Kanbei hated lying, but when it wouldn't attract attention, it was nessacary. By now everyone knew who Shimada Kanbei was; how could they not, considering it was partially his doing that they no longer lived under the rule of the Amanushi? He had traded in his old clothes for new ones that blended in more and had cut his hair, effectivly getting rid of how most people would identify him.
It felt weird being able to feel the wind against the back of his neck.
He searched Kougakyo for work for a solid week before giving up. There was no work to be had in the bustling city for a samurai. There were other cities scattered about; he had visited a few before, and knew that there would most likely be work there. He left the city that held far too many memories behind and headed east through the desert, remembering a map of the continent in his head. Yes, there would be a city that way. There, stories of his exploits with the other six would most likely be just that, stories. He shrugged his new cloakover his shoulders and started out.
'It seems like I'm back to wandering...'
Kyuuzou's body gave out from beneath him and he lay on the rocky ground that he had met after leaving the forest behind. He had, to all purposes, nearly starved himself. He had resolutely given a wide bearth to any human settlements, depriving himself of the emotions that his new self fed off of, and had been moving without rest, not giving his mind time to recover. He ignored the demon's attempts to make him stop, and it was only from sheer exhaustion that had caused him to stop. He found a small cave and curled up in it, and allowed himself to succumb to the numbness brought on by pushing himself too hard for too long.
Kyuuzou's dream self stirred and shook his head.
What was that murmuring?
He tried to be as quiet as possible, and focused on the muffled words. Slowly they came into focus and as he listened, his eyes widened.
Just as it seemed that the demon could sense Kyuuzou's thoughts when he was awake, it appeared that Kyuuzou could hear the demon's when he was asleep.
'So that's why he wanted me to rest. So that I wouldn't fall asleep...'
It was a painful realization to find that he was once again just being used as a means to an end.
'It seems I can't even escape that in the afterlife.'
He listened closely, and, for the first time in his life,was actively horrified and disgusted. It was only when he heard something that made him want to snarl did hewake up.
Kyuuzou's body was in motion long before his mind registered.
'I must find Kanbei.'
He was on his feet and following his instincts within moments . He knew that,for once, the demon wouldn't dissaprove of his going to find Kanbei. After all, it's what it wanted as well.
He looked up at the sky and gained his bearings. He was heading east.
Why? Kougakyo wasn't that way.
Perhaps Kanbei had left it.
That was simultaneously convienet and frustrating. Convienent because he didn't have to risk being recognized by someone, frustrating because he wouldn't know the lay of the city and land. But that was mostly inconsequential. He knew that as he traveled, he would find himself forced more and more to kill people that went against every guiding idea he had. He'd do it, though. He'd swallow his pride and objections, just to placate that which was controling him. Why?
So that when the time came, he'd have enough strength in him to protect Kanbei.