To BD: I was glad the "snap" caught you! I was hoping that would get
people! Thanks for your review!
To Amaya: The snap rocked my world. Hey, I didn't say Tasuki was gonna die, I just said someone you may or may not like may or may not die. When does Inami find out? Hm. we'll just have to wait and see, ne?
To Metajoker: Actually, I wasn't going to have any of her, but I wanted to chapter to be longer, so I squeezed her in. I'm sorry to say she is part of the story, I can't just get rid of her!
Author's note: You have no idea how hard it was for me to come up with a title for this chapter, so this one may not be great. I didn't get as many reviews as last time, but still thanks to all!
Chapter 62 : Nettle Thorn
The warriors of Suzaku at war returned shortly, and within the next two weeks, the war still raged on. However, currently the number of Kutou attacks remained minimal. Things inside the palace ran at a constant pace, preparing for more attacks and finding an end to the bloodshed. In this light though, it seemed that three countries still remained in the pull of battle.
***************************
"We have been expecting you." And attendant said as he took a small bag of the Ambassador's things.
Inami smiled at him lightly. "I would imagine then that his Highness received my letter?"
The attendant nodded. "Of course. However... the Emperor is busy at the moment, I'm afraid he won't be able to see you until later on today, possibly tomorrow."
Inami sighed as she began to walk with the attendant. "Very well then. I take it prince Boushin is unavailable as well?"
"That is correct." The attendant replied politely. "I put some things all ready in your room that his Highness wished for you to over see. I will be sure to have you notified when he is ready for you."
Inami nodded. "By the way, Buru?" She asked, knowing the attendant's name.
"Yes?" He asked.
"Do you by chance know where Tasuki is at this time?"
Buru stopped walking and turned around, a slightly serious look on his face that made Inami stop too. "Well, Miss Cheinun, I'm afraid a little while ago Lord Tasuki returned here as an injury..."
The things in Inami's hands dropped loudly to the floor.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So you see, I strongly believe we should recruit from the Taza region here instead of from these cities." Chiriko pointed out on a large map, Konan centering on it. "I've also drawn up some reform military strategies that could progress merely for their geometric stabilities."
Hotohori looked over the map. "Do you have them with you?"
Chiriko nodded. "Yes, your highness." He moved away from the table over to the basket by the door where several papers and scrolls were rolled up. After inspecting them for a moment, he selected three of them and returned to his place. He unrolled the first one. "These lines along the sides are my graphing by square meters of the Urume banks where I believe a fleet is headed too. You see, using foot soldiers in this tilted parabola formation, we'll hit them straight on while protecting the inland at the same time. It should cooperate well with the statistics of the terrain."
Hotohori turned the paper towards him. "This is rather remarkable, Chiriko. I must say you do have your wits about you."
Chiriko smiled. "I have two more, though one I may not be finished with..." He took out another paper.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The door to Tasuki's room slowly and quietly opened. The window on the opposite wall had its curtains spread, the morning sunlight illuminating the area quite nicely. On the bed on the right wall Tasuki appeared to be sleeping soundly, so Inami decided to leave... that was until he turned slightly to look up at her.
"Hey, you're back." He said.
A sigh of relief seemed to over come Inami for the mere fact that he was alive. She walked in and shut the door. "Hey, you're not dead." She replied.
Tasuki smirked a bit, relaxing again onto his back. Inami pulled up a chair and sat near him. "What happened to you?" She asked, a slight serious tone to her voice.
Tasuki looked up at the ceiling. "I'm not positive on the details, but I got a little careless and got a broad sword stuck in me."
Inami looked over the bandages on Tasuki, which were revealed slightly since his blanket only came up a little past his waist and he obviously wasn't fully dressed. The bandages were clean, and wrapped around his torso from under his rib cage, but she couldn't see where they ended. Then some of them wrapped up around his right shoulder for support.
"Got my appen... uh. somethin' out." Tasuki said.
"Your appendix?"
"Yeah, that's it. I gotta keep it in a jar and everything."
Inami looked at him with slight disgust.
Tasuki laughed a bit. "I'm just kiddin'."
Inami rubbed her forehead. "How are you feeling?"
Tasuki looked over at her calmly. He really didn't look like he was in any pain. "I'm doin' fine, don't worry. Actually..." He moved his elbows up. "I can sit up now..."
"No!" Inami put her hands on his shoulders. "Just... lie down, I'll believe you."
Tasuki looked at her oddly, but again laid down, his messy orange hair standing out against the white pillow. After a moment, he cunningly smiled, baring a single fang. "You were worried 'bout me, weren't ya?"
Inami glanced at him, taking her hands off his shoulders. "Hai, I was."
"Heh." Tasuki laughed. "Nothin' in this world's killed me yet... I'm just too good for it."
Inami smiled. "You just keep thinking that." She commented, straightening out one of his tangled locks.
"If you had gotten here yesterday, you could've met Koji, ya know."
Inami looked up. "Oh, was he here?"
"Yeah. He left to boss my bandit's around."
"Well I'm sure he'll be back considering that it's you who's in here." Inami stated. "I imagine Mitsukake isn't back... did the doctors give any say as to when you'll be up and about?"
Tasuki shrugged. "I get up when I decide to quit bein' lazy."
Inami laughed. "I don't think it's a matter of laziness, Tasuki."
Tasuki smiled. "Ya know what this reminds me of?"
"Nan?"
"That one time... back in Hokkan..."
Inami raised an eyebrow. "You'll have to be more specific."
Tasuki looked at the ceiling again. "You know, at that bar where you got drunk and..."
Inami's cheeks flushed red. She covered her eyes with a hand. "Please don't remind me..."
Tasuki looked at the flustered girl with his amber eyes. "Why not? It's funny."
"It's embarrassing."
After a moment Tasuki reached up and pulled Inami's hand away from her face, smirking. "I don't get to see you blush much."
Inami went slightly redder. She took her other hand and felt her hot cheek. "Just... shut up."
Tasuki released her and again propped himself up on his elbows. His earrings dangled brightly from his ears.
Inami finally removed her hand from her cheek and leaned in, kissing him gently as if doing so would worsen his condition. Almost as to prove her wrong, Tasuki placed a hand on the back of her head and pulled her in closer to him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Yes, I'm afraid I haven't had many opportunities to be with his highness." The woman explained as she walked with perfect posture down a hallway of the south wing of the palace. "I haven't seen you much around either, Nuriko."
Nuriko smiled a bit. He carried a long bag over one of his shoulders and walked with the Empress of Konan, being able to visit her for a while. "This war calls a lot of us away."
Houki nodded. "It's a terrible thing, really." She lowered her blue eyes a bit. "I worry about it, and much about him."
Nuriko placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's understandable, Houki." He then stepped ahead of her to open the door before them. "Try to relax though, your Highness." Nuriko said, holding the door open. "I'll make sure to keep an eye out. I promise I won't let anything happen to you."
Houki smiled back at the man who looked like he could be her brother. "Domo arigatou, Nuriko."
Nuriko grinned. "Where do you want this?" He asked, lifting the heavy bag off his shoulder.
Houki looked around. "If you could put it in that corner..."
"Will do." Nuriko replied.
"Thank you again." Houki spoke as Nuriko passed by her.
"My pleasure."
*****************************
A tall, old man knelt down inside a small shrine, the altar before him studded with jewels of topaz and bronze. A large, copper statue loomed above it.
A young, lean girl in the back corner watched him very quietly, her long black hair pulled away from her face, pinned in an elegant fashion. She held in her arms a few folded robes from the laundry.
The old man opened his brown eyes, peering into the shrine wall through his thin, gray bangs. "It is a true sadness that brings me hear today." His low voice stated.
The girl in the back said nothing, only listened.
The man stood, reaching into the brown sleeve of his robe and pulling out a red bag. He reached his hand in and brought his fist out full of sand, and he sprinkled it over the altar, closing his eyes as the grains flew from his fingers. He then returned the pouch into its hidden place.
"Amefuri and Kokie's lights have finally died out." He looked up at the large statue of Byakko. "Brought into a war that wasn't theirs... even Subaru's spell could not save them."
Finally, the young woman stepped forward. "Will you go to Konan, Toroki-sama? Will you leave to help them?"
Toroki shook his head, not turning around. "No." He answered simply. "I too am old, and the last of the Byakko celestial warriors. I will remain here until my god calls me forward to reunite with them."
A look of sadness caressed its way across the girl's eyes. "Toroki- sama..."
Toroki turned around, looking at the girl with his old face. "I wish I could have said good bye to them, Kokie and Amefuri. I will miss his wisdom and her unbridled charm. Their bodies will be likely lost in Konan, so I present their burial here."
The girl bowed to the last protector of her country. "I shall aid you until then, Toroki-sama."
****************************
Suboshi walked into the sun-lit room, taking off his headband and wiping his forehead. "What are you doing?" He asked.
The identical boy looked up from the canvas, his art not visible to his brother. "I'm painting again, that's all."
Suboshi walked around the bed in his path to look over Amiboshi's shoulder at his work. "Is that the ocean?"
"Hai, it is."
Suboshi took a step back to look at it. "You really have a talent, Aniki."
Amiboshi smiled, lifting his brush up again. "Arigatou."
Suboshi untied the belt formed by his ryuseisui around his waist and chucked them towards the closet, falling back on a second bed near the window. His loose hair fell around him. "I think I understood one of your ideas today, Aniki."
Amiboshi glanced back between strokes. "Oh?"
Suboshi stared up at the ceiling, placing his arms behind his head, his left free from any splint. "This war, it's pointless," he spoke up. "The only battle we should be fighting is for the shinzahos so we can summon Seiryu again. Bringing innocent people into unnecessary fighting is worthless to me. It's only postponing our mission."
Amiboshi lowered his brush, looking past the paint on his canvas. "I will agree with you on that, brother. Nakago and the emperor involve too many people in a feud between celestial warriors." His eyes dropped to the floor. "Even though I still do not wish to fight the Suzaku warriors. They are good people, though I imagine all of them would think poorly of me now."
Suboshi looked over at Amiboshi's backside. "I still don't understand you there. I don't think I ever will."
Amiboshi looked back with a content look on his face. "Perhaps that fact alone is what separates all our views. You have nothing to fuel your hate here and now, Suboshi, only rivalry."
"Say what you wish."
Amiboshi closed the lids to the small containers of paints on the floor beside his feet, and stood up off the bed, moving the easel aside. "Yui is in safe hands with them."
"I know."
"Then keep your thoughts clear." Amiboshi suggested. "The time will come when we'll need to spring into action, and you can't have foolish thoughts on your mind." Amiboshi yawned, laying dos bed as well almost in the same manor that Suboshi did.
"Not all my thoughts are foolish." Suboshi finally added.
"Is that so?"
"Eh."
Amiboshi thought for a moment. "You are thinking of Lady Mayo's friend, aren't you?"
Suboshi smiled at his brother's intuition. "I suppose I am. I can't quite comprehend her either."
"I should thank her. She has an air about her that is pure. If her good will hadn't brought you back, I would still have a cold heart." Amiboshi spoke.
Suboshi was quiet for a long time. "She's strange, like you."
Amiboshi laughed a bit. "You think I'm strange?"
"Eh."
The older twin closed his eyes.
*********************************
Tasuki overheard Tamahome and Hotohori talking in the throne room and walked in, seeing every one there. He frowned.
"What, yer startin' meetings without me now?" He loudly accused.
"TASUKI!" Miaka cried, seeing the bandit up and about. She ran over and threw her arms around him.
"Ouch..." Tasuki grumbled at the hug.
"S...sorry..." Miaka apologized, pulling away.
Tasuki rubbed the top of her head. "That's all right."
Saori's smile was bright. "I'm glad you're better now!"
Tasuki put his hands in his pant pockets and walked further into the room. "Thanks kid."
Tamahome eyed him suspiciously. "I thought you were still too hurt to be up."
"Yeah..." Tasuki rubbed the back of his head. "I was fakin' that just for you, Tama."
"Faking it?!" Tamahome asked. "You lousy... you're a liar!"
"Hey!" Tasuki objected, getting face-to-face with Tamahome. "You try gettin' stabbed!"
"Even if I did I wouldn't fake pain for favors!"
"Well, I only faked it for you! You're the only one who's sucker enough to believe me!"
"Why you..."
"Happy thoughts!" Saori finally shouted. "Happy... happy thoughts..."
Nuriko and Inami were laughing at the spectacle. All the fights Tasuki and Tamahome had were never serious, that's why most people didn't bother stopping them.
Hotohori finally spoke up. "It's come to my attention that there may not be enough men in Konan's Calvary, as it seems those armies have an upper hand against most of Kutou's." He explained. "Other than that, I'm afraid there's not much else I can tell you on the war."
Miaka sighed. "That's all right, Hotohori."
Chichiri suddenly stiffened. After a moment, he swerved around and shot out his staff. "LOOK OUT NO DA!"
Two arrows that seemed to come from the walls suddenly flew towards the group, seeming to particularly aim for Hotohori.
Chichiri's staff swerved sharply, and he hit both arrows out of the air.
"Kai ha!" He shouted, sending a spark of yellow out towards the wall. It hit and a dark figure appeared, and he dropped to the ground, clutching his arm over his cloak.
"A spy!" Nuriko shouted.
Chichiri stepped forward, staff in hand. "Who sent you?!"
The spy's narrow eyes seemed to mock the magician. "You will soon fall, glory will be to Kutou."
Inami lowered her eyes, stepping forward a bit. "That's not a spy, it's a Kutou Assassin. You can tell by the embroidery on his cloak."
The man's pupils instantly darted to her. A red forcefield surrounded him.
"Tell us now." Chichiri coldly demanded.
The assassin looked around, a bit frantic. He reached under his cloak and pulled out a small bottle. "I will never." He answered. He broke off the lid to the bottle and drank the dark liquid inside, and almost instantly he gagged and fell over.
Chichiri lowered his forcefield, taking a step closer.
"Is he...." Tasuki began.
"Dead?" Miaka finished.
Chichiri knelt down and picked up the glass bottle. He smelled it. "It's poison, no da, from a nettle thorn. A fast acting one... he didn't want anyone knowing his plans, no da."
Nuriko turned to Hotohori. "If I may say so sire, those arrows looked as if they were headed straight for you."
Hotohori looked from the assassin to Nuriko, and nodded.
Chichiri stood up. "I don't sense any more of them, Sire. I'll put up a protective barrier if you wish."
"Thank you, Chichiri." Hotohori replied. He took a deep breath. "I think we've had enough for one day. Inami, if I could see you..."
Inami exchanged glances with Tasuki over what had just happened, then quickly followed over the emperor.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Taka?" Yui asked, noticing the sudden change in expression of her friend.
Tamahome looked up from the table at the blonde, worried.
Yui stood up a bit. "Taka, what's wrong?"
"I... don't know..." He responded. "I just... got that weird feeling again..."
Yui shot back a bit, her eyes widening. "What... Taka, tell me what!"
Tamahome put his hand over his heart. "That... pain... that feeling..." He paused, then looked up. "Yui, something terrible just happened... hurry, we need to find Miaka."
To Amaya: The snap rocked my world. Hey, I didn't say Tasuki was gonna die, I just said someone you may or may not like may or may not die. When does Inami find out? Hm. we'll just have to wait and see, ne?
To Metajoker: Actually, I wasn't going to have any of her, but I wanted to chapter to be longer, so I squeezed her in. I'm sorry to say she is part of the story, I can't just get rid of her!
Author's note: You have no idea how hard it was for me to come up with a title for this chapter, so this one may not be great. I didn't get as many reviews as last time, but still thanks to all!
Chapter 62 : Nettle Thorn
The warriors of Suzaku at war returned shortly, and within the next two weeks, the war still raged on. However, currently the number of Kutou attacks remained minimal. Things inside the palace ran at a constant pace, preparing for more attacks and finding an end to the bloodshed. In this light though, it seemed that three countries still remained in the pull of battle.
***************************
"We have been expecting you." And attendant said as he took a small bag of the Ambassador's things.
Inami smiled at him lightly. "I would imagine then that his Highness received my letter?"
The attendant nodded. "Of course. However... the Emperor is busy at the moment, I'm afraid he won't be able to see you until later on today, possibly tomorrow."
Inami sighed as she began to walk with the attendant. "Very well then. I take it prince Boushin is unavailable as well?"
"That is correct." The attendant replied politely. "I put some things all ready in your room that his Highness wished for you to over see. I will be sure to have you notified when he is ready for you."
Inami nodded. "By the way, Buru?" She asked, knowing the attendant's name.
"Yes?" He asked.
"Do you by chance know where Tasuki is at this time?"
Buru stopped walking and turned around, a slightly serious look on his face that made Inami stop too. "Well, Miss Cheinun, I'm afraid a little while ago Lord Tasuki returned here as an injury..."
The things in Inami's hands dropped loudly to the floor.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So you see, I strongly believe we should recruit from the Taza region here instead of from these cities." Chiriko pointed out on a large map, Konan centering on it. "I've also drawn up some reform military strategies that could progress merely for their geometric stabilities."
Hotohori looked over the map. "Do you have them with you?"
Chiriko nodded. "Yes, your highness." He moved away from the table over to the basket by the door where several papers and scrolls were rolled up. After inspecting them for a moment, he selected three of them and returned to his place. He unrolled the first one. "These lines along the sides are my graphing by square meters of the Urume banks where I believe a fleet is headed too. You see, using foot soldiers in this tilted parabola formation, we'll hit them straight on while protecting the inland at the same time. It should cooperate well with the statistics of the terrain."
Hotohori turned the paper towards him. "This is rather remarkable, Chiriko. I must say you do have your wits about you."
Chiriko smiled. "I have two more, though one I may not be finished with..." He took out another paper.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The door to Tasuki's room slowly and quietly opened. The window on the opposite wall had its curtains spread, the morning sunlight illuminating the area quite nicely. On the bed on the right wall Tasuki appeared to be sleeping soundly, so Inami decided to leave... that was until he turned slightly to look up at her.
"Hey, you're back." He said.
A sigh of relief seemed to over come Inami for the mere fact that he was alive. She walked in and shut the door. "Hey, you're not dead." She replied.
Tasuki smirked a bit, relaxing again onto his back. Inami pulled up a chair and sat near him. "What happened to you?" She asked, a slight serious tone to her voice.
Tasuki looked up at the ceiling. "I'm not positive on the details, but I got a little careless and got a broad sword stuck in me."
Inami looked over the bandages on Tasuki, which were revealed slightly since his blanket only came up a little past his waist and he obviously wasn't fully dressed. The bandages were clean, and wrapped around his torso from under his rib cage, but she couldn't see where they ended. Then some of them wrapped up around his right shoulder for support.
"Got my appen... uh. somethin' out." Tasuki said.
"Your appendix?"
"Yeah, that's it. I gotta keep it in a jar and everything."
Inami looked at him with slight disgust.
Tasuki laughed a bit. "I'm just kiddin'."
Inami rubbed her forehead. "How are you feeling?"
Tasuki looked over at her calmly. He really didn't look like he was in any pain. "I'm doin' fine, don't worry. Actually..." He moved his elbows up. "I can sit up now..."
"No!" Inami put her hands on his shoulders. "Just... lie down, I'll believe you."
Tasuki looked at her oddly, but again laid down, his messy orange hair standing out against the white pillow. After a moment, he cunningly smiled, baring a single fang. "You were worried 'bout me, weren't ya?"
Inami glanced at him, taking her hands off his shoulders. "Hai, I was."
"Heh." Tasuki laughed. "Nothin' in this world's killed me yet... I'm just too good for it."
Inami smiled. "You just keep thinking that." She commented, straightening out one of his tangled locks.
"If you had gotten here yesterday, you could've met Koji, ya know."
Inami looked up. "Oh, was he here?"
"Yeah. He left to boss my bandit's around."
"Well I'm sure he'll be back considering that it's you who's in here." Inami stated. "I imagine Mitsukake isn't back... did the doctors give any say as to when you'll be up and about?"
Tasuki shrugged. "I get up when I decide to quit bein' lazy."
Inami laughed. "I don't think it's a matter of laziness, Tasuki."
Tasuki smiled. "Ya know what this reminds me of?"
"Nan?"
"That one time... back in Hokkan..."
Inami raised an eyebrow. "You'll have to be more specific."
Tasuki looked at the ceiling again. "You know, at that bar where you got drunk and..."
Inami's cheeks flushed red. She covered her eyes with a hand. "Please don't remind me..."
Tasuki looked at the flustered girl with his amber eyes. "Why not? It's funny."
"It's embarrassing."
After a moment Tasuki reached up and pulled Inami's hand away from her face, smirking. "I don't get to see you blush much."
Inami went slightly redder. She took her other hand and felt her hot cheek. "Just... shut up."
Tasuki released her and again propped himself up on his elbows. His earrings dangled brightly from his ears.
Inami finally removed her hand from her cheek and leaned in, kissing him gently as if doing so would worsen his condition. Almost as to prove her wrong, Tasuki placed a hand on the back of her head and pulled her in closer to him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Yes, I'm afraid I haven't had many opportunities to be with his highness." The woman explained as she walked with perfect posture down a hallway of the south wing of the palace. "I haven't seen you much around either, Nuriko."
Nuriko smiled a bit. He carried a long bag over one of his shoulders and walked with the Empress of Konan, being able to visit her for a while. "This war calls a lot of us away."
Houki nodded. "It's a terrible thing, really." She lowered her blue eyes a bit. "I worry about it, and much about him."
Nuriko placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's understandable, Houki." He then stepped ahead of her to open the door before them. "Try to relax though, your Highness." Nuriko said, holding the door open. "I'll make sure to keep an eye out. I promise I won't let anything happen to you."
Houki smiled back at the man who looked like he could be her brother. "Domo arigatou, Nuriko."
Nuriko grinned. "Where do you want this?" He asked, lifting the heavy bag off his shoulder.
Houki looked around. "If you could put it in that corner..."
"Will do." Nuriko replied.
"Thank you again." Houki spoke as Nuriko passed by her.
"My pleasure."
*****************************
A tall, old man knelt down inside a small shrine, the altar before him studded with jewels of topaz and bronze. A large, copper statue loomed above it.
A young, lean girl in the back corner watched him very quietly, her long black hair pulled away from her face, pinned in an elegant fashion. She held in her arms a few folded robes from the laundry.
The old man opened his brown eyes, peering into the shrine wall through his thin, gray bangs. "It is a true sadness that brings me hear today." His low voice stated.
The girl in the back said nothing, only listened.
The man stood, reaching into the brown sleeve of his robe and pulling out a red bag. He reached his hand in and brought his fist out full of sand, and he sprinkled it over the altar, closing his eyes as the grains flew from his fingers. He then returned the pouch into its hidden place.
"Amefuri and Kokie's lights have finally died out." He looked up at the large statue of Byakko. "Brought into a war that wasn't theirs... even Subaru's spell could not save them."
Finally, the young woman stepped forward. "Will you go to Konan, Toroki-sama? Will you leave to help them?"
Toroki shook his head, not turning around. "No." He answered simply. "I too am old, and the last of the Byakko celestial warriors. I will remain here until my god calls me forward to reunite with them."
A look of sadness caressed its way across the girl's eyes. "Toroki- sama..."
Toroki turned around, looking at the girl with his old face. "I wish I could have said good bye to them, Kokie and Amefuri. I will miss his wisdom and her unbridled charm. Their bodies will be likely lost in Konan, so I present their burial here."
The girl bowed to the last protector of her country. "I shall aid you until then, Toroki-sama."
****************************
Suboshi walked into the sun-lit room, taking off his headband and wiping his forehead. "What are you doing?" He asked.
The identical boy looked up from the canvas, his art not visible to his brother. "I'm painting again, that's all."
Suboshi walked around the bed in his path to look over Amiboshi's shoulder at his work. "Is that the ocean?"
"Hai, it is."
Suboshi took a step back to look at it. "You really have a talent, Aniki."
Amiboshi smiled, lifting his brush up again. "Arigatou."
Suboshi untied the belt formed by his ryuseisui around his waist and chucked them towards the closet, falling back on a second bed near the window. His loose hair fell around him. "I think I understood one of your ideas today, Aniki."
Amiboshi glanced back between strokes. "Oh?"
Suboshi stared up at the ceiling, placing his arms behind his head, his left free from any splint. "This war, it's pointless," he spoke up. "The only battle we should be fighting is for the shinzahos so we can summon Seiryu again. Bringing innocent people into unnecessary fighting is worthless to me. It's only postponing our mission."
Amiboshi lowered his brush, looking past the paint on his canvas. "I will agree with you on that, brother. Nakago and the emperor involve too many people in a feud between celestial warriors." His eyes dropped to the floor. "Even though I still do not wish to fight the Suzaku warriors. They are good people, though I imagine all of them would think poorly of me now."
Suboshi looked over at Amiboshi's backside. "I still don't understand you there. I don't think I ever will."
Amiboshi looked back with a content look on his face. "Perhaps that fact alone is what separates all our views. You have nothing to fuel your hate here and now, Suboshi, only rivalry."
"Say what you wish."
Amiboshi closed the lids to the small containers of paints on the floor beside his feet, and stood up off the bed, moving the easel aside. "Yui is in safe hands with them."
"I know."
"Then keep your thoughts clear." Amiboshi suggested. "The time will come when we'll need to spring into action, and you can't have foolish thoughts on your mind." Amiboshi yawned, laying dos bed as well almost in the same manor that Suboshi did.
"Not all my thoughts are foolish." Suboshi finally added.
"Is that so?"
"Eh."
Amiboshi thought for a moment. "You are thinking of Lady Mayo's friend, aren't you?"
Suboshi smiled at his brother's intuition. "I suppose I am. I can't quite comprehend her either."
"I should thank her. She has an air about her that is pure. If her good will hadn't brought you back, I would still have a cold heart." Amiboshi spoke.
Suboshi was quiet for a long time. "She's strange, like you."
Amiboshi laughed a bit. "You think I'm strange?"
"Eh."
The older twin closed his eyes.
*********************************
Tasuki overheard Tamahome and Hotohori talking in the throne room and walked in, seeing every one there. He frowned.
"What, yer startin' meetings without me now?" He loudly accused.
"TASUKI!" Miaka cried, seeing the bandit up and about. She ran over and threw her arms around him.
"Ouch..." Tasuki grumbled at the hug.
"S...sorry..." Miaka apologized, pulling away.
Tasuki rubbed the top of her head. "That's all right."
Saori's smile was bright. "I'm glad you're better now!"
Tasuki put his hands in his pant pockets and walked further into the room. "Thanks kid."
Tamahome eyed him suspiciously. "I thought you were still too hurt to be up."
"Yeah..." Tasuki rubbed the back of his head. "I was fakin' that just for you, Tama."
"Faking it?!" Tamahome asked. "You lousy... you're a liar!"
"Hey!" Tasuki objected, getting face-to-face with Tamahome. "You try gettin' stabbed!"
"Even if I did I wouldn't fake pain for favors!"
"Well, I only faked it for you! You're the only one who's sucker enough to believe me!"
"Why you..."
"Happy thoughts!" Saori finally shouted. "Happy... happy thoughts..."
Nuriko and Inami were laughing at the spectacle. All the fights Tasuki and Tamahome had were never serious, that's why most people didn't bother stopping them.
Hotohori finally spoke up. "It's come to my attention that there may not be enough men in Konan's Calvary, as it seems those armies have an upper hand against most of Kutou's." He explained. "Other than that, I'm afraid there's not much else I can tell you on the war."
Miaka sighed. "That's all right, Hotohori."
Chichiri suddenly stiffened. After a moment, he swerved around and shot out his staff. "LOOK OUT NO DA!"
Two arrows that seemed to come from the walls suddenly flew towards the group, seeming to particularly aim for Hotohori.
Chichiri's staff swerved sharply, and he hit both arrows out of the air.
"Kai ha!" He shouted, sending a spark of yellow out towards the wall. It hit and a dark figure appeared, and he dropped to the ground, clutching his arm over his cloak.
"A spy!" Nuriko shouted.
Chichiri stepped forward, staff in hand. "Who sent you?!"
The spy's narrow eyes seemed to mock the magician. "You will soon fall, glory will be to Kutou."
Inami lowered her eyes, stepping forward a bit. "That's not a spy, it's a Kutou Assassin. You can tell by the embroidery on his cloak."
The man's pupils instantly darted to her. A red forcefield surrounded him.
"Tell us now." Chichiri coldly demanded.
The assassin looked around, a bit frantic. He reached under his cloak and pulled out a small bottle. "I will never." He answered. He broke off the lid to the bottle and drank the dark liquid inside, and almost instantly he gagged and fell over.
Chichiri lowered his forcefield, taking a step closer.
"Is he...." Tasuki began.
"Dead?" Miaka finished.
Chichiri knelt down and picked up the glass bottle. He smelled it. "It's poison, no da, from a nettle thorn. A fast acting one... he didn't want anyone knowing his plans, no da."
Nuriko turned to Hotohori. "If I may say so sire, those arrows looked as if they were headed straight for you."
Hotohori looked from the assassin to Nuriko, and nodded.
Chichiri stood up. "I don't sense any more of them, Sire. I'll put up a protective barrier if you wish."
"Thank you, Chichiri." Hotohori replied. He took a deep breath. "I think we've had enough for one day. Inami, if I could see you..."
Inami exchanged glances with Tasuki over what had just happened, then quickly followed over the emperor.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Taka?" Yui asked, noticing the sudden change in expression of her friend.
Tamahome looked up from the table at the blonde, worried.
Yui stood up a bit. "Taka, what's wrong?"
"I... don't know..." He responded. "I just... got that weird feeling again..."
Yui shot back a bit, her eyes widening. "What... Taka, tell me what!"
Tamahome put his hand over his heart. "That... pain... that feeling..." He paused, then looked up. "Yui, something terrible just happened... hurry, we need to find Miaka."