I don't really have much to say in this beginning, but to inform people that the other characters that you hold so dear are returning!

As usual, I don't own anybody or anything. Suing me gets you nothing but that nifty ball of lint I mentioned in my Christmas Special. Did anyone read that? I didn't get any reviews, so…

A Boy and His Whip

"Wake Up! Nakago-san told you to wake up!"

I open my eyes, to see Amiboshi-san's twin, Suboshi-san, Soi-san and Nakago-san standing over me. I take the time to notice that none of my injuries have been tended to.

"Now that you are awake, I have some questions. I believe it to be in your best interest to answer them."

Sighing, I ask, "What is it you wish to know?"

Nakago-san lifts an eyebrow and asks the first obvious question. Picking up my non-injured wing, he asks:

"Just what are these for?"

Though I know I will get in trouble for my answer,

"To fly, of course. I thought that someone of your intellect would have known that."

KRACK

I've never been hit with a whip before. Well, I've always wanted to experience things that I couldn't experience at home, but this…

"I trust that you will become more serious?"

"I trust, Nakago-san, that you would've hit me with your whip no matter what answer I gave."

Nakago-san only raises his eyebrow again, before he continues.

"And just how did you get your wings, I wonder?"

"How did you get blonde hair?"

KRACK KRACK

"Why doesn't he answer Nakago straight out? And why doesn't Nakago punish him instead of playing with him?"

He's been playing with me, huh?

"I ask you again, how did you get your wings?"

"From my father."

"And who is your father?"

"I believe that you can tell by just looking at me."

I was expecting for Nakago-san to use his whip, again. Instead, he gets a sneer on his face and asks:

"Soi, how would you like a new fan?"

A new fan? He doesn't mean…

I give out a truly bird-like screech as Nakago-san yanks out several of my flight feathers. A part of me wants to make my feathers burn up in his hand, but knowing that would be what my uncle, Seiryuu, would want. Nakago-san hands Soi-san the feathers, and I notice that she exams them.

"They're as soft as silk! But, how does he happen to have wings?"

"If I take what he said to be true, than I would have to say that he inherit his wings from Konan-koku's God, Suzaku."

"But, how can he…"

"That's impossible! I thought that the only time a God would appear, is when the Miko calls him!"

"So did I, but it seems that there might be some information that Miboshi has yet to gather. Soi, take the feathers to Yui-sama. Whether or not there is a use for them, she should be happy knowing that she is in possession of something that contains power."

"Hai, Nakago."

I watch her leave, before Nakago-san re-directs my attention.

KRACK

I hate that whip.

"So now, tell me, is it because of your father that you were able to do the attack that you used against Soi?"

"Yes."

"Was it a form of ki, or something supernatural?"

"I don't know."

KRACK

"Try again."

"I really don't know!"

KRACK

"I don't believe you."

"I'm telling you the truth!"

KRACK KRACK

"And I think that you're lying. I think that you do know, but don't want to share."

The truth is, I do know, and that knowledge is not something I want to share. Even at its weakest state, my fire attacks can be very devastating. Nakago-san would become more than thirty times more powerful with this knowledge.

"Tell me what I want to know, and I'll leave you alone."

I opted for saying nothing, which I knew only angered Nakago. Which is the reason I yet again found myself to be unconscious, with several new whip marks in my back.

I arrive back into the astral space, and find my uncle, Seiryuu looking at me with no emotion on his face.

"How did you like Nakago's introduction?"

Sigh, "What is it you wish to do to me, Seiryuu-seikun?"

"My, my, are you not down? I thought that we would look in on your friends. See how they are faring."

Though I'm happy to see if they are all right, my instincts tell me to be wary. It's quite obvious that my uncle has something up his sleeve.

"Come over here. Sit."

What, should I start panting, too? Still, I do as my uncle says. As Tai'itsu-kun's rules stated, Seiryuu-seikun is in control, for now.

The white surroundings changed and I once again got to see my friends. Seeing how they could not find me by nightfall, they had made camp just inside the Hokkan-koku boarders. I'm touched to notice that Miaka-san is crying, wishing that they could find me, while hoping that I haven't been captured. Chichiri-san seems to be on the look out, but I can tell that he is searching for my ki.

"Our only hope is that Chiriko is okay and heading for Hokkan-koku's capitol, like he said for us to do no da.

Well, in a way, I am. Just not the most preferred way.

"But what if he's in trouble? What if he's alone or has been caught by the Seiryuu seishi?"

"Aw, the kid's tough, Miaka! Dealin' with the Seiryuu won't be a problem for him! I, personally, am glad we got away from those freakin' girls that were chasin' us! Chiriko said that they would be following us until they can catch us, but man I ain't nobody's 'Airen'."

"Maybe Chiriko is tough, Tasuki, but he's still a kid!"

My uncle turns towards me and asks in fake concern "Your Miko does not seem to have much confidence in you, does she."

I have never been a violent being before, but just this once, I wish I punched my uncle. He's a condescending jerk. Now I know why Tai'itsu-kun likes to pick on him so much.

"Now, I wonder what would happen if they had to deal with, oh I do not know, an earthquake?"

I watch as the ground underneath my fellow seishi's feet move and toss them down. Both Tamahome-san and Chichiri-san were originally wise to choose a camp that was by both running water and a cliff's edge, but now with the earthquake, the water threatened to spill over their clothing and the ground made Chichiri-san and Mitsukake-san come too close to the edge for comfort. But how could Seiryuusei-kun control the ground of Hokkan-koku, especially since he is a water God? Unless…Gembusei-kun was helping him? If I don't stop my uncle soon, then I may not have any fellow seishi to return to!

"Gembusei-kun, please stop! The fight is with me, not my friends! If you must attack someone than…"

I fell myself being ki blasted across the endless space as Seiryuusei-kun raises his hand. The minute I roll to a stop, my uncle is upon me, punching and kicking my astral body. This is not a physical pain, but a mental one, like a severe migraine that would knock a person into a coma. By the conditions of the rules, I cannot defend myself, and thus must endure the blinding pain.

"Do not…presume…that you can…tell us Gods…what …to…do!

The next thing my uncle does is unexpected. When I first started to learn about my powers, from my grandmother, I was told that I could send messages to a willing human, via thought. Also, that I could look in on the person and see their surface thoughts. However, what Seiryuusei-kun was doing wasn't probing my surface thoughts. He was doing what Tai'itsu-kun told me to never do. He was digging into my innermost thoughts, dreams and feelings. To ad to the pain and violation, he wasn't doing it gently either. Tai'itsu-kun had warned me that doing this act could make a being mental crazed. If this was my uncle 's choice attack, will there be anything left of my mental state when I do return to my friends?

"So, you like a human girl named Sou Gyokuran? How interesting! Certainly, my countries soldiers could reach her, make life hard on her."

I freeze up. Seiryuusei-kun wants to hurt Gyokuran! Because she is human and doesn't hold one of my feathers, there's no way for me to defend her or warn her about the upcoming trouble.

"Also, because your whore of a mother is also at the palace, I can get here as well. Two birds with one stone."

Okaa? Father, keep them safe, please! Please don't let them come to any harm!

"I think that will be all for now, boy, for it seems that someone is trying to get your attention."

I find myself waking up, trying to hold on to the sleep. I want to know what my uncle plans to do! But, alas, I can't, which is why I woke up, looking into a pair of inquisiting eyes.

Okay! That's it for this chapter! Let me know what you guys and gals think, verci?

Ciao!

Tsukiyo Uchibayashi