The Eighth Warriors
by: Kami and Tsuki
Chapter 5: Parting ways
Three years later.........
"I think I'll fall asleep right here!" Eikou said falling backwards on the soft grass.
"I think I'll join you!" Seishin followed suit and the twenty-two year old monk looked back at the two thirteen year old girls in mock annoyance.
"Well no da. I see I have so choice but to join you too no da!!!!" he fell down and began tickling them both, something still bothered him in the back of his mind. He abruptly stopped and sat up, taking off his mask.
Eikou, who had never really seen him without his mask off, was surprised at the scar that covered his eye. Seishin looked over at her friend quizzically. She had her hand over her mouth and her eyes were wide.
"I'm going to have to leave the mountain soon no da."
"NANI!?!?WHY!???" Chichiri turned to look at Eikou with a sad look.
"I'm a Suzaku Shichiseishi no da. It's my destiny to serve the Suzaku no miko." Eikou looked absolutely crushed and ran up to Chichiri and through her arms around his neck. He was surprised but returned her hug.
"I'm not gonna let you leave--"
"But Eikou--"
"--Unless you promise to come back in two years."
Chichiri smiled. So she understood after all.
"I'll be back before you can say 'na no da' na no da!!!!"
"That's perfectly fine with me!!!!"
Seishin couldn't help it anymore, she burst out laughing.
"Eikou and Chichiri sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!!!!" she sang while dodging various objects being flung at her by Eikou.
"Shut up~~~~~!!!!" Eikou half commanded, half pleaded.
"ummmm......" No one was listening to Chichiri anymore so he replaced his mask and joined in the chase ignoring the funny way he felt when Eikou hugged him.
The next week.........
"Dadadadadada......" Eikou da'd tunelessly as she went about her chores. Seiryu, was she bored.
"Hey, Sei-chan!"
Seishin looked over at Eikou and yawned "What?"
"I've decided to go out into the world."
"Seriously?"
"Why not. No reason to hang around here anymore. Taiitsu-kun-sama said this was as good as I was going to get for now." Eikou grinned proudly.
"Well, I should go visit Aunt Yuri and Do-chan."
"Yeah, you haven't visited them for, oh what was it, three years?"
The two girls went to Taiitsu-kun's room to request leave. She consented, and after being 'said goodbye' to by the Nyan-Nyan's, they went on their way.
* * *
A few days later the girls came to a fork in the road and made the decision of what they were going to do.
"I'm going to Hakko and I'll probably stay there for a little bit, Kou-chan."
"I think I'll go to Eiyou, I got money." They embraced and went their separate ways.
* * *
The sun was setting when Seishin reached Hakko. The small village hadn't changed much since she had left. Except for one thing, there was a fifteen year old boy at her "family's" house now who had just returned from training.
"Chuei, Shunkei, Gyokuran!" Seishin yelled as she approached
the house. "Oneechan! Oniichan is back and I have a new little sister!!!" Gyokuran yelled as she embraced Seishin. "Yuiren!"
A little two year old girl came out in the arms of Sou Kishuku, Suzaku shichiseishi Tamahome.
"Kishuku-kun! You're back!" she gave the older boy a small hug.
"Tokaki-sensei is scary."
"Where's your mom and dad?" Kishuku's face fell and he whispered into Seishin's ear.
"Mom died while giving birth to Yuiren and Dad......is very sick."
"Oh no......" Seishin said shocked. "I--I shouldn't have left......"
"There was no way you could have known."
The rest of the children ran out embracing their long-absent Neechan. Of course all the while little Yuiren was wondering who on earth this girl was.
Seishin squealed as she hugged all the children. "How have you been?"
Seishin asked as she set her stuff inside.
"We're doing okay and Oniichan brought back lot's of money" Chuei replied beaming as he looked to his older brother.
"Nice to see you again Seishin." Kishuku's father said coughing. "Come give this old man a hug."
"You're not old!" Seishin said hugging her "father"
Seishin fixed dinner and they ate, Seishin telling them all obout her training and Mt. Taikyoku. Kishuku and Seishin went to go work in the fields while the children went to sleep.
"So how was Sairou?" Seishin asked as she pulled weeds out of the ground.
"It was nice. Subaru-san and Tokaki-san say Hi and that they love you."
"I really miss them......" It then occurred to Kishuku that he didn't know much about Seishin's past except that she wasn't really Tokaki and Subaru's daughter.
"Seishin, how exactly did you get into Sairou-koku?" Kishuku asked as he helped her weed.
"Tokaki didn't tell you?"
"Not really."
"Kutou attacked my village." She said simply. Kishuku realized she didn't want to talk about it so he changed the subject.
"How long will you be staying here?"
"Not long. I need to go back to Aunt Yuri's and Dokun's. I miss them."
"The kids will miss you."
"Maybe."
They worked for the next few hours in an akward silence, neither one really sure what to talk about.
Gee...that chapter seemed kinda forced to me...^-^;; I'm working on it. *cough* next chapter will be better. I promise. You know where to send the comments...and the flames....*dodges various flames* Ok. Well Tenchi's on so I'm gonna go watch it! Bai Bai!!
Kami (kasa_no_miko@mailcity.com)