At the sound of a faint knocking on the wooden door, Han Li stepped away from the table without saying a word to his comrades. "What is it?" Mio inquired, watching the dusty man slowly open the door. Han Li did not respond.
In the doorway stood Sasshalai, looking somewhat disheveled, his wreath of dandelions slightly unraveled towards the ends. He blinked solemnly a few times, and then collapsed.
"Sasshalai!" Mio and Yuki gasped. They rushed past Han Li who still stood silently looking at the boy to pick him up off the ground.
Hai-Yong leaned over the shorter men to observe. "What happened to him? He looks a bit more battered than the last time we saw him."
Han Li shook his head and soundlessly closed the door. "Interference," he muttered under his breath.
General Sasaki looked on as Han Li laid his heavy cloak on the ground and Yuki laid the boy on it. "Who is he? Will he be okay?"
As Hai-Yong and Yuki resumed their places at the table, Mio sat down on the ground beside Sasshalai. Carlos whispered a short explanation of the child's identity to Sowari. Han Li answered the inquiry succinctly, "Sasshalai- just give him a few moments to get himself back together. Nothing serious," And took his seat.
The leader of Essan chuckled and shook his head, "You certainly are a strange, varied group, you rebels. I suppose that means you're the finest rebellion I've seen."
Han Li's eyes seemed to turn crimson for a passing second, but he calmed himself and only sighed. Louis Abdul nudged their host and whispered some advice to him, "Don't talk to him about past rebellions. He's a little touchy on that subject."
General Sasaki narrowed his brown eyes, "Why would he care about past failures. He's not one of the T'Rumours. All the other revolts were over a hundred years ago."
"If you heard him talk about them, you'd believe he had reason to care. Let's just leave it at that. He's our acting leader," the captain replied nervously, glancing at Han Li to make sure he had not overheard their exchange.
"Hey! Um, he's waking up," Mio called, waving his companions at the table over with one dainty hand. They rushed to stand closer and see what Sasshalai would have to say after having returned from Klikk in such a state. The boy blinked heavily and rubbed his eyes, sitting up shakily.
He glanced around at all of the older rebels looking intently at him and managed to squeak out, "Ah! How many of you only want to hear what I have to say! I do appreciate it when people worry about me every so often."
Han Li burst out laughing, Sasshalai threw him an indignant look, and the rest of the revolutionaries in the room looked about in utter confusion.
Murasaki Fuji no Shita ni Kuni
"The Country Under the Purple Wisteria"
Chapter 50- Whispers of the Mysterious
The boy brushed dust off of himself he had acquired from lying on Han Li's cloak and began to count off on his fingers, "Mio, Yuki, Carlos, Yuzumi- that's horrible!"
Han Li put a gentle hand on Sasshalai's head and smiled, "Now, now. You can reprimand me for being a callous old fool later. And you can't blame a couple of them. You've never met General Sasaki for instance."
"If you insist."
"Um..." Carlos began shakily, "How is Falina? ...And, do you know how Kiisan is? Did you see him on your way here?"
"Falina is...well, I don't know if "okay" is the right word for it. Next time you see her I guess she can tell you."
Tears wavered in Carlos' eyes for a moment before he could not hold them in any longer. With tears on his face he hugged Sowari tightly. The ninja slowly responded by putting an arm around his friend. "I'm so glad!" Carlos sobbed.
Louis Abdul shook his head, "Stop it, Carlos. You're making me feel all sentimental."
"And I don't know about Kiisan- I mean, where he is right now. Just that he's out of the mountains," Sasshalai continued, "And I, uh, have a message for you," he looked at Han Li.
"Then let's hear it," the serious man responded.
"You'll get forgiven if you can find the best way to stop the imminent problem. That's what my father told me to tell you."
Yuki began to laugh, but Han Li's glance silenced him. "Then this problem is...?"
"I suppose I should say it this way. I have returned with information from my father. The Beast Rune is in the Golden Capital. And close to awakening. ...We cannot..." he trailed off.
Nolan squinted at the small messenger, "Beast Rune...I can't recall having heard of that one before."
"Would that we all could live without ever hearing of it," Han Li reflected, "Fear upon fear...the Beast Rune..."
The former second-in-command Imperial strategist, now once again second-in-command, Mitsu Riyadh awoke with a start. He trembled uncontrollably and quickly clasped his hands to lessen their violent shakes. Bishop San-Feng Li, ruler of the state of Kaimei, closed his book and came over to stand beside the bed where Mitsu rested. "Are you feeling any better?"
Mitsu gingerly touched a hand to his head and then realizing he was no longer wearing his yellow hat, looked around the room for it agitatedly. "Is this what you are looking for?" the bishop inquired, holding out the strategist's beloved hat.
"Yes, thank you." Mitsu did not put the hat on his head, however, but wrapped his arms around it. "I had a dream that I felt entirely well. I felt so healthy that I just got right up out of bed and ran off to see Sanada and Tej. I could run. It didn't take me long to find them. I rushed right up to them and yelled, "Lady Sanada! Lord Tej! Don't I look better?" But neither of them so much as turned my way. They couldn't hear me. Then it occurred to me: I had died..."
The tale gave the sandy-haired bishop a slight chill. He could only come up with a half-hearted, "That's really too bad," in response.
No one had paid too much attention to the man who had accompanied Xiu Kio to the rebel camp. And Kinold realized it when after hours of patience, the young man he liked so much did not return. There was nothing to be done except ask after the black-clad Imperial. Kinold led Shade, the temperamental horse, along behind him as he navigated his way to what appeared to be the main tent.
When he reached it he spoke sternly to Xiu Kio's horse, "Now you- don't go away anywhere. I don't want any trouble while we're in this rebel camp. I'm going to see if I can find your master, so wait right here."
Shade whinnied in what seemed like exasperation as Kinold slipped into the tent.
"I think our best bet would be the wooded roads at Rugcnul. It's close enough to Rupanda to give them a big scare and it's tactically sound. We'll lure them into following a portion of our force up the road towards-" Sanada broke off as Kinold entered, "Who are you?"
He suddenly averted his glance to look at his feet, "I'm Kinold...I came here with Xiu Kio, and I was sort of wondering...where is he?"
After asking, he ventured to turn his face back upward. Sanada began laughing. Tej grinned. Sita politely held her amusement back, holding a hand over her lips.
"Actually," Sanada started, still laughing somewhat, "He's our hostage now. As are you, I suppose. Rift! Okino! Come take this man to see his companion."
"Would he really?" Han Li asked softly.
Sasshalai smiled, "Do you think he would lie or tease you about it? No, of course not."
"Then I'll do my utmost. After all, that's the only thing a man can do."
"But you can do more than most men."
"Don't remind me," he groaned.
The boy from Klikk giggled as he wound the ends of some of the dandelions tighter into the wreath around his head.
"Stop it, Sassha."
"Sorry, I just can't help it. What do you think we can do? What's the best way to deal with the Beast Rune? ...Certainly not take it on right out."
The dusty man nodded, "I have to agree with that sentiment. I wouldn't like to have that blasted creature chewing on me anytime soon. ...It's just how could we restrain it?"
"Or maybe..." ventured Sasshalai, "Who could restrain it..."
The stars who I'm having the most trouble with placing are Han Li and Sasshalai, but here are some I'm sure about-
Tenkai- Kiisan
Tenki- Sanada Morin
Tenyu- Yuber
Tenmou- Tej K'aan
Tenki- Sita Katyana
Tensyo- Caio
Tenjyu- Falina
Tenken- Carlos
Tenzai- Yuki
Chikai- Mitsu Riyadh
Chii- Lucien
Chiki- Kichitsu
Chimou- Mekkachi
Chirei- Dr. Clark
Chikou- Junsuke
Chikyou- Sowari
Chifuku- Mio Silverberg
Chisu- Nolan
Chiin- Yuzumi