"Where are we headed?" asked Alexisa after about an hours' worth of riding.
"To that village that Tasuki told us about," said Miaka from her spot atop of Hotohori horse.
"Why we no longer need to revive anyone. Shouldn't we just skip that village?" asked Tasuki.
"You are right, but that doctor might be one of the warriors," said Miaka looking back at her friends riding behind her.
"You think so?" asked Alexisa
"Well if he has the power to bring people back to life, it is at least a start," said Nuriko
"Yea I see your point. So Genrou where is this village at?" asked Alexisa as she looked him.
"I told you already stop callin me Genrou, call me Tasuki now alright," said Tasuki as he turned around in his saddle and looked at Alexisa. "Beside what makes you think I know where this village is anyway?" asked Tasuki as he crossed his arms.
"Well you were the one that told us about it and you said you heard about it during your travels," said Alexisa looking at him.
"Just because I said I heard of it does not mean that I know where it is. Geez..." said Tasuki
"What help are you then?" asked Alexisa urging her horse to come up next to Tasuki's horse.
Tasuki looked at her coming up beside him and he noticed that she looked ill. "Wow, for someone who slept for most of the day you still look like shit," said Tasuki "Are you sure you're ok?"
"Yea, I fine just a little tired. Hey Hotohori can we stop to rest?"
"The next clearing we can across we will stop and rest."
The group rode on for another half hour or so then they came to a clearing. "Let's stop here, I think we can all use the rest and I think the food to," said Nuriko as he dismounted his horse and tied it to a tree. Miaka, Hotohori, Tasuki dismounted and tied their horses to trees as well. Nuriko had begun to gather wood to start a fire. Alexisa stumbled off of her horse and she then lowered herself down on the ground and then she lay back onto the nice cool grass that was below her.
"I think I heard a river over there somewhere," said Nuriko pointing to the other side of the clearing. "I'll go and try to catch some for food, then we can resume the journey," said Nuriko was he got up and walked towards the tree line and disappeared into the forest.
"Hey Alexisa, why don't you come over here," said Miaka as she looked around the camp for her friend.
"Actually I think that I will chill right here for now. Can't seem to see straight at the moment," said Alexisa from where she lay on the ground.
"Hey, you ok?" asked Tasuki as he leaned over her wit worry in his eyes.
"Peachy, just can't see straight," said Alexisa as she laughed slightly.
"You are not ok your burning up!" said Tasuki as he put his hand on her forehead and looking over towards Miaka and Hotohori.
"Don't worry about me. Just a little dizzy spell happens all the time," said Alexisa as she tried to get up but she only fell back down to the earth. "Or maybe not," she said as she felt the food she had eaten the previous night make its way back up.
"We need to get you to a doctor," said Hotohori as he came to her other side and looked down at her.
"I said don't worry bout it. I'm fine guys, just need to sleep a little bit," said Alexisa as she passed out.
"We need to get her to a doctor," said Tasuki standing up.
"But Tasuki, we have no clue where the next village is," said Miaka looking up at her friend.
"We have no clue where the next village is," said Hotohori putting his hand on Alexisa's forehead.
"I don't care there has to be a village around here someone. I will take Alexisa and you all can follow after," said Tasuki picking Alexisa up and walking towards the nearest horse.
"As soon as Nuriko returns we will follow you," said Miaka. Miaka and Hotohori precede t pack up the little camp that they had began to set. So they would be ready once Nuriko returned to head out. After a few minutes Nuriko appeared from the tree line and Hotohori had told him what happened with Alexisa and the mounted their horses and took of down to the road that Tasuki took.
Tasuki rode for about thirty minutes or so until he came across a small home on the outskirts of a village. He jumped off of his horse with Alexisa in his arms and walked over to the door.
"Is anyone in there?" yelled Tasuki as he banged on the door. "Please I need a doctor." Within the next few seconds the door opened reveling a younger man with shaggy black hair and a beard.
"There is no doctor here. Now leave."
"Aren't those medicines, please you have to help her," said Tasuki trying to push the man out of the way and into the home where he could see bottles of medicine sitting on a shelf.
"I don't treat humans. Now leave ME BE!!" yelled the man as he slammed the door in Tasuki's face.
"Genrou."
"Hey Alexisa, don't worry I am getting you to a doctor," said Tasuki looking down at her.
"I said don't worry about it, it is just a little head cold," said Alexisa very weakly as she looked at him.
"Don't worry about that just go back to sleep," said Tasuki as he watched her eyes close.
Tasuki looked up at the house that the man lived in. 'He has to be a doctor, why would he have all those medicines if he was not,' thought Tasuki as he laid down Alexisa on the ground and went to the house once more.
"Hey man, I know you're in there. Open the door," said Tasuki banging on the door.
"I told you to leave."
"I am not leaving until you treat this girl," yelled Tasuki banging on the door even harder.
"I told you that I don't treat humans," said the man as the door opened once again.
"If you are a doctor then please help her," said Tasuki pointing to where Alexisa lay on the ground. The man looked over at her and he could tell that the young girl was suffering. He turned around, walked into his home and grabbed a bottle off the shelf. "Here give her this, with some rest she should be fine," said the man returning to Tasuki and handing him the bottle.
"Thank you," said Tasuki grabbing the bottle and running over towards Alexisa. "Hey Alexisa, wake up I got some medicine for you," said Tasuki as he knelt down besides her.
The man watched as he woke the girl up and gave her the medicine, a small smile appeared on his face but soon disappeared as soon as it came. He had finally felt joy in all these years, he thought that it would never happen again, but seeing this girl made him want to help others again like he always had done. "You should also find some food as well, she will be weak for the next few days and needs to regain her strength," called the man to Tasuki.
"Thanks, I will. Tell me why did you help her, I mean I am not complaining but why?" asked Tasuki as he got up and walked towards the man.
"That girl reminds me of some one that I knew long ago," said the man as he began to close the door.
"Wait, do you think you could watch over her until my other friends come along?"
The man turned back around and looked at Tasuki. "I have to collect herbs in this area, so don't be long," said the man as he turned around and gathered a bag in his arms. Tasuki nodded a quick thanks to him and went into town to buy food for Alexisa. Once Tasuki got to town he noticed something strange, it was about midday and the town seemed like a ghost town, there were no kids playing, no shops open, nothing. Tasuki walked around trying to find a vendor to buy food from but he had no luck. He turned to leave the village to go to the river when he saw a man pulling a cart. He thought nothing of it until he saw a young woman carrying a small child yelling "Miss Shoka," over and over again. Tasuki followed them and she come to another house in the opposite side of the village. Tasuki looked in the window of the home to see a young woman with blonde hair and wearing a blue dress.
"Miss Shoka please you have to help her," said the woman holding the child.
"How long has it been since she passed?" asked Miss Shoka walking over to her. "Not long, a few minutes maybe,"
"Don't worry I can bring her back," said Miss Shoka bending over the child. "There I have bought her back to life, she should be as good as new within a few days."
"Bought her back?" wondered Tasuki "What is going on in this village?" he asked as he made his way back to the outskirts of town. Once he returned to the house he saw that Hotohori, Miaka, and Nuriko had gathered the fire that they had started by Alexisa.
"Hey guys," said Tasuki as he approached them.
"Tasuki, what is Alexisa doing on the ground shouldn't she get help from a doctor?" asked Hotohori walking towards him.
"Don't worry, I got her medicine already, all she needs is rest," said Tasuki walking over towards her.
"From who though?" asked Miaka
"Yea, the only house we see is that one and the man inside is quiet rude," said Nuriko pointing to the house.
"Yea, I know about him, but he is the one that gave us the medicine to help Alexisa," said Tasuki as he sat down next to her.
"So how is Alexisa?" asked Miaka looking down at her.
"He said that she should be fine all she needs is rest and food, but I tried to buy some in the village but it was almost a ghost town."
"A ghost town?" asked Nuriko poking at the fire.
"Yea, it was strange, there were no kids and then this woman bought a kid back to life."
"Back to life? But how is that possible?" asked Hotohori
"I don't know. Maybe that man will know," said Tasuki as he got up and walked towards the house once more. "Hey sorry to bother you again but could you tell us what has been happening in this village?" asked Tasuki to the door hoping that the man inside would hear. Hearing no response Tasuki left the door and headed back to the camp that his friends had made.
"Any luck?" asked Nuriko as he saw Tasuki return.
"No I guess we will have to find out for ourselves."
"Tasuki tell me what happened when you entered the village," said Hotohori
"Well the village was completely deserted or so I though until I saw a villager pulling a cart behind him, yelling for someone, I turned around and was going to come back here when I saw a young woman holding a child yelling the same name as the man Shoka. I followed her to a house on the opposite side of town and I saw the woman beg this Shoka person to bring her child back. Shoka asked how long the child had passed and then bent over the child and the next thing that I knew the child was breathing again. Then I came back here," said Tasuki as he looked up at everyone.
"Maybe this Shoka person is the next warrior," said Miaka looking very hopeful.
"I don't know Miaka, it all sounds very strange. I mean this Shoka person seems very odd. Maybe we should go to the village and see for ourselves," said Nuriko
"Did you saw Shoka?" asked a strange voice
"Yea, that was the name of the lady who healed that girl," said Tasuki looking up.
"No that is not possible," said the man coming out from the house. "Shoka died over a year ago."
"She died? But who is healing the villagers then?" asked Tasuki
"How did she die?" asked Miaka
"She died of the Shakonki."
"The Shakonki?" asked everyone in unison.
"Yes, it is a disease that came to the region about a year ago. It is a rare disease that brings pain, blindness and the end result of death. I had been called away to another village for an emergency when Shoka my beautiful Shoka contracted the disease. I rushed back as soon as I could to heal her but I was to late, Shoka died and I stopped practicing medicine," said the man walking towards the fire.
"So if the person who is healing all those villagers is really dead then what is happening to the villagers?" asked Nuriko
"I do not know but we should help. Those poor villagers are thinking they have a savior in this Shoka person. I will not allow this to continue," said Hotohori getting up and walking towards the village, with Nuriko and Tasuki following behind.
"Wait what about Alexisa we can't just leave her here?" asked Miaka looking at all three of them.
"Don't worry about her, you go ahead and help the villagers I will stay here and look after her," said the man
"We will be back as soon as we can," said Tasuki walking off with Nuriko and Hotohori. Miaka watched her three friends walk down the road and she hoped that all of them would be ok.
"Do not worry for them, they will be fine," said the man leaning over Alexisa. "My name is Myojuan."
"Miaka. Will she be ok?" asked Miaka
"Yes, she should be fine, her fever has broken and she seems to be recovering fine," said Myojuan placing his hand on her forehead.
"Huh? Where am I?" asked Alexisa as she sat up.
"Alexisa! Your ok," said Miaka
"Yea, I am just, feel like I got run over by a car," said Alexisa looking around here. "Miaka who is this?" asked Alexisa as her eyes rested upon the man before her.
"This is Myojuan, he is the one that gave us medicine for you."
"Myojuan. Thank you," said Alexisa "Where are the others?"
"They left to go into the village," said Myojuan getting up and walking towards the house.
"What?" asked Alexisa, Miaka quickly filled in Alexisa about the things that had been happening about the Shakonki the villagers and how Tasuki, Nuriko, and Hotohori went to help the villagers.
"Well why are we just sitting here then, let's go," said Alexisa as she got to her feet.
"But Alexisa, you are still weak. What are you going to do?" asked Miaka as she came up to the side of her friend.
"I don't know really, but I can't miss this. I have to help," said Alexisa walking on down the road as well.
Miaka watched Alexisa go and ran after her, she knew she might end up getting in the way but if her friends were going to fight she would do all in her power to help them.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
OK, Just to let you all know that I am going back to class next Monday the 25th. I am still going to try to update on a regualr bacsis, maybe once a month, but I can't guarntee anything. Things are going to be getting crazy with me with the christmans season coming up (I work retail so yes it is coming in September) but I will still try to write as often as I can. So please bear with me, and thanks to those people who have reviewed. Again I am going to try to update, just don't kill me if it takes me awhile. I am fianlly getting this story done and it is very exciting for me, so I think that makes me want to write more and more. That is how I have been able to get so much out so far. Till next chappie... lol...