Chapter 30
The North land was very cold. Kristin felt terribly bad when the ship came ashore, and she saw Caitlin trying to pump some life in to Tasuki. He finally heaved a great cough and sputtered to life, blinking, as the rest of the Seishi got off the ship, running down the ramp, and on to the land where Tasuki appeared almost dead.
"Oh, my poor Tasuki!" Caitlin whimpered, looking down at his pale face full of shock. "Now he'll never enter the water again for sure!"
"I guess mountain bandits weren't made for water," Nuriko replied.
"We have terrible news everybody," Kristin announced, as all gathered around on the land and watched the boat sail back to Konan. "we've lost one of our number to the Lone Wolf Warrior and friends."
"I guess that makes us even with Seiryu, doesn't it?" Mitsukake said, and several heads nodded.
"But where do we go now?" Caitlin sighed, picking up the body of her bandit, who had passed out into sleep.
Chiriko eyed the terrain. "It looks as though we must try and find civilization. The North Land is far greater than Konan. It's three times as large."
"It's also three times as cold," Caitlin pouted, shivering.
"We must do what we must," Kristin said, and they gathered their things on their backs and headed out into the snowy country land, in search of civilization and clues leading to the shinzaho.
Nuriko noticed a big lumpy bag thrown over Mitsukake's shoulder, and he panted from the weight.
"Do you want me to help you with that?" Nuriko asked.
"Take it," Mistukake said, and thrust the bag into Nuriko's arms.
"What's in here?" he asked.
"Oh, yes," Kristin said, "I forgot to tell you guys -- we've taken Soi captive."
"What?!" Caitlin and Nuriko cried. "The Seiryu are going to kill us for this!"
"No, they won't," Kristin said, grinning. "Knowing Martha, I've just helped her a bundle."
Nuriko, of course, looked confused, but Caitlin nodded in understanding.
Meanwhile, at the Seiryu camp, the Boboshi's spilled the news of Soi's capture.
"What?" Nakago asked quizically. "They've taken her as a hostage? Why?"
"I have no idea," the Boboshi said, noticing the faint smile quivering on Martha's face. Oh, Martha knew why Kristin had captured Soi. Thank you, she whispered in her mind.
"That's terrible!" Martha squeaked. "But I don't think she's in harm. this is the Suzaku seven we're talking about. They don't do the torture thing."
"Yeah," Suboshi said, playing with his killer yo-yos, "the Suzaku are weaklings. Hey, let me have MY moment next."
"You?" Nakago asked, quietly. "And what would you do? Cut them up with your yo-yos, I presume?"
"They're not yo-yos," Suboshi growled, "they're --"
"What ever they are, you're going to listen to my orders or the Priestess, so you're not going to have your moment until I think you're ready," Nakago said, narrowing his eyes on Suboshi. Suboshi scowled, and marched out of the tent. The Boboshi left after him, leaving Martha to sit next to Nakago's side alone.
"Who are you going to send next after the Suzaku?" Martha wondered, glad that Ashitare was no longer one of her number. She knew that he would have been next, and he would end up killing Nuriko of the Suzaku Seven on his way to the shrine of Byakko on the top of a lonely mountain drenched with snow.
Nakago put a finger to his temple, massaging it. He was not in a good mood. Martha saw this, and gently took his head into her hands and laid it back upon her lap, where she started to soothe his temples with her fingers, and talking to him in a soft voice.
"It's okay, Nakago . . . I know we've lost two of our number thus far, but we can't just let the Suzaku get us this way. We still have a chance. What about Makiko and Miboshi?"
"He's a freakin' flea."
"Uh . . . what about Tomo and Kailein? We're bound to catch up to them soon, where ever they are. You know, the Boboshi's are saying that there's a rumor of some strange cackling going on in the East Land. That's probably them!"
Nakago did not smile. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, trying to sort his nerves.
"I feel as though I'm being too nice," he finally said. Martha felt her face turn red and sweat dropped.
"What ever do you mean?" she asked, gritting her teeth. Please don't change, she thought. I like you this way.
"I feel as though I've lost my usual touch . . . people fearing me, getting overly angry at things that shouldn't be a bother to me, killing small, innocent things like canaries . . . I feel as though I've changed into a marshmellow."
Martha hid a giggle. It was rare to hear Nakago mutter cute words like * marshmellow * .
"I think you've changed for the better," Martha admitted. "Besides, people still fear you, but do you really want people to hate you?"
"I hate people."
"No, you don't. Do you hate me?"
Nakago opened his eyes and stared up at the Priestess sitting above him. "No," he finally said. A rare smile crossed his face. Martha smiled back. And then, his smile faded as he closed his eyes and began to talk.
"I've had a troubling past," he admitted, his face going pale. Martha did't want to hear. She knew all about it, and she knew she was going to cry, but she let him go ahead with it.
"My tribe . . . was destroyed by the Emperor of Kutou. They raped my mother before my eyes . . . I can remember it so clearly. I was so angry . . . that was the first time my life force came out of me. I was in shock, as I had accidently . . . I had . . . accidently . . . killed my own mother along with her rapists with my ki-blast. They took me to the Emperor . . . he liked little boys in a way he shouldn't have. I was touched by him in places I shouldn't have been touched. And he was the one who killed my people . . . I wonder why I still bow at his feet."
"You've been waiting for me to arrive, that's what," Martha said softly. "But now I'm here, and I'm going to wish for your freedom and for the freedom of your people and the rest of the Seiryu Seishi. I'm going to save you all, because I'm your Priestess."
Nakago looked back up into the Priestess's eyes, then, his face went stiff and serious. "I've never told anyone about my past. Martha-sama . . . you wouldn't . . . ?"
"Never," Martha said, and smiled at him. He smiled back, a genuine smile. At last, Martha thought, as he closed his eyes and she let the tears flow into hers, some one had gotten to his heart. Some one loved him again, and that was all that he needed.
Just then, the door of their tent was opened, and Makiko stumbled in with wide eyes.
"Mar . . . Martha!" she stammered, her face lighting up.
"What's wrong?" Martha piped up, suddenly back to normal. Nakago's face screwed up and he looked at Makiko with a very pissed off face.
"It's . . . it's Miboshi . . . Naiidoska, he . . . he's got his original body back!"
"What?" Martha asked, and she and Nakago exchanged looks. Just then, the door parted and a figure came in from behind Makiko. Long white hair tied loosely behind his back, a painted white face with black marking just underneath the eyes, a green samurai suit lined in black with a black belt, beaded jewerly hanging about the neck and from the ears, dark eyes, what looked like a green dradle in hand, and a big green jem in the middle of his forehead. It was Miboshi.
Martha just stared. Nakago couldn't find any words to say. Makiko beamed.
"He's just the way I pictured him!" she squealed.
"Uh . . . why the face paint, Miboshi?" Nakago finally asked.
"I'm a demon summoner," Miboshi said, his voice smooth. "I'm supposed to look scary in a cool way."
Nakago and Martha just stared. This was different. Martha figured the white hair belonged since he had been a demon jumping around through bodies for the past hundreds of years.
"Come Makiko," Miboshi said, and took the hand of the Japanese girl jumping with joy.
Once again, Martha and Nakago were left alone. Martha continued to massage his temples, and began to hum her theme song to him, hoping to calm his nerves. It did, and he was soon about to fall asleep when they were rudely interrupted again by a Boboshi.
"You won't believe our luck!" the Boboshi cried, trying to ignoring the death glare of Nakago at being shaken out of his peaceful moment.
"What luck?" he growled.
The Boboshi grinned, and the door of the tent parted open again. Two figure came in, looking quite sullen, as though they were about to head into a room to be punished by their parents, their faces were so down and red. In fact, they were heading in for punishment, for Nakago was on his feet as soon as the Boboshi left them to their fate.
"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?!" he cried.
Martha peeped around Nakago's figure to see the trembling bodies of Tomo and Kailein.
"Having fun?" Tomo squeaked.
Nakago growled at the Seishi, as Martha stepped in. "Let me take care of this," Martha said. Nakago took a step back, glaring at the mischevious couple.
Martha put on smile, cleared her throat and said,
"WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM, RUNNING OUT ON US AND NOT TELLING US WHERE YOU'VE BEEN?! YOU COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BY THAT MANIAC LONE WOLF WARRIOR OR THE SUZAKU SEVEN OR SOMETHING EVEN WORSE!! DON'T YOU DARE MAKE ME WORRY ABOUT YOU TWO OVER SOMETHING LIKE THIS ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'VE JUST LOST TWO OF OUR NUMBER!! DON'T YOU WANT US TO SUMMON THE BEAST GOD OR NOT?! I'M DOING THIS FOR YOU, NO DA!!"
Tomo and Kailein squeaked, "I'm sorry," and jumped out of sight, back to a tent already made up for them. Martha turned around to face Nakago, exhausted.
Nakago was red in the face, then smiled.
"You should do that more often, Martha-sama. I like that side of you."
The North land was very cold. Kristin felt terribly bad when the ship came ashore, and she saw Caitlin trying to pump some life in to Tasuki. He finally heaved a great cough and sputtered to life, blinking, as the rest of the Seishi got off the ship, running down the ramp, and on to the land where Tasuki appeared almost dead.
"Oh, my poor Tasuki!" Caitlin whimpered, looking down at his pale face full of shock. "Now he'll never enter the water again for sure!"
"I guess mountain bandits weren't made for water," Nuriko replied.
"We have terrible news everybody," Kristin announced, as all gathered around on the land and watched the boat sail back to Konan. "we've lost one of our number to the Lone Wolf Warrior and friends."
"I guess that makes us even with Seiryu, doesn't it?" Mitsukake said, and several heads nodded.
"But where do we go now?" Caitlin sighed, picking up the body of her bandit, who had passed out into sleep.
Chiriko eyed the terrain. "It looks as though we must try and find civilization. The North Land is far greater than Konan. It's three times as large."
"It's also three times as cold," Caitlin pouted, shivering.
"We must do what we must," Kristin said, and they gathered their things on their backs and headed out into the snowy country land, in search of civilization and clues leading to the shinzaho.
Nuriko noticed a big lumpy bag thrown over Mitsukake's shoulder, and he panted from the weight.
"Do you want me to help you with that?" Nuriko asked.
"Take it," Mistukake said, and thrust the bag into Nuriko's arms.
"What's in here?" he asked.
"Oh, yes," Kristin said, "I forgot to tell you guys -- we've taken Soi captive."
"What?!" Caitlin and Nuriko cried. "The Seiryu are going to kill us for this!"
"No, they won't," Kristin said, grinning. "Knowing Martha, I've just helped her a bundle."
Nuriko, of course, looked confused, but Caitlin nodded in understanding.
Meanwhile, at the Seiryu camp, the Boboshi's spilled the news of Soi's capture.
"What?" Nakago asked quizically. "They've taken her as a hostage? Why?"
"I have no idea," the Boboshi said, noticing the faint smile quivering on Martha's face. Oh, Martha knew why Kristin had captured Soi. Thank you, she whispered in her mind.
"That's terrible!" Martha squeaked. "But I don't think she's in harm. this is the Suzaku seven we're talking about. They don't do the torture thing."
"Yeah," Suboshi said, playing with his killer yo-yos, "the Suzaku are weaklings. Hey, let me have MY moment next."
"You?" Nakago asked, quietly. "And what would you do? Cut them up with your yo-yos, I presume?"
"They're not yo-yos," Suboshi growled, "they're --"
"What ever they are, you're going to listen to my orders or the Priestess, so you're not going to have your moment until I think you're ready," Nakago said, narrowing his eyes on Suboshi. Suboshi scowled, and marched out of the tent. The Boboshi left after him, leaving Martha to sit next to Nakago's side alone.
"Who are you going to send next after the Suzaku?" Martha wondered, glad that Ashitare was no longer one of her number. She knew that he would have been next, and he would end up killing Nuriko of the Suzaku Seven on his way to the shrine of Byakko on the top of a lonely mountain drenched with snow.
Nakago put a finger to his temple, massaging it. He was not in a good mood. Martha saw this, and gently took his head into her hands and laid it back upon her lap, where she started to soothe his temples with her fingers, and talking to him in a soft voice.
"It's okay, Nakago . . . I know we've lost two of our number thus far, but we can't just let the Suzaku get us this way. We still have a chance. What about Makiko and Miboshi?"
"He's a freakin' flea."
"Uh . . . what about Tomo and Kailein? We're bound to catch up to them soon, where ever they are. You know, the Boboshi's are saying that there's a rumor of some strange cackling going on in the East Land. That's probably them!"
Nakago did not smile. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, trying to sort his nerves.
"I feel as though I'm being too nice," he finally said. Martha felt her face turn red and sweat dropped.
"What ever do you mean?" she asked, gritting her teeth. Please don't change, she thought. I like you this way.
"I feel as though I've lost my usual touch . . . people fearing me, getting overly angry at things that shouldn't be a bother to me, killing small, innocent things like canaries . . . I feel as though I've changed into a marshmellow."
Martha hid a giggle. It was rare to hear Nakago mutter cute words like * marshmellow * .
"I think you've changed for the better," Martha admitted. "Besides, people still fear you, but do you really want people to hate you?"
"I hate people."
"No, you don't. Do you hate me?"
Nakago opened his eyes and stared up at the Priestess sitting above him. "No," he finally said. A rare smile crossed his face. Martha smiled back. And then, his smile faded as he closed his eyes and began to talk.
"I've had a troubling past," he admitted, his face going pale. Martha did't want to hear. She knew all about it, and she knew she was going to cry, but she let him go ahead with it.
"My tribe . . . was destroyed by the Emperor of Kutou. They raped my mother before my eyes . . . I can remember it so clearly. I was so angry . . . that was the first time my life force came out of me. I was in shock, as I had accidently . . . I had . . . accidently . . . killed my own mother along with her rapists with my ki-blast. They took me to the Emperor . . . he liked little boys in a way he shouldn't have. I was touched by him in places I shouldn't have been touched. And he was the one who killed my people . . . I wonder why I still bow at his feet."
"You've been waiting for me to arrive, that's what," Martha said softly. "But now I'm here, and I'm going to wish for your freedom and for the freedom of your people and the rest of the Seiryu Seishi. I'm going to save you all, because I'm your Priestess."
Nakago looked back up into the Priestess's eyes, then, his face went stiff and serious. "I've never told anyone about my past. Martha-sama . . . you wouldn't . . . ?"
"Never," Martha said, and smiled at him. He smiled back, a genuine smile. At last, Martha thought, as he closed his eyes and she let the tears flow into hers, some one had gotten to his heart. Some one loved him again, and that was all that he needed.
Just then, the door of their tent was opened, and Makiko stumbled in with wide eyes.
"Mar . . . Martha!" she stammered, her face lighting up.
"What's wrong?" Martha piped up, suddenly back to normal. Nakago's face screwed up and he looked at Makiko with a very pissed off face.
"It's . . . it's Miboshi . . . Naiidoska, he . . . he's got his original body back!"
"What?" Martha asked, and she and Nakago exchanged looks. Just then, the door parted and a figure came in from behind Makiko. Long white hair tied loosely behind his back, a painted white face with black marking just underneath the eyes, a green samurai suit lined in black with a black belt, beaded jewerly hanging about the neck and from the ears, dark eyes, what looked like a green dradle in hand, and a big green jem in the middle of his forehead. It was Miboshi.
Martha just stared. Nakago couldn't find any words to say. Makiko beamed.
"He's just the way I pictured him!" she squealed.
"Uh . . . why the face paint, Miboshi?" Nakago finally asked.
"I'm a demon summoner," Miboshi said, his voice smooth. "I'm supposed to look scary in a cool way."
Nakago and Martha just stared. This was different. Martha figured the white hair belonged since he had been a demon jumping around through bodies for the past hundreds of years.
"Come Makiko," Miboshi said, and took the hand of the Japanese girl jumping with joy.
Once again, Martha and Nakago were left alone. Martha continued to massage his temples, and began to hum her theme song to him, hoping to calm his nerves. It did, and he was soon about to fall asleep when they were rudely interrupted again by a Boboshi.
"You won't believe our luck!" the Boboshi cried, trying to ignoring the death glare of Nakago at being shaken out of his peaceful moment.
"What luck?" he growled.
The Boboshi grinned, and the door of the tent parted open again. Two figure came in, looking quite sullen, as though they were about to head into a room to be punished by their parents, their faces were so down and red. In fact, they were heading in for punishment, for Nakago was on his feet as soon as the Boboshi left them to their fate.
"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?!" he cried.
Martha peeped around Nakago's figure to see the trembling bodies of Tomo and Kailein.
"Having fun?" Tomo squeaked.
Nakago growled at the Seishi, as Martha stepped in. "Let me take care of this," Martha said. Nakago took a step back, glaring at the mischevious couple.
Martha put on smile, cleared her throat and said,
"WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM, RUNNING OUT ON US AND NOT TELLING US WHERE YOU'VE BEEN?! YOU COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BY THAT MANIAC LONE WOLF WARRIOR OR THE SUZAKU SEVEN OR SOMETHING EVEN WORSE!! DON'T YOU DARE MAKE ME WORRY ABOUT YOU TWO OVER SOMETHING LIKE THIS ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'VE JUST LOST TWO OF OUR NUMBER!! DON'T YOU WANT US TO SUMMON THE BEAST GOD OR NOT?! I'M DOING THIS FOR YOU, NO DA!!"
Tomo and Kailein squeaked, "I'm sorry," and jumped out of sight, back to a tent already made up for them. Martha turned around to face Nakago, exhausted.
Nakago was red in the face, then smiled.
"You should do that more often, Martha-sama. I like that side of you."