And remember that I don't own 'em, no da!
Samantha shook her head and glanced at the clock.
She'd been reading for nearly two hours, yet a week had passed in the book.
'And Houjun always seems to be getting into trouble," she thought, stretching
her back before continuing.
"As the Seiryuu warrior prepared to deal another
powerful blast at the Suzaku seishi and their miko and friends, the Dove
of Suzaku descended from the summit of the Doukutsu. His snowy white
wings shimmered with a holy light and his sword emitted the power of both
Suzaku and the Hato's pure heart. He faced Nakago now for the sake
of his friends who believed in him..."
"Do you really think you can stop me?" Nakago scoffed,
drawing his own sword. "Heh, you're not even at half strength and
yet you still want to fight me? You may have acquired the scroll,
but you won't live long enough to use it."
"You think so, no da?" Houjun asked evenly.
"Then take your best shot."
The blonde warrior was quick to comply, wishing
to be done with this once and for all. The teen let the blast strike
him, closing his eyes as it tore open a wound in his side.
"You see, not even the Suzaku no Hato is immortal.
You don't stand a chance, boy."
"Bastard," Tasuki growled, trembling with rage as
he drew his tessen. "Re-" he stopped short when Houjun looked at
him and shook his head.
"No, I know I'm not immortal. I'm flesh and
blood, demo," he dipped two fingers into the wound and placed them in his
mouth. "The blood of the Dove of Suzaku can cure anything, no da."
As he spoke, the wound vanished as instantly as it would had Mitsukake
healed it. "I won't be defeated so easily, Nakago, no da."
"Hm, we shall see." The two combatants flew
at each other in a battle that would decisively be to the death.
Their swords met each time with a resounding clang as the teen parried
the shogun's attacks with relative ease.
Miaka watch the battle progress from the safety
of Tamahome's arms, her eyes scanning the area between flashes of lightening
to see what the others were doing. Chiriko was safely behind Mitsukake
and watching the fight with curiosity. Nuriko with in the arms of
Hotohori, his right leg having been injured badly early in the fight.
Tasuki watch with a white knuckled grip on his tessen, his eyes focused
on Houjun intently. The twins had moved to either side of Serge,
who was still recovering from a powerful blast to his right side which
had left a large burn there as well as across his chest.
The bandit leader smiled as he felt his strength
returning to him and sat up to watch the fight as well. "Don't worry
about Houjun," he reassured the them. He may not be at full strength
yet, but he has the power of Suzaku to protect him and the courage to protect
his friends. He'll win."
"Ano, Serge, how do you know?" Fuji asked, but was
waved off as Serge focused all of his attention on the fight at hand.
Nakago was becoming annoyed by the teen's persistence.
What was it about him that kept the shogun from attacking with everything
he had? Why was he holding back? It was around the fifteen
minute mark when he got his answer.
Houjun's hair had fallen loose and clung to his
shoulders as he panted heavily in an effort to catch his breath.
He held his sword before him defensively and glared at Nakago with determination.
'His eyes...' Nakago thought, his own ice blue eyes
studying the teen's mahogany ones. He felt as if he were being drawn
into those deathless chocolate pools; drowning in their calm gaze.
He suddenly saw himself through the teen's eyes; saw how cold and ruthless
he'd become. Saw what he'd done to the seishi both Suzaku and Seiryuu
alike. How he had been willing to let them all die for his own benefit
with no regard as to the value of a life.
"Mommy, why do they hate us?"
"Because we look differently than they do, my
child"
"But...but why?"
"I suppose some people just grow heartless and
think only of themselves."
"I don't want to be that way..."
'What have I done?' Nakago wondered, suddenly realizing that he had attacked Houjun again without realizing it. 'Demo, doushite?'
"Do as I tell you and you shall become a god such
as myself."
"Hai Tenkou-sama"
"Never question your own actions and you will
succeed in attaining your revenge..."
'I'm being used,' Nakago concluded. He stood
facing Houjun as the teen charged towards him in an attack they both knew
the shogun could block easily. He could see in those warm eyes that
Houjun had no intention of killing him. He was too innocent to willingly
kill someone.
"This ends now," Nakago said, raising his sword
to block only to drop the weapon at the last minute. He sighed softly
in relief as the blade drove through him, penetrating his armor as if it
weren't there at all. He could see the shock in Houjun's eyes; feel
him draw in a breath sharply in shock. He smiled slightly and called
something to his hand. He felt the small orb appear and pressed it
gently against the teen's chest, willing it to enter him and become a part
of him once more.
"Thank you, Dove of Suzaku. I am free now."
He felt the last of his strength leave him and exhaled slowly, his body
dissolving as if he'd never been there.
Houjun stood where he was for a long time.
He was unaware of the others approaching him. Unaware of the sun
beginning to rise. It wasn't until Tasuki laced a hand on his shoulder
that everything seemed to fade back into view. He looked up at the
fanged seishi for a moment and then buried his face into his shoulder and
cried softly. He was tired and confused, but he felt as though Tasuki
could somehow make him feel better by just being there for him in his moment
of weakness. He found himself drifting off with the other teens embrace,
lulled by his warm voice as he sang Houjun to sleep with a vaguely familiar
tune.
"...Setsunakutemo Zutto(1)..." Tasuki whispered
into Houjun's ear. He had sent the others on ahead and now lifted
the sleeping teen in his arms, laying the softest of kisses on his lips
so as not to wake him before following after them.
"Hm...so Nakago has failed me...No matter, I can
always find someone to do my work for me," Tenkou said to himself.
"Kanki, come forward!"
"I am here, Tenkou-sama," the demon god of water
responded, bowing before his master.
"You may now seek your revenge."
"Thank you, Tenkou-sama. Unlike Nakago, I
shall not fail you."
"See to it that you don't, Kanki, for you are expendable,"
Tenkou reminded him, narrowing his eyes.
"Understood," he said, turning to leave on his long
awaited quest for the revenge promised his host. He could feel Hikou's
mind beginning to protest, as it had begun to when it realized it's mistake,
but it was far to late for him to change his mind now.
Tenkou brought up an image of Houjun on a crystal
ball and studied him for a moment frowning.
"Perhaps I'm making it too easy for you? I
think it's time I brought in my first trump card," he smirked, laughing
evilly.
Houjun was preparing for bed, though he wasn't exceptionally
tired. He and his friends had been treated like royalty all day,
not to mention he had slept rather well until noon when he was called to
lunch by two very energetic young "bandits" named Ryu and Rei(2) who insisted
that he needed to eat. He'd begun to wonder if the Nyan-Nyans were
worse than the children could be at times. A soft knock at his door
brought him from his musings and he quickly pulled on his robe.
"Come in, no da!" he called cheerfully. The
door opened to reveal Serge, still dressed in his usual attire. His
burns had been tended to by Mitsukake while he had tended to the Nuriko's
leg and he seemed much better, as did Houjun after they had talked earlier
of Nakago's fate.
"Konbanwa, Hato-san," the bandit smiled. "I
just wanted to have a word with you if I could."
"Of course, no da! What's on your mind?"
Serge closed the door behind him and looked at the teen
seriously. "Tomorrow, when you leave, Fuji and Yama and to go with
you. That is what the fates have planned for them since their births
and what I have raised them to do for the past ten years. You should
head for Sakusha next. I believe you will find then next Jewel of
Memory there within a shop on display."
"all right, but that's not what you came in here
to tell me, is it, Magus Rimald?" Houjun smiled.
Serge sighed. "So then you figured out my
secret, did you? Yes, I am Magus and Serge. Just as you are
Houjun and Chichiri, I was born with a desire to live two lives.
Magus was the title given to me when I was told to guard the Doukutsu many
years ago, the the part of me that was still Serge would have nothing to
do with it. That's not important, though, now is it," he smiled briefly,
then became serious again. "I wanted to warn you that you are too
focused on what you want the future to be."
"That's a bad thing, no da?" the teen questioned.
"Yes, because I see many things you do not.
I see things your friends have yet to notice, such as the scar on your
right wrist that is three years old. I see what you went through
to cause it. That is one example of what can happen when you are
too focused on a future that you desire, Houjun, and that is why I came."
"You don't miss a thing, do you, no da?" Houjun
laughed dryly, his fingers subconsciously tracing the thin line on his
wrist. "But that's in the past and I choose to forget it and move
on. I don't think it will happen aga-"
"You didn't think it would ever happen, Houjun.
Once is too many times for that to happen and you are lucky that she found
you then. Listen to me, Houjun Akia Ri, and take to heart what I
am saying. You aren't destined to be with her. Your destiny
lies here wand in the present, do you understand? Stay focused on
your mission, sweet dove, or you will fail."
Houjun's shoulders slumped slightly and he sighed.
"all right, all right, I get your point. I won't think about it anymore
until I've completed my duties as Suzaku no Hato."
Serge looked as though he wanted to say more, but
simply sighed. "Just be careful." With that, he turned and
left the teen with more than alittle doubt that he would find out the truth
all too soon.
"You're not coming with us?" Chiriko asked Mitsukake
for the fifth time that morning.
"I'm afraid not, little one," the tall healer smiled.
"You don't need me anyway as long as Chichiri is with you. Besides,
they need me here, alright?"
"We'll still miss you, no da," Chichiri sighed,
mounting his horse. "But if you have to stay, then you have to stay,
no da."
"Take care of yourself, Mitsukake-kun," Hotohori
said and he turned his horse towards the path. They all said their
good byes to their fellow seishi and took their leave on the path towards
Sakusha and the next Jewel of Memory, unaware that they were being watched.
Elsewhere, someone else was waking up and presenting
a new set of problems for Houjun and his friends.
***********************************
That was short, wasn't it, no da....too short, but I don't like Nakago
and so I can't write drama for him, na no da.
And so, Houjun is on his way towards a new, not-so-pleasent adventure
which, as usual, brings to mind questions. Questions such as:
What horrible plans does Kanki have for Houjun?(can we say OVA 2 epi.
5? I knew you could! Forget it, my way's more diabolical, no
da)
What is the truth that Serge/Magus will not divulge?
What is Tenkou's plan to up the ante?
Find out in the next chapter of
Fushigi Akugi
Chapter 6: Pain of a Yesteryear: Friends Forever More
This blade has courage so the treasure isn't destroyed
~Star(translated by Kaori Sakai and ChichiriDA)