Tasuki paused in his ruminations to pour another glass of sake. He was still sitting by the lake where Chichiri had left him, but now he had sake. It made all the difference in the world.
Anyway.
Around the bandits, he was the alpha male, he called the shots...as a seishi, he followed...but he wasn't sure what he was following..a little girl? The emperor? Some sort of an ideal?...He didn't really know at the time. But, when Chichiri came to visit Mount Leilakyu, Tasuki felt the shift in his thinking, from feeling like a leader to feeling like a little brother, and he realized that during much of that time, Chichiri had been calling the shots. This fills him with even more respect for Chichiri, and makes him feel even worse about the monk's impending departure.
Then he notices that his cup is empty, and pours himself some more sake.
Anyway.
He also realized a gap in the way he and Nuriko each thought of Chichiri. Chichiri did not hold the same mystery for Nuriko as he did for Tasuki. Tasuki knew pack politics, from having to survive among the bandits, who were very much like wolves in their social order. Nuriko had also been like an elder brother to Miaka and the other seishi, and as such, probably saw Chichiri as more of an equal.
So, although Nuriko could be horribly teasing and nagging towards Tasuki, Tasuki was sure that Nuriko would treat Chichiri with more respect than that.
You are SUCH a STUPID FREAK!!!! Nuriko shrieked into Chichiri's head.
You know, Nuriko-kun, if I had wanted a spirit guide I think I would have chosen something other than a verbally abusive gay transvestite no da. Chichiri replied, completely unphased.
Nuriko took a momen to compose himself. Chichiri had the mental discipline to simply kick Nuriko out of his mind if he so chose.
Okay, okay, just listen for a sec, how about if you shapeshift into Kouji and then go find out how Tasuki truly feels about you?!
Daaa. Chichiri pretended to think. I have a better idea no da. How about I don't do that?
Chichiri-CHAN! Whined Nuriko.
Nuriko-KUN! Chichiri whined back jokingly. Honestly, don't you people have anything better to do in the afterlife than torment the living no da?
First of all: No. And second of all: I wouldn't have to "torment the living" if the living would get their asses in gear and--
Oh! Here's Benjiro's room. Hmmn, looks like he's already gone to start breakfast no da. Chichiri blithely ignored Nuriko and let himself into Benjiro's quarters.
Nuriko was beginning to lose his temper. For the past thirty minutes he'd been trying to goad Chichiri into some sort of romantic action in much the same way he'd been goading Tasuki. However, Chichiri was turning out to be far more difficult to prod. He should have expected that. Tasuki let his emotions pull him around like runaway sled dogs, while Chichiri, well, didn't. Nuriko was going to try shrieking at the monk again, when something distracted him from his frustration.
Oooh. Nuriko exclaimed.
"Oh, Suzaku." Chichiri stopped suddenly in shock.
He was facing a gigantic shrine to the late Emperor Hotohori that took up most of the room, with burning incense, tallow candles, a huge painting of the Emperor's likeness, offerings of food, and gold, and what looked suspiciously like locks of his long black hair....
Do the other bandits know that he has this here no da? Thought Chichiri wonderingly.
Well, so what if he has a shrine to Hotohori? Don't most people? Nuriko replied.
Chichiri laughed.
No. Seriously. People don't have these?! Nuriko started to get defensive. I had one. I had two!
Chichiri abruptly stopped laughing.
Oh...Of course. I have one, too. It's a traveling one. Small. I keep it in my kesa no da. Chichiri glanced around the rest of the room, looking desperately for Benjiro.
Anyway, come on, Wheedled Nuriko to Chichiri. I've been in Tasuki's mind for days. Don't you have anything for me to tell him?
Daaaa, Chichiri pretended to think, Well, I do have one thing...
Yes? Nuriko's spirit pressed forward eagerly
Oops. It's gone no da. Chichiri's mask smiled brightly.
Oh, come ON. That's all you have to say?
Honestly? I'm amazed that I mustered up that much no da.
Arghh! Although he had no corporeal form, Nuriko threw his hands up in frustration.
He turned to the shrine. Hotohori! You're an emperor, order him to do something.
I hardly think that that's my place. Said a disembodied regal voice, emanating from somewhere within the shrine.
Yeah, well, until you pay off your gambling debts I freaking own you, so you talk to him. Nuriko said unyieldingly.
The shrine sighed. Then there was a large halo of red light, in which Hotohori appeared in all his pretty glory, and in another, smaller halo of red light, little Chiriko perched beside the emperor.
Oh. Chiriko. Nuriko looked awkward. What are you doing here?
What? Everyone else is here. I missed Chichiri-san. Chiriko beamed at Chichiri, who grinned back genuinely.
Well, I don't think that what we're discussing is really appropriate for a thirteen-year-old. Nuriko said.
I'm technically fifteen or so now, and anyway, it's not my fault that I died so very, very young. Chiriko replied pleadingly. Then Chiriko's eyes welled up with tears, which made Hotohori and Chichiri just melt.
Oh, can't he stay?! Hotohori implored Nuriko.
He's such a brave little guy no da... Chichiri sniffled.
Nuriko threw up his hands. Fine, fine.
Great! Chiriko smiled expectantly. So, what are we talking about? Chiriko's shade got up and ran over to Chichiri's side. Chiriko worshipped Chichiri.
Nothing na no da! Chichiri said quickly.
Chichiri-chan refuses to move on with his life. Nuriko stated succinctly.
Really? Chiriko stared up wide-eyed at Chichiri.
No! I mean...yes. I mean. No da. I don't know. It was easy for Chichiri to avoid Nuriko's questioning, it had always been easy (and fun no da!) to tease the purple-haired seishi. But faced with the wide eyes of Chiriko (who Chichiri knew had looked up to him as a role model, and towards whom Chichiri felt vaguely fatherly)...it was a bit harder to be so flippant. And Hotohori's grave face didn't help, as Chichiri'd always endeavored to be fairly solemn around his emperor. Chichiri sighed, realizing himself cornered.
Nuriko let Hotohori and Chiriko distract Chichiri while he regrouped. He needed time. He needed Chichiri to stay at Mount Leikyaku until they could all hit upon the perfect thing to say that would make Chichiri see how foolish he was being. The second prettiest Suzaku Seishi racked his brain....what could he say?
He glanced back at the mage and the two ghosts. He knew that Tasuki had been right--Hotohori's love advice would be absolutely hopeless. Even as Nuriko watched he was nodding, kindly, with great understanding, for he well knew the importance of putting other concerns before one's emotions...Nuriko rolled his eyes in disgust, not noticing Chiriko's face during Hotohori and Chichiri's conversation. He just listened to Chichiri go on and on about how he had to show respect to his dead loved ones and how he didn't want to hold Tasuki back.
"--Tasuki is going on with his life. He has the bandits, he has Koji, he has old promises to fulfill..." Chichiri said out loud, facing the shrine, as if he were speaking to it and not Hotohori.
The living change, grow older...said Hotohori said softly behind Chichiri.
"No." Said Chichiri. "Not me. I will never change. I will be like this until I die no da."
Chichiri could feel the chi of spirits around him, although he wasn't looking at their apparitions. He felt Hotohori's sad resignation. He felt Nuriko's frustration and ...Chiriko's chi felt a little off.
Chichiri could feel the silent, tiny ghost child behind him...silent...oddly silent...and suddenly--
SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!!!! A sound so outraged and feral Chichiri barely recognizes it as Chiriko. STOP IT.
Everyone stopped and looked at Chiriko.
It's so stupid!!! The two of you, you and Tasuki-san, the only two of us left alive and you aren't going forward. I don't see why you have to keep on being sad. You don't have to. Tasuki doesn't want you to, and you feel all guilty about accepting happiness and moving on with your life, so instead you want to stay still, keep moving sideways, never moving forward. It's stupid. I hate it when living people don't move on with their lives. It's offensive to those of us who never had the chance to move on, not respectful, like you think it is. Suzaku! I wouldn't have expected this sort of thing from you Chichiri-san. Hotohori-sama, sure--
Hey! Interjected Hotohori, who'd really been taking quite a bit of abuse of late.
--But not you, Chichiri-san. You were the wisest person I ever knew. I wanted to be just like you when I grew up, but...now. Well. Anyway.
Chichiri didn't have anything to say to that.
Just..go forward.. Said Chiriko. And then he faded away, leaving a shocked Hotohori, Nuriko and Chichiri in his wake.
Chichiri? Nuriko questioned hesitantly.
Chichiri was stunned. I...I guess I'm staying na no da.
Man, that kid really is a genius. Nuriko said in awe.
Then a sandy-haired young man came into the room where the three seishi were, although he could only see one of them.
"Oh. Chichiri-san! Good morning!" Benjiro exclaimed. The bandit didn't look at all preturbed at finding the monk in front of his Hotohori shrine looking shell-shocked. It was a really nice shrine, if he said so himself.
Oh, THAT'S Benjiro. Nuriko said in recognition.
You know him? Thought Chichiri back.
Yeah, he was the bandit that I had to pry off of Hotohori when we were posing as women while Miaka was getting molested by this huge fat guy in a viking hat and Tasuki was pretending to be dead? Remember?
No.
Oh, yeah, you weren't there. Good times.
"Uh, Chichiri-san?" Benjiro had a worried look on his face.
"Hunh? Oh! Benjiro. Good morning. I--uh--um. No da."
"Man, you seishi space out a lot, hunh?"
It dawned on Chichiri why Tasuki had been so worrisomely flaky lately.
So YOU'RE the reason Tasuki's been freaking everyone out lately no da! I thought that his weird behavior was somehow my fault no da! Chichiri thought at Nuriko accusingly.
Hey, technically it WAS your fault. Nuriko replied cheerfully.
"Well, anyway, I just came to see if I could help with breakfast." Chichiri told Benjiro cheerfully.
"Oh great! I'm always happy to have help. Us bandits eat a ton. Although, not nearly as much as that little girl...the one who came here with (sigh) Emperor Hotohori, Four Gods rest his gorgeous soul..I'm always thinking about that day when those two blessed our humble hideout." Benjiro turned sadly towards his Hotohori shrine.
'Two'? Um, HELLO?! I was there also!! Nuriko shouted at him ineffectually, while Chichiri feels Hotohori's ghost close his bedroom eyes and shudder.
"Hey, Chichiri-san, Tasuki was just telling me that you were gonna leave later on today. At least I think that's what he said. He was pretty drunk."
"You must've thought that pretty strange no da..." Chichiri said nervously. " I suppose it's terribly early to be drunk already."
"Not really. I'm drunk right now. Anyway, we'd be sorry to see you go, man. We're playing Pai-Gow tonight, and we always welcome suckers-- I mean, guests. But I guess you won't be joining us."
"Well, actually...I have been thinking about incorporating more reckless gambling into my life no da...."
"Always a good call."
*****
After they'd made breakfast Chichiri went to tell Tasuki that he should come in and eat. He finds him by that same tree by the lake, with a cup and a couple of empty jugs strewn around him.
"You must like to stare at water as much as I do no da." Said Chichiri by way of greeting.
"No. Hate water. Mountain man, all that." Tasuki took another swig of sake, which at that point he was drinking straight from the jug.
Chichiri didn't say anything.
"I've just been thinkin'. About things. Like old friends and new friends. Like your friend. The one who died. The one who was all--" Tasuki made a wavey motion with one hand "--like, watery. Hated that guy. Man, I hate water."
Chichiri looked stricken. "I'm sorry that happened. That Hikou made you do those things. That he hurt you --..."
Tasuki shrugged. "That's not why I hated him I hated him because...you wanted to die with him. You loved him enough to die with him and you expected me to kill you. You really--you always expect me to just let you go." Tasuki took another drink, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "I mean, I know that it's hard to deal with your old friends and your new friends all at the same time. But you can't expect your new friends to just let go of you like that. That's like if I went back to being Genrou and forgot about alla you. I know you're prolly here to say goodbye and stuff, but, guess what...I ain't lettin you go." Then Tasuki held his breath, waiting for Chichiri's reaction.
Of course, Tasuki hadn't needed to say any of that, since everyone else had done all the work for him, but it was still nice to hear, Chichiri thought. Then Chichiri slipped off his mask and kissed Tasuki gently on the temple, making the redhead shiver slightly. Chichiri smiled at that and then brushed his lips across the bandit's cheekbones and then...
Chiriko: Wow! Chichiri-san is smooth!
Nuriko: They are so cute together!! Am I good or what?!
Hotohori: I think we should leave.
Nuriko: Oh, come on! I brought snacks and everything! Riceball?
Chiriko: I want one please!
Tasuki swore. Chichiri sighed. Then he focused his chi and made the three ghosts dissappear in a flash of red light.
Tasuki looked up at Chichiri in love and wonder and said, "You are so fucking cool!"
And Chichiri couldn't help but agree with him.
The End
1. Benjiro's the bandit who was totally in love with Hotohori way back in episodes fourteen and fifteen. "Lady, you have a lovely big body!" And "I don't care if you're a man! You're beautiful!" That guy. I don't actually know if his name is Benjiro, but I loved him so much that I gave him a name. My apologies if he has some official name, but I didn't see one in the manga either.
2. Thanks for reviewing, reviews make the whole world go round, don't they? And also for dealing with the fact that I spent forever and a half writing this, and in the end, it doesn't quite... Mmn. Ah, well, it was wicked fun to write at any rate. Think of it: Chichiri and Tasuki hanging with the Bandits, drinking and gambling and getting into all sorts of trouble, with the Seishis' ghosts constantly haunting them...I mean, how fun is that? And they all lived happily ever after.