To Amaya-san: Wow, you sure pack a lot of reviews! Arigatou! I'll
probably be looking into your fic soon.
Chapter 21 : Preparations
"Keisuke." Tetsuya alerted.
Still trying to understand the flash of Saori, Keisuke recognized what Tetsuya was alerting him about.
It came again. A firm knock on the door.
Keisuke gave the book to Yui and jumped over a few pieces of furniture to the door. He unlocked the dead bolt to see who it was.
"Excuse me, are you Mr. Sukunami?"
Keisuke stared at the two policemen in front of him. "Uh...." He stuttered.
Tetsuya came up from behind him. "He's out of town right now. Is there a problem?"
"May I ask who you are?" the second policeman asked.
Keisuke pushed Tetsuya out of the way. He didn't want everyone getting involved. "I'm Keisuke Yuuki. Is there anything I can help you with? Taka got some unpaid parking tickets or something?"
"Yuuki?" The first policeman asked. He looked at the clipboard in his hands. "You are a coach along with Mr. Sukunami, aren't you?"
Keisuke nodded.
The policeman held up a piece of paper with two separate pictures on it. "Then you know Saori Kawai and Mayo...."
"Yes." Keisuke interrupted. His stomach lurched.
"They have been missing for over a week, as I'm sure you know."
A few minutes later, Keisuke returned to Yui and Tetsuya in the living room, the two sat on the couch.
"Uh... I'll be right back." he explained. "I need to be..." Keisuke swallowed hard. "Interviewed..."
Keisuke nervously left. Tetsuya turned to a panic-stricken Yui.
"I hope he doesn't screw up." He said, pushing his sunglasses up. "If Saori and the others don't get back soon, we'll be in a whole heap of trouble."
Yui shoved the book into her boyfriend's face. "Read." She commanded.
************************************
"What's going on now?" Nuriko asked. Tasuki, Tamahome, and Miaka were outside the palace, leaning on the railway.
"Hotohori is preparing the troops for the borders." Miaka replied.
Nuriko stood on his toes to see over the two taller men. There were vast lines of troops, all lined up in perfect squares. The men on one side wore red uniforms, the others wore green.
"Hokkan's troops arrived, ne?" Nuriko asked.
Miaka nodded. She turned around. "Where's Chiriko? I haven't seen him this morning."
Nuriko smiled. "He's up in his majesty's personal study taking his final tests."
Miaka brightened. "He'll pass, I know it! He's always wanted to be a government official, his dream will finally come true."
Nuriko patted Miaka's head, her hair in two odangos. "Always cheerful, that's what I love about you." Nuriko voice choked at the end of his sentence. He turned away and cleared his throat.
Tasuki nudge Tamahome. They both snickered.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Inami scribbled ink down on the long parchment before her. The paper already had pre-set lines, and looked like a really long graph. In the corner Chichiri carefully rolled up marked maps and placed them carefully in a leather sack.
The two were in the library, a huge room filled with books as far as the eye could see; everything from folklore to ancient history. All the tables were pushed together near the center of the red-carpeted room, and they were messily scattered with opened books, maps, and handfuls of paper. A mound of record books and ink jars surrounded Inami alone.
Chichiri looked over to see what the ambassador was up to. The long parchment was pushed away and a smaller one was in front of her. The ink on her quill trailed down the pages in long, jagged lines.
"I've seen that writing before, no da." Chichiri commented, trying to start conversation in the quiet room. "It's on that landmark in Hokkan, no da."
Inami nodded. "Only Hokkan scholars and royalty can read it. It's safer to write this way in case the letter is intercepted."
"Where did you learn it, na no da?"
Inami re-dipped her quill, not taking her eyes off the paper. Her long hair was half pulled back in another fancy bun. "In school, where do you think? I decided to become a languages scholar when I was 24 way-back- when, finally got the stupid degree seven years later." She swished the pen around and finally looked up. "That English was a killer. Only a few people even knew it... assuming anyone around here does anymore. That's why it took so long."
"It's good to have a sturdy education, no da." Chichiri added.
"You go to any special schools?" Inami asked.
Chichiri thought. "I trained up on Mt. Taikyoku for a while."
Inami smiled. "Surprised you're still alive."
**************************
"Despite her sickness, Empress Houki's pregnancy is going quite well." Mitsukake informed Miaka and Tamahome. "The sickness will leave shortly, the empress's body is just not used to being pregnant after so many years."
Miaka sighed. "That's good. I really wish Houki the best of luck." She looked across the room to where Houki knitted slowly in a rocking chair. Nuriko sat across from her, helping her.
"I kinda want it to be a girl, since they've already had a boy." Miaka whispered to Tamahome. She giggled a little. "I didn't know Nuriko knew how to knit."
"It's interesting, no da."
Miaka, Tamahome, and Mitsukake all turned around.
Miaka blinked. "What, Nuriko's knitting?"
Chichiri shook his head. "Saori was nearly sent to her world, na no da?"
Miaka nodded. "I'm glad she wasn't."
Chichiri shook his staff. "You and Tamahome haven't experienced anything like that. It could be because of your history in the book..."
Tamahome nodded. He knew what Chichiri meant.
Chichiri continued. "Perhaps Suzaku has something in mind, something that requires the presence of his priestess and warriors, no da."
"Perhaps it's not just coincidence that we are gathered here." Mitsukake suggested.
Chichiri nodded. "However, if Saori stays here much longer, who knows what will happen no da."
Miaka frowned. "I feel like it's my fault. Saori just came here for Mayo, that's all. She's been here longer than Tak... Tamahome and I, and she still hasn't succeeded in her task."
"That's not your fault." Tamahome advised, wrapping an arm around Miaka.
Nuriko looked at Chichiri from where he sat.
All they could do was be silent.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Thank you, Inami. I truly appreciate you and Chichiri's help in all of this." Hotohori accepted the papers from Inami.
Inami looked at the floor. "I want this settled as soon as possible, Hotohori-sama. You should do what you need for peace sire," Inami looked back up, a lisght look of determination on her face. "But don't settle with them. Not unless it's necessary. Kutou has a disgusting way of fighting, preying on the weak and helpless, striking and abandoning. I would hate to see Konan fall to them."
Hotohori put the papers down, looking thoughtful. "You were in the Hokkan-Kutou war some 200 years ago, were you not?"
Inami nodded.
"What happened? Surely something affected your bitterness to them." Hotohori adjusted his seating in his throne.
"One of my closest friends, Uruki, was killed in the battlefield by them." Inami paused. "But at least she died with honor. Namame never was physically strong..." Inami looked very upset. "He was slain in his own bed, unable to protect himself." Inami realized she was off subject.
"Kutou has no mercy, Sire. I would suggest you show them none in return."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"What in Suzaku's name are you doing?"
Saori turned around to see her purple-haired friend in the doorway. She turned back to her bag, shoving items laid out on her bed into it.
"I'm doing what I came here to do." Saori stated with confidence. "Suzaku let me stay, so I might as well get this done." She folded a shirt in front of her. "I'm going to find Mayo."
Nuriko walked in, taking the shirt from her. "Saori, I know you miss your friend, but we don't even know where Mayo is."
"I know." Saori said matter-of-factly. "That's why I'm going to look for her." Saori snatched the shirt from Nuriko.
Nuriko took it back. "Even if you did find her, she's be surrounded by the Seiryu Seven! You wouldn't make it."
Saori grabbed the shirt back from Nuriko for a final time. "Well, I heard you guys are worried about them right?"
Nuriko was silent.
"Then shouldn't you want to find them? See what they're up to? Besides, Mayo wouldn't let anything happen to me. I have faith in her. She'll pull through, she's just mislead, like Yui-sempai was. Mayo explained everything to me, whether I remember it or not. That shows trust right there." Saori shoved the now unfolded shirt into her bag. "So I'm going."
Saori walked past Nuriko, but didn't get far when she felt an arm stop her at her midsection. Before she knew it, her feet weren't touching the ground.
Nuriko, who had Saori slung over his forearm like an old mat, flopped the brunette back onto the bed. Saori sat up and looked at him distastefully.
"Saori, you are not going anywhere, not now." Nuriko scolded. "I promise you, you'll find Mayo and return to your world. But, if you really don't believe me and don't trust me, then you may go... I won't stop you."
Nuriko stood and stepped aside, allowing a clear path to the door.
Saori looked at Nuriko as if he was joking. Then she looked at the door. It was still partially open too.
Saori sighed. "Nuriko, I came here to look for Mayo, so that's what I'll do." Saori stood up. She closed her eyes. "But I know I can't do it alone." she admitted, slightly ticked off at the guilt trip suddenly on her shoulders. "I know you're an honest person, so I trust you." Saori let her bag slide off her shoulder.
Nuriko smiled.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"And the dragon can move here..." Chiriko pointed to the marble board. "Or here."
Inami moved her piece.
Tasuki moved a shiny silver piece in the shape of a sword behind his soldier.
Inami studied the board carefully. She chose her own sword and moved it down a checkered line.
Tasuki grinned. He moved a king shaped piece forward. "And the winner is ME."
Inami, confused at first, saw what had happened. She sighed, relaxing onto the floor. Tasuki was doing a little victory dance with his hands.
"Inami--san," Chiriko tried to explain, "Nisuya is all about taking chances. It' s more risks than logic."
Inami smiled, looking at the bandit across from her. "That must be how Tasuki won."
Chapter 21 : Preparations
"Keisuke." Tetsuya alerted.
Still trying to understand the flash of Saori, Keisuke recognized what Tetsuya was alerting him about.
It came again. A firm knock on the door.
Keisuke gave the book to Yui and jumped over a few pieces of furniture to the door. He unlocked the dead bolt to see who it was.
"Excuse me, are you Mr. Sukunami?"
Keisuke stared at the two policemen in front of him. "Uh...." He stuttered.
Tetsuya came up from behind him. "He's out of town right now. Is there a problem?"
"May I ask who you are?" the second policeman asked.
Keisuke pushed Tetsuya out of the way. He didn't want everyone getting involved. "I'm Keisuke Yuuki. Is there anything I can help you with? Taka got some unpaid parking tickets or something?"
"Yuuki?" The first policeman asked. He looked at the clipboard in his hands. "You are a coach along with Mr. Sukunami, aren't you?"
Keisuke nodded.
The policeman held up a piece of paper with two separate pictures on it. "Then you know Saori Kawai and Mayo...."
"Yes." Keisuke interrupted. His stomach lurched.
"They have been missing for over a week, as I'm sure you know."
A few minutes later, Keisuke returned to Yui and Tetsuya in the living room, the two sat on the couch.
"Uh... I'll be right back." he explained. "I need to be..." Keisuke swallowed hard. "Interviewed..."
Keisuke nervously left. Tetsuya turned to a panic-stricken Yui.
"I hope he doesn't screw up." He said, pushing his sunglasses up. "If Saori and the others don't get back soon, we'll be in a whole heap of trouble."
Yui shoved the book into her boyfriend's face. "Read." She commanded.
************************************
"What's going on now?" Nuriko asked. Tasuki, Tamahome, and Miaka were outside the palace, leaning on the railway.
"Hotohori is preparing the troops for the borders." Miaka replied.
Nuriko stood on his toes to see over the two taller men. There were vast lines of troops, all lined up in perfect squares. The men on one side wore red uniforms, the others wore green.
"Hokkan's troops arrived, ne?" Nuriko asked.
Miaka nodded. She turned around. "Where's Chiriko? I haven't seen him this morning."
Nuriko smiled. "He's up in his majesty's personal study taking his final tests."
Miaka brightened. "He'll pass, I know it! He's always wanted to be a government official, his dream will finally come true."
Nuriko patted Miaka's head, her hair in two odangos. "Always cheerful, that's what I love about you." Nuriko voice choked at the end of his sentence. He turned away and cleared his throat.
Tasuki nudge Tamahome. They both snickered.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Inami scribbled ink down on the long parchment before her. The paper already had pre-set lines, and looked like a really long graph. In the corner Chichiri carefully rolled up marked maps and placed them carefully in a leather sack.
The two were in the library, a huge room filled with books as far as the eye could see; everything from folklore to ancient history. All the tables were pushed together near the center of the red-carpeted room, and they were messily scattered with opened books, maps, and handfuls of paper. A mound of record books and ink jars surrounded Inami alone.
Chichiri looked over to see what the ambassador was up to. The long parchment was pushed away and a smaller one was in front of her. The ink on her quill trailed down the pages in long, jagged lines.
"I've seen that writing before, no da." Chichiri commented, trying to start conversation in the quiet room. "It's on that landmark in Hokkan, no da."
Inami nodded. "Only Hokkan scholars and royalty can read it. It's safer to write this way in case the letter is intercepted."
"Where did you learn it, na no da?"
Inami re-dipped her quill, not taking her eyes off the paper. Her long hair was half pulled back in another fancy bun. "In school, where do you think? I decided to become a languages scholar when I was 24 way-back- when, finally got the stupid degree seven years later." She swished the pen around and finally looked up. "That English was a killer. Only a few people even knew it... assuming anyone around here does anymore. That's why it took so long."
"It's good to have a sturdy education, no da." Chichiri added.
"You go to any special schools?" Inami asked.
Chichiri thought. "I trained up on Mt. Taikyoku for a while."
Inami smiled. "Surprised you're still alive."
**************************
"Despite her sickness, Empress Houki's pregnancy is going quite well." Mitsukake informed Miaka and Tamahome. "The sickness will leave shortly, the empress's body is just not used to being pregnant after so many years."
Miaka sighed. "That's good. I really wish Houki the best of luck." She looked across the room to where Houki knitted slowly in a rocking chair. Nuriko sat across from her, helping her.
"I kinda want it to be a girl, since they've already had a boy." Miaka whispered to Tamahome. She giggled a little. "I didn't know Nuriko knew how to knit."
"It's interesting, no da."
Miaka, Tamahome, and Mitsukake all turned around.
Miaka blinked. "What, Nuriko's knitting?"
Chichiri shook his head. "Saori was nearly sent to her world, na no da?"
Miaka nodded. "I'm glad she wasn't."
Chichiri shook his staff. "You and Tamahome haven't experienced anything like that. It could be because of your history in the book..."
Tamahome nodded. He knew what Chichiri meant.
Chichiri continued. "Perhaps Suzaku has something in mind, something that requires the presence of his priestess and warriors, no da."
"Perhaps it's not just coincidence that we are gathered here." Mitsukake suggested.
Chichiri nodded. "However, if Saori stays here much longer, who knows what will happen no da."
Miaka frowned. "I feel like it's my fault. Saori just came here for Mayo, that's all. She's been here longer than Tak... Tamahome and I, and she still hasn't succeeded in her task."
"That's not your fault." Tamahome advised, wrapping an arm around Miaka.
Nuriko looked at Chichiri from where he sat.
All they could do was be silent.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Thank you, Inami. I truly appreciate you and Chichiri's help in all of this." Hotohori accepted the papers from Inami.
Inami looked at the floor. "I want this settled as soon as possible, Hotohori-sama. You should do what you need for peace sire," Inami looked back up, a lisght look of determination on her face. "But don't settle with them. Not unless it's necessary. Kutou has a disgusting way of fighting, preying on the weak and helpless, striking and abandoning. I would hate to see Konan fall to them."
Hotohori put the papers down, looking thoughtful. "You were in the Hokkan-Kutou war some 200 years ago, were you not?"
Inami nodded.
"What happened? Surely something affected your bitterness to them." Hotohori adjusted his seating in his throne.
"One of my closest friends, Uruki, was killed in the battlefield by them." Inami paused. "But at least she died with honor. Namame never was physically strong..." Inami looked very upset. "He was slain in his own bed, unable to protect himself." Inami realized she was off subject.
"Kutou has no mercy, Sire. I would suggest you show them none in return."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"What in Suzaku's name are you doing?"
Saori turned around to see her purple-haired friend in the doorway. She turned back to her bag, shoving items laid out on her bed into it.
"I'm doing what I came here to do." Saori stated with confidence. "Suzaku let me stay, so I might as well get this done." She folded a shirt in front of her. "I'm going to find Mayo."
Nuriko walked in, taking the shirt from her. "Saori, I know you miss your friend, but we don't even know where Mayo is."
"I know." Saori said matter-of-factly. "That's why I'm going to look for her." Saori snatched the shirt from Nuriko.
Nuriko took it back. "Even if you did find her, she's be surrounded by the Seiryu Seven! You wouldn't make it."
Saori grabbed the shirt back from Nuriko for a final time. "Well, I heard you guys are worried about them right?"
Nuriko was silent.
"Then shouldn't you want to find them? See what they're up to? Besides, Mayo wouldn't let anything happen to me. I have faith in her. She'll pull through, she's just mislead, like Yui-sempai was. Mayo explained everything to me, whether I remember it or not. That shows trust right there." Saori shoved the now unfolded shirt into her bag. "So I'm going."
Saori walked past Nuriko, but didn't get far when she felt an arm stop her at her midsection. Before she knew it, her feet weren't touching the ground.
Nuriko, who had Saori slung over his forearm like an old mat, flopped the brunette back onto the bed. Saori sat up and looked at him distastefully.
"Saori, you are not going anywhere, not now." Nuriko scolded. "I promise you, you'll find Mayo and return to your world. But, if you really don't believe me and don't trust me, then you may go... I won't stop you."
Nuriko stood and stepped aside, allowing a clear path to the door.
Saori looked at Nuriko as if he was joking. Then she looked at the door. It was still partially open too.
Saori sighed. "Nuriko, I came here to look for Mayo, so that's what I'll do." Saori stood up. She closed her eyes. "But I know I can't do it alone." she admitted, slightly ticked off at the guilt trip suddenly on her shoulders. "I know you're an honest person, so I trust you." Saori let her bag slide off her shoulder.
Nuriko smiled.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"And the dragon can move here..." Chiriko pointed to the marble board. "Or here."
Inami moved her piece.
Tasuki moved a shiny silver piece in the shape of a sword behind his soldier.
Inami studied the board carefully. She chose her own sword and moved it down a checkered line.
Tasuki grinned. He moved a king shaped piece forward. "And the winner is ME."
Inami, confused at first, saw what had happened. She sighed, relaxing onto the floor. Tasuki was doing a little victory dance with his hands.
"Inami--san," Chiriko tried to explain, "Nisuya is all about taking chances. It' s more risks than logic."
Inami smiled, looking at the bandit across from her. "That must be how Tasuki won."