After the night's incident, everyone returned to his or her room. Tasuki felt a little bad about knocking the emperor out like that, but he had been angry. If Yumi had still been in there… Anyway, he looked as though he wanted to disappear, so I was helping him out. He couldn't go to sleep; there was so much to think about. If he had known he would be working with so many weirdoes, he might not have chosen not to identify himself as a Suzaku warrior.
Chichiri's a good guy, but I wasn't sure if he was human at first… And his powers are creepy! And Nuriko, well, I generally avoid that type, even though he does have his good points… He remembered how Nuriko had dressed Yumi up during the day and blushed slightly. Of course, he WOULD be good at that sort of thing… Hotohori has some serious issues… And he needs to keep his paws off my girl! Tasuki thought angrily, but then remembered that Yumi wasn't "his girl" at all. She was the priestess, a girl from another world. And she would be going back there someday. She had said so herself. Why does that make me feel empty inside? I never liked girls before… and now that I like one, she's gonna leave me for some other world? He was thinking that maybe he should never have claimed her as his own back at the compound. It was doing funny things to his judgment. I'm starting to think she's still mine. What's happening to me? I hate girls… But it was for her protection. He ran his hands through his hair. Maybe she will stay here, if she decides she likes it better here. I'll protect her… Tasuki stopped that line of thought. He was starting to sound like he was in love. He made a face, thinking of what the guys back at Mt. Reikaku would think. He needed to go back there. I need to tell Koji what is happening.
He stood up, thinking he would leave when everyone was sleeping, when his door opened. He looked out into the hallway to see Yumi, dressed in her sleeping robe still. She was looking at him intently. The way she looked at him made Tasuki wonder if she could read his mind. What she said next made him sure that Yumi could tell what was going on in his head.
"Don't leave." She said softly, and then came into the room, closing the door quietly behind her. She ran up and threw her arms around his chest, hugging him tightly.
"Please don't leave!" She cried, "If you do, something awful will happen! I'm sure of it!" Tasuki put his arms around Yumi gently.
"I'm not going anywhere." He said, and tilted her face up so he could see it. Yumi's face was wet, and he saw a single tear running down her cheek. He felt numb. He had seen Yumi cry before, but it had never been his fault. He gently brushed the tear away, but another one took its place.
"Please, don't go. I know you want to leave and that you have other things to take care of, but I don't want you to…" Tasuki put his fingers over her mouth to quiet her.
"C'mon, stop cryin', I told ya I'm stayin' here." And he meant it. A man should never make a girl cry, no matter what. NEVER.
Yumi smiled and rubbed her eyes. For some reason, her eyes looked much greener now than they had before. First blue, now green. And neither one is natural. But it was pretty… She collected herself and started to back away, but for some reason, Tasuki pulled her closer to him. The action surprised even him. He felt Yumi's shoulders stiffen, but when he did nothing else to her, she relaxed.
Why? He thought, why does it feel so good to hold her?
"Stay here until you feel better. I promise I won't leave." He picked her up and carried her over to his chair and sat down, letting her curl up on his lap. She rested against his chest and closed her eyes. Why is my heart pounding like this? He tried to calm down, and ended up falling asleep holding the priestess in his arms.
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Amiboshi blinked, trying to stay awake. He had orders that he needed to carry out. But whenever he tried to remember what he had been ordered to do, it was as though his brain fogged over. It was dark and chilly. He pulled his cloak closer around him, and continued walking. It was as though he were being controlled from afar. Giving in to it, Amiboshi allowed his feet to take him wherever they were going. He used the time alone to think.
How did I get here? I remember that I was talking to Nakago when… but he couldn't remember anything after that. He stumbled along, too tired to continue, but unable to stop. He reminded himself that this was what Megumi wanted him to do, so he tried to continue. As long as it is for her… I can do anything. Amiboshi felt a slight pain on his left arm. This was not the first time he had felt it. Usually it meant that his brother was trying to contact him, but every time Amiboshi checked, there had been no message. He looked hopefully at his inner arm, the usual place his brother used to try to talk to him, but again there was nothing. This time, however, Amiboshi decided to write back. Maybe something is disrupting my chi… but Suboshi will feel me trying to contact him.
"Suboshi." He wrote, "I am okay, and I'm on my way to Konan." Amiboshi looked down at the words on his arm in confusion.
"I'm going to Konan? Why?" He asked himself quietly. But he knew it was true. Finally, he was able to stop for the night. Something had happened to cause the force driving him forward to lessen, and he could rest. He found a tree and decided that it was as good a place as any to sleep. He wrapped his coat around him tightly and fell asleep, still full of doubt and confusion.
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Chichiri wandered aimlessly through the palace, trying to occupy himself by exploring his temporary home. As usual, he had woken up just after the sun rose, but found that he was alone in this practice. In two more hours, it would be noon, and everyone else was still in bed.
Of course, His Highness has an excuse today, no da… Chichiri prevented the smirk he knew was coming. He could remember being so young and stupid… He sighed, wishing he couldn't remember what caused him to don the mask he always wore now. He turned another corner and was greeted by Nuriko.
"Good morning, Chichiri!" She said brightly. Chichiri nodded in reply.
"It's good to see that someone is finally awake, no da." He said brightly. Nuriko smiled mischievously. That one needs to be kept on a leash, no da…
"Hotohori-sama should be waking shortly, but I'm more worried about the priestess. Have you sensed her since last night?" She- no, he giggled. It was difficult to remember that Nuriko is a man. Chichiri looked questioningly at Nuriko, trying to sense Yumi's chi. He was even more confused when he sensed it easily. He concentrated harder.
"What are you talking about, no da?" Chichiri suddenly realized. "Wait, no da, what is she doing in Tasuki's room, no da?" Nuriko just giggled and ran off in the direction of Hotohori's room, her skirts and ribbons flowing along after her.
"Why do I feel like I have to baby-sit these kids, no da?" Chichiri sighed softly as he hurried to go rescue the priestess from yet another man. First the emperor, now the bandit… He sighed heavily. When he arrived at the correct door, he hesitated before entering. Slowly, he opened the door, peeking inside. He sighed, relieved to see both fast asleep. And fully clothed.
"Wake up, no da! We have to get to work, no da!" He watched as Yumi opened her eyes and looked up at Chichiri in confusion.
"Where am I?" She asked sleepily. Chichiri sighed.
"You're on Tasuki's lap, no da. You must have fallen asleep like that. Him too, no da." She sat up and blushed when she realized Chichiri was speaking the truth, but she didn't jump away immediately. Yumi was collecting herself and getting off of the Suzaku warrior when Tasuki yawned widely. He was only partially awake. He pulled Yumi close in a hug, and she blushed even darker.
"Tasuki." Her voice was muffled against his shirt. "You have to wake up. Chichiri says we've got work to do." Chichiri felt that if he sighed one more time, he might lose his patience.
"Hmmm?" Tasuki opened one eye and spotted Yumi nestled on him. "What's up, Yumi? Still sleepy?" Chichiri found that he was losing his patience. I will not sigh, no da…
"Tasuki, please release Yumi, no da. Wake up, no da! We need to get moving and start looking for the other members of the Suzaku seven, no da. We're not getting anything done just lazing around the palace, no da!"
Tasuki suddenly stood up, and Yumi fell off him onto the floor. Chichiri wondered at the abrupt change in attitude, but the mystery was soon cleared up when he realized that the door was open behind him. Hotohori and Nuriko were standing outside the doorway. Hotohori must have talked things over with Nuriko, for he looked thoroughly chastised.
"We were just discussing our next move, no da. Tasuki agrees with me, no da. If I may say so, no da, I think we should get looking for the rest of Suzaku's stars, no da." Hotohori looked at Chichiri in a calculating manner before nodding.
"Yes, of course, Nuriko and I were just talking about that as well." Nuriko scowled slightly, but Hotohori didn't see it. Suzaku, save me, no da!
"Hotohori-sama, we should ask for Taiitsukun's help, don't you think?" Nuriko asked in a normal, almost manly voice. Yumi stood up, and the emperor seemed to notice her for the first time. He didn't say anything.
"Nuriko," Yumi asked, "who is Taiitsukun?" Tasuki looked just as confused as the priestess as to the identity of Taiitsukun. Chichiri decided to fill them in.
"Taiitsukun is a special being, no da. She knows magic, no da, and is very powerful, no da. I studied under her for several years. We can summon her to help us, no da, but it is up to her whether she shows up or not, no da." Yumi nodded thoughtfully before responding in a totally different, much more enthusiastic attitude.
"Well, come on! Let's ask this lady for some help! I would hate to waste time looking in the wrong place!" Since everyone seemed to share the same sentiments, the group left Tasuki's room and followed the emperor to the shrine to Suzaku.
"We are not actually going inside." Hotohori said when Chichiri questioned the action. "We will use one of the rooms leading to it. You will find a perfect place to ask for her help." Chichiri nodded and went into the room his emperor directed. He looked around. It will suffice, no da. It was rather dark, but it was clean. The walls were bare wood, and in the center stood a pedestal, where a fire would be lit for ceremonial purposes.
"We will need to start a fire, no da, and then we all concentrate our chi, no da. We ASK for help, we do not demand it, no da." Tasuki was only too happy to start a fire for them, and Chichiri just shook his head as he heard the enthusiastic cry.
"Rekka Shin'en!"" Once the fire was going, he concentrated on his master, Taiitsukun. After a short while, Chichiri looked up, and she appeared in the flames.
"What the hell izzat?!" Chichiri heard Tasuki cry out. Chichiri looked to see what the warrior was looking at. Chichiri chuckled. Tasuki is afraid of Taiitsukun's face, no da. He had to admit, it had taken him many months of training before he could look at it without wincing, but he was used to it now. The lines and wrinkles covering the ancient face told a story that even Chichiri couldn't guess.
"Are you Taiitsukun?" Chichiri looked over and saw that Yumi was backing away from being that had once been his teacher.
"Yes." She said, "You have called for my assistance. I already know what you will ask, so I will help you how I can. First, Yumi, this is for you." From nowhere, a pink jewel on a necklace of smaller pink jewels appeared before Yumi. Awestruck, Yumi picked it up out of the air and babbled excitedly as she placed it around her neck.
""The Shikkon no Tama! Wow, Taiitsukun, you're great! You might look weird, but-" Chichiri winced, but Nuriko clamped a hand over Yumi's mouth, silencing her. What's a Shikkon, no da? The "Four Souls Jewel?" I've never heard of it… Chichiri wondered. He decided to ask Yumi about that later. Maybe she knows more magic than she's letting on, no da… Chichiri brought his attention back to his teacher, for she was speaking again.
"Pay attention to the jewel, for it will tell you when a celestial warrior is nearby. Whenever you find a new warrior, let him or her look into the jewel. If it reacts, then the warrior is truly one of Suzaku's chosen. If not, then you must keep searching. I know you don't really deserve it yet, but here are some aids for the rest of you." Chichiri watched Yumi playing with the jewel. I hope my priestess can be more serious when she needs to be… Nuriko suddenly cried out excitedly, and Chichiri started paying attention to what was going on.
Nuriko's wrists were glowing, and suddenly a pair of bracelets appeared. Tasuki's harisen seemed to glow, and it became shiny, as though it were made of diamond. The emperor held out his hands to catch a sword that appeared in front of him. Chichiri suddenly realized that he felt as though his powers had become much stronger. The only obvious change was that he now had larger sutra beads hanging around his neck. He smiled beneath the mask. Finally we are getting somewhere, no da. For a moment, Yumi was surrounded by a glow of red chi, but no physical change showed. He wondered what sort of strength Taiitsukun was lending to the priestess. Taiitsukun began to speak once more, but this time, Chichiri felt as though everyone was listening much more attentively than before.
"You must beware the Kutou. They send assassins to take your priestess from you. All of you must protect her. The rest… is for the priestess only to hear." Chichiri recognized a dismissal when he heard one. He pulled Tasuki outside, not sure whether the man would hear the dismissal, and Nuriko and Hotohori followed them. Once outside, Tasuki's bad mood returned.