Chapter 31
Snow covered the city like a giant white blanket, biting at Kristin's ears and toes. The Suzaku Seishi were on the move again, looking for clues to where the shinzaho could possibly be. Apparently it belonged to the Priestess of Genbu, but no on knew where to find it, except that clues could be found in the capital city.
Nuriko and Caitlin were squezzing Tasuki in between them, trying to feel the heat from his fan. Kristin had gone into wolf form while they walked down the streets, allowing her white fur coat to keep her warm from the chilly north land.
"Perhaps we should split up," Chiriko announced as they settled into the warmth of a bar.
"But how would we contact each other?" Chichiri inquired.
Chiriko's eye got very close to Tasuki, scaring him as he exclaimed, "I know! I've got these with me, just in case!"
Tasuki toppled off his chair, a weird look on his face, as Chiriko placed four flares on the table before them.
"I see," Chichiri said. "We should split into groups."
"I've got Tasuki," both Caitlin and Nuriko chimed in.
"Stop using my fan!" Tasuki growled from the ground, before his head eventually made it into view.
"Chichiri, you can come with me," Kristin said, realizing that she had just put Nuriko out of danger. "Chiriko, you go ahead with Mitsukake."
"Who gets the extra flare?" Mitsukake asked.
"The Priestess should," Caitlin said. "She's the most important one of us all. We can't risk her life." Something in Caitlin's eye told Kristin that she was aware of what might happen. Even if Ashitare was no longer with the Seiryu, he was with the far worse enemy.
After ordering a round of drinks, a chocolate milk for Chiriko, and a bowl of cheez its, the group split off and went their own ways.
Kristin and Chichiri made their way down the streets packed with snow, their eyes peeled for a sign. Kristin knew what she was looking for, but did not know where exactly it was. There was supposed to be a monument in the town square that told which mountain the shinzaho was hidden in.
"Do you fear what the Seiryu might be up to?" Chichiri asked.
"No, not really," Kristin said. "They've lost Ashitare and Soi. By the way . . . do you really think she'll be okay back at our camp?"
"She's tied tight, no da," Chichiri said. "I don't think she'll even be able to use her powers of lightening to free herself from the bonds of the magic rope I set on her. She'll be fine. Angry, pissed off, but fine, no da."
Kristin sighed. "I'm just afraid of what will happen if the Lone Wolf Warrior comes along. He has Ashitare, Phil, Katie . . . and I'm afraid he might turn Tamahome against us as well."
Chichiri shook his head. "Such a sad day, no da. Let's just hope we find that shinzaho before the Seiryu do, no da."
So Kristin put forth her concentration, looking for the monument of Genbu.
Miaka had found it in the anime, but Kristin couldn't. Neither did Caitling or the other group. It was Martha.
Down the snowy street of the city did Martha walk with Suboshi and Amiboshi, wishing that Nakago had accompanied her instead. All she wanted was to run into Kristin, knowing that she was there. She wanted to talk to her and see what had been going on, and have Nakago there with her. But he had a headache, poor guy, so she asked who would rather join her on her journey downtown, and the twins were eager to get back into civilization.
And now, Martha stood in front of the monument, gazing at the strange foreign language written upon the great block of stone.
"What does it say?" Amiboshi asked.
An old woman was passing by, and Martha poked her in the side, asking kindly, "Excuse me, do you think you can read that monument for us?"
"No one knows what that monument reads," the old women replied. "And don't poke me there!"
"Sorry," Martha muttered as a guy stepped out of the shadows, his eyes narrowing on the Priestess.
"I know someone who can read that monument," he said slyly. "My father . . . if you come back with me, I'll show you him, and he'll tell you what it means."
Martha knew what this guy was up to. He wanted to steal their money, even though his father did know what the monument read.
"I'll go," Suboshi said.
"Be careful," Martha whispered in his ear. "I don't like the look of this guy. Keep your wits about you!" And she let Suboshi go.
So, Martha was left with Amiboshi, sitting just beneath the great monument.
"So, you're friends with the Priestess of Suzaku?" Amiboshi asked.
"Yes, I am," Martha replied, smiling. "I was hoping . . . since she most obviously is here, that I might run into her. I'd love to talk to her and see what's been going on."
"I don't see how you can be so happy with her," Amiboshi said. "She's captured Soi. Doesn't that make you mad?"
Amiboshi noticed the grin Martha was trying to hide.
"Oh, I get it," he said, "you're just glad Soi's out of the way so you can have Nakago all to yourself, don't you?"
"Oh, I'm not that mean," Martha said, though she couldn't help smiling and giving a big sigh.
"How can you love Nakago?" Amiboshi blurted out. "He's so evil and mean, and you're not . . . I don't think he loves you back the way you wish he did. He's using you, Martha-sama. Don't let him get to your head."
"You don't seem to like your fellow Seishi," Martha remarked, "and I'm not talking only about Nakago."
Amiboshi sighed. "I guess you're right . . . I guess I just see us as the ultimate good guys, and I've always wanted to be a good guy, and the Suzaku are perfect good guys. It's not fair. Why can't Seiryu be the good guys?"
"Think of it this way," Martha said. "Life is like a story . . . and story's are no fun if there's no conflict with some bad guy, right? So, we're the ones who make the story more interesting."
"I see," Amiboshi said, nodding his head. "So, you want us to become Satanic?"
Martha flinched. "I said we're gonna be bad guys, not Evil ones. We have heart . . . we're just acting as antagonists against Suzaku so they can't reach their goal."
"So that's how it goes, is it?" said a voice from above them.
Martha jumped, and looked with horror at the face of the Lone Wolf Warrior standing atop the monument, grinning like mad at the Priestess.
"You leave her alone!" Amiboshi cried to no avail.
"What do you want?" Martha growled. A figure stepped up from behind the Lone Wolf Warrior, and she recognized it as Ashitare.
"I must receive my Priestess by all means," the Lone Wolf Warrior cried. "And now, I hear you are planning to sabatoge her plans as she is the Priestess of Suzaku . . . ! Do you want to join my forces?"
Martha narrowed her eyes at the figure. "No way! Get your own plans! This is between me, my Seishi, and Kristin and her Seishi. Who allowed you in here?"
"I'm the one who titled the story, didn't I?" the Lone Wolf Warrior asked.
Martha stopped. He was right about that.
"That doesn't matter!" yelled a familiar voice from behind them, and Martha turned in surprise to see Tasuki, Nuriko and Caitlin topple over each other after spying on the action going around the monument from the corner of a nearby store.
"Caitlin!" Martha cried.
"Maaaatha!" Caitlin cried. The two friends ran at each other and hugged tightly. All the Seishi gave awkward glances at each other.
"I thought I'd never see you again," Martha squealed.
"Me neither," Cailtin said. "How do you like our capture of Soi? Have you got Nakago to yourself now?"
"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Martha cried.
"Enough with this rubbish!" the Lone Wolf Warrior yelled. "Join my forces or pay the consquences, Priestess of Seiryu!"
Martha glared at the Lone Wolf Warrior. Ashitare growled.
"No!" Amiboshi said. "We're the bad guys of this story, and that's it! Go away, Lone Wolf Warrior!"
"Yeah, you Wolf Lone Warrior!" Tasuki yelled. "We want the Seiryu as our bad guys, not you! Nakago can actually kill us, all you've got is that little lighter of yours and you're wolf friend!"
The Lone Wolf Warrior bared a smile at Tasuki. "So, you want the Seiryu as your enemy?"
"YES!" the three Suzaku Seishi shouted.
"Then let it be!" the Lone Wolf Warrior cried, and he disappeared, leaving Ashitare to pounce down from the monument towards Martha. Amiboshi saved her in a dive, screaming at Ashitare.
"Idiot!" he cried. "You're on our side, now!"
"No, he's not," Martha wailed, her shoulder torn and bleeding now. "Don't you get it? The Lone Wolf Warrior was just setting us up. He's simply giving Ashitare a moment!"
The Wolfman lunged at the Priestess, but Tasuki was quick and brandished his fan, screaming, "REKKA SHINEN!!" The Wolf man ran with fright from the sight of fire, jumping roofs and out of sight, leaving them with a long, painful, strangled cry.
"Was that supposed to be a howl?" Nuriko asked, looking stupified.
Amiboshi helped Martha to her feet, and Caitlin held on the her friend's hand. Tasuki and Nuriko growled at the retreating wolf man as Suboshi suddenly made his way back to the town square, all beat up and bloody.
"What happened to you?!" Martha cried. "Are you alright?"
"They robbed me!" Suboshi cried. "I had to cut most of them down with my yo-yos (no, I can't remember the name of those either), but I got good news about the Shinzao. It's --" he stopped, spotting the Suzaku Seishi, suddenly hanging on to every word.
"Suboshi," Martha said in a motherly tone, "didn't I tell you not to kill? Uh, and look at you! Here, let me cleanse your wounds."
"Isn't she the greatest Priestess?" Amiboshi said to Nuriko and Tasuki. "She's so motherly . . . you should have seen her yelling at Tomo and his girlfriend the other day!"
"Kailein!" Caitlin cried. "Oh, I'd forgotten all about her. How is she?"
Amiboshi stared. "How do you guys all know each other?"
Caitlin just smiled.
Snow covered the city like a giant white blanket, biting at Kristin's ears and toes. The Suzaku Seishi were on the move again, looking for clues to where the shinzaho could possibly be. Apparently it belonged to the Priestess of Genbu, but no on knew where to find it, except that clues could be found in the capital city.
Nuriko and Caitlin were squezzing Tasuki in between them, trying to feel the heat from his fan. Kristin had gone into wolf form while they walked down the streets, allowing her white fur coat to keep her warm from the chilly north land.
"Perhaps we should split up," Chiriko announced as they settled into the warmth of a bar.
"But how would we contact each other?" Chichiri inquired.
Chiriko's eye got very close to Tasuki, scaring him as he exclaimed, "I know! I've got these with me, just in case!"
Tasuki toppled off his chair, a weird look on his face, as Chiriko placed four flares on the table before them.
"I see," Chichiri said. "We should split into groups."
"I've got Tasuki," both Caitlin and Nuriko chimed in.
"Stop using my fan!" Tasuki growled from the ground, before his head eventually made it into view.
"Chichiri, you can come with me," Kristin said, realizing that she had just put Nuriko out of danger. "Chiriko, you go ahead with Mitsukake."
"Who gets the extra flare?" Mitsukake asked.
"The Priestess should," Caitlin said. "She's the most important one of us all. We can't risk her life." Something in Caitlin's eye told Kristin that she was aware of what might happen. Even if Ashitare was no longer with the Seiryu, he was with the far worse enemy.
After ordering a round of drinks, a chocolate milk for Chiriko, and a bowl of cheez its, the group split off and went their own ways.
Kristin and Chichiri made their way down the streets packed with snow, their eyes peeled for a sign. Kristin knew what she was looking for, but did not know where exactly it was. There was supposed to be a monument in the town square that told which mountain the shinzaho was hidden in.
"Do you fear what the Seiryu might be up to?" Chichiri asked.
"No, not really," Kristin said. "They've lost Ashitare and Soi. By the way . . . do you really think she'll be okay back at our camp?"
"She's tied tight, no da," Chichiri said. "I don't think she'll even be able to use her powers of lightening to free herself from the bonds of the magic rope I set on her. She'll be fine. Angry, pissed off, but fine, no da."
Kristin sighed. "I'm just afraid of what will happen if the Lone Wolf Warrior comes along. He has Ashitare, Phil, Katie . . . and I'm afraid he might turn Tamahome against us as well."
Chichiri shook his head. "Such a sad day, no da. Let's just hope we find that shinzaho before the Seiryu do, no da."
So Kristin put forth her concentration, looking for the monument of Genbu.
Miaka had found it in the anime, but Kristin couldn't. Neither did Caitling or the other group. It was Martha.
Down the snowy street of the city did Martha walk with Suboshi and Amiboshi, wishing that Nakago had accompanied her instead. All she wanted was to run into Kristin, knowing that she was there. She wanted to talk to her and see what had been going on, and have Nakago there with her. But he had a headache, poor guy, so she asked who would rather join her on her journey downtown, and the twins were eager to get back into civilization.
And now, Martha stood in front of the monument, gazing at the strange foreign language written upon the great block of stone.
"What does it say?" Amiboshi asked.
An old woman was passing by, and Martha poked her in the side, asking kindly, "Excuse me, do you think you can read that monument for us?"
"No one knows what that monument reads," the old women replied. "And don't poke me there!"
"Sorry," Martha muttered as a guy stepped out of the shadows, his eyes narrowing on the Priestess.
"I know someone who can read that monument," he said slyly. "My father . . . if you come back with me, I'll show you him, and he'll tell you what it means."
Martha knew what this guy was up to. He wanted to steal their money, even though his father did know what the monument read.
"I'll go," Suboshi said.
"Be careful," Martha whispered in his ear. "I don't like the look of this guy. Keep your wits about you!" And she let Suboshi go.
So, Martha was left with Amiboshi, sitting just beneath the great monument.
"So, you're friends with the Priestess of Suzaku?" Amiboshi asked.
"Yes, I am," Martha replied, smiling. "I was hoping . . . since she most obviously is here, that I might run into her. I'd love to talk to her and see what's been going on."
"I don't see how you can be so happy with her," Amiboshi said. "She's captured Soi. Doesn't that make you mad?"
Amiboshi noticed the grin Martha was trying to hide.
"Oh, I get it," he said, "you're just glad Soi's out of the way so you can have Nakago all to yourself, don't you?"
"Oh, I'm not that mean," Martha said, though she couldn't help smiling and giving a big sigh.
"How can you love Nakago?" Amiboshi blurted out. "He's so evil and mean, and you're not . . . I don't think he loves you back the way you wish he did. He's using you, Martha-sama. Don't let him get to your head."
"You don't seem to like your fellow Seishi," Martha remarked, "and I'm not talking only about Nakago."
Amiboshi sighed. "I guess you're right . . . I guess I just see us as the ultimate good guys, and I've always wanted to be a good guy, and the Suzaku are perfect good guys. It's not fair. Why can't Seiryu be the good guys?"
"Think of it this way," Martha said. "Life is like a story . . . and story's are no fun if there's no conflict with some bad guy, right? So, we're the ones who make the story more interesting."
"I see," Amiboshi said, nodding his head. "So, you want us to become Satanic?"
Martha flinched. "I said we're gonna be bad guys, not Evil ones. We have heart . . . we're just acting as antagonists against Suzaku so they can't reach their goal."
"So that's how it goes, is it?" said a voice from above them.
Martha jumped, and looked with horror at the face of the Lone Wolf Warrior standing atop the monument, grinning like mad at the Priestess.
"You leave her alone!" Amiboshi cried to no avail.
"What do you want?" Martha growled. A figure stepped up from behind the Lone Wolf Warrior, and she recognized it as Ashitare.
"I must receive my Priestess by all means," the Lone Wolf Warrior cried. "And now, I hear you are planning to sabatoge her plans as she is the Priestess of Suzaku . . . ! Do you want to join my forces?"
Martha narrowed her eyes at the figure. "No way! Get your own plans! This is between me, my Seishi, and Kristin and her Seishi. Who allowed you in here?"
"I'm the one who titled the story, didn't I?" the Lone Wolf Warrior asked.
Martha stopped. He was right about that.
"That doesn't matter!" yelled a familiar voice from behind them, and Martha turned in surprise to see Tasuki, Nuriko and Caitlin topple over each other after spying on the action going around the monument from the corner of a nearby store.
"Caitlin!" Martha cried.
"Maaaatha!" Caitlin cried. The two friends ran at each other and hugged tightly. All the Seishi gave awkward glances at each other.
"I thought I'd never see you again," Martha squealed.
"Me neither," Cailtin said. "How do you like our capture of Soi? Have you got Nakago to yourself now?"
"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Martha cried.
"Enough with this rubbish!" the Lone Wolf Warrior yelled. "Join my forces or pay the consquences, Priestess of Seiryu!"
Martha glared at the Lone Wolf Warrior. Ashitare growled.
"No!" Amiboshi said. "We're the bad guys of this story, and that's it! Go away, Lone Wolf Warrior!"
"Yeah, you Wolf Lone Warrior!" Tasuki yelled. "We want the Seiryu as our bad guys, not you! Nakago can actually kill us, all you've got is that little lighter of yours and you're wolf friend!"
The Lone Wolf Warrior bared a smile at Tasuki. "So, you want the Seiryu as your enemy?"
"YES!" the three Suzaku Seishi shouted.
"Then let it be!" the Lone Wolf Warrior cried, and he disappeared, leaving Ashitare to pounce down from the monument towards Martha. Amiboshi saved her in a dive, screaming at Ashitare.
"Idiot!" he cried. "You're on our side, now!"
"No, he's not," Martha wailed, her shoulder torn and bleeding now. "Don't you get it? The Lone Wolf Warrior was just setting us up. He's simply giving Ashitare a moment!"
The Wolfman lunged at the Priestess, but Tasuki was quick and brandished his fan, screaming, "REKKA SHINEN!!" The Wolf man ran with fright from the sight of fire, jumping roofs and out of sight, leaving them with a long, painful, strangled cry.
"Was that supposed to be a howl?" Nuriko asked, looking stupified.
Amiboshi helped Martha to her feet, and Caitlin held on the her friend's hand. Tasuki and Nuriko growled at the retreating wolf man as Suboshi suddenly made his way back to the town square, all beat up and bloody.
"What happened to you?!" Martha cried. "Are you alright?"
"They robbed me!" Suboshi cried. "I had to cut most of them down with my yo-yos (no, I can't remember the name of those either), but I got good news about the Shinzao. It's --" he stopped, spotting the Suzaku Seishi, suddenly hanging on to every word.
"Suboshi," Martha said in a motherly tone, "didn't I tell you not to kill? Uh, and look at you! Here, let me cleanse your wounds."
"Isn't she the greatest Priestess?" Amiboshi said to Nuriko and Tasuki. "She's so motherly . . . you should have seen her yelling at Tomo and his girlfriend the other day!"
"Kailein!" Caitlin cried. "Oh, I'd forgotten all about her. How is she?"
Amiboshi stared. "How do you guys all know each other?"
Caitlin just smiled.