Verse Three: Get the Win
"I wanna fly all over the place.
I wanna throw caution to the wind.
It isn't because I've lost anything
It's because nothing's even started yet."
--Arimachi Masahiko; "Through the Night"--
The next morning was filled with a buzz of excitement, an anticipation that filled the stronghold and hummed through all its corridors. Before breakfast was half over the news had spread to every man in the gang, and each man in turn began preparing for what was certain to come, a tense excitement displayed in all their actions. Their leaders, as well as some of the better campaigners, had locked themselves away in one of Reikaku's smaller meeting rooms, which could only mean one thing: they were planning an attack on the Akutsuki gang. Finally, their lurking enemy would be drawn from the shadows and dealt with properly; finally, they could strike out against their vicious rivals and destroy them with the perfect efficiency that was famous on Reikaku lands. For how could victory not be imminent, with a seishi commander and a battle-hardened lieutenant? Not a bandit in the stronghold doubted the surety of a victory against the Akutsuki gang; one-on-one, hand-to-hand, no gang could possibly best the famous Reikaku bandits, not even ones with magic-wielders!
No one doubted, that is, except the leaders themselves. Tasuki and Koji had spent most of the late hours the night before discussing and re-discussing battle plans; even after they had separated, most of their sleepless nights were spent planning, strategizing, and mulling over the possibilities for their attack. For, even the cautious Koji agreed, an attack was the only way they could gain back both pride and land in this war with their rival gang. But it would have to be done right; the Akutsuki gang was not a group to be trifled with, and both leaders knew this all too well.
So the very next morning they called a hasty meeting with a few of their better campaigners, and set to work on a solid battle plan. If all went well, they could scout the Akutsuki lands before nightfall, and have an attack set up for the very next day. Their enemy would never know what hit them.
Koji sat back in his chair, watching calmly as Tasuki, Soshu, and Ken - who proved surprisingly well-versed with the land around Reikaku - sat with their heads bent over a large map of the mountain and its surrounding territory, talking in muttered voices about the best routes for a reconnaissance mission. Genji hovered nearby as well, torn between aiding his elders and learning from their experience, though he was really only supposed to be bringing breakfast to the quartet.
"Look, we know their hideout can't be that far from ours," Tasuki explained, gesturing towards the map of the territory. "Otherwise, how c'd they plan those hit 'n' run attacks so well?"
Soshu, a veteran bandit with a knack for detail, shook his head. "Not necessarily - they've got that magic, remember? They c'n sneak on 'n' off easy, with a sorcerer among 'em; they could be two li away or a thousand, fer all we know."
"I agree with Soshu-san," Ken murmured, eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "We'd better spread ourselves out a little thinner and go out a little farther; better to find them on one mission than wear ourselves out on several."
"Nope, Genrou's right," Koji voiced. The others turned, giving their fourth member their full attention; though he sat back from the trio, they knew his eyes and ears didn't miss any of the discussion. Koji was a skilled campaigner, the best on the mountain, and when all was said and done even Tasuki knew that his opinion would be the deciding one. "'Cause it ain't like they jus' march on, attack randomly, an' march off. They know where t'place themselves. They know our land almost as well as we do, so chances are they're close. Might even be squattin' on the very edges of it - patrols don't always go out that far, y'know."
Soshu and Ken gave small grunts of agreement. "All right," Soshu said, pointing towards the map. "So we keep in close. Keep our forces t'gether. But where d'we start lookin'?"
"Around the river, near the southern base of the mountain," Genji piped up, causing the veteran bandits to glance up in surprise. The youth blushed, remembering that he wasn't even supposed to be in the room, but stuttered an explanation through his growing embarrassment. "It's just, um, you have to be close to a water supply, like we're only a little bit away from the Kagaryu Stream, because it's, um, it's a basic survival need... te kanjii."
Tasuki grinned. "Have a seat, Genji-kun," he invited, patting the remaining chair. "Y'just got promoted t'Junior Campaigner."
The young bandit blushed again, this time with pleasure, and plopped himself joyfully into the chair between Ken and Koji. "A-ri-ga-tou, te kanjii!"
Koji chuckled and turned his attention back to the issue at hand. "Right, so we limit it t'the area by that south river. We c'n cross off anythin' past th' edge-a th' Kuri Forest - anyone livin' in that place is askin' fer a quick death - and everythin' above about the fourth li mark - we're ain't gotten so cocky that we wouldn't-a noticed a stronghold springin' up that close."
"And that," Ken continued triumphantly, drawing a large circle on the map with his finger, "limits us to a three li radius on the southern side-a Mount Reikaku."
Tasuki clapped his hands almost hungrily, standing and watching the others. "Okay, great, we've got all that messy stuff outta th' way. So whatta we got in th' form-a battle plans, eh? We wanna surround 'em an' close in, or all come in from one way an' overwhelm 'em, or..."
"Ano..." Genji coughed, speaking for the rest of the sweatdropping bandits. "Maybe, Gen-sama, er, meaning no disrespect of course, but maybe we ought to focus on finding the hideout first. Like, a, um, a scouting mission, te kanjii."
A murmured rumble of agreement filled the room, Koji voicing his with a small, teasing smirk on his face. "Leave it t'you, Genrou, t'ferget the means an' go straight t'the ends."
"Oh, fine!" he growled, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. The seishi made a big show of leaning back in his chair, yawning wide and closing his eyes. "You four have fun yammerin' about that. Wake me when yer done, an' we c'n get t'some real plannin'."
"Fair enough," Soshu agreed, shoving the gang leader out of the way of the map and knocking his chair over in the process. "Let's get t'work on this, Koji-san, Ken, Genji-kun, while our leader gets his beauty sleep. Suzaku knows he c'd use a lot of it."
Genji giggled, stealing Tasuki's fallen chair before the disgruntled bandit could recover it. "Good idea, Soshu-san. And, since he's so comfortable on the floor, I'm sure he won't mind me borrowing his chair, te kanjii!"
"Would you knock it off?! I wasn't really goin' t'sleep, y'know!"
Ken blinked, surprised by the familiarity the bandit underlings showed with the seishi. Other strongholds would have beheaded gang members for treating their leader with such blatant disrespect. But Reikaku was not like other gangs, and Tasuki was no ordinary leader. The new bandit smiled, helping Tasuki to his feet with a small chuckle on his lips. "You know, if this plan of ours fails, we could always invite the Akutsuki gang over for dinner. Once they see the way this stronghold acts, I'd say they'd be biting at the bit to join you."
"Either that, or they'd be too busy laughin' at us t'fight," Koji added, a tiny bit of impatience in his voice. Reikaku had always been a place of easy-going humour, but they needed to stay focused. And the co-leader remembered what had happened the last time they had let their guard down. Five wounded, and Kaneka still in serious condition. No way could they risk that again. "But let's make that our last resort plan; fer the moment, an attack sounds like our best bet."
"Doesn't sound like we got much more t'work on," Tasuki remarked, gesturing towards the map. "We've done scoutin' missions b'fore. We'll send out twenty bandits, that's about half of us, an' keep th' rest back here. No reason t'bring a whole squad, after all. Do a swing of th' area, spread out a li'l but not too thin in case of an attack. Then we march back home 'n' start plannin' fer the ass-whoopin' that'll come t'morrow."
Ken frowned. "Is that how you've always done it, Leader?" the bandit seishi nodded; the newcomer pursed his lips thoughtfully. "Hm."
"What?"
He glanced up, hesitating a moment before answering. It was still hard for the new bandit to adjust to the "equal voice" rule of the Reikaku bandits; a lower-level member like himself shouldn't have been able to contradict the leader so easily. "Well, it's just, it would seem to me that it would be better to split your forces and do sweeps from both the east and west. We'll cover more ground in the same amount of time, because we'll have two forces, and two leaders to head the packs rather than just one."
"Well, yeah, but..." Soshu looked uneasy. "You're new, Ken, so there're a lot of things y'don't know about us. One of those things is that, y'see, Genrou 'n' Koji don't do the splittin' up thing. They work better as a team, an' when ya knock 'em apart, well, it's a bit like knockin' Reikaku down th' middle. It jus' don't function right."
Tasuki nodded his agreement. "There's a reason I'm th' longest-livin' leader so far, an' it ain't my sword skills. It's my strategy, an' th' fact that I always got Koji watchin' my back. It might be harder, but in th' event of a fight, it's always more effective."
Ken nodded humbly, bowing to his defeat. "Of course, that makes perfect sense. Forget I said anything."
But still, wouldn't it be nice, Koji felt more than heard a voice, a voice that was becoming increasingly familiar, hiss in his ear, to be free of his shadow, just once. To stop "watching his back," and start watching your own. To show your skills on the battlefield, without having to do it with that fire-wielding hothead leading the pack. To prove yourself, for the first time in over fifteen years, to the rest of the stronghold and to yourself.
Well, yeah, Koji argued inwardly. But it's better fer the gang this way. I can't jus' turn my back on what's good fer th' whole jus' so I can show off a little.
Not even for Hikaru?
"Maybe we oughta try somethin' different," the words ripped their way from Koji's throat before he was aware of them, but as soon as they came out they seemed to make perfect sense. If nothing else, he would make them make sense. "These Akutsuki guys, they know a lot about us. They might know our battle strategies, too. So why not switch it up on 'em, 'n' go with Ken's idea?" Of course, he assured his questioning mind. In the end, it was better for Reikaku that he split from Tasuki's side, just this once.
The seishi bandit jerked his head to look his friend in the eyes, surprise etched clearly across his face. Surprise, and what looked like fear. "Eh? But, but Koji, we've always-"
"C'mon, Genrou," the co-leader said with a laugh, once more using his friend's pride to his advantage. "I'm sure y'can survive one battle without me t'look out fer ya."
"That's not why I don't wanna do it!" Tasuki snapped, probably a little too quickly. But he couldn't let them know the truth. About his questions, his worries, his doubts. About his constant nagging fear of losing Koji, of losing the only person left to look out for him. That was weakness. A bandit leader could never, ever afford to show weakness. Not even if it meant lying to yourself the entire way. "Its jus' that we've always worked that way, an' it seems like a bad idea t'stop doin' what's never stopped workin'."
"A lot of things that worked in th' past ain't workin' against the Akutsuki," Koji reminded him quietly. He marveled at how sure he sounded, when he was still fighting to convince himself. "Who's t'say this wouldn't be the biggest blunder of 'em all?" Tasuki still wavered, so the co-leader sunk the final nail into the coffin. "I ain't willin' t'lose bandit lives fer th' sake of tradition, Genrou."
Tasuki opened his mouth to argue, but the last words hit him like a slap in the face. Five wounded, he heard his mind whisper once again. Five of his people, because of his foolishness. That was one thing that would never happen again. "Okay. So, I'll take the west side, 'n' you take th' east. We'll do a sweep, then meet back at th' stronghold around sunset." The others nodded and stood, preparing to inform their companions. Tasuki's eyes still held Koji's hazel ones, and there was a sort of desperation deep in their centers that made the co-leader hesitate with his decision, though only briefly. "An' fer gods' sake, Koji, y'better be here when I get back."
---
"So, you're really going after this Akutsuki gang, huh? Pretty ballsy move for you, not that I'm entirely surprised; you've been acting more like a man and less like the Reikaku wife these past few days."
Koji turned towards the familiar, impatient female voice, unsure if he should be pleased or irritated by her sudden presence in his room and her equally sudden compliment - or was it a rude comment? He could never be completely sure with the youngest Asatenshi sister. "Thanks, I guess," was all he could think to say. "What're you doin' here, anyway?"
"I can't come to tell you good luck?" she asked, arms crossed over her chest in their customary position of defiance. At Koji's raised eyebrow, the sister laughed dryly. "What, not a good enough lie? Okay, so I came to tell you I'm coming with you on your little mission."
The bandit felt more surprise well up in his chest, as well as an intense feeling of irritation. Just the other night, this woman had called him a liar, a jerk, and had delivered a vicious slap that he wouldn't soon forget; and now she wanted to accompany him on a scouting trip? "What?! Why-?!"
"I'm bored," she explained, draping her arms across the end of his bed. "My magic's just sitting around, cramped up inside me, and it needs to do something. Frying bandits sounds like a good way to let out energy. Besides," she added, glancing up through a mat of messy black hair, "if I don't go with you, you'll end up getting yourself killed. I may hate you, but our little arguments have been moderately... amusing, to me."
"That's the biggest load-a bull I've ever heard," Koji snapped, surprised by his increasing annoyance with the sister. It was becoming harder and harder to tolerate the young Asatenshi woman, and the bandit could feel his patience straining. "It's a freakin' reconnaissance mission, Shuu-san. I'll be surprised if we run inta one Akutsuki bandit along the way, much less have a real battle. An' anyway, I c'n take care-a myself on th' battlefield. I don't need anyone t'look after me."
Not that you wouldn't want a real battle.
"Not that I'd mind a real battle," Koji added quietly, the silent, independent thought almost immediately merging with his own. "It'd be nice, t'get in some real action fer a change. And without having to..." he trailed off, not wanting the sister to hear his final thoughts. Not wanting her to know - and not wanting to admit to himself - that this entire change of plans was a ploy, a wishful idea that outside of Tasuki's shadow he could prove his own worth to the Asatenshi sister he truly cared about.
But the co-leader should have known that such details rarely escaped the young woman's watchful eyes. "That's exactly why I'm coming with you," she retorted, turning her eyes down to her hands where a little green spark danced between her fingers. The sister played with it almost subconsciously as it moved from finger to finger, the energy crackling with the need to be released. "You're so damn intent on getting into a battle and proving that you can do things on your own without that Ahou's help that you're going to wind up getting yourself shot just to show that you can take it."
She scowled, pinching the emerald magic between her fingers and letting it blink out of existence. "It's a stupid reason to risk the rest of the bandits' lives. You're already the one looking out for that moron, not the other way around, so what's the point of giving yourself an ego-booster? It won't accomplish anything, 'cept giving you an arrow in your head."
"Well, you might think I'm a better leader than Genrou, but Hikaru ain't been convinced yet," Koji told her, the words out of his mouth before he could realize exactly what he'd said. Once he did, though, he groaned inwardly at what he had admitted, and what he suddenly knew to be all too true. Hikaru's attention, the love he had sought and been denied for nearly two months. That was all this had ever been about; that was all it had always been about. But he couldn't go back on it now, he told himself almost frantically. He couldn't admit his mistake, not after he'd taken it so far. "An' anyway," he added hastily, "sometimes its important t'switch up battle plans. I ain't tryin' t'risk any lives here; I'm tryin' t'save a few."
"Now that's the biggest load of bull I've ever heard," Shuu snorted, mimicking the bandit's earlier words. She stood, popping her back and turning to leave. "Well, whatever. It's not my fault if half the stronghold gets slaughtered because you're all hung up on my sister. Oh, and forget I said anything about coming along - our arguments aren't so amusing that I'm gonna risk my neck for your obsession." The sister started to leave, but stopped at the last minute. "And one more thing," she looked over her shoulder, emerald eyes meeting his hazel ones full force, "if you touch that crystal of mine again, you'll get more than a little burn. You're already too far along to withstand another meeting with that kind of power."
"Too far along? What the hell does that mean?"
"Nothing," she assured him, a secretive, almost vicious smile playing on her lips. "I'll see you around. But then again, maybe I won't. But I guess I can't always hope for the best, can I?" And with those words, Shuu was gone, once again leaving the bandit co-leader struck dumb and riddled with questions.
Ignore her for now. She sees many truths, but she'll never understand you, the pinprick of a voice told him, though this time it seemed louder, more commanding. For now, there are more pressing matters at hand.
Koji nodded, turning towards the corner of his room to gather together his weapons and the scant armor he wore during battle. It was unlikely that a fight would occur, but he never left the stronghold unprepared. Underestimating your enemy was the ultimate weakness. That was why they had changed up their battle plan in the first place, he reminded himself firmly. Not because of Hikaru, and not because of his own selfish needs. It was for the stronghold's own good. To throw the Akutsuki gang off a little, and ensure a successful exploration.
But was it, really...?
Of course, that same little hiss agreed, and the co-leader could almost feel the reassuring smile. It was so easy to trust that voice, so easy to believe everything it said; it spoke the words he wanted to hear. Everything you've ever done has been for the good of the other bandits. This is no different.
Koji did not question the silent sentences, not yet anyway. They were too small, too much of a whisper in his mind for him to question them just yet. Besides, they were too pleasing for him to want to question their validity, or if they were really the work of his own mind or of something much darker. For now, the quiet encouragement was all he needed and wanted. He turned the current issue from his mind and questioned it no more.
And somewhere far from the bandit's ears, but closer than he could ever imagine, a very small voice let out a very vicious, eager chuckle.
---
Tasuki knew he should have been back in his room, getting prepared for the battle ahead, but for some reason his feet had taken him to the small side room that now acted as infirmary for the few injured bandits still unable to move about on their own. Hikaru was there, which he was expecting - counting on, really - tending to Kaneka's wounds. The young bandit had taken one arrow to the collarbone and another to the abdomen, and though it hadn't hit anything vital he was in extreme pain and half-mad with a relentless fever. The Asatenshi woman was doing what she could, but the bandit leader knew Kaneka's chances of survival were still uncertain. That wasn't what he was really worried about, though; it wasn't the reason he had sought Hikaru out.
The bandit leader said nothing as Hikaru tended to Kaneka's injuries, but he paced behind the pair like a caged wolf, his boots hitting the wooden floors with a decisive, attention-seeking thud with every step. It was all Hikaru could do to keep her attention on her current healing spells, and though she didn't have the courage to say it the noise was starting to wear on her nerves. Sometimes Tasuki was as bad as a little kid when it came to getting what he wanted.
Thud thud thud thud thud... thudthudthudthud...
Hikaru set her hands down, eyebrow twitching with the tiniest bit of irritation. "Tasuki, if you must do that, could you please do it a bit quieter?" she asked through gritted teeth. "This is a difficult spell, and I'd hate to mess it up."
He stopped for a moment, just long enough to answer her request with a, "Oh, sure thing, Hikaru," before going right back to his pacing. The noise didn't decrease a bit, either; if anything, the Asatenshi sister could've sworn it grew in volume. No matter, she assured herself; she could work around a little bit of noise.
Thud thud thud thud thud thud thud...
She was a talented healer and could work under even the most distressing circumstances: screaming patients, sobbing family members, pacing bandits...
Thud thud thud thud...
"Oh, for heaven's sake!" she finally cried, losing her patience with the Reikaku leader. The Asatenshi sister swiveled her head, raven-blue hair scattering from her face. "Tasuki, I will listen to your problems as soon as I am capable, but for the moment Kaneka-san needs my attention. Until that time comes, would you please sit down and be quiet?"
Tasuki jumped at the unusually harsh tone, but recovered his composure quickly. He scowled, trying to feign a carelessness he didn't feel. He couldn't admit that he wanted help, especially from a woman. He couldn't admit that anymore than he could admit any of his other weaknesses. Not that he had any weaknesses, he reminded himself firmly. And even if there were a few, this wasn't the time to think about them. There was never a time to think about that. "Who said I wanted ya t'listen t'my problems?"
Hikaru's face contorted into a look of mixed confusion and annoyance. "Then why-?" she caught herself on her words, shaking her head in resignation. "Never mind, just please sit down while I finish up with Kaneka. It shouldn't take long."
The bandit leader's frown deepened, but he did as the Asatenshi sister requested. There wasn't much else he could do, he admitted. He needed the sister's help, and if staying silent was the most affective way to achieve that goal, then so be it. Though he really hated listening to someone else's orders, even Koji's, he thought to himself. 'I wonder what that says about me 'n' Hikaru, if I'm so willin' t'do what she asks. Huh...'
The Asatenshi sister finished her healing spell in a few minutes, as she had promised, and turned to face the Reikaku leader with a much more willing and patient look on her pretty face. "Now, Tasuki," she said with a smile. "What can I do for you?" Kaneka moaned softly; Hikaru saw the worried look in Tasuki's eyes and answered the unspoken question: "It's the abdomen wound. It's very painful for him, and I doubt he'll ever fully heal. Still, I think he's out of danger, as long as I keep a close eye on him for the next couple of days."
"Let's hope he's th' only one ya gotta keep an eye on fer th' rest-a yer stay here," the seishi bandit muttered, a shadow falling across his face. He looked up quickly, meeting the young woman's emerald orbs with his own. Hikaru started a little, surprised by the expression of open concern and vulnerability in the amber eyes. Tasuki rarely dropped his protective mask; she was shocked that he would do it so willingly in front of her. "We're goin' on a scoutin' mission t'day, this afternoon," he explained.
"So I heard," she said with a nod, spreading her skirts out as she situated herself in a more comfortable position on the floor. "You and Koji-san are splitting up, right? There's been a buzz about it in the stronghold all day - I take it this isn't something that happens often?"
He shook his head. "It's never happened b'fore, an' I can't figger out why Koji agreed to it in th' first place. But he did, an' I went along with it, 'cause I can't admit that..." he scratched the back of his head, still unwilling to explain that aspect of his soul to the sister. She wasn't ready for that just yet. Even he wasn't ready for that just yet. "Anyway, I'm worried. Fer Koji, an' fer me. 'Cause we never... this'll be th' first time since th' seishi travels that we've... and I jus' don't know, I don't know if..." Tasuki hesitated, on the verge of admitting the real cause of his concerns, but his nagging pride - and overwhelming fear of the truth - held him back. "I don't know if he'll be all right without me lookin' out fer him," he lied, surprised at how easily it came to him. But after all, it was the lie he'd been telling himself for years; by now, the telling was as easy as breathing. Someday, he hoped that believing it would be that easy, too.
Hikaru chuckled. "Oh, I don't think you need to look out for Koji-san too much. I haven't been here very long, but it seems to me that he can quite easily take care of himself. Besides," she added, stroking Kaneka's feverish forehead with a damp cloth, "it's only reconnaissance, deshou? So the chance of a real battle is very slim."
"Well, yeah, but... but still, there's always that tiny chance, that there might be a fight, an' it only takes one arrow y'know, one lucky sword strike, then it's all over, then he's gone... and if Koji was gone, if Koji left me..." he trailed off, biting his lip and looking down. Stupid. He was revealing too much, to the sister and to himself. He couldn't go down that path. Not now, not ever. So he created another lie, one that was based off truths but still miles from reality. "I'm jus' sick of seein' my friends killed, an' if I c'n prevent it in any way, then I wanna make sure I do it."
The Asatenshi sister turned back to the bandit, watching his face curiously. After a moment, a loving smile spread across her visage. He raised an eyebrow in a silent question, and Hikaru blushed, looking away again. "G-gomen, Tasuki, I didn't mean to stare. It's just... You care about Koji-san - about all of the bandits - so much. That sort of devotion amazes me a little, I suppose."
She hesitated, unsure whether to continue her analysis of his problem, but gathered her courage and went on. "But it's like I told you last night, about the surprise attack. You can't always control everything; you can't always be the hero or the villain. Sometimes incidents happen, and you have to accept that, and you have to move on. Sometimes you have to acknowledge weakness before you can achieve strength."
The bandit turned his eyes downwards, that familiar shadow darkening his attractive features. "No," he told her quietly. "No, I can't. That's somethin' I can't handle. I can't stand any losses; I can't afford anymore slip-ups."
Now it was Hikaru's turn to scowl. "If you're worried about the bandits losing faith in you, then you can forget that right now. They trust you with their lives, and they would follow you into the depths of Hell if that were your will. I hear plenty of conversations in the stronghold, but all voice confidence. They believe in everything you do, and even if you make a mistake, they know that you'll correct it immediately. And I don't think anything would ever change that."
Tasuki shook his head. Hikaru was wrong. He wanted her to be right, more than anything he wanted that to be his reason for worrying. But it was deeper than that. It was a lot more painful than that. And it was something he could never, ever say out loud, not even to the woman who wanted to help him so much.
A slender hand touched his chin, forcing him to bring his head upwards. He blinked, surprised to see Hikaru's emerald eyes inches from his own but more surprised at the compassion and understanding radiating from those orbs. "You don't need to be so uncertain," she assured him. "About the stronghold, about the other bandits... about yourself. I know you can't help but worry, and question, and fear, because that's who you are, and you care about their safety, but, but I'd really like to help take that burden away, because I can't stand seeing you..."
Hikaru trailed off, never finishing her sentence. But in that instant of silence a sad smile traced her features, and Tasuki knew that she knew everything, every last detail about his worry and his doubts and all his fears and selfishness. She saw it all, saw right past his defenses, but she wasn't going to say anything about it. And she wasn't going to stop caring about him. She was just going to accept it as another part of who he was, and leave it at that. That was all.
And for some reason, that was the greatest gift anyone could have offered him.
The bandit leaned in closer to the sister, surprised by the action and the conflicting emotions welling up in his chest, but chose not to question them. All he wanted was to feel those same waves of comfort again, to find that deep connection between the two of them that spoke louder than words, that connection that gave him an extra boost of strength that he knew he could never possess on his own.
Hikaru smiled in embarrassment, pulling back and breaking the spell that hung over the bandit. "Well, I guess my cheesy little speech won't help you much with your immediate problem, will it?" Tasuki's mouth opened with the intent to dispel this untruth - she had helped him more than she could ever imagine! - but the Asatenshi woman continued. "However, if you're still worried about Koji, then make sure to send someone out to keep an eye on him. Sort of a yojimbo bodyguard, you see."
Tasuki straightened, remembering his reasons for coming here in the first place. Koji. The scouting mission. Koji. Of course. "A bodyguard? Like who?"
"Why not Genji-kun?" she suggested. "He cares very deeply for Koji-san. I'm sure he'd keep him safe at all costs."
"Right. I'll send Genji-kun with him. Great idea." The seishi bandit stood, nodding and feeling confident once again. How was it that Hikaru could so affectively ease his worries? Maybe it was that magic of hers. Or maybe it was a magic that all women held. At any rate, it was exactly what he needed. "I better get goin'; I gotta get things set up fer th' scoutin' mission. We're leavin' pretty quick here." He turned to go, then stopped, realizing the one thing he had forgotten. "Oh, an' Hikaru?"
"Hai, Tasuki?"
"Um... thanks. Fer yer advice, and fer yer... just, just thanks."
The Asatenshi sister smiled, even though the Reikaku leader couldn't see it. "Anytime, Tasuki."
---
"Genji-kun, if ya walk any closer t'me yer gonna mow me over."
"Gomen, Koji-sama!"
"An' not so loud, okay? If there are any Akutsuki bandits runnin' around, we sure's hell don't wanna attract 'em."
"Gomen, Koji-sama."
The two bandits, along with eight of the other stronghold's better trackers, were plowing through the underbrush of Reikaku with the utmost care, always on the lookout for signs of life or indicators that someone might live nearby. Koji slashed through a large fern, pushing past the great leaves and finding himself on the edge of a steep slope. He frowned, glancing down the incline and seeing more forest at its bottom. They still hadn't reached the river, which meant they needed to cross this rough ground. He surveyed the land quickly, noting the large piles of shale and sandstone that dotted the ridge, creating a treacherous - and noisy - area of land that the bandits would have to cross. It was open, too; they'd be nearly helpless in an attack. But they needed to get to the river in order to complete their part of the mission. Koji was loath to fail, almost as much as he was unwilling to risk the bandits' lives.
"Ken, c'mere, I need yer opinion," he whispered, calling the new bandit to his side. "What d'you think of this? Y'think we oughta risk crossin' it, or try t'take the long way around?"
His answer was immediate. "It's much too dangerous to go down this way. I think we ought to sweep right. We'll also hit the river quicker that way, and we can follow the water from there."
Koji frowned, shaking his head. "Not t'the right, its too far outta the way from our chosen route. We'll move left, away from this area, an' find some easier ground t'cross. It'll take a little longer, but we'll stay on course easier."
"Hai; I'll relay the message." Ken bowed curtly and disappeared into the undergrowth.
Genji frowned behind the co-leader, following him as he skirted the ridge and moved left, into thinner forests. "I don't know why you let that guy come with us," he grumbled, kicking at a stone sullenly.
"Who, Ken?" Koji glanced over his shoulder at the youth, surprised by the look of distaste on his visage. "I know he ain't a very good fighter, 'specially compared t'you, but he's got a genius mind when it comes t'campaignin'. In a pinch, he's th' first guy I'd go to fer advice."
"Maybe, but I don't like him, te kanjii," the young bandit said. He looked away, wondering how he could explain his instincts to the older co-leader. "I just... I just don't trust anyone who smiles that much. People like that are always hiding something."
"What, does that mean y'didn't like Chichiri?" Koji questioned, glancing over his shoulder and flashing a teasing smile in the youth's direction. "That monk never once stopped smilin', y'know."
"That's different, te kanjii! He was wearing a mask, and-" Genji fell silent, noticing the look of concentration on his companion's face. "What is it, Koji-sama?" he whispered, one hand falling to the sword at his belt. "Is it... do you think it's an Akutsuki bandit?"
The co-leader's eyes narrowed as they darted across the surrounding underbrush. "Not sure, Genji-kun. It might jus' be my imagination, but I get th' feelin' like someone's nearby. Like maybe we're bein' watched, or somethin'. Anyway, I don't like it. Keep yer eyes peeled, an' look fer th' others. They might not-a felt it, so we oughta warn 'em."
"H-hai, Koji-sama!" Genji agreed hurriedly, surprised by the fluttering in his stomach. For all his skills and years on Reikaku, the youth had never experienced a true battle before, not against other humans. He had helped fight a couple of demons, and robbed some rich businessmen, but that wasn't real, that wasn't killing something that looked just like you. He trembled, both from excitement and from fear, and prayed that the phantoms were all in Koji's imagination.
The Reikaku co-leader pushed past a withered bush and quite suddenly found himself in a small clearing, the other bandits all standing nearby and awaiting his commands. They were about halfway between Reikaku and the Kagaryu River, Koji judged; they still had a ways to go. He glanced around, counting the numbers - everyone was there - and started to issue orders. "All right, we'd better head south, down towards the river, and take a sweep west. When it starts t'get dark, we c'n-" Koji stopped mid-sentence, jerking his head up and glancing nervously around.
"Something wrong?" a younger bandit named Yuki queried. "Koji-san... is everything all right?"
The co-leader felt more than heard several bowstrings thrumming. His head whipped back around to the ten bandits in his care; he had just enough time to shout "Get down!" and hit the dirt before a torrent of arrows flew out of the underbrush, filling the air where their heads had been a moment before.
Koji jumped up, counting the number of bandits who did the same - ten; they were all unhurt - but before he could issue any orders two men were upon him, screaming battle cries and waving rusted swords. The co-leader pulled his daggers swiftly from his belt, slashing one across the throat and ducking an attack from the other. He whirled, jerking his head to the side to avoid another badly aimed strike, then slammed both his daggers into the belly of his enemy. Koji twisted hard, heard the other bandit utter a muted cry of surprise, jerked the weapons out and turned to aid his companions.
The co-leader swore under his breath; the Reikaku bandits were badly outnumbered, at least two-to-one, and even worse, they'd been caught completely unawares. It was like the Akutsuki bandits had known they were going to go on this mission, like they'd been waiting for Koji and his crew to come walking this way, so they could spring out and attack, and kill...
"Pull back!" Koji cried, seeing the youth Yuki take a sword through his neck. One of his throwing knives whizzed in the direction of the young bandit's killer; the man fell immediately, but the damage had already been done. All around him, the co-leader could hear the sounds of the bandits - of his bandits - struggling against the superior numbers of the Akutsuki gang. Struggling valiantly, but ultimately failing. If this continued, they'd be slaughtered. Koji hated losing, but there were some things more important than pride. "There's too many of 'em - pull back, dammit!"
Two more knives flew out of his hands, catching one bandit in the throat and another in the arm. He came up behind another, this one attacking Tadaji, and dealt with him just as swiftly. The co-leader whirled through the clearing, Akutsuki members falling like leaves wherever he went, but he knew it was too little - he was just one man, and the others didn't have the experience to fight under this pressure. Still, if they could push the Akutsuki members back, even for a moment, it would give them some time to...
Genji-kun! Koji felt someone shout. He jerked his head to the side, seeing the young bandit battling against three older, bigger enemies. The youth was giving it everything he had, and dealing death to all his attackers, but he couldn't see what Koji could see: he couldn't see the Akutsuki bandit sneaking up behind him, bowed knocked, an arrow aimed straight for the youth's heart...
"Genji-kun!" this time it was Koji's voice that rang through the clearing. He sprinted to his friend's side, knocking the young bandit to the ground just as the arrow left its owner's bow. Koji felt something thud into his side; he didn't give it a second thought, only pulled up enough to toss his fourth throwing knife into the attacker's chest. The man fell without a sound.
Genji looked up from where he sat under Koji, heart pounding, breath coming out in terrified gasps. The look in his eyes switched between adoration and fear, as if he was unsure of which to feel the most, and he couldn't decide which feeling caused the trembling in his voice as he whispered: "K-Koji-sama..."
"Shiiiiiine Die!"
The pair looked up just in time to see a burly bandit come tearing through the forest, sword raised above his head for the strike. Koji rolled out of the way, winced as something jabbed into his side, and stumbled to his feet. He fumbled to find his daggers, but there was something blocking his hand, something that wouldn't let him reach the weapons. The man bore down on him, a bloodlust - the look of a berserker - shining in his eyes.
Someone flew out of the forest, coming to a halt between Koji and the enemy bandit and bringing up his sword to fight. The two blades clanged against each other, the bigger man easily taking the upper hand. The smaller man pulled back, purple hair swishing behind him as he fought with limited skill against the more experienced Akutsuki bandit. "Koji-san!" Ken cried, looking over his shoulder at the co-leader. "You're all right, aren't you?"
"H-hai," Koji replied somewhat shakily, wondering why his legs kept trembling underneath him. His hands finally found his daggers; he drew the weapons, turning and fighting off another of the persistent Akutsuki bandits. "Where're the others? Have they pulled back?"
"Most of them," Ken agreed, gritting his teeth against the big man's attacks. "You and Genji-kun are still here, obviously, and we had to leave poor Yuki where he fell, but otherwise - Ugh!"
Genji looked up from where he was still fighting for breath just in time to see Ken's attacker bring his blade around, finding an opening in the bandit's defenses and swinging in a wide arc, aiming for the man's neck. Ken brought his own weapon up blindly, hoping for a lucky block that he didn't quite achieve - there was a sickening thunk, like a knife going through meat, and the bandit's sword clattered to the ground, taking his hand with it.
Koji threw himself at the burly Akutsuki man from behind, cutting him down and whirling to face a new horde of enemies. He glanced over his shoulder at Ken, who had collapsed to the ground in a near faint, clutching what was left of his arm and biting back a scream. "Genji-kun, get him out of here!" the co-leader cried, blocking a series of attacks from one of the enemy bandits. "Get him further onta Reikaku territory, back with th' others! I'll hold 'em off 'till yer safe, then come 'n' join ya!"
Genji glanced from the fallen bandit, then towards Koji, his eyes taking in something the co-leader had failed to notice in the midst of the battle. "But, but Koji-sama..."
"Go!" he cried, jumping back against the vicious attacks of his enemies. "That's an order, Genji!"
The youth, struck dumb by the lack of a suffix, could only nod and scramble to the injured bandit's side. He jerked Ken to his feet - the other man barely reacted, still staring numbly at his injury - and pulled him into the woods. Koji followed close behind, dealing death to any who drew too close. The sheer ferocity of his attacks eventually forced the others to pull back and regroup, which gave the co-leader just enough time to sink his final throwing knife into the throat of a would-be attacker, then disappear into the surrounding foliage. Once he was in the safety of the woods, none would be able to catch him. He knew the Reikaku forests like the back of his hand; though, they did seem a bit fuzzier now than usual...
Koji stumbled out of a particularly thick path of brush, nearly tripping on a root but finding himself steadied by Genji's waiting hands. He blinked, jerking out of the youth's hold. "Genji-kun, I told ya t'get Ken back t'the stronghold!"
"Tadaji's taking him," Genji explained hurriedly, face white with fear, though Koji couldn't figure out why. "The stronghold's not far, anyway. I had to come back for you, though, because I promised Gen-sama, I promised him that you wouldn't... I promised, but I didn't keep it, and oh, Koji-sama, you had to save my life, and now I've got to get you back to the stronghold, it's the only thing I can do now, before... before..."
Koji swayed, shaking his head and trying to keep his balance. "What th' hell're you talkin' about, Genji-kun? What's the rush t'get me back?"
He paled further, grabbing the co-leader's shoulder as he stumbled on weary feet. "Don't you know, Koji-sama?! Didn't you notice?! When you helped me, oh, gods, when you helped me..."
But the youth didn't have to finish his sentence, for at that moment Koji decided to sheath his daggers back in his belt, and found that same object blocking his path, though this time it felt wetter, slicker. He finally glanced down, and nearly fainted at what he saw. The arrow that had been aimed at Genji had missed its mark, but had found another: it was buried nearly halfway in the bandit's side, blood flowing freely around the jagged wound. The pain that he'd been unable to feel in the heat of battle rose up all at once, a torrent of fire that raced from his chest to his abdomen, nearly overwhelming the Reikaku co-leader.
"Oh shit," he whispered, and collapsed into Genji's trembling arms.
---
---
We interrupt your regularly scheduled freechat to bring you a public service announcement, as presented by the cast (and author) of "RFS." (And since I tagged this onto the end of a story that isn't in script form, the admins can't bust me! Nya-ha!)
Madame Authoress walks to the center of the small stage (I don't have time to describe it -- just use your imagination!) The curtain behind her is closed. She takes a seat on the edge, looking out and smiling at her small but loyal audience.
DEE: Hello, dear readers. Today I'd like to talk to you about something that I find very important. As you know, the 2004 Presidential election will soon be upon us...
Everyone under eighteen (i.e. about 90 percent of the readers) start to leave
DEE: HEY! This is important for you, too! Even us youngsters – remember, I'm not quite seventeen myself – need to be aware of this extremely important election! There are still ways we can get involved, ways we can mobilize the adult population, and—!
CHICHIRI (who, for the author's purposes, has taken a temporary break from his coma): (Pokes his head out between the faded blue curtains.) Psst, Dee-chan no da! You're differing quite a bit from the script no da...
TASUKI: An' I thought you said we'd get t'do some actin'!
DEE: You will Tasuki dearest, rest assured on that. (Glares) And get back behind the curtain! We're trying to create the illusion of the theatre, remember! (Chichiri and Tasuki scurry back. There are a few moments of crashing and cursing backstage, then all is quiet once again) Now... as I was saying... oh, right! So I'm going to be talking to you about the importance of voting and getting people you know to "Get out the Vote." Now, I originally intended to inform everyone of the many issues, express my own opinion and try my very hardest to sway you to the side of my personal pick. However, in the interests of keeping my readers, I have decided to stay away from such touchy topics. So I personally shall say nothing about which candidate I support, strictly for business purposes.
(Tasuki and Koji enter stage left toting a large banner. They step in front of Dee, unrolling it across the edge of the stage so it drapes down and is visible to the audience. Across the banner are the words "KERRY / EDWARDS 2004!" in bright, sparkling blue letters that could quite possibly be seen from space.)
SHUU: (muttering from backstage) Oh sure, she isn't saying a word...
DEE: Quiet back there! We must create the illusion! The illuuuusiooooon! (Can you tell I'm a theatre buff folks? ;) ) Ah-hem. So now, dear readers, without further ado, the cast of "RFS" presents: "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Voting Booth!"
GENJI: (Singing from backstage) My ballot, my ballot, come bring to me my-
DEE: AH-HEM!
GENJI: Meep!
Curtains open. Chichiri enters through a door placed at center stage, spreading his arms and bowing to the audience.
CHICHIRI: Hello and welcome, readers young and old! Today, we are here to celebrate the gods – the gods of... political awareness no da?
TASUKI: (from backstage) Who wrote this crap!?
DEE: Excuse me?!
Interlude of crashes from somewhere unseen.
CHICHIRI: Da... I'll be your host for the evening – Chichiri no da! (Pauses for wild applause from fangirls. Once this has calmed down, we cue the music and the monk begins his first line of singing) Something familiar, something peculiar, something for everyone – some candidates, tonight!
Tasuki and Koji enter. Tasuki, for no particular reason, is representing George Dubya. He is waving an American flag in one hand and brandishing a gun in the other. Koji, for no particular reason, is representing John Kerry. He too waves an American flag in one hand and brandishes three shiny purple hearts in the other (What? I watch "The Daily Show" – I'm not above teasing the person I support!).
TASUKI: (Points at Koji). FLIP-FLOPPER!
KOJI: (Points at Tasuki.) DUMBASS!
They participate in a small slapping-fight. Chichiri coughs to get their attention.
TASUKI: Oh, right. Er-hem! Hi folks, I'm George Dubya. Over th' past four years... tragedy... 9/11... terrorists... (I'm editing this for space, y'know...) Outsourcin' is good, the economy is recoverin', we're kickin' ass overseas, gay marriage is icky, our school systems're doin' wonderful, an' tax cuts fer all th' rich people. My opponent's a flip-floppin' pussy. God Bless America.
KOJI: Hello, I'm John Kerry. Over th' past four years... America... tragedy... (it all starts out the same, don't it?) Vietnam... Outsourcin' takes away American jobs, deficit an' unemployment is insane, we've royally screwed up overseas, gay marriage is icky but the government doesn't have th' right t'say that, our school systems are in severe trouble, an' tax cuts for th' middle class but not fer th' rich. My opponent is an arrogant moron. God Bless America.
Next come Shuu and Hikaru. Hikaru, for no particular reason, is representing Dick Cheney, the Flesh-Eating Cyborg. Shuu, for no particular reason, is representing John Edwards, the pretty-boy with the nifty southern drawl. They seem very "into" their roles: Hikaru has put on her very best "grr" face (admittedly, she still looks kinda sweet), and Shuu is trying out a rare and oddly unnerving "cheesy smile" and Carolinian accent.
HIKARU: Rarrrrr!
SHUU: Goooooolly!
HIKARU: Rarrrr!
SHUU: Goooooolly!
HIKARU: Aaaaaaaaargh!
SHUU: ...Jeepers!
DEE: That's a direct quote from "The Daily Show."
CHICHIRI: Now that we've met our candidates, it's time to introduce today's antagonist AND protagonist: the Apathetic Young Adult.
GENJI: (hops out onto the stage, practically bursting with energy and excitement) Right here, te kanjii!
DEE: (whispering from offstage) Genji-kun! You're a-pa-the-tic, remember?! Try to act more like a regular young adult, and not like a Genji-kun!
GENJI: (blush) Ah... right... (His posture relaxes considerably, his grin turns into a half-frown, and he shrugs slightly) Okay, so now I've met you, te... I mean, yo. (From offstage, Dee groans) So why should I vote for either of you? Why should I vote at all?
CHICHIRI: That's a very good question, Apathetic Young Adult-san.
TASUKI: Who writes this crap!?
The Squeaky Hammer of Doom flies from offstage, slamming into Tasuki's head with a rewarding "SQUEAAAKY!"
DEE: Doctor Slam strikes again!
CHICHIRI: (desperately trying to hold the show together) Da... as I was saying... now Apathetic Young Adult-san, why do you think that there is no reason for you to vote no da?
GENJI: Well, because it isn't going to affect me. How is some guy up in the White House going to affect my daily life? One bigwig millionaire or the other, doesn't matter if they're from New England or the Deep South – they're all the same to me.
CHICHIRI: Is that so no da? Well, here are a few fun facts that might change your perspective...
Enter our minor roles: Hikou and Kouran.
HIKOU: Over the past four years, college costs have risen, in some places by over 20.
KOURAN: (Starts to run offstage in tears when a few readers start booing, but is ushered and comforted back on by Chichiri, who glares at the audience in a rare look of anger. Silence finally reigns) And last year, only three out of ten college graduates had jobs. (Both bow and exit.)
CHICHIRI: Now both of these candidates want to solve our problems, but both have radically different ways of doing that no da. Since we don't have the time—
SHUU: (grumbles) Or the attention spans...
CHICHIRI: –to explain every little detail, we recommend that you visit either George W. Bush dot com, or John Kerry dot com.
TASUKI: (mutters) Now is that George "D-U-B-Y-A," or George "the letter W"...
"SQUEEEAAAKY!"
DEE: And yet another direct hit from the Amazing Dr. Slam!
GENJI: Okay, so it might affect my college and job prospects. Fine, fine, you got me a little interested. But that's all temporary stuff, and anyway, it might get solved no matter whose in office. What about the so-called "big issues" – the long-lasting stuff?
CHICHIRI: Yet another good question, Apathetic Young Adult-san. Let's go over a few of those issues together, shall we?
GENJI: We shall, te kan – ah, I mean, my homie. (Another loud round of groaning from offstage)
CHICHIRI: Number one: The War on Terror. Or, to put it more accurately: the War in Iraq.
DEE: (Grumbling from offstage) Or, to put it MORE accurately: the war that we went into with information that turned out to be false but the administration won't admit that they made a mistake because "Hey! We rid the world of an evil dictator and we're America and we're always right!" but that leader didn't even possess weapons of mass destruction unlike some other crazy leaders I could name and did I mention that this major mistake is resulting in the deaths of thousands of young soldiers most of them American because we didn't get together a real coalition before we just dove into this thing with no real plan on how to secure peace in the country and...
HIKARU: (Enormous sweatdrop) So much for unbiased, I suppose...
CHICHIRI: (Continuing over Dee's mutterings) So do you want to know how it will affect you no da? Well, it's going to affect you an awful lot if the national debt continues to rise and you're generation is left with the bill. Not to mention that there's been muted discussion about reinstating the draft... (Seeing Genji's widened eyes, he continues) This, of course, will only be necessary if the cost of the war in both lives and money continues to rise. Both candidates plan to try to stop this, Kerry by bringing more allies in and trying to get the UN's involvement, and Bush by, ah... Dee, what is he planning to do na no da?
DEE: I honestly don't know. I listened to his Acceptance Speech at the RNC and watched the debates, but I never heard a real answer... I guess he's just going to keep doing what he's been doing.
CHICHIRI: Which is...? (What? Chichiri isn't going to know about modern-day America politics!)
DEE: If I answer that truthfully, this is going to get ugly. Let's just say he plans to continue with steadfast resolve his determined plans to fight the war on terror.
CHICHIRI: Fair enough no da. And very nicely spoken no da.
DEE: Hey, I'm not always a tactless liberal wiener.
CHICHIRI: Issue Number Two: The economy, which as many of you know has been suffering for a while now. Bush says that the 1.9 million jobs that have been gained in the past years out of the 2 million-ish that were lost prove that his tax-cut plans are working no da. Kerry argues that those jobs that have been gained back pay less and there still aren't nearly enough of them, and continues pointing out that Bush is the very first president to have ever lost jobs while in office. Because we're on a time limit – and because economics confuse Dee-chan – visit the websites we mentioned earlier for more information on their plans no da.
GENJI: Hey, I just remembered! Isn't there supposed to be another candidate, from the Green Party...?
DEE: A VOTE FOR NADER IS A VOTE FOR BUSH!
Koji and Tasuki finally give up and start throwing things at her to keep her silent.
SHUU: Sad;y, Dee's right. In fact, you may as well just toss your ballot out the window than vote for Nader. There's no conceivable way that he can win. It's not cruelty – it's just the truth.
CHICHIRI: ...Getting back on task, and heading towards some of the more touchy issues: civil liberties, that ever-continuing struggle between ethics and science, between new and old ideas no da. These issues include but are not limited to: stem-cell research, abortion, gay marriage...
GENJI: (Immediately perks up) Ooooh? Explain, please!
CHICHIRI: Well you see, in the grand scheme of things, the President is really more of a figurehead. If you really want to learn about what he's going to do, you need to look at his administration, or perhaps more importantly, you need to choose your state Senators and Representatives carefully no da. Most of the big decisions are going to come out of Congress. However, there is one issue where the President has complete authority: the hiring of Supreme Court justices no da.
TASUKI: (Still in character) I'm gonna tell you that I'm gonna be lookin' for a justice that'll uphold the constitution, 'cause that's what a good justice does.
KOJI: But previous statements tell us that Bush has been lookin' at some very right-wing judges. This means, ladies 'n' gents, that if Bush is reelected and one of our Supreme Court Justices retires (which is very possible), we'll prob'ly have a conservative majority on the court. An' this sorta decision can impact our lives fer years.
HIKARU: For instance: the ban on gay marriage could become a constitutional amendment, and stem cell research and abortions could be declared illegal.
SHUU: John Kerry plans to elect a moderate, which means most of these issues, while debated, would not become national laws. Most moderates believe that, while these are important, they aren't matters for the government to control. Gay marriage is a state-by-state issue like any other marriage issue, and stem cell research and abortion are a matter of moral beliefs and therefore cannot legally be given a "no!" by the court.
CHICHIRI: (Acting, as my friends call it, as our "Jewish Moderate") It should also be noted that being "Pro-Choice" and being "Pro-Abortion" are two very different things no da. (Glances at Dee, whose tapping her watch hurriedly) However, I'm being informed that we're running low on time, so if you're particularly passionate – or confused – on this issue, she invites you to send her an e-mail.
GENJI: (Runs up to Tasuki, teary-eyed, completely out of character) Tasuki-samaaa! You wouldn't really ban gay marriage, would you? I can't help who I love, it's an emotion, it's just something that happens, and if I truly love someone than I should be able to have the same rights as everyone else! You can't really put a ban on that, right? Right, te kanjiiiiiii?!
TASUKI: (Mutters) Get a grip Genji-kun, it's jus' a play.
GENJI: It's not just a play, te kanji! It's my future! I might have to pay off the deficit when I get older or go without certain civil liberties! If I don't choose carefully... if I don't use my voice the way it was meant to be used...
The music strikes up again, and it looks like Dee might just get in her random musical parody after all.
SHUU: Or dear gods...
GENJI: My voice! My voice! I see that it's my voice!
And I should exercise my pers'nal choice!
I'll vote! I'll vote! And with it I'll denote
My very own view along with countless others too...
TASUKI: Who writes this crap!?
And once more, just for good measure... "SQUEEEEAAAAKY!"
DEE: (Joins cast on stage, clapping appreciatively) Okay, we'll save the audience this experience – though, I must say, you have a surprising DEE-lightful voice, Genji-kun. (He blushes and skips off, Shuu and Hikaru in his wake. Soon only Dee and the three bishies remain.) Well boys, I'd say we did a pretty good job considering I slapped this together in about three hours while under the heavy influence of the recent debate, Mountain Dew, "The Daily Show," and a musical – which, if you at home can name it and name the songs I alluded to, automatically gives you about five hundred Kickassitude Points.
CHICHIRI: (Glancing through his notes) I suppose so no da... but Dee-chan, we skipped a lot of issues. Healthcare...
DEE: Oh, right. (Turns to audience) Sorry, but I didn't feel I could discuss Healthcare because, quite frankly, I haven't looked into it very much myself. I know both candidates want to make it more accessible but I'm still a little shaky as to the how. I watched the debate tonight (Friday), but I'm still a little confused.
CHICHIRI: Education...
DEE: (Her eyes suddenly flare, her fists tighten, and she grits her teeth into a tense smile) My parents are both teachers, my aunt is a teacher, and a good number of their close friends are teachers. I have very strong opinions on Bush's so-called education policies, so in the interest of avoiding a brawl I decided that we wouldn't touch that topic with a forty-foot pole. Trust me, you don't want to get me started. (Pauses, then says) Oh, hey, I told you to talk about the environment.
CHICHIRI: (His smile is tighter than usual, and his eyebrows are curving in that oh-so-cute-but-slightly-annoyed way) Trust me, Dee-chan, you really don't want to get me started on that no da.
DEE: Ah... hah... I see... Well, I guess in that case we're about done... (The cast's cheers are silenced by her next words) Right after we finish with a few of Dee-chan's Helpful Tips for Choosing Your Candidate and Surviving the Next Month.
ALL: Aaaaaagh!
They are silenced by a swift glare from Madame Authoress. Tasuki, Koji and Chichiri hurry to the sidelines, where they grab small signs and walk up to stand next to Dee. Her "tips" are punctuated by cards bearing the title of the tip, in italics.
DEE: Spinning Just Makes You Dizzy. Avoid listening to news talk shows and political "spin." News talk shows create "talking points," which create labels, which create false impressions. Watch the candidates – not the highlight reel but the actual candidates – in their debates and their speeches, then turn off the TV and make your own decisions. If you want to watch the news, then watch the actual news, like Tom Brokaw. He's a good 'un. And of course, watch "The Daily Show" to remind yourself that, in the end, we just can't take ourselves too seriously. When things are this intense, we all need to fall back on our senses of humor and just laugh ourselves silly.
Don't Weigh Your Opinions on a Broken Scale. Just because you don't agree with a candidate on one issue doesn't mean you shouldn't support them. Look at all the issues, balance them from importance to unimportance, and figure it out from there. Remember: you may not like what Kerry wants to do about gay rights, but if you think he'll drag our asses out of this debt than you might want to look deeper into things.
But Hey, Don't Take My Word For It... This is kind of like rule number one. Its fine to listen to other's opinions – in fact, I think it's vital in order for us to be well-rounded people – but don't just fall immediately under their influence. Do some fact-checking, and keep weighing your own ideas. In the end, maybe changing your ideas is what you decide to do, and that's fine. Just make sure you don't do it simply because you "heard about it somewhere."
Politics is Politics. I won't lie to you: I'm passionate about this stuff. But I don't let it affect the rest of my life or relationships. I have plenty of Republican friends. And, as I told one of them when she almost walked off after she saw me with my "Kerry/Edwards" pen: "I may not agree with your political views, but as a person I think you're just dandy!" Have fun discussing the issues, don't get mad about it, and never take any of it personally. Remember, in the end, politics is "the sport of people."
Politics is Politics: Part Two. Its politics, not a "Miss Congeniality" contest. It's important that the candidate feels like someone you can trust, but past that it doesn't matter if they're boring or vibrant or quiet or unbearably loud. Politicians are very different in real life, and I'm sure Kerry and Bush are both very nice men outside of the game. So don't worry about Kerry's drooping face or Bush's squinty eyes. Watch the issues – and the smiles. You can tell a surprising lot about a person's character by their smile.
And For Us Young 'Uns... Remember kids, just because we can't vote doesn't mean we can't make a difference. Join a young Dems/GOP group. Remind the people in your community to register, and inform them of the issues. Talk to your parents and your older friends. Every little bit helps, and with the election as tight as it is every little vote is certainly going to make an enormous difference.
Dee takes a moment to proudly glance around, and finally notices that her audience has dozed off. She sighs heavily and starts to trudge offstage.
CHICHIRI: (Pats her on the back) Its okay Dee-chan. See? (He points to the back row, where one reader is sitting, enthralled by the speeches and ready to act)
DEE: Heh... every little bit helps, right?
Curtain closes. END.
End Note: If this mini-performance has offended anyone in any way, I would like to sincerely apologize. Most biased remarks were made for humorous purposes, and all other remarks were (or tried to be) as impartial as possible. As has been previously stated, politics is just politics. And I'm also not hinting that my readers are apathetic people with no attention spans -- I think you're all probably very intelligent and aware, and my silly little spiel was no doubt a waste of time because you already knew what I was talking about. I was just trying to prove my point that, indeed, the tiniest flame can spark a bonfire. You just never know.
Best Wishes, and I'll See You In the Next Installment (when I finally end this cliffhanger)!
Your Ever-Faithful (and Ever-Busy!) Author,
Dee ;)
(10/8/04)