Author's Notes: It's been a few years, I know. I apologize to anyone who has gotten fed up or abandoned me and my story. Unfortunately, I joined a writing course and that has sucked up most of my free-writing time along with my job. But, I got in the mood today and wrotewrotewrote like no tomorrow in order to finish this chapter. Lol, and not only did I have THESE problems, but my entire computer crashed and I lost what I originally wrote which was half a chapter, so I had to start from scratch. I hope there are still people left to read. Anyone…? Anyone at all…? I will definitely start moving things by the next chapter. The chapter following this one will definitely be the last of character development before the plot starts moving onward! Please bear with me, and I hope that you enjoy this long-awaited chapter! ;-; I hope it doesn't take me another couple of years to get out the next one.
And sure has gone through quite a bit of changes, hasn't it? Why are they taking my asteriks away? Whywhywhy. ;-; I had to edit everything to add little bars to seperate my conversations. Gah, it's unfair. Ah well. Again. Enjoy!
The vast land of silver and white stretched out as far as the eye could see, being obscured by the drifts of snowfall in the process. And the wind itself was harsh, whipping wildly throughout the tundra. It whistled its way over the mountains and carried to the ground below, kicking up the frozen dust in the face of a single, weary traveler. Though the form had covered itself as best as possible in two cloaks, the cloth raged wildly behind, and it seemed to be a struggle to merely walk against the breeze that pushed back so easily. This was the land of Hokkan. A land, that if you traveled within for any prolonged period of time, you began to doubt that you were even moving any longer. The cold had a way of numbing the senses…making you wonder if you were even alive at all.
This wanderer wasn't doing too well as far as travel went. He began to stumble, his entire body staggering…dragging itself along at a sluggish pace. As the wind kicked up, it blew the cowl of his covering back, exposing the dark hair and rather boyish features. Eyes that were normally a fierce, piercing red were now only a dull garnet, tearing over with the brisk wind. If one were to judge by appearance, they would have to say that the youth was probably toward the later years of adolescence, but he was by far…no adult. Shaky fingers reached backward to draw back up his hood, breath forming in clouds in front of him. And after a few moments more, his body simply decided it had had enough moving. His knees buckled, and caved out beneath him…and the young one simply toppled forward into a heap of snow.
"So this is how it ends…" He mumbled, half amusedly and half despairingly at the prospect. To die in the cold, freezing to death…what a terrible way to go, it was certainly not what he had expected to happen. Everyone in life was always led by the delusion that they would die happily in a bed, perhaps painlessly in their sleep at a very old age. It was the very dream death few ever actually got to experience.
Above the howling winds, the youth could vaguely hear another sound. It was dull, but clearly the noise of rushing water, crashing against the glaciers. He lifted his head as best as he could muster, looking out toward the direction it came from. Already his senses were giving out, because the only thing he could see was a blurred image of color painted against a grey and white canvas. There was a flow of azure behind it, and a sense of beauty from the figure itself. After a few moments, far more radiance came from the creature as above everything, ringing clearly in his ears was the sound of a lovely voice, taking to a soft, melancholy hum. It was quite possibly the most amazing singing he had ever heard, and he strained to call out to the creature…hand raising from its position on the ground and outstretching longingly toward her.
"Matte…matte…angel…" He swallowed his hoarse words, pressing onward. His mind wasn't in its clear state, obviously. "Be the one to grant me to Seiryuu's heaven…"
The 'woman' turned toward him quickly and the song quelled, followed by a sudden splash in the icy depths. And the youth felt disappointed, but as soon as that disappointment came over him, everything else surrounding him faded into darkness, and that body was quickly devoured by the snow and winds which seemed to cackle cruelly to each other. Though, the adolescent was unaware that his disappointment would have been only short-lived; that the songstress had emerged from the water nearby and gazed at him in concern. She was hardly dressed for such cold weather for her entire frontal half was nude, and yet she seemed to be completely unaffected by it. Pale blue strands matched her equally pallid complexion, and her eyes were the only thing dark about her, a rich, royal, navy blue which became solemn with further regard of the youth.
"Are you all right…?" She frowned when he didn't respond, and then eased herself up onto the frigid ground, revealing that she was not a human at all. Her entire lower half branched off into a fish-like tail. "This is no good at all…"
Mermaids were normally creatures who, by choice, stayed away from the race of humans out of fear that they would become their next 'trophy' as so many before them did. However, it was known that a mermaid's kiss granted the power of eternal life to those mortals who were lucky enough to receive it. It was not something that was given on a daily basis, and as a matter of fact, few knew about such things. They knew that the mystical creatures themselves were capable of living eternally, but were humans to find out of the powers they possessed then their race would surely be hunted for more than one thing. But bearing all of those things in mind, this particular female apparently decided to put everything on the line.
She cupped the side of the others face, regarding his open mouth and taking note that his lips were tinged a blue tint. One thing was for certain, she had to act quickly. Not giving it any further thought, the mermaid leaned inward, closing them together in a kiss. As she did so, she worked to draw up enough of her own life force to join his, feeling the warmth slowly return to his body. Relieved, the woman drew away, watching in silence as he stirred and eventually opened his eyes. Her own closed happily the minute his gaze came to settle upon her own.
"Yokatta…I was worried I might have been too late…"
He blinked in confusion, shifting his eyes around the surroundings and then back to her. "Is this heaven…?"
"Iie! At least I don't believe so…" She regarded him curiously. "Is heaven what you call the country of Hokkan?"
"No…it isn't. But…I thought I had…" The dark-haired one sat up, allowing the snow to topple off of his outfit.
"I saved you…" An effeminate hand rubbed the back of her neck. "I…I saw you dying. And I didn't think humans should die…unlike a lot of my sisters…so not knowing what I could do…I used my gift. I…"
"Nani…?"
"I gave to you…eternal life…"
Red eyes widened suddenly, "Eternal life…!" And he gazed over her form, only just then taking in the fact that she was a mermaid. But, his mind was mostly focused on what she had just told him and his attention locked on his own hand, curling and uncurling digits. A new sort of power surged throughout his form.
"There are ways to reverse the process…if you wish to do so…I just…"
"Iya. This is fine. This works perfectly. It's the answer to everything I'd sought to know…all the answers I'd wanted to find out. Why I had appeared in this life when the Seiryuu shichiseishi were not destined to live until years from now…"
"Seiryuu shichiseishi…?"
"Hai. My given name is Li…however, I chose to go by the name of Miboshi…" After his words, a mark of blue appeared on the side of his neck to give proof that he was what he said.
The mermaid's eyes squinted, studying it silently, "You have a strange glowing mark on your neck…what is that…?"
"The mark of Seiryuu…one of the four beast gods…"
"Ahh…I see…" She drew inward, turning her wrist toward him and at that same moment, a mark of her own, quite similar to his appeared. "Then what…is this mark…?"
Miboshi scrutinized her skin, drawing the hand into his own to gain a closer look. "You…are Inami, of the Genbu no seishi…"
"Inami…" She repeated, tasting the name on her tongue for the first time, and finding that it was much to her satisfaction. "What is a seishi? And why am I one…?"
"I can't answer the question as to why you are one…I always thought that the seishi were to be of the human sort…" He scratched his head in confusion. "But, I can tell you that a seishi is a person who's destiny it is to protect their God's miko. In your case…when the Genbu no Miko appears, you are one of her sworn seishi. Just like I'm meant to be one of the protectors of the Seiryuu no Miko. However, for me, the Seiryuu no Miko is not destined to appear in ninety years. I was just a lost cause who couldn't join their group…until you did what you did for me." Miboshi gathered her other hand in his own. "Arigatou!"
"It's nothing really…" She blushed a bit, glancing off to the side. "However, it looks like we're in the same situation, huh? I mean, you might be able to join them eventually now…but I'll never be able to join the Genbu no seishi. I can't walk on land like humans…I can't be of much help to anyone."
The adolescent pursed his lips in thought, "It'll be hard…but…I'm sure there's a way! I'm currently studying black magic…and recently learned to summon creatures. I'm sure if I incorporate that magic with basic transition, I could help you…as a favor for what you've done. I'll do my best to make you human."
"Can you…really…make me a human…?"
"If anyone can, it's me! Just leave it to me, Inami…"
A smile formed on her face and she nodded firmly in agreement. That was when their attention was turned toward the waters as an incoming boat slid across. Miboshi recognized it as one of his own, and he pushed himself up to his feet upon hearing his name called from the ship.
"Ooi! Over here!" He responded, waving his hands for their attention, and then he gave Inami one final glance. "It's a promise, Inami. I'll do what I can."
Miboshi's eyes snapped open suddenly, and almost as instantaneously did they narrow. Although he never had a need for sleep, he would often fall into a meditative state to keep his own personal strength up. But only in the moments of quiet relaxation and meditation did those memories resurface the thoughts of her…thoughts of his one reason for existing so long ago. The youth lowered himself to the ground, allowing his feet to hit the floor and end his hovering. A chuckle emitted in his throat as he idly traced his finger over a few kanji upon the scrolls.
"Perhaps it would have been better had I actually died that day, na…Inami…?"
A smirk creased boyish features, and he folded his arms casually. It was fine, however. Several hundred years ago was enough to fuel enough revenge for a lifetime. He had only temporarily been thwarted by the actions of the Suzakuu Shichiseishi. And this time around, now that only two of them existed, he would gain exactly what he'd hoped to so long ago. Miboshi's head turned the moment there was a quiet scratch on the outside of his door, and he called out after the voice.
"Come in, Ashitare…we have our own plans to discuss…"
Two cloaked figures rushed about the rubble that was once Kutou, darting behind stone pillars and odd remains of houses. But the one that did the guiding suddenly skidded to a halt, and was immediately impacted by the smaller frame who drew back and winced. The taller turned to the other, shaking his head silently before a hand was brought up against his lips to gesture his companion to silence and she furrowed her brows in slight irritation, peeking out toward the center of the town.
"Nee, nee…Chama…who are those strange people in those strange clothes…?"
"Shh, Touka. We do not wish to be seen."
"But still! I've never seen anything so bizarre. I mean, look at their pants…and…their shirts…and their hair. And that one over there…is that really his eyes…?"
"Touka…" Chama Lee sighed in exasperation, sinking down into a cross-legged position. "Let me make one thing clear. Those are strange people. We do not interfere with strange people. If you is too loud, then I will make you stay home. If we wish to bring peace, we must do plan. Just listen and maybe you find out who they are."
Touka puffed out her cheeks, falling silent and listening as she had been instructed. Now, there didn't seem to be two voices. It was more like four. And from their distance it was hard to make out what they were saying, unless they were shouting, so she quietly gazed over the side again, taking in the sight of them.
"Tomo!" Taka whirled around to face his enemy quickly, clenching a fist at his side.
"My, my…aren't we surprised to meet once again…?" The illusionist cackled to himself, inching closer to the other. "Though you don't sound quite as happy as I would have hoped. And I see that you came back from your new world. You had the nerve to mock my clothes when you wear things such as that? Although since I do not see your precious miko with you…I will assume that you've found yourself a new koibito…"
Tetsuya blinked in surprise, although it was unseen behind his sunglasses. And he was a bit slow on the in take, but after a few moments he flew into anger, "Me and Taka! Gross, man! I ain't like that! I'm just tagging along so I can be the new hero…"
"Right…" Tomo appeared unimpressed, inching closer to the duo before he simply cupped the Suzakuu seishi's chin in his hands. "Then if you're quite single…why don't I try to persuade you over in my direction…?"
The aqua-haired one scowled at the unwelcome touch, bringing his knee up and into Tomo's stomach. Afterward, the actor grunted, stumbling back and nursing his abdomen with an expression of amusement. Tetsuya cheered Taka on all the while, until the partner of the Seiryuu seishi's joined his side, laying her hand upon his shoulder. She closed her eyes in slight annoyance, bowing her head to mask her expression behind a layer of magenta bangs.
"Tomo, we don't have time for games. Let's just continue on with Nakago-sama's plans."
Tetsuya's jaw fell agape as he watched the female draw up closer and took in the beautifully curved form. Hair of reddish purple…blue eyes as clear as the ocean…lips that spoke of promises to never be kept…and the body of a goddess; the book's description of her had been nothing but the truth if not more so. She was the epitome of beauty…Soi. Tetsuya quickly reached in his pocket, drawing out the little camera he brought with him and quickly snapping a picture of the beauty before him. As a reaction, Soi gave him a stunned blink while Tomo went into a rant about being blinded by that evil flash…and Taka simply sweatdropped.
"Man! I can't wait to bring this back!" Tetsuya grinned.
"Baka…" Taka closed his hand into a loose fist and them brought it down atop the others head.
"Itte!" The brunet grunted, glaring at the other.
"My eyes…my eyes! What did you do!" The black-haired one glared at Tetsuya in a menacing manner.
"Just got a picture of the beautiful woman…that's all…" He answered, lifting his sunglasses to wink at Soi.
Kaen quirked a brow, "We really have no time for this…"
Tomo ignored her, instead choosing to address the martial artist across from him, "You're cheap little new worldly tricks will not work once we gain back our powers, Tamahome. Although, judging by the looks of things, you're just about as weak as we are…if not more so. The oni symbol would have blazed brightly upon your forehead at my previous comment when you hit me before. Do correct me if I'm wrong, Tamahome…"
"Che…" The former Suzakuu no seishi narrowed his eyes. "I don't think you understand that my power is not only in my abilities as a seishi, but in my martial arts. Have you forgotten all the training I've endured…? Even in the position we're in right now, I could kick your ass in a fight."
"But against all of us, we would squash that pathetic hope. Just wait until Nakago-sama hears of this…" Tomo cackled darkly, and then gestured to the woman at his side. "Come on, Soi…let's go."
"I think we should have gone quite some time ago…" Her tone was rich with irritation as she began to walk forward, only to feel a weight on her shoulder as she went to pass by the group. She quickly snapped toward the owner of that hand, regarding Tetsuya's cheesy grin with an angered expression. Just what did he think he was doing!
"You don't have to leave, Soi-san. As a matter of fact, I think you should stay with me…" Tetsuya lowered his voice to sound a bit more heroic and manly. "I could show you all the love that Nakago can't…"
Before the brunet had the chance to embarrass himself further, a slap rang out. The woman scowled and then briskly turned to walk in the direction of the dock with Tomo cackling away at her side. Taka placed a hand against his forehead, shaking it from side to side with a heavy sigh. He was beginning to regret the fact that Tetsuya joined this in the first place. The other was bound to make the whole thing more difficult for them, and not only that. Taka had to worry about Tetsuya's propensity for getting into trouble. Would that really be the best thing to bring to Yui?
"Ooo…she's feisty…" Tetsuya nursed his cheek with an amused expression and then cupped his mouth to call out after her. "I'll be waiting when you change your mind, Soi-san!"
"Baka, baka, baka!" Taka proceeded to pummel the other repeatedly. "Do you want her to kill you?"
"Gaah, Taka! Stoppit! You should know that the dashing and kickass hero never gets killed…" He drew back from the other, straightening out his shirt. "But, which way is Konan? You wanted to go there right…? I'll lead the way!"
"No, I'll lead the way. And you follow…" An azure eyebrow twitched. "And try not to do anything stupid, na?"
"…Stupid? Who would do anything stupid? I ain't Keisuke, after all! Ohh, man, I hope Keisuke's reading this right now. Ooi! Keisuke! I'm cooler than you are because I've been in the book more times!"
Taka just sighed and said nothing, continuing on the path he had started.
Chama Lee placed his hand atop Touka's head to force her to duck back behind the rock as the other two walked in their direction. He stiffened up himself, waiting for them to pass by and once they did so (one of the pair babbling on incessantly all the while) only then did the oriental one relax himself. He glanced after them quietly, wondering why it was that two people from the miko's world had returned to this one. But perhaps his quick venture into the Kutou palace would answer the questions which lingered on the surface of his mind.
"What do you think they're doing here…?" Touka questioned. "And why didn't the Seiryuu shichiseishi fight with them? I thought they were enemies…"
"They is…" The former Basara strategist replied. "I believe it is because the Seiryuu have other plans. When we go to palace, I will find out more. Are you ready?"
"Mm…" She nodded, rising to a crouch. "I'm as ready as ever."
"Then, let's go."
The two took off into a sprint, darting behind spots to hide and leaping over charred remains of buildings until they got to a slight embankment that overlooked the castle. According to Chama Lee's plans and castle layout, there were a total of four entrances. One was the main entrance which was the most heavily guarded and ruled out automatically. The other was the back entrance, which lead to the soldiers' corridors and also not the best way inside. There were two side doors, one that led into the garden and the other that simply led into the kitchen. From what Chama Lee decided, the kitchen entrance was their best bet. Only two guards lingered outside that one, and if they could get there quick enough, they could stop them from alarming any others. The strategist pointed it out to Touka, leaning in to whisper to her.
"That is where we enter. We take on guards and steal uniforms. Then, we loop around and enter through front. We need to be extra careful."
"All right…so take them on…get the uniforms and sneak in, right?"
"Right."
"Leave it to me…" Touka smirked confidently, reaching at her side to gather a few blades between her fingertips.
"Touka…do not—"
"Kyaaa!" With that, the girl sprang out of her hiding place, calling the attention of the guards to herself. Her cloak had freed itself from her face, causing the braid of dark strands to flutter behind her in the movement. While she was still in mid-air, her form twisted itself and the four daggers were flung in the guard's direction, snagging one by his cloak against the building as the other hopped out of the crossfire. Touka landed perfectly in a crouch, and then pushed off the ground. Her muscles tensed, carrying her thin frame forward easily. Spinning around, the heel of her foot connected with the pinned guard's face, instantly knocking him out…and causing the girl to jump up in her own victory.
"Yatta!"
"I wouldn't celebrate just yet, little girl…" The other soldier who had been momentarily forgotten seized her beneath her arms, keeping a firm grasp. "I'm afraid you got a little date with the dungeon…"
"Eh…ehm…oops?" She smiled sheepishly back at the other, but that didn't mean she didn't struggle to break free.
"I'd just go along quietly if I were—"
Touka raised a brow when the other just fell into silence and turned her head in his direction. She noted momentarily that he didn't seem to be conscious any longer. And the girl also soon afterward, noticed that he was falling rather heavily atop her. Nimbly, she freed herself by leaping aside and watching the guard topple face first to the ground. Then, once her eyes lifted, she noticed Chama Lee standing there, holding his sheathed sword in hand. He must have hit him over the head with it. The girl grinned, giving a thumb's up in his direction, only to be met with a disapproving look which caused her celebration to be cut short.
"We must just get these uniforms on and sneak into castle…without bringing attention…"
"Gomen, gomen…" Touka freed the blade from the one soldier's cloak. "I just got a little carried away. Heehee…I just thought about all the lessons 'niichan gave me in fighting…and was a little over eager to put them into good use…"
Chama Lee regarded her quietly, and then simply shook his head with the faintest trace of a smile, "You are hopeless. Just do not get 'carried away' again, okay?"
"You got it…" She crossed her heart to give the full promise, and then began to strip the unconscious guard of his clothing.
"All right, I want you to sit there with your back turned to me. Try and picture what I'm doing…what I'm going to do. Use the feelings that you feel from my body…and react to it…" Amiboshi looked after his younger twin, watching the other step forward and plop down in front of him, doing just as he said. In the meantime, the elder fumbled a small stone throughout his fingers.
"Can I read your mind…?"
"No. You can't read my mind. That'd defeat the purpose…"
"Then if I can't read your mind, how am I supposed to know?" Suboshi frowned. He didn't like this little game so far. And his brother most certainly wasn't making it easy on him with his vague responses to what he was supposed to do. Suboshi liked being told directly what he had to do so he could go about doing it and be on his way.
Kotouku sighed, "That's what we're trying to accomplish right now. Are you ready…?"
"Che, as ready as I'll ever be…"
"All right…try and picture it…"
The flutist drew his hand back over his shoulder and then pitched the small stone toward the back of his mirror image's head. He expected Suboshi to at least duck out of the way at the sound, but instead winced when he saw the other get pegged. Maybe this wasn't going to work out as well as he had hoped it would. A sigh escaped Amiboshi's lips and he shook his head, drawing closer to his brother with a weak little smile.
"Itte, aniki! What was that for!"
"Gomen, otouto…" He leaned inward, kissing the bump gently and then he sank beside him. "That's what this was a test to see. I want to know how close we are to being at the point we want to be. We have to almost exist as one person while in separate bodies…to think and feel…and know what the other is about to do without a second thought to it. When I throw the stone, you should have already dodged. When one is in trouble, the other should already be at his side. And when Yui-san is surrounded by enemies, well…you get my point, ne? The only way to benefit this group as we stand now…is to increase our bond. It would be like having one person split into two…helping out where the other can't."
"Hai…I think I get it. But then again, I can't be sure…" Suboshi furrowed his brows and elbowed the other playfully. "You did peg me pretty hard with that stone."
"Oh, shush! You've taken much worse and I didn't leave any lasting marks. But if you want…I can go bring you to Xi Fang to have you healed up. Poor baby brother has a boo-boo…and not even a kiss could make it better."
"Shut up!"
"Maybe it's just not a kiss from the right person. Maybe I have to get Yui-san to do it instead. Then that'll make all the difference in the world!"
"Shut up, aniki!"
Unable to stop himself, Shunkaku launched himself forward to tackle his second self to the ground. Amiboshi grunted when he hit the grass, gazing up at the 'reflection' who wore a smugly triumphant grin. The elder one rolled his eyes and fell into a laugh along with his brother, sharing it for quite a few moments. Laughing and teasing made everything seem all right for just a little while. When they shared conversation, acted like this, it was as if all the past didn't matter any longer. Almost as though, they had never separated at all, which in theory they hadn't. Amiboshi and Suboshi were never far apart from each others mind. Forgetfulness leaves and even death could not separate the pair for good.
But as far as good times went for them, they were few and far between. Hopefully now, after all of this business with the other Seiryuu shichiseishi was taken care of, they could make up for all the bad things that happened. Suboshi in particular hoped for such a thing. If he could have that with both his brother and Yui, he would have been the happiest person in the world. A small smile formed on the younger twin's lips at the thought and he leaned down to rest his head against the others chest, listening to Amiboshi's relaxed heart beats. He hadn't felt so utterly content in a while. The sun beat down on his skin to provide just the right type of relaxing warmth and the breeze that kicked up only tickled over his arms. In moments like these, nothing needed to be said. There was a certain feeling of tranquility that the two boys passed to each other through their bond.
Though, in the silence of the few moments, Suboshi's mind was allowed to wander. He couldn't help but hold this niggling little fear in the back of his mind that when everything was all said and done, Yui would leave once again. He also had his fears about what existed between her and Kouji, but at the time they weren't what concerned him. Shunkaku recalled what she told him the other night about this entire world being a book and they were all characters within it. He hadn't told his brother that, and now the longer he sat there, the more he started to think it would be a good idea to do so. They really had few secrets between them and this was something he was sure he could trust with Amiboshi and Amiboshi alone. Perhaps he would be able to make more sense out of it than the younger had. It was worth a shot.
"Anou…aniki…?"
"Hm?" Amiboshi glanced down at his twin, watching as the other withdrew from him to sit upright completely.
"There's something I want to talk to you about…"
"Oh? Does it have to do with Yui-san…?"
"Huh? Oh, iya. I mean, a little. Actually…a whole lot. But, it's kinda complicated…and I—"
"What the hell d'ya mean I'm gonna be a decoy…?" A fiery voice rose up from the doorway of the home, followed up with a rather cheerful reply.
"Tasuki-kun, who's better than being a decoy than you, no da?"
"Kinda gotta agree with him there…"
"Shut the fuck up, Kouji!"
Suboshi's words lingered for a moment, but died completely at the sight of the group. His eyes narrowed upon them. It would figure that the trio would screw up things for him. He was just about to have an important conversation as well. Oh, if his Ryuuseisui worked still, what he wouldn't have given to deliver a few slashes to them. But, his twin sensed the malice inside of him and gently elbowed his side causing Suboshi to send a brief glance down at him before releasing a sigh of defeat. Honestly, he didn't know what his brother could possibly see in them.
"Konnichi'wa Tasuki-san, Chichiri-san, and Kouji-san…" Koutoku took the risk to greet them in the middle of their argument and also to announce their presence so perhaps they wouldn't be so inclined to argue around himself and his younger brother.
"Ahh, Amiboshi-kun, no da!" Chichiri was the first to happily delve into another conversation, trying to ignore the fact that the two bandits behind him were arguing back and forth. "It's a nice day, isn't it?"
"Would be nicer if you weren't here annoying us…" Shunkaku muttered under his breath.
Amiboshi furrowed his brows, once again nudging the other with his elbow, "Shun…"
"I'm sorry, aniki…but I ain't gonna make nice."
"Mattaku…you're always so stubborn…"
Kouji glanced up, jerking a thumb toward his leader, "Same goes for him."
"What the hell's that s'posed to mean! Don't ya go comparin' me to Suboshi or anythin'!"
"Pfft, I think it's more of an insult for me to be compared to a lowlife bandit like you…" The younger twin smirked at the redhead.
"Oh yeah, yeah…'cause y'just know them murderers are on a greater and higher level than the thieves."
Suboshi grated his teeth and could no longer take the presence of the Suzakuu seishi. His fist closed at his side, and before his brother could even catch him, he had launched himself forward. Not even the super fast Tasuki could dodge the movement and wound up finding a hit connected with his jaw. His head snapped aside, and the bandit reached upward to rub the already bruising area. But, the leader of Reikaku's lip curled upward to bare his fangs and he sprang in to return the attack of the opposing seishi. Shunkaku took a stance of defense, but that defense didn't help him from what Genrou actually did. The red-haired one leapt up and took the younger twin to the ground, pinning him there. Then, he proceeded to pummel the other in sheer anger.
"Y'fuckin' think you're better than me! 'Cause lemme show ya right here, ya ain't!" Tasuki sent another punch into the others face. "I've been livin' the rough life for a long time. I've been fightin' for the right reasons…sometimes willin' to sacrifice everythin' for that cause. Yer the one who's so damn blinded by yer own selfish stupidity that you can't even TRY to get along with any of us!"
"Fuck you!"
"Ah, gettin' defensive 'cause yanno I'm right, huh? There's one thing that separates the both of us an' that's the fact that when it comes down to it, I ain't a murderin' son of a bitch. You're the one who killed Tama's family…over a death that didn't even really happen! Yer the one who was so easily manipulated by that asshole Nakago…but still can't show any ounce of remorse for it…"
Suboshi said nothing for a long moment, gazing at Tasuki fiercely. And after that silent pause, he finally retaliated, sending his elbow into the others chest, leaving him winded and stunned. It was enough to roll out from beneath him and into a crouch. The bandit braced himself on his elbows, coughing several times until he settled amber eyes on the other. Shunkaku had taken the time to rub his face and check for blood, spitting what was trickling down his lip to the side. Then, he moved forward, standing before the other.
"You're wrong. You don't know a damn thing about me, and you never will so quit acting like you do. You couldn't understand Yui-sama's pain before…or how I felt about losing my aniki…because you left your family by choice. Don't think I don't know the details of the stupid bandit from Reikaku who was a little more selfish than me in leaving behind the people who cared about him to become a lowlife thief. For the people I care about, I will sacrifice the world. I won't abandon them…and I will do whatever is in my power to make them happy. Maybe I made mistakes…well…hell, I know I made a lot of them. Killing Tamahome's family was one of them. But, I'm dealing with it in my own way. And I suffered through the fires of hell because of it…"
"Shun…" Amiboshi crept up behind him and gently laid a hand on the others shoulder. He was there to whisk his twin away from the conflict if need be, and naturally to prevent further fighting. But, what surprised him was when Suboshi rebuffed his action. "Shunkaku…?"
"Aniki…this time I don't want your support…" The mirrored image turned to face his reflection, wearing an equally somber expression. "I know that you think they're right. That you side with the Suzakuu no seishi more than you do me. You abandoned the Seiryuu seishi…and you abandoned me when it came down to it…just for your own ideas. But, I'm not gonna be like you. And I'm not going to be like any of them. I've tasted true hell, and that's enough for me to not want to go back there…"
"Abandoned you…?" Amiboshi questioned, shaking his head quietly. "I did no such thing. I…I…" His voice wavered and eventually died completely. Did he abandon Suboshi…? Was that what his actions seemed like…? He had only been thinking of a way to stop the senseless war and yet…at the same time, he let down the person who knew him best. Koutoku sighed, shifting his gaze aside.
Inwardly, Suboshi felt bad for saying what he did, but at this moment, he felt he needed to speak his own truth so that it was out in the open…so that he was left alone. "And as for the rest of you. I want you to stop interfering in my life. I want you all to leave me the hell alone. I might be working with you for Yui-sama's sake, but I don't want any of you to talk to me, again!"
The group watched the other silently stalk off, quite speechless for the moment. Then little things happened one by one. Tasuki stood up, dusting himself off. Kouji coughed. Chichiri sent a sympathetic glance at Amiboshi, who simply sank to the ground with a sigh. And in the silent gap of time, the only sound that filled it were the birds chirping and neighbor kids playing in the streets. The two bandits carried some quiet conversation, but nothing that could be heard…and the masked monk turned out to be the first to speak after the ordeal. He stepped forward, kneeling before Amiboshi.
"Let me go talk to him, no da."
"H-huh? You? But, Suboshi just said…"
"I know, I know what Suboshi said." Chichiri waved it off as though it wasn't important. "However, if none of us Suzakuu shichiseishi ever show him kindness, how's he supposed to change his mind about us, no da…?"
Amiboshi frowned, "But Suboshi is about the most stubborn person ever…"
"I certainly know what that's like, no da!" He smirked a bit, glancing over his shoulder at Tasuki.
The red-haired bandit blinked in confusion until he realized that was an insult, "Ooi, what's that s'posed t'mean!"
"Ain't nothin' but the truth, Genrou…" Kouji chuckled a bit, cocking his head aside.
"Keh, Kouji! Yer agreein'! And here I thought we were pals!"
The second in command set his hand on Tasuki's shoulder, closing his eyes in a mock solemn manner. "The truth needs to be spoken."
"Shut up!"
Chichiri sweatdropped a bit as the other two bandits got into their argument, and then turned to Amiboshi again, "As you can see, I'm the best person to do the talking, no da. I think all that Tasuki-kun winds up doing is making him even angrier…"
"It really should be me…" Koutoku said slowly. "But if you really want to…you can go try to talk some sense into him, Chichiri-san…"
"Hai! You can count on me, no da!" Chichiri tapped his staff on the ground and with a swish of his cloak, he had vanished from view.
"I really hope so…" Amiboshi watched after him quietly.
"Ooi, Taka! O-ooi, Taka! Na, Taka…! Come on, answer me!" Tetsuya had been trying to get the other to turn around and pay attention to him for the past ten minutes of walking, and yet, he hadn't said a word. It wasn't like Tetsuya had ever been to this place before, so he didn't know a thing about it. The least the other could do was have the decency to answer his questions!
Finally, the blue-haired male stopped, turning around to face him with a sigh of exasperation. "What?"
"Where are we going…?"
Taka twitched visibly in annoyance, massaging his temple. "I told you, we're going to Konan. More specifically, I'm heading to my village. Before I can even hope to find Yui, I need to get some clothes to blend in…" And awaken the seishi spirit that's dormant inside of myself…
"S-sou ka…" Tetsuya answered after a pause, removing his sunglasses and wiping them on his shirt. "So…does that mean I can do a little site seeing in Konan while you're gone back at your place…? I mean, I only wanna get pictures…I promised Keisuke I would…"
"Do whatever you want…" Taka went back to walking. As long as Tetsuya wasn't bothering him, really, no trouble should await the other in Konan. It was a peaceful country, and none of the Seiryuu shichiseishi were there. "Do me a favor and try to get some clothes to blend in. And for god's sake, would you lose the sunglasses…?"
"No way, man! My sunglasses are cool! They're what distinguish me…as me."
The other rolled his eyes and chose to go back to ignoring him. It was really the best decision in the end, anyway; it meant less frustration. Taka also needed to pay attention to his surroundings. It had been a while since he was there, and although the memories were existent…they were a bit fuzzy. Taka didn't know why that was, exactly…much like watching a movie and trying to remember all the details, he just couldn't. Maybe it was due to the fact that his new life, which was far more important, took the majority of his thought space and the memories of an old life were only like a story in a book. Even if this was once his home, he almost felt as though this place was foreign to him. It was simply…strange to say the least.
He glanced over his shoulder and noticed that Tetsuya was already veering off from path. "O-ooi…Tetsuya. As long as you're in the world of the book, you better be careful. Don't get yourself killed because you won't be returning to your world if you do."
"Hai, hai…" Tetsuya waved off the comment with a confident smirk. "Taka, honestly…do you think the book's new hero will get killed? I'm gonna be fine, trust me. I'll meet up with you after you take care of what you're gonna…and we'll both offer Yui-chan the support she needs." With a simple thumbs up, he ran off in the opposite direction.
Taka merely shook his head with a sigh, muttering to himself, "Meet up where? You don't even know the surroundings."
But, he couldn't be bothered with it. Taka simply set off for his home village. Even if the memories from his last visit were still painfully tangible, he needed to be there. It had been so long since he paid respect to his dead family. And thankfully, in their new life…his family got their second chance to live. Knowing what could possibly happen, Taka vowed to protect them in this new life…the same way he vowed to protect Miaka. And that was a promise he would not break.
Sewing wasn't exactly Yui's ideal way to pass time. As a matter of fact, she despised doing it. It led her mind back to the days of home economics when they had to sew a stuffed animal. She managed to do it, but not without her fair share of pricks and cuts. At least her teddy bear turned out better than Miaka's. She didn't know what the other girl had thought she had been making or what designs she had been following, but regardless it didn't turn out like the cute cat plushie it had been meant to be. It turned into some deformed, one-eared, one-eyed abomination. Still, the thought made her miss her best friend and long for home just a little more.
Looking at Xi Fang, Yui definitely saw a similarity in appearance. Xi Fang had Miaka's features, and could have easily been the ancient China version of the Suzakuu no Miko. But there were many differences as well. For one, her hair was a completely different color and far longer than Miaka's. Then, there was her personality…and abilities. She had nearly perfected every form of house work and cooking, whereas Miaka was her opposite. And yet…when Yui looked at her, she missed her friend all the more.
With her distraction, the Seiryuu no Miko wound up driving the tip of the needle into her skin, drawing it back on impulse and bringing it to her lips to nurse the small wound. "Itai…"
Xi Fang glanced up in amusement, laughing a little with a playful nudge, "Yui-chan…you're supposed to stitch the fabric. Not yourself."
"Ha ha…funny…" Yui rolled her eyes, drawing her hand back. "I just hope this turns out right. It's so much harder without a written plan in front of me…"
"Well, it doesn't really matter either way, since you're going to be the one to wear it!" The girl teased, weaving her needle through yet another part in her potential kimono.
"You're too kind. You know as the Seiryuu no Miko…I should order you to finish this up for me and make it look perfect!"
Xi Fang stuck out her tongue, "I'd like to see you try to order me when I'm not one of your seishi."
"Maybe I'll just have Amiboshi come in here and order you instead…"
"Only if his form of orders happen to be to take me out to a private place for dinner!"
"Ha. It could be arranged."
Both the girls giggled in response and then returned to their main focus. Yui finished stitching up the collar and held it out for appraisal. She actually liked the way it came out, since Xi Fang showed her exactly how to make an embroidered flower out of dyed thread. It might have been a little sloppier than she was originally shown, but it was progress. The blonde sent a glance to the other girl and received a nod of approval from her. That brought some satisfaction to Yui, and she brought the fabric back on her lap, continuing to sew it appropriately. Although, her vision was suddenly clouded out by a pair of hands that reached around from behind, which of course, caused her to stop in the middle of what she was doing. Fingertips reached upward, curling around the roughly, masculine hand.
"Who does this appendage belong to?"
"Take your best guess…" Came the reply, obviously laden with a thick kansai accent. There was no mistaking who this person was.
But, Yui decided to play around a little, "Hmmm…Tasuki? Is that you?"
"Oh, you insult me, Yui-chan," Kouji peeked over her shoulder as he removed his hands. "How cruel."
With a laugh, the blonde winked, "You walked into it yourself! But shush, you. I knew who it was all along. Anyway, I thought you went out with Tasuki and Chichiri…?"
"I did…" Kouji answered with a shrug, finding the nearest chair to sink into and settle his gaze on the two girls. "And then there were problems."
"Uh oh, problems…?" Xi Fang raised her brows. "Not as in…Nakago's attacking everyone problems, ne?"
"No. Nothing like that. It's just the…um…twins. Genrou and Suboshi had it out…and Suboshi got mad at everyone and ran away…said he didn't want any of us to talk to him. Though, I assume 'us' refers to the Suzakuu shichiseishi and those affiliated with them…" The bandit fixed his collar.
"Oh no, did he?" Concern spread over the Seiryuu no Miko's face and she turned in the direction of the door. "Should I go talk to him…?"
"Aaa! There's no reason to. Chichiri's gonna handle that. Don't know how well he'll do, though. Suboshi was pretty pissed off."
"Chichiri talking to Suboshi…?" The dark-haired girl frowned a bit. "That doesn't sound like it'll go over well."
"Of the Suzakuu no seishi…Chichiri is the best to talk to. I know Suboshi is stubborn, but I really hope he can at least try…for me. To get along with everyone, that is."
Xi Fang nodded in agreement with Yui's words, although she had a question of her own, "But why didn't Amiboshi talk to his brother? I mean, if anyone could have gotten him to calm down…it's him, ne?"
"Well…I'll put it simply. Suboshi got mad at his brother fer stickin' up for the Suzakuu guys. Ran off and didn't wanna talk to anyone…period. Amiboshi's pretty upset. Genrou's actually out there with him right now tryin' to cheer him up. But, I don't think it'll go over too well. Genrou…ain't…yanno, the sensitive type."
This caused a look of concern to grace the dark-haired female's features. She focused much of her attention in stitching up the kimono, but found it almost impossible to concentrate. Almost in unspoken urging, Yui placed her hand against Xi Fang's shoulder, offering her a clearly readable expression. They both knew that if anyone could comfort Amiboshi better in his time of need…it was the quiet girl sitting before them. Xi Fang nodded slowly, setting down her project and rising to her feet. She bowed forward with a quick dismissal…and then hurried out to the exit. The priestess of Seiryuu smiled faintly. At least someone could get closer in the midst of all of this. Every good story needed time for a relationship to blossom. Yui hoped the book was at least kind enough to Xi Fang in the end.
"Saa…"
Yui blinked, turning her chin at the voice, only to nearly collide heads with Kouji. Since when had he come so close…? Her eyes widened in surprise, and her heart beat picked up a bit. For a moment, she was sure it was the only thing that could be heard in the room, pounding in her ears. She never noticed, until this very moment, how beautifully green Kouji's eyes were. They were like deep emeralds, glittering on a milky white background. And he was moving closer to her still. The Seiryuu no Miko's lips parted a bit, and she froze for all of a moment. The bandit was so close she could feel his breath tickle her skin, but the next thing she knew was that he reached into her hair and pulled something along the strands. When he stood back, he displayed the piece of lint to her. It certainly hadn't been what she expected, and she cast her gaze aside, allowing a blush to tinge her cheeks.
"Arigatou…" Yui uttered sheepishly. What was that feeling right now…? When Kouji got close to me, it's almost like I…almost like I wanted him to…
"No problem, Yui." The blue-haired one plopped back onto the opposite chair. "So we're just gonna hope Xi Fang finally gets Amiboshi to notice her, na?"She nodded, "Hai. Xi Fang and Amiboshi deserve to be together…I'm really trying to push them in that direction." Laughing, her fingertips came up to cover her mouth, however, her thoughts couldn't help but drift back to a few moments earlier. There's no doubt about it. I wanted him to kiss me.
Suboshi sat still on the riverbank, legs drawn up against his chest. His eyes darted over the water, watching it flow by. For a few moments, he idly wondered where it went and how more seemed to just steadily drift by. But, that was the only break his otherwise plagued thoughts allowed. Almost instantly after he left, he regretted what he said – at least to his brother, anyway. But, he was so utterly fed up with the Suzakuu no seishi, wandering around as though they never made a mistake in their life.
He sighed heavily, just flopping onto his back. Arms stretched outward on the grass, blades tickling his skin. Rolling his head to the side, he watched as a lady bug began to travel and cross the obstacle of 'fingers' in its path. It brought the faint hint of a smile to his lips, but the next thing he realized, a shadow fell over his form. Blinking, Suboshi looked up…only to be greeted by a smiling face -- a smiling face that Shunkaku did not want to see. He snapped upright and instantly glared at the intruder.
"Omae…!" His hand instantly went to his belt, playing idly over the Ryuuseisui.
"I come in peace, no da!" Chichiri held up his hands in display.
"I told you, I don't want to deal with you OR any of the other Suzakuu shichiseishi. Leave me alone!"
The monk glanced off to the side thoughtfully, "Sou da! You did say that, didn't you, no da? Hmm well, I'm afraid I couldn't leave it like that, no da."
"This is what I hate about you, Suzakuu seishi. You're always sticking your nose in where it doesn't belong."
"Iie, no da. It's not like that at all. I came to talk to you, no da. I think the least you could do is listen. I mean, really…with people like Tamahome-kun and Tasuki-kun on our side, it's no wonder you get a bad idea about us, no da."
"I DON'T WANT TO TALK!" Suboshi reached to his side, viciously grasping a stone and pitching it at Chichiri. What part of his statement did the blue-haired other NOT understand…?
The masked one just narrowly avoided being hit by the stone, and he released a sigh. Shoulders slumped, but he walked forward regardless. And despite any danger that might come, the monk seemed to have no fear. He even went close enough to Suboshi to have a seat next to him, staring out at the waters. Then, he reached upward, lifting the mask from his face and setting it off to the side. Chichiri really couldn't have a serious conversation when he was perpetually smiling, now could he…? His one good eye shifted in Shunkaku's direction.
"You don't seem to realize that you and me are a lot alike…"
"Don't compare yourself to me…" Suboshi snapped, but didn't make an effort to move. He was still in a great deal of pain from Tasuki's assault, plus his strength really hadn't returned in full.
Chichiri laughed softly, sending a glance to the younger twin thoughtfully. "No one could talk to you on this level…because no one else knows what it's like to have killed someone by mistake. No one can understand the anger and rage you can feel…and how those emotions can take over, and before you know it…"
Suboshi blinked in surprise, turning his full attention to the one beside him. But, realizing that he was even showing the slightest interest, he snapped his attention away bitterly. "You don't understand me."
"Maybe not…but I can understand you better than a lot of the group. I can understand the guilt you feel, and how it's impossible to move on…how that thought plagues the back of your mind and prevents you from ever truly being happy. Only…" He held up the mask for display. "I have something to hide behind, no da!"
"…" Shunkaku sighed, lowering his head to his knees. Idly, he rubbed the bruise at his jaw. "I'm not my brother. I'm not gonna sit here and open up to you. I'm not gonna spill and share everything about my feelings with you, no matter how hard you try."
Chichiri shrugged, "I didn't expect you to, really. I was only letting you know that you're not the only one, Suboshi. It's easy to hide behind a smile, but the hardest part comes in facing your problems head-on. For that aspect, I can understand your inner pain better than a lot of the people who claim to be able to. Maybe not better than Amiboshi-kun…but…" Sliding the mask back onto his face, the monk presented Suboshi with a smile. "Just know that I'm not against you, Suboshi-kun, no da! And I think you should probably go back to your brother soon, na no da!"
The younger twin glanced over his shoulder, watching the monk disappear into his hat. Really, he would never get used to that. But, Suboshi remained seated, perhaps just to be a bit stubborn. Inwardly, he knew Chichiri was right, though he never realized that they had anything in common. It was a lot to grasp that the smiling monk had ever had a hand in killing someone. He was curious to find out more, even though, the mere thought of finding out more meant the fact that he would have to talk to the Suzakuu seishi again and that alone made him not too appealed by the idea. So, he merely sat in silent thought, watching the river again.
Amiboshi just rested against the grass, letting his flute sit in his lap. He had wanted to play a song, but his mind just couldn't seem to wrap around any of the notes. Funny, Amiboshi was normally mindless when it came to composing a tune, but now his mind was too crowded to even do that. Suboshi's words stung him, mostly because they were the truth. Tasuki had long-since given up trying to bring him any sort of comfort, so he had pretty much been left alone – at least for the time being. He idly took note of the door opening behind him, but kept his gaze locked on the horizon. Frowning a bit, the musician combed fingers through his hair. Did he really side with the Suzakuu no seishi more than his own brother…?
"A-Amiboshi?" A soft, feminine voice sounded from the side.
He turned and glanced up to meet the gaze of the young woman who stood there. Xi Fang clasped her hands in front of her form, offering a weak and uncertain smile. The look she gave made him feel guilty for being so upset since he really didn't want to burden her with his problems. There was no doubt in his mind that she had come out try and ease his thoughts…though he doubted she would be able to. Amiboshi slowly eased himself to his feet, and shook his head, plastering on a fake smile. He had always been good at masking his emotions behind a grin, perhaps not as good as Chichiri, but still he had some practice at this thing.
"I'm all right. Really, don't worry about it…"
"Are you sure? Kouji told us that there was a fight."
He sighed a bit. Why couldn't they have kept this thing to themselves? "Hai, there was a bit of an argument between Shun and me…but really, it's all right."
"If you're sure…" Her brows drew together. "I just thought that I'd…" She trailed off, really unsure of where she was going with that statement. Why did it make any difference if she was the one to try and comfort him or if Tasuki was…? "I thought…I'd…make sure for myself…"
"Xi Fang…"
"I mean…I don't want to see you sad or upset, Amiboshi. Because a smile really does suit you the best. And I heard that you were sad, so I had to help…because I…I…"
Before she could even think of a way to finish her thought, Xi Fang felt her body yanked forward to impact another. Her eyes flew open, and she stared past Amiboshi's shoulder in a hint of disbelief that she was actually tugged into this forceful embrace. Violet eyes shimmered, focusing on the clouds that drifted across the sky in the distance. She didn't know why she was so transfixed by them for the time being, but she did know her heart was racing a mile a minute, pounding against her chest. She could bet Amiboshi felt it too, especially when he tightened his grasp around her form.
"Arigatou…" He uttered.
Slowly, they separated, Xi Fang was still quite wordless. Her eyes locked on his own, and she admired the beautiful blue depths for what they were. The rest of his facial features just accented his handsomeness perfectly, but the eyes were what brought the most life. She found herself longing for more, she wanted to lean in and feel his touch again…she wanted his lips to meet with her own. But, she was momentarily immobilized as his hands slide along her arms and then came to rest on her shoulders.
"Thank you…for caring…" Amiboshi added, and much to Xi Fang's dismay, he lifted his grasp to allow arms to fall back against his sides. "Just knowing that you care helps a lot. I'll be just fine…"
Why…why do I get so many mixed signals from you, Amiboshi…? Her eyes lowered momentarily, and she nodded softly, "Good. Then, I accomplished my task…I suppose that's just another thing I'm good for in coming along on this journey with you, ne?" By this time, she had looked up again and smiled.
"You're good for a lot in this mission. I'm glad I managed to convince you to come along."
"Well, you know…it really wasn't all that hard of you to do. All you had to do was smile at me and ask, and how could I refuse? Darn you and you're winning smile, Fue-san…I will find a way to beat the charm eventually!"
"I'd hardly call it a winning smile…" A faint hint of a rosy hue embraced Amiboshi's cheeks.
"Well, you just don't know your own power, I guess…! Now, why don't you come along inside…? I can bake us up some snacks…and you could watch Yui-chan and me try on our outfits. I know there's nothing you want to see more than a fashion show, right…?" Xi Fang gave him a nudge in the side. A nudge that basically read that he better agree if he knew what was good for him.
"Er…h-hai! Of course!" And Kotouku had caught on without the need for anymore glares and beatings. "I am a little hungry…"
"Then, you'll just appreciate my cooking even more…!" She reached downward, snatching him by the wrist and giving him an urging tug toward the house.
"I think it's impossible to not appreciate your cooking. It's better than a lot of the meals I've ever had…"
"Oh ho ho! Naturally…I perfected my talents ever since I was young. If anyone was going to be a good house wife, it'll be me…!"
"I know you'll make a good wife someday."
The comment caused the bridge of her nose to stain over pink, and her tone became a little bit shy, "Do you really think so?"
"I know so."
His comment was sincere and heartfelt. And when she glanced at him, there was even the warmest of smiles present on his lips. It could have only been a genuine smile, and that caused the heat to deepen just a bit more. As she led Amiboshi to the door, she paused, and leaned over to give a quick, timid peck against his cheek.
"Thank you." And with that quickly blurted gratitude, Xi Fang scurried inside the home again with Amiboshi to follow close behind.
"Ew…these clothes are so heavy…"
Touka complained quietly to Chama Lee as they made their way around one of the corners in the castle. Naturally, she received a glare to be silent from the other and her shoulders slumped. This hadn't exactly been her idea of a thrilling adventure. She thought there would be more…violence and action. So far it had been a lot of walking and listening in on conversations, doing their best to avoid running into anyone in the halls. And that was something the girl found rather boring. But, Chama Lee was the strategist, and this was his plan. She supposed the more boring it was, the less likely they would be caught and that was probably for the best.
The man came to a halt at one end of the hall, looking off as it branched into two directions. A frown creased his lips, and he turned to Touka. "Do you think you is able to handle going separate ways?"
"Of course I can! What d'ya think?"
"Without bringing trouble?"
"…yes. Without bringing trouble. I'll be good, you can count on me. But, anou…what am I supposed to look for exactly?"
"Any information you can get. If you is hearing anything that can help attack later, I want to know. You is smart girl. I know you figure it out."
"Hai! You can count on me!" Touka saluted Chama Lee in an almost comical fashion before she pointed down the right side. "I'll go this way."
Once they nodded in agreement, Touka moved down that side of the hall. The palace was still the same as she remembered it in only her brief stay. She had only been guided to a few areas, but she did remember which direction Nakago's chamber had been in. Touka wasn't sure what information Chama Lee wished to obtain exactly, but she knew that whatever it was might have been lurking in the shogun's room. When it came to Nakago, she wanted to exact revenge on him as well – his manipulations were exactly what cost her something so dear.
She kept her head straight and shoulders tall, especially when passing a few other soldiers, even though they seemed to be lost in conversation with each other and hardly paid much attention to her. Touka was determined not to let Chama Lee down this time. Glancing from left to right, she slowly eased down the area that would lead her to Nakago's room. Everything seemed to be clear as far as she could tell, so that was all the incentive to ease up beside his room and flatten herself up against the wall. The door was closed, so all she could do was listen to see if he was there – and so far, she didn't hear any noise.
Touka's hand slid closer to the knob, grasping it and she had been about to turn it when a voice rose up behind her in a firm demand, "What are you doing!"
The girl whirled around wide-eyed, faced by a rather youthful looking soldier. Panic-stricken, she searched around for any excuse she could, reaching up to scratch the side of her cheek. She made an attempt at deepening her voice, which sounded just plain funny to her, though happened to be a bit effective, "Uh…you see, I was just…"
"Wait, don't tell me…let me guess…" The man rubbed his chin thoughtfully, before he leaned in with a grin. "You have a thing for Nakago-sama, don't you? You just wanted to listen in and see him, right? Don't worry, I'm very much the same way with Tomo-san!"
"A-anou…"
"Don't worry! I won't tell anyone. As a matter of fact, I can help you out. I'm an expert at this sort of thing," the man grinned in a goofy way, gesturing his thumb toward himself. "You can call me Haoyu…"
"H-Haoyu…" Touka repeated, staring at him uncertainly. Well, this might work out, but at the same time it was a little dangerous. She just chose to play her cards carefully.
"Well…what is your name?"
A startled expression appeared on her face. "Me? I…um…T-Tessou."
"Well, Tessou. It just so happens that Nakago-sama got called out to do some things. And we are free to roam and rummage through his items. I can keep a look out while you sneak off with a little something to worship. And we'll just call it an owed favor, okay? When Tomo-san gets back, you definitely need to help me out."
"R-right! You got it!" Touka flashed him a quick smile, and then turned toward the door. Surprisingly enough, she found that it was open. The handle was twisted and the girl slipped inside the room. An apprehensive glance was sent toward Haoyu, but at his reassuring grin, she stepped inside completely.
"I'll wait outside and warn you in case he comes."
"All right. Thank you, Haoyu…" Touka waited until the man closed the door behind himself before turning toward the chamber again.
Nakago's room was every bit as much as you would expect it to be – boring and nearly immaculate. The bed was made neatly, clothes were folded in piles and kept to the side, papers were stacked, and not a thing was out of place. Surprising that Nakago got the chance to clean up the mess Tomo and Soi left behind earlier, though there were still a few pieces of broken clay that lingered on the floor. Touka didn't even know where to begin. She was in the very heart of where the information would be having it handed to her like some neatly wrapped gift. It was a little overwhelming to believe.
She stepped in further, moving over toward the desk and stack of parchment. Eyes skimmed over the writings, sifting through each of them to find one of interest. One was plucked out of the bunch and she read over it quietly. From what she read, it was something about the Seiryuu no Miko arriving at the palace and certain plans to lead her in some direction. She didn't know, but folded up the parchment and stuffed it in the folds of those clothes. Touka looked over more of the paperwork, but found a lot of it had to do with repairs and Kutou and various other boring things.
There had to be a bit more in the room than what she had stumbled across, and so she began to search the book shelves, under the bed, and even through the pile of Nakago's disgusting dirty clothes (and she didn't go through them without grimacing, that's for certain). However, she froze like a rabbit in fear when she heard Haoyu not only whistle, but begin to strike up some idle conversation with what must have been the general. There was no escaping through the door at this point, and she looked around to weigh her options. Touka could hide and risk Nakago not leaving his room for a while – though find out a bit more information quite possibly – or, she could escape through that window. Deciding that she didn't want to get into anymore trouble for Chama Lee's sake, and figuring that she already got some information that should be helpful, she decided the second option.
The girl swiftly moved toward the window, yanking it open and climbing up onto the edge. She glanced toward the ground, and swallowed hard. It wasn't that it was a long way down, hardly anything at all, actually. But if she landed wrong and made a lot of noise, she didn't want to get captured. No, she had to do this correctly. Brows furrowed in determination, and she pushed herself off the window sill and through the opening just as Nakago had opened the door to his room. Landing in a crouch, Touka spared one glance up to the window itself, before she took off. Now came the part where she waited for Chama Lee out of harm's way. They did agree beforehand that if they got separated, they would meet in the middle of the Kutou rubble…right beside Tessou's grave. That's exactly where she would be.
However, Nakago stepped fluidly into his own chamber, quirking a brow at the disarray on his desk. A glance was sent back toward Haoyu, who merely sheepishly bowed his head and then escaped in the opposite direction. The general shook his head with a sigh. Perhaps they needed to get better help around here. Though, it was funny…he hadn't remembered opening his window. That with the chaos that was on his desk – either there were some wild breezes, or someone had been inside of his room. Well regardless of who it was, absolutely nothing would interfere with his plans to bring the Seiryuu no Miko there. He would finally gain his power, and now, it was all a matter of patience.
Keisuke had to frown in concern. Even though he had taken Miaka to the local bagel shop for some extra breakfast-after-breakfast, she had barely taken a few bites of her food. And the sweetened coffee sat there untouched. It did take a lot in order to waver his younger sister's appetite, and though he had hoped that this would be something to help ease the blow just a tiny bit, Keisuke should have known that even food couldn't make his younger sister feel any better. Slowly, he reached outward and placed his hand atop her own, forcing her out of her thoughts. Miaka glanced up at him with tear-filled eyes which caused the elder sibling to frown.
"Miaka…it'll be all right, you know. This time…Yui-chan planned for a happy ending. And you're still a heroine, you know. You'll get your happy ending too," Keisuke reassured, offering her a warm smile.
"Oniichan," the brunette sighed, lowering her gaze toward his hand and then to the ring that Taka gave her. She put it on right on top of her own matching one. Wrenching her hand free, she laid it atop the jewelry, stroking the cheap plastic gem quietly. "It hurts. It hurts when I'm separated from him for too long. I know I should probably be used to it by now…but oniichan, it just doesn't stop hurting."
"That's what it's like to be in love, you know," he replied, moving his arm back and taking in a sip of his own coffee. Really, he needed the caffeine with all this lack of sleep. "I'm worried about them too. But, you're job is to be the cheerful one, you know. You're the smiling face that keeps everyone's spirits up."
"…I don't want to be the cheerful one."
Keisuke sighed a bit. How could he help his little sister? Right now, he felt as though nothing he could say would possibly bring her out of her solemn state. And maybe, he should have just left her be and it would eventually subside. But, he couldn't do that. As the elder brother, it was almost an obligation to be the one to pick her spirits up when they had fallen in the mud, rinse them clean, and lift them up high where they belonged. So, he offered another faint smile of his own.
"Then I guess this time, I'll have to be the cheerful one."
"Oniichan…?" Miaka looked up toward him. "C-can we…can we see how he's doing in the book right now…? Just…to see…?"
The blond regarded her for a long moment, before he agreed, "Hai."
Fishing around in his knapsack, he pulled out the beaten old book and slowly flipped to the end of the pages. Well, it seemed the book had paused in telling the story of Taka and Tetsuya, so he had to flip back a few pages to see what transpired when they first arrived there. Skimming until he spotted the familiar names, Keisuke's eyes widened, which caused Miaka to lean forward in concern.
"Oniichan? What? What happened? Is Taka all right?"
Keisuke's brows furrowed, "He ran into Tomo and Soi."
"And?"
"There was a tiny bit of conflict, but he's fine. He's on his way to Konan with Tetsuya. He's going back home…to visit the graves of his family."
"Oh, Taka…" The girl's eyes filled with tears again, and she shifted her gaze to the side.
"Miaka…" Keisuke was unsure of what to say. The way she reacted, even after Taka was fine…how would he really go about cheering her up? And before he even got the chance to dwell over his thoughts and make a decision, his sister had risen from her seat which caused him to quirk a brow in question.
"I can't…I can't take this, oniichan! I'm trying so hard to be strong, so very hard. And I just can't…! I can't do it anymore!"
The tears were spilling freely now, and the younger girl pushed quickly away from the table, racing away from the small café. She didn't know where she was going; she didn't even have a direction. She just had to get away from the book, from her brother, and from these horrible emotions that plagued her. Without Taka there, she felt so empty inside. Being separated from him like this was perhaps one of the most horrible feelings in the world. It always was, but somehow…somehow this was even harder than all of those other times because until this story ended, she had to spend all that time away from him. Without him, her world came crashing down around her.
It happened too quickly, before anyone could even blink. Miaka vaguely heard the sound of the car horn that blared its warning to her. But, she couldn't will herself to connect the sound with reality. As a matter of fact, it was just a blur in the distance to her own thoughts of dismay, and before even she could realize it, there was a sharp pain against her side and then, everything around her fell into welcoming darkness. In that darkness, no sorrowful thoughts were found. In that darkness, she was completely free from the agony of reality. It was quite possibly a blessing in disguise, and one that she fully welcomed.
"Is she going to be all right?"
"Yes, she'll be fine. It's just a few broken bones. She was lucky."
"Thank goodness. I'll willingly pay for any of the damage done. It was completely my fault."
"Nurse, can you inform her brother that she is fine now."
"Yes."
"Look, she's waking up."
The first thing that Miaka became aware of was the voices in the background…voices that were oddly familiar. Her brows twitched together, and she felt a warm palm atop her forehead. The stiff pain she felt in her side relaxed a little, and when she opened her eyes, there was a very blurred image of a hand lifting from her head. For a moment, she could have sworn that there was a bright glow of red upon it. Dark eyes focused on the ceiling for a few moments, before she took in her surroundings in a bit of a disoriented manner.
"Where…?"
"Shh, don't try to talk," came a deep voice from the side.
Miaka turned her head toward it, and blinked a bit in confusion, "Mitsukake…?"
The man arched a brow, and then shook his head a bit, "No, I'm afraid not." Moving a bit closer, he studied her again. "Do you have any confusion or trouble remembering your name…?"
A young boy peeked out from behind the obvious doctor, and then jotted down a few notes, "She seems fine. She probably just confused you for someone else, doctor." He glanced over his shoulder toward the man waiting beside the doorway. "Would you like to speak to the patient?"
"Yes…"
Moving away from the entrance, the man slowly approached the bed side, casting a shadow over it. Miaka looked up, watching as the blurred image slowly came into focus. A pale hand reached forward, cupping the side of her cheek, and he offered her a kind smile that was tinged with apology. Shaking his head, rich brown strands swayed in the movement.
"It was my fault that this happened. I hope that you can forgive me…I'm just relieved that you are all right."
Miaka's eyes gradually widened and by the end of his words, the handsome face became crystal clear. She shot upright in the bed, staring at him in disbelief, "Hotohori…!" And as a matter of fact, there before her stood three of the Suzakuu no Seishi that had died…Mitsukake, Chiriko, and Hotohori. Perhaps she was imagining things…or maybe it was just a dream. But to her, this most certainly felt like reality. And a reality that brought a whole new twist on what was occurring inside the book.
Next Chapter Previews
When night falls, Nakago's plans begin to fall into place. The last night of relaxation before continuing their journey is filled with many conflicts, and in the world of reality with Miaka-sama's discovery, can she begin to put together these strange events…? Next time, in 'The Ties that Bind.' A good story is never without its fair share of drama.