Chapter Ten
Well, so she had made it to Eiyou.
Anzu peered though the slats of the trader's wagon that she had concealed herself aboard, watching as the streets and houses grew closer and closer together and more and more people massed along the sides of the streets. As the ramshackle contraption slowed to accomodate the moving traffic, she took a deep breath, leaping nimbly down onto the cobbles and startling several small children as they worked to place fresh fruit out on their stall. With an apologetic smile at the eldest, Anzu rummaged in her pocket for the coins she had taken from the mountain.
"A wagon was cheaper than a horse, and with the festival, they're all hired out anyway...so I was lucky." She mused to herself, counting the amount carefully, then slipping most of it back into the folds of her clothing. Selecting two of the best looking apricots from the family's stall, she dropped the coins into the hands of the young keeper, then sauntered along the main street, deep in thought as she consumed her namesake prize.
"I wonder if Kouji knows I've gone yet." She mused absently. "I guess he will soon. I hope he isn't too worried - or too angry. Still, he can't get to Genrou before I can, now. I'm sure that this is where they've come, if this is where Hotohori was last seen. And that being the case, all I have to do is keep my eyes open for them. People here must have noticed them, also. I'm sure I'll see them soon."
She tossed the stone of her apricot away, sinking her teeth into the second one as she gazed around her. It had been some time since she had been to the capital of Kounan, thanks to the nature of her work with her sister and the travelling troupe. In fact, as Karin had become weaker, they had not moved far from Sairou, leaving the troupe and working on their own, whenever the older girl had been well enough. The infection that had eventually claimed her life had moved quickly through her weakened body, but if she was honest with herself, Anzu had known for a while beforehand that her sister's life was ebbing out of her.
"Ever since she caught that cough when we were playing in the Sairou capital. She was never really fit after that, and she always made sure I ate, but she hardly touched anything herself." She reflected sadly. "I wish I had known what to do about it, then. I wish I'd been able to find more money to pay for herbal remedies, or even for her to see a doctor. I would have liked her to have come back with me to Kounan. It's not nice, being alone...I hope I can find Genrou and Chichiri quickly. Even if what they're doing is dangerous, I'd rather be with them than on my own."
She tossed the second stone aside, realising as she did so that she had reached the end of the long rows of market stalls and traders, and instead had stumbled into what was known as the 'textiles quarter'. Busy merchants and their servants moved here and there, shifting cloth from wagons and exchanging instructions as customers browsed and placed orders, and one building in particular stood out over the whole region. Anzu frowned, recognising the character for "Chou" over the main door.
"That's the man that that woman was talking about." She murmured. "The one who lost his son. It seems like the war really did hurt everyone in Kounan in some way. Even rich merchants, as well as poor villagers. Aidou's fiance, Chou-san's son...the Emperor Saihitei-sama. Death touches everyone, and yet here I am, bemoaning the fact Karin isn't here alongside me. I'm sorry, Oneechan. I'm sorry, Reirei. I didn't mean to sound so pathetic. I'm not here to mope over things in the past. Like the people in this city, I've got to move on. Genrou and Reikaku-zan is my future - I just have to find a way to prove it."
She turned, new resolution in her heart as she crossed the square towards the textile merchant's impressive premises. A young girl stood outside, sweeping the dust and dirt of the day's trading from the steps, and as Anzu approached she paused, offering her a smile.
"Can I help you, miss?" She asked, her accent giving her away as a native of the city. "Are you looking for something in particular?"
"Actually, someone." Anzu pinkened. "I was...with friends in Eiyou, but I've been seperated from them. I wondered if you might have seen them at all."
"Well, a lot of people come through here. Maybe I have." The girl grinned. "Can you tell me what they look like?"
"Yes." Anzu nodded. "One is tall, with red hair and a...a look of a wolf about him. And the other is a monk - he may wear a mask, but if not, he has a scar over his left eye, and he dresses..."
She faltered, noticing the change in the girl's expression. It had gone from amiable to apprehensive and she trailed off, confusing flickering in her gaze.
"Is something wrong?" She murmured. The girl bit her lip, glancing around behind her. Then she took Anzu gently by the arm, leading her away from the shop premises.
"You didn't say you were looking for Suzaku warriors, miss." She said quietly. "It's Tasuki-sama and Chichiri-sama you seek, isn't it? Men of the Beast God."
"Yes." Anzu looked startled. "Have you seen them, then? Do you...do you know them?"
"Yes, miss. I've met both, but I've not seen them in some months." The girl sighed, glancing back towards the shop. "I'm sorry. You must think me strange, for acting like this with you on such an innocent request. But...tell me, were you known to all the Suzaku Shichi Seishi? Or just Chichiri-sama and Tasuki-sama?"
"Just those two. The others are either gone or passed away, so I understand it." Anzu was flummoxed. The girl's expression darkened, and she nodded her head, gesturing to the shop premises.
"Master Ryuuen was one of the Suzaku Celestial Warriors." She said sadly, and Anzu was aware of genuine grief in her eyes. "Nuriko, that was what he was known as. He was an unusual young man, we all knew that. But he was much loved, especially by his family. The Master and Mistress, and master Rokou - they deal with it as bravely as they can. But tragedy struck this family two times too many, over the years. They lost a little girl, before I came into their service. And then, to get word from the Palace that Ryuuen-sama was dead, too..."
She trailed off, shaking her head.
"They carry on, as all people must, but we don't talk about it more than we have to." She added. "Those friends of yours, they came here once - and quite upset Rokou-sama to begin with. I've not seen either one of them since, but...the shadow of Suzaku still hangs over this house."
"Nuriko." Anzu breathed. "I'm sorry. I had no idea. I mean, I met Gen...Tasuki and Chichiri after the others had all passed away. I didn't know that this was where Nuriko came from."
"Well, we all liked Master Ryuuen, despite his peculiarities." The serving girl sighed. "He was always kind-hearted, and full of life and mischief. So he's much missed in the textile quarter. I don't expect your friends will come here, miss, knowing that. I doubt they'll want to stir up more of Rokou-sama's memories."
"Yes, you're probably right." Anzu inclined her head in agreement. "Thank you for your help, anyway. Hopefully I'll track them down soon - and I'm sorry...I'm sorry that so many people lost so much in the war with Kutou. The more I travel, the more war wounds I seem to find."
"Ryuuen-sama's sacrifice helped to protect Kounan, in the end." The girl said simply. "But yes. It's a loss that's hard to bear for any family. Even for us, as staff - knowing that he won't ride up on his horse any more with some crazy idea or request...it sobers you. War is a terrible thing, truly. I hope we never see another."
"Me too." Anzu agreed fervently, and her mind flitted to the conversation she had heard on the mountainside between Chichiri and Tasuki before the sacking of the village. "Well, thank you. I...I'll go and check out some other places."
She bowed her head, then turned on her heel, hurrying down one of the side alleys as she made her way through premises owned by wood-turners, glass-blowers and sundry other trades. At odd intervals she stopped, asking whether or not anyone had seen the monk or the bandit, but at each attempt she came up empty.
At length she sighed, leaning up against the wall that divided two of Eiyou's less well kept streets as she contemplated her lack of success.
"Where the hell are they?" She murmured. "I was sure they'd come to Eiyou - was I jumping to conclusions? Or is it just that they're looking in a place I haven't thought of - something only a Suzaku warrior would know?"
"Well, well, you're a pretty kind of girl to be walking these streets."
A brusque male voice startled her from her reverie and she glanced up, heart sinking as she took in the man that approached her, a confident, half-drunken swagger to his step as he leered at her greedily. She cursed, her body tensing as she flicked her fingers down to the dagger concealed within her clothing.
"What is wrong with all the men in this place today?" She asked herself inwardly, as her hand closed around the hilt. "I'm not exactly dressed up - are they that desperate they'll jump any woman who walks by? Or is it just my unlucky day?"
"You're not very talkative. That's good. I like women who don't make a fuss." The man seemed amused by her sudden discomfort, and out of the corner of her eye Anzu was aware of two other men emerging from the darkness, one with a strip of fabric tied roughly over a damaged eye, and the other heavy-set, his huge paunch hanging over his belt in a way that made the young girl feel quite queasy.
"I don't care what kind of woman you like. I'm taken." Anzu pulled her dagger, narrowing her gaze as she waved it warningly in front of her face. Backed up against the wall, she knew she was in trouble, and there would be no vaulting these men. Unless she could somehow take them off guard, she was in real danger, and she swallowed hard, attempting to inch towards the end of the passageway as she did so.
The first man laughed.
"Taken, are we?" He asked, looming over her as he knocked the dagger easily from her grip. He placed thick hands against the wall, flanking her on either side and preventing her from moving. "Well, let's see. What do you have that I might like, huh? If you're going to buy your way out of your little fix, you'd better have a good offer."
"I don't have any money, so leave me alone!" Anzu somehow managed to wriggle out from underneath his grasp, edging back towards the end of the street, but just as she thought she'd escaped, she found herself colliding with something thick and hard and turning in horror, she registered the presence of a fourth man immediately behind her. He grinned at her through gapped teeth, his bony fingers sliding around her arms as he held her firmly in place. Though she struggled, she found herself manouevred around so that the end of the street was no longer clearly visible, and even if she managed to break free, escape would be difficult.
"You're a sly one, but there are more of us than there are of you." The first man, who was clearly the leader, told her evenly. "I won't kill you, if you're good. And if you don't have any money, then I guess we'll just take you instead. You're pretty enough, and I'm sure there must be someone willing to spend coin on you - after we've had our way with you."
"What do you mean?" Anzu's eyes widened, and the man laughed.
"Well, and you aren't from these parts, I can tell." He reflected. "We're slave traders, honey. Do you know what that means?"
Anzu's brows knitted together, and a cold look glittered in her eyes. She jerked her head down towards the bony man's arm, biting him firmly and he let out a yell, loosening his grasp.
"I know exactly what it's like to be bought and sold and I am not someone's property!" She exclaimed. "I told you once, leave me alone! You do not want to be messing with me. I have friends in powerful places and if anything happens to me..."
"Friends? In powerful places? Dressed like that?" The leader advanced on her, and Anzu took a step backwards. "Don't make me laugh. You're nothing. Just another girl walking Eiyou's streets - don't think we're stupid, just because we act outside the law."
"That's not why I think you're stupid." Anzu shot back, gauging the distance between her tormentors as she did so. "I think you're stupid because you think you've got me trapped here. I'll show you what kind of a girl I am, and why I don't get hurt by idiots like you. Thanks for lining up for me so nicely - I'll be out of here now."
She narrowed her gaze, making one last calculation, then she launched herself into the air, reaching out to spot herself off the shoulders of the startled leader as she leapt above his companions, landing neatly on the ground below, within inches of the busy street beyond.
"I'm a circus performer." She told them, as she retrieved her dagger, casting them a self-righteous look. "And it's hard to keep me in one place for any amount of time."
She turned to make her escape, but as she did so, something came flying through the air towards her, and before she could react, it caught her across the side of her head, making her stumble and fall headlong to the dusty ground. Dazed, she heard the clatter of the object as it landed beside her, and somewhere in her head she registered the fact that one of the slave traders had flung his weapon hilt-first in her direction, his aim carefully designed to bring her down without killing her.
"And we're professionals, musume-chan." The leader's shadow loomed over her. "As you're about to find out."
"Stand down at once!"
A fresh voice jerked through Anzu's jolted senses at that moment, and there was an exclamation from her would be captor as his shadow moved away from her body. She struggled to pull herself into a sitting position, and as she did so, she caught sight of the cause of the hesitation, her heart catching in her throat as she registered the stranger that had unexpectedly come to her rescue. He was young - perhaps Genrou's age, she guessed, and both tall and elegant in his bearing, with thick, dark hair falling long and loose over his shoulders and down his back. He was dressed in civilian wear, but he had the bearing of a soldier, and somehow, Anzu knew that this man had seen his fair share of conflict in his time. In his hand he held a gleaming sword, the hilt glinting red and gold in the flickering sunlight, and his expression was one of both outrage and determination as he raised his weapon slowly.
"I said to stand down." He said softly. "Leave the girl alone, you savages. What kind of men are you, anyway, to treat a woman that way?"
"Who do you think you are, pretty boy? Some kind of guardian angel?" The trader snorted, bunching his fists as if preparing to fight, but the stranger did not falter or flinch as the men advanced.
"Leave this place or I will kill you." he said evenly. "Such conduct towards a woman is unforgivable, and I will not allow it to happen."
The leader launched himself at the stranger, who reacted quickly, raising his sword and bringing the flat of the blade down against the man's skin. It had been a warning blow, but the slave trader screamed, clutching at his arm as it burned red and blistered at the weapon's touch.
"I warned you once. Leave this place." The stranger said quietly. "I do not wish to harm you, but if you do not leave this girl in peace, I will be forced to act."
"He burned my arm! His sword is from the devil - it burned my arm!" Unnerved, the leader took a step back. "We're pulling out of here - lads, follow me!"
Pushing past Anzu and her mysterious rescuer, the group of men fled the scene, and once they were gone, the man sighed, sheathing his sword and holding out his hand to pull Anzu to her feet.
"The streets are full of such people. It's quite depressing." He said sadly, as Anzu accepted his gesture, brushing down her clothes as she sent him a grateful smile.
"Thank you." She said sincerely. "It was silly of me to let myself get caught like that - I probably owe you my life."
"I'm glad to have been of help." The man said simply. "You're most welcome."
He returned the smile with one of his own, and Anzu was struck once again by the beauty in the individual that stood before her.
"What is your name?" Seeing her gaze, her companion tilted his head, eying her curiously.
"Oh. Anzu." Anzu blushed. "I'm sorry. I should have said that before."
"I see." The man pursed his lips. "Anzu. So your name is apricot, like the fruit?"
"Yes. Just like that." Anzu agreed. "And you? I should know who I'm thanking...who saved my life."
The man faltered, and a troubled look touched his expression.
"Is something wrong?" Anzu asked softly. The man shrugged.
"I am...not entirely sure how to answer that question." He hazarded. "It may sound strange to you, but I am not...completely sure what my true name is."
"Oh." Anzu looked non-plussed. "How come? Did something happen?"
"I wish I knew that too." The man leant up against the wall, and Anzu noted that he looked tired and drawn, something that he had not seemed when he had so easily come to her rescue. "I have had many dreams...or things which seem like dreams. But I am not sure what they all mean. I think...no, I am sure that I fought a battle - that I was involved in conflict, wherever I was before. But I remember little that makes any sense. I realise it sounds strange - but I'm sorry. I have no other answer to give."
"You saved me, even though you have enough troubles of your own." Anzu shook her head. "You don't need to apologise to me for anything."
The man smiled.
"You have a kind heart. I am glad I could help you." He admitted. "I feel like, for once, I have done something worthwhile."
"I'm sure you've done a lot of things." As they stepped out into the sunshine, Anzu cast him a sidelong glance. "If you fought for your country, you must have done much to help Kounan. Right?"
"War is so full of death and pain. Whenever I close my eyes, I see those things." The man admitted. "I don't know that they are deeds to be proud of."
"That's sad." Anzu sighed. "I wish I could help you, too. Isn't there anything you remember at all?"
"Last night, I think I went somewhere that was once familiar to me." The man said thoughtfully. "A man called me by a name, but...but when I left there - when I slept...I saw another face. A woman's face. I think she was my mother. And...and she called me Seishuku. I think...that might be my name. Even though the man called me otherwise - I think...I am pretty sure...she was my mother."
"Seishuku, huh?" Anzu dimpled. "All right. Then that's a start, at least."
"You should not trouble yourself with my problems." Seishuku told her firmly. "You must have your own errand in the city, Anzu-san, before those men accosted you."
"Yes." Anzu's eyes opened wide as she remembered. "Yes, I do. I was searching for someone. For...for someone important, actually."
She pinkened.
"I love him, even though I don't think he loves me." She said with a sigh. "But he's looking for friends of his, and I...I wanted to help. But we were seperated - well, no, that's not entirely true. But I came to Eiyou because I thought I might be able to find him, and help him with his search."
"I see." The Seishuku looked thoughtful. "Then allow me to accompany you while you search. With the streets so violent, I would not like you to get hurt."
"You don't have to do that." Anzu shook her head hastily. "You must have enough on your plate, trying to remember who you are and where you came from."
"In truth, I would relish the company, and the opportunity not to think about those things." Seishuku admitted ruefully. "I do not know what is memory and what is dream at present. It would be a welcome relief to have something else to put my mind to - that is, if you do not object to my company. I give you my word that I will not harm you."
"I believed that, anyway." Anzu assured him. "And all right. If you feel that way - then thank you. I hope it won't take too long - but I did think they'd come here, and so far I haven't found them at all."
"What is your friend called, may I ask?"
"Genrou." Anzu nodded. "His name is Genrou. Well, it's a nickname really. His true name is Shun'u. But he's known as Genrou."
"Genrou." Seishuku digested this. "And this man is someone you love?"
"Yes." Anzu pinkened again. "Very much."
"Then I shall help you find him." Seishuku said firmly. "I feel sure that once, I had such a person - though the recollection is so fleeting and brief I may have imagined her altogether. But the thought of her - be she real or fantasy - makes me wish I could be with her. If I can help you to find the one you love, I think it might help to heal my own wounds."
"It must be tough to go to war and not know when you come back if you have someone waiting for you." Anzu said gently. "Thank you, Seishuku-san. And...and one other thing?"
"Yes?" The soldier looked startled, eying her curiously.
"Will you show me how to hold a sword like you?" Anzu looked embarrassed. "I...I want to be able to defend myself next time, only I really don't know what I'm doing."
"Wield a sword?" Seishuku looked taken aback. Then he smiled, and for a moment something lit up his tired eyes, making them appear almost golden in hue. He nodded.
"Of course." He agreed. "If that is what you wish, it would be my pleasure."
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It felt like he had been running forever, and yet, no matter how far he went, there still seemed to be no escape.
As he reached the bank of the swift-flowing river that ran to the south of the town, Nuriko stumbled to his knees, struggling to draw breath and calm his racing, pulsing senses. He did not know how far he had come, or how many fields or villages behind him Tamatama and the little girl with the blue ball were. In that instant, however, it was enough of a challenge for him not to lose his grip completely, as once more the images of his sister's death flooded through his brain.
"Kourin." He whispered, slipping his hands into the racing current and splashing water on his face. "How could I have forgotten...how could I have not realised..."
"Oniichan?"
The voice echoed out of the surrounding hills, and for a moment Nuriko tensed, as if preparing to suffer another onslaught of dark images. But, as he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror, he caught his breath in his throat. His own features flickered and blurred, almost ghostly and translucent against the ripples of the cool, clear water, as if he were not really there. But it was not that which had drawn his attention, but rather, the image of the little girl who stood at his right hand.
He started, wheeling around, half expecting it to be another delusion, and almost fearing what he would see. There was nothing there, however, and he drew a breath, flopping back onto the grass as he muttered a curse under his breath.
"I'm going mad. If I'm not dead, I'm definitely crackers." He murmured. "Tamatama should've left me to travel on my own, because right now I'm nothing but a basket case and a burden for him. And now I don't even know where I am, which is just perfect. Someone with barely any memory in a field in the middle of nowhere, hallucinating images of a little girl's death. Isn't anyone gonna give me a break up there? I thought I was meant to be one of those Suzaku whatever it was people. If that's true, why the hell am I going through all of this!"
Tears touched his cheeks, and he closed his eyes, allowing them to roll down onto the grass beneath his head.
"I just want to stop it." He admitted. "Whatever happened to me, to make me like this - I want to find out and fix it. Somehow. Because I can't keep living this way."
"Oniichan Don't cry."
The voice came again, and Nuriko flinched, screwing up his eyes as if to ward against any further delusions. None came, however, and he almost thought he felt the faint touch of someone dashing his tears away. He bit his lip, opening his eyes cautiously and almost crying out in surprise and alarm as he registered the petite figure bending over him.
At his surprise, she stood back, offering him a beatific smile, and Nuriko's eyes opened wide with astonishment and disbelief.
"Kou...rin?" He whispered. The young girl's smile widened and she nodded, skipping around his body as she sat at his other side, taking his hand in hers and squeezing it. Her touch was light, barely more than a brush against his skin, yet something in it's gentleness gave the troubled Seishi strength. He stared up at her in wonder, for a moment robbed of speech, and seeing his expression, Kourin laughed, the sound of her carefree giggles carrying on the air like ghostly fairy music.
"You look funny, Oniichan." She reproached him gently. "What is it? Don't you want to see me?"
"I...I didn't know that I could." Nuriko gathered himself hurriedly. "Are you...another delusion?"
"I'm not a delusion." The child put her hands on her hips. "You're saying mean things now - don't be silly. I'm really here. And I want to talk to you. I haven't...not for a long time. But now I want to. And I can."
"All right." Nuriko pulled himself into a sitting position. "Talk to me. Tell me how it's possible that you're really Kourin, in front of me, after so long? You...you died, didn't you? You...the cart...you really did die that day, didn't you? My memory - it isn't false?"
"It's not false." Kourin shook her head, and for a moment she looked sad. "I'm sorry, Oniichan. I shouldn't have left you. It hurt you, I know...and I didn't want to. I'm sorry for making you cry so much - I really am."
"It wasn't your fault!" Nuriko's eyes widened, and he shook his head. "If I'd seen the horse - if the driver had been concentrating - it was an accident, not something you did. Kourin, I cried because I missed you, that's all. I didn't know...I didn't want to carry on without you."
"I know." There was a moment of silence, then Kourin sighed.
"Oniichan, you know that I couldn't talk to you before this." She said slowly. "I tried, once before, but it wasn't possible, then. Do you remember that? The last time you saw me? Do you remember anything about it at all?"
Nuriko frowned, then slowly, light dawned in his dark eyes, making him all of a sudden appear more animated and real than he had done up to that point. He nodded.
"In the mountains, in Hokkan." He whispered. "When I..."
"When you died." Kourin agreed simply. "I was coming then, to speak to you. To bring you with me - that's why I came. You said my name, so I thought that you knew. But then your friends...they were there. And I couldn't...I couldn't reach you. You...you stayed with them, and I didn't know how to change that. Even though you were dead - you stayed."
She bit her lip, squeezing his hand again.
"You had to be Nuriko for a long time, even when you died." She added. "But now you...you shouldn't be here. I've waited for you to finish being Nuriko, you know. I didn't want to leave you without seeing you and telling you that I was sorry. And that...that you should know it wasn't your fault. But I had to wait - and now...now something's wrong, and it worried me."
"I...really am dead, then?" Nuriko glanced at his hands. "My memories are right - I did die in Hokkan at the hands of that monster Ashitare?"
"Yes, Oniichan. You did." Kourin nodded. "You're one of Suzaku's chosen, so your spirit is strong...but you could only see me then because you were on the edge of living and dying. Like now. You're in the middle."
She shifted closer to him on the grass, leaning against his body, and Nuriko felt a sense of warmth run through him at her touch.
"You should have been born again, Oniichan, but you haven't and it's all because of me." She said chokily, and Nuriko was horrified to see the spectral tears glittering on her lashes. "You can't forgive yourself, so you can't move on. And I'm sorry, Ryuuen-nii. I'm sorry..."
"Kourin, stop it. Stop saying that." Nuriko said firmly, shaking his head as he felt something flicker and stir inside of his heart. "Listen. It's nothing you have to say sorry for. I...I made a decision - lots of decisions. And I don't know if they were right or wrong. But none of them were your fault. If anyone was to blame, it was me. All right? Not you."
Kourin just eyed him sadly, and made no comment.
"You've really been waiting for me, all this time?" Nuriko hazarded. Slowly the little girl nodded.
"You could have been reborn, you know. You could already have a life, with a family and more."
Kourin shook her head from side to side, wisps of silky hair bobbing against her cheeks as she did so.
"Not without you." She said simply. "You're my Oniichan. And we'll always be together. Isn't that what you said?"
A faint glimmer of light surfaced in Nuriko's clouded eyes and he nodded, putting his hand absently to the place on his chest where the willow mark burned brightly beneath his clothing.
"You really were here all the time, inside of me." He murmured. "With me through everything, just like I wanted you to be. I didn't know, but you were there. All the time."
"Yes." Kourin dimpled, and her solemnity was gone in an instant. "And when you're reborn, Oniichan, we'll still be together. I promised it, when I couldn't stop you crying. That I'd wait for you, and we'd go together. So you have to be okay and stop blaming yourself for me and for the other girl. Byakuren. She doesn't blame you either - nobody blames you. You're a hero, Ryuuen-nii. To everyone. And especially to me. Always."
"Kourin." Fresh tears flooded down Nuriko's face at this and he hugged his sister tightly in his arms, half afraid that she might vanish again at any moment. Then he gazed up sharply, as realisation dawned across his dulled senses.
"Did you come to get me? Is that why you're here?" He asked softly. Kourin looked troubled, and she shook her head.
"I want to, but I can't." She admitted. "Something's wrong, and I don't know why, but something is stopping you from coming with me."
"Something...like a demon?" Nuriko's eyes narrowed. "We've tackled one of those before - is it magic, stopping me from being reborn? Because, little by little, what you say is stirring memories inside of me. I'm sure...no, I'm pretty certain that the last thing that happened before I woke up in Yukigase was Taiitsukun telling me that I was about to be reborn into a new life - one of my choosing. But...here I am. Something blocked me. That's what you're telling me too, isn't it? That something is preventing the Suzaku Shichi Seishi from starting over."
Kourin nodded her head.
"And until it's fixed, I can't take you with me." She said regretfully. "Neither of us can be reborn at all, unless everything is made better."
Nuriko got to his feet, reaching out to touch his sister on the head.
"I'm a lot taller than you, now. And quite as pretty as you would have been." He said with a smile, a faint sense of his old mischief flaring in his eyes as he looked down on her. "And I want to come with you, more than anything. Now that I know you're there, and not just in my imagination or my nightmares. But Kourin, I'm still Nuriko right now, aren't I? I'm still...still Ryuuen, too. There must be a reason why I've been prevented from passing over that line - Nuriko must still be needed - somehow. And if that's true, and something bad is causing this, then I...I need to know what. Maybe it's something I can resolve - maybe I can help."
"And then you'd come with me? You wouldn't be afraid?" Kourin looked hopeful. "You'd come with me and we'd be together again, like always?"
"I'm not afraid of dying again - especially not now." Nuriko shook his head. "But living this half-life forever - I don't want that. Even as a spirit, defending Miaka, I had more life in me than I have had lately. But that's got to change. Whatever's wrong with me - whatever's wrong with the mechanisms of this world - I have to get a hold on it all and try and sort it out. That's my duty as Nuriko, after all. My last duty, if you like."
He glanced at his sister, then offered her a wink.
"My final fling for Kounan, before taking my new life." He added.
"I'm glad we had this talk, Oniichan." Kourin's features lit up in a pretty smile. "Your friend is coming, so I have to go. But I'll be waiting, just like I've always been. I'll be waiting for you, brother. I promise!"
Even as her last words echoed out around him, Nuriko felt the girl's presence waning and as she disappeared completely, he sank back onto the grass, dazed and yet uplifted by the brief experience.
"Kourin!" Tamatama's yell broke his reverie and he turned, seeing the transvestite hurrying towards him, skirts flying and his face red as he hurried to reach his friend. Despite himself, something about the sight of this bulky man clad in fine women's clothing, panting and puffing across the grass towards him struck the Seishi as hilariously funny, and before he knew what he was doing he had burst out laughing, collapsing onto the ground as he gave way to his sudden flood of mirth. Tamatama halted, staring at him in confusion for a moment. Then he too began laughing, dropping down onto the grass with a heavy, breathless thump.
"I don't know what we're laughing at, but I thought it was a good sign, so I'm humouring you." He said blandly, as Nuriko paused for breath, sending his companion into more gurgles. "When you ran off like that, I was worried, Kourin - but unless you've gone crazy or hysterical on me, I think I was worrying needlessly. Are you all right? You seem more like yourself all of a sudden."
"I feel...more like myself." Nuriko admitted. "I just..."
He paused, then shook his head.
"Tamatama, please don't call me Kourin any more." He said softly. "It...it isn't my name. You can call me Ryuuen, or Nuriko. I don't mind which one. But Kourin is...my sister. And I know now that she's really still here - she's with me. I can't take over her life - I can't become her. So...please. Not Kourin. Not any more."
"Does that mean you really have given up being a girl, then?" Tamatama asked. Nuriko shrugged.
"I don't really know, to be honest with you. But it doesn't matter either way, because I'm not going to be here very long." He said cryptically.
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing important." Nuriko flicked his fingers, dismissing it. "When I left the town, I didn't know where I was going. Just away - away from the memory it stirred up inside me. That was how she died, and saving Shian from that horse...It reminded me. It came over me suddenly - like a shock of cold water - and I had to get out of there."
"And now?"
"It might sound mad, but I think...I think I spoke to my sister. Properly. Face to face." Nuriko's expression became serious. "I know its strange, but she was right here in front of me and I could feel her being here - that it was more than imagination. For so long I've wanted to see her - to speak to her, to tell her things. And there she was. After all these years, I could finally talk to my sister."
He eyed his companion ruefully.
"You probably think it was another delusion, or a dream." He added. "But I don't think it was. I believe she was here. And...and that's why I feel better. Because at last I think...I think I understand."
He got to his feet, hauling his brawny companion up with a hefty tug of his wrist.
"Come on." He added. "We still need to get to Eiyou. My memories are returning, but I have another reason to go there now."
"Which is?" Tamatama eyed him curiously.
"I have to find the others. My friends." Nuriko said simply. "Something is wrong in Kounan and I think my power is needed. So that's the new plan. We're going to find the Suzaku Shichi Seishi, and as ever, we're going to save the world."