Part 1:  Transitions
Chapter 10:  Remembrances
 

When Chiaki began to speak, it seemed as if a curtain had just opened in front of my eyes, and a moment later I felt as a part of her adventures, of her experiences, and of her life.  I saw all of the acts, one after the other, as the beautiful girl who was beside me spoke with her melodic voice, and very naturally.  She knew how to accompany each word with the right gesture. Time froze, and some moments later, I wasn’t in the present any more.  The past was back...

   And, the vision came...

   "1996, that's the exact year, in which all these events took place.  Everything happened in this era.  When Chiaki discovered that she was the new master of Zenki, the immortal Demon Prince, she never thought that she would be able to handle such a dangerous job.  Nevertheless, she became an experienced priestess after all that she lived through in that short time.  It seemed as if it all had just happened yesterday.  When the forces of evil attacked, Chiaki was the chosen one to be in charge of the situation.  She was the 55th descendant of OZUNO, a powerful wizard.  He was the one who had created ZENKI and GOKI, and his legacy was SHIKIGAMI-CHO and THE ENNO SHRINE, the most important Shinto temple of Japan.  Chiaki was just a student, a normal school girl, but made a twist of 180 degrees when she learned that she was the master of Zenki, whose name meant "Foremost Demon."  Zenki was back, after a Seed of Possession was liberated.  This seed takes advantage of the weaknesses of a person, and turns him into an evil monster after it gets inside the body of its victim.  When the Enno Shrine was about to be devastated, Zenki appeared, defeating the terrible menace.  However, he just wasn't any normal hero.  His power was only equaled by his bad attitude, which made him stay in the state of a child, and Chiaki was the only person who could free the spell that allowed Zenki to return his normal size and shape.  After an enemy was defeated, the seed lost its power, and Zenki could eat it.  That was his favorite meal.  The relationship between Chiaki and Zenki wasn't so good in the beginning, but after they saw how much they could do together, they joined forces.

   "That's how a goddess named KARMA appeared, and wished to rule the world, transforming it into her own Realm of Evil.  She had a group of subjects, who were at her disposal whenever she wanted.  GUREN, a young, faithful warrior. GOHRA, the elder of the group, who felt a huge jealousy for Karma's extreme power.  Finally, there was ANJU, the female warrior, who was the only human being of the group.  They caused more than one headache to Chiaki and her family and friends, and obviously to Shikigami-Cho.  Fortunately, Team Zenki was later joined by SOHMA MIKI, a monk from Kagekoya, who knew about Anju's secret.  Karma had stolen Anju's power for her own benefit.  Sohma was the one who gave back the memory to Anju, because he owed her his life, after Anju saved him from death in the past.  However, Karma claimed Anju as her possession, because Anju and Karma had signed a pact of blood.  There was no other choice for Karma than to transform Anju into a Possession Beast, with the help of a Possession Seed.  Zenki won over Anju, but he had to use RUDRA, his secret weapon, a technique that killed his enemy but could also affect Zenki in a dangerous way, because of its tremendous destructive ability.  Zenki survived, but Anju slowly passed away in Sohma's arms.

   "The battles continued.   Chiaki and the others traveled to the past, hundreds of years before, because  they had to find a new weapon for Zenki, so he could stop using Rudra.  They met Chihaya, another descendant of Ozuno. They got the DIAMOND AX, thanks to the DIAMOND DRAGON, but Zenki wasn't able to control it in the beginning.  Guren and Gohra had followed them, and of course they didn't just stayed motionless watching what Team Zenki did.  Before they all returned home, Gohra "killed" Guren, for unknown reasons.  Shikigami-Cho suffered a great destruction, since Chiaki and her family left, and when they returned to the future, Karma had almost fulfilled her plans.  Guren survived, thanks to Karma, and Gohra was murdered, because he was a traitor, and Guren fought for the last time against Zenki, but Zenki easily defeated him.  With the help of all the family, they won the battle against Karma, but Zenki almost sacrificed his life, after he used Rudra again.  Things returned to normal.  For a short time...

   "A young warrior named INUGAMI, who was the Prince of Evil, became the new threat.  Sohma had departed, and Chiaki, who felt the need to summon a new Demon, had just summoned a small, cute creature, which she called LULUPAPA.  Two new people became involved in the story.  AKIRA GOTO, a small boy, who hid a mysterious secret, and KAZUE, a woman who took care of him after Akira's father was killed by none other than Karma herself, who had survived.  However, she was finally eliminated by Zenki, once and for all, and that's when Inugami showed up.  A wolf, whose name was KOKUTEI, accompanied him and ate the Possession Seed that remained after Karma was defeated, taking it away from Zenki.  Inugami explained that after Kokutei had eaten the enough seeds he would evolve into the most powerful evil creature.  After this, Akira’s power was finally revealed.  He was GOKI, the new Demon Lord, and he appeared at the appropriate time, just when Zenki’s strength became insufficient to defeat the new beasts, and the new seeds, which had increased in power.  Goki’s main technique was the one that allowed Zenki to transform into a super-warrior.  His armor and his appearance changed.  Chiaki took part in this event.  Inugami’s attempts to get the Seed failed this time, thanks to Zenki’s new attacks.  Nevertheless, things became even more complicated.  New enemies appeared.  KAGETORA, one of the most powerful gods from the Realm of The Dead had the same purpose as the one that Inugami had:  Awaken Kokutei, the strongest creature that would destroy mankind.  Kagetora also wanted to punish Inugami for leaving the Realm of the Dead and breaking all laws, because Inugami never had the right to depart from that place in purpose.  It was forbidden.  Inugami had a “servant,” named Hirumaki, who actually served Kagetora and acted as a spy, watching each one of Inugami’s movements.  When the betrayal was discovered, Inugami almost killed him, but Hirumaki took a Possession Seed and became a huge menace.  He had two pals, NAGI, a voluptuous, rude girl, and KABURAH, a strong, but foolish fellow, who was later, destroyed by Inugami because they all had taken Kokutei away from him.  Chiaki’s problems never ended, because SAYAKA, one of her friends, fell in love with Inugami and felt the need to be at his side, because she had a discovered the good side of him.  She knew that he wasn’t completely evil.  Not even Kazue escaped from the Evil, because she also suffered the attacks of one of the Seeds, and she almost died trying to get free from it.  She was finally saved.  Also, Sohma returned after a short time of absence, but he didn’t return alone.  He came with a lady, whose name was HAZUKI.  She was Inugami’s mother.

   “Inugami never believed that he had a mother, until Hazuki saved him from death after Kagetora’s attacks, using herself as a shield for her son.  This made Inugami go crazy, because he saw that his mother had died just to save him.  He implanted inside his body two Possession Seeds, turning into one of the most dangerous enemies.  Zenki took the last seeds that remained, Kokutei ate them, and the nightmare started, especially after Kokutei killed Kagetora by cutting his head in an instant.

   “Kokutei’s new transformation was terrifying.  However, Team Zenki was the only team that could destroy it.

   “Inugami was back.  His journey to the death was blocked, and he was sent back to life, because he knew that he had a mission, which was to help Zenki.  However, the only way Zenki was able to destroy the monster was after he transformed into GOLD ZENKI, the most powerful evolution of all.  That was how Kokutei was finally defeated and sent away from Earth.

   “Fortunately, Zenki and Chiaki, who had used the main part of their energy, survived, and then Chiaki closed the spell, sealing Zenki and Goki.  Akira, of course, lived a normal life again.  SHIKIGAMI-CHO was known for having the bravest heroes.  What people actually didn't remember were all the battles, the enemies, the monsters, and all the negative events, except for a few.  People just knew that Chiaki was Ozuno's descendant, and her warriors were just a legend, and nothing else.  Maybe it was better like that.”

   The vision disappeared.  Chiaki stopped speaking.  That was my chance to say something; but, first, I thought, "So, the old lady was telling me the truth."  Then, I said:

   -"Chiaki, don't you think that maybe there's a possibility a new menace is approaching?"
 
   -"So, he believes the story," Chiaki thought.  And, for the way I spoke, and for my expression, she didn't doubt it anymore.  She asked me:

   -"Why do you say that?"

   -"Please, answer my question".

   -"Well..."-  she said, after staying a little surprised for how I had insisted on the topic - "I don't know".

   -"You don't know?  Have you had any types of premonitions before?"

   -"I..." -  she doubted once more, before answering, but I told her:

   -"Wait!  I remember.  In your prayer, when you were inside the temple, you mentioned something about a dream, right?"

   -"Yes..."

   -"I was so amazed by how the fire changed whenever you spoke that I didn't pay attention to all of the words.  However, I caught something."

   Chiaki couldn't resist it anymore.  She had to tell someone.  She couldn't keep it inside her any more.  She finally said:

   -"The story is not over yet" -  And, her eyes instantly filled with tears.

   I don't know how to describe it but in that moment, I felt the need to tell her, "You can count on me," but how could she?  I was still a stranger to her, and we had just met a few hours ago.  It wasn't time, yet.  However, I also felt an enormous tenderness and compassion for the way she cried.  Watching that scene just crushed me.  I told her, after taking her hands:

   -"Chiaki, what's wrong?  What happened?  Has anything I’ve said bothered you?"

   She shook her head slowly.  She wept softly, but since we were in a distant place where we could only hear the wonderful chirp of the birds, I could hear her clearly:

   -"I...  actually...  had a dream...  a nightmare..." - She had spoken after some seconds of silence, with a voice that constantly broke because of her crying.

   Before I could reply, she told me everything that she saw in that dream, because all those scenes couldn't be removed from her mind so easily.  As I learned this new story, I thought about my own past, when I had been sent to Japan...

   Of course, it was a trip that I had also wished, but...

   After Chiaki told me everything, she still cried.  Now that I knew why she sobbed I could say, "You can count on me."  Chiaki had trusted me, and that helped me to decide.  Chiaki didn't give me time to say anything, because she spontaneously put her head on my chest, as she wept a little louder this time...

   This last action of hers really took me by surprise, but instead of staying open-mouthed, I saw her with more tenderness.  She was a girl, still, and she had too many pressures for someone of her age.  She had risked her life many times for the welfare of others.  She couldn't think of being a normal school girl again, because there was always the suspicion of a new enemy approaching, although she was never sure of it.  She had a wonderful look, an innocent gaze, and a honeyed voice, which was accompanied of a well-formed waist, a spectacular set of... legs, and delicate, shiny hair.  No one deserved a fate like this, especially not a beauty like Chiaki.  So, "Why?" I asked myself, "Why has she earned such a lifestyle?  What has she done to deserve it?

   This thought burned me inside.  My shirt was wet now, but I didn't care.  Reading her mind, I said:

   -"Shh!  It's O.K., it's O.K.  Don't worry, everything will be fine, I can assure you of that."

   -"I'm sorry for acting like this" - she said, without removing her head.

   -"Don't feel sorry.  It's good to get free of your worries"-  I told her, as I gently cradled her hair.

   It was in that moment when I looked up into the sky, in a particular way, as I tried to seek out an answer to everything that was happening, as if demanding, "What in the world shall I do now?"  However, the main question that I actually thought was, "What am I doing here, consoling this young girl, so far from my homeland?" and also, "Is this what fate has planned for me?"

   However, I was sure of something.  I wasn't going to let anything take me away from Japan. Nor from Kyoto, and especially, not from Shikigami-Cho.  There was a reason for my being there, and I almost knew what reason that was.  Meanwhile, I held in my arms a sad soul, terrified of her own past, and the ghosts of her memories.  A beautiful young girl who would become part of my life from that moment.  My past hadn't been so bright, but Chiaki's past wasn't better.  I felt sure of revealing my story to a person, but, not now.

   I felt that there was a reason for me to live again...