Chapter Five

"Well, I guess it's all on me again, isn't it."

In his chamber at the top of Reikaku-zan, Kouji leant his elbows on the stone ledge of the window, gazing ruefully down at the landscape below. "The fate of a Seishi's second - dammit, when Hakurou made me promise to be Genrou's number two, I didn't imagine it'd mean deputisin' and running the damn gang for him as often as this. Makes you wonder, doesn't it - what it's actually like when Genrou's actually here taking charge!"

He smirked, his memory flitting back to the moment when Hakurou had officially handed over the succession of the bandit gang, in the time before he had known his ill health would eventually consume his soul.

"I wonder what the boss would've made of it all, had he been here to see it." He reflected. "Knowin' that Genrou's loyalties might be stretched one day, and yet still giving him the tessen to wield over Reikaku and everything that this mountain stands for. Sometimes even I wonder if he's more Genrou or Tasuki, these days. Still, I guess, it's my own fault, ain't it? I was the one who told Genrou to go after the Miko in the first place - I should just live with it."

He turned away from the window, sinking down onto his bed.

"Doin' anything else would be insanity." He acknowledged wryly. "Much as I get left holdin' the can, I wouldn't ever question Genrou's right to rule this roost. Of all of the Reikaku-zan bandits, he's the only one who can hold the tessen even at all like Hakurou-sama did. But yeesh, I wish he'd do a bit more of his own dirty work from time to time! I'd like to know that the kashira is still the kashira, at the end of the day, and not just a lackey of Suzaku that the God can call on whenever he feels like it!"

"Aniki?"

A pounding at the door startled him from his reverie and he frowned, getting to his feet as he wrenched the catch back, yanking the wooden divide back to meet the gaze of one of the junior members of the gang.

"Aniki, the girl wants to see you." The boy said breathlessly, gazing up at his elder with a mixture of awe and urgency. "She said it was important. An emergency. She said that she had a message from the kashira...she needs to see you right away."

"Anzu? A message from Genrou?" Kouji looked blank for a moment, then, "Anzu was with Genrou? Why doesn't anyone tell me anything - I thought she was here! Is she trying to get herself killed? Roaming the mountainside when it's getting dark is insane for a woman on her own!"

"She's in the hall, Aniki. She seemed all shook up." The boy said eagerly. "Will you come - shall I go tell her you're coming?"

"No point in that, you little idiot." Kouji cuffed the boy across the back of his head, but there was no malice or force to the gesture, and he shot his companion a grin. "Because I'm coming with you, ain't I?"

"Yeah, I guess you are." The boy admitted sheepishly. "Say, Aniki, do you suppose that Genrou's mounting an assault on Kaou-zan or something?"

"Next time you say Genrou in front of me, I'll box your ears for real." Kouji said frankly, as they made their way down to the big hall where the bandits counted their wares. "He's Kashira to you, even when he's not here to hear it. Understood? Just because he's been away doesn't mean you can treat him with any different respect. You know the way Reikaku-zan works by now - you've been here long enough to understand that the kashira wields the tessen and he's the boss. Got it?"

"Yes, Aniki. Sorry." The boy flushed, and Kouji shot him a lazy smile.

"Just keep it in mind." He said evenly.

"Aniki, you call Kashira Ge...that name, though, don't you?" The boy was not to be repressed for long. "Don't you?"

"Genrou and I grew up as bandits here together, that's why. Like brothers. He and I work as a team." Kouji said simply. "But he's still kashira, at the end of the day. And I still respect him above all others. You're way too mouthy, you know that, kid? Though you remind me of him, the way you keep babbling at me about nothing. Tell me something useful, will ya? When Anzu came back - did she say what was wrong? Why Genrou needed me so bad?"

"No. Just that I was to come and find Kouji-aniki as soon as I could, and bring you down." The boy shook his head, as they reached the hall itself. "So I did."

"Right." Kouji nodded, pushing back the door and stepping into the hall. As he saw Anzu's white face and registered the apprehension in her eyes, he swallowed his usual door greeting routine, hurrying across towards her as a horrible thought struck him.

"Anzu?" He murmured. "The boy told me Genrou sent you back here - is he in trouble? Has something happened...to him?"

"No. No, but..." Anzu bit her lip, turning her big dark eyes on the acting leader of the Reikaku-zan bandits. "Kouji, something's happened in Genrou's village. He and Chichiri are going there now, but they...they need help. Gen...Chi...they wanted you to bring some of the men and head down there as soon as possible. As many as can be spared. I don't know what...not exactly. But Chichiri looked haunted, when he told me. And...and as I came up here, I thought I saw a red glow on the eastern boundary. Are...is that Genrou's village? Could it be...fire?"

Kouji's eyes widened at this, and he cursed, nodding his head.

"Hey, kid, you heard the woman." He snapped at his messenger, no longer in a mood to indulge the boy's youthful enthusiasm. "Run and do as she says - get as many of the men together as aren't drunk or sleepin' and we'll head right down there. Tell 'em it's important - a message from the kashira."

The boy nodded his head, eyes wide as he absorbed the change in his senior's demeanour. Without a word he was gone, and Kouji moved to the window, gazing down with growing alarm at the distinctive reddish glow that marked out the region where Tasuki's village lay. Slowly he nodded.

"Genrou's family live in that village. No wonder he's sent for us so urgently." He murmured. "So we'll go - it's the only thing we can do. Even if the place is torched, we can't let the flames spread to the mountain woodland, and besides...besides, Genrou might not want to live with his family, but he wouldn't let anything happen to them if he could prevent it. And that's our job too - to uphold the kashira's wishes."

"Kouji? I'm coming too."

As Kouji made for the door, Anzu's voice made him pause, and he turned back, eying her doubtfully.

"Anzu, it's already dangerous enough." He began, but Anzu shook her head, her eyes hardening.

"I want to help Genrou, as well." She said softly. "He's Kashira to me too, you know. I told you before I was going to stay at Reikaku-zan and be a proper bandit, somehow. This is one of those times. And I can't...you didn't see his face, when he realised it was his village. I can't not help him...not when he looked like that."

Kouji eyed her for a minute. Then he sighed, nodding his head.

"Fine." He agreed resignedly. "We ain't got time to argue it. But stick close to us, okay? Don't try anythin' stupid. I swore to myself after Reirei died that I wasn't gonna see any other woman throw her life away, and I'm not gonna let you challenge that promise, even if you are doin' it for Genrou. Okay?"

"I'll be careful." Anzu promised, grabbing Kouji by the hand. "And I'm ready. We should hurry, Kouji - Chichiri said they might already be too late, so there's no time to lose!"

------------

"Kourin?"

Tamatama stepped carefully between the grave markers, a frown on his heavily made up face as he caught sight of the object of his search. "I had a feeling this is where you'd be. I thought that, after the dream and everything - you might come here."

Nuriko turned, meeting his companion's gaze with heavy, clouded eyes.

"Tamatama." He murmured, and Tamatama nodded, coming to join him beside a carefully marked mound of earth. Above it a carefully carved stone marker denoted that this was the final resting place of the girl called Byakuren, and with a frown, Nuriko's fingers brushed the surface of the soil.

"This is the one." He murmured. "Isn't it?"

"Yes." Tamatama agreed. "That's Byakuren's grave. The girl you considered almost as close as a sister - the one you tried to save from Yukiyasha."

"I failed." Nuriko's voice was flat and resigned.

"In the end, she defended you, not the other way around." Tamatama shook his head. "She cared about you a lot, Kourin. That's the truth of it. She made a decision, and that decision was to make sure you survived the battle with the demon Yukiyasha. And it was the right decision, too. If you had died that day, Suzaku would never have been summoned. You had other things to do, and I think Byakuren knew that. You took her spirit on board, when you left this village the last time. And I think she was content, knowing that you took her with you, in some way or another."

"She died because I wasn't strong enough to protect her." Nuriko glanced at his hands. "I have so much strength, but even so..."

He faltered, then,

"I'm sorry I shouted at you."

Tamatama rested a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Your memories are starting to return, aren't they?" He asked gently. Nuriko nodded his head.

"Bits of them." He agreed slowly. "I can see Byakuren's face, now. Before it was masked in shadow...but now I can see her. I wish...I wish I couldn't, Tamatama. At least when it was just a silhouette, I couldn't see her tears."

He closed his eyes, as tears threatened his own composure, and Tamatama gave him a moment of silence to gather his thoughts together. At length Nuriko raised his head, turning to face his friend.

"I died in Hokkan." He said softly. "Nuriko...Nuriko fought to protect the Priestess of Suzaku. He fought and...he died. Fighting in the snow, in...in Hokkan."

"You didn't die, Kourin." Tamatama shook his head. "You're here now, right? So that's silly. You're not dead. But you probably took an injury...whatever happened to you, it must've been pretty heavy."

"No. I died." Nuriko shook his head. "I remember..."

He ran his fingers down his side, a shiver going down his spine as he did so.

"Claws, here. And blood." He whispered. "A battle in the snow, and blood...all over the landscape. My blood. But I couldn't give up. I couldn't...not fight. Because Miaka was in danger - and I had to...defend her. I had to...she was like...my...sister. And so I couldn't stop. I had to...to win. I couldn't let...another sister die."

"You're confused." Tamatama said gently, but Nuriko shook his head again in frustration, brushing his friend's arm off his shoulder and sending him careering back against the trunk of a nearby tree with a heavy thud as he did so.

"Tamatama?!" Nuriko was on his feet immediately, hurrying down by the other man's side. "I didn't mean to..."

"I'm all right. I can take more bruises than that, don't worry." Tamatama picked himself up, eying his friend ruefully. "And you're still not used to controlling that strength of yours - that's all. Don't fret it. I'm not broken."

"All I do is cause trouble for you, while I'm here. Don't I?" Nuriko looked sad. "You've tried to help me, and I'm grateful. But...I don't understand what's happening myself. I remember Hokkan. I remember it clear as day, now. It all slips back into place..."

He frowned, closing his eyes.

"Ashitare." He added quietly. "See? I even remember his name."

"Who's name? You're not making any sense, Kourin!"

"The one who killed me." Nuriko raised opaque eyes to his companion's. "Ashitare. Of the Seiryuu Shichi Seishi. A wolf-man. Like Yukiyasha. My dream...Byakuren...it came back to me, last night. And I remembered what happened...what happened in Hokkan."

"But you're not dead. You're right here in front of me, and if you were dead, I couldn't touch your arm, now could I?" Tamatama demanded. Nuriko frowned, then held out his hand.

"Give me your knife." He said quietly. Tamatama stared, then shook his head.

"Not a chance. Not while you're acting so strangely." He said firmly. Nuriko's expression became pleading, and he twitched his hand closer to his companion.

"Please." He said softly. "Give it to me. I have to see...for myself."

Tamatama hesitated for a moment, then nodded in defeat, slowly sliding the small, delicate knife that he carried from it's holder and handing it to his friend, not without misgivings. Nuriko took it, glancing at it for a moment. Then, with a swift, decisive movement, he brought it down across the back of his hand, ignoring the exclamation that his friend made at his action. He flexed his hand thoughtfully, then held it up for his companion to see.

"No blood." He observed quietly. "And no pain. Not really - just a tingling of skin. I told you. I died in Hokkan. Whatever is happening here...I don't understand. But I don't think I'm supposed to be here. I don't know...anything at all, not really. But either way, I don't think I'm meant to be in Yukigase."

Tamatama's eyes became big with dismay as he grabbed his friend's hand in his, running his gaze over the jagged line that the knife's blade had left across the other man's skin. Sure enough, there was no blood, and the wound had already begun to close up, disappearing and fading against the natural design of his flesh. He swore deeply, eying the Seishi in trepidation.

"This is impossible." he breathed. Nuriko laughed bitterly, nodding his head.

"I know." He agreed. "But I can't explain it. It doesn't make sense to me either. I just know...Nuriko is buried in the Hokkan mountains. And...and he's still there. Whatever I am, I guess...I'm not really him at all."

"You are Kourin." Tamatama shook his head. "You have the mark of the willow, and Kourin's strength, so I have no doubts. But..."

"I must go back to Eiyou. I need to know what's happened to me, and why this is going on." Nuriko said simply.

"Eiyou?" Tamatama blinked, then, "But that's all the way over the other side of the country! Do you even know where it is, or how to get to it? In this state..."

"I don't know." Nuriko interrupted him, shaking his head. "But I still have to go there. Didn't you say that's where my family was? If anyone would know the truth, it would be...be them. Wouldn't it?"

"I suppose so." Tamatama frowned. "But even considering that, Kourin, you can't just take off on a journey with your mental state like this. I'd be a poor kind of friend if I let you, too."

"What can happen to me?" Nuriko demanded. "I'm dead. Remember? I died. I don't bleed. I'm not even really here - so why are you so worried about me?"

"Because you're my friend, you silly girl." Tamatama said frankly. "And even if you keep saying it, I don't believe it's true. You're here in front of me, and that means you're real to me. You didn't bleed, fine, but then you're a warrior of Suzaku and I don't know how your body differs from mine now you've accepted that part of your destiny. You're already several times stronger than anyone else in the whole of Kounan, so just because you didn't shed blood in this cold air, it doesn't prove your macabre ideas to me. I'm prepared to believe anything else - but Kourin, you are not dead. All right? I can touch you. I can speak to you. You're still here and I don't want you taking any risks because you're confused and disorientated!"

"Even if you're right, I still have to go." Nuriko said evenly. "Because if my family are in Eiyou, answers must be there, too. And so...that's what I need to do."

Tamatama sighed. Slowly, he nodded his head.

"Then let me provide you with a horse, at least part way." He said reluctantly. "It'll take you as far as the nearest big city and then you can probably find a carriage or something going to the capital. But between there and here is a lot of open land, and I don't want you wandering aimlessly around in the state you're in. You might be able to fight off all comers, but..."

He faltered, eying his companion thoughtfully, then,

"Even better, I'll come with you." He decided. "Between us, we'll both travel to Eiyou. I've never been to the capital, and it would be a chance to see it."

"Tamatama?" Nuriko looked confused. "Why?"

"I told you. We're friends. Peas from the same pod." Tamatama said briskly. Then he grinned, seeing his companion's reticence. "And besides that, even though you left the village a long time ago, you're not someone easily forgotten. You came here, faced a demon, and changed Yukigase forever. Plus, you were my friend, even when others laugh at me. You laughed with me - because you understood who I was beyond the make-up and I appreciate that. If you've given up on your existance, well, I'll find a way to snap you out of it and bring back the Kourin who always had a smile, no matter what the situation. Whether you're a girl or a boy, it doesn't matter. You're still that person, somewhere inside. Suzaku Seishi or not, you need a friend right now. And that's what I'm going to be. All right? Any further objections?"

Nuriko stared at him for a moment, then a faint flicker of something stirred in his dark eyes. He smiled.

"All right." He said softly. "We'll go to Eiyou. Together. And find out what really did happen to me in Hokkan. Surely in the city, I must be able to find more of my memories? We'll go there, and we'll unbury this person, Chou Ryuuen. Then, maybe, I'll finally understand what's going on."

-------------------

As soon as the words left the peasant's mouth, a grim, chilling silence fell over the Souun central square. Then, as if jerked out of some horrible dream, Tasuki's grip clenched on his horse's reins, and without a word he kicked the beast's flanks urgently, sparking it into a gallop as he rode hell for leather through the rest of the town. Behind him he was vaguely aware of Chichiri's voice and the sound of other hoofbeats, but he did not slow down. Now he understood the look he had seen in his friend's eye, and dread had gripped his own soul as he drew closer and closer to the place which, at one time, he had called his home.

It was a dry evening, and already the bright embers had sparked more than one building ablaze, sending panicked villagers screaming and running for safety as panic ensued. In the flare of red-orange heat, it was hard to tell one homestead from another, and Tasuki cursed, his eyes stinging against the heavy smoke as he struggled to pick out his family's land in amongst all the madness. His beast shied, whinnying in fear beneath him as it balked against going any closer to the raging inferno, but Tasuki was not to be dissuaded and he gave the animal another rough kick, forcing it forwards despite it's obvious prancing and hesitation.

As he drew closer to the centre of the blaze, something made him stop, as a strange, familiar sensation assailed his senses. He blinked once more, eyes streaming now from the sharpness of the thick, acrid smoke that had gathered on the wind, pouring up from the smouldering roofs of the surrounding properties.

At last, he saw the thing that had sent such a strange sensation through his body, and as he drew nearer, he realised that even in among all the melee, there was a patch of ground untouched and unharmed by the lick of flame. In the centre of this almost circular ring of protection, a lone man sat atop a white horse, the beast shying and prancing beneath him in similar fear of the fire all around it. Despite this, however, the figure seemed unmoved, sitting motionless as he regarded the scene before him.

In his hand he clutched the glittering hilt of a distinctively familiar sword, silver blade glowing with hot energy as it crackled and sparked in the night air. He was dressed in simple civilian dress, and he wore no helmet, yet his stance was one of a soldier in battle. His thick dark hair flowed loose across his shoulders, teased and twitched out of place by the rising night breeze.

But it was the man's eyes that gave Tasuki the most unease, for as he drew closer to the rider, he met his gaze across the burning landscape. A mixture of madness, rage and fear flickered there, potent enough to drive deep into Tasuki's own soul and despite himself he gripped more tightly on the reins of his own horse, fumbling for his tessen as he struggled to keep his beast calm.

The other man did not flinch, merely turning his attention back to the burning landscape, and as if startled out of a daze, Tasuki's eyes widened as realisation sank in.

"What the hell?" He whispered. "Hotohori...sama?"