For once Tasuki was up before her. He had already packed away half of their things before hauling Wen's still half-asleep self to her feet.

"Why're you up?" She mumbled out. Her feet felt heavy, and tired still, but he was already a few paces ahead of her walking. Stretching, and smoothing down her hair she took a slow pace behind him. "We're going already?"

"I wanna get to Chiri before it's dark alright?" He spat, glancing back to see if she was still following behind. "We'll get there at about dusk at this rate." She couldn't ignore the small amount of giddiness in his voice.

"You sound excited?"

"Nah, I'm just happy I'll get some actual food, and for free." His voice reached into a high nasally tone.

"You're such a liar, you miss him."

"I was perfectly fine of before him, what makes you think I wouldn't be after?!"

"Because you miss him. You can't just go through what you did with him, and not miss him. He's one of the only people you have now. You don't have to be ashamed."

"...not ashamed." He grumbled as a light flush edged along his cheeks.

"Unless you're in love with him."

"What?!"

"It's alright, I'm not here to judge. But I mean look at how cute girls are, I hope you're not missin' out on that." She winked as his face began to match his hair.

"How coul-"

"You're so easy to rile up you know that." Wen reached her hands behind her neck with a small sigh. "But us girls are pretty damn great."

A noise like something was stuck in Tasuki's throat seemed to echo as he stumbled over something in the path.

"You're never gonna' get a husband, talkin' like that." He scoffed at last.

"Good."

That was the only entertaining part of the long, long journey for Wen. The rest of the day seemed to drag on in a tired slump as the heat washed over her again, and again. They passed through a few towns, stopping for water, and to grab a bit of food with what little money they had left. Her legs began to drag more, and more until they came to a small path surrounded by watery fields on both sides, and small village ahead.

The village looked lit, and decorated. There were lights, dimly lit in the dusk so they gave off a small pinkish glow through the red and yellow paper of the lanterns. It was beautiful, she realized they must be having a festival tonight. The aura of the village was warm, and exciting.

"He's here! He's here!" Tasuki suddenly stopped his jumping to grab her arm, and begin sprinting to the village. It was all she could do to keep her legs from falling over one another at every step he took.

Something stopped them like a brick wall, and Tasuki fell flat on his back, nearly crushing her below him. Another person, the one who had clearly caused the accident groaned on the ground. As Wen attempted to push the man whining on top of her off so she could breath again, the other man stood with a resounding sigh.

"This wasn't the best way to say hello, was it Tasuki?"

"Chiri!" He was up, and off of her faster than he could run. "It's good to see you, buddy!"

Wen observed the man in monks clothing. The mask upon his face looked so real it was haunting, but that didn't stop her from trying to look further into him. She could feel the walls of his mind block her at once, and he finally looked in her direction as she stood. She pushed her wavy hair out of her face, and eyed him carefully once more.

Tasuki opened his mouth wide, and clapped a hand on her back.

"This is Wen, she's ah...she's Chiriko's sister. Who knew right?" She bristled at his still joyful voice, and his hand on the small of her back. A she tensed her removed it like she was made of hot coals. "Anyway she had a dream, and all about some things, and Taiitsukun was there blah, blah, blah..."

"Tell me about your dream, no da."

She took a deep breath, expecting him to question her further instead of accepting the odd facts. Perhaps these two were used to it by now though, she figured.

"Taiitsukun came to me, and said there was going to be a dark force. It was something that apparently I have to stop. She said to seek you out as well though since I had already found Tasuki at that point."

He let out a low breath, and glanced at the forest behind them. "There have been some strange deaths. I was planning on leaving tomorrow, but you two could ask around tonight, no da. There is a lover's festival, it shouldn't be too hard to get some people to talk to you."

Chichiri turned to walk back to the village with a gentle saunter, and they followed him unhurriedly.

"Lover's Festival?! No thanks, sounds like a waste of my time!"

"Only because you wouldn't be able to get a lover."

"I could have plenty of lovers. I've had plenty of lovers."

She could read the lies in his burning, amber eyes.

"Oh, yeah, then. Come to me when you get a kiss by the end of tonight."

"Right, because you'll do so much better. Y-you know I bet you couldn't even be able to get a guy to buy you a drink."

"You've already done that." She smirked.

"I don't count!" He whined back. "No, tonight. You get a guy to buy you a drink, and I'll be amazed."

"Please, I could get anyone to do that. I bet I could even get a guy to have-"

"Yeah, right!"

"Want to make a bet on it?!" She challenged, ignoring Chichiri's exasperated sigh from the front.

"You want to lose a bet?" He countered.

She chuckled, and punched him on the shoulder. "No, I think I want to get a drink by tonight, and maybe a little more." Her laughter didn't stop when he attempted to sputter out a half thought-out retort, but nothing came.

Chichiri brought them to the inn he was staying in to have them set down their things. As soon as they were settled he questioned Wen on her powers, and began to explain some of them her.

"Tasuki, stop skulking in a corner. That's no way to win a bet!" She teased from across the room. Chichiri shook his head nervously, and looked between them. "Am I being too mean?" He was surprised by the instant sincerity in her quiet voice. "He's been upset since we got here, should I apologize?" Her eyes softened, looking on at the redhead.

The monk watched for a good moment before responding.

"Let him calm down for a bit. The rest is up to you, no da."

"Does that whole philisohpical thing come with being a monk, or are you just secretly a really old man?" She looked back at him at last, still uncomfortable with his mask.

"It's getting dark," he sighed, "You two should go out to the festival, no da."

"Alright!" Wen jumped up, full of energy now. She tried to ignore Tasuki flinch in the corner as he examined his fan. "Do you want to go out now?"

There was nothing.

"Tasuki?"

"Huh?"

"Aren't you going to come? To the festival?" She dragged her feet closer to him, and crouched by his side. Reaching a hand for his shoulder, but not quite wanting to touch him.

For the past hour or so her and Chichiri had been discussing how to control her powers, and how she could control them through her thoughts and emotions. She could be in control of herself. He told her how she had a large range for empathy, and that's how she could feel and see everything about people who weren't protected like he was.

Still, she couldn't bring herself to quite touch Tasuki now- not even through his clothes. He was so closed off, she didn't know what to do.

"I think at one of the taverns they're having sake on the house, no da." Chichiri piped up when he didn't speak.

In less time than it took her to blink Tasuki was already at the door, dragging Wen along behind him. Her face lit up with an angry blush that came from him refusing her, but accepting the promise of sake. He dragged her into the hot, dry air of the balcony, and down the wooden steps to the bustling street. A small, cool breeze made the sudden heat much more bearable.

As they stood among the laughing couples and running children both paused.

Wen cleared her throat, and wrench her hand away from Tasuki's rapidly loosening grip.

"Don't worry, I won't count 'on the house' sake as someone buying it for me."

He gave her toothy smirk, eyeing her wringing hands.

"Please, that's the only way you're gettin' a free drink."

Any sympathy she had just had for him melted away. He watched as her jaw tightened, and she made to walk past him while staring straight ahead. It was amazing he didn't react to the hand that darted out to smack him gently as she passed.

"Hey!" He called to an empty crowd. A small part of him panicked at her sudden disappearance, but he quickly composed himself. It wasn't as if she was his responsibility. Well, she sort of was, but he would deny responsibility for anything really.

She's fine, I would say she's not a kid, and can do things on her own, but that's only partially true.

Wen tucked herself as far away from Tasuki as she could. A small part of her was still fuming at the thought that he didn't believe she could get a man to buy her drink. She admitted her soft face made her look a bit childish, and boyish, but that wasn't a good reason. Her skin began to burn from the inside, as if she had a fever when she sat on the ground in a small patch of grass by a booth selling food. Her head throbbed as an airy feeling began to blossom from her temples.

Ignoring the feeling, she glanced up into the street to see if Tasuki had found her. Or if he had even been looking for her. Instead of finding her Suzaku Seishi, she made eye contact with a rather attractive man who appeared her age with light mousy hair, and pretty brown eyes. Seeing this as her an opportunity, she offered him a small, coy smile, and returned to picking at the grass. She glanced up again to see him still looking, smiling back though a little embarrassed looking now.

"You know, people usually come to these festivals with another person."

She looked up at the soft voice from above her. The boy had appeared from across the street. She had to admit that he wasn't that bad to look at, and she wouldn't mind talking to someone besides Tasuki for once.

"My...friends sort of lagged behind. Didn't want to come out here with me. But then they didn't give me any money, so I'm not sure what to do now." She shrugged.

"You're not from around here." He gracefully fell to his knees beside her.

She matched his steady eye contact, repositioning herself to be facing him.

"I'm traveling, I'm from Konan."

"That Palace City!" He gasped out. She nodded slowly.

"Yes, it was necessary to live there what my brother...needed."

"Was he ill?" He asked sincerely.

"No, he..." she debated briefly whether to tell him or not, "He was just very bright, and my parents thought it best to bring him up in a place with many good teachers, and mentors."

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Well, what did you want?"

"We moved when I was younger, I don't remember it too well, y'know."

He nodded slightly, and looked back at the booth.

"Your friends didn't give you money?" He asked.

She perked up on the inside, but didn't bother to show it.

"No, we need it for traveling. I knew that I couldn't waste it on anything here, I just came out because it seemed to pretty."

"Haven't you ever been to a festival?"

"None that I can remember."

"What?!" He asked incredulously. "There had to have been dozens of festivals in Konan! Why come all the way out to a dump like this just for some lovers festivals."

She giggled, and picked at the grass a little planning her words carefully. "I don't know, I guess by the time I was old enough and I really wanted to go to a festival was when the war broke out. Konan was pretty... I mean it wasn't the worst place to live, but the people aren't always the best to be honest. The festivals were just full of con-men, and bad people."

The boy moved a little closer. "Then I don't think you're missing too much being here. We've got the same!" His mock enthusiasm made her smile. "What's your name?"

Despite herself, she blushed.

"Wen, yours?"

"I'm Hitoshi. Now, Wen, if you haven't been given any money then you probably haven't had any of our great food, huh?"

"No, but you know I'm a little more thirsty."

Can I still win this if he buys me food? I'm alright with it, but I mean Tasuki would be such an ass about the entire...

"How about some sake then too? It's getting pretty cold out anyway."

That was too easy. She thought as he stood up, and led her to the other side of the street.

What she didn't realize was that an already half-drunk, and soon-to-be-under-a-spell Tasuki was watching on just as she was led away by the kind looking boy. It felt like he was trapped inside of himself. Everything was blank and dark, it was so cold. It was as if he was sleeping or near death. He couldn't figure out which. A small part of him was furious, and another was numb and empty almost unthinking.

His body did before his mind could catch up. Even then he wasn't sure what was happening. He couldn't remember how he had gotten this drunk. After Wen had left him everything had gone hazy. He had heard a voice. It was deep and ancient, but after that...well after that there was this. And he didn't know what 'this' was.

Then everything went completely black.

The next thing Tasuki heard was Wen yelling his name.

"What's wrong with you?!" He heard as everything became clear again. "It was just a stupid bet I don't understand why you're even so upset as to do some-"

"What happened?"

She took a step back, looking behind her at someone in the distance who was stumbling away now. It looked a bit like the boy who he had seen her with right before he blacked out.

"I think...I think I passed out or something." He said sheepishly.

"You just beat that boy up so I don't think so."

"But I don't remember anything! I don't know what you're talkin about. I didn't do anythin to any kid!"

Wen tilted her head and examined him. He crossed his arms in defiance and looked away as her stare deepened in his eyes. Suddenly she grabbed his face and pulled it toward her so their noses were almost touching. If they weren't in such a dark...was this an alley? She would have been able to see the blush that spread across his cheeks.

"It wasn't you." She said at last.

He realized that he had been holding his breath.

"I could tell that there was something wrong. Your energy was all wrong. But Hitoshi..."

"You can get a new boyfriend in the next town we end up in." He said harshly, pushing past her.

"I don't think so. He bought me a drink though, so I won the bet by the way."

"Pfft! As if I believe that."

She jogged to keep up with him. There weren't too many people in the streets anymore. The festival had almost died down completely.

"Smell my breath!" She challenged, catching up to him.

"Pfft!"

The next morning they left as early as possible. The rumors of odd deaths in the town over plus the mysterious possession Tasuki had experienced made everything more panicked than it had seemed before. Wen hadn't spoken to him or Chichiri much since she had dragged Tasuki back the night before.

Chichiri had tried to figure out by reading trace amounts of energy to figure out who had done this to him. He checked to see if maybe Tasuki had even been poisoned, or was under some type of spell but it was useless. It was all gone.

Wen lagged back as the two Seishi quietly reminisced about one of their adventures with the Priestess Miaka. The way Tasuki gushed about the girl made her want to gag. The only time she had heard him speak so gently about anyone was when they had talked about Chiriko. This was different still though. The way he spoke of the Priestess was almost as if he...

No, he couldn't possibly be in love with the Priestess. I mean she's gone. She's been gone for a few years now, and didn't she leave with one of the other Seishi.

"You shouldn't go around with such a mad look on your mug. You won't get another guy to buy you a drink looking like that." The redhead slowed so he was walking in line with her. The trees cast pretty little spots of light all over the forest floor.

Before Tasuki had fully finished she piped up.

"Who even said I wanted a guy to get me anything." She snapped.

"Ya seemed to like the attention that little boy was giving you!"

"He was nice! He didn't try to argue with me every second and he didn't tell me how I couldn't get a guy whenever he got the cha-!"

"Please, when guys go looking for something like that they don't really care what you look like!"

Chichiri turned from the front, and said something about calming down. Neither of the two were paying attention now though.

"He wasn't-! Well nothing happened anyway because you came in before we made it to his house like a damn-"

"See he was takin you to his house! All he wanted-"

"Maybe I wanted that too! What does it matter?"

Chichiri turned so he was facing them as he walk backwards trying to settle them with soothing words, but nothing seemed to work.

"Maybe you-?" His voice caught in his throat. "You're just a kid how would you know what you wanted?!"

"Oh, right, like when you were seventeen you didn't even think about-"

"Well what if I didn't? Women are too much of a hassle anyways. Like you!"

"They make brothels for that sort of problem, idiot. Maybe instead of a cat you're more of an ass." She spat.

Chichiri was talking a little louder now.

"Like I would ever even go to something-"

"Don't even try to lie about it! Any man would."

"How would you know what any man would?"

"How would you?"

"ENOUGH!"

Wen nearly fell back as Chichiri yelled above their argument. Tasuki's eyes went down to the ground like a child who was being scolded.

"Have either of you forgotten the reason we're here?" She wasn't sure whether he wanted an answer, but didn't dare to speak. "There is something out there killing people. Something is happening. There isn't time for petty arguments about nothing, and I don't want to hear them." Slowly his voice became less dangerous.

"I'm sorry, Chichiri. I guess I didn't mean to." Wen spoke up quietly.

Tasuki muttered something incoherent, and she jabbed him in the side with her elbow.

"Sorry, you're right. I shouldn'ta wasted my time tryin to get through to this blockhead."

"Tasuki..." The other warned.

"Fine, sorry, I don't know. Whaddaya want?"

Chiri sighed and turned away from them.

The rest of the walk was carried on in silence.

As soon as they had settled to set up camp Wen had run away to the hot spring she had seen as they had walked in. There was a small wall of rocks that divided the spring from one side to the other. The cover of moss was soft and cool as she rested her back against it. As quietly as possible, though she knew one one was near, she sang the lullaby she had always sang to Chiriko when he had nightmares.

Tears welled up in her eyes, and she heard a soft splashing. It was from the other side of the rock wall. Wiping the tears from her eyes she propped her elbows up on the rocks, and looked over the side expecting the see a frog.

What she did see was Chichiri pressed up against the wall holding his knees to his chest, and looking as if he was trying to be silent.

"Chiri?"

"Oh!" He splashed around, and looked up at her.

"Sorry, I didn't know you were here."

"No, no, I should really be going. It's not right for me to stay here while you're...I mean you're..."

"It's fine. You know as long as you stay on that side." His face lit up in a bright pink. "I'm joking." She laughed for the first time that day. "But seriously." He put on his mask, and finally faced her full on. He pulled himself up on the rocks by his elbows, and stared down at her.

Silently, she was grateful for the wall being there so the only part of her skin he could see was down to her shoulders.

"You shouldn't argue back with him that much you know."

Wen nearly rolled her eyes. He sounded like a condescending parent.

"I know, but he shouldn't say half of what he does. I shouldn't just have to let him say whatever he wants to me."

"I know, I know." He said softly. "I'm going to talk to him later. But you haven't been in a good mood since we left."

"I didn't get a lot of sleep-"

"It was when we were talking about Miaka." He stopped her with his gentle tone.

She pressed her lips together, trying to think of an answer. Nothing came to mind.

"I don't know. I was just thinking about Chiriko, and I guess I didn't want to hear-"

"Don't lie." He pleaded softly.

As quickly as possible she changed the subject.

"I know why you wear that mask. I saw when you cleaned out my scrape last night. You were too tired to guard yourself. Unless you did it on purpose." Wen said quickly.

"Maybe. Maybe not. I don't remember." He sighed, and touched the spots of moss on the rocks with one hand. "Are you going to tell me to not wear it?"

"No, I think it's become part of you now. Not in a good way, but I'm not you so how would I know? It's really all up to you. I think-"

There was another energy. It was angry. Or hurt. Jealous? The thoughts raced through Wen's head before she even glanced to her left. Tasuki was standing stiffly with his mouth slightly agape. He almost said something, before curling his fists and stomping away.

"Tasuki! Wait!" Wen dropped from the wall, and swam the ten feet to the shore where her clothes were.

"Wait, Wen!" Chiri called from the shore where he already had on his pants, and was pulling on his shirt and shoes. "Let me get him. He might pay attention if I-" His words sputtered off as he ran into the woods. She rounded the corner, looking to make sure he was gone as she pulled on her loose pants and moxiong. There was no time to try to pull the shirt over herself. If kept catching on her wet skin, and hair anyway.

She shivered as she ran, but still she went. She ran and ran, scraping her arms on the trees and shrubs as she went. Wen focused on trying to find his energy as she went, hoping that she would find him before Chichiri.

"Tasuki!" She breathed as she ran.

Finally she saw him. The shock of bright hair gave her some relief as she neared him as silently as possible. Gently as possible she caught his wrist in her hand. In barely fit around her small fingers.

"Tasuki?" She asked quietly hoping he would turn around.

"What?" He snarled. It wasn't even a question. She felt herself shrink down before standing tall again.

"Please look at me."

As an excruciating moment, he did.

His face lit up as he looked down as her. She only had on the moxiong and was dripping wet. Goosebumps formed all up her arms, and on her bare stomach.

"We were just talking." She said, feeling a tightness in her stomach.

"Oh, yeah, while you both were naked in a spring!"

Biting the inside of her lip she spoke slowly.

"Nothing happened. We weren't even on the same side. He didn't even see anything, and neither did I. We were talking about the journey." The small lie left a bad taste on the roof of her mouth, but she forced the feeling down.

"You've been all over him since we-"

"Tasuki, nothing happened."

"You're not even a good liar."

"If you come with me I would've been okay with you being on the same side as me!"

A hand slapped over her mouth, and she let go of his arm.

Another blush crept into his cheeks as she ran.

As she ran there was an echoed scream, and the sound of a tree collapsing. A cold voice whispered in her head.


Sorry it's been so long I really am. The first version of this chapter was deleted by my good-for-nothing laptop, and I had to redo it. I didn't have the energy for a while, and I was just getting really frustrated with this entire process, but I've got to stick to it, and finish it. Thankfully I'm already working on the next chapter, and saving vigorously. Reviews are welcome!