Chapter 7

"Is there any change?" Boushin asked.

"No. They have not moved nor have they responded to any treatment that we have given them. No matter what we do, they stay the same." Taka and the older Houki reported.

"And what about you, Mitsukake? Have you been able to gain your powers back?" Boushin asked with hope.

Mitsukake shook his head. "I have not yet regained my powers. Its as if they are being held inside of us or that they have been suddenly erased from our bodies."

Boushin sighed. "Okay, we must keep trying."

"What powers do you speak of?" The black-haired Tasuki appeared asking.

"Powers each one of us celestial warriors had." Mitsukake answered.

"What are they?"

"We don't exactly know what they are but if you have Tamahome's soul, then you can protect with your brute strength." Taka explained.

"Brute strength?"

"Yeah, but there is another that is stronger than you, and we will find them all soon so this will make more sense."

"Hm..." Tasuki thought. 'Brute strength huh?' He balled his hand into a fist, turning on his heel. He walked out the door.

"Wonder where he's going." Houki said.

'I've got to hurry. I've got to find him. I've got to!' Flashes of Emi refilled Tamahome's mind. 'For her sake, please let me find him...'

The lightning fast horse some how went faster and faster each second. Tamahome sped up; he was so close to the town that rumored Mitsukake had come from. He got closer and closer. He could barely contain himself. Finally he approached the city.

Slowing the horse down, he forced his urge of jumping off the horse and running to find Mitsukake to the back of his mind. He looked around to see the town was actually really quiet and there weren't that many people to be found. If any were even out, they were quite unfriendly or went into hiding when they saw him on his horse.

The town was devastatingly ghostly. It was almost too much to bear. He wanted to ask why this town was the way it was, but didn't have enough courage to ask one of the small children that ran from him. He did not want to scare any of them.

He decided that it was all right, he didn't absolutely need answers. He continued riding until he came upon a small hut. He didn't know if it was Mitsukake's but he got off his horse and walked up to the little hut. He knocked on the door that seemed to be almost ripped off.

"Um, hello? Is anyone in there?" He waited for an answer and when none came, he continued. "I'm looking for a man that is called Mitsukake... Or I think that is his name, could you point me in the direction of his house?" There was still no answer. When he almost gave up a small voice stopped him.

"There is a man nicknamed as Mitsukake," the soft voice whispered.

"Do you know where this man lives?" He asked.

"Up in the mountains... He's not much of a people person."

Tamahome looked up towards the mountains. "Thank you." He said running towards his horse and galloping away.

'This town is really weird but I'm happy someone was kind enough to say something.'

As soon as the person in the little hut was sure that Tamahome was gone, she came out.

"Well this will be interesting." A girl with green hair said.

"Soi, have you found him yet?" A voice in her head said.

"Yeah, I found him, and if I do say so myself, he is very good looking."

"Just remember you're not there to stake out guys. You're there to introduce and post pone his mission."

"Oh believe me. It is all my pleasure." She laughed evilly and disappeared in thin air.

"Excuse me, may I enter this library?" Little Houki asked.

"Oh, of course Ms. Houki. To what honor do we owe this?"

"Oh, I am looking for a friend in the library. If he is not in there then I do not know what to do!" She cried.

"Oh, go right in. If you can't find him then we have files you can look through."

"Thank you!" Houki ran into the library and took a quick look around.

'Uh.... How am I supposed to know what he looks like?' She finally thought. 'Oh crap, I am so doomed!' She walked around and examined everyone closely. She finally sat down at a random table and sighed.

'Of course, what good is it to come here if I don't even know what he looks like? And of course no one else came with me so this will be harder than I thought.'

"Excuse me miss..." Houki was shaken from her thoughts.

"Yes?" She asked innocently.

"Are you alright? You seem to be stressed."

"Oh, I'm looking for someone but then I remembered that I wouldn't know what they look like. I knew him when I was really little but I can't remember his face."

"Oh. That is a problem isn't it? Well if you think for a little while or you clear your mind, it'll come right to you."

"Thank you."

"Your welcome, I hope you find who you are looking for miss." For the first time, Houki looked up into the person's eyes. She was caught by surprise.

The person left but Houki was still looking into her eyes. She reminds me of someone, someone I know. And those eyes....'

Houki jumped up from her seat. 'Its her! He's a her now!' She ran out the door hoping to catch up with the girl up somehow she lost her.

"Oh man, where did she go?" Suddenly, she caught a glimpse from the corner of her eye. "There she is!" She ran as fast as her little feet would carry her.

'I have to catch up to her! I have to know if she's her!' Before she knew it, she was running down an empty alleyway.

"I lost her again! Where am I now?" She asked herself. A growl from behind her stopped her dead in her tracks. She slowly turned her head around to find a beast behind her. "Uh... good doggie..." She said slowly turning around. The last thing she wanted, was to have her back facing the beast, it could attack at anytime and she would be more than helpless.

"My name is Ashitare..." It spoke.

"Uh... alright... uh... sit and stay... okay?" She started to back away but the beast kept coming closer. "No, stay..." She said calmly. Ashitare didn't listen. He kept coming towards her. One step at a time. Then the thing that Houki feared most happened. She was at a dead end and the beast called Ashitare pounced.

TO BE CONTINUED

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!!!