Chapter Nine
The festival market was in full swing by the time Anzu reached the city of Souun, and as she darted through the busy streets and side-passages, she inwardly cursed the number of people swarming from left to right across her path. With so many folk out looking to ply their trade or pick up a bargain, it would be twice as hard to find the group of travellers, and she berated herself for having given them a head-start.
"But they would have come through this way, wouldn't they? Souun is the nearest city – surely they'd have stopped here to ask if anyone had seen this Hotohori person?" She mused to herself as she narrowly avoided colliding with two excited children that ran in front of her. "I'll just have to ask people and see – at least both Genrou and Chichiri are distinctive looking. I'm sure that if they have been this way, someone must remember."
"Hey, miss, I've a great deal on fresh fish this afternoon, direct from the river." A man called to her and she started, turning to face him as he offered her a broad grin.
"Best you'll find in the Reikaku-zan area." He said with a wink. "Or is there something else I can help you with? I'm always looking to cut a deal – my rates can't be beaten anywhere in Souun."
"I'm not looking to buy any fish." Anzu admitted. "I was just wondering whether or not my friends came through this way already."
"Friends, huh?" The stall-holder looked pensive. "Girls as pretty as you, were they? I don't think so. I'd remember that, that's for sure."
"No…I mean, it's not that." Anzu flushed, shaking her head. "It's two men and a woman, and they came this way, I'm sure of it. One was dressed as a monk, and he has a scar across his left eye. And the other man has red hair – he's tall and looks sort of like a wolf. And there was a woman with them."
"A man like a wolf, you say?" The stall-holder's eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't be talking about the Reikaku-zan bandits' phantom wolf, now would you?"
"Yes!" Anzu nodded her head. "Yes, that's right. Do you know him?"
"Ain't a family hereabouts who don't know about the bandits." The man told her with a rueful smile. "Been trading here since ol' Hakurou's time, I have, and seen plenty, too. Bandit country this, and make no mistake about it. Now it's young Genrou that's the captain, they say – the man with Suzaku's mark on his arm and the harisen that spews fire at his touch. Heard plenty, I have. Rumour has it he's got family hereabouts. Yes, everyone in Souun knows about the Reikaku-zan bandits."
"Then can you help me?"
"Mountain thieves usually hide in mountain bolt-holes, little lady." The man smiled, shrugging his shoulders. "True as it is that these particular bandits have been known to split their takings with poorer people round these parts, so I won't be saying anything against them. But they're still bandits. I don't want to know more about them than I have to…rumour is that if you cross the mountain path knowin' too much, you might just get your throat slit."
Anzu frowned, shaking her head.
"Genrou would never…" She began, then an image of Bouka flickered into her mind and she stopped, uttering a sigh.
"Maybe there are bandits who would." She agreed at length. "So you haven't seen him, then? Not at all?"
"No." The stall-holder shook his head. "But I have heard a rumour that he and his people were in the eastern village last night. Burnt to the ground, it was. Whether bandits were the villains or the heroes, I wouldn't like to be telling you. But you might want to look there for your phantom wolf."
"The bandits helped the villagers put out the fire, so the whole mountain didn't set ablaze." Anzu said stiffly. "They didn't cause it."
"Well, like I said, it's sometimes hard to tell with rogues like that." The stall-holder laughed, not noticeably put out by her sudden displeasure. "And it's been mighty nice talking to a pretty girl like you, but I have business, so if you'll excuse me…"
"Oh. Yes, of course. I'm sorry." Anzu blushed, stepping away from the stall and back into the crowd as the stallholder began his usual patter to the next potential customer.
"I should expect the bandits to be well known in Souun. Genrou's village isn't far from here, and this is, essentially, still mountain land." She reflected. "I wonder if that means people will help me, or if they won't. I know that Kouji and Genrou do distribute takings to people who need it – Kouji said it was Hakurou's way, and so they've always kept with it. But even so – there must be traders in this town who've fallen foul of bandit toll-takers on Reikaku-zan's paths. I should be careful…and remember what Kouji said. I can't have faith in everyone that I meet just because they seem to be on the level with me."
Her hand slipped self-consciously beneath her cloak, brushing the hilt of the dagger she had stolen from the bandit hideout before she had left. She had not told Kouji where she was going, knowing that he would try to prevent her, and for the first time since she had left her sister's graveside in Sairou, she realised she was completely alone.
"I could go back to the mountain." She reflected. "But that would prove nothing. Besides, I am safer with Genrou. And I do need to be able to do this. To be a bandit, I have to learn. And I can't be scared to walk through a city on my own. After all, I managed to get to Kounan without falling foul of anything…didn't I?"
She pursed her lips, remembering the trek across the country, and how she had sought to protect herself by tying up her hair and dressing in men's clothing as she crossed the hot desert land towards the Kounan border. As she had surmised, few people had troubled her, seeing her poor, dirty appearance, but a faint flush touched her cheek as she realised she did not want to resort to the same tactics again.
"If Genrou had seen me, when I turned up on Reikaku-zan, I don't know what he'd have thought." She decided. "And I don't want him to see me dressed as a man. I don't want him to think of me as his buddy, even though I do want him to accept me as a bandit. Is it too much to want to be a bandit and a woman, and have Genrou's faith?"
"Hey, sister, spare us a penny?"
A lean youth, eyes greedy and his clothes hanging off his thin body reached out a hand to her from the pavement, grabbing her skirt in his hands and Anzu started at the sudden pull, staring down at him in surprise and uncertainty. He wasn't much younger than she was, she realised – barely older than fifteen – yet his cadaverous appearance told a tale all of its own. One of his legs was bent and shrivelled at the foot, and a curved stick lay beside him on the ground, next to a battered pewter begging bowl. It was empty, and Anzu realised that the boy had probably not eaten in some days.
"I…" She faltered, but before she could say anything, someone else had barged past her, giving the unfortunate beggar a rough kick as thick fingers reached out to pull him to his feet.
"You bothering this lady, street scum?" A harsh voice demanded. His tones were thick with the same mountain accent Anzu so loved to hear in Genrou's tones, yet in this man it sounded coarser and more threatening, and a shiver ran down her spine as she turned to face him.
"Let him go!" She protested. "He didn't do anything to me – he's just a boy and he's starving!"
"He's a conniving little beggar, that's all he is." The brawny owner of the fist tossed his burden down against the wall as if he were no more than a sack of rags. "You oughtn't be listening to his type, and their whines for pity and mercy. It's all a ploy to get your money…you should wise up, sister. You don't know these streets if you don't know that."
"I didn't ask you to intervene." Anzu's eyes glittered, and she crouched at the boy's side. To her horror, she realised that the youngster who had reached out his hands to her moments before now lay crumpled and broken against the brick wall, his form so emaciated and fragile that the force of the blow had struck life right out of him. A faint memory of her sister's weak, frail form flickered across her senses and she wheeled on the stranger, eyes blazing.
"You've killed him!"
"What's one less beggar on the streets of Souun?" The man seemed unconcerned, eying her in some amusement. "It's not like he's got anyone to miss him. Serves him right – if you ain't strong enough to survive, you shouldn't be in this world in the first place. Survival of the fittest – noone ever teach you that?"
"Get away from me." Anzu shoved the man aside, stalking down the street away from him, but he let out a laugh, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her back towards him.
"Now, now, little lady. You're looking for Genrou, ain't you?"
"Genrou?" Anzu's eyes narrowed. "Get your hands off me. Don't think you can pretend you're a friend of his, because I won't believe you. Not after what you just did to that poor boy."
"Genrou's no friend of mine." The man shook his head. "But it sounds like he's a friend of yours. And that interests me. Well known fact round these parts, it is, that the Kashira of Reikaku-zan hates women…so what's your story? Or are you one of his legendary sisters, huh? That'd be a coup – to take Genrou's sister to Kaou-zan in chains."
"Kaou-zan?" Anzu's eyes widened, and she wrenched herself out of the man's grip. "Don't be stupid! I'm not Genrou's sister! And I'm not interested in going to your stupid mountain! I'm looking for Genrou – I'm not looking to spend time with you!"
"Huntin' a phantom wolf is an elusive business, but I'm sure he'd come running if he knew one of his hangers on was in Kaou-zan custody." The man leered at her, but Anzu was raging now and, adrenalin pumping through her veins, she drew the dagger, wielding it in front of her.
"I could slit your throat." She said coldly. "I told you, I'm not going anywhere with you. Now or ever – now get out of my way!"
"You think a puny thing like that can touch me?" The man sneered, reaching out to knock it from her grasp, but Anzu had banked on his reaction and she grabbed him with her free arm, calling on the strength in her upper body as she vaulted herself over his head, landing neatly on the ground in the alley behind him.
"Out of practice, but still too nimble for an idiot like you." She muttered, as she took advantage of her companion's surprise, getting to her feet and darting out of the alleyway into the busy crowd once more. "Thank you, Karin, for all those years of teamwork – I know you're still with me, when I do things like that."
She glanced down at the knife, eying it ruefully.
"So I don't really know what to do with this, and I'm not sure I have the courage to really use it on someone." She murmured. "But at least I got away from him - that's progress. But Kouji really wasn't kidding. I'd forgotten about Kaou-zan – I really have become stupid in two years! I'm acting like I've never had to take care of myself before, and that's stupid. I've spent my whole life…"
She frowned.
"I suppose before, Karin looked out for me." She realised. "And Raimon. Till Karin died, I didn't really have to take care of myself. No wonder Genrou's not sure what to do with me. He must think I'm still such a child, and I can't blame him."
She sank down onto a step, resting her chin in her hands as she pondered.
"I wonder where they are. Chichiri might have used his magic to take them anywhere – I should have thought of that sooner." She said with a sigh. "Maybe I should go back to Reikaku-zan. But I want to help Genrou. And I can't prove that I'm good enough to be a bandit if I'm just skulking around their base, hiding behind Kouji all the time. That's not what I want. But…where do I even start?"
As she sat there, voices of passers-by drifted across to her and she sat back, finding herself listening to the odd snippets of conversation as the people moved between stalls and businesses, intend on their day's errands.
"Everything's going to the dogs these days." One woman reflected. "Prices are bound to soar now that that farming village is all burnt down."
"Lucky the whole mountain didn't go with it." Another agreed. "Whatever they say about those bandits on the mountain, they did us all a favour last night."
"Jiyou, get away from there." A man's voice snapped across the two women, making Anzu jump. "Stop being a lazy clot and help unload, you good-for-nothing…"
"…Mei-san's come in from the capital again." Before Anzu could discover what kind of a good-for-nothing the unfortunate Jiyou was, a shrill woman's voice broke through the murmur of the crowd. "You know he always brings the best fabrics."
"Not as good as Chou-san, in the textile quarter." Her equally raucous friend objected. "But in Souun, you have to make do with what you can get."
"You always harp on about Eiyou, but Souun's as good a city as any." The shrill woman pointed out. "And Chou-san doesn't trade outside of Eiyou very often since the war – not since his son was killed fighting in Hokkan. No, I'm decided. Mei-san will do for me."
"Well, he brings news from the city, at least. Even if it is an hour's ride or more." The second woman acknowledged. "You know what his wife told me this morning, when I was buying cloth for my daughter's new robes? You know, that fine peach silk that I was showing you earlier?"
"What did he tell you?" Clearly the shrill woman was more interested in gossip than in cloth, and her friend tut-tutted.
"Apparently there's been another ghost sighting in the capital. But its little wonder, given the fact everything's all which ways as it is." She said sagely. "The Emperor can't rest so long as Kounan's in peril, isn't that what they say? He was such a good, conscientious leader. We were much better off when he was ruler of Kounan."
"Even though he took us to war against Kutou?"
"The war would have come, my dear, regardless. With that cold eyed foreigner in charge of the Kutou army – you know what they say about those Hin people, and he was every bit the proof. To think how he cut Saihitei-sama down…the Emperor gave his life saving us all, and such a young, handsome man to die so tragically. But then, they do say, he was one of Suzaku's own…so it was bound to come, sooner or later."
The voices drifted away, leaving Anzu rooted to the step, her eyes big as she absorbed what she had heard.
"The Emperor. That's who Chichiri and Tasuki were looking for." She breathed. "And he's in Eiyou – he must be, if people think they've seen his ghost. Which means…that's where Chichiri and Tasuki and Aidou have gone! Oh, I'm in luck! If I can hire a horse…Eiyou's not that long a ride from here, and I know I could definitely make it by nightfall."
She got to her feet, rummaging in her pockets for the few coins she had taken when she had taken the dagger, eying them ruefully.
"I'm a better sneak thief than Genrou gives me credit for, but he doesn't need to know about this." She decided. "If the money's spent, then it's spent – and it's all in a good cause. I'll find a horse and head for the capital. It's been a long time since I visited Eiyou, but I think I can remember it well enough to navigate my way there. There are some benefits to having travelled with a circus troupe – and it's time I used them to my best advantage."
She clenched her hand around the coins, glancing up at the sky as resolution settled in her heart.
"I'm still looking after Genrou, Reirei." She murmured. "And Oneechan, watch over us both, all right? I'm going to Eiyou. I'll keep faith with Genrou, I promise – so you and Raimon don't need to worry about me being alone!"
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"So, now we're away from the mountain, can you pick anything up?"
As they walked through the trackway that led alongside the charred remains of the eastern village, Tasuki cast Chichiri a quizzical look, kicking idly against a stray fragment of blackened timber as he did so. "Hotohori, I mean – can you sense where the guy's got to now?"
"Not at all." Chichiri admitted sadly. "And I've been trying since we left Reikaku-zan, too. It's so frustrating, you know? Last night his chi was so strong – blazing from him, even if it was strange and tainted in some way. And now – he's vanished. It's just like Nuriko. Before we left Reikaku-zan, I had a brief awareness of him – but now I can't sense him, either."
"So we're going to walk in definite circles until you do?" Aidou asked drolly. "I see."
"Oneechan, if you're going to be that way, go back to the damn mountain already, will you?" Tasuki looked frustrated. "It's not a quick little trip to the town market – we're hunting for dead people, and that kind of thing ain't easy. Not even for Chichiri."
"No, Aidou-san is right." Chichiri sighed. "It is pointless, walking in circles. If we're going to go looking for him, we're going to have to think a little bit more laterally…and not rely on my ability to sense his movements quite so much. I'm not sure if it's the nature of his condition at the moment, or if I only sensed him so strongly before because his character was blazing so brightly on his neck when we saw him here last night. Maybe, in the state he is now, his chi isn't strong enough for me to pick up when his character isn't showing. Either way, we can waste time here, or we can try and think of another strategy."
"Such as?" Tasuki paused, eying his companion expectantly, and Chichiri grimaced – at least, as much as it was possible for a monk to grimace from behind the shelter of a kitsune mask.
"Why is it I always have to come up with the answers?" He objected. "I can't think of everything, you know!"
"Can't you?" Tasuki looked genuinely surprised, and Chichiri sighed, shaking his head in defeat.
"Fine." He said wearily. "The only thing I can think of is that we could try heading to Eiyou."
"The capital?" Aidou looked startled. "Why would we go there?"
"Well, it's something of a long-shot." Chichiri admitted. "But when Hotohori's spirit was last expelled from Taikyoku-zan, it ended up at the palace, with Houki-sama and Boushin. Perhaps the same has happened now."
"That's true." Tasuki's face cleared. "That rock-headed little brat that had Tama's memory stone inside of him. I remember now."
"That rock-headed brat is now Emperor of Kounan, you know." Despite the situation, Chichiri was amused.
"That doesn't change the fact he has a boulder for a skull." Tasuki said firmly. "Besides, if Hotohori wasn't dead last night – doesn't that make him Emperor? He's Boushin's father, right?"
"I don't think dead men can be re-crowned, and I didn't say Hotohori was alive last night." Chichiri shook his head. "Saihitei-sama has been buried – he's entombed within Suzaku's shrine. What we saw last night is an incarnation of his Highness – and it still feels natural to think of him as Emperor and call him Hotohori-sama. But it wasn't the sense of a living form, on that horse. Not a spirit, either. But not quite alive."
"That's not logical." Tasuki protested. "He's either dead or he ain't. Which is it?"
"He's both. He's dead, and he's not. It's just the way it is."
"You just like sayin' things that don't make sense to confuse me, don't you?" Tasuki frowned.
"I wouldn't have thought that would be too hard, otouto-kun." Aidou said frankly, and Tasuki sent her a dark look.
"Noone asked you." He shot back.
He gestured to the kasa.
"So are we taking the short cut, or is your hat still playing silly games after it's encounter with Taikyoku-zan?" He asked. "You did say last night that you thought it was okay…is it?"
"Whether it's the hat or my magic that was affected, I think both are in tune with one another now, you know?" Chichiri assured him. "I can connect a spell to it - I'm pretty sure about that. But…"
He faltered, glancing at Aidou, who looked startled.
"Is something wrong?"
"Chichiri thinks you're not gonna like hat-hopping." Tasuki said bluntly. "And he's probably right."
"Hat…" Aidou frowned. "What does he mean, Chichiri-san?"
"What he says, although I wish he'd find a better term for it." Chichiri's mouth twitched into a smile. "I can use my magic to transfer us to Eiyou through my kasa, that's all. It's something I've done a lot of times before. Tasuki's used to it, but I didn't want to force you…"
"I'm not a weak woman. I'm sure I can manage." Aidou said firmly. "If that's the quickest way to get this adventure all sealed up, then I'm not going to be the stumbling block. Go ahead, Chichiri-san. Do what you have to do. I'll be fine."
"I bet you cry." Tasuki said frankly, and Aidou glared at him.
"You cry more than I do, and you call yourself a man." She said scathingly. "Shut up, Shun'u. I'm not afraid of Chichiri-san's hat. I have more faith that he knows what he's doing than you do with that toy fan of yours, in any case."
"You haven't experienced his landings, yet." Tasuki muttered. "And my tessen is not a toy!"
Chichiri cast a look of amusement between the bickering siblings.
"Well, since it seems to be decided, let's get going." He said evenly. "I'll try and take us direct to the palace - that should save us some time, and I know that Houki-sama will probably be willing to speak to us."
"Just so long as the little tyke's otherwise engaged." Tasuki said warily. "My legs can't stand up to another assault."
Chichiri grinned. Then, he twitched his hat, focusing his magic on the Kounan royal palace. In a matter of seconds they found themselves standing outside the main gate, Chichiri's landing having been - Tasuki to the contrary - exactly right.
"I don't know what all the fuss was about." Aidou reflected, gazing up at the impressive columns as she did so. "That was easy."
"It's only Tasuki I like to dump up trees or in holes." Chichiri grinned, sending the bandit a playful glance. "Well, we're here. I hope Houki-sama isn't otherwise engaged. At the very least, we should pay our respects to Hotohori's grave...shouldn't we?"
"Except he's not in it...at least not totally." Tasuki muttered, as a guard stepped forward to find out their business. "Do we tell Houki that her husband went on a rampage and burned down a village? Or are we keeping that a secret for the time being?"
"I think we'll keep it a secret." Chichiri reflected. He eyed Tasuki keenly. "That was very thoughtful of you, you know...are you feeling all right?"
"Well, she tends to cry a lot when you talk about Hotohori." Tasuki admitted. "It's kind of embarrassing."
"She's a widow, who lost the man she loved." Aidou reflected. "You could try and have a bit of compassion, Shun'u. He sacrificed his life to save Kounan, in the end. There are a lot of families left without loved ones because of that war, you know - just because your thick skull withstood all that Kutou threw at you, you have to think of other people."
"Besides, Tasuki-kun, you have been known to shed tears yourself, when someone died." Chichiri teased. "Isn't that the same thing?"
"No, it's completely different." Tasuki folded his arms. "There ain't any shame in a man shedding tears for a fallen comrade in battle. What girls do when they mope and moon over someone is totally unrelated."
"Houki is a strong woman, though. At least, she's become strong." Chichiri responded pensively. "And she's always been welcoming to us, no matter how much it reminds her of better days."
He turned to acknowledge the guard, offering him a smile as he removed his mask.
"We're hoping to speak to the Dowager Empress Yotaigo." He said lightly. "Would you tell her that it's Tasuki and Chichiri of the Suzaku Shichi Seishi, and that we've come to pay our respects to the Shrine of Suzaku and the grave of his Highness Saihitei-sama?"
"Chichiri-sama!" Recognition flashed into the man's eyes, and he bowed, nodding his head. "At once, of course! Please, you are always welcome within the palace - the Dowager Empress will be most happy to see you, and so will Lord Haku."
He withdrew, and Tasuki sent Chichiri a blank look.
"Who the hell's Lord Haku? Don't tell me ol' Houki's gone and taken a lover, since her husband's wormbait now?"
Chichiri winced, clapping his hand over his companion's mouth before he could say any more.
"Haku Shouei is - was - Hotohori-sama's Prime Minister, and he and Houki-sama are in control of the country until Boushin is old enough to make decisions for himself as Emperor." He hissed. "Houki might be our friend, Tasuki, but if you say things like that inside the palace walls you might still get your head cut off for treason!"
"Hey, get off! I was just asking!" Tasuki pulled himself free, looking indignant. "It was only a question. I can't remember every bearded guy who wanders around the palace. Haku Shouei, huh? I remember now."
"Well, just keep remembering it." Chichiri instructed. "Because if nothing else, you'll hurt Houki's feelings if you jump to wild conclusions like that in front of her. You know she loved Hotohori-sama with all of her heart, Tasuki - try and be a little more sensitive, okay?"
"The word isn't in his vocabulary." Aidou muttered. "You're wasting your time, Chichiri-san."
"If you ask me, all this love stuff is nothing but a hassle for people anyway." Tasuki pulled a face. "All it does it make girls cry and guys confused."
"Maybe I'll gag you." Chichiri eyed him speculatively, and Tasuki looked alarmed, holding up his hands.
"Hey, don't even think about it!" He exclaimed. "I'm not gonna say anything to Houki - will you get a grip already? Geez! I was just making an observation!"
Fortunately at that moment, further palace guards arrived to usher them into the grounds proper, and before long they were entering the shrine of Suzaku, where a slender, delicate young lady of approximately Tasuki's age stood waiting for them. Although dressed in the fine robes of a widowed Empress, there was a gentle prettiness to her face, and despite the hint of tragedy in her eyes, she offered them a smile, bowing her head to each of the Seishi in turn as she gestured for them to join her by the statue of the Beast God.
"I'm surprised to see you, though glad, of course." She said, in soft, musical tones. "Chichiri-san, Tasuki-san - what brings you to the palace on a day like this? And who is your companion? I don't believe we've met."
"That's my sister Aidou." Tasuki said with a grimace. "Don't mind her - she invited herself along, but it's really Chichiri and I who came to see you."
"Tasuki, that's rude, you know." Chichiri objected, as Aidou visibly bristled at the offhandedness of his introduction. Houki laughed, however, holding out a hand of greeting to the young woman.
"It's a pleasure, Aidou-san." She said gently, and Aidou bowed her head, prevented by the woman's status from making any rejoinder to her brother's remarks.
"We've come for two reasons." Chichiri said pensively, as he gazed up at Suzaku's statue. "Of course, to pay our respects and to ensure you and Boushin-kun are both well. Hotohori-sama would want us to do that, at least, and it's been a while since we were last here."
"Boushin and I are fine." Houki agreed. "It's still painful, knowing he's gone but...since your last visit - since I knew he was watching over us, I feel more at peace."
She smiled, and for a moment, her face lit up, revealing how pretty the Empress truly was.
"I think he's still here, sometimes." She admitted. "There have been reports...people have said they've seen him, around the palace. I don't know if it's true - I see him in my dreams every night, and I'm sure, as Boushin grows, I'll see him in his son's face, also. But it's comforting, the idea of having him close. Even if he can't reach out to touch us - it helps."
"That's the other reason we came." Chichiri nodded, his gaze warning Tasuki to keep his mouth shut on the subject of burning villages. "It might sound strange, but we...were looking for His Highness. Last night, there was...well, a sighting of him, not too very far from here. And we wondered about it. The Suzaku Shichi Seishi's work is supposed to be at an end, but I've clearly sensed his presence a couple of times, too."
"When Kounan is in danger, the Miko will come and unite the seven stars of Suzaku." Houki quoted softly. "But that's all over now, isn't it? Miaka-san isn't with you - she truly has gone back to her own world?"
"Yes, and Tamahome with her." Chichiri agreed. "Which is why we're so confused. That his Highness should want to make sure you and Boushin are okay is one thing, but he was seen away from the palace. We'd like to know why."
"My husband's will was far stronger than any human body." Houki said reflectively. "If he felt, even for a moment, that his people were in danger - even beyond the grave, even in the form of a spirit...I believe he would come to set things to rights. He always put the people first - he always cared so much about Kounan. If it is true, and he has been seen away from the palace, then I can only imagine some kind of danger threatens this country."
She frowned.
"But you think so also, don't you, Chichiri-san?" She asked. "Because you've come here looking for him."
"Yes." Chichiri admitted. "Although you shouldn't worry yourself, Houki-sama. I'm sure that we'll find out whatever that is, and we'll put a stop to it before any harm really befalls Kounan."
"I have faith in you." Houki smiled again. "Just as my husband did. He believed in you all and I think, when he was with you, he was truly a happy man. I know you are strong, and I'm sure you will be able to succeed...whatever the problem you face."
"Did you say His Highness had been haunting the palace?" Tasuki put in at that moment. "Floatin' around it or what?"
"No...no." Houki frowned. "Like I said, he hasn't revealed himself to me personally. I think...well, when he left us the last time, I think he understood how painful it was for me to see him, even though it also brought me much joy. Boushin and I have to move on with life, and he knew that - that's why he's not made himself visible to me since then. But last night, there was some commotion among the guards. One of the sentries on the northern gate was sent into such a panic that he deserted his post. He claims to have seen and more, spoken to the late Emperor's spirit."
"Last night, huh?" Tasuki frowned. "But..."
He caught Chichiri's eye, and faltered, grimacing at his friend.
"Late last night." Houki agreed. "I was asleep when it occured, although the matter reached Lord Haku when it happened. The soldier has been questioned, and it's unclear what he did or didn't see. At the moment he's been discharged of duties, since the whole matter quite upset him - I'm loath to have him punished for abandoning the gate, if it truly was Saihitei's spirit he saw. But noone else was with him - so it's difficult to prove. Haku-sama thinks it might have been caused by alcohol or an attempt to cover up dereliction of duty...but I don't know."
"Is Haku-sama here?" Chichiri wondered. Houki shook her head.
"He's meeting with some northern delegates this morning. I excused myself, on account of last night's disturbance - when I first heard what had happened, it shook me." She admitted. "I came here instead, and then you arrived...perhaps some part of me expected you to, although I don't remember thinking about it as such. Still, you Seishi are connected, and I know that you were able to see his spirit before I was able, the last time you were here. If he is in the palace, I'm sure that you would be able to find him."
"If he is in the palace, I can't sense him at the moment." Chichiri admitted defeatedly. "I thought I might, if we came here - where he lies buried. But even beneath the wings of the God himself - I can't find any trace of Hotohori-sama's chi."
"So why don't we grab this guard who says he saw the guy's ghost...ask him a few questions?" Tasuki suggested. "He might know something...right?"
"Houki-sama, would that be all right?" Chichiri asked, and Houki nodded her head.
"I have no objection." She agreed. "My late husband valued you as friends and equals - you don't need my permission to move around the palace. Especially when Kounan's protection is involved."
"Thank you." Chichiri smiled. "Then I think that's what we'll do."
His grin widened, and he glanced at Tasuki.
"Looks like we won't get to visit Boushin this time." He said playfully. "But I'm sure you can carry our greetings to him, Houki-sama."
"I will do so." Houki agreed. "And if there's anything you need, please feel free to ask. As for the soldier, any of the guards will be able to take you to his quarters - tell them that you have my backing - although few of them would argue with one of Suzaku's chosen about matters of this kind."
As they left the shrine, Chichiri paused, glancing around at the palace thoughtfully.
"I almost thought to ask her about help for the village." He admitted. "But then I'd have to explain why - and I don't want to upset her."
"The village is dead, Chichiri-san. People have already left it behind." Aidou said pragmatically. "We saw that, when we walked through there earlier on. Noone will go there now. With the help of the bandits, they'll find a way to start anew. Our kind are tough, we survive, and they'll build new lives somewhere else. It'll just be another village that rots into insignificance and nonexistance, that's all."
"Just like the many brought down by Kutou's army." Chichiri frowned. "Why do I think that there's some kind of connection there?"
"Kutou haven't bothered us in two years. Not since Nakago got skewered by Tamahome's fist." Tasuki said bluntly. "So how could there be a connection? Their country fell apart, their ruling class was slaughtered - and they're having enough to do rebuilding themselves. Why would they care about Kounan now? That war is over...how could there be a connection?"
"No, it's more like...well, the expression on Hotohori-sama's face." Chichiri admitted. "When he drew his sword and tried to attack us. He had the same look on his face when he charged down Nakago, the day that he died. I wonder..."
"You think that Hotohori's got so screwballed by this Taikyoku-zan magic mixup that he's still stuck two years in the past? That he thinks it was Nakago he was attacking, not you?" Tasuki's eyes widened. Chichiri nodded.
"It occured to me." He agreed. "That maybe he thought he was defending Kounan - just in the way Houki just said."
"So what do we do about it, then?"
"We find a guard and ask to see this man who saw a ghost." Chichiri said evenly. "First things first. We need to know more."
"I never thought I'd be wanderin' round a royal palace like this." Aidou admitted, as they made their way across to speak to one of the sentries. "Without anyone minding what we do and where we go."
"When we were fighting together, we stayed here, a lot of the time." Tasuki told her, a flicker of self-satisfaction in his eyes as he read the awe in her face. "As equals of the Emperor, no less - just as Houki jus' said it. So you should treat me with more respect now, Aidou-neechan. After all, I'm a trusted ally of the royal house of Kounan these days."
"Your head's gonna get too big for you to hold up if you go on that way." Was Aidou's crushing rejoinder. "Delusions of grandeur don't suit you, Shun'u...and it didn't much help his Highness in the end, now did it?"
"Hotohori-sama sacrificed himself trying to take out Nakago - a powerful man with Seiryuu's magic in his blood and no compunction about who or what he had to destroy to get his way." Chichiri said slowly. "Powerful men make powerful enemies, Aidou-san. It's long been my belief that Nakago wanted to kill Hotohori-sama sooner...it just struck him as doubly fortunate when he realised that the Emperor of Kounan was also one of Suzaku's chosen men. I don't believe Tasuki - or anyone - could have prevented what happened that day. Nakago was brutal - only the sealing of Seiryuu's power allowed him to be beaten, in the end."
"So there." Tasuki poked out his tongue, completely ignoring the fact he was inside a royal building and representing the beast God himself as he sent his sister a triumphant look. "What he said. You're damn lucky I'm as good a fighter as I am, else I might not have made it back alive at all."
Aidou glanced at her hand thoughtfully, and Tasuki flinched instinctively out of her way, giving her a wide birth as Chichiri singled out one of the sentries to speak to. As he did so, the monk sighed.
"If you know she's going to hit you for saying stuff, why do you say it, you know?" He asked. "Seriously, Tasuki, think about it a little, huh?"
Tasuki merely scowled, and Chichiri hurried up to the guard, offering him a smile as the man - someone he recognised from their last visit - bowed his head.
"Chichiri-sama!"
"We were hoping to speak to the guard who claimed to see his Highness's ghost last night." Chichiri explained. "Houki...I mean, Yotaigo-sama has said it'll be all right. Could you take us to his quarters, please?"
"Yes, sir, of course." The guard nodded, gesturing for them to follow him. "Although I don't know if you'll get much sense from him, all things considered. He swears he didn't touch a drop before going on duty last night, but he was none too coherent when Haku-sama questioned him, or any of the other officials here."
"You think he's lying, then?" Tasuki demanded. The guard shrugged.
"I have no idea." He said frankly. "But Saihitei-sama's spirit must have passed into the next world now, surely. It's been two years since he died."
"Well, I guess we'll find out." Chichiri pursed his lips. "Something tells me that it's not quite that simple."
The guard's quarters were at the furthermost point of the palace, inside the busy, bustling barracks. As the two Seishi and their companion passed through, a few stares and whispers went their way, as many of the men recognised Chichiri and Tasuki, and wondered about their female companion. As they sought to draw closer, however, the official on duty shouted at them to be about their business, and within a remarkably short period of time, the hallways were all but clear of men.
"Jintou!" The guard rapped on the door of the small room. "Jintou, there are people to speak to you. Suzaku's warriors Lord Tasuki and Lord Chichiri have come on the Dowager Empress's instruction to question you about Saihitei-sama's spirit - unlock this door!"
There was a moment of silence, then the sound of a lock being pulled back, as the door slid open to reveal the room's sole occupant. At the sight of his face, Chichiri drew breath sharply, registering the look of dulled shock that still flickered in the man's brown eyes.
"Will you leave us with him?" He asked the guard, who bowed in assent, withdrawing and leaving them alone with the young man who went by the name Jintou.
A moment of silence passed, then Tasuki stepped forwards.
"We want to know about his Highness's ghost." He said sharply. "Where he went, what he did, and why the hell he was at the palace last night - so hurry up and tell us everything you know, all right?"
Jintou stared at him, fear flickering briefly in his eyes at the tall, brawny bandit who stared back at him impatiently, waiting for an answer.
"Tasuki, don't shout at him." Chichiri scolded. "The man's had a shock - you need to be a bit more gentle."
"I'm only trying to find out where His Highness has gone now." Tasuki retorted. "Before he burns down another village with that sword of his."
At this, the young man's eyes opened wide with terror, and for a moment Chichiri thought that he would dart back inside of his chamber, pulling the door behind him. He slipped a foot between the wood and the panel wall, casting his red haired companion a long suffering look before conveying a smile on the unfortunate soldier.
"We just want to know what you saw." He said gently, but Jintou did not seem to be any more forthcoming, staring at Chichiri's scar with a mixture of fright and dismay. As Chichiri realised the cause of his distress, he frowned, raising his finger absently to his left cheek.
"We were friends of his Highness." He said quietly. "I'm Chichiri, and this is Tasuki - members of the Suzaku Shichi Seishi. We're not here to hurt you."
But Jintou's gaze remained fixed on the cruel, jagged wound, and the monk realised he was not going to get any further with this mode of approach than Tasuki had with his direct demands. He sighed, stepping back as he considered the best course of action to take. That the man was clearly frightened out of his wits was beyond doubt, and Chichiri suspected that the questioning of Haku and his associates had been thorough and demanding.
"And he thinks he's in for some more of the same." He reflected. "Because I look like someone who might hurt him, and Tasuki's enough to scare anyone, when he looks at them like that. A scarred monk and a phantom wolf - not the most gentle of appearances. I should have remembered to put my mask on again before we left the shrine - but it's too late now."
"Let me try."
As if she'd heard his thoughts, Aidou slipped into the room, pushing back the hood of her cloak as she cast a glance at the scared youngster. He stared at her in surprise, and Aidou smiled, shrugging her shoulders.
"Some things need a woman's touch." She said softly. "Chichiri-san, Shun'u - he's frightened of you. Step back. Let me try."
"But..." Tasuki's eyebrows shot up at this, and he shook his head. "Oneechan, you don't want us to leave you alone in here with this guy? He looks half crazy, and you were the one who objected to being stuck with bandits on the mountain!?"
"Just do what I said, bonehead." Aidou told him firmly. "Go wait outside. I'll find out what you want to know."
Chichiri bit his lip, then shrugged his shoulders.
"Let her try." He said softly. "Come on, Tasuki. Let's do as she says."
"But...I can't!" Tasuki protested. "What kind of a man would I be if I left my sister alone in a chamber with a half-crazed palace guard?"
"Well, if you don't, you'll be a bruised kind of man." Aidou said evenly. "Listen, Shun'u. We want to find the guy who burnt the village, isn't that what this little jaunt is about? To make sure it doesn't happen again? I don't want that any more than you do, so if I can find out what you want to know, why shouldn't I try? You think I can't handle myself? Believe me, I can."
"And you really think you have a better chance than Chichiri does?" Tasuki demanded. Aidou sighed.
"I'm a woman." She said categorically, as if it explained everything. "Just go outside. It will be all right."
Before Tasuki could object any further, Chichiri took him firmly by the arm, leading him out of the chamber and closing the door softly behind them. Tasuki wheeled on him, anger in his eyes, but Chichiri pressed a finger to his lips, shaking his head.
"We need to know what this man saw." He said softly. "Aidou is right. We frighten him - he's obviously already been heavily interrogated, and us being Seishi like his Highness probably makes the situation worse. Besides, I was careless and I forgot to replace my mask...I've gotten so used to being around people who don't mind it that I didn't think of what might happen if I confronted him with my scar visible like that. It obviously unnerved him. And you're...not exactly gentle when you go in for the kill. Aidou is a woman, like she says. Her approach is bound to be less of a threat to him."
"Have you met my sister?" Tasuki demanded. Chichiri laughed.
"Yes, but I don't think that you're being fair to her." He said wisely. "Just because she's hard on you doesn't mean she's going to use the same tactics on every man she meets."
"And if he tries anything on her? What then?"
"I think Aidou-san is more than able to take care of herself. She is your sister, at the end of the day."
"What's that meant to mean?"
"Just pipe down, and let her do her best." Chichiri shrugged. "He might feel more comfortable, talking to a woman. He's a young man, probably not much older than you are. And Aidou has a strong air about her...I'm sure she can draw out whatever he saw, if he doesn't feel he's going to be beaten for telling an untruth."
"You believe Jintou really saw Hotohori-sama, don't you."
"Yes, I do." Chichiri pursed his lips. "After he fell from the horse, he disappeared. I think this is where he came - our instinct was right. What we need to know is where he is now."
Before Tasuki could respond, the door of the chamber opened, and Aidou emerged, offering them a smile as she refastened her cloak around her shoulders.
"Well, shall we go?" She asked lightly.
"Oneechan!" Tasuki was alert immediately. "What...are you...did he...are you all right?"
"Are you worried about me, Shun'u?" Aidou eyed him keenly. "I'm fine. Don't be so stupid. He's a scared boy - he's not going to try and hurt me. He's just afraid, that's all. He's never seen a ghost before...and he's worried that it means retribution of some kind."
"So he did talk to you?" Chichiri asked. Aidou nodded.
"He said he saw the Emperor's spirit outside the northern gate, staring up at the building as if he didn't know what he was doing there or how he came to arrive there." She agreed. "He didn't seem sure of himself - either that, or he was testing the boy - Jintou was a bit incoherent on that point. They talked about the stars, and Saihitei-sama asked him to name the constellations of Suzaku. Then Jintou let slip that he believed he was talking to a ghost, and that's when he took fright. Apparently there was a strange look in Saihitei-sama's eye when he said it - he lost his nerve and he fled."
"And I suppose that we don't know where Hotohori-sama went after that? Great." Tasuki sighed. "Some interrogation, sis."
"The boy can't tell me what he doesn't know." Aidou snapped, bringing her hand down hard against the back of her brother's head. "It was better than you managed."
"Well, Aidou-san has at least told us one thing we can work with." Chichiri sighed, leaning up against the wall as he contemplated. "His Highness's memories were addled. He didn't know why he was at the palace, and I think it's probable he didn't remember firing the village either, you know? I'm thinking my first assumption was the true one. He was reliving some kind of past nightmare when we met him in the eastern village. He may have been drawn there because it was close to Reikaku-zan, and you and I were in the Souun area at the time. It's possible his Seishi connections brought him close to us, or some other force drew him there, because it wanted us to notice him. But he did not attack your home of his own free will...he didn't know what he was doing, when he set fire to that place. And I think he probably did see Nakago standing before him, rather than you or I. When he came off his horse, he seemed so disorientated that I'm certain that's the truth."
"But if it happened once, it could happen again." Tasuki pointed out. Chichiri nodded.
"If we can find him soon, then so much the better." He agreed.
"Jintou said one other thing, Chichiri-san." Aidou remembered. "He said that the Emperor said the Lady Houki's name. Once."
"Then he was drawn here because of her and Boushin." Chichiri reflected. "Just as we thought. And it probably means he's still in the area somewhere - looking for somewhere that feels safe."
"So we keep looking in the capital, then?" Tasuki asked. Chichiri nodded.
"We'll ask if anyone's seen a young man with a startling resemblance to the late Emperor." He agreed slowly. "And I'll keep trying to sense his chi while we go. If it's connected to the appearance of his character, then it might not happen again while we're here - but at least if it does, I'll be primed for it. And if his character isn't blazing the way it was last night, then he can't be attacking any villages."
"No news is good news, in fact." Aidou reflected. "All right. Then I suppose there's nothing to do but start asking people questions, is there?"
"You really are going to stay with us the whole time?" Tasuki stared at her, and Aidou snorted.
"I told you I was. Someone has to make sure you don't kill yourself, and besides, this was my village too." She said pragmatically. "Besides, didn't I already prove my usefulness to you? Shut up complaining, Shun'u, and let's get moving, all right?"
She stalked purposefully past him, cloak fluttering behind her as she walked, and Chichiri chuckled, patting his companion on the shoulder.
"You really don't have any luck where women are concerned, do you?" He bantered. "Come on. She's right, you know. At least now we have a little to go on. I'm sure we'll find him before the day is out."
Random babble:
Hotohori's burial place - I don't think that's mentioned in the manga, but in Sanbou Den Houki tells Chichiri and Tasuki when they return from Miaka's world that that's where he's buried, in the shrine of Suzaku, beneath the statue of the God (With Miaka's li'l teddy bear marking the spot...aww). His Prime Minister is also mentioned by name in Suzaku Hi Den as Haku Shouei. The name Yotaigo for Houki (Youtaigo? Haven't seen the Kanji, just the anime, so I'm not sure) is used in Eikouden to mark her status as Dowager Empress. But I imagine that Chichiri and Tasuki would still call her Houki. And I'm going to. .