Disclaimer: I don't own FY.
Warning: Violence and death near the end of the chapter.
Musical accompaniment: Nightingale, by Yanni. It begins in the last part of the chapter, with the bar line, and ends with the chapter.
Author's Notes: I rewrote the middle of this chapter because it was bothering me.
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Her eyes studied his lips and mouth with hawk-like intensity as he repeated his name, this time slower and with greater deliberation. "Shu-n-u. Shun-u. Shun'u." He paused. "Get it?"
Sute's face broke into a grin that rivaled the sun's in brilliance. Her head bobbed up and down so rapidly that Shun'u got a headache just watching her. Still, he was extremely pleased at how quickly she was picking up information. They'd only been riding for a day, and she already knew everyone's name, their Seishi character, and simple everyday words. It was incredible.
Tama favored him with a warm telepathic smile, curled up in the girl's lap and indulging in her attentions and affections. 'She's really quite bright, no matter what her so-called father thought. With us using telepathy to help her "hear" the words as well as seeing you say them, she's putting things together like it's no one's business. Add in the good learning environment, and we've got a kid who may end up outsmarting you before the day is out. Not that it'll be too hard.'
Sparing the cat a glare of pure canine malice, Shun'u turned back to the child sitting sidesaddle with him, watching her eyes drink in the landscape. Suzaku, you'd think she'd never seen fuckin' flowers before! He shook his head, a mix of disbelief and irritation boiling in his chest. Ain't fair she had ta live like that fer so many years. But I - he caught himself - we will make up for lost time.
Even though they were still on the move towards Hakukou, the group hadn't regretted their decision to pick up Sute. She was still extremely nervous about being around anyone without Shun'u, but the other three were doing everything they could to take care of her. She understood that all the men were trying to help, but from what the ketsu were saying, Sute would have trust issues for a long time to come, and it was a huge step for her to even ride with a group she'd barely known a day.
Which further bolstered Shun'u's need to show her what the world had to offer, and that it wasn't as bad as what she had before.
Saihitei's voice, laced with utter frustration, caught his attention. "… such a failure. We should be taking care of the poor, the children, the unwell, rather than dealing with the petty games politicians play."
"You have a whole country to think about, Saihitei-san," Juan said, sounding very pragmatic. "And you are only one man. You can't expect yourself to carry the constant burden of all the people."
"But that is what we must do!" Saihitei exclaimed. "The Emperor is the land. The Emperor is the people. The Emperor should care for the country, for they are ours to watch over! It is our birthright and our obligation to always protect the people, even if it is from themselves!"
"Bullshit!"
Both men turned to Shun'u - Saihitei from the saddle of the second horse and Juan from beside the Emperor. Ryuuen was ahead of them, scouting with Takeshi and Genrou. Kohana walked next to Shun'u, both her and Tama keeping Sute's mind occupied during the conversation.
"Pardon?" Saihitei asked, his voice sharp as his sword. "Please explain what you mean by that."
"I understand ya wanna take care o' the whole country, but that's what it is. A whole damn country. And yer duty as Emperor is ta guide and lead and help the people, not be their fuckin' father," Shun'u said bluntly. "So don't be thinkin' ya need ta take grown people by the hand and baby 'em ta death."
"Surprising as this may sound, I agree with him," Juan added, earning himself some interesting looks. "You are the Emperor; you are not Suzaku. You can't be perfect, and you shouldn't put that expectation on yourself."
"I mean, ya can't read the minds of every fuckin' person in the land, and ya sure as shit can't be everywhere at once," the bandit interrupted, but without skipping a beat Juan kept going.
"There will always be poverty and abuse in the country, but you must not stop working to fix it."
"Ya gotta watch the whole land. Maybe someone's gonna slip through every now 'n then, but it ain't 'cause yer not tryin ta make Konan a better place ta live."
Saihitei listened to their words, but his brow was still furrowed with unhappy thought. Catching a glimpse of Sute waving to Takeshi on his return flight, he sighed and shook his head. "This poor child… to grow up in such a detrimental environment for so long! How could we not know?!"
'Don't start blaming yourself again, Sai-kun,' Kohana cut in. 'Like both Juan and Shun said, you aren't Suzaku and you can't possibly know everything that goes on everywhere. But what makes you a great emperor is the fact that you want to change the things that are wrong with Konan, rather than ignore them or pretend otherwise. You put the people above yourself, not vice versa, and that's why they love you.'
"So stop moanin' and groanin' 'bout all this shit, and just make it better, for fuck's sake!!" Shun'u finished. The Emperor remained silent after that, keeping his eyes on the road and his expression tightly closed off.
Aw hells, we just pissed him off, didn't we? Shun'u sighed. Normally, he wouldn't really care who he ticked off, but he did have a grudging respect for Saihitei and didn't mess with him nearly as much as he tormented Ryuuen or Kishuku. Still, Shun'u wasn't repentant of what he told Saihitei. He was rather proud of himself - he deeply doubted anyone else in Konan had the balls to swear at the Emperor.
'Balls or stupidity, take your pick,' Genrou chuckled and dodged Shun'u's swinging boot.
They rode a few miles in companionable silence, with the only sounds coming from Sute as she happily pointed at random objects and tried to say their names, though the words could only be described as gibberish at best. But Shun'u inwardly beamed as she pointed to him and Genrou, and "spoke" their names over and over with childlike excitability.
'Good news, everyone,' Takeshi 'spoke from the air. 'We're about five minutes away from Hakukou, and everyone's waiting for us.'
With a howl of delight, Shun'u urged the horse into a fast canter, bringing a squeal of surprise from Sute as they galloped under Takeshi's shadow. A grin broke onto Shun'u's face when he saw Doukun run out from the cover of the nearby foliage with what looked to be a mini-Kishuku hot on his heels. He waved to the boys but rode right past them into the center of the quiet village. He sped past a multitude of houses, tracking his Seishi brother's ki, and when he finally saw Kishuku step out from behind a tall wooden fence, Shun'u quickly sent the horse flying at his brawling buddy.
"KI-KU!!"
Kishuku turned his head, and his mouth and eyes widened to inhuman proportions when he saw the maniacally grinning Shun'u charging towards him. "SHIT!!!!" he screamed, and dove back for the cover of the enclosure.
Laughing his head off, Shun'u reined in the horse right at the fence's opening. He casually dismounted, and as he helped Sute down, said to the figure in the dirt, "Yer lookin' a lil' jumpy today, Ki-ku. Izzat stick up yer ass hurtin' more than usual?"
The Tamahome Seishi opened his mouth, ready with a scathing retort, but when he saw Sute ardently studying him, he quickly shut it and smiled softly at her. "Hello, there. I don't believe I've seen you around."
Sute merely tilted her head to the side, and Kishuku tossed his friend a very puzzled look. "She's deaf," Shun'u said, resting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We, er, 'picked 'er up' on th' way here."
Unable to stop himself, Kishuku grinned. "Explains why she was probably able to put up with your awful accent."
"Fucker."
"Don't flatter yourself."
"Would you two stop that, no da?" a stern voice cut them off. Shun'u faced the house and saw Houjun coming out to greet them, carrying a blond boy on his back. "Though one set of ears may not work well, there are three more here that are quite willing to hear what the 'big kids' are saying, no da!" As if to punctuate that fact, a young woman about Shun'u's age stepped out from the house, a little girl on her hip and another peeking out from behind her robe.
"Hey, long time no see, monk man!" Shun'u exclaimed, then frowned deeply. "Wait - when'd you get hitched and have brats? Don't'cha got vows o' chastity, 'r somethin'?!"
"They aren't mine, no da!" Houjun hotly defended himself, putting down the child and hiding his flushed cheeks. The girl at his side also blushed a remarkable shade of crimson as Kishuku got up and whapped the back of Shun'u's head.
"Stupid ass! The kids are my brother and sisters, and Miaka's no one's wife! She's the Chosen Suzaku no Miko!"
And Shun'u's mouth moved without his mind's intervention as he faced her. "You're the Chosen Miko? No shit! I thought you'd be taller!"
She glared daggers at him, and when she spoke her voice was full of stubborn hardness. "I am the Suzaku no Miko, and if you're a Seishi, you owe me your respect!"
Oh, hell no! Shun'u mentally growled. She didn't just mouth off ta me, did she?
Before anything worse could happen, a welcome interruption appeared. 'Please excuse him, Miaka-san,' Toshi said, coming up behind Shun'u and Sute. Behind him were the rest of the Seishi and ketsu, watching the scene with definite interest. 'Our Shun'u isn't very well known for his tact, but he's not a bad guy. And… since everyone's finally arrived, we should begin introductions, before someone ends up with his head bitten off.'
Shun'u sulked as Saihitei introduced their group to Miaka, who was incredibly pleased with the sudden appearance of the last four Chosen Suzaku no Shichiseishi. Kishuku introduced his group and family to the newcomers, but before they got any further, Miaka grabbed Tama in her hands and began to shake the cat with great fervor.
"You're kidding!" she shouted at him. "Why didn't you say so before?!" Tama's only answer was incoherent yowling.
"Miaka, what the hell are youWHOA!" Kishuku demanded, but cut himself off as the Chosen Suzaku no Miko tossed the dazed cat-ketsu into his arms. Before any of them could blink, she grabbed Juan by the arm and dragged him into the house with Yuiren skipping after them.
Stunned silence hung in the air before Houjun weakly spoke up. "She's a bit excitable, no da."
"Fuuuuck, I ain't got words to say what I'd call her," Shun'u grumbled, earning another smack across his head. "Wha-at?"
"Do not disrespect the Suzaku no Miko," Saihitei frowned, then turned to Kishuku. "There's a great deal we need to talk about. Perhaps we should leave our things here, and go find someplace to talk." His eyes subtly flicked to the children standing nearby, and everyone caught his meaning.
Don't need any squealers hearin' what we're gonna be talkin' 'bout. Though I suppose bringin' this one along couldn't hurt, Shun'u thought as he ruffled Sute's hair. "A'ght, lemme get Sute settled in, then we -"
"Nii-chan!" Yuiren's cry rang from the inside of the house. "Nii-chaaaan!!!"
"Holy shit, now what?!" Ryuuen shouted. Kishuku (with Tama still in his arms) flew into the house without a backward glance, and though his siblings tried to follow, they were held back by protective arms.
"Lemme go! Lemme go!!" Gyokuran twisted in Saihitei's grip, and Shunkei let out a pitiful sob when Houjun wouldn't put him down. Chuuei dashed after his brother with Doukun and Chie right behind him, having failed to keep the blue-haired boy back. Shun'u immediately pulled Sute behind him, protecting her with his body against whatever caused Yuiren to scream. But before anyone could pull out weapons, a mindvoice came at them.
'False alarm, everyone!' Chie said, her 'voice filled with relief. 'Yuiren cried in excitement, not fear. Juan healed Sou-san.'
"Tou-san's all better?" Shunkei perked up. With a murmured prayer, Houjun teleported away with Shunkei, Gyokuran, and Saihitei inside the house. Seconds later, the Seishi and ketsu left outside could hear sounds of great joy and excitement echoing from the children, and everyone let out their collective breath.
"Shall we enter, and join in the festivity?" Ryuuen grinned.
'I'd hate to be left out of such a good party,' Shonin laughed, practically bouncing as she led the way inside. Genrou, Takeshi, and Kohana decided to remain outside, though, since they weren't certain there'd be enough room for them.
They were right. Ten steps into the house, Shun'u could tell it wasn't meant to hold more than five full-grown adults. Still, he stayed unusually silent and made no outward comments about it. He teased Kishuku about stupid stuff all the time, but he knew better than to start poking fun at his roommate's family situation.
Ryuuen, Shun'u, and Sute quickly reached the back room, following Shonin and Toshi's excited pawprints. All the Sou children were huddled around their father, smiling and crying and singing Suzaku's praises in utter happiness. The ketsu floated all around the family, keeping protective vigil over them.
Shun'u poked Doukun, who stood a respectable distance from the family with the other Seishi. "What's goin' on?"
Doukun's voice dropped so low only Shun'u and Ryuuen could catch it. "Kishu-kun's father was extremely ill. We - Houjun-san and myself - harbored fears that, unless he received some kind of treatment soon…"
"He would die," Ryuuen nodded, solemnly finishing the sentence. "Go on."
"But Juan healed 'im, so he'll be good, right?" Shun'u asked.
The boy shrugged. "I do not know the extent of Juan-san's abilities, but I assume that he has healed Sou-san completely. From what the ketsu have said, Sou-san will no longer be ravaged by disease. But I'm a bit worried about Juan-san…" And he pointed to his right, where Juan sat on the edge of a chair, looking horribly pale while his breathing came in shallow gasps. Miaka knelt in front of him, wringing out a washcloth and wiping his brow with it, as Tama nervously sat in Juan's lap. Houjun hovered nearby, ready to help the bigger man in any way possible.
"Every time Juan heals someone, he ends up using some of his own ki," Ryuuen explained to Doukun. "So he can only heal once a day, or run the risk of draining himself dry."
"Seishi-san…" Chuuei caught everyone's attention, even though his voice was no louder than a polite murmur. He had come up to Juan and bowed beside Miaka, and in his hands was a string of coins. "This is all the money we have, and -"
"I don't want it," Juan kindly stopped him. "Use the money to buy some fish for your father." Tama butted his head against his Seishi's hand. "Oh, and for him, too."
'I haven't had a good fish in days!' Tama meowed. 'You'd be doing us a great favor if you got some.'
"Yes, sir!" Chuuei straightened and ran off.
Kishuku stepped up next, rubbing the back of his neck and looking extremely uncomfortable. "Yeah… I owe you big, too, Juan-san."
Juan just shook his head. "There's nothing to owe. My only reward is seeing your family whole again."
'So if you keep badgering my Seishi, I'm gonna have to hurt you!' Tama teased. Kishuku made the motion of whacking Tama, then thought better of it and just grinned evilly.
"Don't make me give you back to Miaka!" he threatened, and the cat quickly buried himself in Juan's shirt. Then he noticed Saihitei's expression. "Sai-san?"
Saihitei was looking around the room with a look of absolute shock on his face. "What miserable conditions these children have to live in… we never knew the people could be so wretchedly poor."
"Well, I'm sorry if we're not all rich like you, Heika," Kishuku bristled, but Saihitei took no notice of his friend's irritation. Instead, he brought himself to his full height and put his right hand over his sword's hilt, as if making a vow in front of the whole country. "As Emperor, it is our duty to help the impoverished rise above these living circumstances! It is not only a duty - it will be our mission!" he spoke with majestic intensity, failing again to notice Kishuku's obvious chagrin.
"Ahhh, not to interrupt your lovely speech, Sai-san, but we don't want to let too many people know the Emperor is riding around Konan. Could be bad for your health," Ryuuen tactfully suggested. "Besides, you don't want to totally embarrass Kishuku-kun or his family."
"We do have our pride, you know," the Tamahome Seishi grumbled. Luckily, Sou-san was too busy listening to the prattle of his children to hear Saihitei's statement. However, Miaka had heard the promise very clearly, and was currently staring at the Chosen Hotohori with a limp jaw. Then when Doukun poked her in the side and murmured something about looking like a dead fish, she snapped her mouth shut but continued to watch Saihitei with a very bemused expression on her face.
Once Chuuei returned with the fish and everyone was fed, the Seishi and Miko politely ducked out of the house and headed towards a large patch of empty flatlands for their conversation. Takeshi and Chie had offered to stay behind and watch the Sou family, and Shun'u asked Genrou to look after Sute for him, which the wolf didn't mind. The harder part was convincing Sute that she'd be fine without Shun'u around. It took the Tasuki Seishi ten extra minutes to reassure her that she'd be all right under Genrou's care, and even after he promised he would return to the house, she still watched him leave with a look in his eyes that screamed "don't abandon me".
Shit, I can't take this anymore. Suzaku, I don't mind watchin' Sute, but I can't deal with this… insecurity. I need ta find a good family that'll watch 'er. He decided to bring that subject up to everyone as soon as possible.
The first thing they discussed were the separate incidents, suspiciously barren of good news. Shun'u related the tale of Sute, while both Juan and Ryuuen talked about the Choukou episode. Kishuku told about the rescue of Miaka and all connected happenings, while Doukun spoke of the pyres in nearby villages - evidence of the Kutou army's movement. Houjun mentioned that he knew Kutou had acquired the Chosen Seiryuu no Miko and at least one of her Chosen Shichiseishi. Miaka herself spoke of the multiple attacks on her life, but beyond that she kept very quiet.
None of this brought a smile to anyone's face. Great. Not only do we have our own country ta worry 'bout, we got Kutou fuckin' ridin' our asses! Shit!
For the rest of that conversation, which quickly moved into politics, Shun'u stayed out of it. He had no interest in said subject, and didn't feel today was the best day to start showing one. Important stuff, but it ain't nothin' I can help with, and nothin' I wanna hear, he thought indifferently, watching the expressions on everyone's face. The only other person who looked as out-of-place as himself was Miaka, who sat quietly with her knees to her chin. Eventually, the dialogue turned to the situation of the Chosen Seishi, and that's when Miaka spoke up.
"So… I feel really dumb for asking this, but what does it mean that I'm the Chosen Miko?" she asked nervously. "I know I've got to summon Suzaku, but"So… I feel really dumb for asking this, but what does it mean that I'm the Chosen Miko?" she asked nervously. "I know I've got to summon Suzaku, but…"
'But you're not sure of what your role entails,' Tama finished.
Miaka nodded. "Why do you talk about bringing the country into peace if that's something only Suzaku can do? I mean, that's why we're summoning him."
A quick glance around the circle, and Saihitei was the first to begin. "From what we have known and studied from the ShiJinTenChiSho, the Chosen Suzaku no Miko is able to call Suzaku from the heavenly realm with the assistance of her Chosen Suzaku no Shichiseishi. Once this is done, the Miko is able to acquire the powers of Suzaku, and may thus have her every wish granted."
"It's not simple, though," Houjun picked up, erasing the happy glitter from Miaka's eyes. "There are some restraints upon summoning Suzaku, no da. The first is that the country must be in a state of peace, which in essence means that the people must be peace with each other, no da. Second, those that are summoning Suzaku must match into the clues that He has given within the ShiJin, no da."
"Why?" Miaka asked.
"Honestly, I don't know. But if that's what He wants of us, then who are we to go against His will, no da?" the Priest offered, and all but one in the circle agreed.
"I don't get it," Kishuku frowned. "When I first heard about Suzaku wanting us to bring peace to the country, I understandably though he was asking a little too much from us but I believed it was possible. Now that we've actually made runs across the country-side, we can say that Suzaku is asking the impossible. Seriously, how can he expect us to bring peace between the people? What about little kids that fight with each other? What about people that don't consider themselves Konan-jin and don't care whether or not Konan is given an end to war? It's just too damn much for eight – oh wait, ketsu too – fifteen bodies to try and accomplish."
"Yeah, fer once I agree with Ki-ku," Shun'u put in. "I mean, I kin understand Suzaku wantin' us Chosen Seishi to not be thinkin' shitty things when we're gonna summon him, but it ain't like we kin jus' convince all the people ta give inta all that peace-y crap."
Ryuuen snorted at that. "Peace-y crap? I take it you're not speaking from experience?"
"Nah. It's just… I mean, the Reikaku bandits an' the Kaou bandits ain't gonna stop hurtin' each other just 'cause the Emperor says so," the former bandit explained. "No offence, Sai-kun."
"None taken, but I see your point," Saihitei said, looking discontented. "Though how I wish it were that simple."
Miaka, who had been sitting quietly this whole time, finally piped up. "But… why would Suzaku ask us something as wild and crazy as this? Is that what he really said?" Houjun pulled out the ShiJin and held it for her to take, and Miaka turned an embarrassed shade of red. "I… I didn't mean it like that. I wasn't trying to second-guess you."
"No, I want you to look at it Miaka-san," he replied gently. "As the Chosen Suzaku no Miko, perhaps you would have a clearer insight into the meaning, no da."
Miaka gingerly took the scroll and opened it. Doukun leaned over to also study it, and Houjun pointed out the area that signified the guidelines from Suzaku.
"Those symbols stand for an action – to make peace," Doukun told Miaka, who looked a little overwhelmed. "That symbol next to it also means peace, but in a more all-encompassing way. You could translate it as harmony or union with others. This final symbol stands for -"
"Ketsu," Miaka finished. "So the ketsu are involved with bringing the country to peace?"
"Yes, no da. We – the Mikos and Priests who studied the ShiJinTenChiSho – were under the general impression that the ketsu being necessary for peace was an unspoken but obvious fact, no da."
"Is there anything else that Suzaku wants us to do?" Ryuuen put forth.
'We think so, but nothing beyond those two rules are written in the ShiJinTenChiSho,' Shonin said. 'It gives details upon the summoning ritual itself, but doesn't tell us any more orders for actually invoking Suzaku. Take a look at it for yourself.'
Doukun handed him the ShiJin, and Shun'u peeked over his friend's shoulder to check it out. However, all that he saw was nothing but whiteness for nearly two hand-spans before it picked up with descriptions for the ceremony. He wasn't happy.
"That's the stupidest thing I've ever seen!" Shun'u snarled, contemptuously tossing his arm at the scroll. "What the hell is wrong with Suzaku?! He fuckin' did this with th' Miko, and now he's tryin' ta tell us, 'you need ta follow these rules, but damned if I'm gonna give 'em ta ya'! This's horse shit!"
"There is no point in screaming and carrying on about it," Saihitei shook his head as Houjun replaced the ShiJin.
Kishuku sighed. "Well, one question I have is why don't we try summoning Suzaku now? We have the most important criteria fulfilled – all eight of us are here. Maybe if we just sit down right here, burn the scroll, and try summoning Suzaku, we'll actually get him."
'Highly doubtful, Ki-kun,' Toshi assumed. 'To be repetitive, Suzaku would not ask us to do something and then ignore its absence.'
"But really, all we have to do is bring momentarily peace to Konan," Miaka said. "Maybe it's really not as hard as we're thinking – Konan's not that big, is it?"
'The question is, once again, how do we do it?' Kohana asked.
"We cannot make peace an imperial order for, as Shun'u so thoughtfully told us, there are people of this country who will not or cannot afford to stop fighting," Saihitei frowned, deep in thought. "We cannot separate into smaller groups to enforce it. The ShiJin makes it clear that all seven Seishi must be present with the Miko during the summoning."
Doukun's face suddenly lit up with a grin and his Seishi symbol. "We can always ask for our ketsu companions to aid us."
"How?"
"The ketsu are able to read minds - telepathy, if you want to name it. Through telepathy, they are able to tell what a person is thinking and feeling. If all the ketsu in Konan were to form a telepathic connection with each other, it is possible they could also connect every human mind and thus tell them of what we are doing. Plus, it's called for in the ShiJinTenChiSho that the ketsu help bring peace!"
Juan stroked Tama's fur thoughtfully. "I see. Doukun, are you suggesting that the ketsu to hold all the people in Konan through hypnosis?"
Toshi's voice was blunt. 'You mean force the land into peace.'
The Mitsukake Seishi shrugged noncommittally. "I merely stated that the ketsu could momentarily give the people a psychic suggestion of peace."
""So what you're thinking of is a giant mind-web." Ryuuen propped his head on his fist. "A way of holding the whole population as one mind, one being, one spirit. That way, there's no one suddenly disrupting the state of grace."
'This is an incredibly intelligent idea, but you're all banking on the idea that us ketsu can do that,' Tama cut in.
Miaka tilted her head in pained confusion. "You mean you can't?"
'We're powerful, and we are able to act as the center of multiple mental conversations, but what you're talking about is huge. There are about 350,000 people in Konan, but only twenty-five hundred Seishi,' Tama continued.
'If you do the math, you see there's only about one Seishi to every one hundred forty normal people,' Toshi clarified for the rather stunned Shichiseishi. 'Less than one percent of the people, in any given country, are Seishi.'
"Sweet Suzaku, that's outrageous!" Kishuku choked out. "I never knew there were so few of us…"
"Shit and damn, we got our work cut out fer us!" Shun'u rubbed his forehead.
'That's not to say that you guys don't have a good idea, but we ketsu would be spreading ourselves out too thin,' Kohana tried to soothe the shock. 'But something that neither Toshi nor Tama pointed out is that most of the people live in either Eiyou the capital, or Kigasho,' she said, referring to the second largest city in Konan. 'Those that don't live in the city are very often graced with the presence of a traveling Seishi in their towns. So even if there aren't a large number of Seishi pairs, the country isn't lacking for them.'
Doukun ahhhed in understanding. "I think I see what you're speaking about, Kohana-ketsu. If we are able to arrange for the Seishi in the cities to, say, strengthen an edict of peace given by Saihitei-sama, and have a number of traveling Seishi stay within the small villages, it won't be necessary to completely mind-web the whole country."
Ryuuen caught on next. "Most of the Seishi are in the city to start with, and they can rally the people. If the declaration only lasts for a short period of time, and given at a set date, the Seishi can help coordinate the ones in the city. We'd have voluntary cooperation of the people, and the ketsu wouldn't have to work nearly that hard."
"Villages work well together, especially around a Seishi," Miaka piped up. "If we can make sure the small towns are centered around even one Seishi, we won't have to ask the ketsus to mind-web with everyone - just with each other."
"And they would let us know what's going on and when the country's at peace so we can perform the ceremony," Kishuku finished, a satisfied smirk on his face. "I like it!"
With an idea firmly implanted into everyone's head, it didn't take very long for them to expand on it. The definite details would have to be worked out once they returned to the Center, and they'd have to try to predict some of the problems that could come up, but at least there was something to work with now. It was better than looking at the situation as totally impossible and hopeless.
"But we do have to be careful," Houjun said as they wrapped up. "Kutou sent spies before, and it's very likely they may do it again, no da. Add in the fact that several variables could affect the ceremony, and we have the perfect situation for a catastrophe, no da. It's best if we don't become too overconfident about our ability to call Suzaku."
"Ahhh, ya worry too much!" Shun'u lightly punched the Priest's arm. "C'mon. Let's go find th' nearest bar, get piss-drunk, and enjoy our last bit o' freedom 'fore we start headin' back ta th' Center." Then he frowned and looked around. "So when are we headin' back?"
"Tomorrow morning," Saihitei said. "By Doukun's calculations, even if it takes us five days to return to Eiyou, we still have three additional days as our grace period. If one of us were to become gravely ill or injured, we could afford to lose those days."
By the time they finished and headed back to the house, the sun had almost fully set. The three youngest children were asleep, and Chuuei was returning with a bucket of water for the Seishi to drink. Sute had spent her time indoors, poking around the Sou house and getting acquainted with Chie. Shun'u was glad to note that she didn't look as scared as before, even though she refused to leave the house or Genrou's side.
She damn near nailed herself ta his hip! Funny, when I think 'bout what a time I had tryin' ta get 'er ta stay with 'im.
The absent ketsu were brought up to speed about the summoning, and they seemed to be just as satisfied with the turn of events as their Seishi. Once everything was said and done, it was time to turn in for the night.
"So… what do we do about sleeping arrangements?" Ryuuen asked Kishuku. "Not to be mean about it, but there's definitely not enough room for all of us."
"Yeah, no kidding. Well, we can keep Sute if need be -"
"Sute don't like ta be separated from me," Shun'u interrupted.
Kishuku glared at him as he continued. "- And maybe one other person, but we're pretty crowded as it is. Out house wasn't exactly built for the purpose of holding a group of seven Seishi pairs."
"Then why don't we sleep outside?" Juan suggested. "We are well equipped to do so, and we'd still be close enough to sense if something's wrong with the others."
Ryuuen nodded. "I don't have a problem with that. Suzaku knows, I've done it enough before!"
Saihitei wrinkled his nose. "I suppose if I must… though I know the weather has been doing horrible things to the condition of my hair," he sighed. Shun'u rolled his eyes at the emperor's conceit, but Doukun was apparently feeling rather magnanimous and gave up his sleeping space.
"Besides… I don't sleep a lot," the Chiriko Seishi said sheepishly. "Chie and I usually go flying at night." Saihitei thanked the boy repeatedly, practically laying blessings on his head.
"Shun'u-kun," Houjun tapped Shun'u on the shoulder. "Would you care to take my space inside, no da? You'll have to sleep with the boys, and Sute will be with Kishuku's sisters and Miaka, but you'll only be a room away, no da."
"Ya'd do that fer me?!" Shun'u asked incredulously. Then he let out a hearty laugh and clapped Houjun on the back, nearly knocking him over with its force and suddenness. "Yer a good man, Houjun, even if ya are a Priest!"
"Thanks… I think, no da."
'One more thing. If you are sleeping outside, be on the lookout for vampire bats. Their population in the area's suddenly risen like you wouldn't believe,' Toshi warned them. 'Shouldn't be a problem, considering that bats don't attack humans unless they're rabid, and we've checked to make sure they're not. Still, figured it'd be best to tell you so that you wouldn't worry if any should happen to cluster outside the house.'
"We appreciate it," Juan nodded to the leopard, already heading outside with most of the ketsu. Everyone went his or her separate ways, saying good night to the Sou family and each other. Shun'u (with Genrou's kind help) explained to Sute that she'd have to share a room with the other girls, but he'd be right next door if she needed him. She wasn't too pleased with that idea, made evident by the way she clung to his jacket.
"Is she all right?" a voice asked, and Shun'u turned to see Miaka standing halfway behind him, looking at Sute with worry.
"She's kinda nervous. Ain't never spent a night with other women b'fore, and she don't like ta be separated from me in th' first place."
"Oh…" Miaka breathed softly. Then she came next to Sute and, when the girl noticed her, bent down and smiled at her. "Hi. I'm Miaka."
Sute just stared at her, blinking owlishly. Miaka, knowing Sute's handicap, thought for a few seconds before clapping her hands. "Well, let's try this!" And she began to gesture in the same way Shun'u and the others would when trying to communicate with Sute. Miaka pointed to her chest, then her eyes, and finally pointed at Sute. "I'll watch you." She repeated those gestures, this time ending by leaning her head against her hands and closing her eyes. "I'll watch you while you sleep."
It had been the right thing to do. Sute, knowing that when people were signing to her it meant they were trying to help, slowly loosened her grip. When Miaka slowly held out her hand and continue to smile brightly, Sute nervously took the hand and let Miaka lead her into Gyokuran and Yuiren's room.
Shun'u just stood there, watching the backs of the two girls walk away from him.
'She's pretty amazing, isn't she?' Genrou nuzzled his bondmate's mind as he rubbed against Shun'u's leg.
'Who, Sute?'
'Sute is very special in her own right, but I was talking about Miaka-san. It never occurred to her that she could ask for my help, even though I've been sitting here for the past hour, talking with Sute. She wanted to win Sute over by herself, and she did. That's something, isn't it?'
'Guess so…' Shun'u admitted grudgingly. A part of him was feeling a small pang of jealousy that someone else could get close to Sute, but he squelched it as best he could. ''S good that Sute's gettin less afraid. I'm glad fer 'er. An' it's good that Miaka's not just some country brat, an' that she's got a brain in 'er head.'
Out of nowhere, Genrou bit Shun'u's hand, and he yelped in shock and pain. 'What the fuck is yer goddamn problem?!'
'Stop thinking of Miaka as a little girl, and stop acting like such a baby! She may be only fifteen, but she's growing up just as fast as you did when you were her age!' Genrou snarled, holding Shun'u's now-bleeding hand. 'For just a minute, try and remember what you heard from Kishuku and Doukun about what happened to her. Remember how she was chased through the forest, practically stolen from her family, had her life repeatedly put into danger, and just found out she carries the weight of an entire country on her young shoulders. She's trying very hard to prove herself, and you thinking of her as anything less than the Chosen Suzaku no Miko will only hurt that growth.'
Shun'u looked into Genrou's angry eyes, trying his damndest to be pissed at the wolf. However, his ketsu's words had hit home, and all he felt was a small bloom of regret and shame. Yeah… I guess it ain't right fer me ta be so hard on Miaka. She ain't done nothin' wrong 'xcept be a girl, an' I can't hate 'er fer that reason only. He sighed deeply, then opened up to Genrou. 'Sorry, Gen-kun. I'm just bein' a prick. I ain't even seen her do anythin' wrong, and I think I'm just lookin' for a reason ta dislike her, 'cause she don't act like a normal girl.'
At this, Genrou released his Seishi's hand, licking up the little drops of blood. 'It's all right, Shun. Just… have a little compassion. When you get to know her, I'm sure you'll like Miaka. She's tough and spunky.'
Shun'u chuckled. 'Great. A spunky girl. Just what I wanna deal with.'
The two continued to banter as both got ready to join the rest of the household in sleep. Unfortunately, sleep was not the only thing to find the Chosen Suzaku no Shichiseishi.
-------------------
Miaka had had a busy day. Not only had the other four Chosen Seishi practically fallen into her lap, she had also learned more about her role as the Miko, and all the amazing side-benefits that came with it. As she washed up, the only thing she couldn't scrub from her face was a smile wide enough to swallow her sleeping roommates.
All right, I'll admit it. I'm pretty excited! I'll finally be able to wish Yui back to Konan, and save my family, and learn everything I want to about being a Miko, and then go to the Center like Kaa-san wanted. Maybe… maybe even I'll wish for a nice boy to get married to. She smiled to herself, wondering what Kishuku or even Saihitei would think of that wish. Yup, things are definitely looking up!
After making sure Sute had washed up and was sleeping next to Gyokuran, Miaka lay down beside Yuiren's bed and quickly sent a prayer of incredible thanks and respect towards Suzaku. Once her mind ran through all the thrilling information of the day for the hundredth time, she finally relaxed enough to sleep.
At least, until she heard the sound of something pounding on the window.
What the heck?… she groaned mentally, her mind still mostly asleep. Those stupid bats hitting themselves against the house again?
Looking around the room, she saw the three girls were sleeping peacefully, unaffected by the sounds. She was about to turn over and fall back asleep when she heard a muffled growl coming from outside.
Shonin's growl… Wait! Shonin never growls unless…
Then her eyes flew open, and she jumped up to the window, flinging it open in one smooth move to see what was going on.
'No don't!!' Kohana yelled.
And she let out a high-pitched cry as a wave of bats suddenly entered the room, screeching loud enough to wake the dead, and biting harshly at her body.
"Bats!" she screamed, protecting her face and neck with her arms from their wings and teeth. Miaka was frozen in place, trying vainly to understand why the bats were attacking her, when normal bats would never think of entering the house. Then, when she heard the girls' terrified cries, she knew she had to move and get away from the children, regardless of why the bats were attacking.
I have to get as far away as I can, or everyone in this house and outside it will be in danger.
Without a second thought, she shifted into owl-form and flew outside the window, praying the bats would follow her and leave the girls alone. She only vaguely heard the words, "Miaka, are you okay?!" from behind as someone threw open the door; she was too busy concentrating on keeping herself from flying into the invaders. As she got outside, she was horrified to see all the Seishi that had been sleeping outside had shapeshifted into their animal forms, fighting off another league of bloodsuckers alongside their ketsu. Even worse - she could pick out the shape of a man sitting in the shadows of a tree, wearing a familiar black cloak and watching everything with an amused eye.
I can't worry about that now! If I keep flying, I can draw the bats after me, and the Seishi can keep on protecting Kishuku's house and family!
Miaka thanked Suzaku (and Chie and Doukun) for all the practice with flying she'd been given. She could now fly faster, quieter, and more agilely than before, and she wasn't struggling to stay in owl-form. She knew that if she pushed herself hard enough, she could outfly the bats, but that would mean they might head back to Kishuku's house. So, knowing that her own life would be at risk if she stopped flying, Miaka dove as close to the ground as she could, and shifted back into her human form. Normally, she would have no fear of bats, since their bites weren't poisonous or lethal. However, when so many of them attacked at once, they could cause her blood to become so thin that she would bleed to death from all the wounds.
Helpmehelpmehelpme, she silently pleaded as she curled into a ball and let the bats bite her with their needle-sharp teeth. Oh Suzaku, please help me!
"Miaka!" a strong voice traveled to her ear, and she peeked out from behind her arm to see Saihitei and Shun'u come running after her, their weapons exposed and ready for use. Takeshi was swooping in to attack, and Genrou already had one bat in his mouth. "Stay down, Miaka, and we shall protect you!"
She did just that as Saihitei swung his sword around, chopping the unlucky bats who got in his way to bits. When Shun'u used his fan and caused a roaring blaze to emerge from its metallic folds, Miaka nearly cried out in joy. He must have burned away a good twenty or thirty of them! But her heart sank back into a fearful depth when she saw just as many bats return to take the place of their deceased relations. Even with the help of Genrou and Takeshi - both of whom were no slouches when it came to hunting and killing - it seemed as if their numbers would never decrease.
"It's not working!" Shun'u yelled, now swinging his fan around defensively. "For every bat I kill, 'nother two just come up!"
Suddenly, a cold voice could be heard from above them. "Of course your pitiful little fire spells don't work. My magic is much stronger than your own, and even your ketsu cannot stand against me." Miaka glanced up and saw another black-cloaked man, similar to the one who was watching the other Seishi fight, sitting on a branch. No! Not any more of them! Oh Yui-chan, please don't do this! Don't make me fight you!
Then she heard it.
At first, she thought it was from the bats' ultrasonic shrieks, but as she listened, she realized the sound wasn't from a bat.
It was from a flute.
And as the flute continued to play, the bats began to ram themselves into the nearby trees. Miaka saw, with an elated heart, that this time the bats' numbers were diminishing.
"What!?!" the dark man shouted. "Who's doing this?"
As if on cue, a young man emerged from the shadows of the trees, playing a small wooden flute. His clothes were in rags, he was cut and bruised all over, but the look in his eyes was nothing short of adamant as his fingers flew and the music went on.
The music! Miaka gasped. The music is confusing the bats, and they can't tell which way they're supposed to fly! What a great idea!
The Suzaku Seishi and Miko were transfixed, huddled around each other as they watched the last bat bash itself into a tree, then turned their attention to the assassin. He was covering his ears, his face contorted into a rictus of pain. "You… you bastard!" he screamed, his body shaking convulsively. "Stop! My head! My head is…"
Miaka watched as the flautist's eyes narrowed with unveiled hatred. She could practically hear the lethality in the song, yet she herself was untouched by it. His music is killing the assassin! But… it's not hurting me, or Saihitei or Shun'u or the ketsu. How's he doing that? He's gotta be a Seishi!
Without warning, the man let out a scream of utmost suffering, sending chills of fear running down Miaka's back. Then she heard a loud 'snap', and the man began laughing, with eyes wild and empty, and fell out of the tree. He hit the ground with a neck-breaking 'crunch', and she knew that nothing else would be coming out to attack them.
That's when the music stopped, and the boy stepped closer to them. With her enhanced eyes and the help of the moonlight, Miaka could see more details. His hair was wispy and messy, hanging around his face and over his eyes, and he wore a thin bandana around his forehead. Most of all she saw that, although the playing had worn him down to his last bit of energy, he still stood proud and tall. He met her eyes, and she could see the kindness radiating from inside them.
She spoke first, looking up at him. "Who are you? What did you do?"
"I used my flute to channel my ki into him, and I used my ki to drive him insane," the youth answered softly, his expression gentle. "You should be all right now. I'm glad I got here when I did…"
And his eyes closed just as his legs collapsed underneath him. Shun'u, moving quicker than Miaka thought possible, caught him in mid-fall, and gently laid the flautist's head on his lap. "Hey kid, y'all right? C'mon, buck up!"
Miaka quickly crawled next to him and put her hand on his forehead. "He's a little warm… I think he's just used up all his ki doing whatever he did," she told the others as they crowded around him.
'He'll be all right. Just give him some time to rest, and he'll recover quickly,' an unfamiliar mindvoice came to them. It was light, more like a breath than a voice, and it definitely belonged to a girl.
'Who are you?' Takeshi demanded, fluffing up defensively from his perch on a nearby tree, looking around and listening for motion. 'Are you this boy's ketsu?'
"She is," he answered weakly, looking at them with a small smile on his face. A moment later, a yellow warbler came and rested itself on his shoulder, gently rubbing its beak into his hair. "Her name is Heisei."
"And what's yours?" Miaka asked gently.
"Bu Koutoku," he said, reaching up and pulling off his headband to expose a shining blue symbol of Seiryuu. "An Amiboshi Seishi."
And he passed out from exertion, leaving the five Suzakus to look at him and Heisei in complete shock.