It did not take Houjun long to prepare the protection spell to cover the expanse of his study. Barely an hour had passed since he had witnessed the vision. Now it was time to gather his protected. He would waste no time tonight.
Sweeping out into the night sky from his balcony, he angled towards Miaka's house first. Extending his ki to make sure she was there, he found Tamahome there also and smiled slightly. He landed before her door and knocked, surprising even himself at his courtesy to his two protected. He did not want to walk in on a intimate situation between them.
Tamahome answered the door cautiously, throwing it wide open with a smile when he spotted Houjun on the step. "Chi... Houjun. Welcome, come in."
A blue eye brow rose at Tamahome's slip and the protector slipped into the room as Miaka greeted him warmly. "Houjun." He glanced down in surprise as she hugged him. "Would you like some supper?"
He shook his head and gently pulled Miaka from him. "No, I am gathering my protected at my castle. Come on." He caught the disappointed look in Miaka's eyes as she glanced back at the food laden table. He sighed. Waving a hand and muttering a spell in a language he still wasn't able to identify, or say how he came to this knowledge, the food instantly wrapped itself and prepared itself for travel.
The basket that carried the food rested upon the table and Tamahome grabbed it before looking at Houjun. "Ok, we are ready." The protector shook his head slightly in amusement before instructing them to head towards his castle and wait for him before the front doors. He would be along after he informed the others.
He continued along his backwards path. Nuriko and Hotohori were also together, making his job easier. The were sitting in Hotohori's backyard. He landed gracefully as they jerked apart from their snuggling. "Houjun." Nuriko's overjoyed voice made him smile slightly before he turned fully towards them, schooling his features into neutrality. "Head towards my castle immediately." Both protected glanced at each other and then nodded. Hotohori rose gracefully, pulling Nuriko to his feet as well. "We will leave immediately, Houjun."
The blue haired man nodded and rose slowly into the air. "Wait for me at the front door of Ri Castle."
With that he was gone, headed towards Mitsukake's office. He swept into the building, startling not only Chiriko, who was studying at a desk, but a few unworthy's. Mitsukake glanced up from where he was helping a pregnant woman down from an examination table as Houjun swept into the back portion of the office.
The woman gulped and darted out the door of the office, as had the others upon Houjun's arrival. Houjun saw that Mitsukake was displeased with his entrance and met the doctor's unhappy expression with a cold glare in his eyes. Whatever the doctor was going to say was held within and Houjun nodded. "The two of you are to go to my castle now, without delay. Wait for me at the front door." With that he turned and strode out the door, not giving either time to disagree with him.
He launched into the air, flying rapidly towards his final. As soon as he had left Miaka and Tamahome, he had wanted to fly straight to Genrou and not let him go. To protect the redhead had been pulling at him from the moment the vision hit. However, he had known that Miaka's protection should come first, for whatever reason his psyche had decided.
He had decided to stay true to his course and now, finally, he was allowed to get Genrou. Houjun swooped down towards Genrou's house and extended his ki, easily locating the flame aura of his favored. The redhead was alone in his room. Houjun paused at the window, refraining from knocking as he regarded the man on the bed.
Tasuki's form was stretched out comfortably on his bed, eyes closed and foot tapping along to whatever music was playing in his mind. An affectionate smile flitted across Houjun's lips and he raised his hand to knock on the window. He noted the small opening of Genrou's eyes, before the redhead sat up and bolted towards his window at amazing speeds. "Houjun."
The breathless delight in that voice sent shivers down Houjun's spine and he held a hand to his protected. "Genrou."
He felt his heart lighten as Tasuki slipped his hand into Houjun's grasp and the blue haired man lightly tugged on the hand, pulling a willing Genrou from the room. "We are meeting the others at my castle."
The two walked silently out of the yard that surrounded Genrou's home and towards the Ri Castle, and were headed down the otherwise silent street when Genrou spoke. "Everyone is going to the castle?"
Houjun nodded, not letting go of Genrou's hand. "Yes, all my protected are gathering there." He gave an impatient tug on Genrou's arm and lifted into the sky. Firey wings unfurled and Genrou lifted off into the air as well. It was Houjun's power of flight that got the two airborne, although Genrou's wings were adequate enough to keep himself aloft on the wind currents as they winged towards the castle. Not once did Houjun let go of Genrou's hand.
The others were just arriving at the castle as they swooped out of the air and landed lightly before them. Houjun reluctantly let go of Genrou's hand and with the wave of his hand, the doors of the castle opened. The others followed him inside, timidly, and he led them down many passages until he arrived before the door of his study. He pulled open the doors and let them inside.
He read the surprise on them at the decor of the study. Rich woods and soft, fluffy couches and chairs were gathered before the large fireplace. Off in a corner sat a large desk, and bookcases, filled to the brim, were along every wall.
He turned towards Tamahome and gestured from the basket. The warrior handed it over and with a sweep of his hand, Houjun cleared the low coffee table in the sitting area and used his powers to lay out the feast.
He turned back towards the others and was surprised by the hope that shone from all their faces. "What?"
Genrou spoke softly. "Your powers..." Houjun glanced back to the table. "It's nothing."
Chiriko shook his head. "Do you remember?" Houjun turned a cold gaze to his youngest. "Remember what?"
Miaka's voice was as hopeful as her face. "Remember being Chichiri, Konan, the Universe of the Four Gods."
At her words, Houjun's head swam and familiarity flowed through him. However he shook his head and coldly pronounced that he did not know what they were talking of. With these words he swept from the room, needing to escape the hurt look that had crossed all their faces, most especially Miaka and Genrou's.
Houjun retreated to his balcony, his favorite spot, and gazed at the lighted city below. Tomorrow, if his vision came to pass, the city would be in ruins. Was it enough to bring his protected here? Why should he care about the others below. Whether that pregnant woman's unborn child would ever have a future.
A low growl sounded in his chest as he spun, hearing a soft voice behind him. "Houjun?"
He stared in the rich amber eyes of Tasuki. In that moment, he saw Tasuki's wings disappear and a metal handle rise over his right shoulder. The view of Tasuki became skewwed, as if seeing him from only one eye. The clothes on his warrior changed as well. Before he could place the strange style that seemed so familiar the vision faded and he gasped, rubbing his left eye.
He felt Genrou's gentle hands touch the one he used to rub his eye. "Chichiri lost that eye in a flood." Houjun dropped his hand and stared at his protected, as Genrou continued. "We believe you are Chichiri's reincarnated form, Houjun. Let me help you remember."
Some acceptance must have shown in Houjun's eyes, for he was almost instantly in Genrou's grasp, drowning in the taste and feel of Tasuki's lips upon his.