Disclaimer: I still don't own Konan, Suzaku and all characters and seishi pertaining to them. Kiori and Ritsuka are and shall forever be mine, and that holds for all the other "originals" (you'll know 'em when they appear, trust me). Obviously the story is mine as well.
Rating: PG-13, for moderate language and violence.
-Episode Eleven: New Discoveries—
Keisuke yawned, waving the book at his companions. "This is getting good, isn't it..." the college student trailed off, probably because no one was listening. Tetsuya and Yui had fallen fast asleep on each other's shoulders. Keisuke scowled. "Humph. Well if that's how it is then I won't wake you up when things get really interesting."
He shrugged and flipped to the next page, grinning hungrily as his finger moved to the first line of Chapter Eleven. "Ooooh well, this means I can read to myself and get through it faster! Heheh..." he continued to chuckle quietly to himself as he dove into the book, whipping through the pages with almost lightning speed. "Morning poked her golden head above the Konan Palace, alerting its residents to a bright new day..."
oOo
Ritsuka stretched leisurely, struggling into a light blue tunic and fighting back about twelve enormous yawns. She blinked sleepily, throwing open the windows and allowing the morning air to invade the little bedroom she shared with Kiori. The summer sun shone brightly across the palace gardens, promising that the day would be a beautiful one, if not a bit hot. The rain from the night before glistened on the tree branches and along the roofs of the palace, but all other signs of yesterday's storm seemed to have vanished completely, leaving the world with a peaceful, refreshed sort of glow.
"Another great day in Konan," Ritsuka remarked with a grin and another yawn. "It'd be nice if we could've slept in a little bit, but those riddles are calling our names, I guess. Ah, well, Houki-sama couldn't have picked a better morning to wake us up early. Doncha think so, Kiori?" She glanced down at her friend, who sat buttoning her blouse on the room's soft, silken rug. The brunette offered no answer to Ritsuka's question, so the redhead continued. "Hm. Well, I guess we oughta get down to breakfast and start attacking those scrolls. I wonder what 'advice' mine'll give? Hah, probably something confusing like: 'a rolling stone can sometimes devour a lion whole.'" Ritsuka snickered.
"I'm not coming to breakfast," Kiori murmured from her spot on the ground. "Tell them to start without me. I should be in later."
She stood without a word, and didn't even glance at Ritsuka as she walked past her towards the door. Her friend frowned. "And I thought I wasn't a morning person." She placed both hands curiously – or perhaps a bit angrily – on her hips and cocked her head to the side. "What's the big problem? Why're you so gloomy today?"
Kiori glanced over her shoulder, meeting her friend's gaze with what Ritsuka thought were the saddest eyes in the world. She didn't even bother trying to shove on her fake smile, not today. "It's been six months since it happened. I need to be alone. Please."
Ritsuka's eyes widened and she held up her hands, nodding vigorously. "Oh, hell. I'm really sorry, Kiori, acting all cheerful and all when... I mean, I had no idea, and, um..."
"It's all right, Ritsu. It's not something I'd want you to remember. It's bad enough for one person."
"Right, um..." the redhead rubbed the back of her head, at a momentary loss for words. Finally, after several stuttered tries at comforting words, she gave up and simply said, "What should I tell the others?"
"It doesn't matter. The truth, if you want."
"No way! I wouldn't feel right, I mean... it's not like I have the right to, um..." Ritsuka sighed. "I'll think of something. Will you be meeting up with us at breakfast later?"
"Maybe," Kiori said, looking towards the ground once more. "Anyway... I'll see you."
"See you," Ritsuka replied, following her friend with concerned eyes but too afraid to follow her with anything else. "Don't wander outside the gates."
The redhead plodded down to the dining room with a bit less bounce than usual, and sat in silence for most of her breakfast. She made no attempt to hide her unusual thoughtfulness, though it didn't seem to affect her appetite – Ritsuka wolfed down three plates full of food almost without taking a breath.
"Y'know, it's more fun t'watch when there's two of 'em downin' all that food," Koji remarked, sipping at a cup of tea. "After ya see th' amazin' duo, it's almost borin' when there's only one. Where is Kiori anyway?"
Ritsuka gulped down the rest of her drink before answering. "She needs some alone time. She said she'd probably come in later, but she doesn't want us to wait up."
Chichiri frowned. "Is everything all right no da?"
The redhead shifted uneasily. "Well... sorta. I mean, I think it will be." Chichiri frowned and opened his mouth to add something, but Ritsuka cut him off with a defensive glare. "Look, if Kiori says she needs to be alone then I'm not about to argue with her. And I'm her best friend so I know what's best, you got it Monk-san?"
Chichiri chuckled nervously. "Hai, hai. Sorry for prying. I'm just... worried about her no da."
"Yeah," Ritsuka murmured into her soup. "I sorta am, too."
The seishi monk lapsed into the same silence as Ritsuka, but the others seemed to accept her explanation and finished breakfast without prying into Kiori's private life. As soon as the last set of chopsticks clicked against an empty bowl, Houki signaled to a pair of servants hovering near the doorway. They slipped out the screen doors with hardly a sound and returned just as quietly a few moments later, laying six scrolls out across the table. Each was rolled up and tied with a different colored ribbon, and each ribbon had a few kanji symbols on it.
"There are six scrolls, one for each of you," Houki explained. "I have already opened mine, as you know." She picked up the first, reading the kanji on the golden ribbon. "Smiling Sorcerer." Chichiri took the scroll. "Fan of Fire." Tasuki snatched up the yellowed parchment. "Bandit Leader..."
Each Konan Warrior accepted their scrolls according to its title until only Kiori's sat on the table. Akai held hers up, playing with the ribbon as she pondered their next step. "So, should we just open them up in front of everyone, or is this supposed to be private? I'd hate to anger the gods just because we ignored one tiny command."
"I do not suppose it matters," Houki told her. "There are no specific directions given. Read them aloud, if you like, or keep the advice private."
Ritsuka chuckled, clapping her hands together in mock excitement. "Yay! Sharing time!" She yanked off the red ribbon on her scroll, unrolling it and reading aloud: "Many difficult decisions will be yours to make. In all things, follow your heart."
"Since when did you get a heart?" Tasuki asked, earning a fist to the head for his remark.
"Two points," Koji commented. He pulled the white ribbon off of his. "Sheer power isn't the only valuable weapon. Ha!" The bandit slapped the scroll on the table, leaning over and pointing a victorious finger in Tasuki's face. "Ya hear that Genrou? I'm gonna kick ass even without seishi abilities. An' yer gonna owe me a bottle-a sake when this is all over, jus' you wait."
"Yeah, an' maybe someday Chichiri'll stop sayin' 'no da,'" Tasuki said with a laugh. Off went the grey ribbon. "Don't drown in the silver pools." The bandit stared at the kanji for another few seconds, mouth tilted in an incredulous half-smirk. "Gee, doncha love how little sense mine makes?" he grumbled sarcastically.
Chichiri pulled off his gold ribbon at the same time Akai removed her midnight blue one. The monk skimmed his silently, but Akai announced: "Heroes come from many molds. Huh, that's a bit of a compliment I guess, though I don't really know how that's supposed to help me in the long run."
"None of these really sound all that helpful right now," Ritsuka agreed. "Maybe the guy who foresaw all of this just wanted to give us some ego-boosters before he shipped us off to battle the 'golden eyes.' Like throwing a Ganbatte (Good Luck) Party before high school entrance exams or something." She and the others turned to Chichiri expectantly. "Okay Chichiri, your turn." Ritsuka leaned forward, eyes widening at the sight of the monk's scroll stretched practically from his forehead to his stomach. "Wow, it looks like yours is a lot longer than ours! I didn't know you needed so many ego-boosters. Well, c'mon, let's hear it!"
The monk didn't seem to hear Ritsuka's request. He studied his scroll in silence for a moment longer, eyebrows bunched tightly together as he contemplated the words. After a brief hesitation he shook his head, rolled the scroll back up and tucked it into his robe. "Houki-sama didn't say we had to read them aloud no da."
Five groans erupted around the table. Tasuki leaned over and poked his friend's shoulder. "C'mon, Chichiri, what's th' problem? We all read ours, an' mine didn't even make sense."
"Mine makes even less sense no da. Trust me, you don't want to hear it."
"Sure we do, Chichiri-sama!" Akai chimed in. "Maybe we could help you understand it, or—"
"Now please, Akai, Tasuki." The others whirled at the Empress' kind but somewhat authoritative voice. She shot Chichiri a small, puzzled smile that seemed to say 'I wanted to hear it too, you know,' but continued despite her own curiosity. "Chichiri has the right to his privacy. We should respect that." The others grumbled a series of rude remarks, but didn't push the matter any further. Houki glanced at the lone scroll on the breakfast table, a tiny frown tracing her lips. "Oh, dear. Kiori still has not returned. I hope she is all right."
"From the sounds of it she ain't," Koji remarked. "I know ya said we should leave her alone, Ritsuka, but maybe that ain't fer th' best right now."
Ritsuka heaved her third sigh of the morning, setting her chin in her hands. "You're probably right. I figured she'd be back for at least a little bit of breakfast, but... maybe someone should go talk to her after all."
All eyes turned to the monk as six voices declared: "Chichiri should do it."
He leaped about five feet into the air, glancing around the table in total confusion. "N-nani? Why me? What is it with you always sending me after people no da?"
"Hey, it ain't our fault that yer th' one with th' ki-sensin' powers. You can find her a lot easier," Tasuki explained. "Plus, Kiori's obviously not feelin' too great about somethin', and you happen t'be an excellent listener."
"Besides," Ritsuka added with an accusing glare, "you wouldn't read us your scroll. So, as punishment, I hereby declare that you have to run around the palace while we go to the training rings."
"Sorry Chichiri, but the people have spoken," Koji said, standing and shoving the monk none-too-lightly out of his chair. "Off ya go!"
oOo
The seishi monk stumbled out the door a few moments later with Kiori's scroll tucked into his robe. He paused for a moment to search out the college woman's life force, though it didn't take him long to find it – her troubled aura blazed across the palace grounds like a beacon. He took off towards her ki, wondering what could be bothering his friend so much.
Chichiri followed the feel of the young woman all the way through the palace and up to the city's northern wall. He made no attempt to hide his ki or silence his footsteps, but Kiori didn't even stir when he reached the top of the parapet. Chichiri frowned and coughed to announce his presence. "Ano... Kiori?"
Kiori's back stiffened at the sound of the familiar voice. 'Not now,' she thought frantically. She turned her head to the ground and rubbed hard at her eyes, willing her tears and the monk to disappear. 'I can't have him – I can't have anyone seeing me right now!'
"What do you want?" she demanded, voice cracking on the last word.
Chichiri coughed again and shifted from foot to foot. "We were, ah... we were a little worried when you skipped breakfast, so we decided that I should come look for you no da. I, um, brought your scroll." He hesitated, and Kiori prayed that that would be the end of it, but the monk's concern got the better of him and he pushed forward. "Kiori? Is everything all right na no da?"
"You have an uncanny ability for showing up just when a person wants to be left alone, you know that!" she snapped, whirling on him with red-rimmed eyes. "I'm fine, okay? So go help somebody else for a change!"
Chichiri flinched, and even his mask couldn't hide the look of hurt that passed across his features. "Oh. I... I see no da. Well, ano, if that's how you feel..." He set the scroll down beside the young woman, managing the barest hint of his cheerful "daijoubu" smile. "I'll just leave this here, for later no da. I… I'm very sorry for intruding."
The monk shot her one last look of concern, then turned on his heel to leave. Kiori's eyes softened as she watched his departing figure, and suddenly she understood, more than anything in the world, that she absolutely did not want to be alone right now. Her mouth opened of its own accord and she cried out, halting her friend's departure. "Chichiri, wait!" he glanced over his shoulder and the college woman looked down, poking her index fingers together in embarrassment. "I... I didn't mean to yell at you. I'm the one who should be sorry. I just—"
To her extreme surprise, Chichiri smiled. "Daijoubu no da. I'm not angry at you. I really do understand no da. Sometimes... sometimes you just need to be alone, with your own thoughts and problems, and you feel as if telling someone else will just make it worse. I'll leave if you want no da."
She sighed, ripping her gaze away from the stone floor and out towards the northern fields. "I don't think that is what I want, though. I'm not sure what I want exactly, but... could you stay, please? I think… I think I should talk to someone. I think I need that."
'Someone who actually understands,' she added silently. 'Could Chichiri be that one? Oh, I hope so...'
The seishi monk took a seat beside her, following her gaze towards the faraway Takkan camp. "So what's the problem no da? What's on your mind?"
Kiori sighed again, heavier this time. She didn't want to do this. More than anything, she didn't want to do this. She was afraid of it. But she also knew she needed to do it, if only to get some of that pain off her chest. If only in hopes that Chichiri might understand her. "Six months," she murmured into her arms. "Half a year, today... since the car crash."
Chichiri didn't want to interrupt, but, "Car?"
"Oh, right," Kiori managed a tiny chuckle. "Sometimes I forget you're not from my world. A car is sorta... well it's like a fast cart without a horse or anything to pull it. Really fast. Sometimes people abuse that speed..." she sniffed, blinking hard and shaking her head. "I'm sorry, I told myself I wasn't going to get all weepy when I talked about this, I hate crying in front of people, and you don't really deserve to have all this shoved onto you anyway..."
"Daijoubu," he said again in that same kindly manner. "Sometimes, crying is the only thing that helps, and you just have to get it out no da. So go ahead and cry as much as you want. I don't mind no da."
"Thanks," Kiori sniffed again. "Anyway... like I said, it happened six months ago, assuming your calendar works the same as ours. I had won this Kyoto journalism award – that was the city I lived in at the time – and I needed to go into the heart of the city to get it. My parents, and my sister, they were all busy that day and told me to just drive down by myself to get it. It was the biggest thing that had ever happened to me, and they weren't even going to be there. I was so, so upset, that I just..." She closed her eyes, remembering that final, bitter conversation.
"What? You mean you aren't even going to come with me?"
"Oh honey, we'd love to but you know Sakuya has that softball game today..."
"It's always about Nee-san, isn't it? Or your job, or Otoo-san's! I worked so hard to get this award, but Sakuya plays some stupid regular-season game and she's the one you choose? It's always her over me!"
"Sweetheart, you know that isn't true—"
"Sometimes I hate you so much! I really do! I just... I hate all of you!"
"I hate you," Kiori repeated quietly, her voice overflowing with disgust. "Then I turned, slammed the door, and left, like some stupid, spoiled five-year old throwing a tantrum." She brought a sleeve up to wipe away her tears, but remembered Chichiri's words and stopped at the last moment. She may as well just let them run freely, now. "Those were the last words I ever said to her. 'I hate you.'"
"Kiori..."
"I came home that evening to find them all gone. Called my mom's cell phone, but all I got was static." She chuckled bitterly, but halfway through her laugh became a sob. "And even then, I still thought 'What, they went out to party after Sakuya's big win? It figures they wouldn't invite me along.' I never even thought... never even considered... like some goddamned, selfish little brat..." Kiori shook her head hard and went on. "I checked the answering machine to see where they were, but what I got was a message from the hospital telling me to call them, so, so I did, and, well..."
"Is this Sakamoto Kiori-san?"
"Hai, that's me. I'm returning a call I got earlier. What's wrong?"
"Ma'am, there was a car accident involving your family."
"My... my what?"
"Sakamoto Mitsuru, Rei, and Sakuya. I'm afraid their car was totaled, and—"
"How are they? Are they all right?"
"Sakamoto-san, I'm sorry to tell you, but..."
"...Dead," she finished miserably. "They'd decided to skip the game, and were on the way out to watch me get my damn award, when some idiot ran into them head on going over a hundred. They never even had a chance, Chichiri..."
Kiori finally gave up and collapsed into herself, burying her face into her sleeves and crying out the last six months' of held-back tears. Oh, God, it was just too much! "I'm sorry..." she murmured through her heaving sobs. She thought she'd surely drown in shame, breaking down like this in front of Chichiri. He'd never be able to look at her the same way, she hissed inwardly, and the thought of his smiling face pitying her like everyone else only made the tears flow faster. "I'm sorry," she said again, almost frantically. "I'm so stupid, making you put up with this..."
The monk's arm slipped across her back, drawing her close and steadying her shaking shoulders. "You aren't stupid no da. And you definitely don't need to apologize to me," he murmured. "It's okay. It really is no da."
Kiori's head jerked up to stare at him with tear-filled eyes. The monk didn't meet her gaze, but instead looked out upon the plains with an unreadable expression on his masked face. But there was no pity, not yet anyway. "Oh, Chichiri..." the young woman buried her face into his shoulder and cried silently, but hearing those kind words had been oddly soothing on her battered emotions. The worst had finally passed. "I don't know why you're so nice to me all the time... but thank you, okay? Thank you so much."
After another minute or so of quiet sniffling she pulled away, turning her eyes back to the distant horizon. Kiori rolled up the sleeve of her shirt, running a finger along the thick scar on her arm and continuing her story, this time with dry eyes and a steadier voice, though she couldn't quite wipe the note of shame from her tone. "I... went a little crazy, for a while after that. I blamed myself for everything. I told myself I'd killed them. A lot of people thought the same thing, though they'd never say it out loud. And I hated them because of that."
Kiori gripped tightly at her jeans, biting her lip to keep her voice from wavering again. "No, that's not right. I... I hated myself because of that. I really did... and I wanted other people to hate me, too. I wanted to do something, something so horrible and unthinkable that everyone would have no choice but to hate me. I thought that maybe I'd just kill myself – I never tried anything, but... but I thought about it a lot. One time, though, I went out and was just so... so angry and confused and sick of everything that I got totally wasted. I did that a lot, back then, just so I could forget everything for a while. Only that time... that time, when I was driving home, I slammed into a telephone pole. I was okay, mostly, but the glass from the windshield left this scar in my arm. Sort of a reminder of my first real wake-up call since the accident. Because, at the time, I remember thinking 'I could have hit another person, because of this. I could've killed someone the same way my family was killed.' Sitting in the hospital, and thinking that, and hating myself even more because of it, it was the first time I was able to cry for them, even a little bit. I'd... I guess I'd been too caught up in myself to do it before. Kind of typical for me, really."
She sniffled, and Chichiri squeezed her shoulder comfortingly. His presence gave her enough strength to continue, though she still couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes. "It was funny, though, because even while I sat there hating myself more than ever, at the same time it was sort of a good thing, because surely, surely now the others would hate me too. Surely, after something like that, they'd see me the same way I saw me." She snorted, remembering every painful detail with perfect accuracy. "But nobody did, even after that. Everyone just felt sorrier for me, which hurt a lot worse than hatred. About two months ago, when I... when I finally came to terms with everything, and I was able to live with myself, I moved to Tokyo. I didn't have any family ties to keep me in Kyoto, and what with everyone knowing about the crash... and everything reminding me of the crash... anyway, that's when I met Ritsuka. There were rumors about my 'family situation' by then, of course, but even after I told Ritsuka the story none of it mattered to her. She didn't pity me or hate me or anything. She just said 'That must have been rough,' and accepted me regardless. Maybe that's why I like her so much."
"Do you still hate yourself?" Chichiri asked quietly.
She heaved a long, exhausted sigh. "No, I guess not – well, not like I used to anyway. And I don't blame myself for it either, not really." She sighed, wrapping her knees to her chest. "It just hurts. A lot. Especially on the anniversary and all..." Kiori shook her head as if to discard her own feelings of self-pity. "I know that's my punishment, and I wouldn't want to forget it – to forget them. That doesn't make it any easier, though. And you know, even if I don't hate myself anymore, I'm still ashamed by it… by my own stupidity, and my stupid selfishness. That's why I didn't want to have to face everyone just yet. I couldn't bear it." She wiped a sleeve across her eyes, drying off the last remnants of her tears. "I guess I'm just waiting for the day when it finally stops hurting."
She laid her cheek across her folded arms, watching as the grass swayed gently in the spring breeze. For some reason, she couldn't seem to meet her friend's eyes. She was too frightened of what she might see in them. 'I know I don't deserve it, but please... please don't let him hate me for this, or pity me or give me that "I'm so sorry" routine. I couldn't bear to have him look at me in sympathy for the rest of my stay here. Not Chichiri, anyone, anyone but Chichiri—'
"It'll never stop hurting," he said suddenly. Kiori jerked her head up and around, surprised by the deep note of sorrow in his voice. And there was another feeling there, something Kiori had never really heard before and couldn't quite place, but... but... 'But it almost sounds like – like he knows what I'm talking about.'
The monk slipped his mask off, fingering it pensively in one hand. He seemed to be looking somewhere that Kiori could never visit, a place somewhere within his own heart. And though his single mahogany eye offered no real clue to his emotions, there was a faraway sort grief at the center of the orb, like the scar tissue of an old injury. Healed, but never quite forgotten. 'It's so much stronger,' Kiori thought, eyes widening at the sudden realization, 'but at the same time, it looks just like... my eyes.'
"Chi... Chichiri?"
He turned to look at her, though it was in many ways as if he was looking through her. "Kiori, let me tell you a story about a man named Houjun..."
oOo
Tasuki and Ritsuka watched Koji and Akai enter the training ring, cheering on both friends.
"C'mon Koji, show her what Reikaku bandits can do!"
"Let's go Akai, beat him down like I whipped Tasuki-chan!"
"Do ya have to bring that up again? And don't CALL me that!"
"I always have to bring it up, and that's two more points for me."
Koji frowned across the ring at Ritsuka, bunching his eyebrows together in a look of mock indignation. "Oi, Red, yer cheerin' fer th' kid an' not fer me? An' here I thought we were friends. I made ya an honorary bandit an' everythin'..."
Ritsuka giggled and waved a hand dismissively in the bandit's direction. "Oh, Ko-Ko, don't be so sensitive! You know you'll always be my favorite bandit." Tasuki shot her a death glare, but the young woman grinned and went on. "But this battle isn't about friendship – it's about women beating the hell out of their evil male overlords! So get in there and get your ass kicked for the sake of womankind, darling!"
Koji sweatdropped. "So I'm an evil male overlord now, huh?"
"Welcome to my hell, 'Ko-Ko,'" Tasuki grumbled from the promenade.
Akai blushed with pride at Ritsuka's confidence, but didn't lose her focus on the upcoming battle. She grabbed one of the larger bokken, gesturing towards the barrel of wooden practice weapons. "Go ahead, Koji-san, take a sword. Now you'll see exactly what kind of a 'kid' I am."
The bandit leader raised an eyebrow at Akai's weapon of choice. "Kinda big fer ya, doncha think?"
"I've practiced with the Holy Sword for the past year and a half. Trust me, this is the perfect size."
Koji shrugged and sauntered over to the barrel, sifting through it until he came up with two lightweight daggers. He grinned, testing the weight in each of his hands. "Ah, this feels about right."
Akai mirrored the bandit's earlier expression, cocking an eyebrow and flashing a smirk. "Kinda small for you, don't you think?"
"Ha! Point taken, kid." Koji gripped the two blunted weapons by the hilt, twirling them skillfully. "You don't need t'worry 'bout me, Akai-chan. All I gotta have is one-a these in each hand t'do the damage you do with one-a those big boys. Now let's get this over with – and remember, I don't mean t'hurt ya if I do."
"Likewise," Akai smirked. "But talk's cheap. Tasuki-sama, when you're ready."
"When I'm ready?" the seishi asked with a laugh. "I been ready since last night!" He clanged the small gong at the side of the ring, signaling the beginning of the battle. "Let's get this started already!"
Akai didn't fool around by testing out her opponent's strengths and weaknesses – she narrowed her eyes and went straight at him, sword held high in a striking position. The fierce attack almost caught Koji off-guard, but he managed to bring up his blades to block just in time. The bandit grunted and shoved Akai away, a newfound respect for the young fighter echoing in his voice. "Whoa, ya really are pretty good at this, ain'tcha?"
"Thanks for finally noticing," the girl took a step back, raising her blade for another attack.
Koji cocked his twin blades at his sides, grinning confidently. "Yeah, it's a shame..." his hazel eyes flashed, and he darted forward, lashing out at Akai with one dagger and blocking her sword from hitting his left side with the other, "that I got experience on my side!"
Akai stumbled backwards, surprised for a moment by the speed and skill of her opponent. It was only for a moment, though, as the warrior girl regained her footing and smiled up at the older man. "Experience, hm? Should I call you Ojii-chan (Grandpa) now, then?"
He laughed and the two clashed again, weaving their way across the training ring. Akai met each of Koji's offensive attacks with her own skillful blocks, and everywhere the girl struck she found a dagger ready to greet her and parry her own strikes. The two lapsed into silence as the fight raged on, each side matching the other almost perfectly in speed and skill. From the sidelines, Ritsuka and Tasuki had to smile. The flashing wooden weapons looked awkward in both sets of hands – Koji seemed too big for his daggers, and Akai too small for her sword – but they carried themselves with such grace that it was hard to imagine either of them fighting with anything else.
"It's like a dance," Ritsuka commented from the sidelines, eyes shining with respect. "The most gorgeous, dangerous dance I've ever seen." She narrowed her eyes at the bandit at her side. "How come when we fought, you just looked like a chicken with its head cut-off?"
He scowled. "You want a rematch 'r somethin'?"
"Nah, that's all right. I don't like embarrassing people twice."
"Yer jus' scared 'cause you know it was a fluke! I never woulda—" Tasuki stopped mid-sentence, whistling as Akai readied herself for an attack. "Oh no, here it comes. Looks like th' dance is about t'end, Ritsu."
"Hm?" she stared at the field, frowning. "How do you know that?"
"Akai's about t'take Koji head on, an' she's gonna lose."
Ritsuka glared at him. "And how, Evil Male Overlord-san, can you be so sure of that?"
"'Cause she can't beat Koji like that." Ritsuka kept staring at him, and Tasuki chuckled, nodding towards the ring. "Jus' shut up an' take a look, Red. Yer about t'see a Reikaku killing move at work."
They turned their eyes back to the fight, watching as Akai darted forward with a fierce offensive move. She swung at Koji's side, then jerked her body to the right so that her weapon flew upwards, on a beeline for his throat. The bandit leader blocked the attack easily enough, though he had to use both daggers to do it, and the two locked blades for a long second, teeth gritted and bodies straining against the impact. But then Koji grinned and shoved forward with all his might, using his superior strength to knock her off-balance. Akai lost her footing and Koji struck, diving forward with both daggers poised for the kill. The warrior girl struggled to block his attacks, and would have managed to fend off the searching weapons if reaching her throat had been the bandit's goal. But Koji was after something much more important, and at the last second he ducked down, kicking out with one foot and knocking the girl to the ground. Faster than Ritsuka could follow he lashed at Akai's hand with his daggers, shouting a cry of victory as the sword tumbled from her unsteady grip.
"This is it!" Tasuki warned, leaning over the rail.
"Not quite," Ritsuka said with a grin. "Watch!"
Koji brought both blades up to place on either side of Akai's neck, but he underestimated the girl. She leaned back and kicked out at his left hand, flipping the dagger neatly from his grasp. The blade spun lazily in the air and Akai reached out, snatching it up and laying it at Koji's throat at the same moment his remaining dagger found her neck. They found themselves at a standstill, chests heaving for breath as they grinned at one another.
Tasuki chuckled and banged the gong again. "Would'ja look at that? We got ourselves a tie!"
The duo dropped their weapons, wiping sweat from their foreheads and laughing through their exhaustion. Koji helped Akai to her feet, patting her on the back as he led her over to their other friends. "Hey, nice job, kid – oops, guess I can't call y'that anymore. Jus' Akai, then. Great fight. You got a lotta talent."
"Arigatou, Koji-san, though I have to admit that you're not so bad yourself. At first I thought you might be one of those cocky guys full of hot air, but you proved me wrong." Akai took an offered towel from Ritsuka's hands, wiping at her sweat-drenched forehead with a determined grin on her features. "Next time, though, I'll definitely beat you."
"I wouldn't count too much on that, Akai. I hate losin' 'bout as much as Genrou hates women."
"That's one more thing we have in common, then."
Ritsuka frowned. "Well I'm glad you two enjoyed yourselves, but this puts us in a tough position. I had my money on Akai, and Tasuki had his on Koji. So who wins?"
"Me!" Tasuki announced greedily.
"How so?"
"'Cause Akai tied using Koji's weapon. So that'll be one silver piece, Red—" the seishi froze, head snapping up and eyes widening as a smooth, seductive voice resounded through his mind.
'Kaji...'
"Tasuki-chan, what's wrong? You okay? Hey if you want my money that bad then just take it."
'Kaji... It's time.'
"Tasuki-sama, is something the matter? T...Tasuki-sama?"
'Choose wisely, Kaji. Your life may depend on it.'
"Genrou! Genrou! Oi, GENROU!"
Someone grabbed at Tasuki's shoulders and shook him, knocking him out of his trance. He blinked and found himself staring into three concerned faces. Koji relaxed visibly at his friend's confused look, but didn't release his hold on Tasuki's shoulders just yet. The seishi squeezed his eyes shut, shaking his head from side to side. "What th' hell was that...?" he murmured, bringing up a hand to rub at his temples.
"Tasuki-chan, are you all right?" Ritsuka asked anxiously. She coughed, looking away. "Not that I'm worried about you or anything, but... You look like you just saw a ghost."
He stared at his three friends, almost as if through a haze. He shook his head again, trying to clear it of the words, as well as the strange image that had come with it. "So... so none of you heard it, then? That voice, an' that woman?" They shook their heads, looking about as perplexed as the seishi felt. "Then maybe I did see a ghost. There... there was this woman... beautiful... terrifying... how can someone be so much of both at once?" He sighed and closed his eyes again, surprised at how vividly he could still remember those silver eyes and long blonde hair. "Too weird. She kept callin' out t'someone... what was th' name now? Aw, hell, I can't even think of it."
"Do you think it was a premonition of some kind, Tasuki-sama?" Akai asked, leaning so far forward she was almost nose to nose with the bandit. "Or maybe a call of some sorts from somebody in danger?"
The seishi shrugged off the strange feeling, laughing at Akai's suggestions. "Yeah, 'cause I'm suddenly th' Oracle of Suzaku, right? An' th' last time I checked only Chichiri c'd send me messages, an' he never flashed me pictures of sexy women. Nah, it was prob'ly just some bad food I ate. I knew those dumplings didn't taste right this mornin'." He grinned and shrugged off Koji's hold, jerking a thumb towards the training ring's exit. "Anyway, I'm gettin' bored in here. Let's go see if we c'n find Chichiri an' Kiori, all right?"
Akai and Ritsuka accepted his answer and turned to go, chatting about the recent battle and potential upcoming fights. But Koji knew his friend much better than the two women did and he hung back a bit, eyeing Tasuki with open concern. "You sure yer all right, Genrou? You look... I dunno, kinda different. Somethin' about yer eyes..."
'Kaji, you have a legend to fulfill. Don't let petty emotions get in your way.'
The seishi shook the voice away, laughing at his friend and attempting to cover his obvious confusion. "Don't worry so much Koji. If I say I'm fine then I'm fine, okay? It really wasn't anythin', I promise. You go on with th' girls, I'll be along in a sec."
Koji frowned. He didn't like that answer, and didn't believe it for a moment, but he had to accept it, for now. "Yeah, I guess yer right."
Once his friend had trotted out of hearing distance Tasuki heaved a sigh, rubbing at the side of his head and staring at the clear blue sky. "What was that? I ain't goin' crazy, am I?" He waited for a moment, but naturally the heavens offered no answers to his puzzled question. The bandit shrugged and popped his back. "Ah, no use worryin' about nothin'. It musta just been stress're somethin'."
He turned to follow his friends, but that same vicious face flashed in front of him, grinning in a way that made him want to run into her arms and stab her in the throat all at the same time. 'Be ready... Kaji.'
oOo
Sora crouched in front of Setsuka, head touched to the floor respectfully. Tsuki and Taiyou bowed beside to her, though they seemed much more relaxed than their female ally. Sora kept her eyes on the floor as she spoke, much too respectful to meet her mistress' powerful gaze. "You requested our presence, my Lady?" she asked solemnly.
Setsuka fingered the red gem on her neck. "Sora, my dear, I have a job for you and the Two. It is a terribly important mission, and you must do precisely what I tell you or I will be most disappointed."
"I live only to serve you," Sora murmured. She hesitated, then added, "If I may be so bold as to ask a question, my Lady, what is this task?"
The older woman's silver eyes glinted in the dim light of her chamber, and her mouth curled back into an excited smile. "We are going to fetch the seventh Element."
"The seventh Element? You mean Fire?" Sora asked, forgetting her place for a moment and bringing her head up to watch Setsuka's features. "The seven will finally be together?"
"Perhaps, perhaps." The Lady of Takkan smiled sweetly at the young Element, drawing her completely in with that charming gaze. "We are in a tricky position, my dear, and I cannot be assured that we will have a seven at all when this is over. If such a scenario occurs, then we must make certain that no one possesses their seven warriors, and that is where you come in..."
oOo
Kiori listened breathlessly as Chichiri's story slowly unwound, paying attention to every detail with a passionate interest. The love of two teenagers, the covetous best friend, the heart-breaking discovery of treachery, the confrontation, and finally...
vVvVvVvVvVvVvVvVvVvVv
"Hikou...!"
The current tugged hard at the other man, threatening to rip him away from his friend at any second. "Houjun..." he rasped, inhaling river water as he did. His frightened eyes bled panic and betrayal. "Help..."
"It's okay, it's okay, Hikou... Hikou, I'll pull you up, I'll, I'll just..."
Their wide eyes met for a moment, holding nothing but remorse and terror at what had almost happened. Houjun tightened his grip on his companion's wrist and braced himself against the bank, ready to pull his friend to safety...
And then something slammed into the side of Houjun's head, ripping his face open and knocking him a few feet down the riverbank. Rolling waves of pain cascaded down the young man's face almost as quickly as the crimson sheet of blood did; his hand loosened its hold just slightly, forgetting its purpose for a split second...
...A split second that the river took to sweep the other young man downstream, one last call on his surprised lips: "Houju—!"
Houjun jerked his head up, pain forgotten as he watched his best friend, his childhood playmate, taken under by the fast-moving current. A cry tore its way from his lips, echoing down the stream that had robbed him of everything.
"HIKOU!"
vVvVvVvVvVvVvVvVvVvVv
Chichiri ran his thumb along his scar, remembering that night with vivid detail. Kiori sat for a moment, letting everything digest slowly. The story... everything about it was so terribly tragic that she would have thought it was nothing but a story, if not for the faraway look of pain in the seishi's single eye.
"That was nine years ago," he said quietly. "And it still hurts. Not like it did at first, but... it'll always ache, a little, for as long as I remember it... and I'll never forget it. I don't want to forget it. I keep my scar because of that. It's my reminder, so that every time I look in the mirror... that's why I wear this no da," he nodded towards the magical piece of cloth in his hand. "As much as it hurts, I don't want other people to have to share that pain. Maybe I'm a little ashamed of it too, even now. So I don't talk about it much, and I don't let people see it. If they knew of that dark side... well, they just don't, no da."
'He understands,' Kiori thought suddenly, her heart pounding at the realization. 'He's the first person... the first person I've ever met to... he doesn't pity me, or hate me, or like Ritsuka just accept me... he knows. He knows everything. The pain, the guilt, the terrible emptiness...'
"Chichiri," she began, but couldn't think of anything to add. The young woman watched him with wonder-filled eyes. It was the first time she'd ever seen the monk like this. He was so open, so vulnerable and strong and sad and hopeful all at once… it was like he was allowing her a glimpse into his soul. 'And that soul,' she murmured inwardly, unable to take her eyes off of him, 'even with those sins, somehow... somehow it's the most – the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.' Kiori wasn't sure what possessed her to do it, but without thinking she curled her fingers around his hand and gave it a small, reassuring squeeze.
For a long while they just sat there, hand-in-hand, with Kiori's head still resting lightly on his shoulder and his arm still wrapped comfortingly across her back, watching the trees sway on the horizon. Kiori closed her eyes halfway, surprised by the sudden feeling of extreme peace and comfort that had descended upon her. She thought she could sit like this forever, with the fields spread out before her and Chichiri by her side... and right at this moment, there was nothing in the world she wanted more than to do just that.
But then Chichiri's head jerked up, and his body tensed against her cheek. His hand dropped from hers, much to her disappointment, and he watched the horizon with a frown on his face. "Someone's coming."
Kiori followed his gaze. In a few moments she saw the outline of a small group of people marching their way. As they drew closer, she managed to distinguish a palanquin at the center of a troupe of green-and-white garbed Takkan soldiers. "Hm. Someone important's come to call."
Chichiri pressed his mask back into place and immediately became his usual, cheerful self. "We'd better get the others no da. I think they're out by the training rings."
The monk started to rise, but Kiori pressed a hand to his shoulder and stood instead. "I'll go ahead and get them," she volunteered. "I could use the exercise. I'll be back soon, okay?"
She trotted down the steps, sighing once her back was to Chichiri. She'd been enjoying their moment together so much that she couldn't help but mourn its abrupt end. Still, having the moment at all had been a welcome blessing for the young woman. She had bared her heart completely to her close companion, and in return had received a deeper understanding of her seishi companion, as well as an unusual, but somehow precious, bond with the smiling monk. They shared that guilt, that shame and hatred, and all of that pain. And they shared the strength to survive it, somehow. Kiori found a smile creeping onto her lips, though she wasn't sure why. Suddenly, she felt content and light-hearted. The young woman whistled Nakashima Mika's "Glamorous Sky" down the rest of the stairs, nearly running into her four Konan companions coming up. "Oh! There you are."
"And there you are," Ritsuka greeted somewhat cautiously. "Where, um... where've ya been?"
She pointed upwards. "On the wall with Chichiri. There are some Takkan soldiers coming this way, and someone pretty important is traveling with them this time. I came to find you. Lucky for me it didn't take too long, deshou?"
Ritsuka cocked an eyebrow at her friend. "You all right? You're awfully chipper for someone who this morning just wanted to be left alone."
"I'm fine. I really am, Ritsu," Kiori said with a shy smile. Was Ritsuka mistaken, or was the sadness that occupied that smile not quite so apparent anymore? The brunette grabbed her friend's hand, tugging her up the stairs and motioning for the others to follow suit. "Come on. I want to see who these people are."
Ritsuka, Akai and Kiori hurried up the stairs, speculating on the "important person's" arrival. Tasuki lagged back a bit, watching the top of the wall with a feeling of dread, though he couldn't explain why.
'Be ready, Kaji.'
"Kaji," he muttered under his breath, still trying to shake that persistent female speaker. "Who th' hell...?"
"Genrou?" Tasuki looked up to see Koji watching him with concern. "You been in yer own world since we left the ring. What's up? You c'n tell me, right?"
'You don't need these friends, Kaji. They're inferior. I am coming to bring you into better company.'
Tasuki smiled and chuckled, obeying the voice's command before he was even aware that it was obedience. "You worry too much. Like some ol' mother 'r somethin'. If I say I'm fine—"
"Then yer fine," Koji finished with a sigh. "Whatever, I'll give up if that's what ya want. Let's head on up with the girls, see what them Takkan bastards want." The older bandit moved up the stairs, still glancing at Tasuki out of the corner of his eye as his friend plodded heavily after him. Koji bit his lip and faced forward again, determined not to look as concerned as he felt. Something was bothering Tasuki... something important, too... but what?
oOo
Setsuka watched Konan come into view through the silks that covered her palanquin's door, admiring the regal beauty of the nation's capital. About two score soldiers, including Shogun Hataku, flanked her on either side. Hataku kept pace with the right side of the palanquin and watched his Lady carefully, wondering with mixed feelings if those Konan Warriors might get an arrow in her head before the day was over. He fingered the sword at his waist, half-tempted to try the deed himself, but Tsuki slid forward and murmured in his ear, "Draw that weapon, Shogun-sama, and it will be the last thing you ever do."
Hataku allowed his hand to drop, glaring at the Element out of the corner of his eye. "So Setsuka-sama trusts me so little that she has to send her pets to keep an eye on me?" Tsuki said nothing, so the shogun snorted. "She's more paranoid than necessary, and you can tell her that if you like. It doesn't matter how much I disagree with her, I have enough loyalty to remain at her side, and enough pride not to stab her in the back. Tell her that, too."
Tsuki shrugged. "Her Ladyship only requested that I watch your movements. I saw your hand reach for your sword, so I thought it best to intervene."
"Passing whims are different from concrete desires, Element-san."
"Passing whims become concrete desires when no one awakens the daydreamer, Shogun-sama."
Hataku chuckled. "I like your logic, Element-san. It's a pity you're one of her pets. You would have made an excellent captain in my army."
The quiet Element bowed his head respectfully, silver bangs swishing against the side of his face as he drew back once again to his brother's side. "You are too generous, Shogun-sama."
Setsuka noted the muted conversation out of the corner of her eye, but decided not to comment on her shogun's hostile behavior. She had more important things to worry about, for the moment. The Lady of Takkan leaned towards the left of her palanquin, speaking quietly to the Element who walked by her side. "If I give you the signal, fire without a second thought. I have attempted to prepare him for this moment, but the enemy may have already tricked him into believing that we are the villains in this war. If he remains faithful to Konan, then we must sacrifice an Element. Do you understand, Sora?"
The young woman frowned, refusing to meet her mistress' eyes. "I suppose I do, my Lady."
"That's not the answer I want to hear."
"My apologies, Setsuka-sama. I understand the tactical advantages of killing him, but isn't there some way I could challenge him to a one-on-one duel, instead of shooting him when his guard is down? It would seem more... honorable, that way."
A small, motherly sigh escaped Setsuka's lips and she slipped a hand out of the silks, cupping Sora's face in her palm and drawing her close. "Oh, you innocent girl. I must apologize as well. I had forgotten about your sweet, naïve ideas of honor and dignity."
"Hataku-sama taught me that even total war is not an excuse for deceitful tactics. Is there something wrong with that lesson, my Lady?" Sora snapped a bit defensively, though she couldn't help but quaver under the gaze of those bright silver eyes.
"Of course not, my dear. In a normal situation, I would happily follow such codes and practices," she threw her will into her next words, pounding each one home with such power that Sora thought she might faint under the barrage of Setsuka's life force. "But remember, Sora: we are not dealing with a normal enemy. The Konan Warriors are vicious, and would not hesitate to use trickery against us. If you challenged Kaji to an 'honorable' duel, he would simply ignore your request, or perhaps his allies would ambush you during the fight. I cannot afford to have one of my loyal Elements die so vainly. This is the only way, Sora. You know that now, do you not?"
Her eyes had almost glazed over under the force of her Lady's power, but she managed to squeak out a strained, "Hai, my Lady."
Setsuka dropped the girl's face and looked away. "Excellent. Please prepare yourself, my dear."
"Hai, my Lady." Sora clasped her hands together, watching as a small ball of blue light glowed in her palms. She furrowed her eyebrows and concentrated on the globe, mentally molding it until she held a long, steel-blue bow. She clasped it in one hand and jerked her other out in a vertical line, creating a shining arrow from a stream of ki. She held this gingerly between her fingers, lowering the bow and keeping the arrow knocked to the string.
"Beautiful," Setsuka complimented. "I trust that your aim will be true?"
"Of course, my Lady. Hataku-sama taught me how to hit the eye of a bird from more than ten horse-lengths away," Sora lowered eyes, heaving a tired sigh. "Hataku-sama taught me a lot of things about battles, though they aren't much use anymore, it seems."
Setsuka did not seem to hear the girl's remark. She reached a hand out of the curtain again, stroking Sora's braided hair affectionately. "You are such a skilled fighter. Next to Taiyou, you are my strongest Element, and even he does not possess your level of raw talent. You will be my Palace Champion when this war is over, I can almost guarantee it." Her voice lowered to a dangerous growl, an unspoken warning echoing on her lips. "I have placed a great deal of trust in you, my dear. Do not fail me at such a crucial time."
Sora lowered her golden eyes to the ground, brushing a piece of midnight blue hair out of her face. "I will do all that is in my power to complete this task, my Lady."
"See that you do."
oOo
Hataku hailed the solitary monk atop the wall – the other warriors crouched below the rampart, Koji with one hand on the throwing knife he always kept in his belt. The shogun raised a hand in greeting, frowning at the staff in Chichiri's hand. "This is a peaceful meeting, Seishi-san. Please drop your weapon or there will be no discussion."
The seishi allowed his shakujou to lean against the wall, smiling a little at the shogun's ignorance. Did Hataku actually think Chichiri needed the staff to fight? He leaned slightly against the wall, calling back to the older man in a clipped but polite tone, "All right then, Shogun-san, let's hear it no da."
He shook his head. "Not from me, Seishi-san. Setsuka-sama herself wishes to speak with you."
"I'm honored no da," Chichiri said, unable to hide the sarcasm in his words. "Is she going to come out to speak, or will we both have to shout?"
"Now, now, there is no reason for such unfriendliness," a voice reprimanded from the palanquin, somehow able to raise its tone without losing that smooth, sultry purr. The curtains swished outwards and the Lady of Takkan emerged from the silken cart, smoothing down her flowing white robes as she made her way towards the Konan Wall and her shogun. The three female warriors all breathed in awe at the Lady's sheer beauty; Koji whistled under his breath; and even Chichiri's eyebrows shot to the top of his head. Tasuki, far from marveling at the woman or even growling in disgust, felt every muscle in his body tighten and his breath catch in his throat. "It's Her," he whispered, though nobody seemed to hear him. Their attention was focused completely on the Lady of Takkan, who stepped gingerly forward as her shogun retreated with a bow.
She brushed a stray strand of blonde hair from her eyes and turned her attention back to Chichiri. "After all," she finished, smiling sweetly at the monk, "just because we are at war does not mean we cannot be civilized enemies, do you not agree?"
The monk frowned. "What can we do for you, Setsuka-san?" he put special emphasis on the suffix, as if to remind Setsuka that she had not defeated Konan yet.
The Lady of Takkan's eyes flared at the deliberate act of disrespect, but she kept her body poised and calm as ever. She fingered her necklace absent-mindedly, glancing up at the monk through veiled lashes. "You are the one called Chichiri, correct?" He nodded, smiling wryly at the complete lack of a suffix. "There is nothing you can do for me, I'm afraid."
"Then can I find someone who can help you no da?" Chichiri inquired, a note of impatience in his cheerful voice.
"I wish to speak to the one you call Tasuki. I don't suppose he's around?"
"Say he ain't," Koji hissed, tugging hard at the monk's kesa. "I got a real bad feelin' about this, 'Chiri..."
Tasuki ignored his friend's words and stood, crossing his arms over his chest and trying to show a confidence that he didn't feel. "Yeah, I'm here. Whadda ya want?"
"Blunt one, aren't we Tasuki-san?" She fingered the red gem on her neck, grinning viciously. "Or, would it be more accurate for me to call you... Kaji?"
Akai looked at Chichiri, who had taken a crouched seat next to her. The pair exchanged glances, the warrior girl voicing their puzzled thoughts. "Kaji. Fire. The Element. But Chichiri-sama, what—?"
Tasuki's eyes widened. "That name..." he whispered. Louder, so she could hear, he shouted out rebelliously, "Huh, an' who th' hell is that? I don't know anyone by that name!"
"Is that so?" Setsuka's silver eyes met Tasuki's golden ones, penetrating deep into the amber spheres. "Oh, I believe you know him quite well, Kaji. Maybe you just don't realize it yet, or don't want to realize it yet. Haven't you heard my calls? I have been preparing you for this moment all morning."
"That... that was you?" he demanded. The seishi tried to tear his gaze away but found it impossible. "Why d'you keep calling me Kaji? What th' hell does that have to do with anythin'?"
"You really don't know?" Setsuka chuckled sympathetically, careful to never once lose eye contact with the seishi bandit. "Ah, well, then let me explain it as plainly as possible. Kaji, you my boy are the seventh Element. Now don't give me that disbelieving look, I think you know, deep down, that it is true. How else do you explain the way those beautiful golden eyes of yours are glowing so brilliantly right now? I have come to take you back to where you belong, to the Takkan Palace and your real allies, where you shall meet the other Elements and aid us in the fight against these so-called friends of yours."
Tasuki forced a laugh, even though his throat had almost closed from fear. "You... you gotta be kiddin' me! Like I'd ever turn on these guys!" 'Why can't I look away from her?' he cried inwardly, unable to wipe the note of doubt from his voice. "This is a waste-a my time. Get lost, my Lady!"
Setsuka grinned. Tasuki gasped. The Konan Warriors shot wide-eyed looks at one another, though only Ritsuka was brave enough to voice the source of their fears. "My Lady..."
The Lady of Takkan, sensing a victory, threw her life force into her next words and dove forward, pressing into Tasuki with all of her might. "Oh, dear, I don't believe you understand the situation, then. Perhaps I didn't word it right. You see, this isn't a matter of choice. You are coming back with me to the palace, where you will aid me in the fight against these pitiful excuses for Konan warriors. Your will is my will, my dear Element, and what I want is what you want. And I want you at my side, fighting hand-in-hand with the other Elements. They are your real allies, not like this scum." Setsuka could feel something within the bandit pulling towards her, just slightly. She continued, voice a sultry purr to his ears. "You want to join me, Kaji. You want to leave this horrid city and fight for Takkan and your Lady. I know that you do, Kaji. You know that you do. Don't deny your instincts, my dear Element. This is simply destiny at work." Setsuka smirked, pressing hard against the red gem at her neck and pushing every once of her will into her next words. "In fact, as a show of good faith, I will give you a task right now. Kill a Konan Warrior, as a prize for your Lady. Your will is my will, Kaji. So... obey."
On her final word something all but slammed into Tasuki's brain, jerking his entire body back under the impact, though his eyes still couldn't tear away from the Lady's intense gaze. The seishi's hands gripped the edge of the rampart so hard his knuckles turned white, desperate to remain in control while everything inside of him was screaming to just give in, to just listen to that sweet voice that knew everything, that voice that only wanted to keep him safe and do everything right for everyone in the world. He couldn't do that, he knew he couldn't do that, but every second he held that gaze longer he felt that he really didn't know anything at all... that perhaps it had all been a lie, from the very beginning, and he should do what his mistress wished... that he should turn his tessen against Koji, Ritsuka, Chichiri...
"Th' silver pools," Koji whispered to himself. "Like th' rhyme said. Genrou's fightin' it, but..." He jerked his head in the other seishi's direction. "Oi, Chichiri!"
The monk turned his attention from the inner battle. "Hm?"
"Genrou can't swim. He'll drown if we don't do somethin'. Ya gotta try and bring him outta that trance!" He saw one of Tasuki's hands stray from the wall and towards his tessen. Was the Lady actually winning? "Hurry! He's fightin' too hard fer jus' our voices t'reach him! Yer the only one who c'n do it, now!"
Chichiri nodded, placing a hand to his seishi symbol. "This had better work no da."
The monk threw out his ki and dove into Tasuki's mind, surfacing just in time to hear Setsuka's own aura whisper across the darkness: 'That's right, Kaji, you're making the right decision.'
A moment later Tasuki's confused voice echoed out of the void, sounding almost trancelike as it battled the Lady's powerful connection. 'But they... I mean, I can't
'Now now, Kaji, you must never question your Lady. That's rule number one. Listen, can you hear those foolish Konan Warriors shouting around you? They are calling out to you, using your false name. We should punish them for such lies, don't you agree? And they are not all so powerful, you know. The girl and that rugged man look like easy prey...'
'They do? But...'
'TASUKI!' Chichiri's desperate cry cut through Setsuka's purr like a whip. 'SNAP OUT OF IT NO DA!'
Tasuki's ki gravitated towards the new speaker, much to Setsuka's dismay. 'That voice,' he murmured, wracking his battered mind for an answer. 'I know that voice...'
'No, Kaji...'
'You've got to break free from her eyes!' Chichiri pleaded, shoving back the Lady's voice as easily as a horse bats at a fly. 'I know you don't really want to turn on us no da! Quick, Tasuki! Snap her hold on you no da! You're stronger than that, I know you are! Hurry, Tasuki, and do it!'
'Tasuki...? That's right!' The uncertain note in the seishi's ki quickly switched to anger, pushing forward like a dam about to burst. 'My name isn't Kaji. My name was never Kaji. I'm... I'm...'
"Kill them!" Setsuka screamed, both aloud and within the bandit's mind. "They are not your true allies! I am your mistress, and you must obey my commands! Kill them, Kaji!"
"No..." The seishi brought his hands up to shield his eyes from the Lady's gaze, shaking his head back and forth like a man possessed. "No, no, NO!"
The bandit's crimson ki burst out around his body and in that moment Setsuka felt something snap forever between her and the seventh Element. Her eyes widened and she took two steps back, still grappling at the red gem but finding almost no connection left in the shining jewel. "He fought it..." she gasped, body trembling against the mental exertion. "He fought it and won?"
Tasuki threw his arms away from his face, whipping out his tessen and pointing it at the quivering Lady. "Get the hell away from me you twisted, evil bitch!" he roared, life force blazing in a brilliant sheet around his body. "How dare you try t'turn me on my friends! I oughta roast you right now! Get outta my sight!"
The surrounding Konan Warriors breathed deep sighs of relief. Koji and Chichiri exchanged chibi victory signs.
Setsuka drew up to her full height, forcing herself to recover from the lost battle. She met Tasuki's eyes again, though this time neither felt a hold nor a pull on them. "The obedience link is truly broken forever," she murmured to herself. Louder, so the others could hear, she heaved a wistful sigh and flicked out a long lock of her hair. "Very well, then, if that's how you feel. That is, however, not the only reason I left my palace. I wish to extend a challenge to your and your allies."
"What kinda challenge?" Tasuki asked, regaining his composure just as fast. If Setsuka could pretend like nothing had happened, then so could he. Besides, he didn't want the others to think it had been such a close call. It was better that they not know about that weakness within him.
"A battle between a pair of my Elements. In one week, on the northern plains of Konan near Ryuusei Village at sunset. You may send out as many of your warriors as you deem necessary."
Tasuki looked instinctively towards Chichiri, who nodded. "All right, we accept. Anythin' else ya wanna waste our time on?"
"Nothing," Setsuka said sweetly. Her eyes glinted as she pinched the red gem on her neck. "My Elements will be waiting for your warriors. I expect that the remaining seishi will be there as well?"
"Remaining? What's that supposed ta—?"
Setsuka squeezed her fingers against the red gem, drawing power from within. Tasuki doubled over, unable to finish his sentence as he gasped for breath and fought against the lances of fire racing across his chest. Setsuka's other hand danced across her necklace as well, though this one landed on a dark blue jewel belonging to another young Element. 'Now, Sora!'
Sora, hidden from view by a line of soldiers, strung an arrow to her bow and took aim for the seishi's head. She hesitated for a moment, watching the helpless bandit practically collapse against the rampart in pain, but Setsuka's voice tore through her skull once more, seething with impatience and fury. She couldn't disobey, now. Even more than honor, her life as an Element demanded obedience. Sora smiled sadly, watching as the other Konan Warriors leapt up around Tasuki, rushing to attend to their companion. "That won't do any good," she murmured, and let the arrow fly.
The seishi bandit glanced up just in time to see the barbed shaft sailing his direction, but something had paralyzed his entire body, and all he could do was brace himself for the inevitable impact, and hope that the aim might not be as perfect as it looked—
"Tasuki-chan!"
A soft body slammed into Tasuki's side, shoving him to the ground. The seishi opened his eyes to find Ritsuka perched on top of him, her face stretched tight with pain. She managed a crooked grin, sliding weakly off of the bandit's body and gripping her bleeding arm with one trembling hand. "Baka. Didn't that stupid gang of yours ever teach you how to duck?"
"Red!" Tasuki gritted his teeth, hatred for Setsuka burning in his golden eyes. He hopped up and pulled out his tessen, aiming straight for the Lady. "REKKA SHIN'EN!"
Setsuka's eyelashes flickered only briefly as the fire roared within a millimeter of her body before a hasty golden shield repelled the flames. She sighed in relief, touching the orange gem at her throat. 'That was a bit too close, Taiyou.'
'My apologies, Setsuka-sama.'
She looked up at the enraged seishi, smiling sadly. "Tch, tch, such a temper. If you behave like this all the time, then perhaps it is best that you stay with these fools. Well, I suppose it's time that I make my exit. My Elements will await you on the plains in one week. Sayonara, Kaji."
Setsuka's three Elements materialized out of the crowd of soldiers, setting their hands against their mistress' shoulders. The air around them flickered, and in seconds they had disappeared back to the palace.
Tasuki ignored the Lady's abrupt departure and knelt down next to Ritsuka. "Damn, Red, they got ya good, didn't they? You okay? I'm real sorry 'bout that – ah, here, lemme help ya up..."
Ritsuka slapped his hand away, blue eyes narrowing fiercely. "I don't need your help or anyone else's! How many times do I have to tell you that, ahou?" She shoved herself to her feet, but couldn't hide the grimace that traced her features or the beads of sweat that lined her forehead. "I'm fine, okay? It's nothing that won't heal in time for the battle next week, anyway."
Koji smiled grimly, leaning against the wall and watching as the Takkan soldiers slowly marched back to their camp. "Looks like th' time's finally come then, na? Those Elements are showin' themselves, an' we're gonna have to take 'em out!"
"Think we can?" Kiori wondered, glancing up at the bandit leader.
"Know we can!" he responded. "C'mon, you think some half-wit Element c'n hold a straw t'my pal Genrou here, 'r our little monk? Hell, even Akai-chan c'd take one of 'em out, I bet!"
"Are you treating me like a kid again, Ko-Ko?"
"Dammit, is that nickname gonna haunt me forever? Ritsuka, I'm gonna have t'have a talk with you about all these li'l pet names yer tossin' out..."
"Oh, c'mon, can't the talk wait until later? I have a hole in my shoulder and a hungry in my stomach!"
"A hungry in yer stomach? Well, gods ferbid ya get one-a those. Back t'the palace ladies an' gents, first t'the kitchens an' then the infirmaries, at the wishes of our bravely wounded Ritsuka-sama."
"Damn right, at the orders your bravely wounded Ritsuka-sama! Hup to it, Ko-Ko!"
"That's right, Ko-Ko!"
"Oi, c'mon you two...!"
oOo
"'Chichiri did not join in his companion's festivities, but instead kept his eye on the retreating Takkan soldiers. Despite the Warriors' light-hearted attitudes, they all knew that the hardest part of the war had only just begun. Could they keep the seven together this time, or would the Elements rip them apart again? "No," Chichiri murmured to himself, remembering what he and Tasuki had promised each other on the first day of the war: We lose no one.
"'"And we won't," he silently swore. "No matter what that woman tries... I'll keep them safe. This time, I'll keep them safe."'" Keisuke stretched, leaning back against the couch and flipping to the next page. "End Chapter Eleven."
Ye Olde Author's Free Chat: December 31, 2005; 12:18 AM
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, minna-san! (sings) Should auld acquaintance be forgot...
Aheheheh... speaking of which, would you mind forgetting my auld late chapter? This past month has been the true definition of chaos for me, and since I've been trying to work on RFS a bit as well, I had a hard time getting the edit for this finished. It probably would've taken even longer if I hadn't been so mild in my edits. I added some detail to the Koji/Akai fight scene, and some extra dialogue between Sora and Setsuka (Sora didn't really get a personality in the original, so I'm working on that this time around), but those are the only major changes. As it was, the episode was still freaking huge. Now you see why I separated it where I did, huh:)
Soooo... what did you think? This is kind of the big ol' turning point episode, with secrets revealed and plot twists galore, not to mention the beginning of the Elements' battles with the Konan Warriors. Technically, this is the end of part one, but I like to pretend that it doesn't end until Episode Thirteen, after... but I can't tell you about that just yet! (insert evil laughter here)
Character Profile – Yoh Houki (a.k.a. Dowager Empress Youtaikou)
(Even though she's a Watase character, not a whole lot is known about Houki, so I had to make up some things as I went along. I did do my research, though, so everything is as accurate as I could possibly get it. Enjoy, minna!)
Age: 21 (ish)
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 125 lbs
Birthplace: Seirin Village in the Jusoh Prefecture, "southwest of the capital, a poor farming settlement of about 50 houses" (told you I did my research!)
Birthday: June 1st (Gemini)
Blood Type: A
Hair: Purple and long. Like Nuriko's, but a bit neater.
Eyes: Violet-pink
Likes: Reading, poetry, playing with Boshin
Dislikes: Magistrates (even though she plays at politics pretty well...)
Favorite Food: Yams & strawberries
Least Favorite Food: Sweet bean dumplings
Houki was an interesting character for me to play. On the one side, she had such a small part in the original that her personality was pretty flexible, but on the other side she is Watase's character and if I get too flexible I'm liable to make some fans very angry. So I had to compromise, and with luck I did a pretty nice job of it. Admittedly, Houki can sometimes get the "Mitsukake treatment" in this group of seven, but I tried to give her as much playing time as possible without cutting out the antics of the four main characters and the other, more (ah-hem) "lively" Konan Warriors. All-in-all I think Houki is a fun challenge for me and, in the end, she really does play a pivotal role in determining Konan's fate. I hope you enjoy watching as she grows and interacts with the other Warriors, and I doubly hope that I'm portraying Hotohori's lovely wife in a way that pleases my dearest readers.
Thanks to DDZ, Neko-chan, Amaya-san, Hurricanegurl, Alaia-chan, Chirikofan and Ayshia for reviewing! (Wow, I didn't realize that FY:NC was getting popular again 'till I almost rain out of breath listing the reviewers!). Hopefully I'll see you all in another month, but the next episode is a battle chapter, which means I'm gonna be adding a ton of detail to the fight scenes. Ah well, I promise it'll be worth the wait, and I'll try to get it out as soon as humanly possible!
Happy Chrismahanukwanzakah!
Your Authoress—Dee
