Peace Before the Storm
"I hate rainy days, no da...." Chichiri removed his mask as he stepped away from the window. The soft sounds of pelting rain was heard all around them.
"Why, Chichiri-san?" Chiriko asked innocently enough.
"Chiriko...." Mitsukake began.
"It's alright, Mitsukake," Chichiri cut in, "It reminds me of the day my family... My fiancee.... and best friend died. My whole village was swept away in the storm," Chiriko gasped.
"Gomen nasai, Chichiri-san!" Chiriko apologized. Chichiri let traces of a smile tug on his lips.
"You don't have to apologize, Chiriko. It' really okay, no da!" Chichiri gave Chiriko a reassuring pat on the shoulder when....
"Chichiri! Mitsukake! Chiriko! It's Nakago! Come on!" Nuriko rapped on the door loudly before continuing down to wake Tasuki and Hotohori-sama up. Chichiri grabbed his shakujo and wrapped his kesa around him hastily. He then bolted for the door, as did the other two seishi whom he had been having tea with. (Yes, seriously. Lots of people had tea and social time together like that in China!)
"It looks like they've gotten smarter since last time,*1" Nuriko called. Tamahome nodded, smirking grimly. They were facing Nakago whom had brought backup, namely Soi and Suboshi. Chichiri immediately created a shield to protect them against Nakago's chi blasts.
"Where the hell did he go?!" Tasuki cursed. Chichiri felt something hit the back of his head.
"Chichiri-san!" a small voice called, then his mind swirled into eternal seas of blackness.
Light Drizzle
Chichiri opened his eyes, his head felt as if it were on fire.
"Hn, so you've finally awoken?" a cold voice asked from somewhere above him. 'Hn', that was a sound he had only heard once before. From a certain fire demon...*2 Chichiri's fuzzy vision finally cleared. He glared at his captor. The blonde before him smirked.
"W-why me...?" Chichiri asked.
"You were easy prey. Tasuki, Tamahome, Nuriko, and Hotohori were all protecting their stupid Miko. Tasuki had his hands full protecting Chiriko and Mitsukake. You were so absorbed in your protection spell that you were oblivious to all else. As I said, easy prey," The blonde laughed.
"What do you want with me?" Chichiri asked.
"Revenge," was all his captor said.
"I never expected this from you. You were scum, but I never thought you would use such dirty tactics," Chichiri growled.
"I had limited options. Now, I am going to put you through the same hell that I was put through.... I would rather have had Miaka, but you'll do just fine."
"You can't break me,*3" Chichiri growled, "No matter how hard you try, you can't break me,"
"Oh, but I can... I know how to torture someone that will waste them away physically, and deteriorate them mentally," Chichiri's eye opened wide in realization at what was about to happen, "And now, revenge, for my Aniki!"
Downpour
He couldn't tell how much time had passed as it crept along at a snail's pace. Suboshi threw him down on his bed and secured him there with the cord of his Ryuuseisui. Chichiri's breath was let out in a low hiss as the cord cut into his skin right through his light clothing. Suboshi removed his own shirt and shoes before crawling on the bed on top of Chichiri, eyes lit ablaze with wicked glee. Suboshi lowered his head to Chichiri's neck and let his tongue snake out. Chichiri cried out and his eye closed. He thrashed slightly only resulting in drawing blood in the places where the cord made contact with his skin. The rest of the 'visit' was a thankful mixture of painfully slipping in and out of consciousness.
'He won't break me, I won't be broken....'
Outside, the rain raged on.
'I hate rainy days'
Eye of the Storm
Chichiri finally awoke, he seemed to be on the outskirts of Konan. He couldn't remember a single thing except pain, burning pain. He hurt, everywhere. He inspected himself, his clothes were ripped and shallow wounds marked the skin under them. His back ached and moving any limbs sent searing pain jotling through the rest of his body. His head was throbbing and his vision was slightly blurred. He grabbed his left arm where a wound was particularly bad and began to make his way back to the palace. Blood seeped through his fingers and dripped to the earthen streets, leaving a trail of smeared blood in his wake. He made it as far as the palace steps before he then collapsed.
"Chichiri? Wake up, please open your eyes, Chichiri...?" Miaka begged. She turned her tearful gaze over at Chiriko, "What happened to him?"
"I wish I knew, the guards found him collapsed on the palace steps. It took them a while to recognize him as Chichiri-san," Chiriko sighed, "How could we have let this happen to him...?" Chichiri took this time to stir.
"Nani, no da...?" He asked.
"Chichiri!" Miaka threw her arms around him, "You have to stop worrying us! We sent Mitsukake and Tasuki after you! What happened?"
"I... Don't remember..." Chichiri sat up and clutched his head, "I really can't remember..."
"TA-MA-HO-ME!" Nuriko hollered from somewhere down the hall, "That was Korin's handmirror you just broke!!!"
Downpour
"Nuriko! You didn't have to smack me! It was unavoidable! I had limited options," Chichiri's eye widened as he fell back into the pillow.
Suboshi slapped him harshly on his cheek, "Close your eye," Suboshi smirked, "You won't feel enough pain if your other senses are getting in the way," He did as he was told. A new wave of pain he never noticed before washed over him. He let out a strangled scream.
"Chichiri-san!" Chiriko's worried voice broke him from the memory.
"I'm okay, no da!" Chichiri forced himself up again.
"Chichiri!" Nuriko cried gleefully as he burst through the door.
"So you've finally awoken," Hotohori said in an even voice as he stepped in. Chichiri was thrown into another flashback.
"You have such a pretty face... To bishonen for your own good," Suboshi gripped Chichiri's chin with his free hand for a moment before letting go and and slapping him sharply on the cheek. Chichiri's head snapped to one side from the impact as the painful stinging remained where Suboshi had struck him.
"Oy! Where the fuck are the rest of you?!" a voice called.
"Tasuki-san is back, Chichiri-san..?" Chiriko looked at Chichiri with a confused expression. Chichiri's eye came back into focus as he was awoken from the terrible memory.
"I'm fine, no da," Chichiri assured him.
"Hey, we had to come back 'cause another hellish storm is brewing out there. Chichiri! Hey! You've found him!" Suddenly, the rain began to fall.
"Looks like we got back just in time," Mitsukake said as he ducked in the door.
Chichiri stood up and walked to the window as if he didn't know the others were there. A dreamy haze clouded his eye. Lightning flashed and it reflected in his good eye. Memories started pouring in his mind. Everything he had forgotten rushed back with the rain. Chichiri let out a strangled cry as he clutched his head with his hands. His eye closed as he sank to his knees.
"Chichiri!" came the worried cries of his friends.
"W-why me...?" Chichiri voiced his thoughts subconcioussly.
"What do you mean, Chichiri-san?" Chiriko asked.
"Why did he choose me....? Why did he have to break me....?" Chichiri ignored his surroundings, all he could hear was the pounding of the rain.
"Mitsukake, you better get Chiriko the hell outta earshot," Tasuki suggested wisely.
"Yes, Chiriko? Remember that scroll on herbs I was going to lend you? Let's go find it now," Mitsukake took Chiriko's hand.
"But Chichiri-san..." Chiriko protested.
"Don't worry, he'll have all the other seishi, I'll come back and heal him once we're done, alright?" Chiriko nodded and reluctantly left the room, his eyes never left Chichiri until they were out the door.
"I don't understand....*4 I don't understand it at all.... I really don't understand..." Chichiri shook his head. He was now on his hand and knees facing the window, his gaze was fixed on the groud between his hands. Tears dripped onto the floor, mixing with the rain that blew in through the open window.
"What happened to you Chichiri?" Miaka asked, timidly. She didn't want to press anything out of Chichiri.
"Suboshi promised to break me, and he did...." Chichiri shook his head. The haze left his eye. He forced himself to stand. "Please, I would like to be left alone..."
"Come on, everyone. He's in shock, of.... Something. Let's just jet outta here, I know! Let's go get drunk! That's the way I fix everything!" Tasuki grinned stupidly and dragged Tamahome with him.
"How can you smile in this sort of situation!?" Nuriko asked and chased after Tasuki. Hotohori tugged on Miaka's sleeve and led her out of the room. Chichiri shook his head, it was hard to tell if he were still crying. The whole upper half of his body was soaked with rain.
"I hate rainy days...."
Where the Storm Can't Reach
"Why were you smiling, Tasuki? That was a very cold thing to do!" Nuriko cried as he caught up to the bandit.
"The best thing to do in a tramatic situation is act normal. I'd think you would know that. Sake?" Tasuki guzzled down the contents of his cup.
"Sure," Nuriko sighed as joined Tamahome and Tasuki in their quest to drown their troubles in sake. Hotohori was having tea with Miaka and Mitsukake. Chiriko was sharing his milk with Tama-neko. For the moment, all was at peace.
Orgin of the Storm
"It actually worked?" Nakago asked, surprise hinted in his voice.
"Yes," Suboshi replied, "I give him and hour,"
"I wouldn't be so sure," Nakago smirked, "You're downfall will be underestimating your opponet,"
Rainbow
Chichiri had finally gotten over the shock and accepted what had happened to him. He picked up his kasa and placed it on his head. He then wrapped his kesa around him. He found his leaning against the doorframe. He sighed once and left his room.
As he proceeded down the hall he heard laughter. It was coming from the dining hall. A warm glow emitted from the large room. The moment he stepped in everthing became silent. He offered them one of his rare mask-less smiles and the all smiled too. Miaka ran up and pulled him to join Hotohori, Mitsukake, and her for some herbal tea before Tasuki could convince him to get wasted with Tamahome and Nuriko. He sat in silence with Mitsukake, sipping tea every once in a while as Miaka told Hotohori jokes. Hotohori was laughing, enjoying Miaka's company. Every once in a while Miaka turned his way and offered him one of her brilliant smiles. A fight broke out between Tamahome and Tasuki over the last barrel of sake and Nuriko was trying to break them up when Chiriko pointed out that there was more sake in the storage area behind the bar. Outside the rain pounded on, but the chill of the storm could not enter the room. Chichiri knew that his friends were happy that he was happy.
"You know what?" Chichiri asked, almost beaming. The whole room fell silent once more, "I don't think I mind rainy days anymore, no da?"
1)Quote from Spy Kids. I'm not sure it's perfect, but they did say something like that.
2) Ref. to other anime: Yu Yu Hakusho, Hiei.
3) Quote 'You can't break me'
4) Quote: 'I don't understand'
Shakujo is the name of Chichiri's staff.
Kesa is the cloak thing.
Kasa is the hat.