Okay, we are back with chapter 4! Wow…it's been more than a month since this was updated. Shows how lazy I was, doesn't it? And I guess I (Silver) will be answering the reviews this time…
Reader's response:
Taimos: I'm glad you like it. Hope you keep reading!
Mint Drop: What? You're still confused? What're you confused about…and (starts screaming) NOOOOOOOOOOO! The chocolate! (glares) so that's where my Easter candy went!
Aderine no miko: Don't we all wish that? (starts wishing really really hard)…it's not working! Oh well, I can still pretend:)
Chichiri's Wanderer: Well…um…okay, I'll try to make sure Shizuka stops choking on chocolate bars…0.o…yeah, if I really want the co-author to stay alive, I should stop that habit, shouldn't I?
Enjoy the chapter!
"We'll be back, so stop fussing. You sound like an old man," Kyri said to Ryou. She was headed back to her village to grab some items they would need if they were expected to protect the two guys. Shiriko had opted to stay, since at least one of them needed to be with Ryou. He refused to step foot in the forest much to Kyri's amusement. For some unknown reason, Koukaku had decided to come along with her. He was probably just curious about all of the village legends and wanted an excuse to go through the forest.
"Idiot," Ryou muttered, "He's too curious for his own good"
"Aw; relax…he'll have fun. He's not too scared like you," Ling said, balancing a tray of food for her mother.
"Shut up!" Ryou shouted, face turning red. "And what are you doing?"
"Something productive unlike certain people. I happen to be balancing this tray."
Ryou rolled his eyes, "Whatever; I'm going to help out in the fields."
"You? Work? Are you sure you're feeling alright?" Ling joked.
"Yes." Ryou glared. Sometimes siblings could be so annoying.
"Whatever you say, aniki," Ling grinned. "Hey, where'd Shiriko disappear to?"
"Who cares?" Ryou shrugged as he left the house. He looked around when he left, however, wondering where the raven-haired girl was. Then he shrugged. It was almost a given that she would pop out of nowhere and scare him to death. Again.
Kyri gave a laugh, "It's really not that scary in here, you know?" she raised an eyebrow at Koukaku. They were in the forest now, and he hadn't stopped sweating since they first entered.
Koukaku nodded, but all the stories from his childhood about this forest echoed in his ears with each step he took. "I trust you," he almost whispered. As they followed some path only Kyri could see, Koukaku kept his eyes scanning the forest. He kept hearing things, but…nothing was there.
The imp of perverse struck Kyri so hard that she couldn't resist the temptation. On feet practiced in the art of moving soundlessly through the forest she crept behind Koukaku. Just as he looked up and missed her she grabbed his shoulder and gave a low growl.
Koukaku jumped ten feet into the air and hollered. After five minutes and a two hundred yard sprint, he realized just what had frightened him so badly. "That," he said facing Kyri, "was not funny."
"You are so scared!" Kyri laughed, wiping the tears from her eyes. She was a bit fond of practical jokes much to the dismay of any and all around her.
"Hey! I am not!" Koukaku protested, finally raising his voice a little. "I'm just a little concerned for our safety! Even you aren't invincible, you know!" he shot back.
"Of course I am," Kyri winked as she hefted their supplies. She had decided against allowing him to carry their food.
"I am not scared," Koukaku insisted.
"Prove it. I'll race you to the edge of these woods."
"You're on!" Koukaku said, his competitive side – one which he rarely ever showed even to Ryou– coming out.
Without even waiting for a signal, they both immediately sprinted towards their destination, each eager to defeat the other.
For awhile they were neck and neck, but Kyri's athletic shape and keen desire to win caused her to pull ahead before very long. Finally, she reached the edge of the woods. They really weren't all that far from her village if you cut through the forest, but the villagers were superstitious and stupid. "Aha! I win!" Kyri shouted happily. She spun around to gloat a bit, but Koukaku was nowhere in sight. 'I could have sworn he was right behind me…'
She rested on a fallen tree for awhile to wait for him to appear. But as the minutes passed, Kyri got a sinking feeling that he wasn't going to catch up. So she settled on the next reasonable assumption. "He's lost," she muttered, disgusted with herself for forgetting that he didn't know these woods. Not as she and Shiriko did. They must have raced up and down this forest a million times.
With this in mind, she set out to search for him. "Koukaku?" she called out, "Koukaku! Answer god dammit!" She was getting irritated. They really shouldn't split up like this, and every minute away from Shiriko was making her feel more and more vulnerable. It was not a feeling she liked.
After ten minutes of diligent searching and calling out, she began to get worried.
'Oh great; if I lost him, 'Riko will kill me!' she thought, remembering the last time someone had gotten on the wrong end of Shiriko. She may seem like an innocent and overly hyper girl, but underneath… 'Only fools get Shiriko mad.'
Lost in her thoughts as she was, Kyri wasn't paying very much attention to where she was going. Much less to any large rocks in her path. "Ah!" she gave a short, high-pitched scream as she twisted her ankle, slamming into the ground.
"Ow…" she groaned, rubbing her leg, 'Damn it…this is not what I need right now.'
"Need some help?" a voice asked with little amusement behind her.
"Sure," she answered sarcastically, nevertheless taking the hand offered to her.
"I thought you knew this forest," Koukaku said now with a small smirk on his face.
"I do know this forest! But you just disappeared, so I went looking for you. It's your fault I was so worried that I wasn't paying attention! Don't do that!"
"Sorry…" Koukaku said. Kyri glared angrily at him for a few more seconds. Her gaze then rested on his eyes. They really were quite beautiful…
"Anyways; let's go…which way is it again?" Koukaku interrupted her thoughts.
"This way," Kyri turned and lead the way back to the forest's edge and towards her village. But all the while she was desperately glad that she was in the lead. Otherwise Koukaku might see her bright red face and start wondering. Or worse yet: ask questions.
Ryou felt the searing hot sun on his neck as he walked toward the stream to splash some cool water onto his face. He had been working without rest for the last two hours in the extreme heat. And of course, Koukaku was not back yet to help him with any of it.
As he looked up from the water, he jumped back in surprised. "ARGGGHHH!" he yelled scrambling backwards. Just as he had predicted earlier, Shiriko's face loomed in front of him.
"Hey!" she said with a huge gin. "Is my face that scary?"
Ryou glared at her, "Where the hell did you come from?"
"Um…do you want to know my answer?"
"No, not really"
"Then why'd you ask?"
"Whatever," Ryou picked up the sack he'd been using and slung it over his shoulders. He began to walk towards the house, and Shiriko naturally followed along. "Is Ling at home?" he asked after a few seconds.
"I dunno; haven't been there."
"THEN WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?" Ryou shouted, frustrated with her vague and evasive answers.
"Would you believe me if I told you I was sitting calmly in a tree, trying to see if anything evil was coming?" Her face was blank of anything but innocence.
"I don't believe the calmly part."
"Hmph!" Shiriko crossed her arms, but grinned. "Whatever," then she paused. She looked up with a rare serious face, "Something's approaching the house."
Ryou was taken back at her sudden seriousness; but as soon as her words sunk in, he tore down the hard dirt path to the house. Shiriko was right behind mumbling something under her breath. Ryou didn't really pay attention to it until he reached the front of the house. The sight of an unusually large wolf racing towards them nearly brought him up short. The wolf slowed momentarily next to Shiriko, then loped along side her like a pet. Ryou would have raised an eyebrow and probably quite a few questions if not for the dire sense of urgency Shiriko's words had instilled in him.
After what seemed like forever to his frantically beating heart, they reached the house. Ryou never checked up. He burst through the door and stopped dead, causing Shiriko to slam into him. Her wolf jumped nimbly to the side and began growling. There in his house stood a black clad figure. Judging from the build, Ryou guessed the figure to be a man. He was tall, and Ryou would have studied his face but for the black cloth hiding his features. Only his dark, menacing eyes showed over the strip of fabric.
"Who are you?" Ryou demanded.
The man did not speak. After one look at the three figures in the doorway, he began to laugh.
"You have no reason to laugh!" Shiriko snarled, irritated beyond her usual good humor.
"My employer told me that two of the Suzaku seishi had been reborn, but I didn't expect it to be such a…"
"Don't underestimate me," Ryou glared. Who did this man think he was?
The man let out another taunting laugh, "I suggest that you hurry up to try to 'beat' me or your family…" he trailed off, knowing the effect of his words.
Ryou looked around wildly, "Where are they!"
"Well, at the moment, they are surrounded by a pack of wild dogs. One false move and they'll get ripped to pieces. Not a pretty end for anyone." The man shook his head in mock concern.
Ryou paled, "Shiriko?" His head swam, and he felt a little dizzy. His family…his whole world…
"I'm on it," Shiriko headed out the door, followed by her strange companion.
"Like a woman could do anything about it," the man sneered.
"You should worry more about yourself!" Ryou yelled, fists clinched. He'd show this man what messing with his family would bring. Pain.
Shiriko paused in her running to shout over her shoulder, "Try to remember everything, Ryou! Your past lives!"
"Get going!" Ryou growled, glaring at the intruder. He would try, but how the hell was he supposed to remember something from a past life much less two? With a feeling of desperation, Ryou almost gave in. But no. His family was counting on him. Shiriko was counting on him. And Koukaku and Kyri would be counting on him to stay safe until they returned. With a small smile, Ryou admitted that Kyri would kick his ass if he managed to die before she got back. No…he might not be able to do anything at all. But he would try…
How'd you like it? And as you can see, the perfectionist fixed all the grammer stuff so it makes a lot more sense now! Review!