Author's Notes: This is my first action fic, so please be kind. This doesn't take place at any particular time during the series, but it is set in Konan with all of the Suzaku shichiseishi. Let me apologize to all of those Tasuki fans out there first. Just so you know, Tasuki is one of my favorite characters, next to Chichiri, and I like to torture him throughout the fic. Rest assured, he'll turn out ok. Oh yeah, there are some spoilers for Chichiri's past. I don't think I spoil anything else, though. Rated PG-13 cause Tasuki's our favorite cursing bandit.
Thinking in * *
Fire in the Moonlight Chapter 1: A Howl in the NightNight had fallen on Konan, bringing a sense of peace to the southern country that even the growing hostilities with Kutou could not shatter. A full moon blazed with mystic radiance above a lone figure walking around the gardens within Konan's imperial palace.
Tasuki, sworn warrior to Suzaku no Miko, stifled a yawn as he wandered throughout the palace grounds. The young bandit's clothes were wrinkled and his fiery hair stuck out at comical angles. Anyone who happened to glance his way would know instantly from his disheveled appearance that he had been having trouble sleeping.
"Tasuki-kun?"
A voice from behind caused the half-awake seishi to jump in surprise. He spun around to meet the ever-smiling mask of his friend and fellow seishi, Chichiri.
"Damn it Chichiri!" he growled at the way-to-cheerful-for-this-time-of-night monk.
"Don't sneak up on me like that! You know I hate it!"
"Gomen Tasuki-kun no da," the monk chuckled. "I was just wondering what you were doing up this late no da."
Tasuki simply muttered something incoherent about stupid monks popping up and annoying him.
"What did you say no da?"
"I couldn't sleep all right!?" Tasuki snarled at Chichiri. "I keep hearing this noise that wakes me up. Ne, Chichiri, what are you doing up at this hour?"
Chichiri's mask twisted into a frown, or at least as close to one as it could allow. His voice dropped an octave. "I sense something very evil out here. It's a magical presence very different from those of Suzaku and Seiryu seishi."
Tasuki couldn't help but notice that Chichiri had dropped his "no da's" along with his voice. "Well, whatever it is, it'd better not keep me awake. I've had enough problems sleeping with those damn wolves howling all night."
"Wolves no da?" Chichiri questioned his younger companion. "Tasuki-kun, there aren't any wolves around the palace no da."
"I know what I damn well heard Chichiri!" the fiery bandit snapped.
"All right! All right, Tasuki-kun no da!" Chichiri replied, shrinking down to his three foot tall, chibi self. "Since you weren't drunk today, I'll believe you no da. I'll see you later no da."
Tasuki smirked as the chibi monk headed off to another part of the palace. "That's right! Nobody calls Genrou of the Mt. Reikaku bandits a liar and lives!"
He turned around and began to make his way back to his chambers when a sharp howl pierced the silent night air. Tasuki turned sharply and silently cursed himself for leaving his tessen back in his room. Another howl, even closer than the last sounded behind him. Tasuki swung around and saw nothing. His eyes darted across the courtyard in the hopes of catching a glance at whatever was making the howling noise. However, he saw nothing, which caused him to start panicking.
"Who's there!?" he called, unable to keep his voice from wavering.
A rustling in the bushes was his answer. Tasuki took a step toward the rustling, his entire body shaking. He took another step, then another, and another. When he was about three feet from the bushes, the rustling stopped abruptly.
"Chichiri?" he whispered. "Is that you Chichiri?"
All that answered him was silence.
"Come on, Chichiri," He whimpered as beads of sweat trickled down his face. "Damnit this isn't funny Chichiri."
Tasuki's blood suddenly turned to ice as he felt a blast of putrid hot air hit the back of his neck. His entire body shook with terror as he slowly turned around. What he saw was not what he had expected to see. A dark, brawny figure with glowing red eyes towered over the trembling seishi. The shadowed figure raised a massive hand with dagger-like claws. Tasuki felt something slash into his chest like multiple blades. The blow sent Tasuki sprawling to the ground. He clutched his chest with one hand, feeling his own blood flow across his fingers.
Tasuki's assailant loomed over it's prey. The young bandit could see the gleam of pointed teeth glistening in the light of the full moon. Tasuki had no weapon and could feel himself start to lose consciousness from blood loss. There was only one thing he could do.
The injured seishi threw his head back and yelled at the top of his lungs.
"CHICHIRI!"