Chapter Three : An Enemy Not Forgotten

Saori opened her eyes. The blurry ceiling came into clear view. She blinked a couple of times, and sat straight up.

"Don't hurt yourself. young' in." Came the voice of a plump old woman. She carried a wet rag and tried to lay Saori back down.

Saori's eyes dashed around the room. "Where is he?" She said panicked. "Where is he? Where is Chichiri?"

"The man that brought you in is outside, if that's who you're looking for. Now, would you please lie down..."

Saori flung the covers aside and ran around the woman, finding the door and swinging it open. Saori could see Chichiri's features better now in the sunlight, he was saddling a horse. Saori ran out to him.

"Chichiri! What happened?" She asked.

Chichiri looked at her. "I see you are feeling well, no da?" He asked. Then his voice fell quieter. "What are you doing here...?" He paused.

"Saori Kawai." Saori finished for him. "I really am sorry for any trouble... I just... I just came for Mayo. Have you seen her?"

Chichiri looked confused once again. "Your friend is missing?" He asked.

Saori nodded, her face sad. "So, you haven't seen her?" She asked, her voice shaky.

Chichiri shook his head. "I'm afraid not." He answered.

Saori bit her lip, and stood straight. "I know she's here. She's been missing for three days. That's why I'm here... and I'm NOT going back until I find her."

Chichiri didn't say anything.

Saori took a more innocent tone. "Will... will you please help me find her? I'll be real quiet, promise. And I don't eat very much either..."

"I will help you, no da." Chichiri said. "Do you know where to start looking?"

Saori thought. "I think she may be at the palace..." She looked up, Chichiri was looking the other way. "Are you okay?"

Chichiri was silent. 'I sense a bad aura....' he thought. He focused back to Saori. "We will visit the palace."

Saori looked at the horse as Chichiri mounted it. "Uh... Can't you just do that magic pop-out-of-the-hat thingy?" she objected.

Chichiri shook his head no. "Konan palace is too far, no da. We'll ride."

Saori took Chichiri's hand, and got onto the horse, sitting in front of him. It was kind of awkward, but at least someone was helping her. With a shake of the reins, they were off.

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"The girl left on horseback with the monk towards the palace." Keisuke read aloud to Yui and Tetsuya, who were sitting at a table in the library. "Ever grateful for his help, Saori entrusted her well-being to Chichiri, who brought her safely to the palace. Granted an audience with the emperor, Saori asked if Mayo was with them. Sadly, Saori heard the bad news again..."

********************

"She's not here?" Saori said, tearing up. "You haven't seen her at all? Are you sure?"

"I'm very sorry, but I haven't." Hotohori replied. Hotohori now reigned over Konan once again. He had been restored to his adult form with all of his memories three years ago, and chose to remain that way. (Just some inside info for those who are confused.) Hotohori stood up, walking down the steps, which lead to his throne. "Chichiri, where was this girl when you found her?"

"She was on the rode leading to Katana, your Highness. She knows Miaka..."

"I was with her in the hospital when you were with Mayo." She interrupted.

Hotohori looked at the girl, shaking his head. "I'm sorry. I know this scene far too well. When Miaka was first here, she was looking for her friend Yui." "Did she find her?" Saori questioned.

"Yes." Hotohori answered.

*********************

"The Emperor, Hotohori, reassured Saori. His words comforted Saori, as did his gentleness. He offered food to the girl and his old friend, who gladly accepted." Keisuke read on. "Little did they know, that an attack was being prepared for Konan's boundary cities to the East..."

"Attack?!" Tetsuya said loudly, being hushed by several people reading. He leaned over closer to Keisuke. "We have to warn them..."

"I don't think we can." Keisuke answered.

Yui put her hand over the page. "Stop reading. Maybe we can prolong it. Let's find Miaka and Taka."

********************

"And she's missing?"

Saori nodded to the young prince. "I'm looking for her..."

Chichiri glanced over at the two talking, and turned back to Hotohori. "I'm worried, Highness. If Mayo is here, then why? Did she come on her own, or perhaps..."

Hotohori sipped his tea. "I do wonder myself, Chichiri. It was no doubt the power of Suzaku that brought her here, but why? I don't know. Perhaps there is something about this Saori girl, or Mayo, that our god is trying to tell us."

Chichiri removed his mask. "As far as where to go from here, I'm clueless. If there is something unusual about this, I would suggest staying low on any search parties, so we don't draw attention, or rumor that there are more priestesses."

"We need to find some people who are around the country a lot, see if they've seen anything." Hotohori suggested.

Chichiri looked back over at the high school student. "She says she's positive that Mayo is here."

"Then we need to find her." Hotohori stated.

Chichiri replaced his mask. "Perhaps Tasuki's guys, no da?"

Hotohori nodded.

"So, you ALWAYS where that hat?" Saori pointed.

Boushin nodded slowly, thinking the girl strange.

"Saori." Hotohori called, standing over her.

Saori stood up. "Yes... er... Sire?"

"Chichiri has offered to take you to the Mt. Reikaku bandits to see..." "Bandits?!" Saori exclaimed. "You mean robbers? Those guys?"

"Hardly not." Chichiri intercepted. "Tasuki is their leader, I'm sure he can help us."

"Tasuki? Isn't that the fire dude?" Saori asked.

Chichiri nodded. He held out his hat. "My powers are fully restored, and it's not too far."

Saori looked at the hat.

"Jump in." Chichiri instructed.

"What?" Saori said, eyeing him suspiciously. "It's a hat. Barely enough room for my head."

Chichiri didn't move.

Stepping forward, Saori poked the inside of the hat with her finger. She watched it vanish, and return as she pulled it back out. She shrugged, and jumped in.

There was a swirl of white and red light, and Saori found herself and Chichiri on a mountain, covered sparsely with trees.

Saori looked around, her finger in her mouth.

"Let's go." Chichiri ordered.

******************

"Taka, is Miaka home? I need to speak with both of you." Keisuke said as the dark-haired man opened the door.

"Sure Keisuke, what's wrong?" Taka asked.

Yui and Tetsuya followed Keisuke. They sat on the couches, Taka closing the door and Miaka coming in from the kitchen with an apron on. She was nearly twenty. "Onisan, Yui-chan, what are you guys doing here?" Keisuke pulled the red book out of his duffle bag. Taka went wide-eyed. Miaka gasped.

"Where'd you find it?" Taka asked.

"It was back at the library." Keisuke replied, setting it down on a coffee table. "Remember Saori Kawai?"

Miaka nodded. "Isn't she Mayo Sakaki's friend?"

Keisuke put a hand on the book. "She's in there. Mayo disappeared. Somehow, Saori found a medium and went back through the story to look for her."

Miaka out a hand over her mouth.

Taka stared at the book. "Does that mean, the story is trying to start over?" Yui shook her head. "No, no one is a priestess of Suzaku, or anything like that. Saori has met up with Chichiri and Hotohori. We came here because..."

"Konan is in danger." Keisuke finished. "The book said that an attack was going to happen on Konan's east boundary."

"That's where Kutou is." Taka spoke up. "Why would they be attacking Konan after so long?"

Keisuke shrugged. "I don't know, but I can't help but worry. Taka, this IS your homeland."

Taka put his hands on his knees from where he sat on the arm of a chair. He looked up. "Read it."

Keisuke picked the book back up, found his place, and began to read. "Chichiri and Saori walked up the mountain, looking for any sign of the bandits who dwelled there..."

**************

"Hey, whattareya doing here?!" a man shouted form the distance. He drew a knife and charged at Saori and the magician.

Chichiri twirled his staff around, hitting the man in the stomach, causing him to drop his knife, which Saori scrambled to pick up, putting it behind her back.

"We are here to see your boss, no da." Chichiri responded, allowing the bandit to stand up. The man squinted at the monk. "Are you that one guy?" He asked, stupidly. "I am Chichiri of the Suzaku seven. I need to speak with Tasuki no da."

The dirty man smiled and nodded. He started walking up the mountain. "Well, Genrou is up this way, come on."

Chichiri started up after the man.

Saori looked at the knife. What was she supposed to do with it? Grunting, she held the blade away from her and ran up after Chichiri.

Chichiri and Saori were brought to a building full of men. Saori stayed close to Chichiri, holding the knife hard.

Walking through some halls, the man stopped in front of a door. He knocked. "Hey boss, some guy and a chick are here ta see you."

The door opened. Koji looked out. He opened the door wider to allow entrance. "Alright, You, go back ter ya post." He ordered.

Tasuki turned to face his guests from his position by the window. "Chichiri? How are ya?" He saw the unfamiliar girl. "Gee, Miaka, you sure look different."

"I'm.... not... Miaka...." Saori said slowly.

Tasuki laughed. "Of course your not! I'm not that dumb. I'm just kidding around." He looked at Chichiri. "What brings you here? who's the girl?"

"This is Saori Kawai, Miaka's friend. Tasuki, she is here looking for Mayo Sakaki." Chichiri replied.

Tasuki looked at the seventeen year old.

"We need to know if you've seen anything strange around, so we might be able to find Mayo."

Tasuki was about to answer, when two more bandits came bursting in, panting.

"Boss! Someone's blowing down East! There's an army coming!"

Tasuki looked at Chichiri in alarm.

**************************

"Following the men out, the leader of the Mt. Reikaku bandits soon learned that Konan was indeed being attacked, by a Kutou army." Keisuke read. He looked back up at Taka. Tetsuya took the book from Keisuke.

"Calling the bandits together, Tasuki, Chichiri, and Saori all teleported back to the Palace, where they informed Hotohori of the battle. Hotohori sent out troops to fight back, but the ill prepared soldiers did not get there in time to prevent the mass destruction. Arriving at the scene, the two cities of Ashton and Itsuna were burned to the ground. There was no sign of any Kutou invaders, just what they left." Tetsuya looked up to see any reactions. "Furious with the fighting, Hotohori had Chichiri open a channel with magic so he could speak with the Kutou Emperor..."

***********************

"Why would we attack your country?" Asked the black haired scoundrel.

"Because it's puny! You're not fit to be a king, your Majesty." The emperor mocked. "Just like my father, Kutou will take over Konan."

Hotohori furrowed his brow in anger. "Kutou will not take over Konan, just like it never has."

The Kutou emperor smiled cunningly. "Not with my new general. With him leading my armies, you don't have a chance."

A tall man stepped into the picture. Hotohori lost his breath. Chichiri almost closed the channel. Tasuki swore in shock.

"How... how can you be alive?!" Hotohori demanded.

A smile crossed the blonde's lips. "The same way you stand before me, Hotohori." came the low voice's reply.

"I can't hold it anymore, Sire!" Chichiri yelled. The channel collapsed, disappearing.

Saori walked over to Hotohori, who was still stunned. "Your Majesty, who was that?"

Hotohori turned to Chichiri. "Chichiri, I want you to gather the Suzaku seven." He ordered.

"Sire!" Saori spoke up. "Please tell me, who was that man?"

Hotohori, still shocked turned to Saori. "That, Saori, was Nakago of the Seiryu Seven."