"You that hungry boss?" asked one of the men from a table.
"Nah, this is for that girl that helped me out. Thought she might be hungry," said Genrou putting more food on the plate.
"I'll take it up to them for ya," said the man from the table.
"Nah, don't worry bout it I got it," said Genrou as he once again left the hall with two plates of food one in each hand. Once he made it back to the room he noticed that the hallway outside was empty, so he knocked on the door only to receive no response. 'Must be out, Well I will just put this inside for them when they get back,' thought Genrou as he opened the door and walked into the room. As he walked into the room he noticed that the room was filled sleeping forms. He slowly made his way over to the chair and left the food and placed the food down he also placed some on the small table beside the bed. He turned to leave when he glanced over at the girl. The moonlight shown through the window and light up her face, he also saw that the blanket that had been draped over her was on floor. He walked over and picked the blanket back up and draped it back onto the girl careful not to let it touch her leg. He turned to leave again, when he noticed that girl was slowly waking up. He stood next to her and watched her sleep when she started to stir; Genrou leaned over the girl and saw her open her eyes.
"Hey you ok?"
"What happened?"
"Well after you knocked Eiken down I got the fan back and now I'm the leader again. You and your friends are staying here till you are healed. Figured it was the least I could do."
"So everything worked out?"
"Yea, thanks to you I guess. You better get some sleep. There is some food if you are hungry," said Genrou pointing to the plates with food that were beside the bed.
"Ok, thanks," said Alexisa trying to sit up winching in pain as she did though. "Why does everything happen to that damn leg," said Alexisa as she laughed at herself a little bit.
"Huh?"
"Well when I first came here I got stabbed in that same leg, now I got it burnt," said Alexisa smiling and laughing to herself again.
"Why is it funny?" asked Genrou
"I don't know. Just is though, funny how stupid things make you laugh huh? By the way I'm Alexisa."
"Genrou."
"So things back to normal now that you are in charge again?" asked Alexisa as she looked at him.
"For the most part yea, but once you all get outta here things will be fine."
"How come I felt like I know you?" asked Alexisa
"What?"
"I feel like I know you, it's the same feeling I get from them," said Alexisa motioning to the others across the room.
"Well you should get some sleep," said Genrou walking towards the door and closing it behind him.
Alexisa watched him leave and then turned her head to look out the window. 'Why does it feel like there is something more to him, I feel like there is a connection between all of us but I don't know what it is. Maybe it is just my imagination,' thought Alexisa as she dozed back off to sleep.
Genrou closed the door and walked to his chamber for the night.
Alexisa was the first to wake in the morning. She looked around the room to see Nuriko, Miaka, and Hotohori sleeping around the room. Hotohori was asleep on the other bed and Nuriko and Miaka were sleeping on the floor. Alexisa sat up with some pain and reached for one to the trays that Genrou had bought in last night. She grabbed an apple and stated to munch on it when she noticed that the other three waking up.
"Bout time you all got up. Geez." said Alexisa from the bed
"Very funny. How do you feel?" asked Nuriko getting up and coming closer to the bed.
"Good, my leg stings a little, my side hurts a little, but I am fine."
"Where did the food come from?"
"Oh Genrou came back last night and dropped some off but it looks like this is new, so I am guessing someone else came and bought this," said Alexisa taking another bite of her apple.
"Genrou?" asked Miaka sitting up and rubbing her eyes.
"Yea, he came by last night."
"What did he want?" asked Miaka as she eyed the food.
"Nothing much, I guess he wanted to thank me for helping out."
"I don't think we can trust him," said Hotohori sitting up.
"Hi Hotohori. What do you mean?" asked Miaka
"He is a bandit, he lies and steals for a living, how much can we trust him?" asked Hotohori.
"Well I think we can, I have a feeling," said Alexisa
"A feeling you are going to trust someone on a feeling?" asked Hotohori getting up and walking towards her.
"Why not? I trusted you three on a feeling. And besides I think he might be a warrior."
"A warrior? Are you certain?" asked Nuriko
"Not 100 percent no, but something tells me that he is one."
"Then why did he lie to us?" asked Hotohori
"Lie?" asked Alexisa
"Yes, the other day when we bought you to the room Miaka asked Genrou if there was a warrior here and he said no. So why would he lie?" asked Nuriko
"Look at it from his side guys. Four random people come and ask him to leave. He probably knows that he won't be coming back here for a while and he just got back. So give him time I'm sure he will come around," said Alexisa smiling from the bed.
"Yea, I guess your right. Anyways who would bring all the food if he can't be trusted," said Miaka stuffing her face with the food.
"Miaka, slow down or you are going to choke," said Nuriko patting her on the back.
"Alexisa how did you end up in that hallway anyway?" asked Miaka
"Oh well after Genrou took me from that pig, he took me to another hideout in the mountains that only he and Koji knew about. He then told me why he had left in the first place and that the fan was supposed to be his rightfully so I agreed to help him out. He was a little reluctant to accept my help but then he finally agreed, and we set off to get the fan back. That is about it, then you guys found us in the hallway," said Alexisa looking at them.
"I still think we should leave as soon as we can," said Hotohori
"But…" started Alexisa before she was interrupted by the door opening.
"Sorry if I am intercutting," said Genrou walking into the room.
"No don't worry about it. What's going on?" asked Alexisa
"I just wanted to see how you are." said Genrou closing the door behind him. "And I also have something to tell you."
"What?" asked Alexisa.
"I lied to you last night when I said that I did not know who the guy with the mark on his body was. The guy you are looking for is Tasuki."
"Great now that we have a name the search should go faster," said Miaka standing up with excitement.
"It won't help you at all really. The old boss…"
"What about him?" asked Alexisa.
"He was Tasuki, so Tasuki is dead," said Genrou as he hung his head.
"You mean Tasuki is dead. But how can that be?" asked Miaka looking at her friends for some sort of answer, but they did not have one to tell her.
"So what are we going to do now? We can't summon Suzaku with one of the warriors dead," said Nuriko
"I heard in my travels of a doctor that can revive the dead. The village is not that far away from here. Maybe you could ask him to help you out," said Genrou. "I'll let you have some horses and food for the journey there. Let me know when you want to leave and I will have the supplies ready."
"I think we should start out early tomorrow. I think another day of rest will do us all some good." said Hotohori
"Ok, I'll tell my men to prepare some food for you," said Genrou as he left the room.
The rest of the day Nuriko, Miaka, Hotohori and Alexisa spent the day in the fort relaxing and discussing the plans for the journey ahead. Alexisa still was not strong enough to walk on her own so Nuriko took to giving her piggybacks rides through out the fort.
"Hey Nuriko."
"Yea."
"Can we find out where Genrou is so can I talk to him?" asked Alexisa from his back.
"Sure thing," said Nuriko
The next bandit that they passed Alexisa stopped and asked him where Genrou was, he told them that he was probably down by the river. They got directions and headed to the river. After a few minutes walk Alexisa could see Genrou sitting up the river staring up into the sky.
"Hey Nuriko, let me down here. I can walk the rest of the way."
"You sure that leg of yours still needs to heal," said Nuriko kneeling down.
"Yea, I think I will be good. Thanks for the ride today," said Alexisa as she walked off down towards the river. As Alexisa got closer to the river so saw Genrou sitting with his feet in the water and laying down on the riverbed.
"You know you're a terrible liar," said Alexisa as she got within five feet of him.
"Now what do you want?" asked Genrou from the ground.
"Why do you keep on lying to us?" asked Alexisa as she sat down beside him.
"I don't know what you are talking about," said Genrou as he pulled his feet out from the water and set them on the riverbed.
"Yes, you do. Come with us. Help Miaka and the others summon Suzaku."
"I can't. I have to stay here it is what the boss would want."
"Do you really think that he would want you to stay here and lead a group of bandits or to follow you destiny and protect Miaka," said Alexisa looking directly at him.
"I don't know what he would want to tell you the truth."
"I highly doubt that this is what he wanted. He must have known what you were supposed to do. Why do you think he made you his successor in the first place? He knew that you would carry out the duty of the leader of Mt. Reikaku with pride and loyalty. Now all I ask to for you to turn that loyalty from your old boss to Miaka, at least for the time being until they summon Suzaku. Then you can come back here and enjoy the rest of your days as leader of the bandits," said Alexisa standing up.
"Tell me one thing," said Genrou.
"What is that?"
"Why do you care so much?"
"I don't know, but like I said before, I feel a connection between you and the others, and if we leave without you then that connection won't be filled and we all will feel it someway or another," said Alexisa as she walked off back towards the hideout leaving Genrou with his thoughts.
Genrou sat by the river until night fell then he made his way back to the hideout and sought out Kouji. He had no clue how he was going to tell the boys that he was leaving again, and this time he did not know how long he would be gone for. He just hoped that Kouji would not be to mad at him but he knew that what he was doing was right, not only for him but for everyone.
Alexisa walked back to the hideout to see Kouji walking towards her.
"He's by the river if you want to talk some sense into him," said Alexisa as she passed him.
"You mean you know?"
"I have a feeling, and I always trust my gut," said Alexisa as she turned the corner and walked into the building. Alexisa walked to her room and sat down on the bed. Her leg had started to begin to throb when she was down talking to Genrou. She unrolled the bandages that wrapped her leg and saw the damage that had been done to her leg. She could still see where she was stabbed when she was first bought her, and on top of the stab were now burns that covered her lower calf of her leg. Even though the doctor had told her that the burns would heal within a few weeks it had looked liked they were already healing. Her skin no longer had that black burnt that most burns did, it was more of a slight pink. 'Guess I am a fast healer,' thought Alexisa as she rubbed some herbal medicine that the doctor had left and then wrapped her leg back up. Once she finished wrapping her leg so moved back onto the bed ad looked out the window. 'I wonder how long I have been here, four days, five days, I wonder if anyone back home is missing me right about now. Will I ever be able to go back there?' Wondered Alexisa as se sat starting out the window. The next thing she knew Nuriko was awaking her.
"Hey, Alexisa. Wake up sleepy head," said Nuriko as he shook Alexisa.
"Huh, wah?" asked Alexisa as she opened her eyes and saw Nuriko looking at her. "Nuriko, what do you want?"
"Come on, we ready to go. Everyone else is waiting by the horses," said Nuriko walking towards the door.
Alexisa looked at the sky to see daylight shining. 'Did I sleep the whole day and night?' Wondered Alexisa.
"We can to get you for dinner but you were sound asleep, and you did not even wake up when Genrou was in here yelling at Miaka for eating all the food," said Nuriko from the doorway.
"Yea, that sounds like Miaka, and Genrou for that matter," said Alexisa as she climbed off the bed and started walking towards the door. They made their way down to the horses to see that Genrou was packing up; Hotohori and Miaka were already on a horse. Nuriko walked over and climbed onto his horse and Alexisa made her way over to the last horse that she guessed was hers.
"So I guess you are joining us then?" asked Alexisa as she reached her horse.
"Yea, talked it over with Kouji and we both decided that this would be more fun than staying here, " said Genrou getting up on his horse.
"Sure thing Genrou," said Alexisa as she climbed onto her horse.
"Yea, Alexisa. The names Tasuki now."
"What ever you say Genrou."
"Shall we be off," said Hotohori kicking his horse and leading the way out of the bandit stronghold and into the woods. Nuriko, Tasuki and Alexisa all followed him to continue on their journey.