The first part of this looked like it could turn into a Shouta fic… I surprised myself. XD Don't worry, it didn't stay that way! This was a fun chapter to write. And again, any Soi & Ashitare ideas? On another quick note, I had this written up the day after I put up the first chapter, but the next day I got an eyeful of a motorcycle accident- it was a deep reminder of mortality. So th next chapters might spin back to the serious side.

Though he didn't start out as friendly, I much preferred Suboshi's company over Nakago's. Once again, he didn't look back at me, and was moving so quickly I had to struggle to keep up.

"Is this who you mentioned, Nakago?" a slithering voice came from in front of us, but I couldn't find a face to go with it.

"He knew I was coming?" I said, while still looking around for the voice's source.

"I asked earlier if he would like your company," he replied.

"And I was quite intrigued," a pair of lips appeared and said, and from behind them the figure of a face began to show. However, it was layered in stripes of makeup, so it took me by surprise. "Which one were you, little boy? Nuriko?"

"No, I'm Chiriko…"

"Chiriko," he lifted a hand with long finger nails to hold my chin and get a good look at my face, much to my discomfort. "What a pity to die so young," he licked his lips a little, which made me even more uncomfortable.

"Nakago?" I eyed him, pleadingly. It was stupid of me to think he would assist me.

"Chiriko, this is Tomo," he said, and didn't seem at all concerned that Tomo looked like he would eat me. "You met him in the desert, as I understand."

"Indeed you did," he let go and stood back a little. "Do you recognize me?"

I would have remembered the face makeup if I had seen it before, but I looked harder. The shape of his face… and his name… I had seen and heard them while we were in that illusion of the city. "You were… the waitress?"

"Waitress?" he laughed. "If that's how you'd like to remember me, then I won't argue."

"That's not what I meant!" I stepped back a little. I started wishing that I had never left with Nakago in the first place. I looked back at him again, and he had an interested expression.

"Enjoy yourselves. Once again, I'll be back later to collect you," he said and started to fade off into the distance again.

"Nakago!" I called his name and stretched my hand out after him. "Nakago, come back!"

A cackle interrupted my yelling and the bony hand rested on my shoulder. "How sweet, yelling for Nakago. Do you enjoy his company?"

"I didn't mean…" I tried to back away from him.

"I'm sure you'll learn to enjoy my company, too," he smiled widely and swung an arm around me to lead me off with him. I remembered those records of perverted men who would take children and do terrible things to them, and my imagination sailed in all different directions of what he could possibly intend to do with me.

To my surprise, he lead me into a large tent and had me sit down in the dark, and then left my side. I nervously looked around and felt for a way out, when lights turned on suddenly, and loud music began to fill the area. I looked back at the center of the tent, where an enormous animal lifted a young woman on to it's back, with what looked like it would be it's nose. It flapped it's wide ears, and reminded me that I had read about such an amazing creature back when I was younger. A "giraffe," was it?

In front of the "giraffe", there were children bending their bodies in almost inhuman ways. It looked intensely painful. Off in the corner, a few men had faces painted similar to Tomo's, and were clearing their voices. I couldn't make sense of it right away, so I began to assume Tomo had brought me to hell.

Speak of the devil, he appeared from behind me with a cackle. "I thought you would be impressed."

"What is this place?" I asked over the blaring music.

"You've never seen a circus?" he raised his eyebrows. "What a wasted childhood. It's my pleasure to make this your first one."

"A circus…?" I looked back at the action. "Then these are performers?"

"They certainly are, and they've gotten much better since I last saw them. You see that girl on the elephant? She was barely able to approach it when I was still performing here."

"Oh, an elephant," I looked back it, and the girl happily standing on top of it. "You were a performer here, Tomo?"

"I was one of the best performers here," he closed his eyes proudly.

"Did you use your illusions for it?"

"No, I can perform without the help of Seiryuu. I was a singer," he grew a very big, very content smile. He finally looked back at me with one eye. "You seem surprised."

"I am," I said with my eyes wide open.

"But when I left to go join Nakago, they replaced me with that little stub over there. Fools, thinking that being fat means you can hit lower notes."

"I see," I lied. "So this is where you've been since you died?"

"No, I've been in other places as well. I'm here today for you," he smiled widely at me again. My previous fears sparked back up.

"Why me?" I half asked him, half pleaded with the Gods about my situation.

"Because former enemy or not, you're a child," his voice grew stern. "And you're going to enjoy it. Understood?" Without thinking, I nodded that I understood. Gaining his smile again, Tomo continued. "People aren't taking children to enjoy the circus anymore, and I think that's the source of this world's problems."

"Source of this world's problems?" I raised an eyebrow, somewhat entertained by this idea.

"Yes. When I was a just a little boy and saw the circus for my first time. My eyes were opened and I was able to let my imagination awake. The people who burn down unfortunate villages were never able to imagine any other way to take care of their problems."

"You say this," I replied, "but you tried to kill all of us."

"Slowly and without you knowing it. It was more creative of me," he corrected me. "Besides, we're both dead now, so this isn't the time to hold a grudge against me. Now sit down and enjoy yourself."

Tomo was right about my enjoying the circus. It certainly is something I wish I would have seen as a younger child. The elephant was even more impressive than I had ever imagined it, but perhaps my mind was limited to imagining smaller things.

The children finished performing their acrobatics when the short, stout man Tomo had pointed out earlier stepped into the very center of the tent, and cleared his throat to sing. Some of the lights were dimmed so more focus was on him, and Tomo tapped my shoulder and whispered to me, "The real entertainment is when I come in."

He disappeared at that moment, but I didn't think much of it as the man began to sing. His voice was very deep and filled the entire tent as he let a few notes take their time coming out of his mouth. However, one note was rudely interrupted by the sound of a bird squawking. The performers were as surprised as I was, but none where as surprised as the singer, who immediately stopped and put his hands to his mouth. A few of the children giggled, but he shrugged it off and continued trying to sing. The squawking started again.

By this time, I figured out that it must have been Tomo's doing. As mean as it was, I wondered what he would do next- as I sooner found out. All of the lights wear shut off suddenly, and then a bright red light filled the middle of the tent where the man was standing. A deep voice that resembled his singing then began to speak.

"All you performers who have been graced with my presence," it said, "I bestow on you now the blessing of Suzaku." The performers began to ooh and aah. The light burned down to reveal a small, round, glowing man in only a loin cloth, but decorated in a chicken's beak and large red wings. He had an obviously displeased expression on his face as the glowing subsided.

"Squawk," he said.

Though it was blasphemy against my patron God, I couldn't help but laugh with the rest of performers. The singer-turned-Suzaku tried to yell something in defense, but all that came out as he flapped his wings around was more squawking. He finally left in frustration, the tent regained it's usual ambience, and I wiped away the tears of laughter.

Tomo reappeared behind me, looking very pleased with himself and pocketing a little shell. "What did you think?" he cackled.

"That was very, very clever," I complimented his work.

"Oh, I know I was clever," he toned down his silliness. "But that's not what I asked. What did you think of the circus?"

He seemed genuinely concerned about other children enjoying the circus that he held so dear. I wanted to say something that wasn't too cliché, but I did. "It made me very happy. I wish…" I trailed off as our surroundings became dark. "I wish I could have seen more."

He stayed silent for a moment, but finally closed his eyes and smiled. "You can," he put one of his fingernails to my forehead. "Go think of it."

I was a little surprised, but understood. "Thank you."

"You can take him back now, Nakago," he said, and at that instant, the general appeared from behind him.

"Are you ready to go now, Chiriko?" he turned and looked over his shoulder, signally me to follow. I nodded and stepped past Tomo to follow him to who knows where.

"Come back any time," was the last I heard from him as we pressed forward.