Chapter 102
Genji prepared to leave with his friends for the land of Korin, which lay under the Tenkai's shadow. The first thing he did was write the letter he promised Marron. He would mail it as soon as he reached the land of Korin. He then said his goodbyes to the villagers and the raven gods. Moma was rather accepting of Genji's departure for a devoted Red Elk, and only gave a nibble on the boy's bangs. Most of the young girls were crying, not wanting the lovable Genji to leave! A lot of the men wished Genji luck and gave him blessings from the gods.
One young man gave Genji an interesting gift. It was an Emishi short sword.
"My father forged it and handled it himself. His blood, sweat, tears and soul went into everything he did with it. He's too old to give it to you himself, so he asked me to offer it. Please take this sword with you, he says, you may be in need of it."
Genji looked at the sword. It was no different from other swords the Emishi forged: the blade was three feet long, ended in a sharp angle, the hilt was wrapped in leather and finished with a brass ring he could fit two fingers in.
Genji shook his head sadly.
**It's a beautiful sword, but I can't take it. It belongs to your father.**
"But you must!" the man gasped. "He wants you to have it! Please! It will help you in future travels! I promise you!"
Genji hung his head for a moment to think, then he brought it back up with a smile.
**Tell your father that I thank him very much, and I wish him the best of help. I will respect his sword, and return it to him when I come back. What's your name?**
The boy smiled widely, and gave the sword to Genji.
"Yuji! And my father is Yupa! He'll be overjoyed! Thank you very much, Sir Genji!"
Genji bowed with a last message to the boy.
**Please don't call me 'Sir.' The wolves don't take men into their tribe.**
He headed for the village entrance. Piccolo, Yume, Momiji, Ryu, Arangami, Trunks, and Goten were waiting for him. Yume's sattlebag was tied on her back, filled with supplies. Trunks came foreword as Genji approached.
"We're taking the cargo truck." Trunks explained as Ryu slumped his shoulders in fear of the news. "It's a one-an-a-half day trip. Is that okay?" Genji nodded while Ryu shook his head.
"I hate riding in the truck." Ryu moaned. "Can't you guys fly us there?"
"We'd love to." Trunks shook his head. "But Yume is just too much for us to carry."
Ryu sighed while Genji nodded again. Then, he heard hooves behind him, and turned. He couldn't believe what he saw! Riding atop Hasanko was someone wearing Emishi robes, a straw cape, and a red hood with mouth cloth. Even though Genji couldn't see the warrior's face, he knew only one person Hasanko would allow to ride on him.....
**Saki-chan, what are you doing?**
"I'm going with you."
**No, you're not! Your people need you here!**
"I'm not letting the possibility of death get to you, Genji." Murasaki argued. "I want to be there just in case something goes wrong."
**But your people....**
".....agreed that you need me more than they do. My father and Suzaku will watch over the village. They want me to go with you!"
**Saki-chan......**
"She can come with us if she wants to." Piccolo spoke up. "This is her decision, just like take the potion is yours."
Genji gritted his teeth as he thought. After a while, he took a strap of Hasanko's reigns and led him towards teh group. Murasaki smiled at the boy.
"Thank you, Genji-chan."
He looked up at her and smiled with one nod. The others turned and left the village behind them.
There were Emishi laws about watching those leaving their territory. You were not to see someone off if they were banished, if they were an enemy, if their hair had been cut off, or if they were travelors whose home was not in the territory. Genji was the latter, as all his friends were.
However, against all those laws, the people of the village called goodbye to him and waved.
Even against thousands of years of tradition, the Emishi people honored Genji's deeds and his warrior spirit as he left the village and entered the pages of Emishi history.
/|\
They traveled on foot through the forest until they reached the parking lot away from the lands of the Emishi. Trunks and Goten loaded everyone into the truck but themselves, and the two boys jumped into the front cab. As the engine started up, everyone took a seat and made themselves comfortable. Piccolo and Arangami began to meditate, Ryu started a conversation with Momiji and Murasaki, Yume decided to take a nap, and Genji looked out the window to the cab to stare out the windshield. He sat on Hasanko's back to do so.
The truck pulled out of the lot, and turned on a country road. Genji entertained himself by watching the road go by and glancing at Chinese roadsigns. He also thought to himself.
'I finished one quest and began another. Now, I must search through the heavens to find the one who will cure me. Will my travels never end?
'Will Yume and I ever see home again?'
Genji prepared to leave with his friends for the land of Korin, which lay under the Tenkai's shadow. The first thing he did was write the letter he promised Marron. He would mail it as soon as he reached the land of Korin. He then said his goodbyes to the villagers and the raven gods. Moma was rather accepting of Genji's departure for a devoted Red Elk, and only gave a nibble on the boy's bangs. Most of the young girls were crying, not wanting the lovable Genji to leave! A lot of the men wished Genji luck and gave him blessings from the gods.
One young man gave Genji an interesting gift. It was an Emishi short sword.
"My father forged it and handled it himself. His blood, sweat, tears and soul went into everything he did with it. He's too old to give it to you himself, so he asked me to offer it. Please take this sword with you, he says, you may be in need of it."
Genji looked at the sword. It was no different from other swords the Emishi forged: the blade was three feet long, ended in a sharp angle, the hilt was wrapped in leather and finished with a brass ring he could fit two fingers in.
Genji shook his head sadly.
**It's a beautiful sword, but I can't take it. It belongs to your father.**
"But you must!" the man gasped. "He wants you to have it! Please! It will help you in future travels! I promise you!"
Genji hung his head for a moment to think, then he brought it back up with a smile.
**Tell your father that I thank him very much, and I wish him the best of help. I will respect his sword, and return it to him when I come back. What's your name?**
The boy smiled widely, and gave the sword to Genji.
"Yuji! And my father is Yupa! He'll be overjoyed! Thank you very much, Sir Genji!"
Genji bowed with a last message to the boy.
**Please don't call me 'Sir.' The wolves don't take men into their tribe.**
He headed for the village entrance. Piccolo, Yume, Momiji, Ryu, Arangami, Trunks, and Goten were waiting for him. Yume's sattlebag was tied on her back, filled with supplies. Trunks came foreword as Genji approached.
"We're taking the cargo truck." Trunks explained as Ryu slumped his shoulders in fear of the news. "It's a one-an-a-half day trip. Is that okay?" Genji nodded while Ryu shook his head.
"I hate riding in the truck." Ryu moaned. "Can't you guys fly us there?"
"We'd love to." Trunks shook his head. "But Yume is just too much for us to carry."
Ryu sighed while Genji nodded again. Then, he heard hooves behind him, and turned. He couldn't believe what he saw! Riding atop Hasanko was someone wearing Emishi robes, a straw cape, and a red hood with mouth cloth. Even though Genji couldn't see the warrior's face, he knew only one person Hasanko would allow to ride on him.....
**Saki-chan, what are you doing?**
"I'm going with you."
**No, you're not! Your people need you here!**
"I'm not letting the possibility of death get to you, Genji." Murasaki argued. "I want to be there just in case something goes wrong."
**But your people....**
".....agreed that you need me more than they do. My father and Suzaku will watch over the village. They want me to go with you!"
**Saki-chan......**
"She can come with us if she wants to." Piccolo spoke up. "This is her decision, just like take the potion is yours."
Genji gritted his teeth as he thought. After a while, he took a strap of Hasanko's reigns and led him towards teh group. Murasaki smiled at the boy.
"Thank you, Genji-chan."
He looked up at her and smiled with one nod. The others turned and left the village behind them.
There were Emishi laws about watching those leaving their territory. You were not to see someone off if they were banished, if they were an enemy, if their hair had been cut off, or if they were travelors whose home was not in the territory. Genji was the latter, as all his friends were.
However, against all those laws, the people of the village called goodbye to him and waved.
Even against thousands of years of tradition, the Emishi people honored Genji's deeds and his warrior spirit as he left the village and entered the pages of Emishi history.
/|\
They traveled on foot through the forest until they reached the parking lot away from the lands of the Emishi. Trunks and Goten loaded everyone into the truck but themselves, and the two boys jumped into the front cab. As the engine started up, everyone took a seat and made themselves comfortable. Piccolo and Arangami began to meditate, Ryu started a conversation with Momiji and Murasaki, Yume decided to take a nap, and Genji looked out the window to the cab to stare out the windshield. He sat on Hasanko's back to do so.
The truck pulled out of the lot, and turned on a country road. Genji entertained himself by watching the road go by and glancing at Chinese roadsigns. He also thought to himself.
'I finished one quest and began another. Now, I must search through the heavens to find the one who will cure me. Will my travels never end?
'Will Yume and I ever see home again?'