Chapter Three: "Stranger"
~~~
I woke to the suffocating warmth of the midday sun shining directly on my face. I closed my eyes more tightly and rolled onto my side, dislodging the thick woolen blanket that lay over me. Shifting again, reaching out with one hand to shove it away, I heard the crackle of my rain slicker and woke abruptly.
I sat up, clutching my head and wishing that I hadn't.
It had stopped raining. Feeling monumentsly dumb and wondering if someone had thought I was a bum as I slept on the steps of the Bank, I reached out and folded up the blanket, then peeled off my slicker and folded that too.
Then I pulled myself to my feet, ignoring the protesting of my stiff muscles, and looked around. The bank had to be open by now - I had to get the book our of the safety deposit box and ... oh...
A clear blue sky, unencumbered by the skyscrapers of downtown Tokyo, greeted my sleep-blurred eyes. All around me was the clean, fresh air of the countryside. I was laying at the foothills of a mountain, green grass lush and whispering at my feet, crowing birds circling the air above my head, and gorse and wild flowers growing in scrubby patches intermittedly. Before me, further up the mountain path, I could see trees start as individuals, then crowd together in small groups until they became a full-fledged forest.
Behind I could see the far-away smoke and small huddling structures that indicated a village, and a few perfunctory fences in the distance that told me that I must be standing on the outside of a rustic farm.
I had done it. I was inside the book.
Allowing myself a small whoop of elation, I spun in a circle, my arms outstretched and my head thrown back.
I was inside the book!
After a few minutes of indulgence, I realized that I had some serious thinking to do, and decided that the best way to do it would be as I walked up the mountain to it's nearby peak - that way I could look at the world spread out before me, and hopefully, recognize some of the land structures or markings from the map I had spent so much time carefully repairing in the front cover of the novel. I could figure out how to get to the capitol of Konan from there.
Konan would be the wisest choice - that's where I knew my allies would be. That's also where the only two living shitisenshi remained.
Throwing the rain slicker and blanket over my shoulder, and shoving my hands into my pockets, I started the trek uphill, glad for my choice in footwear, even if my socks were still slightly squishy from the river water.
I could feel my flashlight banging gently against the small of my back as my footfalls jostled my jacket and was reassured - at least I would have light when it got dark. But I had to get to Konan as soon as possible, and find a way to prove to the Dowager Empress Houki and her son, Emperor Boushin, that I was Suzaku no Miko's brother, and was here to help.
I had to be here to help, didn't I?
Why else would Suzaku pull me into the book? Why else would the incantation say that a boy was required, a boy who would tread where Mikos and Gods could not go... a boy who would set the world right...
I paused at the edge of the forest and peered between the trees, wary.
What if I had been brought here by someone like Tenkou? A False god, or someone trying to use me to destroy someone or something? Well, I'd been researching, repairing, and reading this damned book for over four years now - I flattered myself that I'd be able to distinguish friend from foe if and when the time came.
And knowing the Shiji Tenshi Sho, it would be "when" and not "if".
Resigned to the fact that I would indeed have to traverse the interior of the forest to reach a decent vantage point, I hiked up the burden over my shoulder and began to walk again. Now, how to get an audience with Boushin-sama... I couldn't very well stand at the Palace gate and scream that I was Suzaku no Miko's Brother... who would believe me? I would have to try to get a message inside to Houki-sama, somehow, with some bit of information that only she would know...
Maybe that she looked like Nuriko? No, anyone who'd known the shitishenshi would know that. Perhaps that she refused to get out of bed for two years? Or that Boushin-Sama used to carry around Hotohori-sama's teddy...? Ah! I would write in the letter that Tamahome once allowed Hotohori's spirit enter his body so that the late emperor could embrace his son for the first and last time. That would definitely be something that only she and I would be aware of...
Pleased by this solution and feeling rather smug about the lovely warm weather as the heat made my sweatshirt cling to my skin (I had, after all, personally repaired the book and thus restored order to the climate of this world), I completely missed the sound of the twigs snapping behind me, and the leaves rustling, until it was too late.
A hard metallic object came slamming down on my shoulder and I was thrown forward with a pained grunt. I let go of my jacket and rolled along the forest floor, trying to absorb some of the impact of the blow by going with it. Pushing my limp hair out of my eyes (the rain had washed away all my hair-gel, dammit), I looked up from where I was kneeling and came face to face with a long metal rectangle of silver. It seemed to be some sort of bludgeon.
"W-wait!" I cried out and threw up my bandaged hands. "Don't hurt me!"
"Aw, hell!" a roughly accented voice laughed, and I followed the metal rectangle up the arm that held it to the grinning face. "I ain't gonna hurt ya if you gimmie all your valuables!"
"Valuables?" I repeated, and gasped as I saw my accoster's earrings glinting in the sun, and the two pointed fangs as he grinned widely, and above that, wild mop of flame-coloured hair. "I have no valuables. I have some paper money, but I think that's useless to you."
"Dammit, don't it just figure," he sighed and the rectangle was pulled away from my face and slung over his back in a leather holster. The man held out his hand and said, "First traveler to come up my way in months, and ya got nuthin'. Up ya get, then, stranger."
I took it warily and narrowed my eyes at the man. Why did he look so familiar?
"Where ya headed?" the guy asked, and I was amazed at his kindness. Hadn't he just struck me and tried to rob me?
"The Capital city of Konan," I said truthfully. I didn't see the point of lying to him - he had the weapon, not me.
"Yer headin' the wrong way, then," the man told me, and jerked a thumb back over his shoudler. "It's that way."
"Oh, thank you." I bowed briefly, then turned on my heel, happy to get away from there as soon as possible.
My heart fell to my toes as I felt a hand come down on my shoulder, and I winced. He had to slap the hurt one! "Whoa, whoa!" he exclaimed, and I could hear the low rumble of his laughter. "Who said I was lettin' ya go? Ya gotta have some family I could ransom ya to, or somethin'!"
"I don't have any family here!" I snapped and tried to pull away, but the man refused to let go. I was spun around and he grabbed my other shoulder as well to hold me in place. I felt my face grow hot with anger as he studied me intently, his beady amber eyes flicking up and down my frame.
"Yer groomed like a noble man," he said, "and yer hair is short - and yer clothes are more or less clean, even if they are strange." His eyes flicked to the bandages that cris-crossed my knuckles. "Ya get into a fight, pretty boy? Maybe yer runnin' away from home?"
"No," I muttered, offended. He made me sound like some sort of a poufter. Or a delinquent child. "I'm sort of on a quest."
"Oh, ho! A Quest!" The man laughed again and again I was struck by a wave of deja vu. "Sounds important. How 'bout I take you back to my place and get you well fed and rested up for your Quest? Then maybe you'll trade something valuable for it?"
"But I HAVE nothing!" I protested, even as I was dragged along by my wrist. I would have given him my watch, but I wasn't wearing even that. I had taken it off to sleep the night before and had been in too much of a hurry to put it back on before heading out to the bank. The man was drawing me further up the mountain, and if he hadn't been lying, that was the opposite direction of where I wanted to go.
The man paused as we passed by my discarded jacket and blanket and stooped to pick them up. "Ya have this, fer starters," he said, fingering the material of the rubber slicker momentarily. "I ain't never seen anythin' like it, but it looks like quality material - I could use a new winter coat. And this blanket is good quality too."
"Fine, they're yours!" I said, trying and failing to twist my wrist out of his grip. "Just let me go! I have to go see the Emperor!"
"See the Emperor?" the man repeated as he awkwardly attempted to root through the pockets of my jacket with his one free hand. "I can feel somethin' heavy in here... why do ya wanna see the Emperor?"
"I just have to!"
"For yer Quest?" He was laughing again, and I wanted to punch him. But I could tell the moment I did, I'd get the crap beaten out of me - they guy was strong.
"Yeah."
He finally let go of my wrist, realizing he'd need both hands to get at what was in my pockets, but said, "Don'tcha go anywhere, kid. I'm faster'in you. And I already promised to show you the hospitality of Mt. Leikaku."
"Wait, Mt. Leikaku?" I repeated incredulously as he finally fished my flashlight out of my pocket with an "A-ha!"
"Yeah, isn't that what I just said?" He shook the flashlight briefly, playing with the knobs and buttons until the light flared to life. He dropped the heavy metal cylinder with a yelp and I bent to retrieve it and turn it off. "It's magic!"
"No," I sighed, finally realizing why this guy was nagging at my memory. "It's from the Other World. And so am I... Tasuki-sama."
Tasuki's eyes narrowed dangerously at me and before I could blink the Tessen was unfolded and pointed at my nose. "How do you know who I am?"
"My name is Yuuki Keisuke," I replied, mu hands up in a gesture that screamed 'don't shoot!', "and I am Suzaku no Miko's brother."
"Suzaku no Miko?" he repeated, the iron fan still trained on me. "If that's true, tell me her name."
"Yuuki Miaka."
Tasuki chewed on the corner of his lip briefly, as if trying to decide wether or not this was enough information to trust me on.
"I can tell you other things, too, Tasuki-sama," I added, suddenly babbling. Babbling was preferable to barbequing, which I had a feeling I would be doing if I didn't convince him and fast. "I know that you and Chichiri-sama are the only original generation Suzaku Seven left, and that the others were reborn and that Chiriko-sama could speak as a baby, and Nuriko has been reborn as a girl and that--"
"Shut yer hole!" Tasuki snapped and I did just that. "Geeze, you must be Miaka's brother. Ya got her motor-mouth." He sighed heavily and put away his weapon, then ran a hand through his hair. "All right. I believe ya.... and I'll take ya to see the Emperor, if ya want."
"Ah! Thank you!" I said and bowed again, this time lower.
"But first, ya look like shit. We'll get ya cleaned up back at the hide out." He started to walk again, flinging my jacket back at me, but keeping the blanket, I noticed. I didn't mind - if he wanted it, he could have it. I wasn't mine to begin with anyway. I took a few quick steps to catch up with him, and then matched him stride for stride. "So..." he ventured after we'd been walking for a few minutes in silence. "Why're ya here... Keisuke, ya said?"
"Yes, Tasuki-sama."
He grimaced. "Only tha Minister of tha Right calls me that - just plain Genrou is fine."
"Right, Genrou," I smiled to myself - well, on a first name basis already! "I'm here because... well, I don't know why, exactly. Obviously I'm not here to be a Miko, but Suzaku brought me here for a reason, so I figure that reason will rear it's ugly head eventually."
"An' ya figured the best way to be prepared for it is ta go runnin' after tha Suzaku Seven?" His voice sounded oddly world weary and I looked over to see an expression of annoyed sorrow flick across his face before it became carefully neutral.
"This may have nothing to do with you guys at all," I assured him. He must not want to fight, I realized with a start that was mildly shocking. After all, who could blame him? He had already lost so much...
"But ya said it was Suzaku who brought ya here."
"Well, it was definitely his red light - I recognized it. I've seen it around Miaka enough. But I could be here on the behest of all the gods, or a few of them, or none of them at all. Maybe it was just red light because I'm Miaka's brother."
Tasuki, no, Genrou, seemed to chew on this for a few minutes before asking. "How is... Miaka?"
"Fine," I said softly. "She and Taka got married last year."
"Oh, yeah?" Genrou sucked on his bottom lip briefly. "That's good ta hear. Time passes slowly in your world, I guess. It's been a... a while here."
I wondered if maybe Genrou still cared for my sister. Or if maybe he felt left out that he was not reborn in her world, or if he missed Tamahome.
"They think about you all the time..." I said, and Genrou blinked and looked over at me. He seemed slightly shocked for a moment, then a smile pulled at the corner of his mouth.
"They do, do they?"
"Yeah." I rolled my eyes for dramatic effect. "Hardly a day goes by when I don't hear, 'Tasuki-chan this!' or 'Hotohori-sama that!'... drives me up the wall!"
This made him laugh, his head thrown back, and I was glad of it. He looked like he needed a good laugh.
The rest of the walk was spent in easy companionship. Genrou squeezed every drop of information on the wedding that I had, and by the time I was about to spill the secret of my nephew, we were already walking up the steps cut into the mountain side that led to the bandit's hideout.
"Oh, cool!" I said, rushing ahead to stand at the top of the steps and look out over the forest. "I've read all about this place, but I never thought I'd actually get to see it!"
"Read about it?" Genrou asked as he took the steps two at a time to join me.
"Yeah, in the Shiji Tenshi Sho."
Genrou nodded - "So you were tha guy on the edge of the battlefield when we were in the other world, tha one with that book. I thought you looked familiar."
I laughed. "It took me a bit to recognize you, too, Genrou."
He nodded again, then turned around to kick at the heavy wooden door. "Yo!" he called at the top of his lungs, "Lemmie in!"
"O-ho! Who's that!" A voice on the other side called, and I caught Genrou rolling his eyes. "It's Genrou, the Fearless Leader! Genrou, let him in! Of course, of course, why wouldn't we?"
"Koji-san?" I whispered, and Genrou nodded a third time.
The doors flung outwards and I had to take a step back to avoid getting smacked. Genrou, I noticed, was standing in just the right spot to stay out of their way. Hmph. The least he could have done was warn me.
"Genrou!" Koji cried and flung himself at his leader. "How good to see you again!"
"I've only been gone three hours!" Genrou protested as they linked elbows and danced in a small circle. Until now I had only read about this strange ceremonial hello of theirs, and witnessed Miaka and Taka's attempts to imitate it. To see the real thing sent little shivers up my spine.
I was actually in the book.
"And who's this?" Koji asked, abruptly stopping the spinning as his eyes fell on me. I waved nervously.
"You remember Miaka, right?" Genrou asked, and Koji gave him a 'duh' look. "This is Keisuke, her brother."
"Suzaku no Miko's brother!" Koji exclaimed, and I was dragged bodily inside the hideout. "Let's have a drink!"
"You always want to have a drink, no da!" another voice called from the shadows, and I dug in my heels and turned to look at its source. Seeming to grow from the patch of darkness, a tall slender man with a shocking tuft of blue hair, a tall staff, and an enthusiastic smile dissolved into existence.
"Chichiri!" Genrou exclaimed behind me, and I could hear the shock in his voice. "Whatter ya doin' here?!"
"I felt Suzaku's power, no da, " the masked monk answered, and turned his face to me. I couldn't tell if the squinty eyes were focused on me or not, but I assumed they were. "It was coming from here, na no da. Who's this?"
"I'm Yuuki Keisuke." I stepped up and proffered my hand, and Chichiri, unsure, took it reluctantly. I shook his hand and then let go. "I'm Miaka's brother."
~~~
I woke to the suffocating warmth of the midday sun shining directly on my face. I closed my eyes more tightly and rolled onto my side, dislodging the thick woolen blanket that lay over me. Shifting again, reaching out with one hand to shove it away, I heard the crackle of my rain slicker and woke abruptly.
I sat up, clutching my head and wishing that I hadn't.
It had stopped raining. Feeling monumentsly dumb and wondering if someone had thought I was a bum as I slept on the steps of the Bank, I reached out and folded up the blanket, then peeled off my slicker and folded that too.
Then I pulled myself to my feet, ignoring the protesting of my stiff muscles, and looked around. The bank had to be open by now - I had to get the book our of the safety deposit box and ... oh...
A clear blue sky, unencumbered by the skyscrapers of downtown Tokyo, greeted my sleep-blurred eyes. All around me was the clean, fresh air of the countryside. I was laying at the foothills of a mountain, green grass lush and whispering at my feet, crowing birds circling the air above my head, and gorse and wild flowers growing in scrubby patches intermittedly. Before me, further up the mountain path, I could see trees start as individuals, then crowd together in small groups until they became a full-fledged forest.
Behind I could see the far-away smoke and small huddling structures that indicated a village, and a few perfunctory fences in the distance that told me that I must be standing on the outside of a rustic farm.
I had done it. I was inside the book.
Allowing myself a small whoop of elation, I spun in a circle, my arms outstretched and my head thrown back.
I was inside the book!
After a few minutes of indulgence, I realized that I had some serious thinking to do, and decided that the best way to do it would be as I walked up the mountain to it's nearby peak - that way I could look at the world spread out before me, and hopefully, recognize some of the land structures or markings from the map I had spent so much time carefully repairing in the front cover of the novel. I could figure out how to get to the capitol of Konan from there.
Konan would be the wisest choice - that's where I knew my allies would be. That's also where the only two living shitisenshi remained.
Throwing the rain slicker and blanket over my shoulder, and shoving my hands into my pockets, I started the trek uphill, glad for my choice in footwear, even if my socks were still slightly squishy from the river water.
I could feel my flashlight banging gently against the small of my back as my footfalls jostled my jacket and was reassured - at least I would have light when it got dark. But I had to get to Konan as soon as possible, and find a way to prove to the Dowager Empress Houki and her son, Emperor Boushin, that I was Suzaku no Miko's brother, and was here to help.
I had to be here to help, didn't I?
Why else would Suzaku pull me into the book? Why else would the incantation say that a boy was required, a boy who would tread where Mikos and Gods could not go... a boy who would set the world right...
I paused at the edge of the forest and peered between the trees, wary.
What if I had been brought here by someone like Tenkou? A False god, or someone trying to use me to destroy someone or something? Well, I'd been researching, repairing, and reading this damned book for over four years now - I flattered myself that I'd be able to distinguish friend from foe if and when the time came.
And knowing the Shiji Tenshi Sho, it would be "when" and not "if".
Resigned to the fact that I would indeed have to traverse the interior of the forest to reach a decent vantage point, I hiked up the burden over my shoulder and began to walk again. Now, how to get an audience with Boushin-sama... I couldn't very well stand at the Palace gate and scream that I was Suzaku no Miko's Brother... who would believe me? I would have to try to get a message inside to Houki-sama, somehow, with some bit of information that only she would know...
Maybe that she looked like Nuriko? No, anyone who'd known the shitishenshi would know that. Perhaps that she refused to get out of bed for two years? Or that Boushin-Sama used to carry around Hotohori-sama's teddy...? Ah! I would write in the letter that Tamahome once allowed Hotohori's spirit enter his body so that the late emperor could embrace his son for the first and last time. That would definitely be something that only she and I would be aware of...
Pleased by this solution and feeling rather smug about the lovely warm weather as the heat made my sweatshirt cling to my skin (I had, after all, personally repaired the book and thus restored order to the climate of this world), I completely missed the sound of the twigs snapping behind me, and the leaves rustling, until it was too late.
A hard metallic object came slamming down on my shoulder and I was thrown forward with a pained grunt. I let go of my jacket and rolled along the forest floor, trying to absorb some of the impact of the blow by going with it. Pushing my limp hair out of my eyes (the rain had washed away all my hair-gel, dammit), I looked up from where I was kneeling and came face to face with a long metal rectangle of silver. It seemed to be some sort of bludgeon.
"W-wait!" I cried out and threw up my bandaged hands. "Don't hurt me!"
"Aw, hell!" a roughly accented voice laughed, and I followed the metal rectangle up the arm that held it to the grinning face. "I ain't gonna hurt ya if you gimmie all your valuables!"
"Valuables?" I repeated, and gasped as I saw my accoster's earrings glinting in the sun, and the two pointed fangs as he grinned widely, and above that, wild mop of flame-coloured hair. "I have no valuables. I have some paper money, but I think that's useless to you."
"Dammit, don't it just figure," he sighed and the rectangle was pulled away from my face and slung over his back in a leather holster. The man held out his hand and said, "First traveler to come up my way in months, and ya got nuthin'. Up ya get, then, stranger."
I took it warily and narrowed my eyes at the man. Why did he look so familiar?
"Where ya headed?" the guy asked, and I was amazed at his kindness. Hadn't he just struck me and tried to rob me?
"The Capital city of Konan," I said truthfully. I didn't see the point of lying to him - he had the weapon, not me.
"Yer headin' the wrong way, then," the man told me, and jerked a thumb back over his shoudler. "It's that way."
"Oh, thank you." I bowed briefly, then turned on my heel, happy to get away from there as soon as possible.
My heart fell to my toes as I felt a hand come down on my shoulder, and I winced. He had to slap the hurt one! "Whoa, whoa!" he exclaimed, and I could hear the low rumble of his laughter. "Who said I was lettin' ya go? Ya gotta have some family I could ransom ya to, or somethin'!"
"I don't have any family here!" I snapped and tried to pull away, but the man refused to let go. I was spun around and he grabbed my other shoulder as well to hold me in place. I felt my face grow hot with anger as he studied me intently, his beady amber eyes flicking up and down my frame.
"Yer groomed like a noble man," he said, "and yer hair is short - and yer clothes are more or less clean, even if they are strange." His eyes flicked to the bandages that cris-crossed my knuckles. "Ya get into a fight, pretty boy? Maybe yer runnin' away from home?"
"No," I muttered, offended. He made me sound like some sort of a poufter. Or a delinquent child. "I'm sort of on a quest."
"Oh, ho! A Quest!" The man laughed again and again I was struck by a wave of deja vu. "Sounds important. How 'bout I take you back to my place and get you well fed and rested up for your Quest? Then maybe you'll trade something valuable for it?"
"But I HAVE nothing!" I protested, even as I was dragged along by my wrist. I would have given him my watch, but I wasn't wearing even that. I had taken it off to sleep the night before and had been in too much of a hurry to put it back on before heading out to the bank. The man was drawing me further up the mountain, and if he hadn't been lying, that was the opposite direction of where I wanted to go.
The man paused as we passed by my discarded jacket and blanket and stooped to pick them up. "Ya have this, fer starters," he said, fingering the material of the rubber slicker momentarily. "I ain't never seen anythin' like it, but it looks like quality material - I could use a new winter coat. And this blanket is good quality too."
"Fine, they're yours!" I said, trying and failing to twist my wrist out of his grip. "Just let me go! I have to go see the Emperor!"
"See the Emperor?" the man repeated as he awkwardly attempted to root through the pockets of my jacket with his one free hand. "I can feel somethin' heavy in here... why do ya wanna see the Emperor?"
"I just have to!"
"For yer Quest?" He was laughing again, and I wanted to punch him. But I could tell the moment I did, I'd get the crap beaten out of me - they guy was strong.
"Yeah."
He finally let go of my wrist, realizing he'd need both hands to get at what was in my pockets, but said, "Don'tcha go anywhere, kid. I'm faster'in you. And I already promised to show you the hospitality of Mt. Leikaku."
"Wait, Mt. Leikaku?" I repeated incredulously as he finally fished my flashlight out of my pocket with an "A-ha!"
"Yeah, isn't that what I just said?" He shook the flashlight briefly, playing with the knobs and buttons until the light flared to life. He dropped the heavy metal cylinder with a yelp and I bent to retrieve it and turn it off. "It's magic!"
"No," I sighed, finally realizing why this guy was nagging at my memory. "It's from the Other World. And so am I... Tasuki-sama."
Tasuki's eyes narrowed dangerously at me and before I could blink the Tessen was unfolded and pointed at my nose. "How do you know who I am?"
"My name is Yuuki Keisuke," I replied, mu hands up in a gesture that screamed 'don't shoot!', "and I am Suzaku no Miko's brother."
"Suzaku no Miko?" he repeated, the iron fan still trained on me. "If that's true, tell me her name."
"Yuuki Miaka."
Tasuki chewed on the corner of his lip briefly, as if trying to decide wether or not this was enough information to trust me on.
"I can tell you other things, too, Tasuki-sama," I added, suddenly babbling. Babbling was preferable to barbequing, which I had a feeling I would be doing if I didn't convince him and fast. "I know that you and Chichiri-sama are the only original generation Suzaku Seven left, and that the others were reborn and that Chiriko-sama could speak as a baby, and Nuriko has been reborn as a girl and that--"
"Shut yer hole!" Tasuki snapped and I did just that. "Geeze, you must be Miaka's brother. Ya got her motor-mouth." He sighed heavily and put away his weapon, then ran a hand through his hair. "All right. I believe ya.... and I'll take ya to see the Emperor, if ya want."
"Ah! Thank you!" I said and bowed again, this time lower.
"But first, ya look like shit. We'll get ya cleaned up back at the hide out." He started to walk again, flinging my jacket back at me, but keeping the blanket, I noticed. I didn't mind - if he wanted it, he could have it. I wasn't mine to begin with anyway. I took a few quick steps to catch up with him, and then matched him stride for stride. "So..." he ventured after we'd been walking for a few minutes in silence. "Why're ya here... Keisuke, ya said?"
"Yes, Tasuki-sama."
He grimaced. "Only tha Minister of tha Right calls me that - just plain Genrou is fine."
"Right, Genrou," I smiled to myself - well, on a first name basis already! "I'm here because... well, I don't know why, exactly. Obviously I'm not here to be a Miko, but Suzaku brought me here for a reason, so I figure that reason will rear it's ugly head eventually."
"An' ya figured the best way to be prepared for it is ta go runnin' after tha Suzaku Seven?" His voice sounded oddly world weary and I looked over to see an expression of annoyed sorrow flick across his face before it became carefully neutral.
"This may have nothing to do with you guys at all," I assured him. He must not want to fight, I realized with a start that was mildly shocking. After all, who could blame him? He had already lost so much...
"But ya said it was Suzaku who brought ya here."
"Well, it was definitely his red light - I recognized it. I've seen it around Miaka enough. But I could be here on the behest of all the gods, or a few of them, or none of them at all. Maybe it was just red light because I'm Miaka's brother."
Tasuki, no, Genrou, seemed to chew on this for a few minutes before asking. "How is... Miaka?"
"Fine," I said softly. "She and Taka got married last year."
"Oh, yeah?" Genrou sucked on his bottom lip briefly. "That's good ta hear. Time passes slowly in your world, I guess. It's been a... a while here."
I wondered if maybe Genrou still cared for my sister. Or if maybe he felt left out that he was not reborn in her world, or if he missed Tamahome.
"They think about you all the time..." I said, and Genrou blinked and looked over at me. He seemed slightly shocked for a moment, then a smile pulled at the corner of his mouth.
"They do, do they?"
"Yeah." I rolled my eyes for dramatic effect. "Hardly a day goes by when I don't hear, 'Tasuki-chan this!' or 'Hotohori-sama that!'... drives me up the wall!"
This made him laugh, his head thrown back, and I was glad of it. He looked like he needed a good laugh.
The rest of the walk was spent in easy companionship. Genrou squeezed every drop of information on the wedding that I had, and by the time I was about to spill the secret of my nephew, we were already walking up the steps cut into the mountain side that led to the bandit's hideout.
"Oh, cool!" I said, rushing ahead to stand at the top of the steps and look out over the forest. "I've read all about this place, but I never thought I'd actually get to see it!"
"Read about it?" Genrou asked as he took the steps two at a time to join me.
"Yeah, in the Shiji Tenshi Sho."
Genrou nodded - "So you were tha guy on the edge of the battlefield when we were in the other world, tha one with that book. I thought you looked familiar."
I laughed. "It took me a bit to recognize you, too, Genrou."
He nodded again, then turned around to kick at the heavy wooden door. "Yo!" he called at the top of his lungs, "Lemmie in!"
"O-ho! Who's that!" A voice on the other side called, and I caught Genrou rolling his eyes. "It's Genrou, the Fearless Leader! Genrou, let him in! Of course, of course, why wouldn't we?"
"Koji-san?" I whispered, and Genrou nodded a third time.
The doors flung outwards and I had to take a step back to avoid getting smacked. Genrou, I noticed, was standing in just the right spot to stay out of their way. Hmph. The least he could have done was warn me.
"Genrou!" Koji cried and flung himself at his leader. "How good to see you again!"
"I've only been gone three hours!" Genrou protested as they linked elbows and danced in a small circle. Until now I had only read about this strange ceremonial hello of theirs, and witnessed Miaka and Taka's attempts to imitate it. To see the real thing sent little shivers up my spine.
I was actually in the book.
"And who's this?" Koji asked, abruptly stopping the spinning as his eyes fell on me. I waved nervously.
"You remember Miaka, right?" Genrou asked, and Koji gave him a 'duh' look. "This is Keisuke, her brother."
"Suzaku no Miko's brother!" Koji exclaimed, and I was dragged bodily inside the hideout. "Let's have a drink!"
"You always want to have a drink, no da!" another voice called from the shadows, and I dug in my heels and turned to look at its source. Seeming to grow from the patch of darkness, a tall slender man with a shocking tuft of blue hair, a tall staff, and an enthusiastic smile dissolved into existence.
"Chichiri!" Genrou exclaimed behind me, and I could hear the shock in his voice. "Whatter ya doin' here?!"
"I felt Suzaku's power, no da, " the masked monk answered, and turned his face to me. I couldn't tell if the squinty eyes were focused on me or not, but I assumed they were. "It was coming from here, na no da. Who's this?"
"I'm Yuuki Keisuke." I stepped up and proffered my hand, and Chichiri, unsure, took it reluctantly. I shook his hand and then let go. "I'm Miaka's brother."
