Chapter four
"If you should go skating...on the thin ice of life. Dragging behind you the silent reproach of a million...tear stained eyes. Don't be surprised when a crack in the ice appears under your feet. You step out of your depths and out of your mind...with your fear flowing behind...as you call 'thin ice'"-Pink Floyd
Their worn feet finally led them off the trail and to a small town that lay just outside the boundaries of Hokkan. Tired and dejected from progressing little in the hours they had traveled, Takiko timidly requested that they stay there for the night to rest up.
Hatsui didn't even look at her when she spoke, but managed a mute nod and veered off in that direction.
"...Kind of...deserted, don't you think?" Takiko spoke, looking down at her feet and watching tiny clouds of dust float up whenever her feet hit the path. She was clawing for any kind of conversation that might kill the silence between them, Hatsui's chill only amplified whenever the two of them were silent. Perhaps hearing him speak was being a bit too hopeful, as the only answer she got from him was another nod.
Well, let him mourn...Takiko thought to herself...he just lost the only parent he'd ever known.
Hatsui's track of mind when instantaneously from self-pity to paranoia when they reached the mouth to the small town, it looked more than deserted, it looked hastily abandoned, like the citizens had run from whatever they were doing in a hurry. The wheel of an upturned toy wagon was still whirring at a steady pace. He opened his mouth to speak when the air was knocked out of him from a blow to his back. Falling forward, his arms shot out to keep him up, and he used them to propel his body backward and managed a roll to whirl him around to the front. Agility had its perks.
What he faced when he stood up was a crowd of twenty or thirty angry looking people, a mob which varied in sex, age, and color. All of them looked slightly unkempt and dirty, though by no means savage-like, even if the gleam to their narrowed eyes spoke along different terms. One of them had pinned Takiko down long enough to bind her wrists together, and kept her off to the corner, where she struggled in a vain attempt to be free. When Hatsui started for her, two of the villagers shot out and grabbed his arms, pulling him backward.
"WHAT is your problem?" Hatsui growled, his eyes flashing, but he didn't make an attempt to use his powers against the two holding him back...he had already tasted death once that day, he didn't wish to do so again, so soon.
"We know exactly why you're here, demon! And no Ketsueki no -hitogoroshi- will make it past this town!" The voice of one of the men that held him back had risen as to a shout as he spoke, and Hatsui had to curve his neck away to avoid the assault on his eardrums.
Of course neither Hatsui nor Takiko had the faintest idea of what they were referring to, and if by hitogoroshi they meant murderer...
Was it fathomable that these people were somehow related to the Kikuchi bandits?!
A sudden panic seized Hatsui, but he would not let it show, for Takiko's sake. His eyes took in the mob before him, and he gestured with his hands, palm-up, in a means to emphasize on his innocence...or at least Takiko's. "Listen...I don't know what you're talking about...but we're no -murderers-, we're just here to..."
"We do no wish to listen to your lies!" A middle-aged woman, complete with mousy brown hair, an apron, and a child, cried. "You will die and be sent back to the hell you came from. Stone them!"
With that, Takiko was released and thrust into the center of the circle. She stumbled over to Hatsui, who caught her before she fell face first into the ground. The crowd closed in around them, as the people picked up stones and stepped closer, their eyes glowering with hate.
The first rock cast at them smacked into Hatsui's shoulder, he winced but didn't make much of an effort to move. Takiko cowered next to him, trembling, but when he tried to protect her, she refused to let him take the brunt of the blows. The lazy pace of the rock throwing steadily increased, and it was hard not to wince and cower when a stone slid into your jaw with a sharp force.
Takiko coughed and pleaded for them to stop, over and over, but the crowd was unrelenting, even when the two's legs gave out from underneath them and they collapsed onto the ground, bleeding. Takiko felt a haze creep up on her vision, but a deep, commanding voice cut through the cheers of the crowd.
"On orders of the palace, stop this at once!"
The people turned, and Hatsui could see them cringe at what they saw. Through his blood stained vision he saw a man seated on a ginger-coated horse, his feather like silver hair pulled back in a ponytail. He was clad in armor and he had a look of importance to him, but the thing that seemed odd and out of place on his otherwise perfect face was a patch covering his right eye. He tugged a bit on the horse's reins and it stepped forward slowly, the crowd parting automatically to give the man a path to the bleeding pair.
He hopped off his horse and knelt down, checking both of their vital signs before turning to the people and saying. "These are not your demons! The people that you would have stoned to death are the only hope this empire has anymore!"
He turned back toward them to help them up, but Takiko couldn't muster a word as he untied the rope from her hands. The side of her face was caked with blood and dirt, and she felt so impossibly dizzy. It was almost like her existence was fading, she slid her eyes shut and let her consciousness ebb out and let the blackness wash over her.
Something soft tickled her nose and made her sneeze, and when Takiko opened her eyes she found herself atop that horse she had seen earlier...had seen that man riding. How had she gotten onto it? Moving her head over to the right, she saw the general-looking man with his hand attached to the reins, his head turned toward Hatsui as he led the horse slowly onward...their voices seemed detached, but as she concentrated she could make out what they were saying.
"...is why they attacked us then, ne?" Hatsui sighed, his good arm clutching the one that throbbed with every step he took. He could feel the blood gluing his coat to his arm, but the feel of it was really nothing he wasn't used to, he had become numb to the sight when he went through a bout of masochism.
"Yes." The man nodded "The real Ketsueki no hitogoroshi's have shown up in recent months...ever since the gateway between worlds broke...nothing is the same anymore."
Takiko stayed silent, to mesmerized by the light-haired man to speak. Finally he turned his head and lifted his gaze to her, a small smile gracing his face. "Good to see you're up...don't worry, we're almost to the palace."
"The...palace?" she murmured dreamily.
"Hai...the palace of Hokkan, the emperor wants to meet you. That's why I, Hikitsu, was sent to find you...and it's lucky that I came when I did."
"You could've come before." Hatsui said with a slightly bratty smirk, his pink eyes narrowed to slits as he focused on the terrain ahead, and the palace held within the town they were narrowing. "-That- would have been lucky."
"Thank you..." Takiko hastily interjected, when she saw a frown begin to pain itself onto Hikitsu's face "We're so grateful you can by...aren't we, Hatsui?"
The only response Takiko got was a sarcastic snort...well; at least he was no longer ignoring her.
The palace they neared was nothing short of spectacular, though it was surrounded by a feel of foreboding and death, the palace itself seemed untouched, as if it glowed with a holy light. It had to be at least four stories, stacked much like a staircase, with outdoor hallways running along each of the floors. It was surrounded by four flat houses, homes for the servants, Takiko guessed, and grand columns shot up from the earth, ending in large teardrops. It was glossed over with pearl, and beautifully kept flowers spiraled out from the palace and created floral pathways around the servant's homes.
The bright feel of the palace seemed to leak past the walls that surrounded it, but it quickly faded into the black that loomed over the rest of the city. People shuffled about from house to house with no real expressions gracing their faces, but as the passed them on their way into the palace; one of the citizens lifted his head and smiled to Takiko.
"Daddy!" a little voice cried, and Hikitsu knelt down just in time for a little four-year-old boy to hurl himself into his open arms. Hikitsu's face instantly brightened as he wrapped his arms around him and hugged him tightly.
"Suru! You know better than to be out past your bedtime. Come on...let's get you inside."
Hikitsu hoisted his son up into his arms and smiled to Hatsui and Takiko, while Suru picked at Hikitsu's silvery brown ponytail. "I'm sorry...I have to put Suru to bed, the servants will take you to the emperor and then to your rooms...and I'll be in there to speak with you."
Takiko nodded and sat up on the horse a bit, adjusting her seat so that she would be able to see more. She watched Hikitsu disappear into the palace before two less than cheery servants showed up and helped her down. One led the horse away, while the other led them both by the hand through the grand doors that yawned wide for them and down a marble hallway that led to what Takiko guessed had to be the throne room.
The servant left Takiko's side and walked up to the golden trimmed doors, tugging them up with a grand gesture. Takiko kept her left hand cupped above her elbow as she stood there and watched, nearly paralyzed, her head spinning from the dizziness her injuries caused.
Hatsui was like a statue beside her, and offered no comfort, not that she had expected any from him, anyway. The servant maneuvered her way back over to them and once again led them, through the doors that emptied out into a large room, which was nothing short of spectacular.
Scrolls, paintings and pottery all lined the walls, which were painted a dim, almost gray, blue. By contrast, the throne on which the emperor was poised on, along with the surrounding chairs and pillows, were a crimson red, so dark that it looked as though they had been stained with blood. The servant bowed when she got within ten feet of the throne, and thus so did Takiko...though Hatsui didn't bother.
"Please..." the emperor held up one hand, and offered a wrinkled smile "There is no need, lady Takiko...if anything, I should be bowing to you." He offered a wry laugh, which fluttered lightly throughout the room. Takiko looked up and gave a small smile, accompanied with a nod, and got to her feet.
"...I know...the capitol of Hokkan doesn't offer much in the ways of hospitality anymore, but I can see your wounds are more than just bumps, and as such I can offer only the best hospitality we have. You may stay in the palace as long as you need before starting out on your journey."
"That's...very gracious your majesty." Hatsui spoke up, peeling his hand away from the bloodstain at his hip "but time is something that we haven't, honestly, got...and if you know what's going on, you know that."
The emperor sighed and nodded slightly, letting his eyes drop to the ground. "Yes...I know."
"Then don't expect us to stay longer for a night or two...and honestly, right now I need to get to sleep."
Takiko felt herself cringing at Hatsui's lack of respect, but if the emperor seemed upset, he didn't show it. Indeed, he had had reign over the country for some time, and wasn't some young, eager emperor vying for respect, he had seen enough to know when and when not to throw his weight around. He just nodded slowly and held his hand up, gesturing toward the servant. "Nye...will you show our honored guests to their rooms, and make sure they are visited by a doctor in the morning?"
The girl managed a short nod, followed by a bow, before turning and leading the two out once again. The trek through the maze of halls to the wing that held the prepared rooms felt impossibly long to Hatsui, who felt a spark of pain shoot up his leg every time he stepped forward. He said nothing, however, and only gave a soft sigh of gratitude when they apparently reached their destination. Hikitsu seemed to be blocking their path, however, and ushered them into what would be Takiko's room...shutting the door behind them.
"I know you two are tired...but I should be in town all tomorrow doing work so, if you had any questions...I thought now would be the only opportune time to ask them."
"Yeah..." Takiko nodded, and looked backward before edging to the bed and easing down onto it. "I was kind of wondering why those people called us demons of...Ketsueki."
"Hitogoroshi. And why they tried to stone us to death." Hatsui scowled, leaning back against the wall.
Hikitsu ran his fingers through his hair, and yanked the band from it so his hair was no longer held back but tumbled freely down his shoulders. "The villagers thought you were...well...the exact opposite of what you are."
"Come again?" Takiko blinked.
"Well Ketsueki would be considered the exact opposite of Genbu. Genbu is holy while Ketsueki is...not, Genbu controls Hokkan in a physical sense, and Ketsueki used to control it in a spiritual sense...but the demon god apparently wanted more than his fair share. So, to -help- him he created, out of shrine spirits, seven Hitogoroshi to counter balance the seven seishi."
"Did they...do this to your country?"
"They helped, but they didn't do all of it...no. Seven spirits, or seven men, can only do so much. The boundaries that separate the spiritual from the physical are weakening thanks to Ketsueki...and now...spirits as well have free reign, and are able to wander lost in Hokkan. People are -terrified- to leave their houses for fear of what they'll find...businesses are failing because no one works, and there's a food and clean water shortage. Everything is deteriorating...
"But all of -that- will come to an end." Hikitsu told them, his face brightening a bit with his optimism "Because as soon as you two are well enough to travel, we shall find the city of Secaar."
"What's there?" Hatsui asked as he covered his mouth to hide a yawn.
"A priest...who, I've heard, carves the holistic daggers capable of killing the hitogoroshis. That is perhaps the only way we shall send them back to hell." With a smile, Hikitsu headed back for the door. Seeing that as the invitation to let him go to his own bed and sleep off all that wore on his body, Hatsui wandered for the door as well.
"Wait!" Takiko's voice made Hikitsu turn around and Hatsui stop, waiting, in his tracks.
"That kid we met...Suru...he's your son, right?"
Hikitsu nodded with a tiny smile "Hai...before I was one of the emperor's palace guards I lived with a woman named Yume. We were young but...we were in love, and we had a child when I was only seventeen."
"What happened to her?" Again, Takiko's inability to know when -not- to ask questions.
Hikitsu's expression shifted, for a moment he looked melancholy "She...killed herself when the emperor's brother wanted to take her as a wife and threatened to arrest me. Suru is all I have left that reminds me of her..."
He smiled gently "He told me...that one day he would be a palace guard like me so that I would be proud of him. Funny how children never seem to realize...that there's never a time when you -start- being proud...from the day they're born you're so filled with it you might as well burst."
Chuckling softly "...and then they smile at you, and you know...there's nothing like the love of a child. You're their link to the world."
With that he turned and left the room and Takiko finally laid down to go to sleep. She lay awake thinking for the longest time, digesting everything that had happened to her in such a short period of time...the bandits, the gypsies, Hatsui, Sarita-sama...but mostly...she thought of her father and how he must be feeling about her disappearance. She felt a guilt she couldn't get rid of, but there was no way she could get back, and really...all she could vow to do was gather the seishi as soon as possible and get back to her world. Maybe she would be allowed one selfish wish, and if so...
...She'd wish for happiness.
Takiko closed her eyes, and wouldn't open them until the pre-dawn hours when someone would shake her awake, urgently whispering in her ear. Her dreams took her to possibilities of the future, and suddenly...not one of them looked as bleak as they did before.
"If you should go skating...on the thin ice of life. Dragging behind you the silent reproach of a million...tear stained eyes. Don't be surprised when a crack in the ice appears under your feet. You step out of your depths and out of your mind...with your fear flowing behind...as you call 'thin ice'"-Pink Floyd
Their worn feet finally led them off the trail and to a small town that lay just outside the boundaries of Hokkan. Tired and dejected from progressing little in the hours they had traveled, Takiko timidly requested that they stay there for the night to rest up.
Hatsui didn't even look at her when she spoke, but managed a mute nod and veered off in that direction.
"...Kind of...deserted, don't you think?" Takiko spoke, looking down at her feet and watching tiny clouds of dust float up whenever her feet hit the path. She was clawing for any kind of conversation that might kill the silence between them, Hatsui's chill only amplified whenever the two of them were silent. Perhaps hearing him speak was being a bit too hopeful, as the only answer she got from him was another nod.
Well, let him mourn...Takiko thought to herself...he just lost the only parent he'd ever known.
Hatsui's track of mind when instantaneously from self-pity to paranoia when they reached the mouth to the small town, it looked more than deserted, it looked hastily abandoned, like the citizens had run from whatever they were doing in a hurry. The wheel of an upturned toy wagon was still whirring at a steady pace. He opened his mouth to speak when the air was knocked out of him from a blow to his back. Falling forward, his arms shot out to keep him up, and he used them to propel his body backward and managed a roll to whirl him around to the front. Agility had its perks.
What he faced when he stood up was a crowd of twenty or thirty angry looking people, a mob which varied in sex, age, and color. All of them looked slightly unkempt and dirty, though by no means savage-like, even if the gleam to their narrowed eyes spoke along different terms. One of them had pinned Takiko down long enough to bind her wrists together, and kept her off to the corner, where she struggled in a vain attempt to be free. When Hatsui started for her, two of the villagers shot out and grabbed his arms, pulling him backward.
"WHAT is your problem?" Hatsui growled, his eyes flashing, but he didn't make an attempt to use his powers against the two holding him back...he had already tasted death once that day, he didn't wish to do so again, so soon.
"We know exactly why you're here, demon! And no Ketsueki no -hitogoroshi- will make it past this town!" The voice of one of the men that held him back had risen as to a shout as he spoke, and Hatsui had to curve his neck away to avoid the assault on his eardrums.
Of course neither Hatsui nor Takiko had the faintest idea of what they were referring to, and if by hitogoroshi they meant murderer...
Was it fathomable that these people were somehow related to the Kikuchi bandits?!
A sudden panic seized Hatsui, but he would not let it show, for Takiko's sake. His eyes took in the mob before him, and he gestured with his hands, palm-up, in a means to emphasize on his innocence...or at least Takiko's. "Listen...I don't know what you're talking about...but we're no -murderers-, we're just here to..."
"We do no wish to listen to your lies!" A middle-aged woman, complete with mousy brown hair, an apron, and a child, cried. "You will die and be sent back to the hell you came from. Stone them!"
With that, Takiko was released and thrust into the center of the circle. She stumbled over to Hatsui, who caught her before she fell face first into the ground. The crowd closed in around them, as the people picked up stones and stepped closer, their eyes glowering with hate.
The first rock cast at them smacked into Hatsui's shoulder, he winced but didn't make much of an effort to move. Takiko cowered next to him, trembling, but when he tried to protect her, she refused to let him take the brunt of the blows. The lazy pace of the rock throwing steadily increased, and it was hard not to wince and cower when a stone slid into your jaw with a sharp force.
Takiko coughed and pleaded for them to stop, over and over, but the crowd was unrelenting, even when the two's legs gave out from underneath them and they collapsed onto the ground, bleeding. Takiko felt a haze creep up on her vision, but a deep, commanding voice cut through the cheers of the crowd.
"On orders of the palace, stop this at once!"
The people turned, and Hatsui could see them cringe at what they saw. Through his blood stained vision he saw a man seated on a ginger-coated horse, his feather like silver hair pulled back in a ponytail. He was clad in armor and he had a look of importance to him, but the thing that seemed odd and out of place on his otherwise perfect face was a patch covering his right eye. He tugged a bit on the horse's reins and it stepped forward slowly, the crowd parting automatically to give the man a path to the bleeding pair.
He hopped off his horse and knelt down, checking both of their vital signs before turning to the people and saying. "These are not your demons! The people that you would have stoned to death are the only hope this empire has anymore!"
He turned back toward them to help them up, but Takiko couldn't muster a word as he untied the rope from her hands. The side of her face was caked with blood and dirt, and she felt so impossibly dizzy. It was almost like her existence was fading, she slid her eyes shut and let her consciousness ebb out and let the blackness wash over her.
Something soft tickled her nose and made her sneeze, and when Takiko opened her eyes she found herself atop that horse she had seen earlier...had seen that man riding. How had she gotten onto it? Moving her head over to the right, she saw the general-looking man with his hand attached to the reins, his head turned toward Hatsui as he led the horse slowly onward...their voices seemed detached, but as she concentrated she could make out what they were saying.
"...is why they attacked us then, ne?" Hatsui sighed, his good arm clutching the one that throbbed with every step he took. He could feel the blood gluing his coat to his arm, but the feel of it was really nothing he wasn't used to, he had become numb to the sight when he went through a bout of masochism.
"Yes." The man nodded "The real Ketsueki no hitogoroshi's have shown up in recent months...ever since the gateway between worlds broke...nothing is the same anymore."
Takiko stayed silent, to mesmerized by the light-haired man to speak. Finally he turned his head and lifted his gaze to her, a small smile gracing his face. "Good to see you're up...don't worry, we're almost to the palace."
"The...palace?" she murmured dreamily.
"Hai...the palace of Hokkan, the emperor wants to meet you. That's why I, Hikitsu, was sent to find you...and it's lucky that I came when I did."
"You could've come before." Hatsui said with a slightly bratty smirk, his pink eyes narrowed to slits as he focused on the terrain ahead, and the palace held within the town they were narrowing. "-That- would have been lucky."
"Thank you..." Takiko hastily interjected, when she saw a frown begin to pain itself onto Hikitsu's face "We're so grateful you can by...aren't we, Hatsui?"
The only response Takiko got was a sarcastic snort...well; at least he was no longer ignoring her.
The palace they neared was nothing short of spectacular, though it was surrounded by a feel of foreboding and death, the palace itself seemed untouched, as if it glowed with a holy light. It had to be at least four stories, stacked much like a staircase, with outdoor hallways running along each of the floors. It was surrounded by four flat houses, homes for the servants, Takiko guessed, and grand columns shot up from the earth, ending in large teardrops. It was glossed over with pearl, and beautifully kept flowers spiraled out from the palace and created floral pathways around the servant's homes.
The bright feel of the palace seemed to leak past the walls that surrounded it, but it quickly faded into the black that loomed over the rest of the city. People shuffled about from house to house with no real expressions gracing their faces, but as the passed them on their way into the palace; one of the citizens lifted his head and smiled to Takiko.
"Daddy!" a little voice cried, and Hikitsu knelt down just in time for a little four-year-old boy to hurl himself into his open arms. Hikitsu's face instantly brightened as he wrapped his arms around him and hugged him tightly.
"Suru! You know better than to be out past your bedtime. Come on...let's get you inside."
Hikitsu hoisted his son up into his arms and smiled to Hatsui and Takiko, while Suru picked at Hikitsu's silvery brown ponytail. "I'm sorry...I have to put Suru to bed, the servants will take you to the emperor and then to your rooms...and I'll be in there to speak with you."
Takiko nodded and sat up on the horse a bit, adjusting her seat so that she would be able to see more. She watched Hikitsu disappear into the palace before two less than cheery servants showed up and helped her down. One led the horse away, while the other led them both by the hand through the grand doors that yawned wide for them and down a marble hallway that led to what Takiko guessed had to be the throne room.
The servant left Takiko's side and walked up to the golden trimmed doors, tugging them up with a grand gesture. Takiko kept her left hand cupped above her elbow as she stood there and watched, nearly paralyzed, her head spinning from the dizziness her injuries caused.
Hatsui was like a statue beside her, and offered no comfort, not that she had expected any from him, anyway. The servant maneuvered her way back over to them and once again led them, through the doors that emptied out into a large room, which was nothing short of spectacular.
Scrolls, paintings and pottery all lined the walls, which were painted a dim, almost gray, blue. By contrast, the throne on which the emperor was poised on, along with the surrounding chairs and pillows, were a crimson red, so dark that it looked as though they had been stained with blood. The servant bowed when she got within ten feet of the throne, and thus so did Takiko...though Hatsui didn't bother.
"Please..." the emperor held up one hand, and offered a wrinkled smile "There is no need, lady Takiko...if anything, I should be bowing to you." He offered a wry laugh, which fluttered lightly throughout the room. Takiko looked up and gave a small smile, accompanied with a nod, and got to her feet.
"...I know...the capitol of Hokkan doesn't offer much in the ways of hospitality anymore, but I can see your wounds are more than just bumps, and as such I can offer only the best hospitality we have. You may stay in the palace as long as you need before starting out on your journey."
"That's...very gracious your majesty." Hatsui spoke up, peeling his hand away from the bloodstain at his hip "but time is something that we haven't, honestly, got...and if you know what's going on, you know that."
The emperor sighed and nodded slightly, letting his eyes drop to the ground. "Yes...I know."
"Then don't expect us to stay longer for a night or two...and honestly, right now I need to get to sleep."
Takiko felt herself cringing at Hatsui's lack of respect, but if the emperor seemed upset, he didn't show it. Indeed, he had had reign over the country for some time, and wasn't some young, eager emperor vying for respect, he had seen enough to know when and when not to throw his weight around. He just nodded slowly and held his hand up, gesturing toward the servant. "Nye...will you show our honored guests to their rooms, and make sure they are visited by a doctor in the morning?"
The girl managed a short nod, followed by a bow, before turning and leading the two out once again. The trek through the maze of halls to the wing that held the prepared rooms felt impossibly long to Hatsui, who felt a spark of pain shoot up his leg every time he stepped forward. He said nothing, however, and only gave a soft sigh of gratitude when they apparently reached their destination. Hikitsu seemed to be blocking their path, however, and ushered them into what would be Takiko's room...shutting the door behind them.
"I know you two are tired...but I should be in town all tomorrow doing work so, if you had any questions...I thought now would be the only opportune time to ask them."
"Yeah..." Takiko nodded, and looked backward before edging to the bed and easing down onto it. "I was kind of wondering why those people called us demons of...Ketsueki."
"Hitogoroshi. And why they tried to stone us to death." Hatsui scowled, leaning back against the wall.
Hikitsu ran his fingers through his hair, and yanked the band from it so his hair was no longer held back but tumbled freely down his shoulders. "The villagers thought you were...well...the exact opposite of what you are."
"Come again?" Takiko blinked.
"Well Ketsueki would be considered the exact opposite of Genbu. Genbu is holy while Ketsueki is...not, Genbu controls Hokkan in a physical sense, and Ketsueki used to control it in a spiritual sense...but the demon god apparently wanted more than his fair share. So, to -help- him he created, out of shrine spirits, seven Hitogoroshi to counter balance the seven seishi."
"Did they...do this to your country?"
"They helped, but they didn't do all of it...no. Seven spirits, or seven men, can only do so much. The boundaries that separate the spiritual from the physical are weakening thanks to Ketsueki...and now...spirits as well have free reign, and are able to wander lost in Hokkan. People are -terrified- to leave their houses for fear of what they'll find...businesses are failing because no one works, and there's a food and clean water shortage. Everything is deteriorating...
"But all of -that- will come to an end." Hikitsu told them, his face brightening a bit with his optimism "Because as soon as you two are well enough to travel, we shall find the city of Secaar."
"What's there?" Hatsui asked as he covered his mouth to hide a yawn.
"A priest...who, I've heard, carves the holistic daggers capable of killing the hitogoroshis. That is perhaps the only way we shall send them back to hell." With a smile, Hikitsu headed back for the door. Seeing that as the invitation to let him go to his own bed and sleep off all that wore on his body, Hatsui wandered for the door as well.
"Wait!" Takiko's voice made Hikitsu turn around and Hatsui stop, waiting, in his tracks.
"That kid we met...Suru...he's your son, right?"
Hikitsu nodded with a tiny smile "Hai...before I was one of the emperor's palace guards I lived with a woman named Yume. We were young but...we were in love, and we had a child when I was only seventeen."
"What happened to her?" Again, Takiko's inability to know when -not- to ask questions.
Hikitsu's expression shifted, for a moment he looked melancholy "She...killed herself when the emperor's brother wanted to take her as a wife and threatened to arrest me. Suru is all I have left that reminds me of her..."
He smiled gently "He told me...that one day he would be a palace guard like me so that I would be proud of him. Funny how children never seem to realize...that there's never a time when you -start- being proud...from the day they're born you're so filled with it you might as well burst."
Chuckling softly "...and then they smile at you, and you know...there's nothing like the love of a child. You're their link to the world."
With that he turned and left the room and Takiko finally laid down to go to sleep. She lay awake thinking for the longest time, digesting everything that had happened to her in such a short period of time...the bandits, the gypsies, Hatsui, Sarita-sama...but mostly...she thought of her father and how he must be feeling about her disappearance. She felt a guilt she couldn't get rid of, but there was no way she could get back, and really...all she could vow to do was gather the seishi as soon as possible and get back to her world. Maybe she would be allowed one selfish wish, and if so...
...She'd wish for happiness.
Takiko closed her eyes, and wouldn't open them until the pre-dawn hours when someone would shake her awake, urgently whispering in her ear. Her dreams took her to possibilities of the future, and suddenly...not one of them looked as bleak as they did before.