Authors notes: hey guys here's chapter 5! I have 10 reviews now! I'm a double digit! ^___^V Thanks guys! It's all my wonderful readers that keep me working to get these out as soon as possible. Anytime I'm ready to call it a day I read my feedback and remember that you all are waiting for it, so I should keep going. (Even those of you who don't review, I know your there, and I thank you for reading ^_^) I had this posted a few days ago for about 5 minuets, but I disided that I was cheating you by rushing it so I revised it and it's all better ^_^ Kouji fans please don't kill me I plans for later, you'll just have to trust me and see. ^_^ At last we see the senshi!
I don't own FY you know the drill
Chapter 5
Lost in the Dark
Whack, whack, whack, a hammer hit the metal peg in place. Satisfied with his handy work the little stout man gave a nod of his head and turned to the now gathering crowd "People of Koran! I have delivered the latest decree from his highness the Emperor!" Then he quickly scampered off to go and put up more scrolls announcing the Emperor's decree.
The crowd quickly encircled it; it was a mixture of hair wrapped in buns, and a diverse array of colored material headgear. (AN: what would you really call something like that anyway, they didn't have bandanas, scratches head) all crowding, shoving and pushing their way to the front, trying to be one of the first to read it, or those who were illiterate, were hoping too get close enough to hear it when someone else reads it. The commotion could be heard for miles as the crowd grew larger, and the commotion heightened.
Just then a young man in a blue Chinese robe, with a braid of black hair raced up to the front of the crowd, each stride exposing the red lining on the underside of his robe. As soon as he broke through to the front, he stood just so he covered the scroll, and shouted, " For one silver talent I'll read the Emperor's decree, Step right up!" The crowd's response was less than friendly, as they roared with anger at this idiot who dared to block the scroll from them. Tamahome looked at the less than pleased group and was about to try and clam them when a rugged looking peasant approached him, shuffling her bear feet on the ground.
"Would you please… read it for me…" she asked softly she couldn't have been older than ten years old. Tamahome pictured his little sisters at home who were better off than this girl that stood before him now. The gathering had crept closer and was starting to surround the child and him. Quickly turning around he skimmed the scroll and grabbed the kid as he ducked. The mob engulfed them from sight in a moment. Tamahome easily crawled through it and made a brake for it as soon as they were out of sight he stopped and put the child down.
"Sorry about that." Tamahome apologized then knelt down to her level " Basically that scroll read that the Emperor is searching for the legendary Susaku Senchi." He smiled at the child as she nodded and held out her coin. "No." he said softly as he took the coin and opening her hand put her coin as well as a few gold talents back into it. "You need this more that I." And with that he got up winked and poked his head around the corner. He could see the mob looking for him chuckling he stuck his tongue out at them, and was about to walk away when a choirs of yells rose up and came charging after him.
"Get him! Don't let him get away!" they yelled as they dashed after him.
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Tasuki was having a drink with some of his men at Mount Rekka. Well he was having a drink anyways, and so were his men, he was just in a different room. But then again that's Tasuki, ever sense the day he killed Ekan in his rage and reclaimed the boss's chair, he never fully recovered from the blow of Kouji's death. He could remember that day so clearly… He took another drink, "Damn Fri'gin memories" he spat as he took another drink of his sake. It's not like the drinks ever did any good, for only two things had consumed him since it happened, the first was seeing that day replay over and over in his mind, he relived it all the time, and the second was take revenge, on everyone. He poured and downed another cup of sake.
Just then a knock came to the door. "What the 'ell do ya want!?" Tasuki shouted and threw his cup at the door, "can't ya leve a fella' to his drink'in?!"
The door opened and the bandit stepped inside and handed a scroll for Tasuki to inspect. "um, sir we thought you might want to see this…" he said nervously.
Tasuki just ignored him as he skimmed the contents of the parchment. "A reward ee? 'll handle this one… personally. Now GO!" The bandit quickly retreated from the room closing the door behind him. "ummm yes even the emperor will pay…"
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Chiriko smiled to himself as the red couch made it's way to the palace, even at an age so young he was able to pass the government official's exam all that had to be done now was present himself to the emperor and pray to Susaku that he is pleased with him enough to sign the document allowing him to achieve his dream. Hopefully his age of 15 wouldn't bother him too much…
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Tasuki grinned as he looked over the palace courtyard, getting in would be too easy. "Yer watch'in me up 'air Kouji?" he whispered softly as he started to jump from roof top to roof top, when a kasa appeared before him and a smiling monk rose out of it. "Stealing's not very nice no da." He said as an extremely surprised Tasuki skidded to to a stop and slid off the slanted roof.
"Shhhhhhiiiiiittttttttt!" he screamed as her slid down and landed right on top of a collection of red armor clad soldiers.
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Hotahori was sitting in front of his mirror getting ready to go out and sort through all of the commoners that would be parading in, hopefully other four Susaku seven would be among them. He sighed again as he finished pinning his hair up in his bucket style crown, he just couldn't believe how beautiful he was. At that moment a knock sounded from the door. "Your highness, there's a considerable crowd gathering in the palace court yard, I thought you'd like to know."
"Yes thank you I'll be out in a moment." He replied as he glanced at himself on more time before rose to leave. As he gracefully walked into the hall the musical sound of cussing reached his ears.
"Keep yer fuk'in hands off a me ya shit heads!"
Hotahori just sighed in frustration as he trudged off to go see what the commotion was; this was going to be a very long day.
Once Hotahori arrived, he was greeted with the sight of a firey orange haired man clad in a black jerken and complete with tessen cursing and struggling with some of his very wary guards. "All right ya Bastards!" he shouted as he ripped his arm free from the guards and grabbed hold of his tenssen as he elbowed a guard in the face, "Rekka Shien!" he yelled with a swing of his arm, and to the amassment of all fire leapt out of it.
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Out in front of the palace at the main gate a large crowd had gathered. Tamahome looked around, he had finally escaped the mob that had been perusing him; however seeing this host of people was beginning to dash his hopes of reserving the reward for reveling himself. Quickly and as carefully as he could Tamahome worked his way up to the front, just as the guard opened the gate.
The masses stampeded in and any instructions the guard had said was lost in the roar of the crowd.
Tamahome just grinned he was the first one in, but he didn't know where he was suppose to go… That was when he first realized that he had lost the rest of the group in his rush he had taken a wrong turn somewhere… 'Great…' he thought, 'now I'm lost in the palace, and if I end up in the wrong area, then…' he shivered as he pressed on, he had to hear the crowd eventually right?
As he wandered he came to a wide-open area and poked his head out just in time to hear, "Rekka Shien!" and get toasted with Tasuki's flame. This did not improve Tamahome's day in the slightest. Angrily Tamahome lunged at the unsuspecting Tasuki tackling him to the ground, his ogre sign glowing.
"You Idiot! Why'd you flame me!" he shouted as the brawl continued.
The guards taking full advantage quickly jumped the brawling boys and about hour, and ten unconscious men later, both were in custody.
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Hotahori looked at all of the occupants of the room around him, on his right next to his thrown was the royal healer Mitsukake, clad in his red healing robe. On his left was his courtesan Nuriko. And before them were the two troublemakers, and a small child.
The thrown room was in red tones, with a hard floor, that had dark red diamond shapes running across it on top of a lighter red. The walls were draped with tapestries, and yellow cord, a very exquisite sight. Though out the entire room sweet incense flourished and flowed dispatching it's intoxicating sent into the air.
Hotahori's gaze first feel on the child, he must have been about 15 and wore green robes fit for a government official, his eyes held a depth of unimaginable intelligence for one so young. Hotahori beckoned him forward, Chiriko approached and bowed before the Emperor.
"Your highness, I have come to ask you to please sigh my form from the test allowing me to become one of your government officials, if I please your highness." Chiriko said softly from his kneeling position.
Hotahori just nodded and motioned for the boy to rise, "I shall, but not now, we shall certify you properly later this evening."
Chiriko smiled and nodded with a smile as he rose from the floor and walked to the left hand wall to wait.
Hotahori then turned his gaze back to his two troublemakers; they were an absolutely ridiculous sight with them both hog-tied and gagged, and their symbols blazing, as red as their faces. "un-tie them…" you could practically hear the regret in his voice when he gave the command, witch only provoked them even more. As soon as the gags were off the room was so full of profanity and chatter that Hotahori finally getting annoyed motioned for the gags to be put back on them once more.
Hotahori was losing his patients, so turning to look at the two seething annoyances he commanded, "You will be quiet unless asked something. Release them." Satisfied with that he watched as the two were untied and presented to him. The last thing he expected however was for Tasuki to come charging at him full speed. "Like Hell I will!" he shouted as he jumped ready to strike. However before he could do any harm Tasuki felt someone reach up and quickly yank him down to the floor.
Tamahome quickly tacked him as soon as the bandit had hit the floor. "What do you think you're doing!?" Tamahome hissed as they struggled.
The guards looked nervously at one another, not too sure what to do after all the leader of the Mount Rekka bandits was a Susaku senshi, what could they do?
Half an hour later both Tamahome and Tasuki were knelling before the Emperor heads bowed in 'shame' as Nuriko stood behind them, to insure that they both behaved
'Damn that broad is f'in strong she might'a take'en my frigin arm off if she'd a even pulled a little harder.' Tasuki thought silently as he favored his injured arm. 'Well at least she got that bastard too.' A smug smile appeared on his face with that thought.
Hotahori glanced at Chiriko and beckoned him to fallow him and gave a nod to Nuriko who nodded back and nudged Tamahome and Tasuki slightly forward. Then the group walked down the halls to the Emperor's privet chambers.
Once there Hotahori took Chiriko's test scroll and began to look it over, Chiriko watched with bated breath as his liege read all of his answers over. 'Please let him like them…' he thought over and over again.
Tasuki glanced at Tamahome, 'in a way he reminds me of Kouji and I when we first met, we were always'a fight'en and finally the boss told us, that we betta stop fight'en and get'a'long. Eventually we became' best friends…' he narrowed his eyes at him, and before Nuriko could do anything Tasuki was no longer where he had been before.
"What the-" Nuriko exclaimed as she looked frantically around for the firy haired bandit only to see that Tamahome was also missing now "Your highness!" she cried
On the other side of the room Tasuki was quariling with Tamahome again, but this time he pulled his tenssen out. "Rekka Shien!" he cried as the room filled with fire, Tamahome was once again scorched, but a little bit of it hit Chiriko's rode exposing a red Kanji on his foot. Everyone stopped and looked with shock at the 15 year old.
Hotahori put the stamp barring his name down, "you know I can't sigh that now, not until your duty to the priest is past." He said softly.
"I know…" Chiriko whispered sadly
At that moment the royal advisers came in, "Your highness," they said as the bowed.
"Was the last member of the Susaku seven among those who came?" he asked exitedly.
"We're afraid not your highness, not a one of them were Susaku senshi." They said softly lowering their heads.
"I see… don't worry, we'll find him next-"
Just then a familiar kasa appeared. "Need a hand na no da?" the blue haired monk asked as he popped out of the hat.
Chiriko glanced over "you wouldn't happen to be the seventh member are you?" he asked knowingly.
"Yes I am, Chichiri no da. I'm pleased to meet you all na no da." He said with a bow.
Hotahori smiled, while Tasuki let his mouth drop open, "but-but yer the guy from' the roof!"
"That's right no da." He said cheerfully
Tasuki shook his head then turned to Hotahori, "Can I 'get some sake 'round 'ere?" he asked brushing the incident off, what he needed right now was to get good and drunk.
Hotahori sweat dropped, "If it will keep you from picking any more fights then you may." He said exasperated.
Tasuki nodded in agreement, anything for sake, and soon he was happily drinking away while the other five members gathered around Hotahori to discuss what to do next.
He was just taking his third swig when a red light flashed and the bottle dropped to the floor.
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Miaka 's eyes fluttered open, only to be greeted with darkness. Slowly sitting up she looked around her to see nothing. Miaka lifted her hand and touched her face; she couldn't even see her own hand. Turning her head around once more she finally saw some tiny bulbs of red light, shinning in the distance. She couldn't help but look at them; after all it was the only light anywhere to be seen. She shook her head and lowered it to look at what felt like a dirt floor. Just then a loud rumbling escaped from her stomach; Miaka gingerly placed a hand on it in response. "hummm I wonder if there's anything to eat around here…" she said softly. With that thought in mind she began to fumble around in her pocket till she felt something slick and flat. "It's gum!" she whispered excitedly as she quickly pulled it out only to discover that the wrapper was empty. Sadly looking down she gave a small sigh, "I wish Yui were here…" she whispered out into the darkness.
Her body was awfully sore from all the events that had taken place earlier, but she could still move around. Raising her head once more to look at the red lights, she locked on to one. It was strange just looking at the light was comforting, it seemed to drive away all of her confusion, worry, hunger, fear, and loneliness and just fill her with a sense of peace. Even though the darkness was maddening just looking at that light let her know… know? Know what? Her large brown eyes began to glaze over, as a deep voice seemed to call, "Summon me… Suzaku no miko… haiyaku… haiyaku…" A red light flashed from the back of her cell, and then it faded once more to the complete darkness. "Awww Fuck… whe'd my sake go? Damn darkness…." He mumbled as he started to search around the dark floor, when he tripped over something sending him face first into the bars. A 'Ding' and a yelp echoed through out the dungeon. "What the 'ell?!" he yelled as he peeled himself off the cell door. Finally annoyed, he pulled forth his tenssen "rekka shine." He whispered as a tiny flame hovered above the metal fan. Casting a magnificent glow throughout the entire room like a lighthouse in darkest night. Then his eyes landed on a young girl who was shaking her head slightly and holding her side gingerly as if it had been struck.
To be continued