Disclaimer: The characters from Fushigi Yuugi are the creations and property of Yuu Watase and related enterprises. The characters from Doctor Who are the property of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). I do not own them and do not make any profit from this fiction except for my own enjoyment in spending time with them.

However, all original characters in this story do belong to me and may not be used elsewhere without my permission.

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Chapter 13. Misconceptions and Revelations

"I must leave you now."

Such quiet, simple words, thought Joss. The Doctor's voice was so quiet when he'd spoken them, and yet the words had struck them with the force of a bomb. She could see the violently churning emotions race across Houjun's features--disbelief, confusion, loss, grief--and knew that her own face was probably equally as distraught. How could the Doctor? They needed him, couldn't he see that? She drew in a deep breath, preparing to burst into frantic questions and cries of recrimination.

"For how long?" Equally simple words, equally quiet and controlled. Joss stared at Houjun, amazed at his ability to get to the crux of the matter despite his obvious distress.

"I'm not sure; I really don't know." The Doctor continued to stand across the fire from them, deliberately allowing the flickering light and shadow to mask his expression. "There is a problem…I have a problem. There is much I haven't told you of the purpose of our travels, yet I'm certain you've gleaned this much on your own: there are places we must go to help people we don't know in ways often undefined. Although our actions may seem small or insignificant, they may have significant consequences in the future." He sighed, wearily rubbing his hand over his forehead. "We've always had too little margin for delays, and I'm afraid that this unforeseen trouble with Shun'u has placed us in an impossible situation. We must be in two separate locations by the end of this week: one in the west of Konan and one on Konan's eastern border. Unfortunately, I lack the sort of transport that would make this possible." He cast a brief and angry glance skyward. "So the only solution is for us to split our party in two, with me traveling to the west and you to the east, Houjun."

Houjun shook his head in confusion. "I don't understand. I have an idea of who is driving your mission, but why won't she--?" He stopped at a subtle shake of the Doctor's head. "Very well, I won't ask you any more on that subject…but how am I supposed to know where to go, who to find, and what to do when I get there? You've always been the one to guide us with the mirror."

The Doctor walked over and placed the mirror in Houjun's hands. "Here; you've used this tonight to bring Shun'u down the mountain, and I believe you understand its purpose. Just follow the paths that make the kanji brighter. When the signs begin to glow steadily with no flickering, you are very close. Then look for a young person in need, and…do what you do best, Houjun."

"But what will you do, Doctor? If I have the mirror, how will you find your way to the west?"

"I am to follow the stars." The Doctor's voice sounded reassuring, and yet Josselin could sense the weariness beneath his confident words. Weariness and anxiety.

She couldn't contain herself any longer. "But what am I supposed to do, Doctor? And what are we gonna do about Shun'u? I know that he's supposedly recovered, but is it safe to move him yet? And how will we all meet up again?"

The Doctor turned to face her, his position shielding his expression from Houjun. Joss swallowed hard as she saw the sad uncertainty in his eyes. 'He doesn't know if we will all meet again,' she thought to herself. 'That's right: his other mission is to do something about Magus. Maybe this is his way to get Houjun out of the line of fire before he goes back to confront Magus and Kurayami.'

The Doctor's voice cut in on her increasingly panicked thoughts. "You must do as you think best, Joss. You're welcome to travel with me, but you are also needed with this group. I cannot take Shun'u with me, so he must go with Houjun. All I can recommend is for you to do as your heart tells you." He smiled a sad, crooked smile at her.

At that moment, Joss felt her heart drop, and she knew that she loved him. A different kind of love than what she felt for Houjun, but love nonetheless. She stood blinking back tears as she hovered in indecision between two men who meant the world to her. Yes, the Doctor was planning to go into great danger, either now or a little later, and he might need her, but Houjun needed her, too. Not only Houjun, but now Shun'u as well. She turned a helpless, tear-filled gaze to the Doctor and was met with a radiant smile of approval.

"Yes," he breathed. "A very wise choice, Joss--and that's as it should be."

She couldn't help it; she rushed into his arms, holding tightly to him as if she could keep him here with them just by strength alone. She buried her face in his chest, somehow overcome by the feeling that this was it, this was the end, and they would never travel together again in their blithe and happy camaraderie.

Houjun stood frozen in place, gripping the mirror tightly as he fought down the lump in his throat. How he wished that he could be as open and direct as Joss, and take the Doctor as fiercely into his own arms. He sensed the finality in this parting even more than Joss did, and he was not blind to the uncertainty in the Doctor's ki. The Doctor didn't know if they would meet up again, so this might be the last time he saw his dearest friend.

That thought brought back the last time that he had thought he was bidding a final goodbye to the Doctor--and he was suddenly filled with helpless rage. "No!" He leapt forward and grasped the Doctor's hands, crushing Joss between them. Her eyes widened but she remained silent, letting Houjun speak uninterrupted. "I won't accept this! What's the point of all of your teaching, of all of the experiences that you've brought to me, if I remain just as helpless and passive as I was before we met? I don't accept that I must meekly bow to your will, Doctor, or to whoever controls your mission! I won't let it end like this! Remember that you promised me a reckoning--"

His voice trailed off as he finally made the connection that Joss had seen just seconds before. His voice wavered in disbelief. "That's your intention, isn't it? To confront Magus and Kurayami yourself--and leave me safely behind!" Now Houjun was in a towering rage. "I won't have it!" he roared. "You have no right to fight my battles for me! You have no right to leave me behind!"

The Doctor's voice remained mild, but his eyes gleamed as fiercely as Houjun's. "What makes you think that the battle belongs to you alone? And who else would you bring into danger?"

Houjun flushed but did not pull back. "Joss is free to make her own choices! I have no intention of letting you maneuver me out of the conflict out of guilt and misplaced responsibility. I expected better of you, Doctor, than to play that angle!"

The Doctor's temper was finally ignited. "I haven't lied to you about the urgency of our mission!" he shouted back at Houjun. "The needs of the children are very real, and every moment we waste here is another moment--!"

"Waste?" shouted Houjun. "I'm finally getting to the truth of this situation, and you call it a waste?"

"All right, time out!" Joss shoved hard, pushing both men back from where they had been shouting in one another's faces, freeing herself from their vise-like press. "Geez-loo-WEEZ, have I had it up to here with this testosterone-induced tandem tantrum!" She turned a fierce glare on the Doctor, raising a warning finger in his face. "And don't even try to give me any shit about not having testosterone! You're not foolin' me, 'cause I can feel the difference, if you know what I mean!" The Doctor flushed and retreated, muttering to himself.

The same fierce gaze was turned on Houjun. "And you! If you don't want to be treated like a child, quit acting like one!"

Houjun's eyes went wide in shock. "What do you mean? Just because I won't accept tyrannical edicts--"

"There you go again, hurling accusations without bothering to get to the bottom of things!" Joss whirled on the Doctor. "And you can quit looking so smug, Mister-Doctor-Know-It-All! Has it occurred to you that you provoked this childish behavior in Houjun by acting the part of the stubbornly recalcitrant parent?"

Both men grumbled, refusing to meet each other's eyes. Joss threw her hands up in aggravation. "All right, it looks like I'm the only adult present, so I guess it's up to me to sort things out. You first, since you started this whole thing!" She went up and poked the Doctor in the chest. "You can't just walk up, announce that you're leaving us maybe forever, and expect us to sit back quietly without any reaction! It's time that you started explaining," she intercepted his warning glance, "as much as you can, which I bet is a hell of a lot more than you chose to tell us!"

The Doctor looked mutinous. "I am unused to having to explain my every last action to my companions."

Joss raised her eyebrows. "Is that so, Your Royal Highness? Who died and made you Emperor? As far as I'm concerned, you're one of my companions, so you owe me an explanation!"

"One of your companions? That's utterly absurd!"

"Is it? As far as I know, I got here under my own steam, so it's not as if I'm some hitchhiker on your wagon. As for Houjun, he's lived here all of his life, so it's not as if you gave him a ride, either."

The Doctor frowned as he tried to think of some argument around Joss' relentless logic. Houjun fought to keep his mask expressionless, sensing that Joss would berate him just as badly if she caught him smirking.

"Honk!" Joss' sarcastic bark made Houjun jump. "Time's up, now you have to answer: what exactly is the urgent situation at hand? Are we really needed on two opposite ends of the country at once?"

"Yes!" The Doctor sounded hurt. "I haven't lied to you about that. This isn't some fabrication to maneuver you two out of my way."

"All right, apology accepted." Joss continued over the Doctor's sputtering protests. "But here's the key question: is it really necessary that you go on after this to confront the baddies all by yourself? Or is that your own private plan, no celestial mandates involved?"

"Well, I…you see, I thought…it's really for the best that I…"

Houjun exploded again. "That's exactly what I thought!"

Joss whirled and caught him by one ear, shocking him. "Act like a child, get treated like a child!" she barked. "Now do you want to get to the bottom of this, or would you rather spend the last few minutes we have left together pitching another abandonment hissy fit?"

Houjun flushed, humiliated by her apparently low opinion of him, and subsided into silence.

Joss released him and turned to the Doctor again. "Look, regardless of who is whose companions, the fact is that we're a team. A team that, I will admit, you've played a large role in creating. However, since all of us are technically adults here, it means that you don't get to make unilateral decisions concerning our welfare without our input. Right now, I think that I can speak for Houjun when I say that you're out-voted two-to-one on the tackling of the Magus situation. We go in together as a team--or we all go in separately, which will probably end up with us seriously screwing each other up."

"But, Joss, I have no idea as to how long my mission in the west will take, nor do you have any greater knowledge of your mission in the east! I can't say when or where we will have the opportunity to meet again--and what will you do with Shun'u?"

"That's why we make what are called contingency plans." Joss spoke slowly and clearly, as if to a child. "After our mission in the east, we take Shun'u home; sufficient time should've passed for him to be welcomed home with open arms as opposed to closed fists. Then we'll plan to meet, umm, let's say at the lake where we first found him. We wait for exactly one day, and then…here!" Joss grabbed the edge of her already torn shirt from beneath her nomadic robe and tore off a long strip of cloth from the hem. Houjun watched miserably, suddenly remembering the trauma that Joss had suffered earlier tonight, trauma that he was unable to prevent.

She handed the strip of cloth to the Doctor. "If we don't show up within one day, leave this cloth tied to a tree or shrub. That way, we'll know that you got there before us, and we won't waste time waiting for you. In the same way, look around for another strip of this same material, in case we got there before you. If we somehow miss each other, the contingency plan is to meet up again at Saihitei's palace. I'm sure that he'll be happy to see us again, not to mention that he could possibly provide us with some military might when we return to the school."

"Military strength may not be the answer, Joss."

"What-ever! We can discuss strategies when we get back to the palace; the point is that we now have a plan as to when and where we will meet up again. Now was that so hard?"

Houjun looked down again, embarrassed, but the Doctor suddenly flashed a wide smile at Joss. "Absolutely not! A plan elegant in its simplicity. In fact, I'm surprised that I didn't think of it myself."

Joss' tone was wry. "Let's just say that you and magician-boy here suffer from certain hormonal handicaps. Listen, I'm gonna duck into the tent and choose some warmer clothes as well as check up on our two sleepers, so that will give you two a chance to kiss and make up. Be good, now!" With that, she whirled around and left the two men standing bemused at the fire.

The Doctor took the lead. "Er, Houjun…"

The young magician turned wide eyes on the Doctor. "Are we…are we really supposed to…kiss?"

The Doctor laughed merrily. "It's just an expression, Houjun, like 'ants in the pants.' She means that we are to make peace with one another."

"Oh." Houjun was unsure if he felt relieved or…He cleared his throat. "In that case, I really do apologize, Doctor."

"Oh no, the fault was all mine, as Joss quite rightly pointed out. However, I must say, deep inside I was pleased to see such a show of spirit in you! You're right; you have grown well past mindless capitulation to another's will. Good work!"

Houjun mumbled an embarrassed but pleased rejoinder. The Doctor continued to stare after the disappearing Joss. "You know," he burst out suddenly. "Estrogen is rather a wonderful substance, when you think about it!"

"Estrogen?"

"It's a minute substance in the blood that makes a woman a woman."

Houjun stood beside the Doctor and stared back at the tent with him. "But the question is, what is the substance that makes Joss...Joss?"

The Doctor laughed again. "Oh, I doubt science will ever be able to elucidate that!" He leaned in and murmured conspiratorially to Houjun. "I suspect that there may be magic involved!"

****

Shortly thereafter, the Doctor departed for the west, leaving them with Houjun's horse and the pack pony for Shun'u, taking only what he could fit in the saddlebags of his own horse. It was a much warmer parting than the previous one, with affectionate hugs and handshakes and cheerful promises to meet up again soon.

However, Houjun could not shake the feeling of dark foreboding at the dissolution of their fellowship, even if it was only temporary. He felt uneasy and depressed again as he looked around at their Doctor-less camp, and frustrated at his inability to put his finger on what worried him. Perhaps it was the fact that he was now solely responsible for the welfare of Shun'u and Joss. He sneaked a peek at her, then dropped his eyes quickly when she stared back at him curiously.

"All right, you're doing it again, Houjun."

He kept his eyes downcast. "Doing what?"

"Refusing to look at me. You did that earlier tonight, and now you're at it again. If you're mad at me, I wish that you would just come out and tell me."

Houjun shot a startled glance at Joss. "I'm not angry with you. I just wondered…why you chose to travel with me instead of the Doctor." He cast his eyes down again. "It's a decision you may come to regret."

"What? What the hell are you talking about? Aren't we close friends, you and me? At least that's the way you used to treat me, up until--" Joss drew in a sudden sharp breath. "Oh, now I get it. You don't want anything to do with me ever since I offered to go with Eiken." Her voice dropped. "Guess I crossed the line there without realizing it. Maybe you're right. Maybe I should've found out whether I was wanted here before I opened my mouth and told the Doctor that I was staying with you."

Houjun was overtired, overstressed, and without his usual emotional control. "That's not what I was talking about! Do you think that I'm so stupid that I didn't realize why you were offering to sacrifice yourself? I'm not blaming you for anything; I blame myself! If I can't bring myself to look you in the eyes, it's because I'm ashamed--ashamed of failing you!"

"Failing me? How did you fail me?"

"I wasn't there for you, was I? It wasn't me who got you out of the clutches of that animal!"

"No, it wasn't. You were just a little tied up--with saving Shun'u's life! What is your problem, Houjun? Are you always this self-centered?"

"Self-centered?" Houjun was shocked. That was one fault that no one had ever accused him of before.

"Exactly! You act like you're a god or something! You act like you're responsible for everything, so then you take the blame for everything. Did it ever occur to you that people can be responsible for their own lives and choices? I knew what I was doing back there! By staying with Shun'u and getting him out of there, you made everything I went through worthwhile. If you would've staged a heroic rescue, I might have been saved by you instead of the Doctor, but in the end, Shun'u would have died. So explain to me why you prefer that outcome."

Houjun opened and closed his mouth a few times, wrestling with Joss' relentlessly logical condemnation of his attitude. Could she be right? Was his self-castigation really narcissism in disguise? How humiliating if that were true! He stammered out a weak defense. "I…I'm sorry, Joss, but I didn't want to see you get hurt again. I felt like I was just standing by, not helping--"

"Whoa!" interrupted Joss. "What do you mean, again? When have you ever hurt me?"

"Not me! I meant earlier in your life; you said that…" Houjun stopped, his flush apparent even in the flickering firelight.

Joss frowned in confusion. "Earlier in my life? When did I say--?" Suddenly she turned as red as her companion. "You're talking about the throne room, aren't you? What I shouted; that's right, I shouted it into your face!" She pulled at her hair in embarrassment. "I didn't mean to imply…I wasn't…oh, shit, I was never raped, Houjun!"

Houjun stared desperately into the flames, willing them to somehow rescue him from this disastrous foray into Joss' personal life. "You don't have to explain anything to me," he ventured miserably. There was a moment of silence in which he suddenly wondered if he sounded judgmental or uncaring. "I mean...there's more than one way to get hurt, Joss: broken promises, for one."

"Oh, Houjun." Her voice was low and sympathetic. "I'd like you to go on thinking the best of me, that I was some poor girl misled and jilted by a lover, but it wasn't that way at all. Listen, um...things are different in my time and country. Virginity isn't as highly prized as it used to be. In fact, I was the butt of jokes among my friends for being a 'late-starter.' They used to tease me, asking me if I thought it was increasing in value the longer I held onto it."

Houjun bit his lip. He should say something to let her know that she didn't have to tell him this, but something in him wanted to know. Something that gnawed at him, making him feel the ghosts of long-ago pain: jealousy, bitterness…inadequacy. 'Half a man,' whispered a distant, mocking voice--and he firmly pushed it back. Why should he feel jealous? Whatever Joss ended up telling him, it had happened long before she met him, so it wasn't as if she'd betrayed him. Not unless…unless she was still in love with the man.

"Houjun, this isn't easy, but you're making it damn near impossible by refusing to look at me!"

He finally met her eyes. "You don't have to tell me anything," he repeated numbly.

"Yes, I do! I don't know why I feel like I have to, but I want to tell you. And since I'm not nice like you, I'm going to make you listen to me." She took a deep breath, then plunged ahead, keeping her eyes fixed on his. "There was this boy, er, I mean, young man. Nice enough, I guess. We were dating, and he was good-looking, and my friends kept going at me, so I thought…well, why not. So we did, and it wasn't great, but it wasn't awful either. So I thought, well, the first time isn't supposed to be so great anyway; give it another chance. So we did for awhile, but it never got any better. And he started to get serious about me but I was already tired of him, so I ended it. He didn't understand it--and neither did I, not for a long time. I thought that I might be one of those women who never liked…well, I thought it was my fault. And it was, but not for any physical reason."

Joss took her courage in both hands, and reached out and grasped Houjun's hand. To her relief, he didn't pull away. "You see, I had it wrong. I thought that all the songs and poems were a lot of made-up nonsense by people who were more into sex than I was. It took me awhile, but I finally figured out what was missing. I never loved him, Houjun. The passion and the rapture and everything else that sex is supposed to be wasn't there--because I wasn't there. Not my heart, anyway. I finally realized that, just…recently."

Houjun caught his breath, mesmerized by the passion blazing from Joss' eyes as she stared into his. His heart was pounding so hard that he thought it might burst from his chest. He struggled to form words around his breathless excitement, because he needed to know. "When…when did you realize this?"

She smiled a trembling smile at him, her eyes shining with tears and with her characteristic honesty. "When I met you, Houjun. When just being near you made me feel the fire. When I realized that I loved you."

He shouldn't lose control like this, thought some dim part of Houjun's mind as he lunged across the space between them and pulled Joss into his arms. He should ask her what she wanted, not just seize her lips and plunge into the sweet warmth of her mouth. But she opened for him, her arms grasping him as desperately as he grasped her, her tongue passionately meeting and stroking his. Oh, gods, had he ever felt this fire before? She was so soft, all of her hard spiky defenses melting beneath his touch as she gave herself to him completely--and the more she gave, the more he wanted, needed, had to have her! He knew he was being almost too aggressive, but she was more than just yielding to him; she was matching him passion for passion, encouraging him with breathless moans, fervent caresses. He pushed against her, pushing his hardness against her, but she didn't move away. Instead, she pulled him deeper against her, writhing sensuously against him, running her fingers through his hair--

"Ah, shit, this is disgusting! Let a guy leave ta catch a little sleep, an' you two are all over each other! If I didn't feel sick b'fore, I sure feel sick now!"

They broke off their kiss with as much violence as they started it, panting as they struggled to regain control. Joss leaned her forehead against Houjun's chest, gasping in short, sobbing breaths. "Please, Houjun, you have to understand: I have to hurt him!"

Houjun choked out something between a laugh and a groan. "No, you can't do that, Joss! He's just recovered from a life-threatening injury."

"Life-threatening injury? I'll give him a life-threatening injury!"

"Joss!"

"Oh, all right, I won't knock him in the head, but at least let me give him a good, hard pinch."

Houjun laughed. "No!"

"Okay, then how about a rope burn?"

"Rope burn?"

"Like this." Joss grasped Houjun's forearm with both hands and turned each hand in the opposite direction so that the skin was twisted in between.

"Ow, ouch! No, you can't do that, either!"

"Damn it!" Joss grumbled, finally pushing away from Houjun now that she could feel that he was back under control. She turned a baleful glare on their small, red-haired witness. "In case you didn't notice, you little shit, you just came closer to death right now than at any time over the past week--and that's saying a lot, considering your talent for getting yourself into trouble! What the hell are you doing out of bed?"

Shun'u rubbed his arms, his thin legs sticking out beneath the simple shirt they had wrapped him in. His hair stood up in wild spikes around his head before cascading down in the silken red-gold river that ran down his back, and his amber eyes were wide and distressed. He looked very much like an orphan: an orphan girl, to be precise.

"I, uh…I, uh, just thought I'd letcha know that there's some big, giant weirdo sleepin' in our tent. I thought I'd check on ya guys an' make sure yer all right b'fore I went back ta beat th' shit outta him."

Joss groaned, grasping her head as she thought about the narrowly averted disaster of Shun'u taking a stick to his slumbering savior. However, Houjun noted Shun'u's shivering form and anxious glances back at the tent, and knew that the boy had been frightened by waking up next to a stranger.

"There's no need for you to do that, Shun'u; Juan is a friend who is staying with us for the night. Why don't you sit down with us, and we'll explain everything to you." Houjun seated himself before the fire and motioned for Joss and Shun'u to join him.

"Ah, crap!" muttered Joss as Shun'u happily wriggled in between them.

"So…" Shining amber eyes beamed up at both of them. "Anything interestin' happen while I was sleepin'?"

****

Shun'u lay with his head pillowed on Houjun's lap, his brilliant hair catching the feeble glow of the dying fire. A hand reached out and hesitantly stroked the long fiery locks. Houjun smiled. "It's all right; he's finally asleep."

Joss pulled back her hand as if she had been burned. "I wasn't…I didn't…I just wanted to check that he was really out this time!"

Houjun's smile widened. "You don't have to be embarrassed. There's nothing wrong with caring about him."

"I don't! Well, maybe I do a little, but most of the time, I really don't like him."

"Mm-hm. That's why you were willing to make any sacrifice for him, and why you were in tears when you thought we might lose him."

"Well, all right, so maybe I don't want to see him dead, contrary to my usual threats. But that doesn't mean I'm ready to adopt him."

"And you also called him your little brother--"

"Shhhhh!" Joss waved her hands frantically. "What if he hears you?"

"What does it matter? There's no need to be ashamed, Joss. Speaking your heart is a wonderful thing."

There was something wistful and a little sad in Joss' eyes as she met his gaze. "Is it?"

"Yes, it is," reassured Houjun, reaching out a hand to stroke her cheek.

She closed her eyes under his gentle touch, rubbing her cheek against his hand like a cat. "I wasn't sure if you…if what I said made you happy or…"

Houjun laughed. "Could I be any clearer about how happy you've made me?"

'Yes,' thought Joss to herself. 'You could say you love me, too.' She rebuked herself for her greediness; after all, hadn't his response given her more than she'd ever hoped for? She turned her face into his hand again, suddenly repressing a yawn.

Houjun looked at her, noting the dark circles under her eyes and the paleness of her skin. He hadn't been the only one to suffer through this whole misadventure--and he was being selfish, wanting to keep her awake and near; wanting to talk to her, touch her…

"I think it's time I put both of you back in the tent."

Joss looked startled. "What about you? You look pretty exhausted yourself."

"There isn't enough room, with Juan asleep in there. Don't worry about me, Joss; I'll rest while meditating out here."

"Won't you be cold?"

"No. I'll re-veil myself, since the Doctor seemed to feel that it was important that I keep my face concealed. Although I feel strongly that we can trust Juan, I'll follow the Doctor's advice. He must have his reasons."

"I was hoping we could talk awhile, just you and me."

Houjun laughed at the slightly disgruntled tone of Joss' voice. "Joss, we have all the time in the world to talk; all the time we need. Get some sleep before you collapse--and that's an order!"

"Aye, Captain!" she barked back sarcastically. Yet she didn't argue with him, crawling into the tent and accepting Shun'u's recumbent form from his arms. Houjun smiled, watching her settle the boy carefully into his sleeping roll next to Juan. He backed out of the tent doorway, pausing just before closing the flap to see Joss bend down and press her lips to the boy's forehead.

Houjun stoked the fire again, then rewound his turban about his head, draping the veil across his face. Assuming a meditative posture, he slowly released the tension from each muscle group until he felt completely relaxed. He closed his eyes; although it was still dark, he could hear the sleepy stirrings and isolated chirps of the earliest-rising birds. Dawn was not far off, then; this endless night was nearly over. How much had changed in his life in the space of a few hours! The near-death of Shun'u, the strange rapport with Myou Juan, the Doctor leaving, the assignment of a new mission, and most of all, Joss. Especially Joss.

He went over her words again in his mind, savoring them like a fine wine. Yes, the passion between them was intoxicating--he paused to take a few deep breaths to calm his pounding heart--but the thing that stirred him to the very depths of his being was the thought that she had found him worthy of her devotion. She loved him.

He had little experience of females, but he was insightful enough to realize that Joss was no ordinary woman. She was brave and brash, reckless and startlingly tender, capable of the harshest scolds and the softest words of comfort. She lived fearlessly, risking anything and everything for those she loved--and he now knew that he was the one who had astoundingly won her heart.

A soft, wondering laugh escaped him. How had he achieved this miracle? He didn't even know what it was that drew her to him. If anything, he'd expected her to become enamoured of the Doctor. They were so much alike: both of them powerful personalities full of courage, laughter, and compassion. He felt shy and dull between the two, but perhaps he was not as uninteresting as he thought. After all, from the very start she'd looked at him with eyes shimmering with feeling. He hadn't understood it then, but perhaps he understood it now.

He caught his breath as new revelations flashed through his mind. He had shied away from these thoughts in the past, fearful that they would make him too self-conscious around her, but…could she possibly know everything about him? His bitter past, his dark crimes, his scars? He forced down the familiar feelings of guilt and grief, pursuing the line of thought that danced so tantalizingly before him. Did she know everything about him--and yet love him all the same?

He felt almost dizzy with shock. If this were true, then she loved the real him. The flawed man he truly was, not the unscarred innocent he pretended to be. He pushed that thought back, not trusting the bright future that beckoned beyond. What did it matter? Even if she didn't know his past, he would make himself worthy of her. He would become the man she thought he was, and he would give her everything.

Houjun felt strength and determination and a long-forgotten feeling that he finally recognized as optimism flowing through him. Not even the inevitable confrontation with Magus could dampen his high spirits. He was a whole man at last, a warrior willing to fight for his lady and his life, and those that intended to oppose him had best beware! Of course, to be honest, they had best beware of his lady as well. He repressed a laugh; he knew her too well to expect her to wait patiently in the background while he went on to fight alone. Oh no, not Joss!

Bowing his head, he closed his eyes, his thoughts becoming more jumbled and random. He and Joss…laughing…loving… children? Somehow Shun'u became mixed up in this reverie. No, he was too old to be their son, but still… The Doctor smiling over them all…Myou Juan coming to visit, placing his hand on his shoulder, shaking him gently…"Ri-san? Ri-san, I must leave now." But you've only just arrived! he protested mutely--then jerked awake.

The sun was halfway up the sky, bright golden beams streaming through the trees. Houjun blinked in confusion; had he really been asleep for that long? It seemed that he had closed his eyes only moments ago. Yet the sun didn't lie, nor could he deny the reality of the tall figure casting his shadow across him.

Houjun struggled to his feet, readjusting his turban and veil. He could see white teeth flash in the shadowed face as the familiar deep tones sounded with surprisinging gentleness from such a large man. "Part of me wanted to leave without waking you, but--some other part of me wanted to say good-bye. At least for now."

"Must you go so soon?" asked Houjun wistfully, then blushed as he realized the lateness of the hour. "I mean, Joss and Shun'u would probably like to--"

"Sleep for a few more hours," finished Juan, laughing. "Don't worry, my patient seems perfectly fine, snoring away happily."

"Yes, he had awakened for a while last night; that's why he's so tired today."

"Well, let him sleep. He will reawaken in his own time. But I didn't stay to offer medical advice, Ri-san."

"I know," finished Houjun. "It's that connection again, isn't it?"

"Yes. I suppose I wanted to see if it was still real in the bright light of day." Warm blue eyes met brown, and the two men smiled. All that could be seen of Houjun's smile, however, was the crinkling of his eyes.

Houjun felt a strange sinking feeling inside at yet another parting. It was strange he felt so strongly that Juan was his friend after just a few hours' acquaintance, yet the feeling was undeniable. He was tempted to unveil, but the Doctor's instructions had been adamant.

"Don't worry. Some day, we will meet again, all veils and shadows cast aside." Juan once again tracked easily with Houjun's thoughts. It wasn't an invasion of his privacy, however; it was more like a meeting of kindred souls.

Houjum was suddenly filled with optimism again. "Yes, I feel sure of that as well. Take care, Myou Juan, until we meet again! Send my best wishes to your lady."

"And you as well, to your lady. Farewell, River-Boy!" Myou Juan laughed, turning and moving quickly into the distance with long, measured strides. Houjun stood still, watching the tall figure as it grew smaller and smaller and finally disappeared from sight.

****

"It's just not fair!" groused Joss as they waited for Shun'u to pop out from behind a tree up ahead. "Every time I think that I'm alone with you, bam! There he is! It's like it's his mission in life to keep us apart! You know, from what my married friends tell me, this is just like being a parent but without the fun part."

"The fun part?" Houjun was hard put to conceal his grin. Joss was so hilarious whenever she went off on one of her rants - and even less guarded than usual. He was always certain to get some startling insight just by listening to her.

"Yeah, the fun part: the conception part for one! Then there's the planning and dreaming and picking out names…but nooooooooo, not for me! It's like God's big joke: 'Hey, Joss, you think that you've finally found The Guy? Guess what; we'll skip the whole romance part, and I'll just land you with a Shun'u! All mouth and adolescent attitude - and you get to be the parent! Have fun, y'all!' Gyaaahhhh!"

Houjun lost his struggle for control, laughing out loud. As usual, Joss didn't take offense, grinning back at him.

They had been traveling eastward for several days now, and Joss and Shun'u had settled into a routine of bickering almost every other hour. Houjun had at first felt stressed by their constant quarrels but soon realized that the two headstrong personalities actively enjoyed their frequent conflicts. So he had abandoned any attempts at peace-making and just sat back and laughed as they let their barbs fly.

This particular bit of bad temper from Joss was due to a quarrel that began the previous night. Joss had grown weary of washing Shun'u's eternally dirt-filled clothes. She had flung the clothes at the boy, saying that he would be less likely to roll around in the dirt if he were responsible for the laundry. In a fit of temper, Shun'u had grabbed all the clothes he could find and scrubbed them in a nearby river. Upon waking, Joss found that nearly every outfit she owned was clean - but soaking wet.

This resulted in Joss and Shun'u being stuck in her last two gifts from Saihitei: ultra-feminine party clothes. Shun'u had howled in outrage at being forced into the floral-embroidered tunic, but Joss had cuffed him upside the head and snarled that he either wore those clothes or nothing at all. She herself was angry at having to don a pair of puffy pantaloons that accentuated her already generous hips. Shun'u had cheered up upon seeing her in the ridiculous outfit and had improved his temper by firing several insults at her regarding those hips.

Houjun held up a hand, interrupting Joss' rant as he stared into the mirror. Shun'u sensed his absorption and reappeared, quietly rejoining them as they followed a dirt path through the thinning woods. Severed tree stumps indicated that they were approaching human habitation. They dismounted as they approached the edge of the woods.

The path led to the outskirts of what appeared to be a sprawling but poor village. There were no large, fine houses--only modest wooden dwellings punctuated by occasional groups of flimsy hovels. Houjun kept his gaze unwaveringly fixed on the mirror, watching the kanji for "infant," "power," and "oni" fade into one another, flickering brighter each time they made their appearance. He couldn't make sense of the meaning of the kanji. "Oni…infant…" he whispered to himself. "A little ghost? And power?" Joss and Shun'u trailed him, Shun'u silent for once, sensing the importance of Houjun's concentration.

Suddenly they heard voices: a young, pleading male voice answered by a harsh older voice. Houjun signaled to his companions, and they drew quietly closer, keeping just out of sight within the line of trees.

They saw a youth of perhaps Shun'u's age, although he was about a head taller and sturdier than the wispy redhead. He had long midnight blue-black hair caught in a simple ponytail, and his clothes, although rough and worn, were clean. He carried a bundle tied to his chest and seemed to be pleading with a harsh-faced old crone standing near the circle of hovels.

"Please," the boy entreated. "Just some milk from your goat. I'll work for it, I promise! I'll milk your goat and chop wood and…and do anything you ask! You know me--you know I'll work as hard as you want!"

The crone shook her head. One of her eyes shifted strangely, the orb a milky blue-white. "No, young Sou, I don't need your labor; I can take care of my own. As for you, if you don't have any money, you would do better to go and beg in the next town."

The youth flushed in humilation. "I'm not begging! I offered to pay for the milk! But please, obaa-san, my sister won't live long enough for me to make the journey."

"Just as well!" the harsh old voice rang out. "Better to let her die now…better now than later!"

The boy sucked in a breath, his hands going to the bundle at his chest. The travelers suddenly realized that he was holding a tiny infant close to his body. "Fuck!" hissed Shun'u and suddenly took off with his extraordinary speed before Joss could grab him.

He startled the boy and the crone with his sudden appearance between them. "Listen, Babaa, why dontcha shut yer ugly trap an' jus' give the kid what he's askin' for?! It ain't like it's gonna kill ya or nothin'!"

The woman turned her mismatched eyes on the first youth. "Who is this girl?" she hissed, obviously angry at Shun'u's abuse.

"I never saw her before in my life!" stammered the boy, his huge grey eyes wide with shock.

"I ain't no fuckin' GIRL!" Shun'u's high-pitched shriek did little to support his claim. He balled up his fists but was immediately restrained by a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Please accept my apologies for my young companion's outburst." Houjun's voice was placating and gentle, yet Shun'u yielded to the underlying authority beneath the soft tones. He subsided, settling for muttering angrily beneath his breath.

Joss tried to follow Houjun's lead. "Excuse me, obaa-san, but we're just travelers passing by, and we thought that perhaps we could help?" She hoped that the mild inquiry would defuse some of the tension.

The old woman squinted suspiciously at the three strangers, pausing to gaze intently at Houjun's mystically masked visage. She suddenly shuddered and backed up into her doorway. "No!" she denied. "I already told the boy 'no,' so--leave me alone!" She pulled the door shut, the thin wood vibrating as a bar was dragged across.

The young boy bit his lip, fighting back tears that were rising in his extraordinary grey eyes. A weak, mewling cry came from the infant at his breast, and he lifted the child closer to his body, cradling it with experienced hands.

Joss moved closer. "May I?" she asked gently, and the youth nodded, blinking rapidly. Joss pulled back the rough cloth that proteced the baby's head from the summer sun…and sucked in a breath at the tininess of the child. She looked at the lips pursing, sucking at empty air, and gently pinched the baby's dry skin, watching the skin stay up in the fold instead of smoothing out. "Houjun," she hissed,"this baby is severely dehydrated!"

Houjun moved in, but his focus was on the boy. "How old is she?"

"Three days," the boy fought to keep his voice steady.

"And your mother?"

"Dead." The simple word was choked with grief. Suddenly, a torrent of words poured out of the boy, tumbling over one another, suffused with desperation. "I ran to get the healer from the next town, but it was four leagues away! By the time we got back, she was already dead, but the baby…my sister was still alive! The healer took all my money just for making the journey, even though he didn't do anything for my mother, and then said that he couldn't do anything for the baby unless I had more money! I didn't, so he left, and…and…I didn't have any money left to buy milk, so all I could do was give her water, and…" The boy choked off a sob.

"You've done very well, " Houjun praised, giving the boy time to regain his control. Joss forced back angry tears at how the poor boy had been robbed. Shun'u had come to the same conclusion, muttering, "Fuckin' quack!" while swiping surreptitiously at his eyes. "Your sister is still alive because of your actions, and we intend to help you keep her that way. What is the baby's name?"

"Yuiren. I named her, because Mother…" the boy caught his breath and forced himself to continue, "and Father is ill and is hardly conscious because of the pain."

"I take it that this woman owns the only source of milk in the village - a goat, did you say?"

"Yes. There are a few other women with babies, but this has been a bad year, with the raids from Kutou and the drought. No one has enough food, so they turned me away, saying that they had barely enough milk for their own babies. I thought that maybe Old Hitomi-san would exchange some goat milk for work, but… And I don't think I have enough time to work somewhere else to get the okane!"

Houjun glanced at the baby and privately agreed. However, there was no point in making the boy feel worse. "And your name?"

"Kishuku."

"Well, Kishuku, let's see if we can get Hitomi-san to listen to reason." Houjun rapped on the cheap wooden door but received no answer. He frowned for a moment - and in that brief pause, Shun'u had flashed past him and was banging on the door, screaming, "Open up, you old bitch!"

Houjun pulled Shun'u aside. "Shun'u, you will be silent and let me handle this! Do you really think that personal insults will make her more sympathetic to this baby's plight?"

Shun'u jutted out his chin at the reprimand. "Well, she ain't 'xactly fallin' over herself ta help out right now. An' from what I can see of th' squirt, we ain't got much time left. Sometimes ya gotta scare th' shit outta people b'fore they find it in their hearts ta be generous!"

Houjun frowned into Shun'u's obstinate glare, mulling over his words. Meanwhile, Kishuku leaned toward Joss. "That has to be the foulest-mouthed little girl I've ever met!" he whispered. Joss signaled Kishuku to keep quiet, waiting to see the outcome of the conflict between Houjun and Shun'u.

"All right," Houjun finally conceded. "There may be something in what you say. But first, we'll try it my way one more time." Kishuku's eyes widened at how the older man seemed to respect the opinion of the fiery youngster. Houjun turned and rapped on the door once again. "Gomen nasai, Hitomi-san, but we would like to have a word with you. Please, obaa-san, we would like to barter with you for the use of your goat." In spite of the tempting use of the word "barter," the door remained obstinately closed.

Houjun met Shun'u's critical gaze and sighed. Lifting his hand vertically before his face, he chanted a brief spell. There was the sound of the bar falling, then the thin door slammed open. "Fuck!" exclaimed Shun'u in admiration, earning him another surprised glance from Kishuku.

The figure of the old woman was a shadowed, hunched shape near the rear wall of her hovel. Thin slits of daylight seeped through the cracks in the wall, enabling the travelers to see that she was holding up a few tattered pieces of paper. "Demon, begone!" she quavered at Houjun, trying to ward him off with the crumpled demon wardings.

"Please, Hitomi-san, I don't intend to harm you." Houjun's voice was gentle and reassuring. "I'm sorry I had to use force, but you refused to listen any other way. I'm no demon; I'm just a simple traveler asking for the chance to be heard."

The old woman stood straighter at Houjun's reassurance but did not drop her guard. "If you're no demon, then why can I see dark power around you? The power to destroy souls!"

Houjun and Joss froze i shock, while Kishuku drew away from them, his eyes growing wide in fear as he placed his hands protectively around his infant sister.

"Yeah, well, if you can see that, Babaa, then ya better listen ta him b'fore he curses ya ta death!"

The old woman sucked in a breath, while Joss leaped forward and clamped a hand over Shun'u's mouth. "I'm sorry for my young friend's words, obaa-san; please pay no attention to him! Ri-san is a good man who would never hurt you. We just don't understand…we would appreciate it if you would explain why you refuse to help an innocent baby."

Hitomi-san stood straight and pointed a shaking finger at Kishuku cradling his sister. Her blue-white eye rolled in agitation. "Why, you ask me! It's plain to see! This child is doomed to die!"

Kishuku's face paled with shock and grief. Shun'u twisted in Joss' grip and bit her hand with his sharp fangs. She yelped and released him, allowing a flood of abuse to come pouring from him. "You're full of shit! She won't die if ya get up off yer ass and help out, Babaa! Ya don't even hafta do anythin' - the kid here said he'd do all th' work!"

"I don't mean now!" The old woman jabbed her finger accusingly at Houjun. "You, who can see into souls, can you not see the darkness in her future? The child bears the sign of water! Her life will be short and filled with hardship!"

Houjun held out a placating hand. "I do not have the gift of future sight, Hitomi-san. But even if I did, I would not be so quick to condemn this child. The future can change, as well you know…and your words give pain to her brother."

Although he struggled to control himself, Kishuku was losing the battle with his emotions. Slow tears were leaking from the huge grey eyes. For some reason, this sight sent Shun'u into a frenzied rage. "BITCH!" he shrieked at Hitomi-san. There was nothing for it; Joss tackled him and pinned him to the ground, covering his mouth with both hands.

"Hssstt!" she warned in an undertone. "I think that Houjun's getting through to her, so shut up!" Shun'u stopped his struggles, although his eyes still blazed with fire.

Hitomi-san looked away from Kishuku's face. "Better now," she whispered. "The pain of her death will be easier now…instead of later." She walked backwards, feeling her way to a familiar corner. In the darkness, Houjun could make out a small wooden bed. Hitomi-san reached back with her hand, and without looking, lifted a tiny, worn robe. It was a child's robe, lovingly embroidered with flowers and birds, proclaiming the owner to be a young girl.

Houjun's expression saddened with understanding, while the entangled figures of Joss and Shun'u grew quiet and still. The old woman clutched the robe to her breast and spoke in a sad, flat monotone.

"Each day she lives, you will come to love her more. She will love you back and become your entire world. And when she dies, your world will end and you will face hell: the hell made up of thousands of days spent looking for her smile, listening for her laughter…and finding only emptiness." She lifted her asymmetric gaze to Kishuku's face. "So you see, young Sou, I do not seek to hurt you; I seek to spare you pain. Better she dies now, before you learn to love her too much."

"It's too late for me, Hitomi-san." The boy's voice was soft but clear. "I love her too much already. You see, she's all I have left of my mother."

In the silence, Joss felt her body shake with a sob, although she was uncertain if it came from herself or Shun'u.

Houjun placed his hand on Kishuku's shoulder. "Hitomi-san, you who have been given the gift of future sight…"

"Gift?" the old woman choked. "Better to call it a curse! To be given the ability to see what is to come, yet remain helpless to do anything to change it? It is the cruelest curse ever conceived by the gods!"

"Perhaps so," Houjun continued, his tones soft with sympathy. "But sight cursed by the gods can be wrong, isn't that possible?"

Hitomi-san turned her blue-white eye to Houjun, frowning as she read some silent message he was sending her. "Perhaps so," she repeated.

"And all of us are doomed to die some day. Do those who are gifted with a longer life contribute more to the world's happiness than those whose lives burn brilliant but brief? Would it be better if those we had loved and lost had never existed? Or does the life of someone precious to you, no matter how brief, mean more to you than the greatest treasures of the world put together?"

Hitomi-san finally broke away from Houjun's hypnotic gaze, unclasping the child's robe and folding it carefully before replacing it on the little bed. She turned and faced Kishuku and his sister. "Take the goat. Take it with you and keep it, for when the baby cries out for milk in the night."

Kishuku bowed as deeply as he could without disturbing the baby. "Thank you, Hitomi-san. But I won't take it as charity; I will come back and work for it as I promised!"

"As I said before, young Sou, I can take care of my own." The old woman's voice softened as she looked at the boy and his tiny sister. "But perhaps you can bring the baby to visit as she grows older. Let a little girl's laughter gladden an old woman's heart once again."

****

Joss finished sewing the cut-off finger from one of her fine leather gloves to the snipped-off corner of the leather pouch-canteen. She hadn't even hesitated one moment at sacrificing the expensive parting gift from Saihitei. Every move was closely watched by Kishuku, who was further shadowed by Shun'u, obviously jealous of the attention Joss was devoting to the "new boy."

"Now just take the needle and poke two tiny holes in the fingertip. You don't want the milk to flow too quickly or easily; she may choke, plus she needs to develop her sucking power for her health. Put only two measures of milk in the pouch for right now." Joss held up an Imperial sake cup. "As she gets bigger, you'll have to increase the quantity of milk and probably poke more holes in the glove tip."

Joss walked over and dropped the glove-bottle into a pot of boiling water prepared by Houjun. Another small pan of goat's milk was cooling next to the fire after having undergone its own boiling treatment. Their makeshift camp had been set up next to the spring up in the hills behind Hitomi-san's house, since they had wanted to get nourishment into the baby as soon as possible without wasting time on a crosstown jaunt. "Now listen closely, Kishuku, 'cause this is really important! Make sure that you wash and boil the bottle after every feeding; that's why I sewed two of them for you. You should probably make another for back-up. Anyway, when in doubt, boil everything!"

"But why? We never did that for my other brothers and sister."

Joss pondered briefly. Suzaku probably would not appreciate her teaching germ theory to his people, but…oh, hell, she'd just have to do the best she could. "Look, Kishuku, in the past your mother fed your siblings, right?"

"Ye-es..."

"Well, mothers' milk gives a lot of protection from disease, protection that Yuiren won't have. So you have to be the protection for her by getting rid of the, er, evil disease spirits by boiling. And make sure that you keep everything that you boiled clean and covered up from insects. That, and keep her clean! Change her bottom cloth several times a day, and once again, wash them with the soap!" A bar of fine Imperial milled soap was added to the pile of supplies being handed to Kishuku.

Kishuku flushed at their generosity. "I'll find a way to pay you back somehow, I promise!"

"Nah, don' worry about it." Shun'u's high tones piped up proudly. "We're th' mysterious travellin' Servants of Suzaku! He's th' boss," pointing a finger at Houjun, "an' I'm the second-in-command! It's our jobs ta help the people of Konan!"

Joss rolled her eyes at how Shun'u conveniently forgot to mention her contribution but decided to forego an argument in favor of getting milk into the baby. "Okay, Kishuku, one last lesson: check the temperature of the milk like so," she dropped a few drops on his wrist from a spoon, "because it's a lot more sensitive to heat than your fingers. If the milk feels just nicely warm, it should be okay for Yuiren. So, pour the warm milk in the bottle, and touch the glove tip to her lips."

It took a few minutes of patient coaxing, but Yuiren soon got the idea and was sucking enthusiastically on the glove tip. Kishuku cradled her in his arms, his movements sure and experienced, but his eyes were wide with wonder. Shun'u appeared transfixed by the scene as well, while Houjun had his own eyes fixed upon Joss. She was a miracle, she really was! At that moment, Joss looked up, her features flushed with success--and she flushed even deeper at his openly admiring gaze. She grew suddenly shy and lifted the sleepy baby from Kishuku's arms. "Here, I'll hold her for awhile;why don't you relax for a bit, Kishuku?"

She knew something about boys from having a little brother, so she wasn't too surprised when he got up, stretched--then took off running into the woods, yelling in triumph and punching his fists at the sky. Shun'u sat startled for a moment, then took off after him, his battle cry considerably higher in pitch. Houjun settled down near Joss, once again enjoying the sight of her cradling a child in her arms.

They laughed as the figures of the boys flashed in and out of their view, playing an exuberant game of tag. They disappeared up the higher ridge of the hill, but their joyful shouts filtered down to the adults below.

Houjun smiled softly at Joss. "You're really extraordinary, do you know that?"

She smiled back at him, peekly coyly through her lashes, making him laugh at her pretend bashfulness. "You're pretty unusual yourself, you know. You were the one who convinced Hitomi-san to help us."

"But you're the one who has done everything else since then. All the things that you know--" He met her eyes directly, his own suddenly burning with emotion. "You amaze me," he breathed.

Joss' eyes brimmed with equal passion. "You have no idea of how amazing I can be."

"Then show me!" He caught her lips, gently this time, leaning in carefully so as not to disturb the baby. The kiss was sweet and exhilirating, tender and full of promise…

They finally broke apart, Joss drawing in deep breaths. "Oh God, if only Shun'u had stayed asleep the other night for just one more hour!"

"No." Houjun's mystical eyes danced with mischief. "It would have taken considerably longer than one hour."

Joss blushed but laughed out loud. "I'm going to hold you to that boast, Houjun! I consider it both a challenge and a promise."

"So then you'll see how amazing I can be…"

Just as they leaned in for another breathless kiss, they were interrupted by an infuriated shriek from Shun'u.

"His timing is unbelievable," Houjun sighed.

"I'm not gonna say anything, since I don't believe in using curse words around an infant," growled Joss.

Shun'u's shrieks approached closer, and soon they could see what was upsetting him. He was slung over Kishuku's shoulder as he was carried down the hill by the dark-haired boy. "Put me down, goddammit; I toldja I was okay!"

Joss gaped at Kishuku's power as he blithely ignored the redhead's protests, casually restraining the smaller boy with one arm. Although Kishuku was a head taller and much sturdier than Shun'u, it was still an impressive feat. It wasn't until he reached Joss and Houjun that he deposited the furious Shun'u on the ground.

"Er, what seems to be the problem here?" Joss inquired, struggling to keep a straight face as Shun'u took a swing at Kishuku and somehow missed.

Kishuku put out one hand and held Shun'u back by his forehead, letting him swing and shriek and snarl to his heart's content--and to no avail. "We had an accident. We were running on the hill, and I came around one side of a tree and she came around the other, and I knocked her to the ground, though I didn't mean to. She got mad because I wouldn't let her limp down the hill, but a gentleman never lets a lady suffer!" he finished with a chivalrous flourish.

"She?" Houjun looked confused, but Joss saw it coming.

"Uh-oh…"

"Fer th' LAST time, I ain't no fuckin' GIRL!" Shun'u darted around Kishuku throwing punches, but the taller boy blocked each rapid swing with little effort. Joss' eyes widened in amazement: he rivaled the most skilled martial artists at her school. Shun'u continued to scream in fury. "Why dontcha fight me, huh? Cantcha fight like a man?"

Kishuku frowned at Shun'u. "I don't fight girls."

Since Joss was obviously enjoying this situation, Houjun knew he had to be the one to step in. "Shun'u is telling the truth, Kishuku. He is definitely a boy."

"No, I'm NOT!" shrieked Shun'u. "I'm a MAN!"

"Uh-huh." Kishuku was frankly skeptical. "Then what's with the girly clothes…and the hair?"

In all the excitement, Shun'u had lost his hair-tie, and the cascade of red-gold locks rippled over his back like a fine silken cape. Kishuku was right: it was an ornament that would provoke the envy of the vainest girl in the Imperial Court.

"I'll prove it ta ya!" screamed Shun'u, fumbling for the waistband of his drawstring trousers.

"All right, that's enough!" barked Joss. "You keep those trousers on for once! And you!" She shook a finger at Kishuku, "stop provoking him! Do you want his screaming to wake the baby?"

Kishuku suddenly sobered and hurried over to check on his little sister. He breathed a sigh of relief, then looked over at the still fuming Shun'u and shrugged. "All right, whatever you say. It's not worth fighting about, anyway."

Shun'u grew quiet. "Ya still don't believe me, do ya? Well, there's one other way ta prove it ta ya!" He darted at Houjun, as swift as the wind, and snatched the dagger out of his belt. Houjun froze in shock while Joss gasped aloud. With one lightning fast motion, Shun'u raised the blade - then twisted his hair around one hand and sliced through it near his collar. The silken curtain fell away from him, landing in the dirt. The brilliant strands intermingled with the dust and blew about in the gentle summer breeze.

Everyone went silent with shock, even Shun'u now that his fit of rage had passed. Kishuku looked over at Shun'u, then dropped his eyes, ashamed at the effect of his taunts. "Er, sorry," he apologized briefly, and raised his eyes to the slanting sun. "Ummm, I have to take Yuiren home now. Father will be wondering what became of us, and I have to fix dinner for the others. Errrrr, thank you again," bowing deeply to them all, "…thank you."

Joss, still speechless, nestled Yuiren in her brother's sling and helped load the goat with the baby supplies. She walked a short way with Kishuku, keeping a comforting hand on his shoulder. She was certain that he didn't know quite what to make of these strangers who had entered his life so explosively.

Kishuku paused a moment and looked back at Shun'u. Houjun was tousling the short spiky strands, obviously murmuring words of comfort. Shun'u shrugged in an irritated way, and they could hear the high-pitched tones. "'S'okay--I wanted ta do that fer a long time anyway!"

Joss squeezed Kishuku's shoulder as she handed him the goat's tether. "Don't worry, Shun'u will be fine. Just take care of yourself and your sister, okay?"

Kishuku nodded, caressing the baby's head. "Yeah, I will. But I hope," he suddenly burst out honestly, "I hope she doesn't grow up to be like that!" He pointed a finger at Shun'u. "That has to be the nastiest little girl I ever met!"

****

****

Glossary of Japanese Terms:

Babaa - old woman, old hag. Extremely rude term of address for an elderly woman.

Obaa-san - literally, Grandmother. Repectful term of address for an elderly woman.

*

Author's note: (10-9-03) Dontcha just love those Tasuki-Tamahome brawls? Obviously I can't get enough of them, plus it was fun to come up with a scenario explaining why Tasuki is one of the two "ponytail-less" seishi in the main series. Only Mitsukake wears his hair shorter.

Okay, now for the, er, rambling length. Here are some real life excuses:

Roku's Plan A. Roku plans to write a brief, comprehensive chapter leading back into the Magus arc, covering both of the last two seishi encounters. She hopes to get some writing in after hours at work.

Reality Check 1. The roof caves in, the job demands escalate, and Roku has to use the after-hours to clean and pack the lab. Therefore, she can only write a few paragraphs at home in the dead of night.

Reality Check 2. Roku gets the nasty virus that everyone is getting and no longer has higher brain functions due to tissues stuck up her sinuses. She watches in alarm as Bridge 13 grows longer and longer…

Roku's Plan B. Roku gives up Plan A and decides to cut off Bridge 13 before the Chiriko arc. This leaves just a few scenes to be finished in the Kishuku arc, but…

Reality Check 3. The scenes just keep getting more and more detailed, and Roku, whose self-editing skills are dicey at best, finds herself unable to do much more than correct grammar and spelling, and THEN

Reality Check 4. The job demands increase even MORE, now including computer training courses, so

Plan C. Roku says "The hell with editing!" and throws all of big, messy Bridge 13 up on site LATE Wednesday night to be sorted out by her faithful readers on Thursday, thus essentially "passing the buck." She apologizes profusely and hopes that said faithful readers will forgive the excessive, rambling length of this chapter, while promising more action and brevity in Bridge 14, which however…

Appendix: now stands at 5000 words and is still unfinished! Gyyaaahhhh!

Sooooooooo…I hadn't intended to write a "War and Peace" length novel here, but somehow all these characters KEEP TALKING TO ME! However, I am seriously promising you that Bridge 14 will lead us back (at last!) to the Magus arc. Will you be happy? I don't know. The Magus arc is dark--very, VERY dark! Just in time for Halloween, too.

Oh, by the way, I'll be off visiting Mickey and Minnie next week, so Bridge 14 will probably not be completed until October Twenty-Something!

See you then!

Ja ne!

Rambling Roku