Chapter Two
It was starting to get colder.
As the men of Kutou made their progress across the ever more mountainous country towards the Hokkan-Kutou border, Aoiketsu transferred the reins of his horse into one hand as he pulled his cloak more tightly around his body. Casting a glance around him, he could see that he wasn't the only one who, since they had left the Kutou capital, had begun to feel a distinct chill in the air, and inwardly he wondered whether it was simply apprehension at the task ahead.
"Hunting down a reborn wolf-man." He murmured. "Can we? And if we can - what chance would we have against a Celestial Warrior? They're supposed to be far more powerful than ordinary men - can even the Commander take on a man like that?"
"You look lost in the clouds." Maichu pulled his horse alongside at that moment, casting him a quizzical look. "Are you all right? Not still bugging yourself over...the things we discussed back in the barracks, are ya? Because if you are, snap out of it, all right? This is more important and it'll be a drag of a trip if you're going to be depressed the whole time."
"I wasn't even thinking about that." Aoiketsu pushed his musings aside, sending his friend a sheepish smile. "I was wondering what kind of form Ashitare might have been reborn into, that's all. And whether or not we'll be able to find him and convince him to hand over Yui-sama's Shinzahou. You know what the legends are about Ashitare - that he was a flesh-eater and a monster with genuine wolf blood. Do you think he still is?"
"God knows." Maichu shrugged his shoulders, and Aoiketsu could see a flicker of relief in his friend's eye that the subject of his musing was something so simple. "I haven't given it much thought, to be honest. I'm just stoked to be going along. I don't know what kind of girls they have in Hokkan, but if we're going to Touran, surely there must be stuff going on, right? And we can't spend the whole time searching."
"Do you think the Commander is going to let you stop off to sample the brothels and the beer while we're on an Imperial mission?" Despite himself, Aoiketsu laughed. "I doubt it, Maichu. You might well have to look but not touch this time around."
"Even so, I've never been to Hokkan." Maichu seemed unconcerned. "And we don't get to do this kind of thing often. Besides, it'll be nice to be in a country where, for once, people aren't on the verge of trying to kill you for wearing Imperial armour."
He cast a rueful glance behind him, and Aoiketsu nodded, understanding his implication. As they had ridden through a cluster of northern villages, they had encountered a pocket of resistance which had shouted and yelled at them, some antagonists throwing spears or rocks in their direction as they had navigated the uneven pathway. It was still a day's ride or more to Hokkan's border, and riding in open country like this could easily leave them open to attack.
"You're right. But one day we'll make Kutou like that." He said now. "So we can ride wherever we like, and not worry about it. That is why we're going, isn't it? When you think of it like that..."
"I know." Maichu looked uncharacteristically serious. "I guess it is pretty big, fighting for your country's peace. When we're old men, Aoi, we'll sit and talk about this till people tell us to shut the hell up. That is, so long as you manage to get to the end without passin' out too many times."
"I'm fine." Aoiketsu snapped. "Do you see any blood anywhere? I'm not as much of a wimp as to faint for no reason. And I can't help it, with the blood. I hate it too, you know. It doesn't make it easier, when you're ribbing me about it."
"Hello, we've stopped up ahead." Maichu was not paying attention, reigning in his horse as he saw Hyoushin had halted, holding up a hand to indicate for his companions to follow suit. Aoiketsu frowned, giving a gentle tug on the reins as his beast pranced his hooves slightly, impatient to be moving again.
"Is something up?" He wondered. "We're miles from any village...this is open land."
Before Maichu could respond, an arrow came out of the thin weave of trees to their right, followed by another and then another as suddenly, where there had been noone, a cluster of people began to emerge from their hiding places, each one armed and clearly meaning business.
Maichu sighed, his hand going to his belt as he reached for his sword.
"More trouble." He muttered. "Shit, are we going to get to Touran or not? You'd think these people don't want peace in Kutou!"
"Who do you suppose it is this time?" Aoiketsu fumbled at his waist for his own blade, not without misgivings as he realised that a full scale skirmish could ensue. As the people drew nearer, it was clear they were men from at least one of Kutou's many tribes, and that they were not as numerous as they had first seemed. After the first random assault with arrows clearly stolen from previous armed raids on the area, they had resorted to knives and other basic weapons, and as the Kutou soldiers prepared to defend their lives, Hyoushin held up his hand, kicking his horse into action as he rode deliberately between his preparing men and the oncoming dissidents.
"We will not fight." He said softly, and Aoiketsu and Maichu exchanged bewildered looks.
"Maybe he should tell them that." Maichu muttered. "They look like they want a fight, whatever we do."
"Shh. An order is an order." Aoiketsu hissed back. "I have faith in the Commander - don't you?"
Maichu rolled his eyes, but Aoiketsu's gaze flitted back to the pale man on his white horse as the Commander reached up to remove the heavy Kutou military helmet that protected his head, the crest of Seiryuu clearly emblazoned across the front in glittering blue metal.
At the sight of him, the advancing tribesmen faltered, as if seeing a ghost, and Hyoushin rode purposefully towards them, his expression impassive and his silver tail of hair fluttering in the wind as he drew within striking distance of the group of tribal men.
"Hyoushin-sama!" Aoiketsu exclaimed. "You'll be killed!"
"Aoiketsu, do as you're instructed and hold your line." Came the unsympathetic response. "We will not fight Kutou's own people in the pursuit of Kutou's peace. Understood?"
Aoiketsu faltered, then obediently lowered the blade that he had instinctively raised as he had anticipated the threat to his Commander's life.
Hyoushin turned his attention back to the watching tribesmen who, having registered his presence, were both confused and a little afraid. He eyed them for a moment, then met the gaze of the ringleader. For a moment, nothing moved. Then, in soft tones, too gentle for Aoiketsu to make out, the Commander spoke. Though it was impossible for Aoiketsu to understand from where he was sitting, he clearly saw the dissident's eyes widen, and the man took a step back, lowering his weapon. Hyoushin nodded his head slowly, as if bowing in acknowledgement, holding his hands up in a particular gesture. Then he turned to his men, flexing his left hand in an indication that they should continue.
"We can go on." He said, raising his voice just enough to be heard by all of his entourage. "There will be no destruction of houses or harming of livestock. I have given the word of the Emperor that we are simply passing through towards the Northern border. Noone is to dismount until we are far beyond the settled land we are about to encounter. These people have already suffered enough at the hands of random rebel raids...we will not add to them. I have given them our word...any man who breaks it will meet my blade."
He replaced his helmet, kicking his horse into a canter, and exchanging mystified looks, his men followed his command, picking up their pace as they found the armed tribespeople merely stood and watched them pass, no longer so keen on engaging them in battle. As they passed, Aoiketsu ran his gaze over the men, noticing that some of them were as young as he was or even younger, and he bit his lip as he registered among them one or two with silverish hair.
"Meihi?" He murmured. "Maichu, do you think...these are the Commander's people?"
"The Commander's?" Maichu shook his head. "Don't be stupid. Hyoushin-sama's pale as a ghost. These folk aren't. But he sure talked them round, didn't he?"
"Men do not always need to kill to make their purpose known." As if he had heard Maichu's words, Hyoushin spoke, turning to cast his entourage an enigmatic smile. "And I do not seek to spill the blood of Kutou in the pursuit of its peace. These people only want to defend their land and their families from attack. They are not traitors - they are simply afraid. The mark of a good soldier, Maichu, is to understand the difference between aggression and fear."
"Shit." Maichu muttered. "I didn't realise he could hear me."
"He's right though." Aoiketsu looked thoughtful. "Sometimes fighting is counter-productive. If we'd taken blades to them, wearing Seiryuu's crest how we are, word would spread to the surrounding areas and it might be more trouble for the Emperor in the long run. Especially while there are still people who seek to oppose him."
"True." Maichu sighed. "I guess you're right."
"They look like a whole mix of people." Aoiketsu reflected, casting a final glance around at the still assembled tribesmen. "Like they're from lots of different tribes, not just the one."
"Former slaves, and their successors." Again, Hyoushin's sharp ears picked up the soldier's words, though this time he didn't turn around. "Such men who have escaped their bonds settle in like communities for security, as their own have been destroyed. That's all. Nothing to remark upon, Aoiketsu - keep your mind on the task ahead. The fate of slaves who have broken free of their masters is no business of ours - we seek only the treasure hidden in the Northern lands."
"Yes, sir." Aoiketsu bit his lip, obediently falling silent, but his thoughts strayed to what he knew about his mentor, and he frowned, turning his words over in his mind.
"Maybe that's why they backed off. When they saw the Commander was Meihi, and that he bears a slave's scar on his cheek." He reflected. "Because he was...one of them, and not just a man of Kutou on a horse. I wonder...if anyone Hyoushin-sama knows is living in this area. If there were any other slaves...but no, that's impossible. Everyone was killed that day on the Kaiga estate. Everyone except mother, me and Hyoushin-sama. I've heard the story enough times - how Kaiga Gin's people turned on the slaves in fear of an insurgence and slew them all as the Shougun appeared on the horizon, army in tow. All but Hyoushin-sama, who was saved by the Emperor somehow. Still, even so...I suppose there's a hidden bond between all slaves - former, current...no matter what tribe they belong to."
As they crested the next rise, the village that the people had massed to protect became visible for the first time, and Hyoushin gestured to the left, indicating that they would skirt around it rather than go through the centre and distress the people who lived there. As they rode alongside it, however, it was clear that the settlement had undergone attack on recent occasions, and Aoiketsu felt a surge of indignation well up inside of him as he registered the charring that some of the buildings still exhibited.
"Hyoushin-sama's right. They're just trying to protect themselves...rebels must operate in this area." He muttered. "We're so far from the capital, that I guess they must do...the sooner we get Seiryuu's Shinzahou and can move further towards saving Kutou the better for people like this. Kids who've only ever seen war - well, I guess Maichu and I are as much like that as any of them, considering everything. But at least we have a purpose and some kind of protection in the Emperor and Hyoushin-sama's guidance."
He clenched his hands more tightly around the reins as his resolve hardened anew.
"I swear we'll do this, no matter what." He murmured under his breath. "No matter how hard it is, or how cold it is in Hokkan, or whether or not Ashitare is hostile. We will get the Shinzahou and we will save Kutou - and then noone will have to suffer again!"
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"So, run it by me again why we've stopped a good few miles from the Hokkan border?"
Tasuki leant back against the trunk of the biggest tree, casting his fellow Seishi a dissatisfied look as his travelling companions gazed around them, dazed and a little disorientated by the sudden transfer of being swept into Chichiri's magic hat. "Chichiri, if it was urgent enough for us to leave right away, why are we goin' to walk the rest of the way? You're bein' as confusing as ever - spill it, will you? I thought we were in a hurry!"
"We are, you know, but even so..." Chichiri glanced at his hat, then shrugged his shoulders, offering his companion a sheepish smile. "I'm worried about Suboshi. Seiryuu's people are more attuned to chi than most of Suzaku's ever were. I don't want to give him any warning that we're coming."
"You know we can deal with him!"
"But like I already said, we're not alone." Chichiri frowned. "It's all right, Tasuki...We're enough out of range right now and I can suppress our chi if we travel via more conventional methods. But if I use my hat, there's always that risk...and I think we're better with the element of surprise for now, you know?"
"It's cold this close to the border." Shishi shivered, wrapping her cloak more tightly around her as she gazed around her with bright, excited eyes. "Are we going into the mountains, Chichiri? Will we need to hire horses? Or are we going on foot?"
"For now, I think we're better on foot." Chichiri reflected. "Horses are expensive and there's the trouble of returning them. I'm hopeful that, if we can get to Amiboshi's village and obtain the Shinzahou peacefully, I can then use my kasa to take us back to Kounan in one fell swoop. But if we have the complication of steeds to take into accout, that'll be more difficult."
He paused, cocking his head as he seemed to be surveying the horizon for something. Then he nodded, gesturing.
"That way." He added. "There's still a few hours sunlight left and I think we might make it to a border village by nightfall. I hope we can find an inn then - so we need to get moving. As Shishi said, it's colder the further north we go, and Hokkan itself can have freezing temperatures...we need to guard against those as much as any enemy we might be facing."
"So far the North sounds entirely unattractive." Hikari said frankly, and Tasuki laughed.
"It ain't the place I have the best memories of either, kid." He acknowledged. "Last time we spent a lot of time in Hokkan, we wound up buryin' a friend an' fightin' ghosts in a cavern full of bones. I wouldn't rank it real high on my places to visit, that's for sure."
"No kidding." Hikari shuddered. "Bones? Are you kidding me?"
"We're not going that way today." Chichiri said evenly. "We don't have time. We're heading north-west. Come on - I think we can cut through this forest, you know...my memory is a little hazy, but I'm pretty sure there's a direct path into the mountain pass if we keep going this way."
"Sometimes it pays to have someone who's walked the length an' breadth of the four lands along on a trip like this." Tasuki reflected ruefully. "All right, Chichiri. We get it. We're coming. Jin, make sure Hikari can keep up, huh? Shishi runs riot round mountains most days, but I doubt Hikari's ever done this kind of a walk before...I don't remember seein' many mountains in her world."
"Hikari's a wimp, you mean." Shishi said categorically, casting the older girl a disparaging look. "Is she going to hold us back?"
"I can manage for myself." Hikari snapped. "So shut up. Noone asked you."
"You know, you'll both waste less energy if you stop yelling at each other." Jin said evenly. "Plus, you'll give us away to anyone roundabout. Shishi, you know better'n that, don't you? Set an example, huh - you're bein' a girl, instead of a bandit right now."
Shishi glowered at her friend, folding her arms across her chest, but his words had the desired effect and she turned on her heel, stomping off along the path which her father and his companion had already begun to tread. Jin frowned, shaking his head slowly, then holding out a hand to Hikari.
"You too. You'll probably need your breath all the more, if you don't have mountains in your world." He said.
"I said I can manage, you know." Hikari pushed the hand away. "It's all right, Jin. I'm not completely useless. I can get up and down subways and shopping malls, so I can handle a little mountain."
"Subways and...what now?" Jin looked blank, and Hikari sighed, shaking her head.
"Never mind. Just I can cope, all right?" She said with a grimace. "Really. I'm all right. Just cold and fed up. That's all."
Jin shrugged his shoulders.
"Whatever you say, Hikari-san." He said evenly. "Either way, it's kinda neat to see different mountains for once, anyway."
"Do you have to call me...Hikari-san?" Hikari asked. "It makes me feel kind of strange."
"What do you want me to call you?" Jin looked startled. "We barely know each other, and I thought...bein' that you were Suzaku no Miko's daughter an' all..."
"Hikari is fine." Hikari replied. "You're older than me anyway. Aren't you? And I don't care about this Suzaku no Miko thing - it doesn't mean much to me, not really. So call me Hikari - otherwise it sounds like you're really sucking up or something and I hate that."
"All right." Jin spread his hands, offering her a grin. "If that's how you feel, Hikari it is."
"What did Aunt Aidou say, Chichiri, when you told her you were going off to Hokkan to save the world?" Shishi asked curiously. "Was she very cross? Papa...Kashira said she yelled at you the last time - did she this time?"
"No." Chichiri sent his niece a rueful look, shaking his head. "But she did tell me to come back safely. It was sort of nostalgic, you know - I haven't travelled with kasa, kesa or shakujou for a long time, but I almost feel like the itinerant monk again. I'd have been half tempted to fish out the kitsune mask, if Meikyo hadn't already sequested it away for her games."
"Believe me, Chichiri, you don't need that mask." Tasuki said frankly, amusement on his face. "It makes you look weirder than you are - you're better off bein' a one eyed warrior than an always-smiling weirdo. Less distinctive, ya know, on a trip like this."
"You were a monk? And then you married Aidou-san?" Hikari looked bemused. Chichiri laughed.
"In a manner of speaking, I never really was a monk." He reflected. "But it was easier, at the time, to withdraw from the world and hone my magic as Chichiri. I'm a sorcerer, Hikari-chan. But I'm not really much of a monk."
"A sorcerer." Hikari sighed. "Who can transport people all over the world with a magic hat."
"Among other things, yes." Chichiri agreed. "Hopefully, though, we won't have to use too much of my spiritual magic this time around."
"Well, if Suboshi's still a corpse, my fire isn't going to be much use against him." Tasuki said bluntly. "We tried that against those Genbu guys, and that didn't get us anywhere. So if we haveta fight him, it might be down to you."
"I know." Chichiri sighed. "But I hope not. I realise that it's probably a vain hope, but I'd like to visit them in peace. If Tamahome and Miaka can be believed, Amiboshi played a big part in them surviving an attack, at one point. Perhaps he at least will be disposed to be friendly, you know?"
"Guess we'll see." Tasuki brushed his tessen absently. "But I vote that, when we get near to wherever they are, the kids stop behind somewhere and wait for us to get the Shinzahou. Just in case it turns messy."
"We're not kids." Shishi objected. "Jin's seventeen, and I'm fifteen soon. You know I am."
"And I'm already fifteen." Hikari put in, somewhat cattily, receiving a grotesque grimace for her trouble. "So that means I'm not a kid, either, doesn't it?"
"Either way, you'll do as you're told." Tasuki said brusquely, glancing between the two young girls, then resting his gaze on Jin. "An' you'll be in charge o' watching them, if it comes to that. You got it, Jin? I'll be relyin' on you."
"It's already understood, Kashira." Jin grinned, producing a mock salute. "You can count on me."
"So if Seiryuu has a...a Shinzahou as well, does that mean that Seiryuu also had a Miko, once?" Hikari wondered, as they moved out of the forestland into more sparcely patched scrubland, hugging her cloak tightly to her body as a chill wind whipped around them. "Because if it does, why are they so messed up? Didn't you say that the Priestess comes and brings peace and stuff...? Kounan is peaceful because of Mother, and Aunt Mayou...and me. Right? So why isn't this Kutou place the same?"
"It's a little complicated, you know." Chichiri sighed, pursing his lips as he considered. "Two Priestesses entered this world at the same time, which was never meant to happen. When your mother was here as Suzaku no Miko, Seiryuu's legend also got sparked into play. What exactly caused it is hard to say, you know. It might have been forces from your world, or forces from this. The point is that Kounan was under threat from Kutou, but Kutou was also under threat from itself. So both countries faced destruction at the same time. It was sort of unprecedented - and it meant that a fight broke out between Kounan and Kutou. When it happened for Genbu, they summoned their God with their Miko and brought peace to Hokkan...even though the threat then was the same, it didn't spark off Seiryuu's legend, you know? Even though the East sought to conquer the North, when Genbu no Miko brought peace to Hokkan, that was the end of Genbu's legend. So I don't know why...when Suzaku no Miko came to this world, Seiryuu no Miko was also brought into the equation. But either way, that's what happened."
"Silly girls having silly girl fights." Tasuki murmured. "That's what it amounts to."
"Girl fights?" Hikari frowned, and Tasuki nodded.
"Your ma, an' another chick from your reality." He agreed. "Yui, Seiryuu no Miko. I don't pretend I understand all the details, but the first time I met that girl was surrounded by that bastard Shougun Nakago and his retinue...she didn't improve on me much, it has to be said."
"Yui...?" Hikari's eyes widened. "My mother has a friend called Yui...do you mean...that she was Seiryuu no Miko?"
"Your mother and Yui had something of a conflict of interests, and their fight spilled over into our world, you know." Chichiri admitted. "But I don't think...no, I know that the blame wasn't all with either girl. Nakago did his best to manipulate Seiryuu no Miko into a position of hatred, and so the war ensued. But in the end, he couldn't corrupt her completely. Miaka, your mother, her heart and her belief in her friend was too strong. In the end it was Yui who sealed Suzaku's power, and prevented us from defending Kounan. But it was also Yui who released Suzaku's power, and allowed your father to defeat Nakago. And so the war ended."
"Like I said. Girl fights." Tasuki pulled a face. "If it were men, a coupla sword slashes later an' it'd all be settled. But girls go in for all that complicated emotional mumbo jumbo...it makes no sense to me."
He shrugged.
"Either way, Yui didn't wish for Kutou's peace, an' all of her followers were killed - except for Amiboshi, who we're goin' to see." He added. "In the end, the Seiryuu campaign was kind of a wash."
"That sucks." Shishi pursed her lips. "That she came here and she didn't even try to help Kutou's people."
"I think she did, you know. By unsealing Suzaku, she managed to help remove Nakago, and he was the biggest threat to any existance while he was alive." Chichiri said reflectively. "She was misguided, that's all, Shishi. Jealousy is a cruel master...it can make you do things you never knew you were capable of."
Tasuki shot his friend a sidelong glance, his eyes narrowing for a moment, but he said nothing.
"So hang on a minute. Did everybody my mother and father know wind up in this stupid book at one point or another?" Hikari demanded. "Because it's starting to feel that way. Aunt Mayou. Yui-san. Mother. Father. Did Uncle Keisuke and Tetsuya-san come here as well? What about Obaachan? Was it a field trip for half of Tokyo, or what? A day out in the Ancient Chinese fantasy of your dreams? Are there a whole load of books in the stupid National Library that take people to God knows where, huh? Did I just pick the wrong one?"
"Keisuke was Miaka's brother, wasn't he?" Chichiri's ruby eye twinkled with amusement at her impatience. "No, he didn't enter the book. But I imagine he knew as much about it as anyone...he called Tasuki and I to your world, to help defend it against Nakago, so I imagine he must have known a fair bit."
"This world is not a book." Shishi said categorically at this point, shooting Hikari an unpleasant look as she kicked a pebble idly out of her path. "Stop talking like we're all story characters or something. We're not, all right? We're people, and just because we come from this world, it doesn't mean we're any different to you. Except, maybe, stronger. And probably a whole lot smarter."
"Shishi-chan, the doorway between Hikari's world and this one is through an enchanted book." Chichiri said gently. "That's all Hikari means. I'm sure she's already realised that we're people, because otherwise she wouldn't be willing to risk her life to stay here and help us save Kounan. Would she?"
"I have no idea." Shishi said blackly. "But I wish she hadn't bothered. I don't see why we need her anyway. If she doesn't have any powers, what use is she?"
"Shishi, shut your lip." Tasuki said warningly. "Else Chichiri's takin' you right back to the mountain, an' that'll be that. I ain't kiddin'. You let Hikari alone an' focus on your own progress, all right? As it stands, we don't need you on this little trek - but you still seem to be taggin' along. So remember that an' pipe down."
Shishi's expression became rebellious, but she said nothing, merely folding her arms across her chest as she stomped onwards. Hikari shot her a triumphant look, but before she could say anything, she met the bandits' bronze gaze, and words died in her throat as she read his expression.
"This ain't a game, Hikari, an' this world ain't what you're used to." He said frankly. "Learn a bit more about it before you start shoutin', okay? Wherever you're from, while you're here, your life's as much on the line as any of us. You don't get special favours for bein' from another world, an' you're as disadvantaged as Miaka was in terms of knowin' what's what. Shishi's got a big mouth, but she knows better'n you how to keep her eyes open for danger. So you shut up too, an' pay attention. You might learn somethin' from one another, an' I don't want to hear you screechin' at each other all trip."
"I didn't start it."
"But you can finish it." The wolvish glint in Tasuki's eye prevented Hikari from taking it any further, and she pulled a face, tossing her head defiantly. Jin cast a look from one girl to the other, then sighed heavily.
"Chichiri-san, where abouts do you s'pose this Amiboshi's village is?" He asked. "I know you said the border, but that's gotta be a pretty wide stretch of land - how're we goin' to find the right one? Ain't Hokkan huge?"
"It's a big country." Chichiri acknowledged, casting a glance at the sky. "But it's all right. When we're there, I'll have to open up my senses and see if I can detect any trace of Amiboshi or Suboshi. It'll be a risk, you know, but unless we happen to find another way, it's the only solution."
"So in short, we could hat-hop the whole way an' risk it, if we're goin' to be riskin' it anyway?" Tasuki raised an eyebrow, and Chichiri grinned, shaking his head.
"That's a last resort, you know." He said pragmatically. "And it takes a lot more energy to transfer people across land than it does to reach out for someone's chi. I might be able to conceal myself from them still, if I'm careful...but there's no way I'd keep hidden such a large flare of my magic. I told you, Seiryuu's warriors are different from the Suzaku ones. They were always far more adept at sensing chi - of their friends and their enemies alike. We can't be too careful. We don't want to spark any kind of violent reaction. And if Suboshi and Amiboshi really are in a village somewhere, we might bring innocent villagers into the fray, too. We can't risk that, you know? I know this is going to take a little longer, but really, it's the best method."
He fingered the fabric of his cape thoughtfully.
"Besides, it's nice for Shishi and Jin to see the north of their country." He added cheerfully. "They might not get another chance, you know? We're a long way from Reikaku-zan, now."
"Aidou-san said you were from the North of Kounan, Chichiri." Hikari realised. "Is this near where you were born?"
"No...we're further north than that." Chichiri shook her head. "My village, and the northern towns near it are a good two hours ride to the south at the very least, I imagine."
He smiled.
"I haven't been there in some time." He reflected. "When this is over, I must make time to go see Kouran and Hikou again...I've been neglectful, but I should go. And to see Mitsukake and Shouka, too - even though I'm pretty sure neither one of them are actually there."
"Mitsukake was one of your Seishi buddies, wasn't he, Pa...Kashira?" Shishi reflected, as Tasuki nodded.
"Sure was." He agreed pensively. "Without him, Shishi, we wouldn't be here havin' this conversation, either one of us. But Chichiri's right. He's got a new life now. An' this time, with any luck, he'll get to lead it his way. He don't need Suzaku beatin' down on his back all over again, not in this life."
"Reincarnation really works, huh." Hikari bit her lip. "All of your friends were reborn?"
"Yes." Chichiri nodded. "Mitsukake was the doctor I told you about - the one whose remedies I've tried to keep alive with the herbs and other things on the farm Aidou and I tend. But like Tasuki said, his and the other Seishi's lives are free of Suzaku's burden, now. It can be a heavy burden, and it comes at a price, so if we can, we'll keep it that way. Suzaku chose to keep Tasuki and I...and I wonder now if that was because someone had to be here to protect the Shinzahou, when it appeared. Either way, we're still Suzaku's people - the others are in spirit, but I doubt it will be called out of them this time around. Hopefully Tasuki and I will be enough to help put all this to rights, Hikari-chan. With your help, too, no doubt."
"I really don't feel that powerful." Hikari glanced at her hands. "It would have been better if Dad had come here, instead of me. I mean, if he was powerful enough to defeat a really, really evil bad guy..."
"Have faith in yourself." Chichiri's ruby eye twinkled. "It's there inside of you. You just have to find a way to draw it out. That's all. And I'm sure you will, because otherwise Suzaku wouldn't have sent you to us now, would he? Don't worry, Hikari-chan. I'm sure that you'll know what you have to do, when it comes to it!"