Disclaimer: Watashi wa Fushigi Yuugi o shoyuu sumasen.
I apologize for taking such an unbelievably long time with this chapter. But after seeing all these people updating so often, I worked my muse to the bone and managed to get this finished. Hope you enjoy!
* * *
Gi Ayuru was not a happy man. Not that he was generally noted as the cheerful sort, but this foray into unhappiness was distinctly darker than usual. Too much had gone wrong this week and, to quote Chidan, the commander of the Kutou guard, "his ass was hog-shit". Candid, if not a bit coarse for Ayuru's taste in comments, but no less true. He was in deep trouble and it wasn't going to be as easy to get out of it as usual.
The first problem was Konan itself. Trying to coordinate a war between the two countries wasn't working out as it should have. Emperor Saihitei should have been trying to retaliate the attacking forces yet all the foolish teenager did was allow the minimal number of guardsmen and eager young Warriors to defend the eastern fringes of his land from the invaders. His elite spy-force was doing a decent amount of damage and learning a good amount about Konan itself, but it seemed that for every civilian they took out, two spies were killed in their place.
Second, the Warrior twins sent to Konan hadn't returned and Ayuru wasn't betting on them returning now. The two were supposed to be doing close-contact reconnaissance and not get into any fights - a bet he shouldn't have gambled on. Not that he was completely destroyed by the death of the duo, but it did mean a loss in ranks. In addition, he was fairly certain that most of the Konan people knew of the Seiryuu Seishi attack and pride in their country was raising spirits up in a way that meant only bad things for Kutou.
Third, Bu Koutoku was missing. Generally, missing Seishi meant a different kind of problem, but Ayuru knew that this particular young man had fled the Kutou Discipline Center rather than disappeared. Adding to the fact that the boy seemed to know a lot more than he let on and that he was quite possibly one of the Chosen Seiryuu Shichiseishi, this made his vanishing act seem less and less of a fluke by Ayuru's logic. And without the even-tempered twin to balance him, Bu Shunkaku suddenly became a wild card that couldn't be relied on.
The Kutou emperor was less than pleased with these three turns of events, and when the emperor was dissatisfied, everyone from here to Konan was unhappy.
Ayuru in particular.
He generally bore the brunt of most of Shoukitei-sama's anger, being that he was both the most trusted advisor and the Chief Warrior of the Seiryuu Seishi ranks. Usually he could shrug off the spiteful remarks without much thought, but today's rants hit him harder than usual, mostly because he was internally berating himself for all the mistakes he should have known and prevented along with the Emperor's bad-tempered declarations.
Shit. Shitshitshitshit, he swore up and down a blue streak, though his facial expression never changed from the eternally indifferent look everyone could see. Ayuru was quite famous for his imperturbable way of speaking and acting, but that didn't mean that he completely lacked all feelings - anger for instance. When I find the child that thought he could escape his destiny… he left the threat open, thinking up new and wonderful ways to torture the boy without killing him… unfortunately.
He walked through the palace, irritation coloring his authoritative footsteps. When he finally reached his destination, Ayuru opened the door to his personal room and was intensely pleased to see two of his shadow-cloaked spies standing and waiting for him to arrive. Intrusion was frowned upon, especially of Gi-sama's room, but Ayuru had been expecting them since before he was called to speak with the emperor and was willing to overlook this infraction… this time.
"Gi-sama," both men bowed and bent upon one knee, noticing him at the same time.
"What news do you bring me?" he asked, crossing his arms and waiting. If I hear more bad news today, someone is going to be missing his head in a very literal manner.
"I bring you news of the Chosen Chiriko Seishi," the first man stood up and spoke. "I was able to shoot the boy's ketsu, but the arrow did not kill it." Ayuru frowned, a persuasive technique to get the man to get to the point. "He brought the dying bird to a nearby healer's home, and they are currently under the protection of the man and his cat. However, I was unable to kill him, as he is inside the home."
Ayuru took a deep breath, his voice become cold. "Let me get this straight; all that is protecting this little boy is one healer and his pet, and yet you cannot fight him? Apparently I sent a child to do a man's job."
"There are… wards against evil placed around the valley and his home, Gi-sama," the spy continued nervously. "I cannot touch them, physically or magically."
Ayuru was in no mood to keep listening to this. He brought a hand up, silencing the man. "Be it so, I want the boy killed. If it cannot be done within the next few days, you will find yourself in a very difficult position. Understand?" The man nodded, bowing submissively again. "Go."
And he disappeared with a whisper of darkness, leaving two men left in the room. Ayuru looked impatiently at the second and he began. "My news is little better. I have followed your orders, Gi-sama, and have done only observations, but from what I know the Chosen Suzaku Shichiseishi have already begun to band together. There is little chance for animosity to be sown among the group."
"I would expect no less from the Chosen Shichiseishi," Ayuru noted, letting logic take over. "And what of the murders?"
"I have heard many rumors and they are all quite real," the spy said, a dark smirk on his lips. "It seems the Suzaku ketsu are being picked off one by one by an unknown force."
This was the first bit of good news Ayuru had heard in a while, so it did help to soften his mood. Slightly. "Good. I want you and your soldiers to keep looking to find who this 'unknown force' is. Report back to me within five days, but if you find new information bring it to me as soon as possible. Understood?"
"Yes, Gi-sama," and he too vanished without leaving a trace of his existence.
Satisfied that all extraneous bodies had left his room, Ayuru removed his inhumanly heavy armor until he was relaxing in a set of comfortable robes and staring out his window.
Soon… all too soon I'll be able to extract my revenge upon those who have destroyed my people, Ayuru's mind was filled with pictures of blood and bones piling at his feet, replacing the rather nice cityscape in front of him. And I will rule this world with the honor I should have always been given.
But despite the fact that he was incredibly wrapped up in his twisted fantasy, he didn't miss the sound of quiet paws coming up next to him. The hush of padded feet on the thick carpet couldn't be heard by anyone except Ayuru himself, no matter how hard a person listened. Mostly it had to do with the fact that the animal connected to said paws was a tiger and thoroughly skilled at stealth-walking, but also that this particular tiger tended to walk a half-inch off the ground whenever in the company of his Seishi.
'You handled that rather brilliantly,' a bass thrum resonated within Ayuru's essence. 'You kept yourself from killing them. A lovely show of restraint, wouldn't you agree?'
Ayuru humphed, lacking anything resembling a sense of humor at the moment. Taiyo was probably the only creature on the face of this world that he would allow such mockery of him to take place. The tiger had a bitterly sarcastic mind, which was actually very compatible to Ayuru's wit when the Nakago Seishi felt like trading barbs. Now was not the time.
"I am in no mood for idle prattle, Taiyo. You know of the comings and goings of the palace, you know of the problems I am currently dealing with, and you know that my patience does not last for anyone."
'No, it does not, and I do not pretend you will treat me different than any other person or creature in this place,' Taiyo sat down in the deceptive pose of relaxation, speaking with painful brusqueness. 'Yet do not forget that I am not the one who cannot survive if one of us were to leave. Though I acknowledge the fact that I would never be whole without you, you need me more than I need you. Do not push away the last remainder of your family and spirit or you will surely end up like Shoukitei - a man so hated and cursed that he lives in constant fear each and every day despite his power. And the road you are traveling will lead you to become exactly what you choose to destroy.'
"You claim to know so much about me, animal," Ayuru whirled on his ketsu. "If only you knew the secrets I carry, then you would not presume to judge me so!"
Taiyo did nothing except gaze at his Seishi with all knowing eyes, so sharp that Ayuru felt a shiver of disquiet run down his back. But he never broke eye contact until the white tiger smiled with razor-sharp fangs and mirthless humor.
'If only you knew the secrets I do know, then you would not presume to think of yourself as closer to godliness than I. For you are no more a god than the grass you trample upon, and I… I am the very embodiment of Seiryuu's blessing. It would do you well to remember both my place and yours.'
And just as quickly as he entered this section of their shared room, Taiyo took his leave and went back to his quiet alcove where he laid down, presumably to sleep. Ayuru, on the other hand, hadn't moved from his place next to the window that painted a beautiful landscape of the Kutou Capital. Though his eyes stared longingly outside, he never saw a bit of the marvelous scene.
Perhaps Taiyo is right, Ayuru let the reluctant thought swell in his mind. He is the only one I have left. I do him grave injustice by insulting his role in my life. Still, he is only a tiger and cannot possibly comprehend the same pains I have lived through for the years he was not with me. He will never understand me and I… I am not willing to help him learn. To stay strong, I must remove myself from everything I may ever care about. I will not be weak again.
For once, Ayuru missed the sound of his ketsu releasing a large breath of air, one that most people would have designated as a sigh of long-held grief.
* * *
"Fuckin' goddamn piece of shit gone and almost fuckin' killed Doukun 'n Chie and you wanna just sit here???" Shun'u screamed at Houjun, slamming his hands on the huge oak desk. "What the fuck's wrong with you?"
"Nothing's wrong with me, no da," he replied in a calming tone, trying not to lose his already-shortened temper with the fire child. "But in all honesty… what do you want me to do? Or for that matter, what do you think you can do, no da?" Shun'u opened his mouth to argue some more, but Houjun lifted a silencing hand. "Think for a minute."
The younger snarled to himself, but complied. He didn't speak anything aloud but after a few minutes of internal debate, Shun'u folded in on himself and whispered, "I fuckin' hate this." Running a worried hand through his tousled mane, Shun'u kept talking. "Doukun's walkin 'round like he's afraid o' his own shadow, and he won't talk t' no one 'bout how he feels. He don't go nowhere but home and t' visit Chie at the Ketsu Hospice, and he don't even talk ta me when I see him, and it bothers the hell outta me because I can't help him if he won't let me!"
The younger man's voice rose gradually until he was practically shouting the last nine words out of honest anger and pain. Houjun felt a slight wave of relief come down, knowing now that Shun'u wouldn't do anything impulsive that could possibly put himself and/or Genrou at risk; the young man was too aware of his helplessness within the situation to act rashly. But he also felt every bit of Shun'u's distress, for the same emotions were burning within Houjun's chest.
I want nothing more than to hunt down the man who dared to hurt a child, he thought darkly, running the whole scenario through his burning mind. To injure a ketsu and scar the mind of such a young one deserves each and every revenge all of us can come up with. But I know better; we cannot run helter-skelter over the countryside and expect to find the outlaw sitting and waiting patiently for us. And we can't bet on the belief that we won't be targeted too. However, we do need to deal with the issue at hand before getting any farther.
"Shun'u," Houjun said gently. "Do you know if Doukun has any friends, no da? Anyone he speaks to on a regular basis?"
"Nah, don't think so," Shun'u shook his head. "Kid spends most o' his time buried in books. Probably knows more teachers 'en students."
"He seems rather attached to you and Ryuuen. Why don't the two of you spend a few hours or so with him, to see if you can possibly cheer him up, no da?" he suggested. "I doubt he's going to completely forget everything that's happened to him while in your company, but it might be good for all of you to spend some duty-free time outside the Center, no da."
Shun'u tossed the idea through his head for a few moments, visibly perking up. "Got two more classes ta hit b'fore my day's up, but sounds good ta me. I'll go track Ryuu-kun down and let 'im know everythin."
"All right, no da. You best be going then," Houjun subtly urged Shun'u to return to his daily routine, and the other Seishi took the hint without realizing it. He gave a quick bow before disappearing from the room like a spirit, quite intent on his mission to cheer Doukun up.
Houjun, however, was forced to go a different direction. He waved a distracted hand at the door, and it obliged his wishes by closing quickly and quietly as the Chichiri Seishi grabbed some of the scattered paperwork that needed to be finished by sunset.
Holy Suzaku, how many times does the Emperor need me to concur for this? Surely for something as necessary as a diplomatic session it would take only a few days to finish the documentation, not a few months! Of course, I am using common sense - a skill few politicians seem to have, Houjun frowned, signing what was possibly the seventh (and hopefully last) copy of the same information, then switched over to a different scroll. Reading the new stuff, he thought, All these channels to swim through… hey, I thought this was supposed to be put in effect half a year ago! AAAA!!!
Resisting the urge to hit his head on the desk violently and repeatedly, he closed his eyes and slowly pushed himself away from the heavy wooden object. Then on impulse, he slipped off his mask and called out, 'Shonin?'
'Yes, beloved?' Immediately, Houjun felt his irritation slipping away with each moment he spent mind-locked with the fox.
'Where are you?'
'In the Hospice with Chie, discussing Doukun's current state of mind. Am I needed?'
'Desperately. I'm not in the mood to deal with all this shit in front of me right now, so why not come run with me through northern Konan for a few years or so?' Houjun daydreamed, affronting Shonin a bit of amusement. 'It'll be fun!'
'Like the old days, huh. Well, just tell me when and we'll be off!'
'See, that's the wrong answer. You're supposed to remind me that I have duties to attend to, not agree to help me shirk them! Oh, and encourage me while you're at it.'
'Oh sorry. I'll try better next time,' she returned, sounding quite put-off. 'Shall I try again?'
Houjun couldn't help it; he let out a laugh both verbally and mentally that his ketsu reveled in and magnified a hundred-fold. Due to the rather high stress level his job entailed, the High Priest found that the lively fox was awfully good at abating his worries and could very easily keep both their moods favorable with a simple joke or facetious comment.
It kept them sane amidst the chaotic world of politics and religion.
'Since you seem to need some encouragement to stay on track, how 'bout I tell you how Chie is?' Shonin offered up. 'Will that help?'
'Shonin, anything you say will help me. What's going on?'
'Obviously if I'm talking to Chie it means she's awake and coherent, though a bit drained. Her wing is still slightly unhappy at having an arrow put through it, but given the fact that it was professionally taken care of almost immediately after the injury it's likely she'll be off the ground within five days. They got lucky, finding that doctor.'
Houjun went straight to the point. 'How's Doukun, from her point of view?'
'Not too good. I don't think Doukun knows this, but you know how us ketsu can always sense our Seishi's emotions even if we're prevented from reading your minds? Well, Chie's been worried because he's being really…'
'Suicidal?'
'Suzaku, no!' Shonin burst out, and Houjun let out a breath of eternal relief. 'No, it's not that bad, but it's guilt that's the problem. Guilt from not preventing what couldn't be prevented… and he's been dropping into a very dangerous mental state over the last three days.'
Ah… the guilt a person feels when their loved ones are injured or killed in front of their eyes, he sighed as painful memories floated up to the surface of his thoughts. The could-haves, the should-haves, the would-haves; feelings I am far too familiar with. He touched his scarred eye with a shaky hand, barely brushing the destroyed orb with the tips of his fingers. Feelings that will never go away…
He spoke to Shonin, trying to focus on Doukun. 'I sent Shun'u and possibly Ryuuen to take the boy into the city for a day of rest. I hope it was the right thing to do.'
And she sent a small curl of reassurance back to her beloved, the mental equivalent of nuzzling. 'The boys will take care of each other, and it's awfully difficult to stay depressed around those two. Besides, I've noticed we have a tendency to make up for the lack of knowledge within situations for good old-fashioned devotion and kindness. Seems to work pretty well.'
A knock at the door forced Houjun to return to the more physical realm of reality. 'Shonin, I have to go but 'call if you need help,' he 'spoke quickly, pushing his mask back on and sliding back to his desk. "Come in, no da!"
"Ri-sama," Tsukumo-san, one of the higher-ranking Priests, walked in and bowed. "I hate to interrupt your busy work schedule, but we need you to teach one of the classes today."
Houjun didn't frown so much as mix a look of confusion with one of worry. "Me? Aren't there scores of qualified Priests around for that, no da?"
The Priest nodded. "It's quite funny, actually. It seems the class requested you."
That could be either a good or bad thing, he thought. "Which class, no da?"
"4th year Mikos, currently in the middle of spiritual and magical incantations. I believe exorcism is today's subject," Tsukumo said, trying his darndest not to smile.
In the back on his mind, Houjun could hear Shonin laughing. 'Laugh it up, fox-face. If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me!' "I will teach the class if you can find someone to come in here and order this… monstrous stack of papers, no da," he waved a disgusted hand at his desk. "By type and date - who it goes to and when it needs to get there, no da."
"Not a problem, Ri-sama," Tsukumo nodded. "I'll take care of it. The class is in the -"
"- the smaller Shrine, yes I know. I've done this before, no da," Houjun interrupted, standing up and grabbing his shakujou from beside the room's altar. "I'll return within the hour, no da."
"Good luck, Ri-sama. You're going to need it."
*
'Are you absolutely certain you don't want to run away?'
'Don't tease me like this, Shonin, because I'm seriously considering it now.'
Houjun staggered back to his office, carrying an equally haggard Shonin. He opened the door and saw Tsukumo was finishing his work. The Priest opened his mouth to greet Houjun, but stopped in mid-breath when he saw the looks on their faces. "Oh my… tough class?"
"We may be sacrificing a few Mikos sometime soon, no da," Houjun sighed, more than ready to fall into a very long sleep.
"That bad?" he asked sympathetically, coming beside the duo and offering his arms to them. The ketsu came into them without hesitation.
'Let me put it this way; there is a reason why we stopped teaching and they are it,' Shonin told him in her ever-so-"tactful" way. Tsukumo burst into laughter and even Houjun couldn't help but grin as he slumped into his chair.
"I arranged everything on your desk, Ri-sama," the other man explained, gently setting the vixen upon the now-tidy table. "Everything on the left is signed and done, and all the things on the right have to be finished. Within those piles I separated them into the different subjects of "foreign relations", "internal affairs", "ketsu issues", and "other things". I hope it's enough."
Houjun gave him a weary but grateful smile. "More than enough, no da. Thank you very much, Tsukumo-san; it makes my job that much easier if I don't have to do everything. But I hope that I didn't cause you to miss anything important, no da."
"Hardly. Wouldn't offer if I couldn't take the time, Ri-sama. But now that you are here, I best be going."
"Once again, thank you for your time and energy, no da. Take care then, Tsukumo-san."
Houjun gathered enough strength to stand and exchange polite parting bows with Tsukumo, but as soon as the lower-ranking Priest shut the door, he collapsed back into the chair and let out a long breath.
I really don't mind working with the kids… but Suzaku in heaven, they're so… so…
'Psychotic?'
'That wasn't quite what I was looking for, beloved,' he returned wryly. 'More like they're just so eager it wipes us out. Not that it wasn't fun helping the girls and watching them learn, but this just makes me glad we're not teachers.'
'You and me both!' Shonin agreed heartily. Padding her way around the desk, she knocked a few scrolls open and gave her Seishi a very stern look. 'But we have duties to attend to, Houjun. And if you want to be finished before midnight I would suggest you get started on them right away. How's that for encouragement?'
Taking the unsubtle hint, Houjun read, reviewed, and signed many a scroll and letter. Once everything was finished he called in three servants, each given an armful of paperwork to take to the different factions of the Konan bureaucracy. Generally, as soon as things were out of his hands it meant Houjun had the rest of the day to himself… usually.
But there was one more thing to take care of.
"I'm making a stop over to Saihitei-sama. Care to join me, no da?" he stood up, stretching his arms and back.
'Sorry, but I have a meeting with our bed that I simply cannot miss,' she said, sounding only somewhat contrite. 'I'll tell Takeshi you're going over there, though.'
"Much appreciated, no da."
Shonin's eyes went distant, but within moments she was back with her Seishi. 'They are free at the moment. Saihitei is retreating to his main quarters and will be awaiting your arrival, dearheart.'
"You're a love, you know that?" he asked as he bent over and picked up the vixen.
'Ah, but flattery will get you only so far!' Shonin teased, resting happily in his arms.
Focusing his ki, Houjun reached for the familiar touch of his teleportation ability and, with that mere thought, both he and Shonin found themselves in their private chamber. Laying Shonin on the bed, Houjun scratched behind her ears and told her to take it easy. She told him the same before curling into a furry silver-black ball and falling fast asleep.
Then Houjun teleported one more time and stood outside Saihitei's resting room, knocking on the door.
"Enter," came the invitation.
He opened the door and saw, with very little surprise, his Majesty sitting in front of his incredibly large mirror, dressed in his "casual" robes and brushing his hair with a scary amount of deliberation. Takeshi was perched behind his bondmate, also preening himself with equal fervor.
"Good afternoon Heika, Takeshi-ketsu," Houjun bowed before the duo, keeping his amusement silent. "I hope to have found you in good health, no da."
Saihitei turned in his chair, his eyes lighting up. "Ah, Houjun-san, it's a pleasure to see you," he smiled. "And yes, both of us are quite well, though I do not know if the same can be said for you."
Perhaps the dark circles under my eyes gave it away… "Yes, well I was busy teaching today, and only now have I had the chance to relax, no da."
"I thought that the High Priest does not do direct classroom work," Saihitei frowned. "I hope there is not too much pressure on you."
"No, I'm all right, no da. Technically, I'm not supposed to do teaching anymore, but apparently I'm quite popular among the 4th years, no da. They do seem to take an absurd amount of enjoyment in watching me do exorcisms and other such… absorbing work," he said dryly. "And as much as I like teaching, I'm too busy to truly welcome it when I get the chance, no da."
Saihitei laughed softly and turned back to the mirror to finish brushing his hair. "I suppose I should consider myself lucky that, for most of the classes I take, I have personal tutors and do not have to worry about such problems. It's just me rather than a full class…" And as soon as the words left Saihitei's mouth, Houjun could sense more than a little sadness hidden there. The brush began to slow in Saihitei's hand, showing his obvious distraction with his own thoughts.
It wasn't a secret between some of the Emperor's closer associates that the young man was incredibly lonely. When Houjun had first brought the news of the Chosen Shichiseishi and told Saihitei of his "new position", the first thing he was worried about was whether or not he could make time to talk to everyone. He had become more active since hearing about it, as if suddenly reenergized after these four long years of ruling Konan, and most court folk were quite happy with his new disposition. He had even taken some time to visit Chie and Doukun when they were brought back into the Capital, but it still didn't change the fact that he didn't have anyone (barring Takeshi) that he could truly call 'friend'.
No reason why we can't change that… Houjun sighed, then said casually, "But I did stop by for more than leisured conversation, Saihitei-san. I was wondering when you want to set out and search for the Miko and Mitsukake Seishi, no da."
Saihitei quickly left the brooding behind, at least for the moment. "As soon as possible," he declared, then realized what Houjun had implied. "But I am not sure if I will be allowed to travel the land. There are so many things I must take care of -"
"Ah, but your Highness forgets that his priority is to his country, correct, no da?" Houjun said skillfully. "Wouldn't it be in Konan's best interest to have the Emperor himself inspect his domain, especially during such a pressing time as this, no da? And if, by sheer luck, you manage to come across the two remaining members of the Chosen Seishi, then who is going to argue, no da?"
A mental chuckle echoed in both Seishi's minds at the same time Saihitei's mouth widening in a grin. 'We seem to have somewhat of a trickster on our hands,' Takeshi said, lifting off from the chair. Houjun realized the bird was flying towards him and quickly offered his arm (magically shielded from the talons) as a rest, which Takeshi took without hesitation. 'Let's see how good he is at conning our ministers.'
Houjun blushed at the half-compliment from the ketsu, smoothing Takeshi's breast feathers in thanks. However, Saihitei ignored the banter and began thinking aloud about the previous remarks. "You do supply us with a good number of reasons, Houjun-san. And it is not as though my ministers can order me not to go, as much as they'd like to try…"
"They will probably suggest you take a guard, no da," Houjun spoke. "Perhaps you may want to take our Warrior brothers, for both protection and as more ki to call the last two to you, no da."
"You will not be joining us?" Saihitei turned to him, shock evident in his eyes. Even Takeshi turned his head to stare at the Priest.
Excuse me while I crawl into a hole… "Do you want me to go, no da?"
"Of course! We will need all the help we can get, and I would be quite pleased to have you accompany us on our journey."
Houjun felt his blush deepening. "You do me great honor, Saihitei-sama. I would be more than happy to join you, no da." He bowed as deep and best he could, what with the eagle on his arm to offset his balance.
The Emperor nodded and began to pace the length of the room. "Then it is decided. Over the next three days we will make preparations on traveling about Konan, deciding on the most likely places in which the last two will be found. It will give us enough time to find a suitable Prime Minister in which to replace me in my duties. We will send notices to Donai-san about Ryuuen, Kishuku, and Shun'u - wait!" and he stopped in mid-thought and step. "…Should we bring Doukun, the young one? Is he well enough?"
That same question entered Houjun's head just as Saihitei mentioned it. Given Doukun's current state of mind… I would say no. But on the other hand, it might be good for him to get out… "Why don't we give the boy another day before deciding, no da? We can ask him if he wants to accompany us, but given all the things he's been through I don't want to overwhelm him so much, no da."
Saihitei waved a slightly distracted hand to Houjun. "I will leave that matter to you, then, to do with as you see fit."
Joyous rapture. Lucky me.
"But you're going to be coming, so we're going to have to find you a proxy for the time."
YES!!! Lucky me!!! To be away from the Center for more than a day… ah, dreams do come true!
"I will handle that problem, too, your Majesty," Houjun said, keeping his joy to a minimum. "I'll also take care of the ShiJinTenChiSho, since I have a feeling we're going to need it, no da."
Seemingly satisfied with the turn of events, the duo quickly hammered out a few more broad details before Houjun decided it was the best time for him to leave. "Unfortunately, I do have some matters to attend to before my day is over," Saihitei sighed. "Adding this into the pile will not make things easier."
'Relax, Sai. Just keep looking to the future freedoms and take things one day at a time,' Takeshi advised, taking off from Houjun's now-throbbing arm to his normal golden perch.
Saihitei smiled at his bondmate. "Thank you, Keshi, for your kind support." He rubbed the bird's head. "Somedays I wonder how I could ever get by without you."
'You wouldn't.'
"True enough," he agreed, then turned to Houjun. "I will be seeing you tomorrow, then?"
"Yes, Saihitei-sama, after the worship ceremony, no da," he said cheerfully as he walked to the door and opened it up. "Until then, may the rest of your day be bright!"
"You too, Houjun-san, you too."
They parted, with Saihitei shutting the door and Houjun walking along the outdoor paths into the friendly sunlight. Ah… that was well worth the extra time spent away from my chance to fish, Houjun grinned to himself as he headed back towards his room. Saihitei-san needed that more than I needed to finish -
And his thoughts were cut off as a sudden flare of ki hit him in the forehead without warning. It was so great that he actually faltered in his step, grabbing the nearby railing to keep from falling to the ground.
What the - Houjun's mind whirled and his heart sped up. 'Shonin!'
'What?' she replied groggily.
'Are you all right?' he asked, worry running far too fast through his veins.
'I'm fine. What's wrong?'
'I don't know… but don't go back to sleep yet, please.'
'Yeah, no problem.'
Using the railing as support, he leaning against it and began to breathe deeply and evenly. The ki blast had dimmed to small throb, much like the feeling of his Seishi symbol, but still foreign and incredibly powerful. He probed it gently, not wanting to incur the wrath of the being on the other side of the ki force, and found the source to be within the Temple of Suzaku.
Oh dear lord, the ShiJin!! And without wasting a moment he teleported into the Temple, fully expecting to come across a demon, or worse, a rogue Seiryuu Seishi.
He was more surprised to see the ShiJin and the statue of Suzaku glowing an unearthly red, radiating so much light that he couldn't look directly at them. Right now, there were only a few Seishi in the Temple, and they were leaving as quickly as possible for fear of what might be coming from the scroll. Houjun did the opposite - he ran toward it, shielding his good eye with his hand and chanting a spell of protection around the Temple, so that if something were to occur no one on the outside would be injured.
It was unnecessary, for as soon as he touched the scroll, the holy light blazed up one last time before dying away like a smothered flame. Houjun's heart was still beating an exuberant tempo, and he saw his hands shaking ever-so-slightly on the ShiJin.
That was… new. And odd. And very troubling, Houjun thought, opening up to Shonin.
'Are you all right?' was the first thing she asked, but after rutting through his memory and seeing he wasn't dead or unconscious, she found her answer to be very pleasing. 'Oh, thank Suzaku!'
'I don't know if we should be thanking Him yet,' Houjun sent grimly, dissipating the spell. 'Why would He put on such an extravagant light show for us, when all He's showing is the ShiJin?'
'Because there's something new to it, otherwise He wouldn't bother,' she retorted. 'Read it and see.'
So he did, scanning the lines so familiar he could have recited them in his sleep. When he came to the clues for each Chosen Shichiseishi, he noticed something new. There was a set of characters there, ones that had not been seen last night or even hours ago.
Shonin "read" the symbols through her Seishi's eye. ' "Red courage".'
Houjun nodded slowly, his mind now numbed with shock. 'We've got our Miko.'
* * *