Disclaimer: FY is still not mine. I'm trying though – honest! Currently accepting donations towards purchase of... No? You won't donate? But it's a really good cause...! Still no? Oh, well, alright...
akahana: Thanks! I'm glad it works. I'd like to say it was an inspired decision...but I wrote that first chapter so long ago that for the life of me, I no longer remember what made me choose that route. Fortunately, I do remember what it leads to!
MegamiNoTsuki: Whew! I was concerned. I'm glad it's still working. Between last chapter and this one, I feel like I'm rushing with Seishi introdctions, though. And she'll get things sorted...eventually. They have to get worse before they can get better...right?
Chapter 3: The Unwilling
They had enough provisions for two days; sufficient to get them to the next village. Houshun was glad he had a few days to brush up on his archery before they would be making it their primary means of getting food. Any time they halted, for whatever reason, he strung his bow and fired a few shots. Even while they walked, he would occasionally pick out a target some distance ahead – usually a knot on a tree, and he felt bad for the trees – shoot, and then collect the arrow when they came abreast of the target. But the feel of the bow was familiar and comfortable in his hand, so it didn't take him too long to refresh his skills.
Meanwhile, he listened while Ji-Shin and Ryu-Sen caught up, talking about their present lives. He learned a lot about his companions in those two short days. Ji-Shin had been educated in the capitol, but had never crossed paths with Ryu-Sen or Xaioh, who came from noble families of the Emperor's court. Ryu-Sen was twenty, and his parents had arranged for his engagement to the fourteen year old daughter of some friends of theirs. Both he and his supposed fiancé were fighting the betrothal tooth and nail.
"They keep telling me I should have been married several years ago, but I've always known that I would have to take up the role of Seishi eventually. I didn't want tied down to a family when I never knew when I would be called to serve Suzaku. Besides, Lian and I absolutely detest each other."
"Is that the only reason?" Ji-Shin asked with a sly smile.
"What do you mean? Isn't that reason enough?"
"It wouldn't happen to have anything to do with your...preferences, would it?"
Houshun blinked and eyed Ryu-Sen warily. Having to fend off advances could complicate matters significantly.
Ryu-Sen laughed. "Not this time, Ji-Shin." He grinned. "Don't worry, Houshun, I like women, this time."
"Good to know."
"I felt I should check – it's impossible to be certain, with you. One life, men, then women, then both... One of these times it's going to be neither and I will truly be worried!"
They all laughed. Though the subject seemed to have been dismissed, Houshun was still disturbed. As far as the two Seishi knew, Suzaku had chosen a Priest, rather than a Priestess. What did that say about the orientation of said Priest?
Riana shuddered inwardly. In high school, she'd had one boyfriend, who'd turned out to be such a jerk that she hadn't bothered with relationships after that. She was one of few in her group of friends who was still single, and a few years ago there had been malicious whisperings that she lacked a boyfriend because she was more interested in girls. A petty rumor, but the effect it had on Ria was astounding. She was not homosexual! But so many of the guys she knew were so stupid... What can I say? I'm a hopeless romantic – I refuse to take just any guy in order to quell the rumors. Consequently, sexuality was a touchy subject. If they ever put the question of orientation to Houshun, she hoped they would ask in such a way that she could tell the truth without giving herself away. She had only told her Seishi two outright lies so far – her name and her age – and she hoped she wouldn't have to tell them more.
---------
They reached the town where they were to meet Xaioh about an hour after sunset. It was much larger than any of the villages Houshun had yet seen, and even had its own temple, standing ornate and proud on the southern side of the town square. Shops flanked it on either side, like colorful soldiers standing at attention, and there was a steady bustle of people between them. Fishmongers and bakers hawked their wares, each vying to be louder than the other, all of them struggling against the noise of the crowd. A tailor took note of Ryu-Sen's clothing and tried to interest him in some of the more expensive fabrics in his shop. It took them some time to extricate the poor Seishi from the tailor's attempts to make a sale. The town seemed to have everything. Even—
"Oho, gentlemen!" An arm suddenly appeared around Ryu-Sen's waist, another took Ji-Shin's shoulders, and a third linked arms with Houshun. Each was attached to a rather attractive, and in the case of Ryu-Sen's sudden 'companion', well endowed young woman.
Courtesans.
"My, my! You three look like you must have been traveling for days!" she crooned. "Why don't you come with us and unwind for a bit, eh?" She ran a delicate hand down Ryu-Sen's long braid and twirled it around her fingers.
"Oh yes," bubbled the one draped over a rather startled Ji-Shin. "We promise you'll enjoy yourselves. Just the thing after a long journey!"
The third girl said nothing, but smiled shyly up at Houshun. She couldn't have been in this profession very long, and he felt sorry for her. Stronger than his pity, however, was an urgent need to get out of this situation. He hastily extricated himself from her grasp. Her eyes widened.
"No."
Ryu-Sen, who had been about to give a more polite and possibly flirtatious reply, blinked at Houshun. The amply busted woman, obviously in charge of the trio, released Ryu-Sen and sauntered around to face the recalcitrant foreigner. He braced himself and stared at her as he might a feral dog that looked ready to attack.
"Oh, come now, handsome, there's no need to be shy! Seni here is as adept as any of us, for all her quiet manner, I assure you."
He stepped back a pace. "No," he repeated
"I'm afraid I must concur..." Ji-Shin attempted to duck out from under the bubbly woman's arm, but she stubbornly clung to him.
Ryu-Sen managed to salvage the situation and still save everyone's dignity. "Sadly, my friends are quite right, ladies. We are supposed to be meeting someone soon, and simply don't have the time for pleasure right now." He took the leader's hand and lightly kissed it. "But I assure you, if I'm ever in the area again..."
She tossed her head and smiled at him. "Then I shall wait with bated breath! Come on, girls."
As they walked away, Ji-Shin turned to Houshun. "Are you okay?"
He nodded, but a minute tremble coursed through him. He couldn't seem to stop it.
"Never been propositioned before, eh?" Ryu-Sen asked.
Houshun slowly shook his head. Not in answer to the question, but in denial of it. He had been, but not by prostitutes, and not by—
"Or is it that they were girls?"
Houshun shot Ryu-Sen a dark look.
"Well, I'd wondered. After all, would Suzaku really have chosen a Priest if he was...unwilling?"
Ji-Shin suddenly caught on. His eyes went wide, and looked at Houshun with bewilderment and a hint of betrayal.
Houshun frowned at him. "Don't look at me like that. Like you're surprised I didn't..." He shook his head, furious with both of them – Ryu-Sen for the assumption and Ji-Shin for the sudden distrust. "Besides, I'm not... I'm not homosexual."
"So you do like girls. It was the fact that they sell themselves?"
He didn't reply immediately, trying to find a way to answer that without perjuring himself. To lie without lying.
Ryu-Sen sighed. "Look, it's difficult – I should know! – but it's not something to be ashamed of. There are plenty of people out there who have no interest in the opposite sex—"
"I'm not fey! Why the hell do my preferences matter, anyway?" He brushed passed them and headed for a particularly thick stream of people wandering the shops, hoping to disappear into the crowd. Granted, with that extra sense that drew the Seishi to him, it wouldn't be long before they found him again, but hopefully they would respect his sudden attempt to be alone.
He followed the crowed until it passed near a tavern, where he slipped inside in response to a sudden urge for a drink. Any drink. He stopped just inside the door to adjust his eyes to the light, and remembered, a bit belatedly, that he didn't drink. Why had he suddenly wanted one? Shaking his head, he decided a drink might not hurt – he was thirsty, and at the very least he might get some water.
Ignoring the looks cast his way by people long used to judging whether a customer was in a foul temper and might cause trouble, he strode up to the bar. He hitched himself over a stool a few feet down from a grumbling red-haired young man who looked like he'd been drinking for some time.
"I won' do't. I won'. No' again. Won' go through that again." He threw back the rest of his drink and slammed his mug on the counter. "Gimme another."
Houshun watched the young man down another drink in short order. When that was finished, the bartender silently passed him yet another, then looked up at Houshun. "You gonna order something, lad?"
"Some tea, please..."
The bartender nodded briefly and left, returning a few moments later with a steaming mug of tea.
"Is he okay?" he asked quietly as the man set the mug down in front of him.
"This guy? I don't know, to be honest. He's been coming in here nearly every day for the past week or so, and drinks from the time I open the bar until I close it. Never talks to anyone but himself – except to order more drinks. But it's nothing to me, so long as he keeps paying. Besides, last time I tried to cut him off he waved some huge metal thing at me and threatened to take my head off with it if I didn't keep the drinks coming."
"'Nother drink, here!"
With a shrug, the bartender slid another drink down to him. Houshun noticed that the used mugs were taken away almost as soon as a new one was set down. He quietly sipped his tea, watching the drunken man intently, listening to him ramble.
"No way. No way in hell. Won' do't. Won' watch 'em all die again. No more sacrifices. No more, dammit! I won' go. They can' make me! Jus' keep drinkin' an' I can' feel it, an' they can' find me..."
Slowly, Houshun began to get a picture of who this guy must be and what he was going through. A week ago – that corresponded pretty well to when Houshun had arrived in this world. Of course, the large metal fan strapped to the man's back was also a good indicator. But his words spawned guilt in Houshun's mind. If he hadn't been called, the Seishi would be free to go about their lives like normal people. Their existence was disrupted by the need to call Suzaku, and they would risk their lives in order to protect him, to see to it that Suzaku was summoned successfully. If he refused to summon the beast-god, couldn't their lives then return to normal? But if Hong-Nan was in jeopardy and he refused to summon Suzaku to save it...
The next time the bartender slid a drink down to the red-haired man, Houshun reached out and snagged it as it went past.
"Hey! Wha' th'hell d'you think yer doin'?"
Ignoring him, Houshun tossed back the drink. It was strong, and burned his throat on the way down, making his eyes water. He coughed and spluttered, but downed it all and gently set the mug down on the bar.
"Wha'dya do that for?"
He looked over at the furious man, his eyes sad. "You think you've got problems." His voice was harsh from the drink. "How do you suppose I feel, knowing that if I wasn't here, they wouldn't have to risk so much? Knowing that if I refused to do what I've been called to do, you could all go about your normal lives again."
The young man's eyes grew large, and fear practically radiated from him. "You...you can't be..."
"But not only that, there's also what happens if I decide not to. How many more lives might be lost in whatever I've been brought here to avert, if I do nothing?" He calmly took a sip of his tea. "What's your name?"
"Liang – but what've you got to do with—"
"You're Tasuki, of course."
"I—"
"Nuriko and Chiriko are around here somewhere. They're looking for Hotohori. I'm sure they would be perfectly willing to explain, should you run into them." By this time darkness had fallen outside. Houshun glanced toward the door of the tavern just as Ji-Shin and Ryu-Sen came in. "Ah. Their timing is astonishing." He drained the rest of his tea.
Liang also looked, and paled when he saw the other two Seishi approaching. "Aww hell..." He started to stand, perhaps to find some escape, but he didn't get very far. His legs gave out the minute he tried to put any weight on them. "Shit!"
Houshun stared impassively down at him. "You should have thought of that before deciding to drink yourself silly. You may be able to drown the feeling in your head with alcohol, but that doesn't keep the rest of us from finding you." Nodding to the bartender, he asked, "Do you have any rooms available in this place?"
"Sure do. Nicest inn in town, this. You want one?"
"Yes, please."
He paid the man for the drinks and the room, took his key, and headed upstairs without a backward glance. When he reached the landing at the top of the stairs, he was so exhausted and relieved to finally be alone that he stumbled and nearly fell. With a startled curse, he twisted and sat down on the top stair. Footsteps sounded briefly behind him.
"Are you alright?"
He didn't bother looking for the speaker. "Fine, thanks. Just tripped."
There was a long moment of silence.
"It's you!"
Oh hells. Houshun turned around and looked up. He really wasn't too surprised to see a fairly tall, incredibly handsome man whose long, dark hair was tied loosely behind him. With a sigh, he stood up. "You must be Xaioh."
"I am, yes."
"'And where Suzaku's chosen appears, there his Seishi gather...' I'm Houshun, but I think right now you'll want the others." He waved a hand toward the stairs. "They're down in the tavern."
Xaioh looked mildly surprised. "All of them?"
"No. Three others. Sorry to be so abrupt, but I've had a rough day. It's nice to meet you." He started towards his room.
Just as he reached to push open the door, Xaioh asked, "Are you certain you're alright?"
Houshun looked back and offered a weary smile. "I'll survive. I'm just very, very tired. Thanks for the concern, though. I appreciate it." With that, he slipped through the door and closed it tightly behind him.
Riana slumped against the door. She prayed there weren't too many more days like this, or she would simply not be up to fulfilling the role of Suzaku no Miko. A quick glance around the room revealed a bed, a chest of drawers, a mirror, a chair, windows, and another door. Beyond the door there was a small water closet, of sorts. A tub and cistern, at any rate. And was that a chamber pot? She grinned a little, too relieved to find a tub to care much about toilet facilities. Heating the water was a simple matter of lighting the coals beneath the cistern, which she accomplished in short order. She then wandered back out into the room, propped the chair against the door to prevent anyone coming in, drew the curtains, and stripped, leaving clothes strewn all over the place.
The tub was too small to stretch out in, so either her knees had to be out of the water, or her shoulders. She washed thoroughly, then soaked until the water, which was quite hot when she filled the tub, started to get too cold. It was so comfortable to just sit and relax in the hot water that she nearly fell asleep. Regretfully, she climbed out of the tub. She toweled off with her clothes, which she then tossed into the tub and gave a good scrubbing. After hanging them to dry, she set out her clothes for the next day and crawled, naked, into bed. It felt so good to finally spend a few hours without bandages constricting her chest! Smiling peacefully, she nestled down under the blankets and went to sleep.
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"Our... Suzaku's Chosen seems to be in something of an ill temper. I hope this is not his usual state."
Nuriko rubbed his forehead. "No, it isn't. We upset him, I'm afraid. Whatever you do, don't make any comments about sexual preferences around him."
"It is a touchy subject, I take it?"
"Yeah. That and Chiriko—"
"I was surprised is all, and showed it. Whatever his orientation, he never gave me any cause to mistrust him. My reaction was uncalled for."
"What, the guy's gay?"
Chiriko shook his head. "We don't know, Tasuki. He insists not, but..." He shrugged.
"This is all beside the point. It's just strange that we have a Priest this time, instead of a Priestess. His preferences don't matter. What's important now is finding the other Seishi."
"That's true. Tamahome is waiting for us at the capitol, but where do we even begin to look for Chichiri and Mitsukake?" Hotohori sighed, then smiled slightly. "Although, if the four of us are any indication, that could be remarkably simple." He chuckled.
"What's so damn funny?" Now that he was no longer drinking, Tasuki was painfully aware that the situation he was in was the very one he had been trying to avoid. He was thoroughly pissed off.
"It's just something Houshun said when I met him on the stairs. 'Where Suzaku's Chosen appears, there his Seishi gather.' Though perhaps it would be more accurate to say the Seishi are drawn to Suzaku's Chosen."
"True," Chiriko mused. "In which case, our priority is simply to reach the capitol as quickly as we can."
"The fastest way there is through the woods, but that could be slightly complicated. Should we need supplies, or food for that matter, there will be no villages readily accessible."
Nuriko grinned. "We'll just have to make sure we have everything we need before we leave here. Food won't be a problem. There are plenty of tubers and berries this time of year, and Houshun is pretty good with a bow."
"If he will hunt, that would certainly facilitate matters." Hotohori relaxed. "Good."
Tasuki stood and pushed in his chair. "Well, you all enjoy yourselves." He stood to leave.
"You don't intend to come with us, Tasuki?" Chiriko asked.
"No. No way in hell. I'm not gonna go through all this just to watch you all die again."
"Go sleep off all that alcohol, Tasuki. We can discuss this in the morning. Hopefully by then Houshun will be willing to join us."
"There ain't nothin' to discuss, Nuriko. I ain't goin'!" He stalked out of the tavern.
"Oh dear." Chiriko stared after him. "I hope he'll be alright..."
"He'll come around. He's had to watch some of us die every time, he and Chichiri. Last time they were the only ones to survive – and then only just! I'm not surprised he doesn't want to do this again."
Hotohori frowned. "Last time, our Priestess was inept."
Chiriko squirmed a little. He had fallen in love with that particular Priestess, despite her faults. "She was too young and naïve is all. Besides, we lost almost as many of us with Miaka." As their first Miko, Miaka was the standard by which all the rest of Suzaku's Chosen were judged.
"But it wasn't her fault," Nuriko protested. "We were weaker, too, then."
"And most of us chose self-sacrifice to save others. That was not the case last time." Hotohori smiled at Chiriko. "I know how you felt about her, but that does not change the fact that her poor choices led to more deaths than were necessary – including her own!"
Chiriko winced. It was the truth, no matter how badly he wanted to deny it.
"We really should explain all of this to Houshun soon. He's heard about Miaka's time here, but I'm not sure he really knows what he might be headed for... Things got bad, that time, but it's been worse. He needs to know how bad it can get."
Hotohori blinked at Nuriko. "But do we really know how bad it can get? Surely, no matter how terribly things go, they can always be worse. It would be incredibly presumptuous of us to tell him, 'This is the worst that could happen'..."
"We should still give him some idea of what's happened in the past."
"I concur..." Chiriko stifled a yawn and rubbed his eyes. "That decided, can everything else wait until morning? I'm exhausted."
----------
By the time any of the Seishi made it downstairs the next morning, Houshun was already halfway through a substantial breakfast. His pack was on the floor beside his chair – apparently he had no intention of waiting too long before getting on the road again.
"Well," said Ryu-Sen, "you're certainly up early."
Houshun grinned. "I wanted to make up for my deplorable temper yesterday," he said around a piece of sausage. "Breakfast is on me."
Ryu-Sen sat down across from him. "Deplorable, but entirely justified. You were right. It's none of our business."
"True enough. But get some food! Where are the others?"
"Xaioh and Ji-Shin were debating the pros and cons of what seems to be the best route to the capitol. They'll be along."
"And Liang?"
"He—"
"He'll be with ya in a minute. Just let him get a drink first."
Houshun and Ryu-Sen stared at Liang as he strode past them to the bar. He clearly wasn't thrilled to be there. But he was there, and just then, that was all that mattered.
"Get some breakfast while you're at it," Houshun called. "I'm paying."
A few minutes later, Ji-Shin and Xaioh came down to the tavern and joined Houshun and Ryu-Sen. The younger Seishi looked somewhat the worse for the long days of traveling, Houshun realized, with a sharp pang of guilt. Slightly disheveled, but he looked as alert as ever, and grinned sheepishly at Suzaku's Chosen.
"I want to apologize for yesterday..."
Houshun waved a hand dismissively. "As much my fault as anyone's. Though I admit I was hoping we could get moving early today; leave this town and its...uncomfortable...memories behind."
"That sounds wise." Xaioh regarded Houshun steadily, though he was somewhat startled by the drastic change in demeanor from last night. "But what shall we do about Tasuki?"
"Our resident alcoholic will be with us as soon as he's finished at the bar," Houshun replied, jerking his head in that direction. Looking up, Xaioh saw the red-haired Seishi heading toward the table with a plate of sausage and eggs in one hand and a beer in the other.
"I ain't no alcoholic!"
Houshun just smiled.
Over breakfast, they finally settled on the forest route to the capitol. It would cut several days off their journey, as well as reducing the risk of their running into any bandit gangs. With Houshun's assurance that he should be able to shoot something edible, there was no real reason to take the longer road through the towns. Liang also consented to join them – for the time being.
"If he shows any sign of bein' as much an idiot as the last one, then I'm gone."
Houshun searched his hard, yellow eyes for a few moments. "Agreed."
Liang blinked at him. "You serious?"
"Of course. I wasn't brought here just so you all could risk your lives for me. And if I was, then Suzaku needs his head adjusted." The four Seishi stared at him, eyes wide, mouths agape. He ignored them. "Everyone finished eating? Can we go now?"
I think I'll stop here. Mostly because I know how the next scene should go, and I need someplace to start the next chapter! It ties in pretty well with this one. Soo, it wasn't as great as I had anticipated. Mostly because of the part I'm leaving until next time. It should really be on here... :considers adding it on: No, it can wait...
Riana: You're killing me – when do I get to meet the rest of them?!
Elwing: Soon enough.
Riana: NOT soon enough you sadistic... Argh! At the rate you write it'll take forever!!
Elwing: Not forever, I promise... Two more chapters. Three at the very most. Maybe even only one if I make it really long... No, that won't work... Two, probably.
Riana: TWO!?!?
Elwing: You want your pain and misery to happen sooner?
Riana: ...
Elwing: Okay then.
Muse: Why did I have to be given to a crazy woman?
Ewling: :glaring fiercely: I HEARD that!! :pounce!: