Chapter Six: Shichi Seishi Amefuri

"We need to assess the situation," Subaru said calmly. Her, Tokaki and Tatara were locked in a small grey room, their hands were bound behind their backs.

"What is there to assess? We need to find Suzuno and get out of here," Tokaki started speaking quickly. "I can teleport, go looking for Suzuno and take us out of here."

"No way! You wanna leave Kousa!" Subaru snapped. "We can't do that!"

"He'll be fine with his own kind."

Tatara sat quietly in the corner as the two argued. He could only think about Suzuno, her beautiful hair, soft face, her kind smile... He needed to find her, he wanted to save her... to be with her. He would do anything for her.

"Can you teleport somewhere you've never been?" Tatara suddenly asked, looking at Tokaki. "What if you teleport into a wall?"

Tokaki thought about it for a few minutes. "I've never really tried anything like that, but I'm sure I could get to the other side of the wall."

"No, we need to think of something else."

"I'll risk it for Suzuno." Tokaki insisted

"No, we need you in one piece," Tatara said the words, wanting to keep his friend away from harm, but deep inside himself he wanted very badly to risk everything to find Suzuno. But no, he needed to think logically. He couldn't keep letting his heart get in his way.

"I could turn you into a baby again, that would get you guys out of your ropes."

Both Tatara and Tokaki nodded. "Just be quick about it, I wasn't very fond of it the last time..." Tokaki mumbled.

"You guys just try to not cry, that will bring every bandit to this room."

Subaru took a deep breath, trying to bring the power back. She wasn't sure if she could do it again, but then she felt the mark begin to burn with power and she knew it was in her. It always had been there deep inside of her, ready for her use.

"JI-"

The door suddenly opened and Subaru felt a sharp blow to her jaw.

"Stop that!" They recognized the voice and then they saw the cold face of Chi. "I won't have you using your powers on me." Chi looked back. "Jian."

The younger blond girl from before entered the room and brought with her Suzuno, also bound. Then she threw Suzuno into the room with the rest, her spear raised in anticipation.

"What do you want!?!" Tokaki screamed at the girls, ready at any moment to transport beside them and easily kill them both.

"What do I want?" Chi asked, thinking the matter over. "Nothing you can give me."

"What do you want with the Miko?" Tatara asked, getting to his feet and walking over to Suzuno.

"Have you ever heard of what will happen when Byakko is summoned?"

"I get three wishes," Suzuno blurted out.

Chi rolled her eyes. "You will summon the wrath of Byakko!"

"What?"

"Byakko already came to this world, but you in the south killed him. Haven't they told you this Miko? Or have they told you that it is a lie? My father believes it to be true, and so do I, so I shall wait for him to come and decide what is best," then she turned and left, Jian at her heals.

The door closed and Suzuno looked back at the Seishi in confusion. "What was she talking about?

Tatara sighed. "She's talking about why the North and South are at war."

"Tell me, I need to know these things."

He nodded. "Sit," the two sat down. "Years and years ago, before any who now live were born, a man and woman fell in love. He was from the South, a mighty and most loved Prince and she was a Lady from the North.

"They met and fell in love instantly. Every year he would return to her in secret, for he was not allowed to marry until he was older. Their love had to remain a secret until the proper year approached.

"When the year finally came their marriage was announced and all were happy... but then it was discovered that the Lady was pregnant. The Prince could not understand how such a thing was possible, and when her family asked she said it was Byakko who grew in her stomach.

"Her story was so believable that she managed to convince all those Lords in the North... but the Prince was not convinced. He knew that she had loved another and refused to believe that it was Byakko, and the South followed him.

"Before the baby was to be born, the Prince came for her, wanting her to speak the truth. They began to fight and she ran away to the mountains, but he followed, wanting to love her still...

"She fell to her death, and the Prince stood above on the rocks and saw his true love die with the baby inside. The North was furious! They said that the Prince had killed Byakko and a war began that never finished. They believed then that if Byakko was ever to be summoned that he would destroy Xi-Lang and all who inhabit it."

Tatara fell silent.

"It's so sad... What happened to the Prince?" Suzuno asked in a sad voice.

"Died," Tokaki said. "He couldn't live without his Lady."

"Will the bandit's kill us...?"

"I-"

"AHHHHHH!!!" The wretched scream came from outside the door, they all looked at the door in fear as it opened and suddenly Kousa was thrown in. He screamed again, covered in blood. The four of them knew that he had been hurt badly yet again.

"Shut up ya pathetic piece of shit!" The bandit yelled and closed the door, but not before saying that he'd be back for another one of them.

Kousa curled into a ball, his hand were bound as well, but his were in front of him.

"Kousa!" Subaru yelled. "Are you alright!?!" She came forward, wishing that she could reach out and touch him. "Are you hurt bad!?! Say something!!!"

"Doulin...?" He asked meekly.

"Yeah, I'm here Kousa."

"Why does everyone feel tha need ta kick tha shit outta me...?"

"Because you're despicable," Tokaki muttered.

"Shut up!" Subaru yelled, looking at Tokaki with such hate suddenly that he felt he had to turn away. "You're all so mean to him! Just leave him alone!" Tears were rimming her eyes. "He's hurt and he needs help!!!"

"Kousa..." Suzuno whispered. "Kousa."

"Suzuno... I gotta tell ya somethin'," Kousa said, looking at Suzuno, his right eye was red from a cut on his brow. "I gotta tell ya somethin' important..." His eyes went out of focus, looking up at the ceiling.

Suzuno felt her heart stop. He looked up at the ceiling, his breathing shallow, his poor broken and bleeding body... She thought she might cry out of pity. She knew in her heart that Kousa wasn't a bad person, he had just made wrong decisions. He was good, she knew it.

"I lied to ya..." He whispered, finding her face again. "I lied..."

Tokaki glared at him, wanting to say something, but bit his tongue for Subaru's sake.

"What are you talking about Kousa? When did you lie?" Subaru asked.

Kousa kept on talking as if he hadn't heard her. "That Shiroishi guy... he knows me, I never met him... but he knew..." Kousa smiled bitterly. "I've betrayed ya all." He looked at Subaru. "I was tryin' to run Doulin... Tryin' to hide..." Kousa's eyes closed and he stopped moving.

"Kousa? Kousa!?!" Subaru yelled, wanting to shake him. "SAY SOMETHING!!!"

Tatara looked at him closely. "He's alive, he's just asleep."

"Are you sure!?!"

"Yes," Tatara nodded. "He's alive."

"I don't understand what he was saying about himself and Shiroishi... and betraying us???" Suzuno thought that she might cry. How could he have betrayed them, he was a good person. He had to be a good person!

"Him and Shiroishi told the bandits about us," Tokaki said.

"No!" Subaru yelled. "He wouldn't do that to us! To me!"

"Face the facts! He just confessed! Your friend is a cold-blooded bandit!"

"NO!" Subaru yelled and rammed her shoulder into Tokaki.

Tokaki teleported to the other side of the room, leaving his bonds behind. He stood and glared down at Subaru. "You're a fool," he said quietly. She began to sob, her face falling to the ground and suddenly Tokaki felt guilty. He should have been nicer, for whatever reason that was her friend... but she had to move on.

"We have Suzuno, so we should leave," Tokaki said, bending over and undoing Tatara's bonds. He looked over at the two crying women and then at the unconscious Kousa. He suddenly wasn't sure if they should leave him or not.

Tatara was thinking the same thing. "What about Kousa?"

Tokaki looked long and hard at Subaru's beautiful features, twisted into a sad face. He hated that look on her, it pained him to see it. "We take him with us, he can face the judge."

Tatara nodded, standing up and undoing Suzuno's bonds. He held her sore wrists his hands, caressing the bruised flesh. Suzuno felt herself blushing as he gently lifted her onto her feet, and so she quickly looked away.

"Subaru... I'm sorry," Tokaki said, undoing her bonds. "I didn't mean to be so harsh." He lifted her to her feet. Subaru shook her head and wiped her tears away, her beautiful face emerging.

"It's alright... I'll be fine," her face was stern, the light in her eyes seemed dimmed.

"All right, I'll transport first. I've seen outside the door, so there won't be any problems. We'll do this one at a time," he looked down at Kousa. "And we'll all leave."

Everyone nodded and suddenly Tokaki disappeared. Then suddenly he was back again and took Tatara's arm. "You first."

They disappeared, but then Tokaki came again for Suzuno, then Subaru and finally he came back for Kousa. He leaned down and gently slapped Kousa's face. Kousa twitched and then opened his eyes.

"Don't look so scared to see me," Tokaki said. "I'm actually here to save you."

"Oh my Byakko... I'm dead aren' I? This would never happen in tha real world..." Kousa muttered silently, teetering on the edge of consciousness.

"Shut up and let's go," Tokaki grabbed his arm and suddenly the two were in the hallway.

"Left or right?" Tatara asked, looking down the hallways.

"We came in from the left," Tokaki said, remembering when they had been dragged in there. In had been dark, but he was pretty sure that he remembered what way they had come from. He was fairly certain that he could lead the group out safely. "Help me carry this weasel," Tokaki and Tatara both grabbed one of Kousa's shoulder's and began dragging him down the hallway. Suzuno and Subaru were both trying to ignore the pain Kousa was in.

"This place is like a maze," Tatara remarked, wishing they could see better, the place was so badly lit.

"We're doing fine," Tokaki reassured him.

They suddenly came to a large room, full of lights. There on the other end they saw the door, the exit they had been looking for. And there in the middle of the room was the band of bandits.

"Oh for the love of," Tokaki began, and quickly propped Kousa against the wall and teleported away. He wasted no time in fighting them.

The call went up in the bandits as they noticed that they were being attacked. Tatara and Subaru then jumped into the fray.

Kousa leaned against the wall, barely able to make out the forms before him, and having a harder time trying to stay standing. He couldn't keep his eyes on Tokaki because he was continuously teleporting, but he managed to see Tatara and Subaru fighting.

Tatara was using the fact that they were underground to his advantage. Roots were growing out of the ceiling, ensnaring bandits. Subaru was using her powers. Bandits would come at her and then suddenly become small infants or elderly men and women.

Suzuno was by Kousa, keeping her distance from the fighting and continuing to look at Kousa, trying to figure out what he had been talking about before. Had he really betrayed them? She didn't think so, it just wasn't possible.

Then fight seemed to be coming to a close. This time the Seishi had the upper hand. But the fight wasn't over. As Kousa watched on he suddenly noticed a figure standing, looking at him. And then the figure threw something... a knife.

Kousa barely had any time to react.

Suzuno looked over and just had time to hear Kousa scream and the knife hit his stomach. Kousa's hands were on the hilt, fear in his eyes.

"Oh Byakko," he mumbled and fell to the ground.

"KOUSA!!!" Suzuno screamed, rushing to his side. But his eyes were closed, his breathing un-evident. Tyamine Kousa was dead. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Suzuno screamed, tears were streaming down her face, not caring what he might have done. All she could see was the young man who she read to one night, a man who seemed lost and sad and unloved. A man who did not deserve to die.

Suddenly Chi ran into the room from another entrance, Jian at her heels along with dozens of other bandits. Chi looked like she might kill them all.

"GET THEM BACK IN THE ROOM!!!" She screamed, taking out a sword and charging.

Before Chi reached them though, the entrance to the cave swung open. All eyes looked to the door and there stood a figure robed in white. Shiroishi.

"KAZE COME FORTH!!!" He yelled and suddenly a burst of wind surged through the door, knocking the bandits back. Shiroishi swept down the stairs, hitting the bandits. His cloak fell from his shoulders and Tatara and Tokaki gasped at what they saw. There on the back of his left shoulder, shining even thought his grey tunic, was the sign for 'Rain Net'. This was the fourth Shichi Seishi, Amefuri.

The tide had turned in the Seishi's favour once more.

(I liked writing this chapter. I just loved all the inner-conflict going on it it. Hell, there's conflict in this chapter that you guys don't even know about, but you guys will figure it out soon enough. Moowhahahahaha!!! I gotta tell you guys, this Fic is something of an effort on my part. I mean, I love writing these characters and coming up with mythology, but I keep thinking that nobody reads this and I'm just writing it for nothing. So I would like to take the times to thank azn-saphirestar, Hydra-Star, Fukai Tsumi, Abby-normal, arena .m, Sister of Darkness and Aoi Dragon Aoi: I love their name!(the rest of you guys I forced to review). Your reviews really meant a lot of kept me going, otherwise I would have abandoned a long time ago. So this story is for you guys! *Hugs and Tatara plushies all around* Well maybe now I should talk a bit more about this chapter. Poor Kousa, he just got more and more hurt until... well I feel sorry for Kousa. My first real creation in this book and I'm not very nice to him. I'm having lots of fun writing the Subaru/Tokaki relationship, he likes her but doesn't want to admit it and she likes him but also hates him. Very angsty, the best kind. I'm having lots more fun with them also because Tatara and Suzuno have such fish love. Fish love I say! But I'm doing my best to not make it boring. You guys like so far? Well I should stop rambling, again, sorry this isn't edited yet, but it's a lofty work in process... Eh, I'm lazy. But it will happen! Ok, thanks you guys so much! You are my reasons for writing!)

Review:

azn: Thank you for not giving up on me! I think you're the only one!