A/N: I didn't know that, @_@. It just blows my theory all to smoke. -.- Except for Miboshi probably being a bishounen. And here's a point. Maybe Ashitare IS a bishounen... to his kind. *g* Oh well, thanks for pointing it out! You're right, Su would sound pretty weird. And Tamahome's name is long enuff. ^.^ I just have to make a lil correction here... In the last part, in my author's note I called it a "mange book" *blushes* That was supposed to be mangA. *feels like an idiot* So if you were wondering what on earth I was talking about... Well, ja ne san!
"What do you mean, you knew I would come?" Makiko asked suspiciously. "I only found out today!"
"When I was dying, I dreamt that one day, long since I'd died, a young girl who looked like my love would come and bring me back to help her. You must be her; you're even related to Miaka."
"Gag me with a sock," Masa muttered.
"Will you quit saying that?" Makiko asked, spinning on her heel to glare at her twin.
"Sorry," Masa replied, holding up his hands in mock surrender.
Makiko smiled. "Sorry, Masa, I guess I'm a bit on edge." She turned back to Tamahome. "I guess you know what we're here for?"
"Yes. You need to find the rest of the seishi." A sad expression crossed his face. "Meeting them again will bring back many memories."
"I suppose it will," Makiko said softly. "Do you know where we could find the next seishi?" She consulted the list from Miaka. "I think his name is Hotohori."
"Yes, the Emperor of Konan. This country you're in now is Konan." Tamahome explained. "Hotohori was buried on the palace grounds."
"This palace?" Masa asked, looking around.
"No, another palace. This is the home of Taiitsu-kun, and this mountain is called Mt. Taikyoku," Tamahome replied, sounding a little impatient.
"Let's go then," Makiko said determinedly. "I'm assuming we're going to have to walk to this palace? How far away is it anyway?"
"I will provide you with transportation," Taiitsu-kun interrupted, appearing behind Tamahome and grinning wickedly. "Tamahome, I must say that death becomes you."
She looked at a spot a few meters away from them, and three beautiful horses appeared, glancing around with ears pricked and eyes bright.
"Oh, wow," Makiko breathed, walking over to one of the horses and holding her hand up. "They're wonderful." The horse, a huge black stallion with a silver mane and tail, breathed over her palm and rubbed his nose against her.
"Maybe you should take this horse," Tamahome called, leading up a small, mouse-grey mare with a calm air about her. The stallion threw up his head at Tamahome's approach.
"Why?" Makiko demanded, her eyes narrowed. "I think I'll ride this one." She rested a hand possessively on the stallion's neck.
"You probably wouldn't be able to control him," Tamahome said frankly.
"Uh oh," Masa murmured.
"Is that right?" Makiko snapped, a dangerous gleam in her eyes.
She turned away from Tamahome, put one foot in the stirrup and swung herself effortlessly into the stallion's saddle. The stallion reared, pawing at the air in front of him. Tamahome leaped back as the sharp hooves came dangerously close to his head. Makiko laughed and let go of the reins as the stallion settled back to all fours. Tamahome reached for the trailing reins, but the stallion neatly skipped away. Each time Tamahome reached for the reins, the stallion nimbly twisted so that he was just out of reach.
Suddenly, he reared again and began to gallop away. Near a stand of trees, he stopped dead, almost throwing Makiko over his head, and spun to gallop back towards them. As Makiko and the stallion raced past them in the opposite direction, Tamahome turned to Masa.
"Aren't you worried?" he demanded.
"No," Masa replied, amused. "Should I be?"
"Your sister is going to get herself killed," Tamahome said angrily. "Don't you even care?"
"Tamahome, you don't know my twin. Watch her closely. She's an expert rider in our world and knows exactly what she's doing with that horse. You implied that she can't do something, so she has to show you up," Masa explained patiently.
Tamahome turned to watch Makiko as the stallion trotted back towards them. Now he saw that she was controlling the horse with the pressure of her legs, completely disregarding the reins. Her face was flushed with delight; her green eyes shone. Her hair blew in the wind, and for a second Tamahome saw Miaka in her. He felt a twinge at the memory, then shook his head and sternly told himself to concentrate; this girl was another, no matter how much she looked like Miaka.
"Though I think I'll take that mare," Masa added. "She looks like she won't try to kill me."
"None of these would try to kill you, Masa!" Makiko called, laughing. "C'mon, let's get going."
"Where'd Taiitsu-kun go?" Masa questioned, looking around. The old woman had vanished.
"Dunno," Makiko replied. "Get in the saddle, Masa."
"Must I," Masa sighed, putting one foot in the stirrup and pulling himself up awkwardly. "Maki, she's moving!"
"Your seat's abominable," Makiko commented. "Sit up straight, put your heels down, hold the reins like they're working parts of riding, and for goodness sake don't pull back on her mouth." She turned to Tamahome, who was mounting. "Do I need to give you any help?"
"No," Tamahome said shortly, turning his dun gelding towards the stand of trees. "Let's go!"
Hours later, Tamahome pulled the gelding to a stop and waved at the large city in front of them. Masa looked grateful as he warily released his death-grip on the horse's mane and stretched carefully. Makiko shifted impatiently as she looked down at the lights of the city. She could feel that sense of pulling again; wanting to be down in the city with all her heart and mind. Tamahome looked at her carefully, then sent his horse trotting down the small hill.
Makiko grinned, and cantered past Tamahome. Behind them, Masa grabbed onto the mane and tried to stay in the saddle as the mare started a jerky trot after the other two horses. Tamahome kicked his gelding up into a canter, racing to catch up with Makiko. Makiko looked back and spotted him, then leaned over her horse's neck and urged him to go faster. They raced into the city, the ground shaking under the pounding of the horses' hooves. Masa followed them at a trot, praying that he would get into the city alive.
Tamahome took the lead as they rocketed through the streets, disturbing a few people who were out in the twilight. He led them towards a large building with many decorations. They stopped outside the gilded gates and waited for Masa to catch up. Tamahome dismounted and led his horse into an alleyway.
"Why are we dismounting?" Makiko asked softly.
"Because no one is allowed into the Emperor's cemetery unless they're family. So only descendants, wives and children can visit." Tamahome replied.
"Maki, help me down?" Masa asked. "I can't feel my legs properly."
Makiko slid off the stallion and ran to help her brother. Grabbing his arm, she let him lean against her as he slid off and tried to stretch his cramped legs. Watching them, Tamahome remembered his own, murdered family and sighed. Makiko grinned at something Masa said too quietly for Tamahome to hear and helped him over to stand with Tamahome.
"Now what?" Makiko questioned.
"Now we sneak in," Tamahome replied, pushing the gates open silently until they were wide enough to slip through.
He squeezed through and motioned for Makiko and Masa to follow him. They slipped through carefully, Masa muttering under his breath about how sore his legs were. Tamahome led them through shadowed gardens until they reached the iron gates of a small cemetery. The moon shone down on the graves, illuminating one in the middle. Makiko stepped past Tamahome, drawn towards the illuminated tombstone.
As she walked forward, mist began to gather about the tombstone until it formed the vague shape of a man. Makiko held her hands out to the mist; it stretched out wispy hands to her. Makiko's fingers touched the mist and it became the figure of a young man with long dark hair. He carried a sword in one hand, his eyes open and shining. Makiko laughed in delight as the young man smiled at her. The tips of her fingers still touching his, Makiko took a step backwards, pulling the young man along with her. As he stepped forward, he solidified and stretched.
"Hotohori?" Makiko asked. She yawned, then covered her mouth with her hands. "I'm sorry, I just feel really tired."
"Miaka?" Hotohori asked, frowning. Then he shook his head. "No, not Miaka. I remember you. I startled you into dropping a glass when I visited your world as a spirit. How is your ankle?"
"Fine, thank you," Makiko replied. "Hotohori, this is my twin brother, Masayoshi, and I think you already know Tamahome."
"I am pleased to meet you," Hotohori said to Masa. "It has been a long time, Tamahome. It's good to see you again."
"You too," Tamahome replied awkwardly. "Who is the next person for you to find, Makiko?"
Makiko consulted the list. "His name is Nuriko. He's buried at"-she squinted at the piece of paper-"Mt. Black, I think. Miaka certainly needed to work on her writing skills."
"Yes, Mt. Black," Hotohori said softly. "He was very brave, and saved our lives."
"Mt. Black it is then," Masa interrupted. "Makiko, are you okay? You don't look so good."
"I'm fine," Makiko replied, waving a hand. "I guess I'm just a bit tired, that's all." She looked at her list again. "Oh, there's another seishi to find at Mt. Black. His name is Ashitare." She glanced up expectantly.
"Ashitare?" Hotohori asked, frowning. "He is the one who killed Nuriko. You must not bring him back."
"I have to," Makiko pointed out. "I have to bring back all the seishi. Why did he kill Nuriko?"
"I will explain on the way," Hotohori sighed. "How did you get here?"
"We rode." Makiko turned back and started walking towards the entrance. "You'll have to ride double with someone, Hotohori. I think Blackstar is big enough for us both."
"Aww, Maki, you named him! I told you not to name every animal you see!" Masa groaned, running after his sister. "Maki!"
"This is Mt. Black," Hotohori said, pointing at the foreboding mountain in front of them.
"I just realized there are two more seishi here," Makiko interrupted. "I really need to pay more attention. Their names are Hikitsu and Tomite. You guys know them?"
"They guarded the shinzaho," Tamahome told her. "They were spirits even then."
"I've got my work cut out for me," Makiko muttered. "Let's go."
Two hours later, they had reached the top of Mt. Black. Makiko slid off Blackstar and yawned. She stepped out of the way as Hotohori dismounted and looked around. She couldn't see anything except rocks. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on the tugging she felt from nearby. Leaving the other three with the horses, she walked towards a nearby cave. Ducking under the overhanging stalactites and trailing moss, she entered the cave and paused to get her bearings.
Looking up, she saw the two young men floating in the air, watching her calmly. Startled, she took a step backwards, then forced her heart to calm down. She smiled nervously at the silent men who looked at her carefully. A shimmer off to her left caught her attention and another young man appeared. He smiled at her, his eyes lighting up, then took a closer look and frowned slightly.
"What do you wish, Miaka?" The oldest of the three asked, watching her with one eye; the other was covered by an eyepatch. "The shinzaho is gone."
"I'm not Miaka," Makiko sighed. "My name is Makiko, and I'm her great-great-niece. I, um, was sent here to bring you back to life."
"Were you?" the young man with blue hair asked with a faint smile. "What if we don't want to live again?"
"Too bad," Makiko retorted, feeling more comfortable now. "I'm just doing what Taiitsu-kun told me to."
"Taiitsu-kun?" the third, the one with purple hair, asked. "You are not Miaka, yet you look like her, and you are sent by Taiitsu-kun?"
"That's what I said," Makiko replied impatiently.
She shifted her weight, the tugging in her mind becoming stronger. An angry sigh escaped her as she stared back at the three spirits. The eldest one smiled at her and gestured for her to continue. Taking a deep breath, Makiko concentrated and found she could sense three different strands of light that linked her to the three spirits. Carefully, she took the three strands in her hands and, being careful to keep them separate, concentrated on them until the now-familiar feeling of magic washed through her. She was concentrating so hard, she didn't see the three drop to the ground and take on a solid form. They took deep breaths, the one with blue hair smiling as he smelled the sweet air.
"I'd forgotten what it was like to be alive, to breathe and feel."
"Who are you?" Makiko asked him, uncertain who was who.
"My name is Hikitsu."
"I am Tomite," the blue-haired one volunteered.
"You must be Nuriko then," Makiko said, turning to the other young man. "Pleased to meet all of you." She laughed self-consciously, feeling strange.
"We should go," Hikitsu said, stepping towards the entrance. "I'm sure we're not the only ones you need to bring back."
"No, wait," Makiko said, frowning. She felt light-headed and irritable. "There's someone else here."
Nuriko's face went white. "You can't mean Ashitare?"
"Yes, that's him," Makiko said distractedly.
She could feel the tugging quite near. Mumbling under her breath, she stared at a dark corner of the cave. A brilliant flash of white light lit up the entire area. When Makiko's eyes cleared, a man who looked half-wolf crouched in the corner, watching her with cunning eyes. When he noticed her see him, he leaped forward soundlessly, claws extended.
"No!" Nuriko cried. "Makiko, look out!"
Makiko stared at the creature as it leapt towards her, willing herself to remain standing there. She took a deep breath as Ashitare reached out to sink his claws into her chest. An inch away from her, he twisted suddenly and landed on his feet right in front of her. Makiko forced herself to stand still as he looked at her, then grinned.
"It's good to see that not all courage is gone," he growled, then laughed harshly. He sniffed the air. "You're not Suzaku no Miko, though you're like her. Who are you?"
"I am Makiko, her great-great-niece," Makiko replied, her voice shaky.
"That explains it then," Ashitare muttered to himself. He turned and spotted Nuriko. He growled, baring fangs.
"Stop it!" Makiko snapped, holding her head. "We need to get back to the others."
"What others?" Nuriko asked, watching her closely.
"My twin brother, Masa, Hotohori, and Tamahome," Makiko replied, walking towards the entrance. "C'mon." As she walked out, her words drifted back. "I seem to say that a lot."
"Masa! Hotohori! Tamahome!" Makiko called, jogging over to them where they stood with the horses. "I found the others."
"Hotohori, Tamahome!" Nuriko yelled cheerfully, chasing after Makiko. The other two seishi followed at a more moderate pace, talking quietly to each other. Ashitare loped behind them, scowling.
"I'm glad to see you again," Hotohori said warmly. Tamahome nodded to Nuriko, watching Ashitare suspiciously.
"Hey, Maki, you feeling okay?" Masa asked, looking concerned. "You don't look so good right now."
"I feel perfect. Just a little bit tired, that's all."
"It is natural for her to be tired after using magic," Hotohori cut in.
"Can we stop talking about me like I'm not here?" Makiko demanded.
"I believe there is a town somewhere near here," Hikitsu interrupted when Masa glared at Makiko. "Is there still?"
"No idea. It's been three hundred years," Nuriko explained.
"Five hundred for us," Tomite added.
"There was when I was still alive," Hotohori mused. "It may be there still."
"Then let's go!" Nuriko exclaimed, then paused. "Wait, there's only three horses and eight of us."
"I won't ride," Ashitare growled.
"Even if we double up, there's still someone who'll have to walk," Masa said anxiously.
"I'll walk," Makiko said suddenly.
"You?" Tamahome looked surprised.
"Yes, me," Makiko snapped testily. "What, don't think I can keep up? I'll just walk with Ashitare."
Nuriko arched an eyebrow, looking worried, but made no comment. Masa sighed, knowing his sister had made up her mind. Tamahome and Hotohori exchanged glances. Hikitsu and Tomite waited patiently. Even Ashitare looked faintly surprised.
"Maybe that's not such a good idea," Tamahome started warily.
"I said I'll walk, and I'm going to walk!" Makiko rounded on him. "The only way you can stop me is to force me onto a horse, and I can promise you that isn't about to happen."
"Fine, walk," Tamahome replied irritably. "If you get left behind, it's your own problem."
"My point exactly," Makiko muttered as the others walked to the horses and mounted, Hotohori and Nuriko on Blackstar; Tamahome and Masa on Tamahome's gelding; and Hikitsu and Tomite on the mare.
"Aren't you afraid I'll eat you while we're running?" Ashitare laughed, baring his fangs.
"No," Makiko said frankly, then started walking after the horses, leaving Ashitare staring after her.
At first, Tamahome kept the horses to a slow walk, frequently looking back to check on Makiko. She stuck her tongue out at him, easily keeping up with the last horse, the mare, and talking to Hikitsu and Tomite. Ashitare loped behind her, looking from side to side with a predator's glare. When Tamahome looked back again, Masa told him that if he kept doing that, Makiko was likely to get angry at him. Tamahome shrugged and kicked the gelding up into a trot. The other horses followed, Makiko breaking into an easy, distance-eating stride. She managed to still carry on her conversation with Hikitsu and Tomite. Ashitare held the same pace, easily staying a few meters behind Makiko.
"C'mon, Tamahome, this the best you can do?" Makiko yelled, laughing.
Scowling, Tamahome asked the gelding for a canter; Masa started mumbling "I don't wanna fall off, I don't wanna fall off". Blackstar followed them eagerly, and Hikitsu cast a glance back at Makiko before cantering ahead. Makiko started to run, her long legs carrying her easily over the uneven ground. She leaped over a rock, laughing delightedly as the wind blew her hair back. Behind her, Ashitare increased his pace, coming up to run beside Makiko. She glanced over at him and shouted something. He growled in reply.
A small town appeared on the horizon; Tamahome led the procession towards it. A few minutes later, they reached it, slowing down before they entered. Makiko grinned at Tamahome, eyes shining in her flushed face. She was breathing perfectly normally despite the exertion of the run. Ashitare paused beside her, a look of respect in his gleaming eyes. Makiko walked over to help Masa down from the gelding, teasing him gently about his strange walk.
"I'm not used to it like you are," he grumbled good-naturedly. "One day I'm going to get you riding a camel, and we'll see what you feel like after that." Turning to Tamahome after Makiko had wandered over to Blackstar, he explained, "Maki's a long-distance runner, Tamahome. That's why she was able to keep up."
"Just like Miaka," Tamahome murmured, walking past the tall blue-haired youth. Masa shrugged.
Makiko looked around the town, her hands on her hips. The streets were deserted, no lights on in the run-down houses. Then a flash of light down an alleyway caught her attention. Slipping silently away from the others, she followed the light, beginning to hear rough shouts. She walked into the shadowed alleyway, searching for the light that seemed to have vanished. She spotted it again and broke into a slow jog towards it.
She stepped out of the alleyway into a blindingly bright light and rubbed her eyes to clear them. There were startled shouts, then hands grabbed her roughly. Makiko struck out blindly with her fist, feeling it connect with something soft. There was a grunt and a pair of hands fell away. Twisting in the unknown persons' grip, Makiko stamped down hard on the instep of one of them and pulled away to kick out at another blurry figure. Her eyes began to clear and she saw the source of the light was a small child cowering in the corner, eyes closed. The light came from a small globe held tightly in her left hand.
Makiko spun around and saw the exit of the alleyway blocked by a couple of burly young men with hard eyes. They looked her up and down slowly, the one on the left breaking into a harsh grin. There were three more young men circling warily to her right, and a sixth struggling to pull the globe away from the child. Angered, he raised his hand and smacked the little girl across the face. Makiko clenched her fists.
"Hey! Leave her alone!" she yelled, running forward and tackling the youth to the ground.
He grunted in surprise and elbowed her in the stomach. Coughing, Makiko brought both fists down on the back of his neck. He slumped to the ground, out cold. One of the three to her right let out a yell and charged her. Makiko rolled and leaped to her feet, spinning to catch him in the ribs with a hard kick. He staggered, then pulled a wicked-looking knife out of his ragged shirt. Makiko backed away warily, but another of the three pinned her arms behind her back. The one with the knife lunged forward; Makiko jerked to the side and he stabbed his friend in the shoulder.
Howling, the youth let go of Makiko and stumbled away. Makiko hit the other one's wrist with the flat of her hand, knocking the knife from his suddenly numb fingers. The two burly young men at the alleyway's exit came forward, circling to either side of Makiko. The one who'd had the knife grabbed it with his other hand and backed away slowly, passing the two burly ones to stand by the dark mouth of the alley. The fourth helped the wounded one to try and pull the globe from the girl.
Makiko watched the two burly young men warily, balancing lightly on the balls of her feet. Suddenly one feinted at her with a fist. She jumped back and the other one caught her with a glancing blow to the side of the head. Stumbling, Makiko reminded herself to watch them both carefully. She ducked under the outstretched arm of the one on her left and swept his feet out from under him. Without warning, the one with the wounded shoulder leaped forward cat-like, tackling her to the ground. Makiko struggled, aiming her punches and kicks for his head and stomach. He yelped and rolled away, but the other burly youth grabbed Makiko and hauled her to her feet. She struggled, but his grip on her arms was too strong. She tried to kick back at his legs, but he nimbly twisted aside, wrenching her shoulders cruelly.
Makiko yelled an eerie war-cry and the symbol on the tail of her tattooed dragon flared to life. The burly youth swore, and shoved Makiko to the ground. He held her down with one knee pressed painfully against her back and inspected the symbol carefully. The little girl watched, wide-eyed, then leaped up. She pointed at the alleyway and yelled something.
The youth holding Makiko down was yanked roughly away. Getting to her feet, Makiko saw him entangled in a ring of green that was slowly squeezing him. The youth at the entrance of the alleyway turned to throw a punch at a shadowy figure, but the figure easily blocked and then threw him back into the small courtyard. Tamahome appeared, with Hotohori behind him. Hotohori drew his sword and advanced slowly on the young man with the knife. A lance of ice shot out of the dark and struck the second burly youth, freezing him instantly. Makiko turned to the young girl, who ran forward and threw her arms around her waist. Picking her up, Makiko carried her towards the alleyway; Tamahome kept everyone away from the two of them.
Masa met her at the alleyway, pulling her through quickly. Makiko felt bewildered, having no idea how the seishi had known where to find her. They paused outside the alleyway, and soon the seishi joined them. Nuriko glared at them, angrily holding the reins of the horses. Hotohori put his sword away.
"Makiko, are you all right?" he asked worriedly.
"I'm okay. I should've paid more attention to the others, though," Makiko replied sheepishly. The little girl clung tightly to her neck, still grasping the glowing globe.
"You shouldn't have gone there alone," Tamahome pointed out, glowering. "You could've been killed."
"But I wasn't. Thank you," Makiko said quietly. "Where's Ashitare?"
"I think you'd rather not know," Masa told her, looking green.
"On second thought, I guess not."
"Is she the reason you went into the alleyway?" Tomite asked curiously, pointing to the little girl.
"Actually, I saw this light and thought maybe it was someone who could help us. Turns out it was this little girl, and she was being attacked by those men." Makiko frowned. "They wanted this globe."
"I've never seen anything like that before," Hotohori said uncertainly.
"I haven't either," Tamahome added.
Both Hikitsu and Tomite shook their heads. Nuriko led the horses over to take a look, and shrugged.
"Hey, what's your name?" Makiko asked the little girl. She looked up shyly and Nuriko's face went dead-white.
"My name is Kourin." She said softly.
A/N: I know, this is getting real long, but I had to point something out. To Mew, for one, it was a theory, and *I* care about the seishi names. For another, I believe I said Miaka was Maki's and Masa's great-great-AUNT. Which would make Keisuke, Miaka's brother, their grandfather or great-grandfather. Therefore, yes, their last name would be Yuuki and they WOULD be related to Miaka. Arigato.
"What do you mean, you knew I would come?" Makiko asked suspiciously. "I only found out today!"
"When I was dying, I dreamt that one day, long since I'd died, a young girl who looked like my love would come and bring me back to help her. You must be her; you're even related to Miaka."
"Gag me with a sock," Masa muttered.
"Will you quit saying that?" Makiko asked, spinning on her heel to glare at her twin.
"Sorry," Masa replied, holding up his hands in mock surrender.
Makiko smiled. "Sorry, Masa, I guess I'm a bit on edge." She turned back to Tamahome. "I guess you know what we're here for?"
"Yes. You need to find the rest of the seishi." A sad expression crossed his face. "Meeting them again will bring back many memories."
"I suppose it will," Makiko said softly. "Do you know where we could find the next seishi?" She consulted the list from Miaka. "I think his name is Hotohori."
"Yes, the Emperor of Konan. This country you're in now is Konan." Tamahome explained. "Hotohori was buried on the palace grounds."
"This palace?" Masa asked, looking around.
"No, another palace. This is the home of Taiitsu-kun, and this mountain is called Mt. Taikyoku," Tamahome replied, sounding a little impatient.
"Let's go then," Makiko said determinedly. "I'm assuming we're going to have to walk to this palace? How far away is it anyway?"
"I will provide you with transportation," Taiitsu-kun interrupted, appearing behind Tamahome and grinning wickedly. "Tamahome, I must say that death becomes you."
She looked at a spot a few meters away from them, and three beautiful horses appeared, glancing around with ears pricked and eyes bright.
"Oh, wow," Makiko breathed, walking over to one of the horses and holding her hand up. "They're wonderful." The horse, a huge black stallion with a silver mane and tail, breathed over her palm and rubbed his nose against her.
"Maybe you should take this horse," Tamahome called, leading up a small, mouse-grey mare with a calm air about her. The stallion threw up his head at Tamahome's approach.
"Why?" Makiko demanded, her eyes narrowed. "I think I'll ride this one." She rested a hand possessively on the stallion's neck.
"You probably wouldn't be able to control him," Tamahome said frankly.
"Uh oh," Masa murmured.
"Is that right?" Makiko snapped, a dangerous gleam in her eyes.
She turned away from Tamahome, put one foot in the stirrup and swung herself effortlessly into the stallion's saddle. The stallion reared, pawing at the air in front of him. Tamahome leaped back as the sharp hooves came dangerously close to his head. Makiko laughed and let go of the reins as the stallion settled back to all fours. Tamahome reached for the trailing reins, but the stallion neatly skipped away. Each time Tamahome reached for the reins, the stallion nimbly twisted so that he was just out of reach.
Suddenly, he reared again and began to gallop away. Near a stand of trees, he stopped dead, almost throwing Makiko over his head, and spun to gallop back towards them. As Makiko and the stallion raced past them in the opposite direction, Tamahome turned to Masa.
"Aren't you worried?" he demanded.
"No," Masa replied, amused. "Should I be?"
"Your sister is going to get herself killed," Tamahome said angrily. "Don't you even care?"
"Tamahome, you don't know my twin. Watch her closely. She's an expert rider in our world and knows exactly what she's doing with that horse. You implied that she can't do something, so she has to show you up," Masa explained patiently.
Tamahome turned to watch Makiko as the stallion trotted back towards them. Now he saw that she was controlling the horse with the pressure of her legs, completely disregarding the reins. Her face was flushed with delight; her green eyes shone. Her hair blew in the wind, and for a second Tamahome saw Miaka in her. He felt a twinge at the memory, then shook his head and sternly told himself to concentrate; this girl was another, no matter how much she looked like Miaka.
"Though I think I'll take that mare," Masa added. "She looks like she won't try to kill me."
"None of these would try to kill you, Masa!" Makiko called, laughing. "C'mon, let's get going."
"Where'd Taiitsu-kun go?" Masa questioned, looking around. The old woman had vanished.
"Dunno," Makiko replied. "Get in the saddle, Masa."
"Must I," Masa sighed, putting one foot in the stirrup and pulling himself up awkwardly. "Maki, she's moving!"
"Your seat's abominable," Makiko commented. "Sit up straight, put your heels down, hold the reins like they're working parts of riding, and for goodness sake don't pull back on her mouth." She turned to Tamahome, who was mounting. "Do I need to give you any help?"
"No," Tamahome said shortly, turning his dun gelding towards the stand of trees. "Let's go!"
Hours later, Tamahome pulled the gelding to a stop and waved at the large city in front of them. Masa looked grateful as he warily released his death-grip on the horse's mane and stretched carefully. Makiko shifted impatiently as she looked down at the lights of the city. She could feel that sense of pulling again; wanting to be down in the city with all her heart and mind. Tamahome looked at her carefully, then sent his horse trotting down the small hill.
Makiko grinned, and cantered past Tamahome. Behind them, Masa grabbed onto the mane and tried to stay in the saddle as the mare started a jerky trot after the other two horses. Tamahome kicked his gelding up into a canter, racing to catch up with Makiko. Makiko looked back and spotted him, then leaned over her horse's neck and urged him to go faster. They raced into the city, the ground shaking under the pounding of the horses' hooves. Masa followed them at a trot, praying that he would get into the city alive.
Tamahome took the lead as they rocketed through the streets, disturbing a few people who were out in the twilight. He led them towards a large building with many decorations. They stopped outside the gilded gates and waited for Masa to catch up. Tamahome dismounted and led his horse into an alleyway.
"Why are we dismounting?" Makiko asked softly.
"Because no one is allowed into the Emperor's cemetery unless they're family. So only descendants, wives and children can visit." Tamahome replied.
"Maki, help me down?" Masa asked. "I can't feel my legs properly."
Makiko slid off the stallion and ran to help her brother. Grabbing his arm, she let him lean against her as he slid off and tried to stretch his cramped legs. Watching them, Tamahome remembered his own, murdered family and sighed. Makiko grinned at something Masa said too quietly for Tamahome to hear and helped him over to stand with Tamahome.
"Now what?" Makiko questioned.
"Now we sneak in," Tamahome replied, pushing the gates open silently until they were wide enough to slip through.
He squeezed through and motioned for Makiko and Masa to follow him. They slipped through carefully, Masa muttering under his breath about how sore his legs were. Tamahome led them through shadowed gardens until they reached the iron gates of a small cemetery. The moon shone down on the graves, illuminating one in the middle. Makiko stepped past Tamahome, drawn towards the illuminated tombstone.
As she walked forward, mist began to gather about the tombstone until it formed the vague shape of a man. Makiko held her hands out to the mist; it stretched out wispy hands to her. Makiko's fingers touched the mist and it became the figure of a young man with long dark hair. He carried a sword in one hand, his eyes open and shining. Makiko laughed in delight as the young man smiled at her. The tips of her fingers still touching his, Makiko took a step backwards, pulling the young man along with her. As he stepped forward, he solidified and stretched.
"Hotohori?" Makiko asked. She yawned, then covered her mouth with her hands. "I'm sorry, I just feel really tired."
"Miaka?" Hotohori asked, frowning. Then he shook his head. "No, not Miaka. I remember you. I startled you into dropping a glass when I visited your world as a spirit. How is your ankle?"
"Fine, thank you," Makiko replied. "Hotohori, this is my twin brother, Masayoshi, and I think you already know Tamahome."
"I am pleased to meet you," Hotohori said to Masa. "It has been a long time, Tamahome. It's good to see you again."
"You too," Tamahome replied awkwardly. "Who is the next person for you to find, Makiko?"
Makiko consulted the list. "His name is Nuriko. He's buried at"-she squinted at the piece of paper-"Mt. Black, I think. Miaka certainly needed to work on her writing skills."
"Yes, Mt. Black," Hotohori said softly. "He was very brave, and saved our lives."
"Mt. Black it is then," Masa interrupted. "Makiko, are you okay? You don't look so good."
"I'm fine," Makiko replied, waving a hand. "I guess I'm just a bit tired, that's all." She looked at her list again. "Oh, there's another seishi to find at Mt. Black. His name is Ashitare." She glanced up expectantly.
"Ashitare?" Hotohori asked, frowning. "He is the one who killed Nuriko. You must not bring him back."
"I have to," Makiko pointed out. "I have to bring back all the seishi. Why did he kill Nuriko?"
"I will explain on the way," Hotohori sighed. "How did you get here?"
"We rode." Makiko turned back and started walking towards the entrance. "You'll have to ride double with someone, Hotohori. I think Blackstar is big enough for us both."
"Aww, Maki, you named him! I told you not to name every animal you see!" Masa groaned, running after his sister. "Maki!"
"This is Mt. Black," Hotohori said, pointing at the foreboding mountain in front of them.
"I just realized there are two more seishi here," Makiko interrupted. "I really need to pay more attention. Their names are Hikitsu and Tomite. You guys know them?"
"They guarded the shinzaho," Tamahome told her. "They were spirits even then."
"I've got my work cut out for me," Makiko muttered. "Let's go."
Two hours later, they had reached the top of Mt. Black. Makiko slid off Blackstar and yawned. She stepped out of the way as Hotohori dismounted and looked around. She couldn't see anything except rocks. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on the tugging she felt from nearby. Leaving the other three with the horses, she walked towards a nearby cave. Ducking under the overhanging stalactites and trailing moss, she entered the cave and paused to get her bearings.
Looking up, she saw the two young men floating in the air, watching her calmly. Startled, she took a step backwards, then forced her heart to calm down. She smiled nervously at the silent men who looked at her carefully. A shimmer off to her left caught her attention and another young man appeared. He smiled at her, his eyes lighting up, then took a closer look and frowned slightly.
"What do you wish, Miaka?" The oldest of the three asked, watching her with one eye; the other was covered by an eyepatch. "The shinzaho is gone."
"I'm not Miaka," Makiko sighed. "My name is Makiko, and I'm her great-great-niece. I, um, was sent here to bring you back to life."
"Were you?" the young man with blue hair asked with a faint smile. "What if we don't want to live again?"
"Too bad," Makiko retorted, feeling more comfortable now. "I'm just doing what Taiitsu-kun told me to."
"Taiitsu-kun?" the third, the one with purple hair, asked. "You are not Miaka, yet you look like her, and you are sent by Taiitsu-kun?"
"That's what I said," Makiko replied impatiently.
She shifted her weight, the tugging in her mind becoming stronger. An angry sigh escaped her as she stared back at the three spirits. The eldest one smiled at her and gestured for her to continue. Taking a deep breath, Makiko concentrated and found she could sense three different strands of light that linked her to the three spirits. Carefully, she took the three strands in her hands and, being careful to keep them separate, concentrated on them until the now-familiar feeling of magic washed through her. She was concentrating so hard, she didn't see the three drop to the ground and take on a solid form. They took deep breaths, the one with blue hair smiling as he smelled the sweet air.
"I'd forgotten what it was like to be alive, to breathe and feel."
"Who are you?" Makiko asked him, uncertain who was who.
"My name is Hikitsu."
"I am Tomite," the blue-haired one volunteered.
"You must be Nuriko then," Makiko said, turning to the other young man. "Pleased to meet all of you." She laughed self-consciously, feeling strange.
"We should go," Hikitsu said, stepping towards the entrance. "I'm sure we're not the only ones you need to bring back."
"No, wait," Makiko said, frowning. She felt light-headed and irritable. "There's someone else here."
Nuriko's face went white. "You can't mean Ashitare?"
"Yes, that's him," Makiko said distractedly.
She could feel the tugging quite near. Mumbling under her breath, she stared at a dark corner of the cave. A brilliant flash of white light lit up the entire area. When Makiko's eyes cleared, a man who looked half-wolf crouched in the corner, watching her with cunning eyes. When he noticed her see him, he leaped forward soundlessly, claws extended.
"No!" Nuriko cried. "Makiko, look out!"
Makiko stared at the creature as it leapt towards her, willing herself to remain standing there. She took a deep breath as Ashitare reached out to sink his claws into her chest. An inch away from her, he twisted suddenly and landed on his feet right in front of her. Makiko forced herself to stand still as he looked at her, then grinned.
"It's good to see that not all courage is gone," he growled, then laughed harshly. He sniffed the air. "You're not Suzaku no Miko, though you're like her. Who are you?"
"I am Makiko, her great-great-niece," Makiko replied, her voice shaky.
"That explains it then," Ashitare muttered to himself. He turned and spotted Nuriko. He growled, baring fangs.
"Stop it!" Makiko snapped, holding her head. "We need to get back to the others."
"What others?" Nuriko asked, watching her closely.
"My twin brother, Masa, Hotohori, and Tamahome," Makiko replied, walking towards the entrance. "C'mon." As she walked out, her words drifted back. "I seem to say that a lot."
"Masa! Hotohori! Tamahome!" Makiko called, jogging over to them where they stood with the horses. "I found the others."
"Hotohori, Tamahome!" Nuriko yelled cheerfully, chasing after Makiko. The other two seishi followed at a more moderate pace, talking quietly to each other. Ashitare loped behind them, scowling.
"I'm glad to see you again," Hotohori said warmly. Tamahome nodded to Nuriko, watching Ashitare suspiciously.
"Hey, Maki, you feeling okay?" Masa asked, looking concerned. "You don't look so good right now."
"I feel perfect. Just a little bit tired, that's all."
"It is natural for her to be tired after using magic," Hotohori cut in.
"Can we stop talking about me like I'm not here?" Makiko demanded.
"I believe there is a town somewhere near here," Hikitsu interrupted when Masa glared at Makiko. "Is there still?"
"No idea. It's been three hundred years," Nuriko explained.
"Five hundred for us," Tomite added.
"There was when I was still alive," Hotohori mused. "It may be there still."
"Then let's go!" Nuriko exclaimed, then paused. "Wait, there's only three horses and eight of us."
"I won't ride," Ashitare growled.
"Even if we double up, there's still someone who'll have to walk," Masa said anxiously.
"I'll walk," Makiko said suddenly.
"You?" Tamahome looked surprised.
"Yes, me," Makiko snapped testily. "What, don't think I can keep up? I'll just walk with Ashitare."
Nuriko arched an eyebrow, looking worried, but made no comment. Masa sighed, knowing his sister had made up her mind. Tamahome and Hotohori exchanged glances. Hikitsu and Tomite waited patiently. Even Ashitare looked faintly surprised.
"Maybe that's not such a good idea," Tamahome started warily.
"I said I'll walk, and I'm going to walk!" Makiko rounded on him. "The only way you can stop me is to force me onto a horse, and I can promise you that isn't about to happen."
"Fine, walk," Tamahome replied irritably. "If you get left behind, it's your own problem."
"My point exactly," Makiko muttered as the others walked to the horses and mounted, Hotohori and Nuriko on Blackstar; Tamahome and Masa on Tamahome's gelding; and Hikitsu and Tomite on the mare.
"Aren't you afraid I'll eat you while we're running?" Ashitare laughed, baring his fangs.
"No," Makiko said frankly, then started walking after the horses, leaving Ashitare staring after her.
At first, Tamahome kept the horses to a slow walk, frequently looking back to check on Makiko. She stuck her tongue out at him, easily keeping up with the last horse, the mare, and talking to Hikitsu and Tomite. Ashitare loped behind her, looking from side to side with a predator's glare. When Tamahome looked back again, Masa told him that if he kept doing that, Makiko was likely to get angry at him. Tamahome shrugged and kicked the gelding up into a trot. The other horses followed, Makiko breaking into an easy, distance-eating stride. She managed to still carry on her conversation with Hikitsu and Tomite. Ashitare held the same pace, easily staying a few meters behind Makiko.
"C'mon, Tamahome, this the best you can do?" Makiko yelled, laughing.
Scowling, Tamahome asked the gelding for a canter; Masa started mumbling "I don't wanna fall off, I don't wanna fall off". Blackstar followed them eagerly, and Hikitsu cast a glance back at Makiko before cantering ahead. Makiko started to run, her long legs carrying her easily over the uneven ground. She leaped over a rock, laughing delightedly as the wind blew her hair back. Behind her, Ashitare increased his pace, coming up to run beside Makiko. She glanced over at him and shouted something. He growled in reply.
A small town appeared on the horizon; Tamahome led the procession towards it. A few minutes later, they reached it, slowing down before they entered. Makiko grinned at Tamahome, eyes shining in her flushed face. She was breathing perfectly normally despite the exertion of the run. Ashitare paused beside her, a look of respect in his gleaming eyes. Makiko walked over to help Masa down from the gelding, teasing him gently about his strange walk.
"I'm not used to it like you are," he grumbled good-naturedly. "One day I'm going to get you riding a camel, and we'll see what you feel like after that." Turning to Tamahome after Makiko had wandered over to Blackstar, he explained, "Maki's a long-distance runner, Tamahome. That's why she was able to keep up."
"Just like Miaka," Tamahome murmured, walking past the tall blue-haired youth. Masa shrugged.
Makiko looked around the town, her hands on her hips. The streets were deserted, no lights on in the run-down houses. Then a flash of light down an alleyway caught her attention. Slipping silently away from the others, she followed the light, beginning to hear rough shouts. She walked into the shadowed alleyway, searching for the light that seemed to have vanished. She spotted it again and broke into a slow jog towards it.
She stepped out of the alleyway into a blindingly bright light and rubbed her eyes to clear them. There were startled shouts, then hands grabbed her roughly. Makiko struck out blindly with her fist, feeling it connect with something soft. There was a grunt and a pair of hands fell away. Twisting in the unknown persons' grip, Makiko stamped down hard on the instep of one of them and pulled away to kick out at another blurry figure. Her eyes began to clear and she saw the source of the light was a small child cowering in the corner, eyes closed. The light came from a small globe held tightly in her left hand.
Makiko spun around and saw the exit of the alleyway blocked by a couple of burly young men with hard eyes. They looked her up and down slowly, the one on the left breaking into a harsh grin. There were three more young men circling warily to her right, and a sixth struggling to pull the globe away from the child. Angered, he raised his hand and smacked the little girl across the face. Makiko clenched her fists.
"Hey! Leave her alone!" she yelled, running forward and tackling the youth to the ground.
He grunted in surprise and elbowed her in the stomach. Coughing, Makiko brought both fists down on the back of his neck. He slumped to the ground, out cold. One of the three to her right let out a yell and charged her. Makiko rolled and leaped to her feet, spinning to catch him in the ribs with a hard kick. He staggered, then pulled a wicked-looking knife out of his ragged shirt. Makiko backed away warily, but another of the three pinned her arms behind her back. The one with the knife lunged forward; Makiko jerked to the side and he stabbed his friend in the shoulder.
Howling, the youth let go of Makiko and stumbled away. Makiko hit the other one's wrist with the flat of her hand, knocking the knife from his suddenly numb fingers. The two burly young men at the alleyway's exit came forward, circling to either side of Makiko. The one who'd had the knife grabbed it with his other hand and backed away slowly, passing the two burly ones to stand by the dark mouth of the alley. The fourth helped the wounded one to try and pull the globe from the girl.
Makiko watched the two burly young men warily, balancing lightly on the balls of her feet. Suddenly one feinted at her with a fist. She jumped back and the other one caught her with a glancing blow to the side of the head. Stumbling, Makiko reminded herself to watch them both carefully. She ducked under the outstretched arm of the one on her left and swept his feet out from under him. Without warning, the one with the wounded shoulder leaped forward cat-like, tackling her to the ground. Makiko struggled, aiming her punches and kicks for his head and stomach. He yelped and rolled away, but the other burly youth grabbed Makiko and hauled her to her feet. She struggled, but his grip on her arms was too strong. She tried to kick back at his legs, but he nimbly twisted aside, wrenching her shoulders cruelly.
Makiko yelled an eerie war-cry and the symbol on the tail of her tattooed dragon flared to life. The burly youth swore, and shoved Makiko to the ground. He held her down with one knee pressed painfully against her back and inspected the symbol carefully. The little girl watched, wide-eyed, then leaped up. She pointed at the alleyway and yelled something.
The youth holding Makiko down was yanked roughly away. Getting to her feet, Makiko saw him entangled in a ring of green that was slowly squeezing him. The youth at the entrance of the alleyway turned to throw a punch at a shadowy figure, but the figure easily blocked and then threw him back into the small courtyard. Tamahome appeared, with Hotohori behind him. Hotohori drew his sword and advanced slowly on the young man with the knife. A lance of ice shot out of the dark and struck the second burly youth, freezing him instantly. Makiko turned to the young girl, who ran forward and threw her arms around her waist. Picking her up, Makiko carried her towards the alleyway; Tamahome kept everyone away from the two of them.
Masa met her at the alleyway, pulling her through quickly. Makiko felt bewildered, having no idea how the seishi had known where to find her. They paused outside the alleyway, and soon the seishi joined them. Nuriko glared at them, angrily holding the reins of the horses. Hotohori put his sword away.
"Makiko, are you all right?" he asked worriedly.
"I'm okay. I should've paid more attention to the others, though," Makiko replied sheepishly. The little girl clung tightly to her neck, still grasping the glowing globe.
"You shouldn't have gone there alone," Tamahome pointed out, glowering. "You could've been killed."
"But I wasn't. Thank you," Makiko said quietly. "Where's Ashitare?"
"I think you'd rather not know," Masa told her, looking green.
"On second thought, I guess not."
"Is she the reason you went into the alleyway?" Tomite asked curiously, pointing to the little girl.
"Actually, I saw this light and thought maybe it was someone who could help us. Turns out it was this little girl, and she was being attacked by those men." Makiko frowned. "They wanted this globe."
"I've never seen anything like that before," Hotohori said uncertainly.
"I haven't either," Tamahome added.
Both Hikitsu and Tomite shook their heads. Nuriko led the horses over to take a look, and shrugged.
"Hey, what's your name?" Makiko asked the little girl. She looked up shyly and Nuriko's face went dead-white.
"My name is Kourin." She said softly.
A/N: I know, this is getting real long, but I had to point something out. To Mew, for one, it was a theory, and *I* care about the seishi names. For another, I believe I said Miaka was Maki's and Masa's great-great-AUNT. Which would make Keisuke, Miaka's brother, their grandfather or great-grandfather. Therefore, yes, their last name would be Yuuki and they WOULD be related to Miaka. Arigato.