Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yuugi.

Author's Notes: I'd like to continue to extend my gratitude to Roku Kyu for beta-reading this chapter. Many thanks, Boss Lady!

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Aosuwa, Sairou

"You aren't going anywhere," Shiori said flatly.

"But we can't stay here," Miaka insisted.

"Look at your ship!" Shiori pointed out. "There are holes in your deck and hull, your sails are all charred and ripped, and one of your masts needs to be repaired. You can't leave, not because I'm trying to keep you from wherever it is you want to go, but because your ship wouldn't last two minutes back at sea."

Upon taking a better look at the massive vessel from the outside, the Suzaku Seishi had to admit that she was right. Soi's lightning blasts had come through the multiple levels of the boat, leaving huge holes clearly visible on the outer hull. Nuriko's pulse quickened when he realized how close they came to being shipwrecked at sea.

"More delays, no da," Chichiri sighed. "What else could go wrong?"

'Don't say that!' Shonin scolded him. 'Or else something else will go wrong!'

"Be that as if may, welcome to Aosuwa!" Shiori said proudly. "It's one of the largest coastal cities of Sairou. You guys will be moored here for a while, but you're lucky. A lot of carpenters and shipwrights live here, so I'm sure your ship can be repaired relatively quickly. In the meantime, you'll have great company." Shiori winked at the Seishi, and only Nuriko had the energy to smile back.

Shiori was a lively young woman who stood two inches taller than Nuriko himself, and was built strongly and solidly. She wore a forest green dress with extensive gold trimming, and a long multi-colored sash encircled her waist. Her hair was bound in a traditional headscarf, though a few unruly burgundy strands fell through.

The Suzaku group couldn't have picked a better helping hand. Introductions had been made once they reached safe grounds, and Shiori's response to their usage of Seishi names had simply been to raise an eyebrow in unspoken questioning.

And once they arrived at the bustling city, Nuriko was ready to fall asleep on his feet.

My god, I can't believe it's only been an hour since Miaka and I were attacked. Gods, I feel like I've aged a hundred years.

"If you do not mind me asking, what are we to do now?" Chiriko asked Shiori.

"Come on back with me to the Mizu House. It's the place where traveling Seishi can set themselves up for a few nights."

"I'll wait here and discuss repairs and costs with the workers," Mitsukake said, taking a large bag of coins from a chest. "Chiriko, if you wouldn't mind staying with me, this will be good bartering practice for you." The boy agreed, and so only Miaka and the other Seishi-ketsu pairs went with Shiori.

As they walked through the town, the Suzaku Seishi drank in the unique sights and sounds. None of them had visited Sairou before, so this experience was profoundly enjoyed. Aosuwa was not quite half as big as Eiyou, but there was a great bustling of energy wherever they went, with the scent of the sea and freshly cooked fish rising through the air. Jovial street vendors attempted to sell their goods to the foreign Seishi, who were overwhelmed by the unique wares being sold. Nuriko and Miaka stopped for a while to admire a collection of glass sculptures and jewelry while Tasuki tried to wheedle a few taste-tests of expensive Sairou sake from a dubious merchant.

Shiori was also forced to stop more than once. Many people they passed seemed well acquainted with the Byakko Seishi, and they all seemed to need help settling private matters.

"How do you manage for find any peace and quiet?" Miaka asked. "It's almost as if they can't do without you."

Shiori shrugged as she waved off her fourth petitioner. "I'm the only Seishi in town. A small number of traveling Seishi come through every now and then, but they almost always leave as soon as they arrive. So I'm the Seishi these people rely on for a lot of things. Anyway, here's home!"

The Mizu House – simply and aptly named – was a respectably sized building at the edge of one of the sea's many inlets. It was a simple double-story building that looked like it would easily host all the Suzaku pilgrims. Stepping inside, Nuriko was surprised to see a large pool of water built into the floor. He bent down to examine the pond.

"That's for the ketsu," Shiori said, noting his interest.

"Why would the ketsu need this?"

"Land ketsu don't, but the water ones do. This allows them access into the house from the sea, so that they can spend time with us Seishi. See?" At that moment, a four-foot-long sea otter swam in and popped her head out. Nuriko slightly recoiled back from the pond as Tairako greeted Shiori with a nose-kiss.

"Wow… she's a big girl."

With a wicked grin, Shiori said, "She's cute and sweet and I'll bet she's tamer than you." She laughed heartily and said, "Anyway, it's pretty convenient for Seishi."

"I'll bet," he agreed, and then grinned evilly. "Hey, Tasuki. We could go swimming and I could save your ass again."

"Fuck you, girly-boy!"

Shiori stood up and turned away from the pool. "So… I'm going to ask you something very sensitive, and I know you're probably not going to like it, but… what was going on out there?" she asked, looking specifically at Chichiri.

"On the ship, no da? We were attacked. You saw that, and came to help us."

"Well, see… generally, I take it that the people being attacked are the ones I need to help. But that's not always true. Sometimes the people being attacked kind of deserve it."

"You thinkin' we deserved to be attacked by that fucked up Seiryuu Seishi?" Tasuki demanded, turning from his almost-brawl with Nuriko. Both walked to Chichiri's side, more than ready to defend each other.

"No, but I need you tell me as much as you can about what was going on when you were on your ship," Shiori said slowly, holding her hands up in a placating manner. "I don't really care about why you were at sea, but I need to make sure I didn't help the wrong person or people."

Miaka blurted out, "We're going to Hokkan on a diplomatic mission in order to make an alliance and hopefully get a favor from the Genbu Chosen. We're the good guys."

Shiori's mouth dropped. "Oh, that's bad."

Tasuki whacked Miaka over the head. "BAKA! Ya don't go around tellin' everyone that! Gonna get us in big fuckin' trouble or somethin'!"

"I'm sorry!" she wailed repentantly.

Tairako's voice was extremely unsettled as white light flickered from her brow. 'Alliance? Chosen? How much of this can you tell us?'

'None,' groaned Kohana. 'Our Miko has a big mouth, and all this is confidential!'

"Confidential isn't always the best way to go," Shiori retorted, then put a hand over her eyes. "How…. Okay, backing up a step or two, have you been keeping up with the news from Hokkan?"

"Yeah! Well… no, not really," Nuriko admitted.

Tairako said, 'Then you're heading to disaster, and you're not prepared for it.'

'Tell me we're not going into a war-torn country,' Genrou said.

"You're not gonna like what I tell you," Shiori replied, not answering the wolf.

Nuriko watched Chichiri's face and knew the elder man was thinking the same thing he was. We want to get Miaka out of here. Not only did she drop that extremely sensitive bit of information without consideration, but she might be totally unable to deal with what Shiori tells us. And we can't sit here and pacify Miaka while trying to hold a discussion. Maybe if there was something that could distract her…

Food!

The Priest beat him to the idea. "Miaka-chan, would you be terribly upset if I asked you to go out and eat, no da?"

"Eat!"

"Yes, no da. It's been almost three hours since our last meal, and I know how weak you get without regular sustenance, no da," he said, pulling out a small bag of coins. "Your sensitive palate will help us decide where to eat later, no da."

Miaka gladly took the proffered pouch. "Shun-kun, come with me."

"Why the hell you asking me! Take Ry… Nuru… ah, fuck it! Get the purple-haired asshole ta go with; you girls are always stickin' together!"

Nuriko felt a vein throb in his forehead, and expertly punched Tasuki through an open window. Satisfied with his work, he said to Miaka, "Tasuki is ready to go now."

Miaka skipped outside with Genrou in tow.

Once he was sure of their privacy, Nuriko turned back to Shiori. "The fact of the matter is that we can't really talk about what's going on. I can tell you that the attack from the Seiryuu woman was unprovoked, if that's what you're still looking at."

As Shiori opened her mouth, Tairako cut in. 'As Subaru Judges, it is part of our duty to follow the law and dispense justice. We just want to know about the fight, not point fingers at the wrong party. It'll help us understand why you're going to Hokkan, and maybe help you understand why you're being fought so hard at every turn.'

"It could take a while to explain, no da."

"Fine by me. Care to sit down?" Politely taking seats around a dining table while the ketsu spread about the room, Shiori spoke again. "So tell me. What's going on?"

Nuriko was glad that Chichiri chose to speak for them. He not only told Shiori about the battle with Kaen, but also about the multiple confrontations with Kutou-jin enemies they had faced over the past few months. Nuriko felt his eyes grow hot when the Priest recalled Kishuku's death, and the former simply bowed his head to hide the evidence.

Never stops hurting…

"So you see, it's not simply one isolated event, no da," Chichiri said. "We have not affronted any of the Kutou-jin or Seiryuu Seishi as they have done to us."

"Wow," Shiori breathed. "Just… wow. By Byakko's fangs, I had no idea that tension was so high between the two countries."

"And what about Sairou and Hokkan? You've already expressed your difference of opinion towards us traveling there; why?" Nuriko asked.

"You just picked a really poor time to sight-see Hokkan. And there's stuff that you obviously don't know about that should be common knowledge."

"Same as how the Kutou-Konan conflict should be common knowledge?" the violet-haired Seishi said sardonically. Shiori favored him with a dry look.

"Tell us, no da," Chichiri said firmly.

"First off, I've heard that almost all of the Chosen Genbu Seishi have been found. How many have you heard?"

"Six," Nuriko answered. "Or at least that's what it was five days ago."

"That's not changed recently. I don't know why they haven't found the seventh, but there has to be some problem. They've had six Seishi for over two months now."

"But why are you so worried about us going to Hokkan?" Nuriko asked.

"Well, that was the least bad of the news I'll give you," she said sardonically.

"How, no da?"

Tairako jumped in. 'As far as we can tell, Hokkan's falling apart. If they can find the seventh Seishi, they have a chance of pulling themselves together. But if they can't… then Hokkan could very well fall into civil war.'

Kohana sounded very puzzled. 'I thought Hokkan was a thriving country. It's got so many people and a ton of resources. The emperor isn't a particularly nice man, but he is good at keeping the economy strong.'

"Yeah, it looks that way on paper. But it's because the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer."

"I see," Chichiri murmured. "Can you explain any further? Why is this happening?"

"The emperor of Hokkan has this…," and Shiori gestured vaguely. "Think of the biggest, meanest gang you know, and give it about few thousand members. This is a gang with a bunch of bosses who rule a certain amount of area, and together they rule Hokkan, with the emperor as the head. Pretend they go around beating people up that don't work hard enough by the emperor's standards, or don't tithe enough of their money on a monthly basis. Also pretend that the gangs go around spying on everyone, working towards the good of themselves rather than the good of the country."

"That's what's going on in Hokkan!" Chichiri said, his eyes wide.

"Heh, you haven't heard the half of it. Now, pretend all the gang members are Seishi."

"Holy shit!" Nuriko said, jumping up. "You're not serious!"

"Do I look like I'd joke about this?"

Chichiri was visibly shaken, and that made Nuriko more nervous. "The Emperor has convinced Seishi to use their talents for evil, no da?"

"Beats the hell outta me how he convinced them to do what they're doing," Shiori said. "But I've heard enough news over the past six months to believe almost everything the Hokkan-jin sailors say."

"You're sure they're telling the truth and not stretching it?"

"Maybe; maybe not. All that I know is that most – if not all – of the Warrior Seishi of Genbu are working for the emperor in this fashion, and a whole lot of the new Genbu Seishi are being inducted into the Center as Warriors. He's got his own little army, and it's getting bigger. Which leads to the civil war issue – there are Seishi that have chosen not to join the army, and they are trying to build a resistance to the emperor's power with normal people and other Seishi. All this rising tension could explode if you guys do the wrong thing while in Hokkan."

"We're so screwed," Nuriko whispered, falling back down.

"So what can you tell me? I mean, I know you're Suzaku Seishi...," and Shiori trailed off, expecting someone to continue. Chichiri and Nuriko made no motion to say anything, so Kohana saved them.

'Can we have some time to discuss what's appropriate and what's not?'

"Of course. Give me a minute, and you'll get some privacy," Shiori said as she walked to the small pool. Checking to make sure Tairako was out of harm's way, Shiori dove in. She shifted a hair's breadth away from the water's surface, her otter form cutting through it with enviable grace. Nuriko was duly impressed; not a drop of water splashed onto the floor.

"Very convenient," Chichiri said under his breath, looking at the waterway until the ripples had all died away.

"We need to tell her we're the Chosen Suzaku," Nuriko said bluntly. "A Seiryuu Seishi attacking a bunch of Suzaku Seishi is bad, but a Chosen Seiryuu attacking a boatful of Chosen Suzaku is grounds for war."

'Overall, we should just have care for what is said. I doubt anyone here is going to start naming towns and military strategies, but as long as we are circumspect, things should be fine,' Shonin said. 'I'll call Tairako back if there's nothing else to discuss.'

Minutes later, two sea otters popped their heads up from the pool. One climbed out, shook herself dry, and finally shifted into Shiori.

"So what have you decided?"

"When we use the word confidential, we don't throw the word around to sound pretentious, no da. It has to do with us keeping safe and alive. Could you keep what we say as private as possible, no da?"

"I have to tell my Emperor and the Headmaster about this, but yes, I can do as you ask."

"If we tell you this, do not spread this information to anyone if you can possibly avoid it, no da."

Shiori nodded.

"The six of us make up the Chosen Suzaku Seishi and the Chosen Suzaku no Miko, no da. We're going to Hokkan as a show of Konan's good will."

"… Five Seishi and a loud-mouthed Miko?"

Nuriko tried not to laugh. "Yes, Suzaku bless her heart."

"Only five, though? I know the Chosen Seishi principle, but why aren't you bringing ten Seishi for backup? Or even twenty?"

"Having just the six of us Chosen Seishi – er, the five of us – it's supposed to be a show of trust, which is why we only brought normal Konan soldiers. If we came in with an army of Seishi, it could be seen as really aggressive and we can't afford to lose any potential allies at the moment. We need all the help we can get, with Kutou breathing down our necks," Nuriko explained.

"Now it looks like we could have used the army, no da," Chichiri said wryly.

Though Nuriko tried to cover up his slip, the Byakko pair still picked up on it. 'You said six before. Why are there only you five Seishi and your Miko?'

'Our Chosen Tamahome passed away less than a week ago,' Kohana said, trying her best for neutrality and failing.

Shiori frowned. "You mentioned losing Kishuku. So he was…?"

Chichiri nodded. "He was our Chosen Tamahome Seishi." A moment of silence passed, and Shiori's expression softened.

"I'm sorry. It doesn't help much, but I am."

"Thank you," Nuriko murmured.

Tairako gently moved the conversation. 'So do you have the last one? I mean, are there only five found?'

"No, the sixth is not hidden from us, but that person can't be spared from their duties, no da," Chichiri said, purposefully being vague. "I won't explain further, for it could endanger that person."

Another brief communication between the Byakko pair, and Tairako said, '…I hate to tell you this, but you need more help.'

Shonin asked, 'Help? As in, help from you?'

'No, we're Byakko Seishi. While we can certainly get you to our capital and presented to our emperor, we can't accompany you to Hokkan without taking a strong political stance.'

'So what are you suggesting?' Kohana queried.

"We're suggesting you can't go in with just five Suzaku Seishi," Shiori said. "But I'll bet more Suzaku Seishi could go with you."

"You mean replace our two 'missing' Seishi?" Nuriko said slowly, his mouth slightly agape as he caught Shiori's meaning.

Tairako nodded. 'There's no replacing the Chosen Seishi, but you don't have to tell them that your two new Seishi aren't Chosen ones. This is all about power – and keeping ahead of the others who will kill anyone with less.'

Chichiri studied the Byakko duo. "You bring up a very, very good point that I don't believe any of us thought of, or wanted to think of, before. However, this doesn't help; we are far enough away from Konan where we can't simply walk back and retrieve two Seishi, no da."

"Your ship is riddled with holes, you know; you'll be stuck here for a few days anyway to have it repaired. Who's to say they can't come to you?"

Nuriko gave her a look that was full of respect. "You've thought of everything. Well then, let's do it. Let's try sending for two Seishi; I'm all for getting more back-up."

But Shiori shook her head. "No, you need to only ask for one."

"But you just said we needed both!" he practically yelled.

'She said you needed both. You should only ask for one, because we can give you one.'

Kohana vocalized everyone's shock. 'Oh. Really.'

"There's one we know living about three or so days away in Daijiin – in northern Sairou. We met when she came up from Konan a couple of years ago, and she never went back. You're going to need a few days for the boat and a few days for the other Seishi to come from Konan, so if you ask her now there won't be a larger delay in traveling."

The two Suzaku Seishi paused. "Awfully convenient, no da," Chichiri said.

Shiori shrugged. "Maybe the gods' hands are poking at us more often than we know."

"Perhaps, no da," he said. "But to be honest, this is not a decision that is strictly mine or Nuriko's to make. We need to talk this over with our fellow Seishi, no da."

"Just try and let me know by tonight whether or not you want me to call her."

"Will do," Nuriko said, standing up. "So if you don't mind, we're going to go talk somewhere private."

"I'm not insulted," Shiori said, bowing politely to him. "This is a matter between Suzaku Seishi, and I wouldn't intrude. As I said, just let me know how you feel as soon as possible. I'll be here if you need anything."

She walked the two Chosen Seishi pairs to the door, and they followed Genrou's mental link to Miaka and Tasuki. The group waited while Miaka finished her meal – Tasuki was attempting to extract the tablecloth and his portion of the meal from her enthusiastic jaws – before heading back to the ship. After pulling Mitsukake and Chiriko away from their discussion with the shipwrights, they went into the deepest, most private section of the ship. Once settled down, Chichiri removed a mirror from his bag.

"Before I explain what we discussed, it would be best to update Saihitei-san, no da," Chichiri said, putting the mirror in his lap. "Since I'm holding the connection open, you five will need to talk to him, no da. Also, the ketsu can't mind-speak over such a large distance, so if any of them speaks, please tell Saihitei-san what they say." He whispered a quick spell over the mirror's surface, and Nuriko's eyes widened as he saw the face of Konan's Emperor looking back at them.

"Whoa!" Tasuki exclaimed. "That's fuckin' cool, Chichiri!"

"Nice to see you as well, Shun'u," Saihitei said with amusement.

"Sorry to interrupt you in the middle of a court session, Saihitei-sama," Chiriko said, and Nuriko took conscious note of Saihitei's regalia and the murmuring of voices in the background.

"It is nothing compared to what I may hear from the Chosen Suzaku Seishi," he said, throwing a quick, stern look over the mirror's edge. Nuriko smiled when he heard the voices die away. "How are you faring?"

Mitsukake sighed. "Not well, heika. You may want to sit down for this."

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"So what Shiori-san suggested was that you replace Kishuku and myself with two other people who share our sei symbols?" Saihitei said, his normally cool countenance now extremely shaken.

"Pretty much," Nuriko shrugged.

Tasuki's reaction summed up everyone's feelings. "WHAT THE FUCKIN' HELL! Ain't no fuckin' way I agree to that! We don't need any new Seishi, and you're an asshole for even thinkin' about doin' it!" he roared, pointing accusingly at Nuriko.

"Shun, this isn't about Kishuku, or about being disloyal to him any way," he said bluntly. "This is about being strong in front of a bunch of people who'll kill us if we so much as cough."

"I ain't gonna say 'yes' to bringin' in a couple of outsiders!"

Tasuki's anger was palpable, radiating the sense of betrayal to Kishuku. Even Mitsukake, the most pragmatic of the group, looked unsettled. Nuriko didn't have the heart or energy to argue with anyone; he couldn't deny that part of him was feeling the same as his brother.

"I think…," Miaka said softly "that it's not a bad idea. It's just… it'll feel wrong to have someone who's not Kishuku or Saihitei traveling with us."

And that's the other problem, Nuriko sighed. It might be nice to have a good front for the Hokkan emperor, but if we don't really act like we're together, he's not going to believe it.

"We have a choice, though," Saihitei said into the tense silence. "We do not have to do this. It was simply a suggestion."

"Shitty suggestion if ya ask me."

Nuriko badly wanted to beat the redhead, but before he could resort to violence, Mitsukake spoke. "Tasuki, you need to stop. Whatever you are thinking is not born of logic, but born of pain and emotions," Mitsukake cut him off, though he did not speak unkindly. "Do you really think that bringing in a new Tamahome Seishi will make Kishuku any less important in our memories?"

Tasuki scowled. "Ain't no one kin replace Ki-kun."

"And we're not saying that he or she will. But you didn't answer the question."

After a few moments of surprisingly silent deliberation, Tasuki's shoulders fell. "No."

Again, a stressful quiet fell. None of the Seishi would speak, and even Saihitei seemed unwilling to take control.

'We should do it.'

The Seishi turned to find the source of the mind-voice, and saw that the ketsu had formed a small cluster on the outskirts of the room. Tama stepped forward.

'Ryuuen's right. This isn't about us; it's never been about us. It's about our titles and the role we play in saving the country. We are warriors – Seishi – and if we want to summon Suzaku, we have to do things we don't want to. It's the burden we must carry. To give us a better chance of receiving a wish from the Genbu Seishi, we need all the help we can get. Even if it means replacing Kishuku and Saihitei.'

Chiriko looked at the mirror. "Saihitei-sama… do you feel your honor be insulted if we bring a different Hotohori Seishi with us?"

Saihitei majestically lifted his chin. "We will not. Whoever comes to help will be acting in our stead, and will no doubt act as such before the Seishi of Hokkan."

"Then we'll do it!" Miaka said, eagerly jumping up. "We'll get some help and we'll definitely get a wish from the Chosen Genbu Seishi."

"Are we all in agreement?" Mitsukake asked, looking pointedly at Tasuki.

"Ah, fuck," he sighed. "Yeah, I guess when ya put it like that, 'sall right with me. But whoever we get better not fuck around with me."

"I'm sure we'll have no problem with them," Nuriko said wryly. "It's you I'm more worried about."

"Anything left to say, no da?" Chichiri asked tightly. "I can't hold the spell for much longer."

"We'll do our best here, Saihitei-san," Mitsukake said, bowing to the mirror. "Good luck in Konan."

"And to you too. Suzaku guide your steps," Saihitei replied before fading away.

Miaka looked around at her Seishi. "Now what?"

"Chiriko and I have taken care of most of the ship's maintenance issues," Mitsukake said. "The sailors, and some of the soldiers, are going to help with repairs, so the estimated time of completion is about five days. Six if something goes wrong, but we've got enough helping hands to make this work."

"Shiori-san showed us the place we'll be staying at, no da," Chichiri said, putting away the mirror. "We should bring all our necessary equipment back there and send out the call for the Hotohori Seishi. Then we should find someplace to eat for those of us that need to, no da. And, I'm sorry to repeat this so much, but try to remember that we should call each other by our sei."

Minutes later they arrived at the Mizu House; Tasuki's violent stomps proclaimed their arrival through the house. "Okay Shiori," he yelled. "Get us a fuckin' Tamahome Seishi! And he better be good!"

"She," Shiori said, coming out from her room. "Just give me a moment to send out the word. Your rooms are on the second floor if you want to put your things away while I get ready."

They settled themselves in and returned downstairs to see Shiori with Tairako, ready to begin the mind-call. The otter swam over to Miaka and pointed a hand-like paw to the southeast. 'You'll want to focus your call for the Hotohori Seishi in that direction.' Then Shiori rested her hand on Tairako's head, and they were wrapped up in their own request.

The Suzaku Seishi and ketsu settled around Miaka to begin the mindweb and its powerful call. 'In the interest of protecting or helping your country, it is requested that the first available Hotohori Seishi come to Aosuwa, in eastern Sairou, within the next four days.' Miaka projected as hard as she could. 'Those of you who hear this message but are not Hotohori Seishi, please pass this on until it reaches one.' When she finished, Miaka said, "Hopefully that did it. I guess we won't know until someone actually gets here."

"Someone should reply back to us within a few hours if they're within a hundred miles," Chiriko commented. "A mind-voice can travel very quickly."

A sigh next to them signaled the end of Shiori and Tairako's mind-speaking trance, and the duo opened their eyes. "I've sent the message; not too specific, but she knows to come as soon as possible. You can explain everything when she gets here. Now it's just a matter of waiting."

It didn't take long. After the Suzaku Seishi had rested and gotten a quick meal, Miaka was stopped in the middle of unpacking.

'Excuse me, but are you the Miko who made the call for a Hotohori Seishi?' an unfamiliar ketsu asked her.

'Yes. May I ask who this is?'

'Just one of the many Byakko ketsus relaying your message. I've received word that a Hotohori Seishi has agreed to come. She will be in Aosuwa within a few days. Good luck.'

'Thank you very much!' Miaka gushed. She dashed around the House, spreading the good news.

Shiori grinned. "I knew it was going to be an exciting week."

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When Nuriko woke up on the forth day of their stay in Aosuwa, he was surprised to see Shiori already awake and bustling around the kitchen. Even her hair was bound up – a general sign as to her advanced state of consciousness – and it was barely the ninth hour of the morning.

"You're up pretty early," he said, taking a seat at the dining table.

"You too. But Tenkei's coming soon and I couldn't sleep," Shiori said, her face beaming with excitement as she set out a small breakfast. "I haven't seen her for two years now." Then her expression became solemn. "You need to tell her about the mission and how dangerous it is."

Nuriko frowned. "We were planning on doing that anyway. You know, give more detail when she got here."

He was about to continue his retort, but a soft rapping at the door interrupted him. Shiori jumped off the bench so fast she knocked it over, and Nuriko caught it and stood up as the door flung open.

"Ten-chaaaan!" Shiori shrieked happily, wrapping her arms around the newcomer and spinning in a circle. "I missed you!" Nuriko caught a glimpse of dark brown curls as they whirled around together, laughter emanating from two voices.

"And I missed you too, Shi-chan!"

"Come on in, there's so much to talk about!"

Shiori finally dropped her friend inside the room. A red fox dashed by their feet, unwilling to be left outside, and promptly stopped dead when it noticed him. They stared at each other for a full ten seconds before the fox ran back outside at full speed.

I inspire fear in small animals.

Then he got his first look at their new "Chosen" Tamahome Seishi. She was short, barely topping five feet, and had large brown eyes that made her look quite young. Nuriko mentally placed her around Miaka's age or so. She wore a white shirt lined in violet around her neck and sleeves; her skirt matched in color and pattern. Around her waist was a decorated sash, similar in style to Shiori's.

"Good morning," Nuriko said politely, catching her attention. "I am Nuriko."

"Uh… I'm Na Tenkei, Tamahome Priest, and the fox that ran in and out just now is Kangeki," she said, returning the bow, though the expression on her face was one of slight bemusement. "If you don't mind me asking, why are you calling yourself Nuriko?"

"Privacy and protection."

Tenkei wisely took the hint and changed the subject. "Ah. So are you a traveling Seishi, or did you just come by to visit? I haven't seen a fellow Suzaku Seishi in months."

"We – my friends and I – are just visiting. Our ship was wrecked a few days ago, and Shiori-san was kind enough to give us a place to stay."

"Yeah, she's a good person," Tenkei grinned, and then swung her pack off her shoulder and took a seat at the dining room bench. Shiori dropped beside her and Nuriko's sense of propriety bid him to do likewise. "So, Shi-chan, you sounded a little on edge when Kani received your message, so I got here as fast as possible."

"Great! Uhm… how long did you tell everyone you'd be gone?"

Tenkei shrugged. "Two weeks or so. You were pretty vague about details, and I figured that something had to be wrong if you were so insistent that I come. So I told them I'd be here a while. I can always have Kani contact Yasa, if need be."

Shiori turned a level gaze back to Nuriko, her gray-blue eyes demanding him to speak. Tenkei raised an eyebrow at this unspoken exchange, and suddenly he felt rather trapped.

"Tenkei-san," he began. "I have a favor to ask of you."

Her gaze darted between the two Seishi. "Okay," she said slowly.

Where to begin, where to begin… aw damn, maybe I should get Chichiri down here to explain. "You've been keeping up with Konan news, right? News about the Chosen Suzaku Seishi and the summoning?"

She nodded. "A little bit. I know that the summoning failed; heard some less-than-flattering things about both the Chosen Seishi and Miko." She lowered her voice to a conspiring whisper. "Even us regular Seishi are treated less than kindly, depending where you live."

Nuriko clenched his hand into a fist, fighting the urge to hit something. "Do you know that the Chosen Suzaku Seishi are traveling to Hokkan so as to receive help from the Chosen Genbu Seishi?"

Tenkei's mouth dropped, her hand slowly coming up to cover her shock. "They're good as dead."

"Ten-chan," Shiori said, gently resting a hand on her friend's arm. Tenkei's eyes, adding to Nuriko's discontent, were filled with honest fear.

"Do you know where they are on the trip?" she asked, looking hopeful. "Maybe there's something that can be done to stop them before they reach Hokkan, before the emperor gets to them. At least give them a warning."

Nuriko waved his hand around the room, then rested it on his heart. "Here. We're here – five Chosen Seishi and the Chosen Miko – waiting for our ship to be repaired before we continue our journey to Hokkan."

Tenkei said hoarsely, "You can't go. You'll be killed. If not by the Genbu, then by the Seiryuu."

"I know. We already had multiple attempts on our lives. That's why we're calling ourselves by our Seishi names; so no one will figure out who we are. And the reason our ship is so desperately in need of fixing is because we were attacked already."

"I jumped in and saved them," Shiori added.

Tenkei looked sharply at Shiori. "This is the reason you wanted me to come."

"Sort of," Shiori said. "But it's bigger than you think."

"We need you," Nuriko said. "Our Chosen Tamahome Seishi was killed by another Seiryuu Seishi, and if we're going to go to Hokkan, we need to look like we're at full power."

"And you need a Tamahome Seishi to play the part," Tenkei finished his thought. "By the gods…."

Nuriko pushed on. "It'll be dangerous, and I can't promise that you're going to be safe and protected. But… we don't have any choice. There's no time to find another Tamahome Seishi and we need you to come with. I'm sorry to be so forceful, to just drop this on you, but we need your help."

"You could die if you go!"

"Yeah, I figured that out."

Her voice softened. "… But you'll still go, because it's what's right."

Nuriko shrugged.

"And if I really honestly say no… you'll let me head back home."

He hesitated before nodding.

Tenkei rested her chin on her fist, her elbow on the table as she stared into nothingness. No one spoke for a few minutes; Shiori got up and began making tea for the break-fast. She got as far as pouring some for each Seishi when Tenkei spoke.

"I'll go with you."

Nuriko's heart leapt. "Seriously?"

"Yes."

A sudden weight was lifted from his shoulders. "Thank you, Tenkei-san. Suzaku, you have no idea how much this means to me – to us."

"No, I think I've got a good idea," she said. "I may not live in Konan anymore, but I'm still a Suzaku Seishi. I still have a responsibility to help wherever and however I can. So, tell me everything."

"First off, another Seishi is going to come by to help us," Nuriko said. "The Chosen Hotohori Seishi is safe, but can't come with us, so we need a second proxy. Thus, a lot of what's got to be talked about I'll have to repeat. Would you mind waiting until he or she arrives?"

"I don't mind. I've committed myself anyway, so what you say won't change my mind. When are we planning on sailing, though?"

"Whenever the ship is fixed or the second Seishi arrives, whichever comes last." The sound of footsteps coming downstairs caught Nuriko's attention, and was very relieved to see a familiar blue crest of hair over Tenkei's shoulder. Maybe he can take over the situation. "Hey, Chichiri-san, we've got Tamahome. Come and say 'hi'."

"Wonderful news, no da," the Priest said as he came to the table. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet yoOOOOh sweet Suzaku!" And Tenkei, obviously aware of Chichiri's status, quickly jumped to her feet and bowed deeply to the High Priest of Konan. "Ri-sama, the honor is all mine, I can assure you."

Nuriko was able to keep from laughing at the scene – Chichiri's slightly pained expression and Tenkei's immediate deference to him was undoubtedly entertaining – but only because he remembered being in that situation when he first learned of both Saihitei and Chichiri's ranks. A quick look at Shiori, and Nuriko saw that while she was surprised she wasn't overwhelmed.

"Please stand up, no da," Chichiri said. "While I appreciate the respect, you are our traveling companion. The journey would be more bearable if you did not feel the need to always bow when speaking to me, no da."

Tenkei glanced at Nuriko, who nodded vigorously, then slowly stood up. "It will be hard habit to break, Ri-sama."

"Chichiri, please. I'd rather not let any of our enemies know that the High Priest of Konan is traveling around, no da."

"… Very hard to break."

Nuriko benevolently introduced Tenkei while Shiori shoved a cup of tea into Chichiri's hands. It did amuse the violet-haired Seishi to catch Tenkei gazing at the High Priest with quiet awe and bemusement from time to time. As the Seishi and Miaka trickled down into the dining hall, Nuriko was glad to see how well the others seemed to accept her presence. Tasuki was the only one to give Tenkei a hard time, bitching about nothing and everything (as usual), but once Nuriko punched him into a wall the redhead seemed to calm down a bit.

"Do you mind me asking what you do, Tenkei-san? I mean, Tamahome-san," Chiriko asked. Understanding the reasoning for using Seishi names, Tenkei quickly agreed to follow their lead and call herself Tamahome. She replied, "I'm a doctor in Daijiin."

"Ah, I am also a healer," Mitsukake said, sounding quite pleased with the new information. "Is that your talent?"

"Unfortunately, no. I make do with having a good head and steady hands."

"So you're not a Center Seishi, are you," Miaka noted, referring to Seishi who had not completed four years of learning.

Tenkei grinned. "I'm nineteen; I finished schooling years ago."

Nuriko's jaw dropped. Never would have guessed that she's older than me!

"I'm going to check on the ship and its progress," Mitsukake said, finishing the midday meal. "As it stands, we should be ready to set sail tomorrow."

"And we kin finally get our asses to Hokkan," Tasuki said. "Sounds good ta me!"

So while most of the other Seishi had gone off to do chores, Nuriko and Tasuki opted to stay behind with Miaka and teach her a bit about ketsu-form fighting. They urged Miaka to imprint as many ketsu forms as possible, after having found out that she knew only three, and were in the process of showing her how to properly shift into her new wolf and panda forms when a large shadow fell over the group.

"Excuse me, but I'm looking for the Miko that called for a Hotohori Seishi. Do you know where she may be?" a clear voice cut through the air.

Internally, Nuriko nearly floated with elation. Outwardly, he carefully turned around and asked, "I take it you are the Seishi pair?", as he was unwilling to insult their new (and colossal) traveling companion. The shadow, upon closer inspection, belonged to an elephant. Holy Suzaku, if the ketsu is this big, its Seishi must be freaking huge!

"Yeah! Can you tell me where she is?"

"I'm here!" Miaka said, jumping out from behind Kohana. Then she glanced around the area in confusion. "Uh, where are you?"

"Up here," the voice said with a trace of delighted humor. "Be down in just a moment."

The trio watched as a figure stood up on the back of the elephant, and literally jumped nine feet to the ground. Miaka let out a little shriek, and Nuriko nearly had a heart attack, but the Seishi landed without disturbing the dirt under her feet.

And Nuriko's jaw dropped when he got a good look at their new Hotohori Seishi.

Okay, definitely NOT what I thought an elephant's bondmate would look like.

She was about Miaka and Tenkei's height, with bright blue-green eyes that curiously scanned the area. Her nut-brown hair was tied into a long, loose braid that reminded Nuriko of his own hairstyle, and was dressed in a faded blue shirt-and-pants set. She, too, looked to be no older than Miaka, and Nuriko wondered if karma was responsible for the sudden introduction of women into the previously all-male group.

"I am Yoshida Nezumi, Hotohori Judge," she said, bowing low and respectfully to Miaka. "My ketsu is Zouge, and we hope we can be of some assistance to you."

"Yer a fuckin' girl, too?" Tasuki asked incredulously, and Nuriko walloped the loudmouthed Seishi into a nearby tree.

Nezumi's eyes widened as she asked, "Uhm… yes. Is that a problem?"

'None at all. Pleasure to meet you,' Kohana said, coming up to the duo. She named herself and the others, and they stood around in uneasy silence before Nezumi spoke again.

"I'd like to know why you called for me. I mean, you didn't call me hundreds of miles away for nothing, right?"

"No, this is really important," Miaka said enthusiastically, grabbing Nezumi's hands. "I'm really glad you could make it here."

Nezumi blushed. "It wasn't that bad. Kind of neat to see the Sairou countryside – I've never left Konan before. Did you know that the southern tip is having some kind of festival going on?"

Miaka perked up. "Festival? Like, with food?"

"Yeah."

"We should go!"

"Sorry to destroy your dreams, Miaka-chan," Nuriko said mock-sympathetically. "But there are slightly more important things to do than satisfy your rampaging stomach."

"Like talk about what's going on?" Tenkei asked, and the group looked up to see her float down with Kangeki in her arms. "Got Genrou's message. And you must be the Hotohori Seishi we were waiting for."

"I feel strangely popular all of a sudden," Nezumi said, and they exchanged names. "So you can fly? That's really cool."

"Sort of. Part of my ability is walking on air. Yours?"

"Telekinesis. Not really as unique as yours."

"My bro's a telekinetic too! I kind of wish I could do it."

"Can I see you use it?" Miaka asked Nezumi. "It looks like a lot of fun."

"I'm sure you'll get plenty of demonstrations," Nuriko said while he herded the girls – and Shun'u – into the House. "Right now we've got serious stuff to talk about."

Once again choosing the dining table as the place to assemble, Nuriko and Miaka sat down across from Nezumi and Tenkei. The ketsu spread themselves around, though Zouge wisely decided to remain outside, and Tasuki stood off to the side.

Like before, Nuriko started out very simply. "Nezumi-san, we've got a favor to ask of you."

"I kind of expected that. What is it?"

"I take it you're pretty up-to-date on the Chosen Suzaku situation."

"Yeah. The failed summoning and all. It happened over two weeks ago; all I know is that Konan won't be able to summon Suzaku without outside help. So supposedly they're traveling around again, but it's hinted at that they're not even in Konan."

"More than I knew," Tenkei said under her breath.

Nuriko ignored her. "So you wouldn't be surprised to hear that the Chosen Suzaku Seishi are traveling to Hokkan to receive aid from the Chosen Genbu Seishi?"

Nezumi's face went white. "To Hokkan? So they've actually fled the country?"

"They ain't fuckin' cowards!" Tasuki snarled, startling everyone. "Th' Emperor let them go fer help; they sure as hell didn't run away!"

Silence fell over the room, and Nuriko saw a light in Nezumi's eyes shine forth.

"You're a Chosen Seishi!"

"We're the Chosen Seishi and Miko," Nuriko corrected her. "And we'll do without any bowing; there's too much going on to be sticklers for formality."

"Why would you, the Chosen Seishi, have any need for me?"

"Because the Chosen Hotohori Seishi isn't with us and can't travel with us to Hokkan. And, as it was explained to us by Shiori-san, it would be best if Konan were to be viewed at full power. So you're here to be our Chosen Hotohori Seishi."

If it were possible, Nezumi became whiter. Freckles stood out on her face like henna droplets. "Good gods… you're not joking, are you? You're really the Chosen Seishi and you really want me to pretend… but what about…?" and she gestured to Tenkei.

"Same reason as you," Nuriko answered. "Our new Tamahome."

"So does this mean that Suzaku can't be summoned?"

"Yes and no. Yes, because without all seven Seishi… it can't be done. But there is still a chance."

"If the Genbu Seishi will give us one of their wishes, we can summon Suzaku," Miaka said just as Shiori and Chichiri returned. "But we need to convince them that we deserve it."

And for some time, Nuriko – and later, Chichiri and Mitsukake – explained the desperate situation they were in. When it was over and Mitsukake's final words hung thickly in the air, neither Tenkei nor Nezumi moved. They could have been carved from stone; barely breathing, motionless and speechless. Nuriko wondered if he were in their position, what he would say.

I shouldn't have to think about it, but I can't say with absolute certainty I'd have agreed to go.

Tenkei stood up, her face set in grim determination. She looked at Nuriko, who felt his heart suddenly speed up with worry, and said, "I told you I'd come with, and I'm not breaking that promise. But I have something to do before we leave. Please don't come looking for me; I'll be back." And without looking at anyone, not even Shiori, she turned and walked out of the house.

All Nezumi asked for was some private time, and Miaka kindly offered her room for such a purpose. The Hotohori Seishi made no promises, but everyone seemed reassured by the fact that she didn't go running away, screaming in terror.

It only took an hour of waiting before Tenkei returned, looking red-eyed and more than a little tired. None of the Seishi asked anything, and it wasn't until later that Nuriko figured out what she had done.

"You okay?"

Nuriko's ears pricked as he heard Shiori talking her friend; they must have been just outside the bedrooms. He put a finger over his lips to silence Tasuki, but the latter's enhanced wolf-senses caught the voices at the same time and he stopped packing.

"I just needed some time to talk with Kasei."

"Yeah." A pause. "I'm sorry. For bringing you into this."

"I'm not. It's an honor to be a part of something this immense. By Suzaku's wings, to actually be a comrade-in-arms to the Chosen Suzaku no Shichiseishi, to be called Tamahome as if I'm Chosen… it's amazing!"

"Scary as shit, though."

Another pause. The Warrior duo shared a look that spoke of the fears they'd seen and the strength they'd shared through the past few months.

"Scary as hell. And it's funny," and Tenkei's voice dropped lower, "it's not even for me that I'm particularly worried about. If something happened… it's Kasei who'd be left behind."

Oh gods, Nuriko realized with growing dismay. Oh gods, that's why she left for so long. To say goodbye as if she were really going off to die.

"Don't worry," Shiori said with a hint of forced enthusiasm. "You'll be fine. You'll be back before you know it."

"Thanks, Shi-chan Glad to see that someone's got faith. The Heavens know we'll need all the faith and luck in the world."

Nuriko heard the sound of someone knocking, and a group of female voices melded together into a meaningless fog. He shook his head, clearing it of extraneous sounds, and looked at Tasuki.

"We probably shouldn't have eavesdropped."

Tasuki shrugged and continued packing. "Whatever."

"Who do you think Kasei is? Her brother?"

"Who cares?"

"Shun, you can't keep hating Nezumi and Tenkei just because they're not Sai-san and Kishuku."

"I don't hate them!" he said defensively. "I just… I ain't good with girls. They're prissy, annoying, and too much fuckin' trouble ta deal with."

"You could just pretend they're like one of the guys. You certainly don't have problems with Miaka-chan."

Tasuki scowled darkly. "Miaka ain't like other girls, and if ya don't stop talkin' about her, I'm gonna beat the shit outta you!"

"All right, all right," Nuriko said, sadly giving up the conversation. "But at least say you'll try and get along with them?"

"Ya don't even know if that Nezumi girl's coming!"

As if on cue, Miaka burst into the room, a grin splitting her face. "They said yes! Nezumi-san and Tenkei-san said yes and they're gonna come with us on the trip tomorrow! The ship's ready to sail in the morning and this is great we're finally going to get to Hokkan and I have to tell Houjun and Juan – I mean, Chichiri and Mitsukake – so I'll talk to you later!" And she flew out of the room, leaving a small cloud of dust in her wake.

Nuriko chuckled. "You were saying something about Miaka being different?"

"Fuck you, panda-ass!"

"So you'll try?"

"If it'll get you off my fuckin' back, yeah I'll try being…" and he practically spat out the word, "nice."

"Good. Because tomorrow's gonna be a busy day, and I'll be damned if I have to listen to you bitch the whole time."

The duo exchanged further banter for a few more minutes before joining the others downstairs for the last pleasant meal they'd have in a long time.

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