Hi everyone!!!! Yes, I know that it is way past Labor day. All of you have my most sincere apologies. I have been writing papers for five different graduate classes, and had been writing my chapters in-between classes. I have been giving the chapters to a person to type up for me and he was supposed to send the chapters in for me as well. (This was in exchange for helping him out in two of the classes we have together that we both need to graduate…and that he had been failing). Obviously, he hadn't been doing so. I got my papers back from him and just to let you know expect the next chapter on Wed. and the third one on Fri. I want to wait only a short period for feedback, in case I should change something. Good news, I will only have three graduate classes next semester, so more time will be devoted to writing!
Otherwise, still busy with work, busy with school and all of it's papers. You know, same old, same old.
Disclaimer…do I really need to reiterate that I don't own anything?
Journeys of the Heart
We left the Humphries house early the next morning. Not wishing to chance the destruction of the delicate snowflake necklace, I wrap the precious object in a length of Nyan-Nyan cloth and then used my Ki to send it to my Grandmother's. During breakfast, Chichiri-san and I decided that the best route to Sairo-koku, would be to take the South Western past into the Talamakin desert. The others looked over at us doubtfully, and I whole heartily understand. After all, the literal translation of the desert name is "Those who enter will never return." But, after several insistences that my Byakko ji-chan will protect us and see us through, the rest of our group eventually agreed. However, all of the argument was really that of a moot point. In order to reach the Sairo-koku/Hokkan-koku border, we still need to travel for at least two weeks. Leaving the capitol city with an extra horse for supplies, we traveled for several hours before finally stopping for a bite to eat. This is when all of our happiness died.
Overly excited about the obtaining of the Shinzahou and Gembu ji-chan's gift for Gyokuran, I believed that I forgot one very important factor in the safety of my friends. The wolf. Not just any wolf, now that I open my senses yet again to the foreign forest surrounding me. Both the wolf's ki and scent lead me to believe that he is none other than Seiryuu Shichiseishi Ashitare. The other important fact that my senses tell me is that he is here, right now…watching us. Chichiri-san seems to notice my caution, for he keeps looking over at me. My only guess is that either Tomo-san or perhaps the one Seiryuu Shichiseishi that we have yet to encounter, whom should be Miboshi-san, is shielding Ashitare-san's Ki from those with mortal senses. Throughout the entire midday meal, I neither eat, nor do I take my eyes off my Otou's Miko. Ashitare-san will try something. I'm sure of it. All he is waiting for is a distraction. A distraction, which I am sorry to say comes all to soon for my liking. Something that should not have happened occurred. The most deadly, terrifying and ultimately stupid thing to occur within my sight since before being captured by Nakago-san.
Nuriko-san simultaneously hits on April-san and Urumiya-san.
Needless to say, all of us became preoccupied with either dodging our Prince of Warriors, dodging several intensified and focused "Rekka Shiens," while trying to also dodge a combination of the dual heads of a Ryuseisui and ice blasts. Somehow, I don't even want to know what Nuriko-san said to upset the three. April-san just seems to sit on the log that she and Tasuki-san had been sharing, blushing. It is within this chaos that Ashitare-san decided to make his move.
I turn as soon as I hear Miaka-san's scream of pain. The wolf form of Ashitare-san has the Shinzahou in his mouth. Looking at me with one wide eye, Ashitare-san runs off into the forest, with both Miaka-san and I in hot pursuit. Using my wings, I catch up to the wolf within no time, however I'm unable to grab for the Shinzahou while dodging various trees. It is then that I decided to stop and return to Miaka-san, whom had no way to keep up. Besides, it matters little to me. I can feel Nakago-san's Ki and I must say, that Nakago-san has finally accomplish what only my Onii can do.
I am pissed.
I've had enough with Nakago-san's schemes and his deadly interventions. How he toys with peoples' emotions and lives. When the time is right, he will truly know what it means to fight a Suzaku Shichiseishi. What it truly means to fight one of equal, if not outshining, power.
Picking up Miaka-san's scent, I head back towards her as fast as I can. Though I don't smell or sense anything dangerous around her area, I can smell her fear and her stress. When I find her, she is knelling on the ground, crying. I land by her, and do that which has always comforted me. I first wrap my arms around her, and then, do the same with my wings and let her cry upon my shoulder. A few minutes later, she calms down enough to tell me and that just arrive group of various seishi that Tai'itsu-kun has told her that she must retrieve the Shinzahou by herself. But, this can't be correct! I would have sensed my Obaa if she appeared within even 1000 meter of me. I don't trust this "Tai'itsu-kun," and decided that Miaka-san will have no choice but to have me along.
"Miaka-san, if you truly wish to do this, than so be it. However, I will escort you to Nakago-san camp. I can sense his Ki, and I must say that he feels over confident. It is my belief that you did not see the real Tai'itsu-kun. I believe that Nakago-san knows that you are coming."
"So…why aren't you going to stop me?"
"I have two reasons. The first is that we must retrieve the Shinzahou. Without it, all that we have done beforehand has been accomplished in vain. Second, I owe him for his oh-so-gentle care of my body and mind. I don't plan to kill, mind you; just wanting him to know that we cannot be messed with."
"Iie, I don't like it! What if Miaka is hurt, or what if he tricks you both? I think we should all go, that way he will have no way of fighting us off."
"Da~ Tamahome-kun that's just what he wants no da. While we retrieve the first Shinzahou, he has already sent at least one other on into Sairo no da. I hate to say it, but we need to split up na no da. Chiriko's plan makes the most sense no da."
"Tamahome-san, I will take care of Miaka-san. I will not let her come to harm."
Though it takes a few more arguments, Chichiri-san and I eventually convince Tamahome-san to leave us and travel on to Byakko ji-chan's country. Mitsukake-san refuses to leave until we have some of his special healing cream with us. All in all, I realize that this entire event has taken less than half a hand of time.
Miaka-san and I walk in silence, both for our own reasons. She is distraught over losing the precious artifact that Gembu ji-chan had entrusted to her. I, however, try to cool my anger. I have always been the calm one, always been the reasonable one. It is very rare for me to feel anger such as this, yet it surprisingly takes much time before I have accomplished the task of calming my mind for the up-coming fight. Feeling how much Ki my body is exerting, I use a trick that I learned to use against my brother when getting revenge for his embarrassing pranks. I completely hide my Ki. Not even my Otou or my Obaa could find me right now if they wanted to. The perfect technique for sneaking up on people. Before we reach the Seiryuu encampment, I stop Miaka-san so that we can make up a plan. It was against my better judgment, but I decided to follow hers.
"I…I want to try and get it back myself. The Shinzahou was my responsibility. It's only right that I should be the one to claim it again."
"I don't like this Miaka-san. I could at least patrol around the camp and take out the guards."
"But, if Nakago doesn't hear from them, won't he become suspicious? You told me that he's over confident about his chances to succeed. I think that by using his overconfidence, knowing that you would be nearby and knowing that your feather will protect me, I have the best chance doing this alone."
I admit that this line of reasoning takes me by surprise. It's not that Miaka-san is stupid, but that she doesn't apply her mind to issues of great importance unless the situation becomes critical. More often, wanting to also keep those around her happy and optimistic, she tends to play the role of a bubbly airhead. After meeting Yui-san and knowing the extent of her sorrow, I now begin to wonder if this personality of Miaka-sans was originally invented and perfected for the sake of the Seiryuu no Miko. Still, as I have stated, I decided to follow Miaka-san's plan. As she began to walk over the next hill, I fly up and hide myself in one of the many pine trees within the area. The tree gives me an unobstructed view of Nakago-san's tent.
Time seems to drag for me. Even though Miaka-san has not been in the tent for very long, I truly want this battle over with. In one way, I anticipate the fight, in another way, I abhor it. When did I become so blood thirsty? What is happening to me? Next chance I get, I should send a question to my Obaa. But, now isn't the time. Fortunately, for my nerves, something finally happens. Miaka-san telepathically screams for my help. Within a split second, I raise a ki barrier around her, just like the one I had used against Suboshi-san when he attacked the Sou family. With my brain allowing me to multi task, I thankfully don't give up my position to the blonde Shougun. No less than a few minutes later, Nakago-san storms out of his tent, moving towards his horse. Surprised, I send out a question towards Miaka-san…
That she never answers back.
Nakago-san had just begun to issue orders to the guards and was just about to mount his horse, when I struck. Using gravity to my advantage, I had stayed in the sun while swooping down like a raptor against a mouse. It was from the flat of his back that he figured out what had hit him. Knowing that the same trick would not work on him twice, I landed so that I could battle against him, one-on-one.
My main concern was to keep him from the tent, so that nothing more could befall Miaka-san. The second, was the Shinzahou, which I doubt he realizes is in my hand; that was the main purpose of my strike. Still seething with my unusual anger, it doesn't help Nakago-san's chances when he has the audacity to give me his, "I know that I've already won" smirk. I will not be that little boy that he defeated so easily before.
Nakago-san draws his sword, readying for battle. I seem to catch him off hand as all I do is flex my fingers, showing off my talons. As a seasoned sword fighter, he comes at me, looking shocked only as my claws deflect the blow of his sword. The guards stand off to the side, smart enough to know that neither of them would stand a chance if they were to become involved with this fight. I continue to fight him, sword to talon, until he realizes that thanks to what I am, unlike him, I am not tiring out. Hearing his fast heart beats, his short of breath and smelling his perspiration (Not to mention feeling his Ki grow weaker) I tense up as Nakago-san gives in to a last ditch effort. He comes at me one more time, trying now to get to his horse. For this next part, I must thank Tasuki-san. As he comes at me, I grab his arm, turn my body around and throw Nakago-san to the ground. Thanks to the constant training Tasuki-san gave me, I had finally perfected the throw-down move that Tasuki-san had shown to me during my first day at Hotohori-san's palace. Needless to say, Nakago-san was totally shocked. Getting up from the ground, he ran to his horse and jumped up to the mount. It was then, that he decided to talk to me.
"We will meet again. Do not think that your victory here was anything special. Your Miko is distraught and no longer a virgin, your fellow seishi are riding off to their doom, and what more, I still have the Shinzahou. I still win."
Nakago-san rode off, his guards doing their best to catch up. With him gone, I hold up the sacred item, wondering how long it will take him, before he realizes that it is missing. I afforded myself a little smirk, before running to the tent.
What I find there disgusts me.
Miaka-san lies there, a small trickle of blood coming from her mouth, with a good size bruise rapidly forming on her left check. What more, she is only half dressed. Doing what I can with Mitsukake-san healing medicine, she finally wakes up, just as I'm buttoning up the last button on her shirt. Lifelessly, she looks over at me. Knowing that she will talk when she feels like it, I begin to ask her the questions.
"Can you stand up?"
All she does is nod. I help her to her feet and ask the next question.
"Can you walk?"
She hesitates before she walks again.
"Can you go far?"
She pauses yet again before shaking her head "no." I turn around and wrap my wings around my front.
"Climb on."
Mechanically, she does so. I walk with her that way well until after sunset. During the time, she falls to sleep against my back. It isn't until I stop to make a fire and to make her comfortable with the blanket I stole from the tent that Miaka-san finally speaks.
"Doko ni iku?" (Where are we going?")
Not expecting her to talk to me, at least tonight, I say the only intelligible thing that comes to mind.
"Nani?" (What?)
"Minna wa, nansei ni notta. Atashitachi ga, tada minami ni aruteitta wa yo. Sore ja, doko ni iku?" (The others rode off South Westerly. We've only been walking South. So, where are we going?)
I sigh, before answering.
"I don't think that you can go far in you're condition, so I'm having us go to the only shelter I know of in this area. She was an adopted sister of mine, whom fell in love with a roaming trader. She moved up here, to be with him during the winter months. Three years after they married, he was attacked on his route and was killed. She would have moved back, but she had already fell in love with the village she was in, and had already had a small job as the local dairy farmer. I only hope that Opii has a couple of extra horses and some supplies that she can give up."
"Opii?"
"It's her nickname. When my mother found her a little over ten years ago, she had lost all of her memory, except that she had been from a small village that had been destroyed by fire and that her initials were O.P. My mother took her in and gave her the name of Ou Kouran. Interestingly enough, it is because of her, that I met Chichiri-san when I was six years old, though I don't know if he remembers me. When his village had been destroyed by the flood and he had been blinded, Kouran had found him while trying to find other people whom had once belonged to her village; hoping to find someone who could tell her who she really was. I remember her saying that he was really shocked, because her name was the same as his fiancé's and her looks where very similar. He stayed at our home for a couple of months, before wandering off one night. I was scared for him, because he had used to play with me, when I was supposed to be studying. I asked Tai'itsu-kun to find him and expressed my worry. She found him, led him to Her mountain and, under my pleas, trained him."
I look over, to see Miaka-san looking over at me, with a sorrowful look of happiness. She seemed happy to know more about her Shichiseishi's pasts, but could not get rid of her pain. I finally worked up the nerve and used my male ability to not understand the word "tact," and asked:
"Why are you so sad, Miaka-san?"
"I…I didn't get the Shinzahou!"
It was then that she began to cry. I wondered when she would, for it would have been unhealthy for her not to. When she finally quieted down, and gave a few hiccups, I smiled and held the necklace up.
"You mean this?"
She stared in utter amazement!
"Where…when…?"
"When I fought Nakago-san, the first thing I did was tackle him and take it back. He may have figured this out by now, but I'm shielding us from his presence. But, there's something else I sense from you. What else is wrong?"
Here, she blushes. She stutters for a bit, before she reveals to me that thanks to Nakago-san, she is no longer a virgin.
"You see, I have to be a virgin, in order to call upon Suzaku!"
I invade her personal body space, and begin to sniff her. I get as close to her mid body as both she and my sense of propriety will allow and take in many long sniffs.
"He lied."
"What?"
"Nakago-san lied. You're still a virgin. I…would be able to smell if you weren't."
Again, she cries, this time in relief. With all of the emotional upsets that the day has given her, sleep finally claims her once more. Deciding that I can afford to sleep lightly, I move only a bit away. Thoughts and memories of my Onee fill my head as I also fall into the arms of sleep.
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There you guys go, a long awaited chapter! Let me know ASAP what you think of it, because whether anyone reviews or not, I will post the next chapter on Wed. Also, Otaku Pitcher…Yes Opii is you! Also, the character Ou Kouran is not totally made up. If you read Chichiri's Gaiden, you will find the little blurb about Ou Kouran to be true (Though not that she was of any relation to Chiriko…) Thanks you Amy for reminding me of her!