A Legend Reborn
Chapter 10
"I don't think I've ever seen someone sleep while riding a horse like that....," Yui says.
"Tasuki's not much of a morning person, no daa."
"Do you think we should wake him up?"
"Not unless your clothes are fire resistant, no daa."
Yui looks back at the snoring Tasuki. She heaves a sigh and rolls her eyes.
Yui along with her escorts Chichiri and Tasuki have been traveling several days on their way to Kutou and have now entered the final stretch of their journey.
There's a sudden thud as Tasuki slips from the saddle and lands on the ground.
"REKKA SHINEN!!" he cries in a grouchy, half-asleep rage, torching a nearby tree.
"See what I mean, no daa?" Chichiri says, "That tree might have been you, no daa."
"Good morning, Tasuki," Yui says.
"Shhh... Not so loud....! I've got a tremendous head ache...," Tasuki winces rubbing his head.
"More like a tremendous hangover, no daa."
"Damn it, Chichiri! Shut the hell up!!" he grabs Chichiri by the collar.
"I'm sorry, no daa!"
"It's no wonder with as much as you drank last night," she says, "You should be thanking Chichiri! He's the one who paid your bar tab back at the inn and carried your drunken butt back to your room after you passed out!!"
"I couldn't help drinking as much as I did!" Tasuki says climbing back up on his horse.
"What do you mean, no daa?"
"You saw how all those servant girls were hanging all over me!" he says, "'Please let me serve you, Tasuki-sama! Tasuki-sama, you are so strong and handsome! Drink some more, Tasuki-sama!' I couldn't refuse them.....!"
"...what exactly was in all that beer you drank, no daa....?"
"You know, Tasuki, there's a word for people like you where I come from," Yui says, "...alcoholic..."
"Oh, yeah? Well there's a word for women like you where I come from..."
"Look, no daa...," Chichiri interrupts.
They have come to a cliff. Below them lies Kutou, the empire of the east under the serpent god, Seiryuu. Everyone suddenly becomes calm and serious.
"There it is, no daa...."
They all take a moment and silently survey the landscape from above.
"Yui..."
She turns to Chichiri.
"....are you ready for this, no daa?"
"I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be...," she sighs.
"It's funny...," she thinks, "from up here, it almost looks pretty..."
***
"I'm starving... I wish that I had brought more food with me, but I took as little as I could so Shyoka and the others would have something to eat," Chisa thinks, her stomach growling as she continues her solo journey to Kutou. "I imagine they've sent someone after me.... Ryunosuke....," she heaves a sigh. "I know he must be following me... That's why I have to cover as much ground as I can as fast as I can... I've known him for such a short time, but I already feel like I know him like the back of my hand... I wonder if this is how things were with mom and dad.....
"Listen to me... I sound like a shojo manga all of a sudden! A bad one at that.... Speaking of manga, I really wish I had brought some with me...," Chisa shakes her head furiously.
"No! I can't keep getting side-tracked! I've gotta be more focused here... This is no time to be daydreaming and fantasizing... Kutou... That's the only thing that should be on my mind... my goal... Saving Misao and going home..." Her stomach growls again. "I really wish there was a fast food restaurant or something around here somewhere, but those won't be invented for several thousand more years... OH! I can't wait that long to eat!"
"Traveling alone through this forest is not a very good idea...."
Chisa's train of thought is derailed. She turns to find the owner of the voice. She sees a man sitting on an old tree stump. A man in his twenties, he appears gruff and unshaven. A bandanna is tied onto his forehead holding his dark hair back from his face to clearly show his hazel eyes. He has a bow on one shoulder and a quiver of arrows strapped to his back.
"E-excuse me?" she says nervously.
"There are all kinds of wild animals and shady creatures around here," he says. Something seems to catch his attention suddenly. He reaches behind him for an arrow. Taking his bow, he aims it. "Could you move to the left, please?"
"Wha...?"
"It would really be in your best interest to move."
Cautiously, she scoots out of the way.
"Thank you." With that, the arrow flies from his hand, striking something in a bush.
A man appears from the bush. He screams as he clutches his chest where the arrow penetrated and topples over.
"See what I mean...?" he says, "You really should have a chaperon or something."
Chisa makes no reply, staring apprehensively at the mysterious archer.
"Don't worry. I'm not gonna shoot you," he assures her. "My, my, my.... Where are my manners?! I have yet to introduce myself," he stands and bows. "My name is Shinta." Taking her hand, he gently kisses it.
"....P-pleased to meet you.....," Chisa stammers in bewilderment.
"You are the Suzaku no Miko,... are you not?"
"Well, yes, actually...," she blinks, "but how did you...-"
"Sorry to run off like this, but I really must be going," the man says, "It was a pleasure to finally meet you. Take care of yourself. We shall meet again." With that, he vanishes into the trees.
"That was weird...," Chisa thinks, "Shoot! I should have asked him if he had any food on him.... ah, well..."
She pushes her way through a clump of shrubs and overgrown trees to a clearing.
Her eyes become as big as saucers. Down below her she can see a magnificent city shrouded in mist.
"....Kutou....," she thinks. Her face turns from amazement to determination. "I'm coming.... Misao...."
***
"Shinta, huh?" Keisuke says, his beer fizzing as he pops the top.
"That's what it says....," Rei says.
"Keep an eye out for that name."
"Think he could be the seventh?"
"Could be," Tetsuya says catching the beer that Keisuke tosses to him, "but one thing I've learned about this book is to never make assumptions... It'll hurt you in the end."
"What about this second creator...," Keisuke says, "Have any thoughts on her?"
"There's got to be some connection to her and Taiitsukun...," Tetsuya says, "the problem is figuring out what..." "Was there anything about her in the first story?"
"Not that I can remember...."
"There's gotta be something we're forgetting," Keisuke says, "Some little detail... something...! A piece to the puzzle that makes everything fit together... I don't get it.... what are we missing here....?"
"Maybe these research books you're using are too old."
"What do you mean, Rei?"
"Well, you used them for the first time around," she says, "That was over a decade ago.... This is a new story... You got those books for the first story, right? I mean, this legend is still quite old, but it's a bit further in the future than the first one.... Maybe the problem is you're still trying to research the past.... you're researching the wrong story...."
"You know something..... I think you're right...."
"So what do you suggest we do?" Tetsuya asks.
"Well they did rebuild that library after the fire," Rei says, "We should probably start there."
"Sounds good to me," Keisuke says, "Let's go. I'll drive."
***
"Well, I went ahead and paid for another night just in case."
"Are you sure you would not rather that I pay, Keiko? I am the emperor after all...."
"Don't worry about it, Boushin. I want to do it!"
"But can you really afford it?"
"Sure I can! My family's not too bad off, ya know," Keiko replies, "I think they're serving lunch now. I'm going to go eat. Do you want to come with me?"
"I think I shall," he says.
Boushin looks over at Shyoka. Her face is downcast as she sits staring blankly out the window of the room. She strokes Mii-chan as he sleeps in her lap.
"Shyoka...," he says, "Shyoka would you like to join us....?"
"Hmmmmm.... wha...?" Shyoka says waking from her daydream, "I'm sorry, Boushin... My mind was somewhere else... What was that you were saying?"
"Do you want to come eat lunch with us?" Keiko asks.
"Umm... Not now, thank you.... I'm not really very hungry...," she says.
"...Keiko... would you please go ahead of me? I do not think I will be eating just now..." Boushin says thoughtfully.
"...I understand...," she says with a nod, "I'll be sure and save you something."
Keiko quietly closes the door behind as she leaves the room.
"Please don't stay on account of me...," Shyoka says, "I'm really fine... I'm just a little tired is all...."
"You are worried about Chisa and Ryunosuke... are you not...?" he sits down next to her. He reaches his hand over and begins to pet Mii-chan, "I can see it clearly on your face...."
Shyoka's face falls. "They should be here by now...," she sighs, "I wish I had some sort of clue that they were all right... I can't help but to worry... It's this instinct inside of me... This motherly instinct that just wants to protect everybody.... Sometimes I really hate it... I'm sure they're both fine.... I know that I really shouldn't be worried about them.... but I am....."
"Do not be so upset by it.... It shows that you care...," he says, "It shows that you have a kind heart... to worry for your friends in such a way.... But, please do set your mind on ease... I hate to see you so distraught... You have such a pretty smile...."
Shyoka can feel the temperature in her face rise a few degrees.
"It would really mean a lot to me if you would join me in the dining hall....," he says standing.
She looks up at him. He smiles warmly at her.
"Okay," she smiles, "I'm sure Mii-chan must be hungry by now anyway..." The cat yawns widely, stretches, and leaps to Shyoka's shoulder.
"We cannot have that! I imagine a hungry cat is not a good traveling companion," Boushin jokes.
Shyoka giggles.
"... meow...," Mii-chan cocks his head to the side confused.
Shyoka's mind now at ease, she follows Boushin out the door to the dining hall for lunch.
***
"Treating, treating.... Heal, heal...."
"I think she's waking up...."
"....treating, treating...."
"Her eyes are opening."
"....heal, heal....."
"Yui.... Yui!"
"....treating, treating...."
"All right! Enough with the chanting, Nyan-nyan!... Yui, can you hear me?"
Yui's eyes open, faces slowly come into focus, "Where... where am I?"
"You have returned to Taiitsukun's retreat...," Hotohori says.
"Wha...?" she says, "How did I get here... The last thing I remember... Kutou... a... a voice..." She strains to sit up, wincing in pain.
"Please take it easy, Miss Yui...," Nyan-nyan says gently pushing Yui back down, "Your wounds haven't fully healed yet."
"How's she doing?"
"Tamahome...?" Yui says seeing him at the doorway. Bandages cover his left eye and part of his face, his arm is in a sling.
"Yui... You're awake...."
"What happened to you? What are you doing here? I thought you and Miaka were on your way to Konan...."
"We were..... We got as far as the city gates..... Everything's sorta black after that... Next thing I know, I wake up here in bandages....."
"What about Miaka?"
Tamahome's face falls, his good eye turns to the floor, "...she's still unconscious... Mitsukake is looking at her..."
"Chichiri.... Tasuki....," Yui gasps suddenly.
"They are fine, Yui...."
"Taiitsukun...," Tamahome turns to see the creator behind him again.
"... however, they are not here...."
"Taiitsukun, what's happening? I don't understand...," Yui says, "How did we get back here?"
"... Later I will have you come to my chambers and I will fully treat your wounds," Taiitsukun says after a pause, "As for now... you need to get some rest... We shall discuss everything in time..."
"But Taiitsukun..."
"I said later, Yui...," she says sternly. She turns to leave, "Come, Nyan-nyan....."
"...Yes, ma'am...," she obediently floats out of the room after Taiitsukun.
"...That's how she answers any question about what's happening...," Chiriko says as soon as Taiitsukun has left.
"It makes me uneasy.... She's hiding something....," Nuriko says.
"She has yet to give any of us so much as a clue to solving this mystery.....," Hotohori says.
"Why is Taiitsukun so secretive?" Tamahome says.
"I don't know, Tamahome... but if we want our daughters back, we're going to have to figure this one out for ourselves," Yui says, "It will be difficult,... but I don't think that we can depend on Taiitsukun's help anymore..."
***
"Priestess....!!"
"What is the meaning of this?! Barging into my chambers without even knocking!"
"Our deepest apologies, priestess, but we have news of the utmost importance."
"We have captured a Konan spy."
"A spy?"
"Yes, miko."
"We believe her to even possibly be the Suzaku no Miko!"
"The Suzaku no Miko....? How... how can you tell?"
"She had Suzaku's copy of the legendary scroll with her."
"Where is she now?"
"We threw her in prison, m'lady."
"What do you wish us to do with her?"
"...Bring her to me..."
"But priestess...."
"Are you sure that is wise, mistress? She may make an attack on your life!"
"I said bring her to me...."
"As you wish, priestess....."
"I would like to meet the enemy at least once before their destruction....."
Chapter 10
"I don't think I've ever seen someone sleep while riding a horse like that....," Yui says.
"Tasuki's not much of a morning person, no daa."
"Do you think we should wake him up?"
"Not unless your clothes are fire resistant, no daa."
Yui looks back at the snoring Tasuki. She heaves a sigh and rolls her eyes.
Yui along with her escorts Chichiri and Tasuki have been traveling several days on their way to Kutou and have now entered the final stretch of their journey.
There's a sudden thud as Tasuki slips from the saddle and lands on the ground.
"REKKA SHINEN!!" he cries in a grouchy, half-asleep rage, torching a nearby tree.
"See what I mean, no daa?" Chichiri says, "That tree might have been you, no daa."
"Good morning, Tasuki," Yui says.
"Shhh... Not so loud....! I've got a tremendous head ache...," Tasuki winces rubbing his head.
"More like a tremendous hangover, no daa."
"Damn it, Chichiri! Shut the hell up!!" he grabs Chichiri by the collar.
"I'm sorry, no daa!"
"It's no wonder with as much as you drank last night," she says, "You should be thanking Chichiri! He's the one who paid your bar tab back at the inn and carried your drunken butt back to your room after you passed out!!"
"I couldn't help drinking as much as I did!" Tasuki says climbing back up on his horse.
"What do you mean, no daa?"
"You saw how all those servant girls were hanging all over me!" he says, "'Please let me serve you, Tasuki-sama! Tasuki-sama, you are so strong and handsome! Drink some more, Tasuki-sama!' I couldn't refuse them.....!"
"...what exactly was in all that beer you drank, no daa....?"
"You know, Tasuki, there's a word for people like you where I come from," Yui says, "...alcoholic..."
"Oh, yeah? Well there's a word for women like you where I come from..."
"Look, no daa...," Chichiri interrupts.
They have come to a cliff. Below them lies Kutou, the empire of the east under the serpent god, Seiryuu. Everyone suddenly becomes calm and serious.
"There it is, no daa...."
They all take a moment and silently survey the landscape from above.
"Yui..."
She turns to Chichiri.
"....are you ready for this, no daa?"
"I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be...," she sighs.
"It's funny...," she thinks, "from up here, it almost looks pretty..."
***
"I'm starving... I wish that I had brought more food with me, but I took as little as I could so Shyoka and the others would have something to eat," Chisa thinks, her stomach growling as she continues her solo journey to Kutou. "I imagine they've sent someone after me.... Ryunosuke....," she heaves a sigh. "I know he must be following me... That's why I have to cover as much ground as I can as fast as I can... I've known him for such a short time, but I already feel like I know him like the back of my hand... I wonder if this is how things were with mom and dad.....
"Listen to me... I sound like a shojo manga all of a sudden! A bad one at that.... Speaking of manga, I really wish I had brought some with me...," Chisa shakes her head furiously.
"No! I can't keep getting side-tracked! I've gotta be more focused here... This is no time to be daydreaming and fantasizing... Kutou... That's the only thing that should be on my mind... my goal... Saving Misao and going home..." Her stomach growls again. "I really wish there was a fast food restaurant or something around here somewhere, but those won't be invented for several thousand more years... OH! I can't wait that long to eat!"
"Traveling alone through this forest is not a very good idea...."
Chisa's train of thought is derailed. She turns to find the owner of the voice. She sees a man sitting on an old tree stump. A man in his twenties, he appears gruff and unshaven. A bandanna is tied onto his forehead holding his dark hair back from his face to clearly show his hazel eyes. He has a bow on one shoulder and a quiver of arrows strapped to his back.
"E-excuse me?" she says nervously.
"There are all kinds of wild animals and shady creatures around here," he says. Something seems to catch his attention suddenly. He reaches behind him for an arrow. Taking his bow, he aims it. "Could you move to the left, please?"
"Wha...?"
"It would really be in your best interest to move."
Cautiously, she scoots out of the way.
"Thank you." With that, the arrow flies from his hand, striking something in a bush.
A man appears from the bush. He screams as he clutches his chest where the arrow penetrated and topples over.
"See what I mean...?" he says, "You really should have a chaperon or something."
Chisa makes no reply, staring apprehensively at the mysterious archer.
"Don't worry. I'm not gonna shoot you," he assures her. "My, my, my.... Where are my manners?! I have yet to introduce myself," he stands and bows. "My name is Shinta." Taking her hand, he gently kisses it.
"....P-pleased to meet you.....," Chisa stammers in bewilderment.
"You are the Suzaku no Miko,... are you not?"
"Well, yes, actually...," she blinks, "but how did you...-"
"Sorry to run off like this, but I really must be going," the man says, "It was a pleasure to finally meet you. Take care of yourself. We shall meet again." With that, he vanishes into the trees.
"That was weird...," Chisa thinks, "Shoot! I should have asked him if he had any food on him.... ah, well..."
She pushes her way through a clump of shrubs and overgrown trees to a clearing.
Her eyes become as big as saucers. Down below her she can see a magnificent city shrouded in mist.
"....Kutou....," she thinks. Her face turns from amazement to determination. "I'm coming.... Misao...."
***
"Shinta, huh?" Keisuke says, his beer fizzing as he pops the top.
"That's what it says....," Rei says.
"Keep an eye out for that name."
"Think he could be the seventh?"
"Could be," Tetsuya says catching the beer that Keisuke tosses to him, "but one thing I've learned about this book is to never make assumptions... It'll hurt you in the end."
"What about this second creator...," Keisuke says, "Have any thoughts on her?"
"There's got to be some connection to her and Taiitsukun...," Tetsuya says, "the problem is figuring out what..." "Was there anything about her in the first story?"
"Not that I can remember...."
"There's gotta be something we're forgetting," Keisuke says, "Some little detail... something...! A piece to the puzzle that makes everything fit together... I don't get it.... what are we missing here....?"
"Maybe these research books you're using are too old."
"What do you mean, Rei?"
"Well, you used them for the first time around," she says, "That was over a decade ago.... This is a new story... You got those books for the first story, right? I mean, this legend is still quite old, but it's a bit further in the future than the first one.... Maybe the problem is you're still trying to research the past.... you're researching the wrong story...."
"You know something..... I think you're right...."
"So what do you suggest we do?" Tetsuya asks.
"Well they did rebuild that library after the fire," Rei says, "We should probably start there."
"Sounds good to me," Keisuke says, "Let's go. I'll drive."
***
"Well, I went ahead and paid for another night just in case."
"Are you sure you would not rather that I pay, Keiko? I am the emperor after all...."
"Don't worry about it, Boushin. I want to do it!"
"But can you really afford it?"
"Sure I can! My family's not too bad off, ya know," Keiko replies, "I think they're serving lunch now. I'm going to go eat. Do you want to come with me?"
"I think I shall," he says.
Boushin looks over at Shyoka. Her face is downcast as she sits staring blankly out the window of the room. She strokes Mii-chan as he sleeps in her lap.
"Shyoka...," he says, "Shyoka would you like to join us....?"
"Hmmmmm.... wha...?" Shyoka says waking from her daydream, "I'm sorry, Boushin... My mind was somewhere else... What was that you were saying?"
"Do you want to come eat lunch with us?" Keiko asks.
"Umm... Not now, thank you.... I'm not really very hungry...," she says.
"...Keiko... would you please go ahead of me? I do not think I will be eating just now..." Boushin says thoughtfully.
"...I understand...," she says with a nod, "I'll be sure and save you something."
Keiko quietly closes the door behind as she leaves the room.
"Please don't stay on account of me...," Shyoka says, "I'm really fine... I'm just a little tired is all...."
"You are worried about Chisa and Ryunosuke... are you not...?" he sits down next to her. He reaches his hand over and begins to pet Mii-chan, "I can see it clearly on your face...."
Shyoka's face falls. "They should be here by now...," she sighs, "I wish I had some sort of clue that they were all right... I can't help but to worry... It's this instinct inside of me... This motherly instinct that just wants to protect everybody.... Sometimes I really hate it... I'm sure they're both fine.... I know that I really shouldn't be worried about them.... but I am....."
"Do not be so upset by it.... It shows that you care...," he says, "It shows that you have a kind heart... to worry for your friends in such a way.... But, please do set your mind on ease... I hate to see you so distraught... You have such a pretty smile...."
Shyoka can feel the temperature in her face rise a few degrees.
"It would really mean a lot to me if you would join me in the dining hall....," he says standing.
She looks up at him. He smiles warmly at her.
"Okay," she smiles, "I'm sure Mii-chan must be hungry by now anyway..." The cat yawns widely, stretches, and leaps to Shyoka's shoulder.
"We cannot have that! I imagine a hungry cat is not a good traveling companion," Boushin jokes.
Shyoka giggles.
"... meow...," Mii-chan cocks his head to the side confused.
Shyoka's mind now at ease, she follows Boushin out the door to the dining hall for lunch.
***
"Treating, treating.... Heal, heal...."
"I think she's waking up...."
"....treating, treating...."
"Her eyes are opening."
"....heal, heal....."
"Yui.... Yui!"
"....treating, treating...."
"All right! Enough with the chanting, Nyan-nyan!... Yui, can you hear me?"
Yui's eyes open, faces slowly come into focus, "Where... where am I?"
"You have returned to Taiitsukun's retreat...," Hotohori says.
"Wha...?" she says, "How did I get here... The last thing I remember... Kutou... a... a voice..." She strains to sit up, wincing in pain.
"Please take it easy, Miss Yui...," Nyan-nyan says gently pushing Yui back down, "Your wounds haven't fully healed yet."
"How's she doing?"
"Tamahome...?" Yui says seeing him at the doorway. Bandages cover his left eye and part of his face, his arm is in a sling.
"Yui... You're awake...."
"What happened to you? What are you doing here? I thought you and Miaka were on your way to Konan...."
"We were..... We got as far as the city gates..... Everything's sorta black after that... Next thing I know, I wake up here in bandages....."
"What about Miaka?"
Tamahome's face falls, his good eye turns to the floor, "...she's still unconscious... Mitsukake is looking at her..."
"Chichiri.... Tasuki....," Yui gasps suddenly.
"They are fine, Yui...."
"Taiitsukun...," Tamahome turns to see the creator behind him again.
"... however, they are not here...."
"Taiitsukun, what's happening? I don't understand...," Yui says, "How did we get back here?"
"... Later I will have you come to my chambers and I will fully treat your wounds," Taiitsukun says after a pause, "As for now... you need to get some rest... We shall discuss everything in time..."
"But Taiitsukun..."
"I said later, Yui...," she says sternly. She turns to leave, "Come, Nyan-nyan....."
"...Yes, ma'am...," she obediently floats out of the room after Taiitsukun.
"...That's how she answers any question about what's happening...," Chiriko says as soon as Taiitsukun has left.
"It makes me uneasy.... She's hiding something....," Nuriko says.
"She has yet to give any of us so much as a clue to solving this mystery.....," Hotohori says.
"Why is Taiitsukun so secretive?" Tamahome says.
"I don't know, Tamahome... but if we want our daughters back, we're going to have to figure this one out for ourselves," Yui says, "It will be difficult,... but I don't think that we can depend on Taiitsukun's help anymore..."
***
"Priestess....!!"
"What is the meaning of this?! Barging into my chambers without even knocking!"
"Our deepest apologies, priestess, but we have news of the utmost importance."
"We have captured a Konan spy."
"A spy?"
"Yes, miko."
"We believe her to even possibly be the Suzaku no Miko!"
"The Suzaku no Miko....? How... how can you tell?"
"She had Suzaku's copy of the legendary scroll with her."
"Where is she now?"
"We threw her in prison, m'lady."
"What do you wish us to do with her?"
"...Bring her to me..."
"But priestess...."
"Are you sure that is wise, mistress? She may make an attack on your life!"
"I said bring her to me...."
"As you wish, priestess....."
"I would like to meet the enemy at least once before their destruction....."