit and took a cup. “It’s not drugged is it?”

“After that debacle with Jan getting drunk? Of course not!”

Shiwa giggled. “I have to admit it was funny seeing Jan drunk… Elehan and Sharkie… not so much…” She cringed. Elehan was creepy enough when he was sober… when he was drunk; he hit on everything with breasts….

She wasted no time in drinking the cup. Part of her wanted to get drunk so she wouldn’t keep having the flashbacks, but she knew Ken would not let her. He was sweet that way. Finally, she figured that now would be a good time to tell him what was really bothering her.

“I am worried for Rio’s sake.” She said quietly, having another cup. “Since Mei Li died, watching him attempt to live is almost heartbreaking, it’s so sad…”

“Shiwa, you worry too much. I know Rio will be hurting, but eventually the pain will go away and he can move on. His heart will mend, my love… osu. Give him time.”

“He must think he is doomed to be alone and unhappy always.” Shiwa mused.

“If he and Mei Li were true soulmates, her soul will find another way to come back to him.” Ken assured her, his fingers moving along her sore shoulders. “It won’t happen overnight, you have to give it time. I’m sure that while things may seem bleak to him, one day everything will be okay.”

Shiwa nodded. Everything did seem bleak, but there was always that hope…

She had more sake. Screw this. She was going to get drunk and she was going to fuck Ken’s brains out. She was getting tired of worrying all the damn time. She drank the entire bottle down, grabbed Ken by the hair and kissed him as hard as she could.

He chuckled. Well, maybe one bottle wouldn’t hurt…

As they sank beneath the water he pulled away to declare “OSSU!” before she silenced him again with another kiss.

Ran lay awake in bed, Gou snoring beside her. She sighed with happiness. Thing between her and Gou were finally okay. They were finally free to be in love with one another, even without the shadow of Okamio looming over them.

Well, she would admit to herself that her mind would trail back to the time she’d spent with Mei Li as her pet, but she threw it on the back burner. She had Gou to herself now and she was happy. She curled next to him. “I love you, Gou…” She whispered, her fingers trailing over his broad chest. “Forever and ever…”

She smiled. Long was still out there, but she didn’t care. Life, to her at this moment, was perfect.

“I love you, Ran…” Gou murmured sleepily.

Her heart soared and she sighed. She placed her head on his chest and silently wondered if the time would come when they all got to be happy. She hoped it came soon.

Okamio lay in bed, alone, fingering the choker that was binding her to Long. She could see outside of the den now, and she took note of the landscape that she might never see with her own eyes. She was trapped in this den forever.

And it was all her own fault. She had come only to stop him, but she learned too late that he was never going to stop. There was no way. As she lay on her side, she whimpered, her heart heavy. Retsu was all alone now, with no one to protect him from Long or from anything. He couldn’t even take a human form for very long. Inside she wept for him and her stupidity. How arrogant she had been to believe that Long was ever going to stop?

Her thoughts were broken as she heard a strange mewling sound and she turned over to see… Retsu. Well, his jaguar form at the least, but he had followed her.

“Retsu!” She murmured, getting out of the bed and hugging the big black cat. “How did you… oh, I don’t care… I’m so glad to see you!”

Jaguar Retsu purred and nudged her gently. A quick lick to dry her tears and he indicated the door.

“Oh, I can’t leave.” She told him sadly. “I’m trapped here. Long put a choker on me that will drain me of my life force and my Gengi if I try to leave him of my free will. I only came here to see if I could put an end to his fury… and it turns out he doesn’t need me… he never did…” She bowed her head and began to cry into the fur.

The purr was sad and the jaguar tried to tug the choker off so Okamio could leave, but it would not budge.

Okamio sighed. “He needs me to be his bride because he wanted me to have the whole world… how was I supposed to know he meant it literally?”

Shiwa was not drunk, but Ken had cut her off before she got drunk. She had curled up against his body, her eyes closed; gentle murmurings of her affection spilling from her lips.

Ken chuckled. “I love you, too, Shiwa-chan. Let’s get you up before you do something silly.”

“Long must die!” Shiwa declared. “He’s made Rio’s life miserable.” She looked up at Ken. “He’s so unhappy. Why should we be happy unless we’re ALL happy?”

Ken did admit that it was a bit unfair that while the others enjoyed some happiness, Rio was left to mourn Mei Li. Even if Rio was once bad, he was trying to repent. This should not be his fate. “Shiwa, I know, but it’s not like we can reverse time and bring her back. I told you that he will heal, but it will take time.”

“For him… it will seem like forever.” Shiwa was oddly silent. “That is why if I am going to meet my end with Long, I will enjoy every minute with you!” She dove on him, kissing him and almost pulling him under again.

Ken barely had time to react before their lips met and he found himself on the receiving end of her amorous assault. He so adored his golden princess and wasted no time swinging her up and out of tub and back into the bedroom.

“Well, if that’s the case, let’s get to enjoying every moment.”

Shiwa cheered. “Yay!”

Long was a bit surprised when he found a large jaguar lying next to Okamio’s bed, but he thought nothing of it. He knew it was Retsu, but he also knew that causing him harm would incite Okamio’s wrath like nothing else. So, he left it alone.

“I see we have a guest.” He remarked.

Okamio turned to him, fury in her eyes. “You touch him and I am going to cause you harm.”

“I won’t…” Long murmured. Yet…

She got up and looked at him. “I don’t mean you do it when my back is turned. You trapped me here, remember? Where else am I going to go? So, you better pay attention to what I want otherwise… you don’t get a lick of what YOU want.”

Long’s eyes widened. “You wouldn’t.”

“I would, you little bastard.” Okamio hissed. She laughed. “Darling, I love you… but I don’t have to fuck you.”

Long was almost livid, but he knew full damn well that he could never force her to do anything she didn’t want to do. It was not his style. He could never force himself on her… not on his beloved Okamio… who bore the face and voice of his beautiful Mei Li.

“Fine.” He admitted defeat. “I’ll leave him be.” He wasn’t happy about it, but it was between that and getting laid.

He’d much rather get laid.

The next morning at SCRTC brought much pandemonium as it was quickly discovered that Rio had gone missing.

And it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out where Rio had stalked off to, although Mele refused to believe that he would be so stupid as to go and take on Long… by himself.

“Rio-sama would not do such a thing!” she insisted. “It’s suicide! What is he trying to prove? Surely he would know that even if he defeats Long, it wouldn’t bring Mei Li back. And if he loses, he could die!”

“Perhaps that’s what he wants.” Miki murmured. Rio had been walking around as though he were dead. “Perhaps instead of putting himself through the Fist Judgment he has decided to repent by defeating the one who took everything from him.”

“Or he’s decided to do suicide by Long.” Retsu muttered, trying to comfort Mele, but his words had little effect. “Wouldn’t the Fist Judgment have been easier? I mean, the outcome could still be the same….”

“The Fist Judgment would not have had the same affect for him.” Sha-Fu explained. “This fight, Rio against the man who took everything from him, has a greater meaning. If he dies here, he will know he at least attempted to repent and perhaps will be allowed to spend the rest of time with Mei Li. He knows full well that nothing will bring her back, but he also knows that he can’t let her death be in vain.”

“But we can’t just stand back and watch him do this!” Gou protested. “He’s going to die and Long is going to see to that!”

“We must.” Sha-Fu said. “This is no longer a matter involving all of us. This is Rio’s chosen path and he must walk it alone.”

Everyone knew that Sha-Fu was right. But no one wanted to stand back and watch Rio kill himself in the name of his lost love and the name of penance.

Later in the night, Mele awoke to the sound of someone moving past her bedroom door. She got up and was ready to assault with her tongue when she saw Gou.

“Gou… what are you doing?” Mele asked.

“I am going to stop Rio.” He whispered, careful not to wake Dark Retsu. “Mele, I was going to come for you anyway. Do you want to come with me?”

“Of course.” She told him. “We must stop Rio-sama before he commits suicide.”

“Then what are you waiting for?” Gou took her hand. For a moment, Mele felt a rush. “Let’s go!”

With that, the two departed into the dark night, hoping to catch up to Rio before he committed this act of penance.