Waaah! dramatic entrance Hiya- I'm in such a good mood today! Yes, I've finally updated. I hope you like this chapter. Rika finally meets her first seishi. What with Mieri having 7, Yuko having 6, and even Aya having 3: Rika's a little behind everyone else. But of course she has to be. She was the last one to be identified as Priestess. Also someone asked me (god help me I can't remember who) why Mieri already had all of her seishi basically handed to her on a silver platter. I don't know if I explained this in the actual story or not but it's because when Aya released the seishi she actually meant the Suzaku seishi. Those were the ones she wanted to meet. So even though "That Mysterious Voice" brought back all of them, the ones that were on her mind (Suzaku) were the ones transported to where she was at the moment. Also Yuko has a really easy time of it. That's because one of the specialties of the Seiryu seishi is their ability to sense life forces. That's why all of them can in some tiny way sense Yuko's life force despite the fact that she's strong enough to hide it even from Chichiri. So all of the Seiryu seishi knew when their Priestess came. Which was why Nakago knew that Yuko was their Priestess. See? Not so illogical! Now for the reader response thingys…
Silver: Yes…Soi is back. And of course she is as madly in love with Nakago as ever. - That girl has really got to get a life…anyway! And you know the Seiryu seishi are evil! They're gonna be SUPER pissed at Ami for becoming a traitor. Of course Tomo has issues with both twins cuz Suboshi killed him. - I love saying that: SUBOSHI KILLED TOMO! evil laughter And I hope you're calmed down by the time I talk to you again…o.O….
YG: Heehee! No…not always hyper…just most of the time- But that's okay. It's why we love you. I'd just like you to know however that when I read your last review (the one before this one) I was in the library. I got kicked out. So…yeah…
Lolinia84: Yay! You're back! I hope you enjoyed my chapters! And don't sweat it about not reviewing. As long as you come back and review later. nods Anyway…I LOVE ALICE 19th! It kicked so much ass! TT But I don't like the ending…it sucks….sniff Anyway hope you like this one too….-
No one moved. No one it seemed could think. As for herself, Rika dimly realized that, yes, she was breathing… "Um…excuse me?"
The blonde man blinked as he looked again at the sailor. "Oh. My bad. Sorry," he scanned the room. "Dammit! I know that ssstupid premonisssion s-said she'd b-be here…I wash happy becash it wasss a barrr!" He hiccupped.
Oh, god! He's smashed! Rika looked around her quickly. Naia was gaping, the rest of the girls were still scared spitless, and it looked like her would-be rescuer was a tad too inebriated to be much help. So, I guess it's up to me… Rika sighed. She hated having to do these things herself. Before anyone could react, she was across the room ― newly stolen sword in-hand ― with her blade pressed against the nobleman's throat. The girls attached to her through their chains were nearly pulled off their feet. "Okay!" she smiled brightly. "Would anyone like to remove these chains for me?"
"D-do as she says!" the nobleman squeaked. "Please don't hurt me!"
Rika looked at him with disgust, "I'd hate to think my first kill would be wasted on you. So as long as we all go free, you'll live, you slimy piece of muck."
The nobleman's eyes flashed, and Rika could see the unfiltered hatred shining out of them. "Remove these chains at once, you buffoons!"
The sailor closest to the door reached hesitantly into his pocket and pulled out a ring of keys. He glared at Rika as he inched his way over to the row of huddling girls.
Rika narrowed her eyes and sighed heavily. "Look. I realize that you guys don't like me. Just like you probably realize that I don't like you. But let's face it. It has not been my best week so far. I'm cranky, I've got a blade pressed to the neck of your paycheck, and you're going A LITTLE DAMN SLOW!"
The sailor jumped and scrambled across the remaining space. With slightly trembling hands he began unlocking the shackles from the terrified girls. Naia flashed her a grin right before her own fell to the floor.
The man approached Rika with an odd mixture of fear and bloodlust. "Oh, please," Rika hissed, all patience gone, "Please try and overpower me. I can guarantee that I'll slit his throat and have my hand waving hello to your backbone before you touch me." She glared so hard that he blinked and caught himself before backing up a step. With infinite care not to seem threatening, he finally unshackled her and backed slowly away.
"Thank you!" Rika smiled at Naia. Once the older girl was standing next to her, Rika shoved the nobleman away from her, careful to keep the sword in hand and ready. "All right. Now we're going to leave. If any of you step through that door before I make it out of the building…" she let the threat hand in the air. Looking around the room, she noticed that the other four girls had already gone. Well, that's gratitude for you!
The drunken man stepped forward to meet her, "Are y-you the Genbu nnnoooo mikkko?"
"Um…." Rika grabbed his arm and rushed out of the small room. She could hear the nobleman shouting at the sailors behind her. "Can we talk about this later?"
"This way!" Naia pulled both of them to an out-of-the-way backdoor. It was nestled unseen in a corner and was no doubt an escape for the owners when things got too rowdy.
All three of them burst out into the night air. Rika turned to look behind her but couldn't see any signs of pursuit. "Wait!" she called breathlessly to Naia and the stranger. "I think we lost them!"
Naia, too, turned and slowed. "Dear gods above!" she wheezed, hands on her knees. "I thought we were done for!" She suddenly launched herself at Rika and enveloped her in a hug. "Thank you," she whispered in her ear. "Thank you for not giving up. I owe you a great debt, Rika."
Rika sniffed and hugged her hard back. "We're friends, goofball! What else could I do? Besides," she drew back and smiled, "I wouldn't have been a very compliant whore."
Naia laughed and took a swipe at her eyes. "True. I don't think you would have at that!"
Rika glanced at the dark alleyways on either side of her. "So where do we go from here?"
Naia hesitated. "I….Rika, I'm afraid we must part here."
"What? Why?" Rika asked in disbelief.
"Because you and I are from different worlds," Naia gazed at her fondly before caressing her cheek. "I am not blind. I can see you are destined for greater things than I. That you come from greater things than I."
"But I don't understand!" Rika was deeply hurt. Somewhere inside she had planned to take Naia with her when they escaped.
"I can't go with you!" Naia cried tearfully, "I was stolen the same as you! I have a home to go back to and a life to live. Just as you do."
"But―"
"Rika," Naia motioned swiftly to the young man. He was slowly sobering up and appeared to be much more alert. "Look at him."
Rika turned and glanced at him before turning back to Naia, "Look, I swear I don't know who he is!"
"No!" Naia shook her head. "Look upon his forehead…"
Rika turned, irritated, and practically glared at him. He clutched his head and seemed to be in pain. Rika's anger vanished and she was about to step forward when he suddenly straightened. She almost bolted with fear. His eyes were open but they were filled with a strange black light…"Oh my god…" she whispered horrified.
Naia nodded, "See? He is a seishi of Genbu."
"A-a seishi!" Rika stammered as she continued to stare. "Like the Suzaku Seven!"
Naia nodded. "Yes. And you are his Priestess."
"But―how do you know?" Rika wailed in fear. "All these people are so concerned with the priestesses, but how can you be so sure that they can do the job? How are you so sure I can do the job?"
Naia reached out and touched her cheek again, "Silly. It's not a job that you can complete or not complete. You are the priestess. It is as simple as that. Now go," she gave her a little shove towards the young man who seemed to be recovering from whatever had come over him. "Go to your Warrior and save Hokkan and this world."
Rika took a few hesitant steps towards the young man. His eyes opened wide, and Rika discovered that they were a strange golden color. "You!" He came quickly toward her and grasped her hands. "You were the girl in my vision!"
Rika glanced down at her hands and then back up at him. "Say that again?"
He smiled and brushed his short blonde hair back out of the way. "I have been looking for you! My vision said that you would appear to me in that bar…however…" Again he grinned, "I have a particular love for sake." He bent over and gently kissed her hand which was still held fast in his grip.
Rika flushed from the top of her head to the soles of her feet. She was a sucker for the romantic kind. Of course, that didn't mean she was a total idiot. "Thank you," she smiled mockingly. "That was a fine rescue you planned."
He winced. "Okay…I admit…my visions didn't tell me that you would be in danger. They just showed me the location and your face."
"Which you couldn't recognize because you were three sheets to the wind!"
"Please forgive me, Priestess?" his eyes became innocent and reminded her of a puppy…
"Oh, alright!" she snapped. "Just quit looking at me like that!"
"Thank you, Priestess!" he returned to his presumably normal self.
"And don't call me that!" Rika admonished feeling irritated for some reason. "My name is Rika."
"And I am your seishi, Priestess Rika," the young man bowed again. "I am Urumiya."
"That's great," Rika sighed. "Now I have seishi. Oh!" she suddenly thought of her friend. "Naia, I―"
But her friend was gone. Rika looked around in confusion. The alley they had stopped in led only to houses. Unfriendly houses. There was no way Naia could have left without passing Rika by.
"Come, Rika!" Urumiya smiled mischievously and offered her his hand. "We have other warriors to find."
