Author's Note:
Ok so a little later than I thought, but I still uploaded, so no burns.... So yea I am going to keep with the updating every two months now... things have been getting crazy. Been seeing this guy that I am really liking so yea.. going to update again by mayish. So yea that is about it. So happy reading. Sorry for the typos or anything else that might be out of place.
-JediMadchen86
Alexisa opened her eyes, and looked at the ceiling above her. 'Well we are finally in Hokkan. Now all we need to do is to find out where the shinzaho is at, and then we can finally summon Suzaku, and then maybe I could go home. I do miss home, don't I? It's strange though, sometimes I feel like this is my home. Well maybe it is just because; I've been here for so long. Well there is nothing I can do about that now though, just need to focus on one thing at a time,' though Alexisa as she sat up in bed and looked out the window to the pure white city below.
"Must have snowed last night," she said to herself as she walked to the window and looked out over the city. "Guess I should go and wake the others," she said quietly as she turned from the window and walked out into the hallway. Once out in the hallway she heard voices coming from the dining hall. She recognized them and walked down towards them. She walked down the stairs and around the corner to see all her friends, eating, and laughing. A smile appeared on her face as she stood there looking at her friends, laughing and enjoying each other's company.
"Good morning Alexisa," she heard from behind her.
Hearing her name being called she turned her head to see Chiriko walking towards her. "Hello Chiriko. How are you?"
"Very well. Thank you, but more importantly I think I found a way to look for the shinzaho without being discovered."
"Really? How?"
"First let's gather the rest of the warriors," said Chiriko as he turned the corner and walked to the table where the other warriors were gathered. They looked up and saw Chiriko walking towards them, and they saw Alexisa standing behind him. They made way for their friends to sit down and Chiriko began to tell them of his plan.
"After looking at the map of Touran, I divided up the best areas to begin the search. There are here, here, and here," said Chiriko laying out a map and pointing to the areas.
"Well that is great and all Chiriko, but what about the whole communication trouble?" asked Chichiri.
"Well I know that you, and Alexisa are able to communicate with us all right?" asked Chiriko looking at both of them.
"Well yes, but you want three groups, and there are only two of us," said Alexisa.
"Yes, I am aware of that, but I was unable to think of another way. Since splitting into groups is the best way to search. The group that does not have either of them, will use these," said Chiriko pulling out flares from his robes.
"Flares?"
"This was my original plan, since communicating through telepathy might arouse the Seiryu warriors to our presence."
"Well why don't' we just use these instead then," said Alexisa grabbing two flares from his hands and tossing one to Nuriko.
"So who are in these groups?" asked Tamahome
"Well I thought that Tasuki should go with Alexisa. I will go with Mits, and Chichiri then Miaka, Tamahome, and Nuriko will make up the last group."
"That sounds like a plan," said Alexisa, looking at her friends. "Just promise me something, that once you find any clue as to where the shinzaho is, you let the rest of us know alright. Don't go after it by yourself," said Alexisa as she looked at her friends and getting a nod from each in return. "Well let's get going, we aren't' going to find it sitting around here," she said again, walking towards the door.
The other's got to their feet and followed her out of the inn, once they all were outside, each wearing a heavier coat, since they were not used to the colder weather. They all looked at each other and spilt into their groups and began to search the city. The three groups of friends walked their separate ways and towards their own search.
"Hey, Alexisa you coming?"
"Huh, oh yea, sorry Tasuki," said Alexisa as she turned around and walked over to him.
"What were you doing anyways?"
"Thinking."
"Bout what?" asked Tasuki as they began to walk down the street.
"Well this will be first time that I am separated from Miaka, and the others. Just feels weird, ever since I have been here, I have been around them, protecting them. Feels odd that I am not, I just hope that nothing happens to them."
"They will be fine, I mean they are warriors themselves, and can protect themselves."
"Yea, I know what you mean. Just feels odd that's all."
"Well let's hurry and try to find this shinzaho so we can get back to them then," said Tasuki looking at her.
"You're right. So where are we supposed to look?" she asked Tasuki looking back at him.
"Um, I thought you knew," he replied scratching the back of his head.
"Great Tasuki, are we even walking in the right direction?"
"What do I know, I was following you."
"Well I guess we could start asking the people that we come across, since both of us was not paying any attention as to where we were supposed to be looking in."
"Sounds like a plan to me," said Tasuki smiling.
Alexisa and Tasuki walked around asking most of everyone if they knew anything of the shinzaho. Over the next few hours, they asked everyone that they encountered, not many knew of the shinzaho and others just told stories that led to dead ends.
"Man I'm tired, I hope that we find this thing soon," said Tasuki as he sat down and leaned against a wall.
"Yea, I know what you mean."
"This cold is also killing me," replied Tasuki as he grabbed his coat closer to him.
"Not me," said Alexisa as she leaned against the same wall, and looked up into the sky, as snow began to fall. "I love the cold, and the winter, it's my favorite time of year. I forgot your not used to the cold are you?" she asked turning her head towards him.
"No, Konan rarely ever gets snow, even in the mountains, it's to damn cold here," replied Tasuki as he rubbed his arms.
"Come on, let's get moving, and that should warm you up."
"Did I hear you folks looking for the shinzaho of Genbu?" asked an elderly women coming closer to them.
"Yes, we are. Do you think that you could help us?" asked Alexisa as she turned around and looked at the women.
"A story has been passed on for generations in my family, it tells the tale of the warriors and the Priestess of Genbu. The details have gone missing over the years but the end is all the same, once the beast god was summoned the Priestess returned home never to be seen again."
"What about the shinzaho? You said you knew about it?" asked Alexisa.
"Yes, I was getting to that. After the summoning took place, the villagers were saddened at the loss of the Priestess of Genbu, but there was one item that she left behind. A necklace that the Priestess wore during the summoning, that was all that was left for us to remember her by."
"That necklace is the shinzaho? Where is it?" asked Alexisa
"No one knows, it has long been lost to the people that worship Genbu," said the old women
"So that means that we are no where closer to finding the damn thing."
"Tasuki, be nice. Thank you for your help ma'am," said Alexisa as she looked at the women once more.
"Well what should we do now?"
"We need to find the others, and let them know," said Alexisa as she reached for the flare. As she bought the flare out from her coat, when she sensed another presence in the area.
"Tasuki, something's coming."
"Where?"
"I don't know, just be on your guard," she said as she put the flare back into her coat.
"What are you doing? We need to call the others," said Tasuki as he watched her.
"I know that Tasuki, but we might need that flare, I am just keeping it handy for a little while longer," said Alexisa as she closed her eyes.
"What are you doing now?"
"Just clam down and let me concentrate, I am trying to find out where the others are."
"Won't the Seiryu bastards detect you?"
"I am hoping not, but I don't know what else to do," she replied as she closed her eyes, and tried to picture Chichiri and the others in her mind. She began to picture the monk in her mind, just as she found him and tried to make contact, she felt her body being pushed to the ground.
"Way, to go Alexisa," mumbled Tasuki from on top of her.
"What are you doing? I almost had him," she replied trying to look around
"Sorry for saving you ass," said Tasuki as he pushed himself off the ground.
"What?" asked Alexisa as she saw the reason she was pushed, where she once stood was a big hole in the ground.
"I found you, now I need to kill you," said the man as he came running towards Tasuki and Alexisa. Tasuki easily jumped out of the way, and Alexisa tried to scramble to her feet to get out of the way, but she could not find her footing and slipped as she got to her feet and fell back to the ground. She looked up to see the man running faster, seeing that his prey was cornered, with nowhere to go. Alexisa forehead started to glow, as she began to use Tamahome's powers (A/N: Ok don't think I have done this before but that was because all the other times the marks were under clothing, at least I think.) As the man came closer she kicked his legs out from under him and jumped up to her feet ready to fight.
Tasuki landed on the other side of the man and looked back towards Alexisa.
"Are you a Seiryu warrior? Where's Nakago?" asked Alexisa as she looked down at him.
He did not reply only swiped his hand out towards her and stood up, He stood two feet taller than Alexisa, he was big, and had hair covering his whole body. He stood there looking at her, growing, and bearing his teeth, he once again ran towards Alexisa. Her mark flared again as she used his powers and began to fight the beast before her. He came to her punching and moving like a wild dog, his movements were fast and all Alexisa could do was dodge them, she tried to block his punches but he managed to punch her in the jaw, knocking her back. She stumbled back, rubbing where she was hit. 'His way to fast, have to find something to slow him down,' thought Alexisa as she scanned the street, seeing a glint of something hiding in the snow. She looked over to the beast and saw that he was again coming her way; she pushed herself to her feet and ran towards the shiny object in the snow. She grabbed for the item, releasing it from the snow, and seeing that it was a small knife. She tightened her hold and looked to where her attacker was, and seeing him right on top of her. She raised the knife and stabbed the knife into his side. He yelped out in pain, grabbed his side, and then bounded off down the street. Alexisa lay in the snow, breathing heavy, hoping that would be the last time she saw that beast. Tasuki came running over and looked down at her.
"You okay?"
"Yea, I'm good," she said getting to her feet.
"Who was that?"
"I think a Seiryu warrior. I could feel an evil vibe off of him," said Alexisa reaching into her coat and grabbing the flare. "Let's call the others, see if they found anything out," said Alexisa as she raised the flare up towards the sky and shot it off. Tasuki and Alexisa sat in the snow waiting for their friends to arrive. Alexisa was trying to regain her strength in case that beast showed up again.
"Alexisa, are you really ok? What was with that mark on your forehead?"
"That was just me using Tamahome's powers. It happens every time I use one of your powers, but Tamahome's is the only one that is really visible, all the others are buried under clothing especially in the cold," said Alexisa looking over at him.
"You think the others saw our signal?"
"I am hoping, yes. I am also hoping they found out more about the shinzaho, like where it is located at least," said Alexisa looking up into the sky as it began to snow once more.
"Damn snow," muttered Tasuki as he gathered his coat around him. Alexisa got to her feet and walked out into the middle of the street. She outstretched her arms from her body, and spun around in the snow, laughing. Tasuki looked at her and shook his head. "Come on, Tasuki, you are only going to get colder sitting there," said Alexisa as she continued to spin.
"Is bandit boy cold?" asked a new voice.
Alexisa stopped spinning to see multiple Nuriko's, Tamahome's, and Miaka's standing before her. "Oh hey guys, how are you all?"
"We saw your signal? You find out anything bout the shinzaho?" asked Tamahome.
"Yea, it's a necklace that the Priestess of Genbu wore when she summoned the beast god," said Tasuki as he got to his feet and walked over to his friends.
"That's great. Where is it?" asked Miaka looking at him.
"Don't know. The women said that it has been lost for years, and no one knows where it is."
"We were hoping that you all had found something out," said Alexisa looking at them.
"No, not so much as a hint of the shinzaho."
"Well what are we going to do now?" asked Tasuki as he looked at his friends.
"Well I guess we wait here and see if Chichiri and the others found out anything, and then we can go from there I just hope that they found out more about the shinzaho than we did," said Alexisa as she began to look around the plaza.
"What are you looking for Alexisa?" asked Miaka as she came up beside her friend.
"Nothing, just we were attacked and I just have this uneasy feeling."
"Who attacked you?" asked Nuriko looking towards her.
"Alexisa thinks it was a Seiryu warrior," said Tasuki getting up from the snow and walking over to the group.
"What did he want?"
"To kill me, at least that was the only thing he said."
"Hey guys over here look at this," said Nuriko towards an arch that stood in the middle of a square.
"What is it Nuriko?" asked Miaka walking over to.
"I don't know but it looks pretty old. Do you think that it could tell us where the shinzaho is?" he asked as everyone came and looked at the monument.
"Look at the writing, looks pretty old. Wonder if there is someone who could translate it for us?" asked Tamahome looking closer at the stone.
"Those words have been lost to us for the same time that the shinzaho has been," said the same old women from before, coming out of a building.
"You know what is on this?" asked Alexisa walking over to her.
"No, no one does. It was an ancient language that we all soon forgot."
"So there's no one that could help us?"
"I am sorry, but no," said the women as she began to walk down the street.
"Excuse me, ma'am. But what is that mountain up there?" asked Alexisa pointing over the city to the mountain in the distance.
"That is just Mt. Koku."
"What's up there?"
"Nothing at all to my knowledge. It was rumored that a shrine was located at the peak of the mountain. But no one has even been brave enough to traverse the mountain," said the women as she walked away from the group.
Alexisa continued to look at the mountain.
"Hey Alexisa, come on," said a vice bringing her out of her thoughts.
"Huh?" she asked looking around seeing her friend's backs.
"Come on, we are going to an inn. Everyone is cold and tired," sad Nuriko
"But we still have daylight to search," she replied returning her gaze to the mountain.
"Come on Alexisa, it's cold out here."
"I want to check out that mountain," said Alexisa walking away from Nuriko.
"Wait, you can't go alone, Alexisa," said Nuriko running after her. "We can't just go, we have to tell the others," said Nuriko when he caught up to her.
"Ok, go tell them, I can take care of myself, plus we still have your flare right, so we will be fine."
Nuriko stopped and looked at Alexisa retreating back, he wanted to follow her, but he also wanted to let the others know where they were going. He took one last look down the street that the majority of his friends went down and followed after Alexisa.