Yumi looked back in disbelief. They were leaving Megumi behind! How would she be able to take care of her friend if they lived in rival countries?
"Please! We have to go back!" She cried, still slung over Nuriko's shoulder. But Nuriko didn't let her go. Chichiri tried to explain in a hurried voice.
"We can't go back, no da, can't you feel it? We'll be killed, no da!" The words had just left Chichiri's mouth when everything disappeared in a huge flash of white light. Yumi shielded her eyes. She could see Chichiri acting as a rear-guard defending her and Nuriko from whatever the new attack was.
"It's a Seiryu warrior with the power of lightning, no da! Nuriko! Go on ahead, no da! I'll be able to find you if you concentrate on me! Take care of Yumi, no da!" Nuriko nodded and ran on ahead, hitching Yumi higher on his shoulders so that he could run faster. As she left, carted along by her celestial warrior, Yumi watched Chichiri face off against a veritable storm of lightning. Somehow, he had formed a ward, and whenever the lightning came in contact with it, the lightning was dispersed as it smashed against the barrier. It was quite a spectacle. Even after Yumi gave up struggling, her warrior still did not put her back on the ground. If Yumi wasn't afraid that she was about to see one of her warriors die before her eyes, she might have clapped. As it was, Yumi cheered her warrior on as Nuriko carried her further from the dangerous fight.
"GO CHICHIRI!" She yelled, "YOU CAN DO IT! BEAT THAT LIGHTNING!" She watched the crackling of lightning in awe, knowing that any one bolt could have meant the death of her friend, but as each attack was blocked, Yumi became more assured that Chichiri would be fine. Suddenly Nuriko dumped her onto the ground and Yumi realized they were quite a distance from the fireworks. In fact, Yumi could barely see it anymore. Unless her eyes were tricking her, the lightning battle seemed to be moving away from her and Nuriko.
"From here on out, we have to be quiet. They'll find us eventually, but hopefully we'll be back in Konan by then, within the protection of our own country." Nuriko dusted himself off. Yumi stood up and did the same and followed Nuriko as he walked in the general direction of Konan.
"I hope Chichiri will be able to find us…" Nuriko said quietly. But Yumi had no doubts about the man's capabilities.
"Don't worry about Chichiri! If he says he can find us, then he can! After that display, I don't think I'll ever be scared around him again. Unless, of course, I'm the one he's attacking. In that case, I'll be praying that my passage to the next world is swift and painless." Yumi took in a deep breath, trying to ignore the giant hole in her heart. She had left her best friend in the enemy's hands… if anything happened to Megumi, she would never be able to forgive herself. She tried to cover her grief by being extra-cheerful. Nuriko just looked at her strangely.
They wandered aimlessly through the Kutou countryside for a few hours, discussing random things such as urban legends and ghost stories when Yumi suddenly felt the urge to stop for the night. The sun was about to set anyway, and her feet hurt.
"Nuriko, could we camp here? I'm tired. Plus, we have to let Chichiri catch up with us. He won't be able to do that if we keep wandering around."
Nuriko nodded and sat down where he was. Yumi looked around. The spot was perfect for camping. Not too far off a small stream ran, gurgling and splashing, and several large, spreading trees would be protection from the elements, if not intruders. Yumi went over to the stream, suddenly realizing how thirsty she was. Cupping her hands, she drank the cool stream water in gulps.
-------
Megumi looked across the bridge blankly, watching Yumi disappear from sight, slung over the shoulder of her warrior.
"I'll try to get to Konan someday, I promise." She said, knowing Yumi couldn't hear her. Megumi dropped her hands to her sides and sighed. She couldn't leave. Even if the barrier had not stopped her, Megumi would have stayed here. In her stay in Kutou, she had seen so much civil war, poverty and general misery that she realized why Kutou needed a priestess. She would find the warriors of Seiryu and wish for peace for this country. She turned and walked back to the twins. Amiboshi had a sheen of sweat showing on his forehead. Megumi could understand. The boy had just broken through one of Nakago's wards. True, he had been helped by Chichiri, but it was still supposed to be impossible. She thanked Amiboshi and Suboshi for saving Yumi and her warriors.
"I'm ready to be your priestess. What do I have to do?" Megumi asked Amiboshi, who smiled back at her through his exhaustion.
"I'm glad you asked." That voice definitely did not belong to either of the twins. Megumi gasped and spun around.
"Nakago!" She exclaimed. She took a good look at the general. She supposed he was good-looking, but she knew that he was evil to the core. He had blue eyes and long, flowing blond hair. If he took his armor off and wore a regular robe, he would look like a girl. But his soft appearance did not fool Megumi. She jumped in between Nakago and the twins.
"Please, Priestess, move. These two are traitors, and must be punished as such." Megumi refused to move. The twins were the only ones in this country she felt comfortable around. It didn't matter that they had been the ones to kidnap her in the first place, they were still her friends. Nakago extended one hand, getting ready to punish the boys.
"Don't touch them!" Megumi said firmly. "They were obeying me, their priestess. Since they are my warriors, when I tell them to do something, it is not treason if they do it." Nakago sneered, but lowered his hand.
"Very well, if that is your wish, Priestess." His icy blue eyes promised punishment in the future, but he let it drop for now. Megumi didn't trust him an inch, but she hoped that he would keep his hands off the twins. As a group, they went back into the palace. Megumi found her way back to her room and ordered a servant to get her a glass of water. When the water came, she set about taking some of the medicines she had been off for so long, starting with her anti-depressant. She had just swallowed the pill when she heard someone cry out in pain. She listened carefully to be sure, because she knew she didn't have very good hearing. She heard it again. There was the crack of a whip, followed by a bitten off cry of pain. Realizing what it must be, Megumi dashed out of her room, not caring when her water spilled all over the place. As she passed a servant, she snatched up the knife on the tray he was carrying and ran at top-speed towards the twins' room. She burst into the room, and nearly dropped the knife in shock.
Nakago was standing over Amiboshi, who was crouched on his knees holding his arms across his now bare chest. CRACK! Amiboshi tried not to cry out when the whip slapped his back, leaving a long, painful red mark, but only succeeded in making his cry shorter. From the marks on Amiboshi's back, Megumi could see that this was not the first time Nakago had hit him.
"You'll know never to disobey me again, traitor…" Nakago said icily between blows.
Megumi tried to run to Amiboshi, to get between him and his tormentor, but an invisible ward prevented her from getting near him. Looking around, she saw that Suboshi was also trying to reach Amiboshi, an expression of pure hatred stamped on his features.
"NAKAGO!" Megumi screamed at the blond-haired general and took a deep breath when he stopped tormenting his captive to look at her.
"He is a traitor, Your Eminence. It is no more than he deserves." Megumi raised the knife she had stolen from the servant, wishing she could get through to Nakago. Nakago continued.
"Don't worry, I won't kill him. We need all of our warriors to summon Seiryu, remember." Megumi stared daggers at him, at a loss as to how to stop the man, when she realized she had another weapon, if she was brave enough to use it.
"Nakago, don't you touch him! I swear, if you hit him again, I'll…" Megumi brought the edge of the knife to her throat. "If you TOUCH him, I swear I'll suicide! You have my promise!" Amiboshi looked up at Megumi with a strange expression in his eyes. What was it? She didn't know. Megumi's knuckles went white from the force with which she gripped the knife, but Nakago did not move. She pressed harder, causing a thin cut to appear along her neck, and she felt a trickle of blood slide down into the collar of her shirt. She hadn't even felt the blade cut her. Nakago looked at her in shock and lowered his weapon. The barrier went down, and Suboshi ran to his brother, catching him when he collapsed. Nakago looked from Amiboshi and back to his priestess.
"That was a very brave thing you just did, my lady, but I must say that your trust is in the wrong hands." Nakago turned on his heel and left the room, holding his whip menacingly. As soon as the general had left, Megumi rushed to Amiboshi's side. Luckily, he hadn't been hit more than half a dozen times, but it was still more than a kid could take. Every single time Nakago had hit her warrior, a deep gash ripped across his back, and he was bleeding all over. Tears sprang into Megumi's eyes as she saw the pain she had caused him. She felt even worse knowing she would still have asked him to help Yumi escape even if she had known he would be punished so harshly for it.
-------
Yumi looked up at the stars through the loose canopy of leaves. She couldn't sleep. She wondered where Chichiri was, and, more importantly, how Megumi was doing. She rolled over, and saw that Nuriko was fast asleep. Yumi didn't want to wake him, so she got up quietly and walked toward the stream, thinking she could at least wash her face. She stumbled along, unused to traveling at night, and tripped on a stone, falling on her face. She threw her hands in front of her to soften her fall, and they landed in the muddy bank of the river. When she pulled one of them out of the mud, it created a disgusting squelching noise. Making a face, Yumi tried to pull her other hand out of the muck when she suddenly felt her body lifted clear of the mud. Somebody had grabbed the back of her jacket and picked her up.
"Nuriko?" Yumi said hesitantly. She hadn't known her warrior was awake, but whoever had a hold on her jacket did not let her go.
"I have found you, Priestess of Suzaku." Yumi heard a menacing voice his in her ear.
She couldn't see anything. Nuriko wouldn't do that… Yumi quickly slipped out of her jacket to escape her captor and half ran, half tumbled back to where Nuriko had been. He was still asleep. Yumi's breath caught in her throat, realizing her mistake. She had just led the enemy to her sleeping friend! She could hear the sounds of pursuit close behind her. Were these people assassins sent from Kutou? Probably. They would kill Nuriko, unless… Yumi went off in a jog so the cloaked figures after her could keep up easily and go after her and leave Nuriko alone.
Her plan was working! Yumi looked back and saw several shadowy shapes closing in on her, leaving Nuriko safe. Yumi wanted to laugh. She was a fool. What do I do now? She tried to calm down, and ran faster, but hadn't gone ten steps when she realized she was cornered. She could hardly see her attackers; they were wearing dark cloaks and she was not used to trying to see things at night. Yumi briefly wondered what they were going to do to her, and mentally weighed what she thought would be the worst thing. As they closed in, Yumi realized that she would rather be killed than… the other thing. She crouched, trying to find a weakness, but she could hardly see her attackers in the first place. The moon glinted off metal.
Well, it looks as though I'll get my wish… Yumi thought as her heart sank. She backed up as far as she could, stopping only when she felt someone grab her arms, holding her against what felt like a broad tree. What a letdown! Yumi thought, wondering why she wasn't more frightened. I won't even get to see my murderer's face, or know why I'm being killed… Yumi shut her eyes tightly, trying to duck away from the blade point being shoved toward her heart.
"Rekka Shin'en!" A familiar voice called out of the darkness The immediate area was lit by a brief, hot wall of fire, and the stroke that would have ended Yumi's life never landed.
Yumi looked up incredulously and saw a silhouette she would recognize forever.
"I leave you for just one minute and look what happens…"
"Genro!" She called happily and ran to him, grabbing the front of his jacket and resting her face against his chest, which was the highest part of him she could reach. She felt Genro pull her into a fierce hug, and once again he kissed her.
"I think I deserve a little something for coming back, don't you? And after you ran away and all…" And he kissed her again. A little longer this time.
"I missed you, Genro!" She said breathlessly when he let her go. "But I had to go; I have to find the seven celestial warriors of Suzaku so I can summon the god. I didn't want to leave you… but I cause you nothing but trouble…" Yumi backed away from Genro a couple of steps and looked up at him, still in disbelief that he was actually here. Suddenly, a dark shape rushed between her and Genro.
"Whoever you are, don't touch her! This girl is the priestess! I'll fight to protect her if I have to!" Yumi realized to whom the voice belonged and sighed.
"So you finally woke up, eh, Nuriko?" Yumi said, stepping out from behind her celestial warrior. "Show a little respect! If this man hadn't come, I would be dead by now, killed by those assassins, while you were catching up on your beauty sleep!" Nuriko huffed indignantly at Yumi's outburst.
"Okay, so he saved you. But that doesn't give him the right to touch you! You are the priestess! Let scum like him take advantage of you, and-" Nuriko was cut off by a growl coming from Genro's direction. By the moonlight, Yumi could see Genro rolling up his sleeve angrily.
"This 'scum,' " Genro spat at Nuriko, "is a celestial warrior of Suzaku!" He held out his bare right arm, where a glowing red symbol shone in the darkness. "I'm Tasuki!"
"Tsubasa." Yumi said, reading his symbol, " 'Wing.' That means you get to stay with me now, right, because you are a celestial warrior?"
Immediately Nuriko apologized to Tasuki, and Yumi truly hoped Gen-, no, Tasuki would forgive him. Tasuki was just on the verge of truly forgiving Nuriko when Tasuki suddenly fell to the ground as though an unexpected weight had fallen on him.
"Here you are, no da!" Yumi heard Chichiri say. "I was starting to think you'd forgotten to concentrate your chi, no da!" Chichiri hopped off of Tasuki and looked back.
"And who is this, no da?" He asked curiously. "I hope he wasn't giving you any trouble, no da." Suddenly, recognition dawned on Chichiri's comical features. Yumi rushed forward to explain.
"We were attacked by Kutou assassins, or at least I think they came from Kutou, but what matters is Tasuki here saved me. He is another member of the Suzaku seven, and now we have four all together!" Yumi said this all very quickly, but she was sure Chichiri would understand her, as he spoke rather quickly himself.
"Tasuki, no da!" Chichiri said excitedly. "I recognize the feel of your chi, no da. You've met the priestess before now, haven't you, no da?"
Tasuki stood up and dusted off, reaching over his shoulder to replace his fan in its strap across his back. Yumi finally realized the significance of the fan. The fan, or harisen, was his weapon, and when he said "Rekka Shin'en," it gave off the fire. Yumi's eyes went wide with amazement.
"That's so cool!" She squealed, interrupting whatever Nuriko was saying.
"What's cool, no da?"
"The harisen!" Yumi squealed. "Do it again! I wanna see!" Chichiri shook his head in despair as Tasuki pulled his harisen out again and swung it energetically.
"Rekka Shin'en!" Yumi watched in amazement as a great stream of fire lit up the night, then died back down, ruining everyone's night-vision. Even Nuriko was impressed.
"Hey, man! That was awesome!" Chichiri smiled through his mask.
"I'm glad to have met you, no da. We now have four of us, no da. I am Chichiri, and you've already met Nuriko, no da. Tomorrow, when we go back to Konan, we will introduce you to Hotohori. But for now, let's make camp. I'm tired, no da."
-------
Megumi looked down at the twins camping out in her room. What would her mother say? She chuckled at the thought as she tried to concentrate on changing Amiboshi's bandages. She had asked the boys to stay in her room, in case she was attacked. But all three of them knew the real reason… to stop Nakago from further punishing her friends. That man scared her. Not in the way needles scared her, that made her afraid of pain, but in the way that made her fear for her very soul, and those around her.