To Amaya-san: Cliffhangar? Me? Ha ha. Thanks for your comments, I was thinking of you when I wrote that line. Chichiri will enter when he enters, what can I say?
To Quackabbott: Thank you for reviewing! Now is better than never, right? Who will come back? Maybe no one… though I will center the "villianing" to Kazuki and Hachiro…. For now.
Author's note: This is to my faithful readers like Quackabbott here. I will love you if you review, it really makes my day!
To DawningTwilite: Bring Saori into the book world? Technically, the book world didn't want her to begin with. But yes, she is a good character for fluff…
To Poruporu: Are Keisuke and Mayo married? Well, I'll let you in on that since it may be a while before you find out officially. No, they are not. However, they do live together. You'll hear more about Hachiro's 'connection' later on.
To Silver Pain: Another one wanting Saori in the book, ne? We'll see. Please do tell me what your suspicions about Hachiro were!
To Chichiri's Wanderer: You learn more about how Chiriko plans to find the monk in this chapter, but it will be a little while before its bluntly explained.
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Chapter 5: I Never Thought I'd See You Again
The boat glided over the unstill waves of the ocean smoothly, the deck gently bobbing up and down with the water's movements. At the head of the boat a young couple stood hand in hand, the woman holding an umbrella over her head, though it wasn't raining nor exceptionally sunny. A crewman walked by, pushing a broom across the long floorboards of the ferry, whistling as he went.
The man who noticed his pleasant surroundings turned back to the sea, his homeland miles and miles away from where he sailed. A gust of wind picked up his bound hair off his shoulders for a moment, playing with it before setting it down again. Once the ferry reached its dock, he'd head up to the capitol where he had a royal welcome, and would say hello to very good friend of his that he hadn't seen in several months.
The man's thoughts were suddenly interrupted as the atmosphere around him changed. He concentrated for a moment, sensing a very light but recognizable ki.
"Chiriko no da?" He whispered.
"Chichiri, please return to Konan..."
Chichiri could barely pick up the message the youngest of the Suzaku seishi was sending him, but he could feel it enough to understand it. He concentrated his energy to make the wavering connection stronger. "Chiriko, what's wrong no da?" He whispered. Saying it out loud would make it more clear to the recipient.
There was a pause, but an answer came. "Chichiri, please return to Konan. We need you, Miaka..."
"Miaka?" Chichiri said louder. He felt the bond between he and Chiriko weakening. "Chiriko, what about Miaka no da!"
His last question was pointless, he felt the fragile bond break before he got out the last words. It would take a lot of effort for Chiriko to contact him at the level his powers were at, and his quiet thoughts seemed urgent.
Chichiri glanced back over the dock of the ferry, his eyes focusing on the fairly distant coastline of Hokkan. He frowned. He was being expected, but things like this couldn't wait. He picked his hat up from its place on his back and lifted it above his head. He couldn't teleport clear to Konan in one shot, but he could get to the coast, and "find" ways to get to Konan as quickly as possible.
"Sorry no da," he said to the northern country. "I'll have to make a rain check, no da." Chichiri lowered his hat, and disappeared.
xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx
Chiriko opened his eyes, feeling very fatigued. He glanced up at the doorway. The door was shut, Tasuki not there. Chiriko had been in concentration for two hours at least… the bandit must have gotten bored.
The 19-year-old wearily walked down the hallway of his humble abode and easily located Tasuki in his front room, leaning back in a chair and dozing off. Tasuki must have not been able to fall asleep, because he opened his eyes at the sound of Chiriko's approaching footsteps.
"I contacted Chichiri." He yawned. "I believe he's on his way."
"Took ya long enough." Tasuki rubbed his eyes and stood up. "You were in there for hours... I could've left and gotten somethin' to eat or somethin'."
At the sound of this Chiriko offered him lunch, but Tasuki refused and decided to head back to the palace, but not before he ordered Chiriko to get some sleep. It was early afternoon when Tasuki left the Chouan Prefecture, and early afternoon when he got back to the palace.
-
"Really? That's great!" Miaka hugged Tasuki tightly. She released him and turned towards the others. "If Chichiri comes, I'm sure we'll find out what's going on!" She was so happy her eyes started to tear up. She wanted so badly to see Taka again, Hikari...
"It's too bad Chiriko can't come to the palace." Nuriko said. "We could use his brains around here."
"His company is always a pleasure." Hotohori replied.
"I just want to find out what bastard's doin' all this." Tasuki admitted. "What is he, some sorcerer or somethin'? This stuff is unreal..."
"We have no evidence that it is a person." Hotohori reminded. "Whatever... substance, or entity is causing these strange and dangerous things to happen must be stopped. I am worried our last hope will be Taiisukun."
"I haven't heard that name for a while." Nuriko said. "When Chichiri gets here, it should be easy. Even if he's in Hokkan, I wouldn't be surprised if he just popped up right now..." Nuriko's attention was suddenly drawn elsewhere, and his eyes widened.
The others noticed and turned to see what Nuriko was staring at, almost expecting the monk himself. However, all they saw was empty room.
"Nuriko?" Miaka turned back. "Are you okay?"
Nuriko's eyebrows lowered and his hands balled into fists. "Damnit... not again..."
Miaka gasped, knowing. She looked behind her once again. "No... not the kanji, please tell me you didn't see more writing!"
"Nuriko..." Hotohori quickly moved to his friend, grasping his shoulders. "What did it read?"
"Katei..." Nuriko repeated, eyes locked onto the wall he had seen it on. The base of the writing was on the floorboards, but he could still read it.
"Home?" Hotohori repeated it, releasing the shorter man. His expression instantly became a serious one. "Guards!" He called to the men who constantly watched the front of the throne room. "Assemble your men quickly and inspect every inch of this palace for anything out of place or suspicious!"
"Yes, Highness!" They said in unison, exiting outside the throne room and running off to take out their orders.
Hotohori spun around and headed for another exit.
"Highness?" Nuriko stepped after him.
"I must find Houki, I have to ensure her safety." Hotohori called back.
Exchanging quick glances, Nuriko and Tasuki quickly followed after the emperor, Miaka in steady tow. Hotohori's quick pace turned into a sprint in the hallway, almost into a run-every step he quickened Nuriko and Tasuki matched.
"Houki-sama..." Nuriko said, praying she was all right.
"Highness!" A familiar voice called down a connecting hallway. Hotohori and the others stopped, spotting the Konan empress running down the hallway and into Hotohori's arms. She pulled away and looked into his eyes with worry. "Why have you called all the guards? What is happening?"
Hotohori sighed in relief, holding Houki close to him. "It will be alright, I promise. It is merely a measure of security, I assure you."
"Thank goodness..." Miaka breathed.
"I don't get it." Tasuki looked around eerily. "If Houki's okay, what's with the sign? Somethin' in Miaka's world maybe?"
The blood from Nuriko's face fled to his heart, leaving him pale as he stepped back. He darted away from the others and ran with a new speed back to the throne room.
"Nuriko!" Miaka shouted after him, taking a few steps in his new direction. "Nuriko, where are you going!" Her voice couldn't catch up with him... or if it did, he didn't respond.
"What is..." Hotohori began.
Tasuki's eyes widened. "Ah hell!" He started to take off.
"TASUKI!" Miaka screamed.
"It's Seii!" Tasuki called back. "Somethin' might be happenin' at Nuriko's place!"
-
It didn't take long for Tasuki to catch up to Nuriko, and the two sped out of the palace in a blur to the stables.
"She might be okay!" Tasuki offered as Nuriko harshly pulled a horse out of its stall.
"I hope so Tasuki." Nuriko didn't make any eye contact when he spoke, but quickly mounted the steed and pulled the reins, galloping over the palace grounds and ignoring the stable-men's protests.
"We'll bring 'em back!" Tasuki alerted them, taking off after Nuriko.
Nuriko hunched low to his horse's neck as he rode past two guards and out in the common streets of Eiyo.
"Please Suzaku..." his mind rang out, "please let her be safe..."
xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx
It wasn't until a few minutes before ten that Saori stacked her work and placed it in the basket at the payroll desk. Pathetic, the workers that were supposed to take the files from her were already home, probably in bed.
"I'm so not going into work tomorrow..." Saori groaned, slipping her purse off her shoulder and digging through it for her keys. She stopped, remembering she had to take the subway, and groaned again. It would take an hour at best until she got home, she was sure. "Well, it shouldn't be too bad with night traffic..." Saori zipped up her purse and headed back upstairs from payroll, waving goodbye to the receptionist as she left her work and headed to the subway. The subway was less than a ten-minute walk from the Sony building, but a good half-hour from Saori's apartment complex. Saori had a year's pass from her work, though she rarely used it for her daily route every day-usually only when she was out with a group of friends.
She arrived at the station a few minutes before the next train would pull in, and sat on an empty bench. There were only a handful of people at this station, minus the large group of teenagers by the tracks. Saori smiled at the sight of them. It was only a little while ago that she was one of them, hanging out carelessly at the mall or in the arcade. Someone cracked a joke, and a fit of laughter burst out. However, Saori's eyes couldn't help but rest on a young boy and girl who had their backs to her, their fingers linked together tightly.
Saori moved her stare to her knees. It had been three months, but it still hurt a little when she thought about it. She missed having her old boyfriend with her all the time, she was heart broken when he ended it with her after nine months. With all her dedication to work, she didn't have any time to meet any new people. Everyone at her work who wasn't already married was several years her senior. Funny, she was the only one out of her close group of friends who didn't have someone.
"This seat open?"
Saori snapped out of her trance and glanced up at the man who was speaking to her. "Oh, no... go ahead." She moved her purse over a bit so he could sit down.
The man smiled and took his seat. Saori couldn't help but notice he was looking at her. She felt a bit awkward, but luckily the subway showed up and gave her an escape.
Saori grabbed her purse and stood up, heading to the subway doors. A few people got off when they opened, and she took the first step onto the train.
"After you." The man from the bench stepped in front of her, acting as though he was holding the doors open for her passage when they automatically stayed open on their own.
Saori merely nodded at him and walked onto the train, the man following politely behind her.
-
Nuriko and Tasuki's horses galloped into Nuriko's front yard, both men panting as the animals approached the house. Nuriko was about to slow down when nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but he could faintly hear loud screams from Nashuka when he got closer to the door. Without tying to horse up, he leapt off the saddle and ran up the porch, flinging the door open and running inside. Tasuki followed at his heels.
"Yamette!"
"Seii!" Nuriko burst into the kitchen, his eyes going wide.
"Ryuuen!" Seii shouted, being held back by a tall, deformed man. Her hair that was always neatly pulled back was messed from struggle, the front of her dress torn open, revealing the pale skin of her chest. Several similar men had stopped ransacking the kitchen at the arrival of the new comers. A large, snarling beast crouched in the corner, resembling a hyena.
"What th'hell!" Tasuki shouted.
Nuriko didn't give time for explanations. He leapt over the clutter in the kitchen and ran for the kitchen block.
"GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF HER!" He shouted, colliding his fist in with the face of Seii's captor. Nuriko threw all his weight into the punch, the man instantly releasing Seii and flying back through a side door that had already been busted from his entrance.
"Get 'em!" Another one of the deformed burglars shouted, one running for Nuriko and the other three heading for Tasuki.
Tasuki smirked as they approached. "I haven't gotten ta do this for a long time!" He shouted, reaching behind his back and grabbing the hilt of his favorite toy. He waited until his opponents got closer to minimize damage to his surroundings.
"REKKA SHINEN!" He shouted, throwing a fireball at point blank onto the three intruders. They let out a sickly scream as the flame engulfed them, but instead of falling to the floor, they vanished in a flash of red light, much like the monster from the throne room had.
Seii fell to the floor from the force of Nuriko's attack on the man who had so tightly held her. A second thief jumped up onto the kitchen block and leapt onto Nuriko's back.
"Ryuuen!" Seii cried out, Nashuka's wailing still filling in the background noise.
Nuriko reached behind him and got two handfuls of the man's shirt, hurling him off his back and out the same way the first had gone. Nuriko was about to leap outside and finish the job, but the strong force of the beast the gang had brought with them rammed into his back and sent him into the counter, the edge beating into his ribs. Nuriko dropped down to the floor when the animal jumped again, springing up again as the beast's head smashed into the wall. Nuriko grabbed the hind legs of the animal and hurled it back into the dining room, knocking its body into the table. Tasuki swung out from the nook of the hallway and imbedded his fan into the beast's side.
"Rekka Shinen!" He shouted, plummeting the flames right into the animal's belly. The giant hyena cried out and vanished the same way the attackers had.
Tasuki stepped back, panting. "Good thing... we got here... when we did..." he said, trying to catch his breath.
Nuriko dropped down to his knees in front of Seii and looked her over, making sure she hadn't sustained any serious injury. He stared at her exposed skin and felt his rage flare up again at the thought of what could have happened. He pulled Seii towards him and held her tightly against his chest, ignoring the stinging pain in his ribs.
Seii threw her arms around him and cried into the valley between Nuriko's neck and shoulder, shaking from the terrifying experience she had just been through.
"It's okay now." He whispered into her hair. "They're gone."
"G-gomen nasai..." Seii squeaked.
Nuriko pulled away from her and kissed her forehead. "You didn't do anything wrong." He quietly said, brushing hair out of her face and wiping the tears from her cheeks.
Tasuki left the touching scene and followed the sound of crying into Nashuka's nursery, finding the cradle untouched. He pulled aside the white blanket that covered the infant, surprised that something so small could have that much lungpower. He carefully picked the child up and managed to subdue the wailing a bit, though the baby was still red in the face and screaming. This was actually the first time he'd seen Nuriko's daughter in person. He couldn't look for any resemblances for the time being, what with the baby's mouth taking up half her face.
"C'mon, stop cryin'..." He tried to jeer the baby, bouncing her slightly. She was so small, he worried he'd break her neck. He'd try to hold the baby upright, but in all honesty, he didn't know how. He was only familiar with the cradle position.
Tasuki frowned. "You hungry or somethin'?"
The only cry was more wails, however, they started to become more sporadic. To Tasuki's good luck, Nashuka was getting too tired to continue bawling with such energy.
Tasuki carefully carried Nashuka into the front room where Nuriko was helping Seii stand. Seii was such a tiny thing... it was good that he and Nuriko showed up when they did.
"Is she okay?" Seii asked worried, wiping her eyes delicately.
"Yeah, I think so." Tasuki walked over the broken rubble in the room. "Here... take her."
Seii stepped by Nuriko and carefully took the crying infant from Tasuki, resting Nashuka's head on her shoulder.
Nuriko seemed relieved, but anyone could tell how thoroughly upset he was. He placed a hand on Seii's back and looked to his old friend. "Tasuki, go back to the palace and tell his Highness what happened, I'm going to stay here for a while."
"Sure thing..." Tasuki hesitated. "You sure you guys are gonna be alright?"
"Yes, don't worry about us." Nuriko didn't even try to smile. "I'll be back eventually."
xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx
"Tasuki took only his horse and rode back to the palace where the miko awaited him, explaining what had happened at Nuriko's dwelling." Hachiro waited for more words, but none came. He looked up at Kazuki, signaling he was ready for more instruction.
"Yes, this was an excellent twist in the plot." Kazuki stated with a smile. "You chose well, Hachiro. We should do more with this couple."
"Give them a break for a while, Kazuki." Hachiro yawned. "Man, you're keeping me up way too late."
"Well, if you're insistent..." Kazuki stopped his pacing and headed towards the fridge for a snack. "I am an author who believes that no story is complete without an adequate love sequence, Hachiro. What can I say, I'm a romantic." He pulled out a can of Tab Cola and popped the lid, taking a sip. "We need a couple with drama..." He sipped the drink again, then smiled. "I have a great idea. For now, we can expand the love story that has held all the stories of this book together."
Hachiro had to think for a second, but came up blank.
Kazuki shook his head. "The priestess, bakero. The priestess and her beloved warrior. We'll send Tamahome back into the book."
Hachiro shifted to face his friend. "Don't you remember man? Last time YOU went into the book, some guy ended up here."
"And like I said before, I really don't care. It's not our problem this book has a sense of balance, is it? Write it in."
"Pass me one of those first." Hachiro pointed to the drink. "I'm the one doing all the readin' here, I'm parched."
-
Saori grumbled as she felt several rain drops fall onto her head on her walk back from the subway station, and cursed inwardly when the rain began to fall more freely. She didn't have an umbrella, and wasn't even graced with a newspaper to hold over her head.
"My day is going just great... well, at least it will keep me awake until I get home. Stupid mechanics... who takes two weeks to fix a car? TWO WEEKS!" She complained out loud. She shook her head as her hair began to soak up the falling water. She was still a good five blocks from her apartment, too.
Saori turned the corner and headed down another street, the few residential houses blocked out by tall cement walls. No eaves, just walls, so she would have to continue walking in the rain. She had been tempted to call someone to pick her up, but it was so late... and she didn't want to be a bother.
Saori was so involved with her thoughts that she hadn't noticed footsteps behind her, footsteps that had followed her the last four blocks but had been shut out by distance as well as the rain. It wasn't until they were right behind her that they became audible.
Saori's heart jumped and she whirled around, spotting a tall man behind her. It only took her a second to recognize him as the one from the subway.
"What are you doing?" She asked not so politely.
The man lifted his head up and smiled. "I just wanted to make sure you got home safely."
Saori stepped back and hugged her pink purse close to her chest. "I'm... I'm fine. Just go away, please."
"Oh," the man lowered his voice. "I can't do that..."
-
"Yeah yeah, I'm doin' it." Hachiro put the empty cola can on the floor by the couch leg and got out his pen again, clicking it once and jotting down the Chinese kanji Kazuki was so set on. "One... two... three..." Hachiro counted, clicking the pen again, "And Tamahome's back."
-
"AAAHH!" Saori yelled as the man grabbed her wrist. She tried to swing her purse at him, but he easily grabbed it from her and flung it to the ground.
"Take my money, it's in there!" Saori shouted.
"I will, darling, but I gotta get something else first." He grabbed her other wrist, stepping on her left foot.
In an attempt to flee, Saori twisted her body and freed herself from the stranger's grip. Unfortunately, she hadn't calculated the man's weight on her foot, and she felt a tearing pain rip through her ankle. Once free, she fell hard to the wet ground.
The man regained his balance and lunged at her again. Saori kicked him with her other foot and scooted away. She got up to run, but the searing pain in her ankle forced her to trip and land on the sidewalk again.
She kicked at the man again, but didn't make contact. "Get away from me!" She screamed. She searched frantically for her purse, but it was too far away. Her cell phone was in that purse, if she could only get to it...
The man grabbed her arm and Saori dug her nails into his hand, trying to push herself towards the purse. Unfortunately, she hadn't caused the stranger enough injury to free herself long enough, and her shoulders slammed into the pavement, sending her head back with a bang.
"Hold still!" The man shouted, following his order with an abusive name towards Saori.
Saori thrashed from side to side. "Yamero!" She shouted. "Help! Someone!"
Saori got a glimpse of something that had been thrown at her, but not by the stranger. The stranger released her just enough to turn around. "Who's out there!" He shouted.
"Back off, leave the girl alone." A voice echoed back.
A wicked smile crossed the crook's lips, and he pushed Saori into the ground before standing up. He looked at the man threatening him, and what he could make out in the poor light, he was much shorter, and much scrawnier than he himself was. He wore strange clothing, too. Probably some homeless kid.
"Why don't you make me, huh brat?" He laughed, putting his heel on Saori's shin to keep her from leaving.
The second man's eyes lowered. "With pleasure."
Saori's attacker quickly reached behind him and pulled a revolver out of his belt, waiting for the other to strike.
"Look out!" Saori shouted. "He's got a gun!"
"SHUT UP YOU!" The man turned around and raised a fist to Saori, but turned back to his opponent before hitting her. "What the?" He asked, spinning around. "Where..." he didn't finish his sentence, because he caught sight of the boy in the air. "Nice try punk!" He shouted, raising his gun and firing.
Saori screamed and shut her eyes. After two bullets were fired, she heard a body fall to the ground.
"Oh my gosh!" She cried, opening her eyes. She didn't see the second man anywhere, but saw her attacker on his back, getting back off the asphalt.
"Now you'll be sorry." The voice of the strangely clothed man said. He held his hand out and threw something again, almost as if from nowhere. The object-whatever is was- hit the man in the thigh and sent him colliding in with the wall behind him. He got back up, dropped his gun, and took off running into the night, not standing by to see what else would come out of the fight.
Saori tried to catch her breath and she watched after him, his body illuminated by a streetlight before he disappeared completely. Saori looked back to her rescuer. She squinted at him, trying to see him as he walked closer.
"S-Saori?" The man asked.
Saori gasped, and forced herself to stand. "It... it can't be..." She paused, listening to the beating of the rain on the ground. She felt herself get dizzy, and it was getting harder and harder to stand on her good foot.
"Su... Suboshi..." She whispered, falling forward.
Suboshi leapt forward and caught the woman before she hit the ground. He looked from her to his strange surroundings.
"What... am I doing back here?" He questioned, carefully lifting the other up. "Saori..."
Two headlights suddenly brightened the street, and the car driving by slowed and quickly braked. The driver opened her door and peeked out, shock filling her features.
"No..." Yui spoke, "It... it can't be!"