Whoot! I do believe that I'm getting faster with these updates! Less than a month this time! >D We're switching focus again. It's time for Rika! And we'll probably spend a lot of time on her because she only has one seishi! O-O Anywho…not much else to say for once. Work's keeping me pretty busy along with some family troubles. My grandmother has finally been declared legally blind, so I've been trying to spend as much time with her as I can. Helping her adjust hasn't been easy. You really have no idea how much just being able to read this as I type means to me now. -;; Horrible, I know; but Mimi can't read anymore so it's trips to the library and the grocery store. My aunt is having to do her bills and all that now. So lots to do! Oh! My softball team is headed for nationals! Whoot! We placed 2nd in state (even though we'd beaten that damn team SEVEN times…). So wish us luck! Now for the RR's!
Silver:Heh! Glad to see you're as hyper as ever! Mmm…Seer…sigh…life would be so much better with seer. Yes, yes! The Forgotten/Lost Ones should tickle your fancy. There'll be more on that later when I finally get everybody together. >O It's taking so much longer than I thought it would! Ah, well. Can't always help what your characters insist on doing. mutters Stubborn bitches…
He-Yan: Glad you're liking it!
Schectersona: Sooooo glad I don't have to pronounce that! I just think that every time I see your name cuz I unconsciously try to say it in my head! Heh…you'll have to find out! Unfortunately…it'll take a while to find out since we're back on Rika. Sorry! Suspense does you good!
Queen:Congrats. This is the shortened version of your name. Be glad I didn't decide to call you Monkey >D Here is your update. Enjoy! I'm working as fast as I can, I swear! T-T
Urumiya slowly woke from a deep sleep. He'd finally fallen asleep in the early hours of the morning. The cold kept him from getting comfortable. Especially since a certain little beast had somehow managed to wrest control of the blanket. At the thought of Zuri-chan — as Rika insisted on calling it — he frowned and rolled over.
A startled squeak woke him fully. His eyes shot open and he glared at the offended ball of gray fur pressed close to his side. "What the hell is this horrific fluff ball doing in my bed!" he roared.
Rika sat up with a start and looked over at the two of them. They were up and circling each other like boxers in a ring. One with a look of annoyed rage, the other with a lot of chirping and hopping around. "I see you two are up and about early." She looked at the sun which wasn't even halfway up and groaned. "I suppose you aren't going to let me go to sleep?"
"Why in the world would you let this thing attack me in my sleep? I've probably got fleas or something!"
Rika threw back the covers and swung her feet to the floor. "Aw...I think he likes you..."
"The feeling is most assuredly not mutual."
"What's the matter with you?" She asked as Zuri-chan left his sport with Urumiya and climbed swiftly up onto her left shoulder. "Do you not like animals?"
"I like animals just fine," he replied smoothly as he began gathering their few belongings. "I just don't like vicious imitations of rats."
Zuri-chan cocked his head and chittered a little as if understanding the insult. Rika glared but otherwise made no further comment. "So where to now?"
Urumiya considered this. "Well, the obvious course is to find the rest of the Genbu Seven...as to how we're supposed to go about doing this...that's another matter entirely."
Rika finished packing the little clothing she'd managed to sweet talk out of a shop keeper. "How did you guys do it the first time? You know, with your first priestess?"
They both headed downstairs and outside, though Urumiya did make time for one last nasty glare at the innkeeper. The man was not only up, he was looking disgustingly cheerful and only grew more so as he saw the monkey hitching a ride on Rika's shoulders. He waved enthusiastically, and both Rika and Urumiya could hear his cackling laugh even after they'd left.
Not giving him time to sulk, Rika reminded Urumiya of her question. He shrugged. "The times were different. We were at war with Kutou, and there had always been rumors of things. Mostly, I think, we just traveled to wherever. The luck of the gods went with us," he added with a wink.
Rika looked at him in astonishment. "So you're basically telling me that you just went from place to place and hoped that you'd just run across the people you were looking for?"
Urumiya thought about that. "Yeah. Pretty much." A disgusted sigh was his only answer. "In any case, we need supplies. Horses, food, and warmer clothing. We can't travel like this. We'd freeze."
"Okay," Rika glanced at him. "Do you have any of that money left from your little escapades last night?" He nodded. "So let's go get some supplies."
This proved easier said than done. Rika didn't really know what kind of supplies would be needed for this climate. It was very cold. The wind in Hokkan blew almost constantly, chilling the population to the bone. There was more often than not snow on the ground, though in the valleys it was a bit warmer. Rika sighed. She loved cold weather, but this was a bit much. Especially considering how ill-prepared she was to face it.
"Are you sure that's all we'll need?" She asked Urumiya skeptically as they prepared to leave town. It was impossible as well as quite stupid for them to walk, so he had somehow swindled enough money to buy a horse. Just one. She tried to glare at him from the front of the horse. "You'd better not try anything funny..." she threatened.
"My dear, Rika," he clucked to the horse and it broke into a smooth canter. "My hands, as my intentions, shall be the best you've ever had."
"Urumiya!"
"Yes?" he asked innocently.
Rika rolled her eyes and gave it up as lost. "How long will it take to get to the next village?"
"Only a day, I believe. I haven't been this way in quite some time."
"You've been this way before?"
"Many times."
Something in his voice made her pause. But Rika was more concerned with keeping warm. The sheepskin coat she'd gotten was helping, but it was a bone-chilling cold. She couldn't stop from shivering. Urumiya noticed and tightened his arms around her. Rika noticed and elbowed him in the stomach. Hard.
"Yes, ma'am," he wheezed.
Satisfied, Rika checked on Zuri-chan. He was quite cozy next to her chest. He was, in fact, fast asleep. With a soft chirrup, he snuggled in closer to her. Rika was actually glad of the little monkey's presence. His body heat was helping to keep her warm.
But things other than her new pet weighed down on her mind. She had yet to find the psycho that had kidnapped Aya. Assuming of course that Aya hadn't killed him already. Even finding these seishi were taking a back seat to that little problem. According to Urumiya's best calculations, she'd been somewhere in Konan, or perhaps Kutou, when she and Aya had become separated. Plus, the man had somehow…disappeared. So that meant he could be anywhere. Anywhere at all. She sighed. It was all quite depressing really.
"Longing for my touch?" Urumiya's voice was full of amusement and jarred her out of her reverie.
"Absolutely not."
"Not even a little?"
Rika half-turned in the saddle, "The only thing I could possibly want less than your 'touch' would be death by fire ants."
"What are they?"
"I read about them online before I left for America. They're tiny little insects. When they bite you, it feels like you're skin is on fire. They swarm you and eat you bit by bit. Until you're dead."
"Doesn't sound pleasant…"
"That would be my point." She deftly changed the subject. "What town are we nearing?"
Urumiya checked the sun. "We've been traveling for about two hours or so…We're probably coming up on . It's a fairly small village."
"Do they have an inn?" Rika asked hopefully.
"Well, they don't have an inn, and we don't have any money; so…" He shrugged. "Not too good of a chance that we'll end up sleeping inside tonight."
Rika tried not to let this further depress her. After all, by tomorrow they'd be in a new village. Hopefully, they'd have money and a place to stay. "Oh. So where will we sleep?"
"Well, to conserve body heat we'll have to snuggle together under the stars —" The look Rika shot him, caused him to rethink what he was saying. "Ahem. What I meant was that I managed to procure a tent."
"How'd you do that? I thought we spent all our money on this stupid horse?"
"My ways are mysterious and unknowable…"
Rika snorted. "Translation: you stole it?"
He pulled himself up. "Priestess! I would never!"
"But you cheated so that you won at gambling. That's the same thing."
"No, it's not!" He shook his head. "That, my dear, is a skill. If the other players are novice enough to miss your work, then they deserve to lose."
"Excuse."
"In any case," he shot her an affronted look. "We have a tent that we can sleep under. It'll still be deathly cold which is why I brought plenty of blankets."
She sighed. "I'm going to stop wondering how you got the money for these things."
"Wise choice. I believe —" His voice suddenly cut off.
Rika turned in the saddle to look back at him only to find that his face was expressionless. But that wasn't what worried her. His golden eyes were now completely white. "U..Urumiya? Urumiya!" she called worriedly. Zuri-chan left the safety of Rika's coat to sit on her head and chitter at Urumiya's unmoving figure. Even the horse sensed something amiss and began tossing its head nervously.
After what felt like forever, the Genbu seishi finally blinked. His eyes resumed their normal color and fell on Rika's worried face. "Sorry," he smiled. "I forgot to warn you. I was having a vision." His face lost its smile. " And it was rather important."
"What did you see? What was it!" Rika asked impatiently as Zuri-chan snuggled back in.
"I saw one of the Genbu Seven. I think they're going to be in trouble."
"Who was it?" Rika frowned. "Where were they? What kind of trouble? How are we going to save them!"
"Slow down!" Urumiya laughed. "I'll let you find out who it is yourself. It's more fun that way," he winked. "They were in a village, and I'm fairly sure it's the one we're coming up on. I'm not sure what kind of trouble, and we're going to ride in like true heroes." He took a deep breath. "Any other questions?"
"Why are you such an asshole?"
"I resent that question. Now, let's hurry, shall we? Hiyah!" he kicked the horse into a gallop.
Rika squealed as she had never ridden a horse before. Suddenly, she was very glad of Urumiya's arms around her waist.
