Translation note: "Kimochi warui" is literally "bad feeling," but I've seen it translated as "how disgusting" (The famous last words in "End of Evangelion," anyone?). Also, as you may have noticed, from time to time Genji-kun will say "te kanjii." I'm not completely sure how you translate it, but it's a little like how a valley girl might so "totally" or "and stuff." Basically, it's a speech ending with a bit more, um... "flair," we'll say, than "no da."
And no, folks, I didn't write the "mysterious voice" in lowercase on accident. Along with the bold print, it's meant to convey a sense of contradiction, being both strong and weak... and, now that I've completely confused you, I'm going to shut up and just let you read. Enjoy!
Delving into Tasuki's psyche is fun... unfortunately, I doubt that I'll be doing much more of it until the Second Movement... ah, well, them's the breaks...
--Heart! Return to Your Origin--
"Where am I?
I don't know
I can't see anyone.
What did I eventually do?
Even memories fade.
Like it conceals everything
A gray wind blows through"
~Weiss Kreuz;
"Last in My Winds"~
The rest of the party did not notice Chichiri's struggle. They didn't see him freeze in surprise; didn't see his masked face's look of fear; didn't see his forehead tighten with inner pain. No one paid any attention to the monk's problems until he gave a short sigh, almost like an engine letting off steam, and collapsed in a dead faint to the floor below.
Tasuki jerked his head around, startled by the noise of his friend and - because of their connection as seishi - the strange feel of his life force. "Chichiri!?" The bandit knelt next to his friend, touching a hand to his arm. "Oi, oi, Chichiri, wake up!" He shook him gently. "Chichiri? Chichiri!?"
Koji heard his friend's calls. The bandit leaned his head over the table, mouth dropping open in surprise. "W-what th'... Genrou, what's wrong with him?"
"I, I dunno..." Tasuki looked up, fear and concern etched clearly in his expressive face. "He jus' passed out... his ki - his life force - it doesn't feel right..."
A wail of fear rent the evening air, bringing all the bandits' attention to their leader's table. "Chichiri!"
Tasuki and Koji's heads jerked up to see Hikaru dashing around the table and towards them, near-panic in her emerald eyes. She dropped quickly to the monk's side, grabbing his wrist and searching frantically for a pulse. After a moment she put her ear to his chest, checking to make sure he was still breathing. Her head came up after a moment; she looked visibly relieved, but extremely shaken, and the tears in her eyes were clear to see. "Thank the Mother, he's still alive."
"What happened to him?" Tasuki demanded roughly. "Can ya tell? D'ya know?"
Hikaru brushed a sleeve across her eyes, shaking her head. "I can't tell right now. I need to check his other vitals." She turned her emerald orbs back to the monk, a trembling hand touching his cheek lightly. "He seems to have just fallen asleep. However..."
"His ki don't feel right," Tasuki finished.
"Exactly," the young woman said quietly. She looked back at the two bandits. "Can we take him out of here, please? Do you have an infirmary, or...?"
The bandit seishi shook his head, but jerked a thumb in the direction of the sleeping quarters. "We'll take him back t'my room... t'our room." Tasuki picked his friend up almost effortlessly; Chichiri had a lean frame, and he was a lot lighter than he appeared. "Once there, yer gonna find out what's wrong with him."
Hikaru nodded. On an impulse, she turned back to the table, to where Shuu was still sitting. The younger sister looked completely nonplussed. The older Asatenshi's voice seemed to almost have a note of anger in it. "Shuu-chan, will you please come too? You studied medicine a little longer than I did... maybe you can help me figure out what's wrong with Chichiri."
Shuu shrugged, then wordlessly got up and followed Hikaru, Koji and Tasuki down the hall.
Tasuki looked down at his unconscious friend, biting his lip and praying to Suzaku that the unusual feel of Chichiri's life force was just his imagination, and nothing more. The bandit had always taken the monk's calm, dependable presence for granted; he had been someone who would always be there, if Tasuki ever needed him. To have him just collapse like that was too unnerving for the bandit's tastes... too unnerving, and much too frightening. Other than Koji, Chichiri was all he had left in the world; they were the only close friends he had from his younger years. His only links to the past, to his dead companions... he couldn't let it happen to another one... not to another one...
The leader of the Reikaku bandits closed his eyes and shook his head hard. No. He wouldn't think about that. He had finished thinking about that years ago. Chichiri was strong, a lot stronger than he looked, maybe even stronger than Tasuki was. It wasn't going to happen. Nothing was going to happen. At least, not while he had anything to say about it.
Koji walked closely behind Hikaru, hazel eyes reading a blend of concern for the monk and for the young woman he cared about. The bandit wanted to comfort the distraught Asatenshi sister... she needed to be comforted, and obviously Shuu and Tasuki weren't going to be the ones to offer that help. Koji reached out a hand and hesitantly let it fall on Hikaru's trembling shoulder. "Ah, Hikaru-san..."
She stiffened slightly, then turned and looked at Koji. "Mitsuragi-san?"
"Call me Koji," he said automatically. "Listen. Chichiri's gonna be all right. He's been through a lotta stuff, prob'ly more'n Genrou has. He'll pull through okay. Don't worry."
Asatenshi's worried frown curled into a small, troubled smile. She whispered her words of gratitude; if she tried to speak too loudly, she was afraid she would start crying again. "Arigatou, Mitsuragi-san."
Shuu walked up next to the two, sniffing disdainfully. "Get yourself under control. Nobody likes a crybaby, Nee-san."
Hikaru looked at her sister in shock, then whirled away with tears in her green eyes. "Nee-san, hidoi [how cruel]!"
The bandit co-leader didn't respond to Shuu's remark; he was too preoccupied at the moment, plus he wasn't sure what he could have said to the younger sister. The image of that tortured Angel drawing was still etched much too firmly in his mind for comfort, and he wasn't sure what to think of Shuu just yet.
As Koji opened his mouth to say something else to Hikaru, the Disciple to the Mother quickened her pace to catch up with Tasuki. His hand dropped from her shoulder as she moved away; the bandit was left by himself once again. He frowned unhappily; he had been so close, too. "Hikaru-san..."
Shuu stared hard at Koji; he noticed her look, and turned in her direction. The younger Asatenshi turned her head away in disgust. "Ch! Kimochi warui."
Once again, he didn't bother answering. Koji didn't have the energy to say something to that. Not now, not with Chichiri the way he was and Hikaru so troubled. The bandit co-leader gestured for Shuu to move faster, and the pair caught up with the other members of their group. The four companions, united in their cause for the moment, walked quickly down the hall and towards Tasuki's room, all but one of them praying that the monk would be all right.
The bandits in the dining hall chattered quickly after the five had departed. "The new monk visitor suddenly passed out?" "Did he drink too much sake?" "No, that's not it." "Genrou looked worried, so did Koji." "Th' leaders don't get worried easily." "Ah, well, he'll prob'ly be okay." "We have other things t'worry about, like that rival gang that's givin' us trouble." "That's right." "The monk'll be fine." "So will the leaders." "Pass s'more sake, will ya?" "Oh, sure, here ya go."
Everyone took part in the curious speculation; everyone except one young bandit, who was still ignorant to the events that had occurred.
Genji sat outside, fiddling with a piece of tinder and trying to light his twin rockets. "C'mon, c'mon... I don't want to miss any more of the party, te kanjii! Catch flame, will you...?"
The young man smiled happily as he got a spark going. He grabbed the fireworks, propping them up against a nearby boulder - pointed away from the hideout, of course - and started to quickly light the two. "Hanabi Koji-sama, Hanabi Gen-sama, fly straight and true. Bring good luck to your namesakes by brightening the sky on this happy New Year."
Genji set fire to the pair, then backed up to a safe distance and prepared to watch the show. He smiled, turning somewhat chibi as he crooned quietly to himself. "Aaah, Koji-sama, Gen-sama, there's nothing more in the world I want than to give you the best of luck this year, te kanjii!"
The young man grinned broadly, turning his eyes to the heavens as the wicks burned down and the rockets took flight. His smile was short-lived - in fact, it vanished completely after only a few seconds, and transformed very quickly into a distressed frown. Genji felt an ominous feeling start to churn in the pit of his stomach; this was a bad omen. "Shimatta..."
The two rockets had not gone off.
They had never even made it to the star-streaked sky.
The Koji-sama and Gen-sama had fizzled out and fallen before even reaching the tree line.
Chichiri came back to himself slowly and gradually, almost as if someone were reconnecting his nerves to his mind one by one. He opened his eye after a moment, only to find himself in a world of complete darkness. He looked down, and was happy to note that he could see his own body - he omitted a faint red and grey light, though he wasn't sure why - but was quite disturbed to realize that he couldn't see anything else. He reached out with his feet; he seemed to be standing on something, but when he pressed down that "something" wasn't there anymore. Was he floating? He didn't feel like he was floating...
"Confusing, no da..." he murmured to the darkness. Chichiri closed his eye for a moment - the feeling of weightlessness was starting to make him dizzy - but decided he disliked the sensation of being completely disconnected from the world even less. He opened his single mahogany orb once again. "Very strange. Where am I na no da?"
you are here.
Chichiri jumped at the alien voice, jerking his head around to search out the speaker in the black void. "Dare... doko... no da...?"
do not bother searching. on the Spiritual Plane, bodies are meaningless. you were only allowed to retain yours so you would feel more comfortable.
The monk unintentionally quivered when She spoke. It was the most unusual voice had ever heard; impossible to describe, because it was a complete contradiction of itself. Gentle and harsh, kind and merciless, humourous and solemn, joyful and sad, thoughtful and frivolous. It was so loud that it hurt his ears, yet so quiet that he had to strain to hear it. How could one entity be all of that at once!?
Chichiri was caught in the paradox of that voice, trapped and overwhelmed. He felt that he had collapsed to his knees, but since there was no ground it was impossible to tell. He hoped that he had, though he didn't completely understand why; something in Her tone just commanded respect.
In fact, the only thing he could truly discern from the speaker was that it was most definitely female. He focused on that point of the voice, tried to keep himself from vertigo by hanging on to the one thing he truly knew. He gripped that with every ounce of strength he had, and managed to ask in a hushed voice. "Who are you na no da?"
do you not know?
As soon as the question was asked, Chichiri realized that he did know. "I do," he replied timidly, "but I don't know what to call You no da."
call me nothing, then. i simply am. that is all you need to know for now.
"Hai," he whispered. He lowered his eye, though he wondered if it did any good; who could say which direction was up in this world? The monk paused, hesitated; wondered what in the world he should say. What in the world could he say? Finally, he mustered up enough courage to speak. "What am I doing here na no da? Am I dead? Is that it no da?"
dead? no, not dead. not yet, anyway. She paused, and Chichiri could feel her studying him, penetrating through his mask, through his skin, and into his very soul. ...tell me something, Masked Monk. what is it that you desire? of all the things in this universe, of all the things that are possible within and without the barriers of Time and Law... what is it that you wish for?
Chichiri had never been asked something like that before, and in truth he didn't know how to reply. After a moment's thought, he supplied the best answer he could find. "I guess I'd just like to be happy with life, and protect the people I love no da," but in the same breath, he added meekly, "without any limitations no da?"
yes. you have more to say. it is impossible to hide thoughts and feelings here. do not fight it. speak freely.
The monk realized that Her words were correct; as soon as he thought it, the words spilled from his mouth. "I'd like to have my family and my friends, Hikou and Kouran, back no da. Even though I know it's impossible, even though I know it's foolish and selfish of me... I'd like them all back no da." Chichiri inhaled deeply, fighting to keep himself from shaking even more than he already was. It was extremely unpleasant, being in front of her, and with his most recent answers he knew She probably wasn't pleased. "That's all no da."
then, you believe that it is right to deny the Dead their rest?
"Of course it's not right no da!" Chichiri protested passionately. "I told you, I know it's selfish of me! I would never choose to bring them back, never no da! But You didn't say these were things that would come true. You just asked what I wanted no d-!" He turned chibi for a moment and put a hand to his mouth; Chichiri had been so offended by Her accusation that he only now realized he had been shouting at Her. "Daa... I'm going to be sent to Hell for that, aren't I na no da?"
She seemed to chuckle, if only a little. unlikely. speaking the truth is not reason for punishment, not by my standards. tell me... why do you wish this? why do you request the past?
"Because..." Chichiri didn't realize he was speaking, at first; he thought he had been thinking his words, getting them into order, but somehow they had tumbled out of his mouth as soon as they came to his mind. "Because, I guess, because the past was never really settled no da. I still have so many questions, about that day, about all those horrible things that happened... I can't help but ask for the past. It's the only thing in my life that's completely uncertain anymore no da. Uncertainty is a weakness. So were the sins that happened that night. I suppose people hang onto their weaknesses, because their strengths are too untrustworthy no da." Chichiri paused; he had never said that sort of thing out loud before. "That's what I think, anyway no da."
indeed? She seemed impressed, though the monk had no idea why. such thoughts do not come easily to any, especially Those That Lie Between. clearly, my Choice was not unwise. nevertheless, you are still torn between your conflicting universes. no. it is not quite the time. i leave you to your struggle, for now. then, then we shall see.
"Da?" the monk stood quickly, jerking his head around and trying to penetrate the shadows. "What do you mean? I don't understand no da. Choice? Struggles? 'They That Lie Between?' Please, explain it to me no da!"
not yet. not quite. there is no time, and it would do no good now. already the Angel's power has taken hold; you will soon forget. I hope that we will meet again. i believe we will. but even i cannot see the future. if not, then perhaps the mistake was mine. but i doubt that i am mistaken.
"Ch-chotto [Wait]-!" Chichiri wanted to say more, but he couldn't seem to get his mouth to work. Just as he had slowly emerged in this world, he could feel himself leaving it. His senses were slowly disconnecting themselves from his brain, and speech had been the first thing to go. He knew it wouldn't be long before he was gone completely, and that thought would have caused him to tremble had he been able to move his body.
In mere seconds the monk could feel himself vanishing from the void, feel himself being swept elsewhere by the same grey fog that had brought him to this place that was no place. His mind fuzzed out; his thoughts and memories dissolved and disappeared one by one, like so many flimsy soap bubbles bursting into nothing. Soon all that was left was darkness.
The last thing Chichiri heard before he was swept into complete unconsciousness was the voice of that woman, the woman who was known without a name.
there is strength in all pain, however small. do not lose faith, Masked Monk.
eternal truth, shine through.
Tasuki set Chichiri gently down on the monk's makeshift bed on the floor. He crouched next to his friend, just to make sure he was still breathing normally, then hopped up and began to circle the room restlessly. The other three entered soon after; Tasuki gestured for Hikaru to get to work.
Hikaru took a seat on the floor, next to Chichiri. She touched a shaking hand to his forehead and closed her eyes; the seishi bandit couldn't tell what she was doing, but she appeared to be concentrating hard, so he left her to her work. Shuu took a seat on Tasuki's bed - her quick glare silenced his demand for her to "move her Gaki ass" - and watched Hikaru's actions with a look of amused interest on her face.
Koji stood near the door, wondering what in the world he could possibly do. He studied Hikaru for a moment, then came to the same conclusion Tasuki had and decided to leave her to her own devices. His hazel eyes flitted quickly across Shuu - he wasn't interested in getting that sharp glare on him again - then over to his best friend. Tasuki was pacing the room anxiously, shooting nervous glances at Hikaru and Chichiri from time to time. He reminded Koji of a caged wolf; a fitting comparison, he thought with a small smile.
The Reikaku leader knew helping Hikaru was a lost cause, and Shuu didn't seem to need any help, so he decided to focus his attention on Tasuki. As the bandit paced by him again, Koji touched a hand to his shoulder. "You okay, Genrou?"
Tasuki jumped a little; Koji seemed to have knocked him out of his own private world. "Eh? Yeah, yeah, sure, I'm fine..." he turned to glance at his seishi companion again, almost as if he was afraid that if he looked away for too long Chichiri might disappear. Well, that was what had happened with the others, wasn't it? The one minute he'd left them, the one second he'd lowered his guard...
No. Don't think about that. Never think about that. Keep going. Move ahead. Live. He had taught himself that a long time ago, back when Nuriko... no, before that, even. When Reirei had died. When he'd been unable to save her. It was the only way to get through hard times. Don't think about them. Ever.
That was why he'd come back to Reikaku, wasn't it? Why he and Chichiri had practically avoided one another for ten years? It was so he could keep away that kind of pain, right? So he wouldn't have to think about that kind of stuff again, wasn't it? So what right did the monk have to bring those things back down on his head...?
No. Stop. That was unfair. And stupid. It wasn't Chichiri's fault. His worry, his pain; those weren't Chichiri's burdens to carry. It wasn't the monk's weaknesses that had caused this. It wasn't their weaknesses that had caused them to die. Of course not. Stupid.
Then who's fault was it? Who was to blame?
Who had turned their back for two seconds and let it happen?
Who?
No. Don't think about it. The bandits were his main concern now. The stronghold. Koji. Chichiri. Not the past. Never the past.
Keep going. Move ahead. Live.
"...Genrou?"
The seishi bandit shook his head hard, brushing off Koji's hand and moving to stand closer to Hikaru. "I'm fine, Koji. Don't worry so much."
Tasuki moved away before Koji could respond. He didn't want his best friend to have a chance to respond. Koji knew him too well, and he could probably tell what was going on inside of him. But he didn't want to talk about it; not now, not in front of them. He didn't want the Asatenshi sisters to know about that. He didn't want them to know about his weakness. He didn't trust them.
Or was it someone else that he didn't trust...?
Stop thinking. It's too quiet. Say something. "How is he? What happened? Was it stress'r somethin'? Is he gonna be okay?"
Hikaru's voice shook slightly; she had been fighting back tears all night. "I... I can't tell. Chichiri's heart rate, pulse, breathing... everything's a little slower, but it's not unnatural. It's not even a coma. It's like, it's like he's just sleeping. Except I know that isn't it; his life force just doesn't feel right."
"Ya can't tell?" Tasuki demanded roughly, one hand gripped tightly against the wood of his dresser. "Yer a High Priestess who specializes in Holy Spells! If ya can't even figger out what's wrong with 'Chiri, then what th' hell d'they teach ya at that Shrine-a yers!?"
"Genrou... "
Shuu snorted. "Ch! Baka. If you didn't spend so much time sobbing about your poor little friend and more time examining him, you'd know exactly what was wrong with him." The younger sister leaned back on Tasuki's bed, making herself comfortable. "Use your head, Nee-san. Someone said an Oath."
"An Oath?" Tasuki raised an eyebrow. "What th' hell is that?"
"One of the Seven Great Oaths. Holy Spells of Strength. Things like that. There's a million names for them," Shuu said it all matter-of-factly, as if people fell victim to them everyday. "Nee-san will have to clarify this, since I'm not as educated as she is in Holy Magic, but it's probably the third one."
Hikaru's eyes widened in surprise. "Entrapment." She touched Chichiri's face lightly. The young woman set her jaw in a line of determination. "There's only one way to find out. Tasuki-san!" the bandit jumped at the surprising note of harshness in her voice. "Come here, please. I need your help."
"With what?" he asked warily, reluctant to lend his aid to either of these unusual women. Even as he said it, though, he was walking over to Hikaru. As much as he distrusted the Asatenshi sisters, he still thought that he'd be willing to sell his soul to them if it would help Chichiri. "Whadda ya need?"
"I need to get a look at Chichiri's face."
"Kao?"
"Hai," she nodded hurriedly, gesturing for him to sit next to her. "A victim of the Third Oath... well, I need a look at his face to tell if that's really what it is. Except, I need to get his mask off to see his face, and his mask is enchanted. I'm going to need help. You have a strong magical aura, plus you're Chichiri's close friend. Between the two of us I think we ought to be able to release the spells that seal it to his features."
"Uh, okay." Tasuki knelt next to Hikaru and tried to avoid looking at his seishi friend. The monk looked too still, too rigid, almost as if... The bandit shook his head. Chichiri was ten minutes unconscious and Tasuki was already envisioning him dead. That was sick. What was wrong with him? "What should I do?"
Hikaru grabbed his hand, an action that made Koji tense just slightly. "Here." She placed his hand, palm down, lightly on the monk's forehead. Her own hand was closed over his. "Just stay like that, and will his mask to come off. I'll take care of the rest."
Shuu sighed. "Oh happiness, Nee-san gets to show of her powers."
Hikaru didn't appear to hear her. Asatenshi's palm glowed green as she closed her eyes and softly recited a spell. "By the Mother's power, I command your release. Free yourself of the bonds that hold you and come away in my hand. Eternal truth, shine through."
Tasuki's own crimson strength flared and melded with her emerald light for a moment, then both disappeared. The seishi bandit pinched the corner of the mask in his fingers; it peeled away easily, revealing the monk's scarred, sleeping face. Tasuki placed the material lightly on his nightstand, then turned to check on his friend again.
Hikaru touched a hand to Chichiri's true face, frowning gently. "Oh, Chichiri..." she pulled back his eyelid a bit, studying his iris. "Yappari [I thought so]..."
"Oi!" Tasuki reached out a hand and grabbed her wrist, amber orbs glaring at her angrily. "What th' hell d'ya think yer doin'!?"
The young woman blushed at the touch, but retained her composure. "Nothing to harm him, I assure you, Tasuki-san. I was looking for proof of the Third Oath." Hikaru pointed with her other hand towards the monk's mahogany eye. "Hora [See]? Don't they look strange? It's because they're all irises; you can't see the pupil anymore. Hora, hora, Tasuki-san?"
Now that she mentioned it, he did see what she meant. Still, he failed to see what that had to do with anything. "Okay, his eye looks weird. What's that supposed t'mean?"
"It means, Ahou," Shuu interjected from her resting spot, putting her hands behind her head, "that someone's used the Oath of Entrapment on him. In short, he's been trapped in a closed universe."
Hikaru could see the question on Tasuki and Koji's lips, so she picked up the narrative. "A closed universe is a world that cannot be breached by human means. It's a place isolated from all other dimensions, sometimes called Kokoro no Sekai - World of the Soul - for in truth it exists solely without that person's heart and mind."
"Okay, now in terms I'll understand...?"
Shuu snorted. "He's stuck in his own dimension and he probably doesn't even know it. Do you get it now, or do I need to make flashcards for you, Ahou?"
Tasuki turned his frustrations on the younger sister. "Urusai, Gaki! I get it, I jus' don't get it!"
Koji understood where his friend was coming from; he intervened before the seishi bandit and Shuu got into a fight. "What exactly are these Oaths, anyway?"
"The Seven Holy Oaths of Strength," Hikaru said quietly, carefully situating the monk into a more comfortable position on his makeshift bed, "are exactly what they say. They are the seven greatest spells known to man; spells that call on the powers of Heaven, Earth, and the Shadow Realm - what you call Hell. I never wished to know their words, never wished to have that sort of tempting power at my fingertips, so I could not tell you anymore about them..."
"Than I will," Shuu interrupted, fixing her emerald eyes on Tasuki. "The Seven Oaths are Time, Power, Entrapment, Possession, Sight, Protection, and Sacrifice. Like Nee-san said, they draw strength from the three corners of the World and from the people that inhabit the space. All of the Oaths are a little different, and a little bit the same. The Oath of Entrapment has to do with dreams and memories. I'm not going to repeat the words - if I did, I'd just invoke the spell, and then someone else would get Trapped - but you get the idea."
"Yeah, yeah, that's great," Tasuki growled. "Now that th' lesson's over, how about you tell me what I really wanna know? Like who could done this!?" The bandit had a thought; he crossed the room, standing over Shuu suspiciously. "Come t'think of it, you an' yer sister seem t'know an awful lot about this stuff..."
The younger Asatenshi sister snorted, but she didn't meet Tasuki's eyes. "Get real, Ahou. Haven't you been listening? The Oaths call on aid from all corners of the Universe. A human can't withstand that kind of strength, not unless they plan on dying within a few minutes."
Tasuki's amber eyes narrowed in distrust. "Yeah, you can say that all ya want. It's not like Koji 'n' I would know if you were tellin' th' truth or not!"
"Then don't believe me. What do I care? He's your friend, not mine," Shuu told him harshly.
She stood swiftly, but Tasuki blocked her way. "I'm gettin' really sick of this, Gaki! Ever since you got here you been actin' like we're all slime, like you own this place! An' now, outta nowhere, Chichiri gets Trapped an' suddenly the only two people who know what's goin' on are you an' yer sister!? It's a little too convenient fer me..."
Shuu's eyes flashed angrily as green power licked at her fingertips. "Move, Ahou. I don't have time to stand around here and argue about this junk."
"Junk!?" Tasuki grabbed her by the collar. "One-a my best friends is stuck in some kind-a closed universe, an' you call that junk!? Start talkin' about how I c'n save him instead of tryin' t'defend yerself, and maybe I'll start thinkin' there's actually someone worth trustin' under those cold eyes!"
"Genrou, take it easy!" Koji grabbed his friend by the arm, trying to pull him away from the Asatenshi sister. "Shuu-san and Hikaru-san have been here for a week! If they wanted t'hurt any of us, they woulda done it from the get-go! Yer overreactin'! Neither of them has done anythin' t'prove what yer sayin' about 'em! So just calm down, okay!?"
Tasuki was strong, but Koji was too, plus the tanned bandit had caught him off-balance. The seishi took a step back, releasing Shuu. He whirled towards Koji, clenched a fist at his side as if to hit him, but stopped. Tasuki took a breath, realized what he had almost done - to Shuu, to Koji - and closed his eyes. He gripped his friend's shoulder tightly to steady himself. Relax. Calm down.
He had to quit lashing out at the first suspect just to ease his own anxiety. But he'd always solved his problems that way, hadn't he? He'd always defeated his pain and worry by turning it into anger and doing something about it. Fighting. But that was why he hadn't been able to save them. Nuriko, Chiriko, Mitsukake, Hotohori. Reirei. Hakurou. You couldn't fight something you couldn't see; couldn't fight what you were too late to prevent. You couldn't fight Fate. Or Death. Or Holy Oaths.
So what could he do now?
"Genrou?"
Shit. He needed to calm down, that's what he needed to do. Chichiri was by no means on the verge of death. There had to be a way to help him. Keep going. Move ahead. Live. "Ch," Tasuki said quietly, opening his eyes and grinning at his close friend. "I must be gettin' senile in my old age, na?"
Koji released his grip on the other bandit's arm, returning the smile. "I always knew yer mind would go faster'n mine would: ya already have less of one as it is."
Tasuki shoved his friend playfully, then turned his golden gaze towards Hikaru. "Okay. So what's next?"
The older Asatenshi sister watched the seishi bandit carefully, a look of obvious hurt in her eyes. "Tasuki-san... do you really distrust Shuu-san and I that much?"
"Well..." He couldn't lie to her. He had always been a terrible liar. "I can't say that I trust either of ya... ya jus' showed up here, an' all, an' now with all this stuff happenin'... Gomen, Hikaru-san, but th' two of ya are always so secretive. Yer always hidin' somethin'. I can't trust someone like that. Especially after this."
"Wakatta [I understand]," she said quietly. Hikaru turned her emerald orbs downward. "I suppose I can't blame you: Chichiri said the same thing to me, earlier today, about my secretive nature - Mother preserve us, Chichiri, just this morning you were..." the older Asatenshi closed her eyes, pausing to get a grip on her emotions. "What I'm trying to say is, I'll understand if you want to keep us under guard, or lock us up or something. I can't say it doesn't hurt me, to have you think that... but I understand it.
"However, I do have one request. Please, Tasuki-san, if nothing else, allow me to help him." Hikaru clenched a fist against her dress tightly; she stood from Chichiri's side, meeting Tasuki's eyes squarely. "I know a spell. It doesn't guarantee success, and I'd need to do it often for at least a week before it began to take effect. It's a summoning spell, of sorts. The only tool I know of that can fight Entrapment. If Chichiri hears it... if Chichiri doesn't ignore our calls... then it might be able to bring him back.
"But, in order for me to do that, I must have your permission. Please, Tasuki-san, don't deny me the chance to gain your trust and help Chichiri." She turned her eyes downward again, fighting to hold back tears. "Please."
Shuu snorted. Neither of the bandits seemed to hear her.
Koji struggled between defending Hikaru and standing by his friend. Loyalty was very quickly losing the battle, something he was both ashamed and happy about. The dark-haired man shot Tasuki a look, almost as if to say: "Can't you have any delicacy?" a question he had been asking his friend since they were kids. Koji turned to Asatenshi, trying to figure out a way he could comfort her without turning his back on his bandit companion's wishes. "Oi, Hikaru-san..."
"Do it. If it'll help Chichiri, then do it." Tasuki's voice was barely above a whisper, but he said his words with decisiveness. "I don't like seein' girls cry. Besides, Chichiri's life is th' one on the line, not mine. An' he trusted you. So do what ya gotta do."
Hikaru's eyes lit up in disbelief and joy. She bowed quickly to the bandit. "Arigatou, Tasuki-san!" The young woman knelt next to Chichiri again; she muttered a short chant under her breath, then looked up with a smile on her face. "I've initiated the spell. There's nothing more I can really do tonight, but tomorrow evening I should be able to begin work on it again. Is there somewhere you would like me to stay for the night? A cell, or with one of the other bandits, perhaps?"
"Ferget it," Tasuki grumbled reluctantly. She was helping Chichiri. This was for Chichiri. Besides, Chichiri and Koji had said she cared about him. Traitors didn't develop feelings for their enemies. "Reikaku ain't never run a prision b'fore, an' I sure as hell ain't about t'start one. Go t'yer room. Get t'sleep. It's been a hard day."
Hikaru stood, bowed once more, then gestured to her sister. "Shuu-chan, your room is next to mine: shall we walk together?"
The younger Asatenshi sister hadn't moved since Tasuki's near-attack; she continued to stay where she was, glaring daggers at the pair of bandits.
Tasuki turned around, facing the younger sister. She had one hand on her neck, where his fingers had barely come in contact with her skin. She glared at him angrily. The bandit rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, putting an apologetic hand on her shoulder. "Listen, I'm sorry I grabbed ya like that... it's jus', with Chichiri th' way he is, I guess I lost it a little. He's the only seishi left b'sides me, so I get worried about him easily-"
Shuu brushed the bandit's hand off her shoulder, then brought up her own palm and slapped Tasuki hard across the face. She stared up at him with the sharpest, most bitter emerald eyes he had ever seen. "Don't touch me," she growled under her breath. "Stay away from me. Both of you. All of you. You're disgusting."
Shuu turned sharply on her heel and marched toward the door. At the last second she turned around, iron stare never leaving Tasuki's eyes. "Your friend isn't going to hear the calls. He isn't going to want to. That's the point of closed universes: to keep people in by choice, not force. There's nothing you can do about it. Nee-san is optimistic. Nee-san is a fool. All of you are." And then she was gone in a flurry of pale orange skirts.
"Shuu-chan..." Hikaru's lower lip trembled slightly; this was just too much for one evening. She started to go after her sister, but Tasuki caught her sharply by the arm.
"Hikaru-san." She whirled, coming almost nose-to-nose with him and blushing violently. Tasuki didn't seem to notice the closeness. "What happens... what happens if we can't call him back?"
Asatenshi looked down. "How much food can you force into someone in a coma? Enough to help them live a few months, at best? Maybe a little more..." She looked up, tears in her mysterious eyes. "He'll die, Tasuki-san. I apologize for my sister. I'm really very sorry..." Hikaru broke his hold, turning quickly and disappearing the way her sibling had gone.
Koji put a hand on his companions' shoulder, eyes on the doorway. He had meant to comfort Tasuki, but somehow found most of his sympathy directed at Hikaru. The bandit turned his attention toward his companion, trying not to think so much about the intriguing young woman. "Daijoubu, Genrou. I'm sure Chichiri'll be okay. Why doncha get some sleep, na? Things'll look better in th' mornin'." Koji, thoughts still mostly centered on Hikaru, brushed past Tasuki and out the door with a quick "Oyasumi," leaving his troubled companion alone.
Tasuki barely heard his friend. His amber orbs quivered with barely held-back fear. He grappled fiercely with his nightstand, gripping the wood for support.
Not going to come back...?
Die...?
Nothing he could do...?
The bandit clenched his fists tightly at his sides. No. Not Chichiri. Not again. Never again. Chichiri would come back. Tasuki would find a way to make him come back. He wouldn't let it happen again. He couldn't let it happen again. Otherwise...
No. Stop. Don't think about that. Ever. It was wrong. He was tougher than that. A lot tougher than that. Too strong to let those thoughts bother him; to strong to even think those things. Wasn't he? Wasn't he?
Of course he was... Of course he was.
Keep going. Move ahead. Live.
The bandit turned his golden eyes back in Chichiri's direction. He sighed unhappily, inwardly struggling with his own questions, his own damned doubts. "Happy New Year, 'Chiri," Tasuki whispered grimly to the chill evening air.
A young, blue-haired girl, roughly ten years old, tugged on her mother's dress. "Okaa-san, can I do it now? Huh, can I, please?" Her brown eyes sparkled with hope and mischief. "He'll be late again if I don't! Please?"
The older woman looked down, a gentle smile on her face. "Kyoui-chan, your brother's been studying hard for the exams. He needs his sleep. Let him be for now."
A boy around the age of fifteen sat at the kitchen table. He snorted at his mother's words. "Sou, sou, Nii-san's been working his butt off lately, sneaking out at night to meet up with that girlfriend of his..."
His mother reached across the table and smacked her son on the head with a dish towel. "Hush, Mitsuru. Late night outings or not, his grades are still top-notch. Maybe if you spent more time with your 'girlfriend,' your marks would be up there as well." Mitsuru scowled; Kyoui giggled. The older woman, Yukari by name, glanced out her window at the sun, which was just peeking its head over the trees. "Oh, dear... it looks like he really will be late again..."
Kyoui looked up, tugging once more on her mother's skirts. "Can I get him, then? Ne, ne?"
"Hm..." she looked down, smiling at her daughter. "All right, get him up. But hurry, please."
"Hai!" Kyoui turned on her slippered feet, grabbing her skirts in her hands and dashing out of the kitchen.
"Kyoui-chan, try to act a little more like a young woman, would you...?" the girl had not heard; she was already gone. Yukari shook her head, chuckling slightly. "Dear, dear, she's a sparkplug, all right. Just like her father..."
Kyoui raced imaginary opponents through the house and to the room of her eldest brother. She slid open the door with a loud crash, then leaped the distance between the doorway and the bed, landing hard on her brother's stomach. "Rise and shine lazy bum, or you'll be late again!"
"Daa!" her older sibling's mahogany orbs snapped open in surprise. He sat up with a start, gasping for air. He looked at her with a mixture of surprise and sleepy confusion in his eyes. "Kyo... chan...?"
She grinned sweetly, flashing a victory sign. "O-ha-you... Hou-jun!"
*****
Hao, minna-san!
Aww, c'mon, you didn't really think Chichiri was dead, did you? You oughta know by now that I just like to scare ya a little. *Grin* Besides, I'd never kill my favorite characters... this early in a story, that is. *Evil chuckles ensue*
For those of you who actually read this, sorry this chapter took so long to post. I was going through a period of serious writer's block, and was seriously considering pulling RFS from fanfiction.net (a thought I'm still playing with...). Anyway, my buddy Val-chan's helpful comments, reviews and encouragements, along with a happy surprise review from Roku-senpai (Roku Kyu to the rest of you) and Kourin Lucrece-san, helped pull me out of my slump. Thanks you three, your words have brought me back to my writing senses. *Smile*
Random Chapter Comments Kind of a transition chapter, if you will. A lot of magical stuff that I invented, some explanations, and plenty of rising suspicions on the Asatenshi sisters. See, Tasuki isn't too dense - he figured out that it was one of the sisters pretty quick, ne? And speaking of Tasuki, I had some fun diving into his psyche in this chapter. As you can see, this is not the Tasuki of FY:NC - this is an older, more indecisive Tasuki who I've never really seen before but always thought lurked there, under that arrogant front. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed my somewhat unusual portrayal of the bandit's mind! *Bows* All remarks, be they good or bad, will be much appreciated. And who is this Mother? What does she want with Chichiri? And where exactly has the monk gone? *Blinks as silence reigns* Oh, you expected me to answer those?
Question of the Week: How did Hotohori get all of his hair to fit in that little box-hat thing?
Verse Preview? A "pleasure world," a budding friendship (and perhaps a sparking rivalry?), and a few new, but certainly not original, characters. Guess that's it for this session! Hope to see you next time (whenever that may be)!
Surprisingly Perky Today,
Dee ~_^