Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ Fushigi Yuugi: The Next Chapter ❯ Episode Nine: The New Enemy ( Chapter 8 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: ItsTheDee
The four Konan Warriors begin their journey back towards the palace, but things are never as simple as they seem...

Preview!
"Who the hell're you?" Tasuki demanded, one hand still gripped around his tessen.

The figure fingered something at his waist. "Th' name's Kaze. And, hm..." his soft laughter echoed down the hill. "Well, I guess ya could call me yer real enemy. Maybe you've heard of a little group called th' Elements?"

"Yer one-a them!" Koji cried.

The Element called Kaze chuckled again. "Nice deduction. Bet ya even know what two plus two is, na?"

"Listen, punk, we don't have time t'trade insults!" Tasuki retorted. "You gonna fight us here, or wait t'die later?"

(Keep reading to see what happens next!)

Anime/Manga: Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Shoujo / Romance / Fantasy / Drama / Comedy / Action | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 08.19.2006 | Pages: 9 | Words: 23.6K | Visits: 260 | Status: Completed

Disclaimer: I still don't own Konan, Suzaku and all characters and seishi pertaining to them. Kiori and Ritsuka are and shall forever be mine, and that holds for all the other “originals” (you'll know `em when they appear, trust me). Obviously the story is mine as well.
Rating:PG-13, for crude humour, moderate language, and violence.
 
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--Episode Nine: The New Enemy--
 
Keisuke, Tetsuya and Yui all jumped about five feet in the air as the telephone's familiar bring-bring-bring interrupted their reading. The trio stared at one another for a long, perplexed second, as if to ask “what is a telephone doing in Konan?” before the second round of rings threw them out of their daze and back into the real world. Keisuke dashed to the phone and snatched up the earpiece, practically shouting in the receiver, "Moshi-moshi, this is Yuki Keisuke speaking."
"Onii-chan?"
Keisuke jumped again. "Miaka! Hi, er, what're you doing calling at this hour, uh..." he glanced at the clock, wincing as he realized it was barely eight-thirty. "I mean, what's up?"
"Is Yui-chan there? I've been trying to call her house all evening to see if she wanted to stay the night, and then I thought she might be there with Tetsuya."
Keisuke fidgeted with the phone cord. "No, uh, they went out tonight, I think. Sorry, can't help you."
"Oh. All right." Keisuke's mouth was halfway around the word “good-bye” when Miaka asked suddenly: "Is everything okay?"
His voice rose to a startled squeak. "Why shouldn't it be?"
"I don't know. I've just felt sorta funny since this evening, like I'm missing something important. Taka said he felt the same way. Pretty strange, don't you think?"
"Very," Keisuke looked at Yui and Tetsuya, who were motioning for him to hurry. "Ah, I wouldn't worry about it, if I were you. Probably just stress over the upcoming exams."
"Yeah, maybe," Miaka agreed. "Well, you sound like you're in a hurry, so I'll talk to you later, okay Onii-chan?"
"Sure thing. Oyasumi (Good night)," Keisuke hung up, heaving a deep sigh. “She doesn't suspect a thing,” he announced to the couple on the couch. “I don't know what's sadder - my lousy act, or the fact that she didn't pick up on my lousy act.” He sat back down on the couch, too relieved by his sister's oblivious nature to notice when Tetsuya stole the book back and flipped to the first page of the new chapter. He cleared his throat and read:
"'The next morning, the four Konan warriors packed their supplies and said their good-byes, ready to begin their journey from Mount Reikaku to the capital...'"
---
"Ah, it's gonna be great havin' ya down at th' palace," Tasuki remarked to Koji as the two bandits tied their bags onto their horses. "An' when we ain't fryin' Takkan I can take you on a tour, though somethin' tells me th' liquor cabinets'll be yer favorite part. We're gonna have a blast, doncha think so Red?"
Ritsuka groaned from atop her horse.
"I told ya t'go easy on th' alcohol," Tasuki reminded her.
Ritsuka mumbled something unintelligible and extended her middle finger.
Koji shook his head and laughed. "She'll be fine by t'morrow, but a day of hard ridin'll be tough on her head. I'd hate t'be you right now, Ritsuka."
The middle finger only extended higher.
Houki looked back at the few awake gang members who'd come to see them off. "I truly appreciate your participation in this war, Koji, but who will be in charge of the gang until you return?"
"Ah, don't worry `bout that yer Majesty! My girl Hareya c'n handle any—" But Koji never had a chance to say what Hareya could handle, because at that moment the beautiful bandit flew out the door of the stronghold, dashing across the clearing and practically throwing herself into the leader's arms.
"Koji-chan, you better come back in one piece or I'll kill you myself, understand?" she cried, looping her hands around the bandit's neck.
"Oh, hi love, didn't think ya'd be outta bed yet," Koji teased, though he couldn't quite stop a tender smile from crossing his features.
"You thought a little alcohol would stop me from seeing you off?" she countered. The young woman pulled back a bit, though she still kept her hands pressed against his shoulders, almost as if she were afraid to let him go just yet. "Now you don't have to worry about a thing, okay? I'll keep this rotten band of brutes under control until you get back, and if one tiny thing is out of place when you return, why, you can throw me off the mountain."
"Nah, yer too pretty t'throw all the way off th' mountain," Koji told her. "Maybe jus' halfway."
Hareya laughed. "You're such a kind leader, Koji-chan." She hugged him again and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Stay safe, and keep that seishi friend of yours out of trouble too."
"Keepin' Genrou outta trouble's like keepin' water from gettin' wet, but I'll do what I can," the flushing Koji promised, pecking her on the lips before wriggling out of her hold. Tasuki snickered from atop his horse; Koji shot his friend a death glare, then turned his smiling gaze back to Hareya. "I'll be home in a few months at th' most, love."
She looked like she wanted the “good-bye” to last longer, but glanced around at the watching bandits and thought better of it. Instead, the young woman took a step back and waved as Koji mounted his horse. "I'll count down the days! One hour past two months and you don't get a welcome back party! Jaa mata, Koji-chan, Gen-tachi!"
Houki waved back, while Tasuki and Koji blew a few melodramatic kisses. Ritsuka raised a hand slightly, letting it drop back to her side with a thump.
Tasuki kicked his horse into action and off the four went, yawning Reikaku bandits still shouting farewells as they disappeared over the horizon.
---
Mizu sat in front of her seeing-crystal, watching the Takkan soldiers at Setsuka's bidding. Though the woman had promised Mizu that she wouldn't be needed for a while, she had very quickly gone back on her word so she could see the goings-on in camp.
"Focus on those soldiers there, please," Setsuka commanded. "I am interested in the morale of my shogun's men."
"Hai, my Lady."
The trio of soldiers Setsuka had pointed out crouched around a small campfire nursing wounds, attempting to cook dinner, and complaining about the general situation.
"Huh, send us out t'fight a couple-a demons," the first grumbled. "Th' whole thing's suicide, I tell ya."
"An' knowin' th' shogun, we'll be out fightin' again b'fore the week's out," the second whined. "My leg ain't feelin' any better'n it did three days ago, but will he care? Pah!"
The third shook his head. "Nah, it ain't Shogun-sama's doin'. Captains' gossip says everythin' he does comes as a direct order from her Ladyship." He glanced around, then leaned in and whispered to his friends, "An' word has it she knew those seishi c'd do that."
"She sent us t'die?" the first cried, losing his balance and nearly falling into the fire.
The third nodded. "Mm, from what I understand she an' Shogun-sama ain't gettin' on too well, an' she wanted t'teach him a lesson about not questionin' her orders."
"By killin' us!" the second spat, waving his short dagger in the air. "It ain't right, I say! We get whipped t'bloody pulps, an' what happens t'Hataku, huh?" The third leaned in and whispered something Mizu and Setsuka couldn't hear, though they knew perfectly well what he said. The second's eyes widened for a moment, then dropped to the ground. "Oh, well..." he muttered, scuffing his foot at the soft earth, “maybe he did get his lesson learned, then."
The first took a bite of moldy bread. "Well, I ain't got no business in them 'higher matters.' All I know is that th' longer we fight th' less chance we got-a gettin' outta here alive. Those seishi don't take prisoners."
The second snorted. "Fightin'? Ferget it! If her Ladyship wants Konan so badly she c'n send in some-a her little magical pets! I dunno 'bout you boys, but another attack like that last 'un an' I'm gone! I'll take my chances with a price on my head..."
"Mutiny," Mizu whispered. "Hataku-san's in for some trouble."
Setsuka's lips curled back in a vicious smile. "Excellent. The more trouble he has, the more he will focus his anger on me. Hatred clouds judgment. Remember that, Mizu-chan."
"You want Hataku-san to hate you?"
The Lady fingered the silver and white gems about her neck. She considered all the shogun's hard work and loyal service, surprised to find that she felt a little bit guilty about how she was treating him. She scowled at that train of thought and gripped her gems tighter; Hataku always invoked ridiculous ideas like that. That was why she had to be so cruel to him. That was why he had to fail. "Perhaps I do. Never you mind that, Mizu-chan. It's nothing you need to worry about. I will need you tomorrow, but today's work is done."
"Hai, my Lady." Mizu hopped from her chair and left as fast as her legs could go, her young mind in an absolute jumble about her ladies' wishes.
'Why would shewant her general to hate her? Shouldn't they work together?They used to get along so well, when I first met Her Ladyship...' Mizu sighed and shook her head, slowing down her pace as she neared the stairwell that led up to her private room. 'Don't ask questions, Mizu. Trust her Ladyship. Everything she does isalways fora good reason....Always.'
---
Hataku lay on his stomach in his tent while the little head doctor applied poultices to his lashed back. The general, hurt in pride and body, clenched his fists against his sides, remembering all too well the crack of that whip, the blood trickling down his back to stain his pants, the merciless sparkle in Setsuka's eyes, and her words, which she'd spoken with such mocking sadness...
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The shogun sat gasping against the wall, his shackled arms forcing him to press his face against the cold stone. The coolness under the front of his body did little to soothe the fire across his back and shoulders; he braced himself for that telltale snap that indicated another long round of agony, but to his surprise Setsuka appeared at the corner of his vision. Hataku managed to turn his head to meet her gaze, though he could do little but stare helplessly into her serene face.
"That will be enough for now,” she assured him, reaching out one ruby-nailed hand to stroke at his sweat-slicked cheek. “I believe you have learned your lesson, and understand the extent of my powers far better than you once did. Nevertheless...” and here she smiled in faux pity, and the shogun's body burned with anger, “Hataku, do you remember that seat that I promised you on my right hand? The seat that I said I would grant you once we had won this battle? I don't believe I shall be giving you that privilege, now. Such gifts, it seems, only succeed in expanding your ego, and that is something I can never accept. I believe your power as shogun is sufficient, don't you agree?"
Hataku's brown eyes widened, and for a brief moment his voice read nothing but shocked hurt and betrayal. "My Lady, I thought—" the prison guard snapped his whip meaningfully. The shogun bit his lip and lowered his eyes. "As you wish."
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"Damn that woman," Hataku growled. "I've clawed my way up from the lowest of ranks, protected her for years, performed even the most gruesome of her orders... I have shown that woman nothing but loyalty, nothing...! Yet what is my reward for my hard work?" His teeth clenched as the doctor poured alcohol across his wounds. "I'm nothing but a servant to her, not even worthy of a rank beside those children! Those children who've done nothing in battle, nothing to prove their worth—"
"My, Shogun-sama, I didn't realize how fiercely that prison guard beat you," a female voice remarked behind him. Her flippant tone lowered to a dangerous growl. "Not only is your back an absolute disaster, but you seem to have lost the ability to keep your thoughts to yourself as well."
Hataku sat up, ignoring the pain that raced from his neck to his hips as he rotated his body to face the newcomer. His eyes trailed across the Lady Setsuka, as well as the two elements - Kaze and Tsuki - who flanked her. Though the burning hatred was easy to read in his sharp eyes and clipped speech, the shogun's manner spoke more of fear than rebellion, and more of misery than even fear. "Setsuka-sama."
"You should be honored to serve such noble children as my Elements," Setsuka reprimanded. "Though, I do understand your complaint. Perhaps it is time we allow some of them a taste of battle."
"Indeed?"
Setsuka's tone almost overflowed with contempt. "Though you and your men have been too busy licking your wounds to post guards, I have been vigilant. A small group of Konan Warriors are returning from a journey, and we can't just let them ride by without a hitch, don't you agree?"
"My Lady, my men are tired. If there is a seishi with them—"
"There is," she said.
Hataku frowned. "I couldn't possible send them to their deaths, not when they haven't a chance of survival. It would go against everything I—"
"Perhaps you misunderstood me, Shogun-sama," Setsuka snapped. "This isn't a matter of choice: it's a direct order. You will send out a score of soldiers to deal with these warriors. And the person to lead that operation will be someone I know I can trust."
Kaze stepped forward, flashing a toothy smile. Hataku jumped to his feet, spluttering in almost speechless anger. "That boy will—" the sound of a whip cracked in the back of his mind, and the shogun screeched to a halt. He gritted his teeth and bowed his head. "As you wish, my Lady."
Hataku wrapped his cloak around his body and stormed out of the tent. A few moments later they could hear the sound of the shogun barking orders to a group of soldiers, who yelped hasty “Hai, Shogun-sama!”s before presumably scrambling off to grab their weapons and armor.
Kaze grinned and clenched his fist. "Yoshi! About time I get t'see a battle!" He glanced at Tsuki, his excited grin turning into a cocky smirk. "Looks like you an' that brother of yours ain't gonna taste first blood after all, huh?"
"Kaze, calm down," Setsuka murmured somewhat impatiently. "Your orders have been given. You won't be there to fight - only to see the power of a seishi in person. Is that understood?" Kaze stared at the ground and grumbled something unintelligible. Quick as a flash Setsuka's hand flew out and grabbed at his chin, forcing him to look at her. "Kaze, my dear boy, my orders will be followed, correct?"
The battle-hungry Element's golden eyes met her sharp silver ones. As soon as the command left her mouth, Kaze knew he'd have no choice but to watch from the sidelines. His rebellious side battled hard with his almost unnatural desire to obey his mistress, but only for the tiniest of moments. "Hai, my Lady."
---
Koji's hazel gaze darted back and forth across the path, peering carefully into the surrounding foliage. "I don't like th' feel of this place. Somethin' ain't right."
Houki nodded. "We are only a few hours away from the palace, which means we must be near the Takkan Army. Your feelings of danger are probably from there."
The bandit shook his head and bit his lip, frowning hard. "Nah, it's somethin' closer'n that." He slipped a throwing knife out of his shirt and fingered it uneasily. "Like an ambush'r somethin'."
Ritsuka, no worse for her alcoholic binge the other night, laughed and waved a hand as if to brush away Koji's paranoia. "We didn't have any trouble with Takkan on the way here, and yesterday's ride was totally peaceful."
"Prob'ly all the enemies were scared off by you groanin' about your hangover," Tasuki remarked with a chuckle.
Koji's frown deepened. "Oi, I'm bein' serious! C'mon Genrou, yer a seishi an' a bandit. Doncha sense anythin' at all?"
Tasuki sniffed the air and scowled. "Yuck. I kinda sense rain, an' I hate gettin' wet. We should get t'the palace as soon as pos—"
The soft sound of a bowstring thrummed in the nearby trees. Koji's head whirled around and he shouted in alarm, but his warning came too late: three arrows whizzed through the clearing, one flying past Houki's shoulder and missing her neck by a hairsbreadth. The Empress threw herself across her horse's back, trembling and gasping for breath. "My gods, where in the world did that come from!"
Koji flung his throwing knife into the woods, rewarded by a gurgling scream. "Stay down Highness! I knew this was some kinda trap!"
Ritsuka unsheathed her sword. "Hey Shichiseishi, why didn't you sense this?"
"I ain't Chichiri, I don't do the life force thing!" Tasuki shot back. "Listen, you can gimme a hard time later, all right?" He pointed his tessen at the bushes. "C'mon, we know yer there! Show yerselves!"
The Takkan soldiers took heart at the sight of the tiny group of travelers, and, despite Kaze's orders for them to stay hidden and work as snipers, the warriors leapt from their hiding places and rushed their Konan enemies.
Koji's eyes passed coolly over the charging soldiers. "About twenty. I'm a little disappointed.” The bandit leader unsheathed his daggers and jumped from his horse's back; he didn't even bother to glance over his shoulder as he ordered, “Genrou, you take th' left, Ritsuka take th' center, an' I'll go fer th' boys on th' right."
"Yer word is my command!” Tasuki agreed, slipping his tessen from its sling and turning to face his set of enemies. The seishi risked a quick look at the frightened Empress. “Highness, stay behind me, all right? I don't wanna risk you gettin' hurt again." Houki nodded and angled her horse behind Tasuki, careful to keep her body low and as far away from enemy arrows as possible. She braced herself as the Takkan soldiers collided with her three fellow warriors, sending a quick prayer to the gods that they would be safe.
As it turned out, Houki had little to worry about. The trio handled their opponents with skill and surprising ease, and despite their uneven numbers soon had the Takkan soldiers scrambling to escape - not that such an option would be allowed to the men who threatened their country.
Ritsuka, for her part, tallied up a relatively small body count. With her sword in one hand and her reins grasped in the other, she kicked her mare into a trot and - partly due to strategy and partly due to her complete lack of control of the animal - all but plowed down the attacking Takkan soldiers. Her sword struck out at a few open heads, but most of the men scrambled out of the barreling animal's way and ducked to the left or right, deciding that a warrior on foot would make for a much better target.
They had a difficult time finding an easier opponent. The ones who skittered to the left ran straight into a wall of fire, and those who took their chances with the bandit leader met their deaths at the ends of two merciless daggers.
Koji ducked low and sliced upwards, tearing a gash down a young soldier's abdomen before spinning on his heel and skewering another man straight through the neck. He took a step back and pulled, loosing both blades from their fleshy sheaths, and whirled on another Takkan soldier, whose roar of battle lust quickly turned into a shriek of fear as both daggers ripped through him; one into his shoulder and the other into his thigh. The bandit leader chuckled at the terrified man and jerked his weapons out, shoving the injured soldier to the ground and whirling to find another opponent. "What's-a matter?” he taunted, daggers flashing in the afternoon sunlight. “Y'thought 'cause I ain't a seishi or from another world that I'd be a pushover? Well how's this fer pushover, eh? Ha, that makes you number eight! Who wants t'be death number nine!? How 'bout you, yer a big enough guy t'count fer two, heheh! What, runnin' away? Too bad, y'already been nominated!"
A throwing knife zipped through the air at the “nominated” man, who fell with hardly a sound. Houki turned her face from the bloody battle, but couldn't help admiring the bandit's skill. "Koji is a formidable fighter," she remarked to Tasuki.
"REKKA SHIN'EN!" Tasuki shouted, frying another pair of soldiers. He glanced over his shoulder and threw the Empress a wink. "Fearless, tough an' deadly! What else'd ya expect from a Reikaku bandit?"
Ritsuka's sword took a soldier through the middle. She pulled the blade out, nearly falling off her horse as she did, and glanced around the clearing. "Huh, we finished that lot off quickly."
Tasuki followed her gaze and blinked, surprised to find the path littered with bodies but not a single standing soldier. His eyes trailed to the pile of burnt corpses nearby. The seishi blushed. "Guess we got a little carried away... coulda at least let a few escape'r somethin'..."
Koji wiped his twin blades on the grass. "Only good enemy's a dead one, even if they are only some clumsy foot soldiers. How many'd you get, Genrou?"
"Ten. You?"
"Damn," Koji sheathed his weapons. "Only nine." He grinned. "Bet I'll beat ya next time."
"Maybe in yer dreams," Tasuki teased.
"First one t'one hundred startin' with that last group?"
"How 'bout 'till the end of the war? Loser has t'buy the other first-class sake?"
"Deal!"
Houki blinked, wide-eyed. "Pardon me for saying, but that is a very twisted competition. Do you not agree, Ritsu..."
The chibi redhead popped up between the two bandit friends. "Ha! I got five! And I'm gonna beat you both!"
Koji raised an eyebrow at the college woman, but couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. "Oh yeah? An' how ya figure that?"
"'Cause I get two points every time I do this!" Ritsuka bopped Tasuki over the head with her sword hilt. "And, every time I call him Tasuki-chan and he says—"
"DON'T CALL ME THAT!"
"—I get another two points. See, that's nine already."
Koji swore. "She's got us there, Genrou."
Tasuki muttered something rude under his breath and began to shove his tessen back into its sling, but before he'd sheathed it halfway his head jerked up, eyes falling on the nearby western ridge. Koji's hazel gaze followed his friend's, eyes narrowing as a tall, lanky figure emerged from within the shrubbery. The four warriors squinted against the sunlight flooding over the silhouette's shoulders, but couldn't identify any true details to the newcomer - they were just barely able to make out a thin, cocky smirk on his face as the stranger brought up his hands and clapped appreciatively. "Nice work, Konan scum. You made short work-a those soldiers. 'Course, they were just yer average rabble-a men, nothin' special. Still, it made fer an awfully nice bit-a entertainment, `specially th' light show of ol' flame-boy over there."
"Who the hell're you?" Tasuki demanded, one hand still gripped around his tessen.
The figure fingered something at his waist. "Th' name's Kaze. And, hm...” his soft laughter echoed down the hill. “Well, I guess ya could call me yer real enemy. Maybe you've heard of a little group called th' Elements?"
"Yer one-a them!" Koji cried.
The Element called Kaze chuckled again. "Nice deduction. Bet ya even know what two plus two is, na?"
"Listen, punk, we don't have time t'trade insults!" Tasuki retorted. "You gonna fight us here, or wait t'die later?"
"Big words that I'd love t'test." Kaze sighed, almost like a child whose favorite game had been spoiled. "Sorry flame-boy, but I got my orders. I'll have t'kill ya later. In the meantime..." he snatched something from his cloak; Ritsuka rushed to draw her sword, but stopped as the Element held his “something” up to the light, revealing nothing but a tiny pellet rolling between his thumb and forefinger. The redhead raised an eyebrow and hesitated, giving him just enough time to put his plan into action. "Here's somethin' t'remember me by!"
The stranger tossed the pellet into the air, pointing his index finger at it. He muttered a strange, guttural spell under his breath and a spark of white ki shot from his finger and slammed into the round ball. The pellet spun twice through the air, sparkled with power, then exploded in midair. A shower of thick, gassy smoke filled the clearing, nearly choking the four Konan Warriors.
"Stupid brat... Get back here!" Tasuki bellowed, slapping a hand across his mouth to avoid the stifling fumes. He snatched his fan from its sling; aiming for where he assumed the stranger had gone. "REKKA-"
Ritsuka caught his arm just in time. "Baka! There's gas in the air! What do you think happens when you add fire to the mixture?"
Tasuki grimaced at the mental picture of him and the others blown sky-high, fried Cajun-style. "Oh, right."
The young woman sighed. “Baka.” She glanced down, realizing that she still had a hold on the bandit's arm. She dropped it like it was on fire and reached for her mouth, fighting back a harsh coughing fit. "Besides, you can't see anything through this. By now he's probably long gone, and once the smoke clears we won't have a chance of finding him. Huh, you'd have to be a first-class sprinter to catch him now."
A grin slowly spread across Tasuki's face. He turned, squinting through the haze to where his bandit comrade stood. "Oi! Koji! Keep an eye on th' ladies! I got an Element t'roast!"
Koji rubbed at a watering eye. "Uh, okay...” he sneezed; when he opened his eyes, his friend was gone. “Gen... rou..."
Ritsuka blinked. "First-class sprinter indeed. Where'd he go?"
---
Kaze raced through the forest as fast as his legs would carry him. He wasn't particularly worried about the Konan Warriors tailing him - the smoke would take at least a few minutes to clear, and by then he would have arrived at he and Tsuki's meeting place and be long gone. Besides, Kaze - no doubt due to his “Wind” Element - possessed a natural quickness. He had yet to meet a person who could out-dodge him in a swordfight or out-sprint him in a race. Once he put his skills to use, he didn't expect anyone on the planet to catch him.
There is, however, a difference between quickness and speed. Had Kaze and Tasuki faced one another in battle, Kaze may have had the upper hand when it came to swift movements. But when it came down to a dead sprint, there wasn't a runner on any world who could beat the seishi.
Kaze stumbled over a bush and into a clearing. His chest heaved with every breath, but he couldn't help but smile through it all. "Home free." The Element brought up his index and middle finger to whistle for Tsuki...
And a hand closed around his collar, wrenching him back with a sharp heave. Kaze's breath caught in his throat as the familiar, rough voice of the seishi reached his ears. "All right, playtime's over. Looks like I win—" Tasuki jerked him around to look at his opponent's face and found himself staring into the frightened, rebellious eyes of a boy barely older than Akai. The seishi's mouth almost dropped to the ground. "What? But yer - yer jus' a kid!"
Kaze sneered, attempting to act braver than he felt. His hand fumbled for the pouch of pellets he almost always kept at his belt. If he could get one of the explosives... "That's right, big man, jus' like th' rest of th' Elements. Pretty tough now, ain't ya?" Inwardly, he swore; since he hadn't expected a fight, the boy had decided to leave his pouch at home. His hand groped wildly, desperately searching for the knife he kept at his belt.
Tasuki, eyes wide with disbelief, didn't seem to notice the Element's flailing movements. "Ya mean... ya mean we're fightin' kids?"
"Yeah,” he replied with a shrug. “Why would you care, y'took care-a them soldiers without a backwards glance. So ya gonna do me in or what?" Kaze did his best to snarl at the seishi, though it was all he could do to keep from shouting with joy: his fingers had just curled around the hilt of his knife.
Tasuki's loosened his hold on the boy's collar. He backed away from his young enemy, shaking his head in something of a daze. "No... no. We ain't killin' kids. I won't do it."
Kaze laughed. "Some seishi you are. I knew y'were slime but I never knew ya were stupid too." He took a step back, crouching into a fighter's stance. The Element chuckled dangerously. "Yer really gonna regret this decision, Konan Warrior. I promise ya that. In the meantime, y'can take this as a reminder of yer biggest mistake!" In a movement too quick to follow, Kaze slashed upwards with his weapon, nicking Tasuki just below his left eye.
Tasuki instinctively slammed his hand over his eye, terrified for a brief moment that the Element had actually hit his mark. The seishi took three hasty steps back, smearing the blood away from his cheek and turning to glare at his enemy. “Teeme...!”
Kaze scrambled just out of sword range, glancing up through his bangs at the seishi. A dangerous spark glinted in his golden orbs as he flashed an arrogant smirk. "Too slow, too slow!” He set two fingers to his lips and blew, cutting the air with a piercing whistle. “You shoulda killed me when ya had th' chance, Konan Warrior. Take that cut t'help y'remember th' name Kaze - I promise that it'll bring ya a lotta pain in the future."
Tasuki dove forward to grab at the boy's cloak, but Kaze darted towards the nearby trees and into the arms of his fellow Element. Tasuki caught sight of two pairs of golden eyes, a flash of silver hair, one last tiny smirk - and then the air flickered, and they disappeared.
---
Chichiri sat up in Houki's throne, grunting in surprise. He transformed back into his normal self and placed a worried hand against his cheek.
Akai, who'd been keeping him company, glanced up from a set of scrolls sprawled across the throne's steps. "Something wrong, Chichiri-sama?"
The monk frowned. "Tasuki's hurt no da."
"Tasuki-sama!” Akai leapt to her feet. “What is it? What's wrong, Chichiri-sama? Is it bad? Should we go - is there something we - no one could possibly hurt Tasuki-sama!”
The monk sweatdropped. “Calm down, Akai. I don't think it's serious. However...” he bit his lip and stared into the distance, “something else is bothering him too no da." The seishi touched two fingers to his symbol. "I better see what's going on."
"How can you do that?" Akai asked.
He smiled up at the wide-eyed warrior. "Tasuki and I are pretty much directly connected. Even more so then we were when there were seven seishi, because now the power's more concentrated no da. A few months ago, I figured out that we could communicate through our symbols. As you can see, it really comes in handy no da."
"So you use your symbols like a medium?”
“Pretty much no da.”
"Wow Chichiri-sama...” Akai clasped her hands under her chin and her eyes practically sparkled in admiration. “That is so cool!"
The monk hushed her, concentrating hard as his symbol burned red.
---
Ritsuka, Koji and Houki rode through the forest, following the trail of broken twigs, scattered leaves, and twisted branches that Tasuki had left in his wake. "I never knew he was so fast," the redheaded woman remarked.
Koji tugged on the reins of Tasuki's horse, willing it to follow along behind the trio. "'Course he's fast. Speed is his seishi power after all.”
"It is? I thought the whole 'Rekka Shin'en' thing was his power."
"Nah, that's jus' a Reikaku treasure,” Koji explained. “I mean, he wouldn't be able t'use it if he didn't have a strong life force'n all, but speed is Suzaku's gift." The group rode on in silence for about half a second until suddenly the redhead erupted into a stream of giggles. Koji glanced over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow. "What?"
Ritsuka flashed a crooked smile at the bandit and raised an eyebrow right back. "You mean to tell me Chichiri can change his appearance, build force fields, do that cool ki blast thing, teleport, and Tasuki can... run really fast?"
"Well, yeah."
The redhead nearly fell off her horse laughing. "Oh man he got screwed over!" Koji and Houki sweatdropped. The college girl sat up fast, another thought forming in her mind. "But wait, if the tessen isn't a Suzaku thing..."
"Anyone can use it, providin' they've got a strong will an' know the spell,” Koji finished. “I know how, an' so did every Reikaku leader b'fore Genrou, or at least as far back as anyone c'n remember."
Ritsuka dove across her horse's back and grabbed Koji's hands, eyes sparkling. "So you mean I could use it to fry him? And all I gotta do is grab the fan and say 'Rekka Shin'en'?"
Koji grinned nervously, backing as far away from the eager face as he could without tumbling off his horse. "Well, the spell's a bit longer'n that, but yeah, I guess you c'd use it..."
"There is Tasuki," Houki announced. The Empress, who had ridden just a bit ahead of her companions, nodded towards a nearby clearing and the seishi standing alone on its far edge. "It appears that he did not catch the Element in time."
The trio broke through the forest and rode across the small meadow towards Tasuki, waving their arms and shouting out greetings.
"Oi, Genrou!"
"Tasuki, I am glad to see that you are all right."
"Hey Tasuki-chan, you lose the race or something?"
The seishi glanced back over his shoulder, blinking a couple of times. He shook his head to clear it, reaching up a shaky hand to rub at the cut on his face. "Nah, I... I caught him..."
"Then where is he?" Ritsuka asked, shading her eyes and pretending to scan the clearing. She happened to glance down during her search and noticed the blood streaming unchecked from Tasuki's cheek. The redhead frowned. "Oh, ouch. Guess you lost the fight, huh? Oh well, win some lose some.” Ritsuka hopped down from her saddle and rummaged through her backpack. “I think I got some bandages in here somewhere—”
"I let him go," Tasuki murmured. "I let him get away."
Ritsuka jerked her head out of her bag. Houki's eyes widened. Koji's reins slipped from his fingers. A long, almost unbearable silence filled the tiny clearing, and then everyone seemed to find their voices at once and cried:
"You what? Ch, you can bandage your own damn cut!"
"Tasuki, that was not a wise choice."
"You crazy're somethin'? He's one-a the big enemies, not jus' some dinky soldier! What were ya—!"
"He was just a kid," Tasuki interrupted, turning his numbed golden eyes from one warrior to another. "Not much older than Akai. Fifteen, sixteen at the most.”
“Kids?” Ritsuka echoed weakly.
He nodded, grabbing at the bandages dangling in Ritsuka's hand. “I've seen kids die b'fore, an' if I c'n help it I never wanna see another die again. I couldn't possibly kill one of..." the seishi trailed off and jerked up his head, staring into the space right past Ritsuka's ear as if listening to an imaginary speaker.
"Is something the matter?" Houki asked. She followed the bandit's blank gaze, half-expecting another Element to sail from the trees.
"Chichiri's tryin' t'talk t'me," Tasuki explained. He rolled up his sleeve and set two fingers against his symbol, closing his eyes and feeling in the darkness for that familiar life force. `Chichiri?'
`Is everything all right no da? What happened?'
'I caught one-a theElements.'
'You did?' The monk's aura pulsed with pride and excitement. `Great job no da!'
`I let him go.'
Tasuki could almost picture Chichiri's eyebrows shooting to the top of his head. `Youdidwhat?Why?'
'He's a kid, Chichiri, an' from what he said allthe Elements are. I couldn't do it -kill him, I mean. How can I... how c'n any of us fight kids?'
A thoughtful pause filled the void between the seishi. 'Kids, no da?' Chichiri finally murmured.
`Mm. In their mid-teens at th' very most.'
The bandit felt more than heard his friend's tired sigh. `Gods above... what arewe going todo no da?'
`T'be honest, I really don't wanna worry about it right now. Huh, matter-a fact I wouldn't mind gettin' my hands on the little brat. Got me with hisknife, and after I went and let him go, too.'
'Are you hurt badlyna no da?'
'Nah, just kinda botheredby the whole thing. A little pissed off at myself fer bein' soft on him, too. He might be a kid, but he's still ourenemy.'
'Don't beat yourself up about it. I would have done the same thing. It provesthat we're human no da.'
'Guess so.' A raindrop splashed against Tasuki's face, nearly disrupting his connection. 'Ah dammit, it'sstartin' to rain. Just what I didn't need. We're only a few hours from the palace, but if the rain gets bad we might stop. Y'know how much I hate gettin' wet...' Thunder rumbled in the distance as the sky erupted, pelting Tasuki and his companions with fat, violent water droplets. `Kuso!We're takin' a break 'Chiri! Son of a - ah,cold, rightdown my back! Gotta set camp - ach,that's FREEZING! Jaane!'
He leapt about in the chilly rain, attempting to keep dry under a tree branch and failing miserably. Chichiri must have sensed his friend's predicament, because he sent a burst of laughter through the bandit's symbol - though Tasuki couldn't possibly see anything funny about getting drenched to this stuff. 'Jaa, no d—'
The bandit snapped the connection, lifting his fingers from his arm and bolting for the trees. "C'mon you three, let's set up a tent'r somethin'! I hate gettin' wet an' I'm already soaked!” He screeched and jumped about a mile high, diving towards the cover of the forest. “Yeek, that one was right in my eye! Move it already!"
---
Chichiri glanced out the window of the Empress' quarters, watching as the heavy rain continued to pour down on Konan and the surrounding area. He could feel Akai's eyes practically boring a hole into his back. The monk sighed and turned to face her, waving a reassuring hand in her direction. “Tasuki is fine no da. He ran into an Element on the way here—”
“He WHAT?”
“—But he got away no da.”
“He got away?” Akai cried, leaping over the piles of scrolls and grabbing Chichiri by the collar. “No one ever escapes from a seishi! Did he use a dirty trick? Is Tasuki-sama really okay? Please don't lie to me, Chichiri-sama, I can handle the bad news!”
The monk sweatdropped. “Tasuki's really okay no da. And the Element, well... things are a bit more complicated than we thought. It turns out our enemies aren't much older than you are.”
“So what's the problem?”
“There isn't one for you,” Chichiri assured her. “But for us... it's bad enough having to fight people who know what they're doing no da. Children don't always have the luxury of understanding what they're fighting for, and why they're fighting for it.”
The warrior frowned and released her comrade's collar. “Age is a poor excuse. I know exactly why I'm doing this.”
“And why is that, Akai-chan?”
“Because it's my duty to Konan, of course.”
Chichiri shook his head and decided to let the matter drop. He turned his eye back to the open window, reaching out a hand to let the fat drops splash across his palm. "Tasuki and the others are nearby no da," he remarked. "Once the rain clears up you, Kiori, and I should wait for them by the south gate..." his mind turned elsewhere. “Hey Akai, where is Kiori no da? I haven't seen her in a while."
The warrior girl shrugged, joining him at the window. "Now that you mention it, I've barely seen her at all since the others left, and when I do she's been sorta distant to me - to everyone, really. Do you think something's wrong?"
"I'm not sure, but I know what you mean no da. She has been unusually quiet no da." Chichiri closed his eye and reached out for Kiori's life force. He found it near the east edge of the pond, troubled and sitting beneath the drooping branches of the palace's giant willow. He opened his eye, frowning. "She's outside no da."
"In this mess?" Akai trotted over to the throne room's door and peered out into the sheets of water. "She's either soaked through or she will be pretty soon. Even if she found some shelter under a tree, leaves can't hold off this much water for very long." She paused. "Chichiri-sama, you should go get her."
The chibi monk blinked. "Me?" He followed Akai's gaze towards the steady downpour and winced: the rain was coming down so hard that a stream had already formed on the narrow palace walkway. "Daaa..."
"Well, Chichiri-sama, your hat will keep you dry," Akai reasoned. "And you already know where she is. I'd be walking around for ages trying to find her."
He heaved a sigh at her flawless logic. "I guess that's true no da."
A few minutes later Chichiri was splashing through the growing puddles, attempting to peer through the sheet of rain that fell from the sky and off the edge of his hat. He shivered despite the warmth of his robe, jumping as a particularly large drop dripped off the back of his kasa and into his shirt. Chichiri sighed, flicking the bottom of the headgear and sending the water flying. "It's times like these that I wish Suzaku hadn't been quite so generous with his gifts no da."
Suzaku's gifts did prove to be quite handy, however, as it took him less than five minutes to locate the young college woman. She had her back up against the willow and her knees curled to her chest, watching as the rain created ripples across the clear pond. Despite his and Akai's fears, she seemed relatively dry save for a few splashes of water across her face, or... or were those tears? Chichiri's eyebrows shot up and he pulled to an abrupt halt. He stood stock still for a long moment, feeling incredibly uncomfortable and wondering what to do. Should he leave the girl to her thoughts, or offer up a listening ear? He didn't want to pry, but he didn't want her to suffer either...
Not surprisingly, his caring side won out in the end. "What're you doing out here no da?"
Kiori jumped a little, glanced over her shoulder - no mistaking it now, those had definitely been tears - then whirled back around and scrubbed a sleeve hurriedly across her eyes. When she turned again, the water stains were gone and her usual sad smile was back in place. "Oh, hello Chichiri. I was just, um... you get sent on Kiori-fetching missions a lot, don't you?"
He laughed and nodded. Chichiri stepped under the canopy of willow leaves and gestured towards the rain. "You'll catch a cold if you aren't careful no da."
As the monk drew nearer, Kiori's reddened eyes became even more apparent. She seemed to notice his concerned look and jerked her head away, staring out towards the water and babbling in a desperate attempt to hide her troubles. "Actually, being out in the rain isn't what makes you sick. That's a pretty popular myth, even back in my world, but it's completely unfounded on any real evidence. I learned that in Biology, my freshman year. Okita-san used to always complain about how the rain made him sick, so Takanawa-sensei gave us this huge lecture about old wives' tales and how the rain didn't give you diseases, it just lowered your immunity to germs and, um... well... ah-heh-heh...” she trailed off in a nervous giggle.
He smiled, but there was a hint of sorrow in his words. "You sound just like a friend I had. He was a genius, and never hesitated to let us in on some of that new information no da."
"A friend you `had'?" Kiori asked. "One of the seishi, right?" He nodded. Kiori frowned. "You miss them a lot, don't you?"
Instead of pity, Chichiri thought he caught a note of understanding in her voice. "How couldn't I miss them no da? They were like family - closer even than that, maybe."
"Like family," she repeated quietly, thoughtfully. The college girl was silent for a moment, as if debating her next words. Finally, she said: "Chichiri, have you ever, you know, blamed yourself for their deaths? I don't mean to pry but I, um..." she trailed off again, staring hard into the pond waters.
"Blamed myself for the seishi's deaths?" Chichiri's mask covered the sad frown that had snuck across his features. "No,” he said after a long moment, “not for their deaths. I... wondered, for a while, what I could have done differently to save them, but I never blamed myself. Why do you ask? No da?" The "no da" came almost like an afterthought.
Kiori forced another smile. "No reason I guess." A fat drop of water slid off one of the overhanging leaves and hit Kiori in the eye. She wiped at the water, blinking unhappily.
"Something bothering you na no da?" Chichiri asked, handing her his kasa to wear. "If you want to talk abou—”
“What have you and Akai been up to all day?” Kiori interrupted, ignoring the offered hat and pasting on the fakest smile she had ever worn. “Those magistrates haven't been bothering you with the war again, have they?”
“Not today,” he answered slowly, a bit surprised by the sudden change in topic. “Akai was pretty snappy with them yesterday - said `Her Majesty' wasn't feeling well at all, and the last thing she needed was to get sick at this crucial time. The two of us have been camped out in the throne room, looking over some scrolls for some clues about the Elements. What have you been do—?”
“Clues? Like what? I always loved detective novels.”
“Daa...” Chichiri sighed and decided not to push her for the moment. “Well, the way I see it, these Elements have to get their power from something no da. The seishi draw their strength from the gods, the monks and shrine maidens draw their powers from the earth - and of course we all draw power from ourselves, as well - so it stands to reason that the Elements must have been blessed from something.”
“Any ideas what that `something' might be?”
“Very few, since we don't know what the `Elements' are exactly. I'd guess from the rhyme that it refers to the elements of our world - water, fire, and the like - but that doesn't give us many clues either no da. Judging from the legends and religious texts that we've found, Akai and I have narrowed it down to a few sources.” Chichiri held up three fingers and ticked them off one at a time. “First, the Heavens. The gods have their seishi, but some myths speak of a Creator that molded even the four gods no da. The problem with this theory is that, if the Creator did have disciples, why would they attack Konan? It would make more sense for someone so powerful to go after more than just one simple nation no da. Second, the Underworld. Enma-sama rules the world after death, so he has ample power to spend on `seishi' of his own. However, every history I've ever read says that Enma-sama has absolutely nothing to do with our world, short of lending his demons out to those who make bargains no da. He's much more concerned with us once we've died. And third and most likely,” Chichiri sweatdropped, “the `unknown entity' no da.”
Kiori mirrored his sweatdrop. “That's our likeliest option?”
“There are too many `lesser gods' that cultures have worshipped over the years. It's impossible to narrow it down to one specific source. Besides, most of those gods proved false to their people no da.” He shrugged. “Once I know more about the Elements, I might be able to piece together some half-forgotten myth. Until then...”
“Would you like some help?” Kiori interrupted. “I mean, when the time comes? I haven't done much since I arrived and I know you've been insanely busy, so if there's anything I can do to help I'd be more than happy to give you a hand.”
She smiled at him then, and though it wasn't quite real it was the closest thing to a real one that he'd seen all afternoon. Chichiri stared at her for a moment, blinking, surprised by her sudden concern for him and equally surprised by his sudden concern for her. He returned the smile and slipped his kasa onto her head, patting it firmly into place. “Don't worry about helping me until you've taken care of yourself no da. Once you're feeling better, I'll be more than happy to accept the help. If nothing else, I'd enjoy the company no da.”
Kiori blushed and turned her eyes to her feet, though she wasn't sure why. “A... arigatou.”
“There is something bothering you, right Kiori? I don't want you to feel like you have to hide things from me no da. We're friends, after all, so if you want to talk...” he left the ending open, watching her hopefully, his eyes and mouth curled upwards into that forever helpful smile.
Kiori tugged the kasa further down around her ears, sighing. 'If there's anyone here I can talk to - and I shouldtalk to someone - it's Chichiri,' one side of her argued. She opened her mouth to speak, but stopped, because another part of her chided, 'Do you want to see him lookat you in sympathy for the rest of your time here? Spare him the sob story, the last thing you need is to rehash the damn thing.'
She shook her head and braced herself for the inevitable prying. "No, I don't really want to talk."
The monk shrugged. "If that's the way you feel, that's all right no da."
Kiori's eyes jerked back up to him again, and she felt her face flush once more. Maybe she really was catching a cold, she thought with a sigh. She managed to flash Chichiri a brief, warm smile. "That's one thing I love about you, Chichiri: you really understand the need for privacy." She stood up. "Ritsuka's my best friend and all, but she wouldn't know the meaning of the word `secrecy' if it slapped her in the face."
Chichiri stood as well, nearly slipping on the wet tree roots. Kiori offered him a hand, which he took gratefully. The monk rubbed the back of his head as he stepped onto the firmer - if not soggy - earth. "Tasuki's a little like that too no da. But, if you ever do need someone..."
"Let's go inside," she suggested, once more desperate to change the subject. She started to take off the kasa. "Here. You'll need this back unless you wanna get soaked—"
"You hang onto it no da," he said with a grin. "Wouldn't want to catch a cold, right?"
Kiori shook her head in mock severity and flashed him a teasing grin. “Now Chichiri-san, must I go over this with you again...?"
---
By the time the four Konan travelers had set up their makeshift tent - it was little more than an animal hide stretched and pinned over a tree branch - the rain was pounding down harder than ever and all were completely soaked.
Ritsuka grabbed her braid of hair, unwinding the thick strands and ringing them out one at a time, neatly soaking Tasuki in the process. She shoved them back up into a long, wrinkled ponytail, grumbling about the tangles and watching as Koji and Tasuki tried unsuccessfully to shove their wet bangs out of their eyes. Houki, somehow, seemed as drenched as the others yet in perfect condition, as usual.
Tasuki slipped out of his jacket, wringing out the water and ignoring Ritsuka's dry comment about how this was no time for a striptease. "Damn, two hours from Konan an' we get caught in this. Well, we been makin' such good time I shoulda expected it."
Koji shivered, shaking his head much like a dog might and accidentally splashing Ritsuka. "Oi Genrou, get a fire started will ya? I'm wet 'n' cold an' that's th' worst combination."
Tasuki pulled out his fan and whispered a quiet Rekka Shin'en. As the small flames sprang to life, a light bulb clicked on inside Ritsuka's head. The college girl practically leapt across the small enclosure and grabbed Tasuki's arm. "Tasuki-chan, teach me how to use your tessen!"
The enthusiastic question caught the seishi completely off-guard. He jumped, almost dropping his fan. "Wha?"
"Koji said almost anyone could use it if they know how, and I really wanna know how! Onegai (Please)?"
"No," Tasuki snapped. "I can't just teach th' spell to anyone..."
"Well I'm not just anyone! I'm Ritsuka, your adorable Konan ally, and the girl who whipped your butt in kendo." She grabbed his arm and rubbed her face against his shoulder like a cat. "Please please pretty pleeeeeease!"
"No way! If you knew it you'd just use it t'torture me!" Ritsuka tried to wrestle the tessen out of his hand, but Tasuki kept a tight grip on the handle. "Red! Give it up, will ya!"
The chibi Ritsuka latched onto his arm with her teeth, pointing accusingly at him. "Shtop beink difficulk an' teash me alreadgy Tashuki-chan."
Tasuki whacked her over the head. "No, no, no! Leggo ya little brat!"
A fist connected solidly with the back of Tasuki's head. The bandit yelped and whirled, staring up into the darkened face of his bandit companion. Koji scowled. "Ya don't hit girls, ahou!"
"But she—"
"No excuses."
"She started it," Tasuki grumbled, glaring down at the ground dejectedly.
Houki smothered a laugh into her sleeve, but Ritsuka didn't seem to find the situation quite as amusing. She sulked quietly by the fire as Koji took a seat next to her. The young woman watched him for a long moment, then grinned as a new idea settled into her mind. She leaned over next to Koji, making little circles on his arm with her index finger and smiling her most innocent of smiles. "Koji-chan..."
The bandit leader blinked, watching her with wide eyes. "Uh, yeah?"
"Koji-chan," Ritsuka repeated sweetly. "Do you suppose a big, strong bandit like you could teach a little girl like me how to use the scary metal fan?"
Koji blushed, poking his index fingers together. "Well, er, I really ain't supposed ta..."
"Oh pleeeeeease Koji-chan? Tasuki-chan's such a meanie, but you're a lot nicer and a lot cuter.” She leaned over until she was almost in his lap, her head resting lightly against his shoulder and her blue eyes staring up into his pleadingly. “Pretty please with strawberries on top, Ko-ji-cha-n?"
Koji grinned, embarrassed at the showering of compliments. "Aw, what th' hell, I s'pose it wouldn't hurt—"
Tasuki snuck up behind his friend and walloped him across the head. "Ya don't let girls seduce ya!” He snorted and looked away. “She ain't even that cute."
"But she—"
"No excuses!"
"I'm only human," Koji grumbled, glaring down at the ground dejectedly.
Houki attempted to hold in her giggles once more, but couldn't quite manage it this time. She burst into almost helpless chuckles, laughing even harder at the looks of indignation on her three friends' faces. "Oh goodness, I honestly do not think Suzaku could have granted me a more amusing group of companions!"
---
Hataku sat at the front of his tent, sipping a small glass of sake and watching as the rain created a curtain of water across the entrance flap. He ran a hand pensively across the small, cross-shaped scar on his left cheek, the only thing to mar is otherwise attractive features, and reminisced on the rough battles of his youth. Battles that had seemed so important at the time, when he had fought for her Ladyship and for nothing else, but his innocence had dissolved long ago, and injuries earned out of loyalty seemed futile and frivolous at this point. His back ached dully, a powerful reminder of the new way of things, though he barely noticed the pain. His thoughts boiled with anger, and all that anger was directed at his Lady.
"Twenty-five more dead, and all because she wanted to provide her Element with some entertainment," he muttered aloud. He had found that it was the best way to collect his thoughts, even though Setsuka had a nasty tendency of walking in during his musings. "The men think I'm acting like a fool, they're practically on the verge of a mutiny, but they don't understand that this was her doing. Not that they would care anyway..." He set his cup down on a nearby table, eyes burning with a deep, inner disgust and something that almost looked like pain. "Everything she does, all to hurt me. But why? What have I ever done to…?” he paused, placing his chin in his hands and stroking at the healing whiplash under his eye. “She sees me as a threat, she must. I'm not some uneducated soldier, nor an easily manipulated child."
He stared hard at the sheet of rain outside his tent, almost as if he were staring into the distant past, or perhaps the near future. He actually smiled, though the look held no joy. "Well, my Lady, if you want a battle from me, then it would be rude for me to deny you the opportunity. But you ought to keep in mind, Setsuka-sama, that I've won far too many to be taken lightly.” He unsheathed his sword and stood. “Whatever relationship we may have had is forgotten after today, and I swear on my sword and this once-proud nation that I will find my way back to that seat at your right side... or perhaps, someday... you, my Lady, might even be the one bowing to me." He nodded, pleased with his oath, but found it hard to enjoy the idea of supreme Takkan rule. He sat down with a sigh, frowning at a memory in the distance. “But is overthrowing Setsuka really what I want...?”
"Um, Hataku-sama?" a child's voice whispered behind him.
Hataku whirled in his seat and found himself staring at the Element girl, Mizu. She stood at the far side of his tent with a bag looped over one shoulder. "What in the—?” he scowled, peering into the shadows suspiciously. “I suppose that boy Tsuki brought you here?"
She shook her head and managed a shy smile. "No, I came here myself. Tsuki isn't the only one who knows that easy trick!"
He stood and offered her a short bow, wondering how anyone could consider teleportation an “easy trick.” She returned his bow with an even lower one, much to his pleasant surprise, but the shogun decided not to waste any more time on formalities. He sat back down, glaring at her through his short bangs. "Come to torture more of my men?" he growled across the tent.
"Iie," she smiled a bit sympathetically, holding up the bag. "Tsuchi made a special salve that can be used on...” her mouth formed the words `whip lashes,' but she merely said, “on cuts. He thought you might need some, so I came to deliver it."
Hataku's eyes widened. He had never seen an Element show any kindness towards him - or anyone besides Setsuka, for that matter - yet here were the two youngest offering him some much-welcomed medicine. He grunted and shrugged, suspecting a trap. "You can leave it on the table, if you'd like."
Mizu did as he ordered. "Hataku-sama... I'm sorry about what happened. With your soldiers and all. Setsuka-sama should have warned you."
The shogun rotated in his seat again so his back was to the Element. As genuine as her compassion seemed, he didn't trust any of the children who worked so closely and so obediently for her Ladyship. "A lot of good your pity does me now."
"You're injured, and a little drunk, so I know you don't mean to be grumpy," Mizu said with a tiny smile. "I hope the salve helps you feel better - Tsuchi said it's one of his specialties."
A deep silence fell across the room, broken only by the light patter of rain across the ground and the tent's roof. Finally, grudgingly, Hataku muttered, “Arigatou.”
"You're welcome," Mizu replied. "And please don't worry, Hataku-sama. I know there have been some... troubles, between you and Setsuka-sama, but I think, I think it will all work out all right. Setsuka-sama will trust you again, because you've always been by her side. But you have to trust in her Ladyship, too. Everything she does is for the good of Takkan - for the good of the entire world. It has to be."
One Mizu's crystals began to glow a brilliant sapphire. She smiled and waved at the shogun, even though he couldn't see it, and disappeared as quickly as she had arrived.
Hataku watched the rain continue its descent, pouring from the heavens just as strongly as it had a few minutes ago. He stared at the flooded ground, then up at the crying skies, as if searching out answers in rolling clouds. His mouth flickered into a gentle smile, then a pained frown, until finally it settled on a bitter, humorless smirk. "Everything she does is for the good of Takkan, hm...?"
 
“`The shogunturned from the entrance flap, peering into the deepest shadows of his tent. “Yeah, and I'm the Emperor.”'” Tetsuya glanced at Yui, who had dozed off on his shoulder, and handed the book to Keisuke. "End Chapter Nine."
---
---
Ye Olde Author's Free Chat: October 14, 2005; 1:40 PM
Hao, minna-san!
Aaaand as always, I completely forget about my account on MediaMiner. Sorry, but I'm just not used to it! The only reason I even remembered to update was because MikoMistress01 commented and asked me to update. (Me: “Huh? Update... Oh maaaaaan! That account!”) So, here I am, thanks to the Mistress, and a hundred apologies to those of you who've been waiting for the next installment. I really am trying not to forget, I swear...
This chapter saw a couple of major changes from the original, most notably in the scene between Kiori and Chichiri. I kept meaning to explain the origin of the Elements in the original, and just never got around to it (sweatdrop), so I'm trying to add that in piece by piece in the edit. Also, I extended Hataku's scenes a bit, because I just like him too damn much. ;)
Character Profile - Ikido Ritsuka
Age: 21
Height: 5'0”
Weight: 110 lbs
Birthplace: A suburb near Tokyo, Japan
Birthday: December 15 (Sagittarius)
Blood Type: O
Hair: “Naturally” red (actually black), goes to the middle of her back, short bangs, usually braided
Eyes: “Naturally” blue (actually hazel - Ritsuka enjoys the “foreigner” look)
Likes: Sports, cooking, anime & manga
Dislikes: Losing, snakes
Favorite Food: Pancakes, miso soup
Least Favorite Food: Yakisoba noodles
 
I wanted to create two main females with incredibly distinctive personalities, so Ritsuka is, in essence, the “yen” to Kiori's “yang” (or is it the other way around?). In case you couldn't tell, I adore strong female characters, so I really wanted to bring that out to the extreme in Ritsuka's character. Unlike Kiori, who sprung mostly from my imagination, Ritsuka has quite a bit of Lina (Slayers) and Asuka (Eva) in her. I didn't want her to be a cardboard-cutout of the “angry female” character though, so I mixed in plenty of unique traits as well. She comes off as a bit over-the-top sometimes, but I adore Ritsuka. Colorful characters are incredibly fun to write for, and I just love her interactions with the wide variety of personalities in FY:NC. Like Kiori, I really feel that she matures a lot during the story, and I hope I can portray all of those little changes even better this second time around.
 
These character profiles are way more enjoyable than they should be. Anyway, I really need to run off and get to work editing a new verse of “Rhapsody,” my other FY fic, so I'd better cut this short. Thanks for reading, and I hope you can bear with my spread-out updates and stick around for the rest of the story!
Your Authoress—Dee