Kiisan stared at the brilliantly colored poppies. He had pulled into oblivion without a second thought. He no longer knew how many days he had spent in Hyoko and Hittoko's home. They were very kind to him, but they also understood how to leave him alone. The arrival of their guest had not put an end to their daily activities. Hittoko did laundry and pulled weeds in the fields. Hyoko swept, cooked, and did all sorts of other things around the house. Neither of the sisters seemed to be in the least bit disturbed by his presence. Hyoko spoke very little, but always politely and seriously. Hittoko, on the other hand, babbled at him whenever she had the time, overwhelmingly in Lirwani, but with the occasional understandable word or phrase thrown in. They both always addressed him as "Father Kiisan." He pondered his situation at the house leisurely. There didn't seem to be any urgent need to leave and rejoin his companions. They would be alright without him, Kiisan reasoned. Days passed and Kiisan began to join Hittoko in the fields. She was constantly laughing about something he couldn't understand. Hyoko explained to him that he was a very good worker for a priest. He couldn't fight the calm. Kiisan told Hittoko and Hyoko everything about where he was from and what he was doing. The spring sun shone on as the "dance of everyday life" continued in the northern part of the state of Sanjan.
Another day, another time, while Kiisan sat on the back porch slicing some carrots into a bowl something moving amid the wheat and poppies caught his eye. Someone was in the field. He put down the bowl and knife silently and stood on tiptoe to try and catch sight of the wanderer. A pale-haired woman with her hair pulled up on her head in two elaborate braided buns was pushing through the wheat with a short staff. "What's she doing in there?" Kiisan wondered. The woman would've been well camouflaged in the poppies due to her red dress if her odd colored hair was not such a stunning target. "She can't possibly think that she's sneaking around..." Kiisan quickly pulled on his boots, snatched his staff, and jumped off of the elevated porch to follow the stranger.
Murasaki Fuji no Shita ni Kuni
"The Country Under the Purple Wisteria"
Chapter 11-A Time to Flower and A Path of Promise
"This is becoming a pattern in my life..." Kiisan observed as he pushed through the wheat, "I notice something and go to check it out and then I mess things up." He was so caught up in this thought that he didn't see that the woman had stopped and was staring at straight at him. "Excuse me," the pale-haired woman said, "Would you like to explain why you're following me, young man?" Kiisan, startled, jumped back a pace and felt his heart pounding. "Well, um, I was wondering what you were doing in Hyoko and Hittoko's fields. Are you lost?" She leaned over slightly to look him in the eye; "You're awfully bold, you know." "I...um...ah..." "Oh, please forgive me. I made you lose your resolve. I don't like people who can't say what they think or stand up for what they believe in. I'm not lost. This is the state of Sanjan in the nation of Aronia and this is the seventeenth year of Leo Maximillian's reign. The problem is I can't get where I want to go." "Well, if you need directions somewhere I might be able to help you..." Kiisan was a bit unnerved by the sudden speech and was unsure of whether the pale woman was showing her approval or disapproval of him. "My name is Ocha. I don't need directions because I'm not lost geographically. I'm lost chronologically." Kiisan scratched his head and straightened his hat, "How can you be lost chronologically?" Ocha smiled and shook her head, "Let me explain- I can travel through time sometimes. It's not usually on purpose though. I was born in Kirov in the Lunar Year One Hundred. I need to find some magical assistance to attempt to return to the Lunar Year One Hundred Twenty-Eight where I came from. There are people awaiting my arrival, so I don't have forever. Understand?" Kiisan looked at his feet sheepishly, "Well, sort of...I think..." He glanced up curiously, "I never knew there was ever a set of Lunar Years. Was that a really long time ago?" "Yes, I traveled centuries into the future to end up here. ...The world sure is strange nowadays. What are you supposed to be in that silly outfit?" "Silly?" Kiisan was still too confused to feel in any way insulted so he replied simply, "I'm a priest." "That's nice, Father. So they make teenagers into priests in this day and age? What's your name? Are you from around here? Come with me, let's talk while we go." Kiisan attempted to protest weakly, "But my friends here- they'll wonder where I went! They might worry!" Ocha took hold of his sleeve with her free hand and pulled him along, "Everything'll be okay Father. Let's go."
Kiisan waved at Hittoko and Hyoko's house forlornly as Ocha dragged him along through the wheat. Little pieces of it stuck to his robes and pollen from the poppies made him sneeze, "Miss Ocha, do we have to go through the fields?" "Yes, we do, I have to keep out of sight. There are people looking for me, but most of them aren't smart enough to leave the High Road and walk in the fields. Don't worry, there isn't much more wheat, then we'll cross a fallow field. Now, answer my questions. I asked first." Kiisan pulled his sleeve out of Ocha's hand; "You don't need to lead me around like a child. I'll come with you, I'm not running away." Her eyes grew thin and a catty smile crept across her face, "So dignified, Father." He sighed and looked back at the wooden house receding into the distance. "My name is Kiisan, I'm from the state of Serif. Who do you think is going to help you get home, anyways? Your story is weird enough as it is. Don't people think you're making it up?" Ocha laughed, "Well you didn't think I was lying!" "Did you want me to?!" he yelled back in exasperation. "I've been stuck here for two months now. I heard that the Gate Clan has the power to send me home, but I don't know where to find any of them. Have you heard about them?" Kiisan shook his head, "No, I haven't even heard any myths about people called the Gate Clan. Sorry, can't help you there." Ocha shrugged, "Thanks for considering it. I bet you're a useful person to have around. You can come with me while I look around some more. You should feel honored." She threw back her head and laughed hard. "This had better not be some sort of horrid joke..." Kiisan thought to himself.
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When Hyoko found the knife and bowl of carrots lying on the porch she knew Kiisan had left. She was unsure of the reason, but all she could do was take the carrots into the kitchen. Hittoko was disappointed to hear that Kiisan was gone, but she too knew of nothing that could be done about it. They had both known that Kiisan would eventually have to leave, but the sisters had expected his friends to come looking for him, or to at least receive a "goodbye." Vanishing so suddenly seemed somewhat odd, but they chose not to question it. "We'll meet him again," Hyoko assured her younger sister, "Fate is leading him somewhere and even if he tried he could never stop it. We'll be part of fate for him again."
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Kiisan and Ocha traveled along the side of the High Road through the fields for hours until they reached a tiny hamlet situated on the banks of a creek. The people recognized Kiisan's garb instantly and he was convinced to perform a baptism for a child and say prayers with some elderly women. Ocha had to stay away and wait in a tavern the whole time, since she was near bursting from laughter from watching as Kiisan was pulled around by grateful villagers. In the evening he appeared in the tavern to retrieve her. "Ocha, I've been invited to stay over for the night with a family here. I asked about you and they said it wouldn't be a problem for you to come too." Ocha giggled teasingly, "Maybe you should stay permanently Kiisan, they don't appear to have a church or any resident priests." He rolled his eyes at her, "Don't joke about it you old relic." His response only caused Ocha to be more firm in her teasing, "I mean it Father Kiisan! You'd be living in the middle of nowhere, but at least you'd always be wanted!" He sighed, his tone slightly sprinkled with humor, "Come on Ocha, I don't have time for this." They walked alongside the creek only a short distance before they arrived at the tiny home of the family who had invited Kiisan in and were greeted enthusiastically by three small children.
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Han Li fell off of the roof with a tremendous crash. His companions hurried out in shock, no one was quite sure what the sound had been yet, but they knew it had been loud. Falina ran to him first and knelt down beside him, "Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself? Where did you fall from?" Realizing the fuss was only about Han Li Sonoa turned around and went back inside. Junsuke and Louis Abdul paused just long enough to see that nothing was seriously long with him. Yuber sighed with disappointment when he was informed that it was not an attack and there was no blood by Sonoa as she returned inside. Falina trembled fearfully, "You're sure you didn't fracture anything Mr. Han? Do you want me to help you up?" He groaned and lifted himself up off his back. "You'd think I wouldn't be so stupid as to fall off the roof at my age, but no, I'm always doing clumsy things like this." He stood up and brushed dust off his clothes. Lucien and Rizu laughed, seeing how easily he recovered. Jirobane slapped him on the back heartily; "You're a real tough one, Han Li!" The scrawny man nearly fell back down from the force, "That hurt a lot more than falling you rough swordsman!" Jirobane apologized profusely as they returned to their rooms in the inn.
Han Li accompanied Falina to the room where Carlos had been healing. "Is he looking any better, Falina?" She shrugged, "Somewhat I figure since he's not feverish anymore. The gash is healing pretty well too, but he's still not conscious." Her green eyes widened in concern; "Do you think he'll be alright Mr. Han?" Han Li waved a scraped hand dismissively, "Carlos will be fine. I'm certain of it." She took a deep sigh of relief, "Thanks for being so reassuring. ...Do you think you can say something reassuring about someone else for me?" Understandingly the True Rune bearer smiled, "I can try- Kiisan's alright. He probably just can't figure out where we went. He knows we're headed back to Serif City. Kiisan's a smart guy; I wouldn't be surprised if he beat us back there. Don't worry too much, he'll want to see you smiling." Falina nodded, "Thank you Mr. Han." A smoothed down his ruffled up hair slightly and blushed, "It's alright, it's nothing."