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Chapter 1: The Gathering

A red light enveloped the Seishi, like the feathers of a great bird. A warmth surrounded them, pulling them, and Tasuki and Chichiri relaxed, spent from their battle, glad to be returning home. Home to what? Chichiri found himself thinking. A home where the only friend I have left is Tasuki-kun. Home, only a new beginning to my wanderings.

Presently, the light faded, and Chichiri opened his one good eye, expecting to be back in the emperor's palace, looking down at Hotohori-sama's lifeless body. He was not disappointed. He and Tasuki were the only ones left in the chamber, as it had probably been hours in their world, even though the fight with Nakago had taken only minutes in the world of the Mikos. He took one last look at the emperor. Even in death, the bishounen seemed to glow vibrantly. His soft, brown hair framed his feminine face, and was stirred slightly by the breeze floating in through the windows. A flush still caressed his cheeks and a smile curved his lips, and he seemed to be more asleep then dead. Chichiri sighed, and heard it matched by Tasuki. He looked up to meet his friend's eyes.

"I suppose you are going back to your mountain, then no da?" The orange-haired bandit grinned, his fangs peeking out from between his lips.

"What do you think?" He slapped the monk between the shoulderblades. "You can come if you like. It sure beats court, I can tell you."

Chichiri smiled underneath his mask. "I'll think about it no da."

They both jumped as the body on the table let out a deep sigh. "What the fuck!!" cried Tasuki, and he grasped his tessen as the emperor opened his eyes. Hotohori seemed as surprised as they were.

"Hotohori no da! You're alive no da!" Chichiri exclaimed.

The three Seishi stared at each other for a long moment, paralyzed by shock.

"What is going on?" asked Hotohori.

They turned towards the door as shouting erupted in the courtyard.

Nuriko stamped around the courtyard, periodically tossing guards aside like broken sticks. The captain of the guard appeared before him, his hands raised in supplication. "Please, Nuriko-sama, calm down."

"I want to see Hotohori! Bring me to him!"

"That can be arranged, Nuriko-sama, but-"

"BUT WHAT!" The purple-haired bishounen was beside himself. What was going on? He remembered being attacked by some wolf-like creature outside the cave where the Shinzaho was being kept, and dying. Then he remembered fighting Nakago in some strange place where the buildings rose above the ground as tall as mountains - Miaka's world? Then... what? He awoke in Suzaku's temple, having no idea what was going on, but with a certainty that Hotohori was dead. They were all dead. Why wouldn't they let him see them?

He ignored the cringing captain that was trying, stammeringly, to speak to him, and stalked resolutely towards Hotohori's room. If they wouldn't tell him where Hotohori was, Nuriko would find him himself. He'd barely taken two steps, however, before the door to the palace slammed open, and Tasuki, Chichiri, and Hotohori burst out at a run. Chichiri and Tasuki were covered in dust and looked tired, as if they had just come back from a fight, and Hotohori looked... radiant. He was dressed in burial clothes and his hair was down, flowing out behind him as he ran.

"Nuriko!" the three Seishi cried. Nuriko stopped short and felt his heart skip a beat. The anger drained out of him and he swayed in place, suddenly dizzy.

"Hotohori-sama," he said as the other three approached. "I thought you were dead."

Tasuki glared at him. "Well, we SAW you die. What are you doing beating up all the guards?"

Nuriko flushed and looked around at the bruised and broken guards strewn around the courtyard. "Well, uh..."

"I suppose you were a little confused," said Hotohori softly, his voice like music to the purple-haired man.

"Something like that," he admitted gratefully.

"Looks to ME like you went fucking nuts," muttered Tasuki, ignoring Chichiri attempts to elbow him into silence. "Either that or you were scared."

"I was NOT scared." Nuriko glared at the orange-haired bandit. Why wouldn't they just leave him alone? "And I'm not nuts either. Hotohori was right, I was just CONFUSED."

"Yeah, whatev-" Tasuki's comment was interrupted by an uppercut to the chin that sent him flying across the courtyard.

"Perhaps we should all take a moment to calm down no da. We should see if anyone else is here no da, and then try to figure out what's going on na no da."

"Good idea, Chichiri. I think we should all get washed," he looked at Tasuki and Chichiri, "and changed," he glanced down at his own white robes, and at Nuriko, whose shirt was torn and bloody, "and then meet in my chambers to compare notes."

"Hai no da!"

"Good idea, Hotohori-sama!"

"Yeah, ok."

The four Suzaku Seishi turned and went into the palace, leaving the scene of destruction behind.

An hour later, the six Seishi met in the emperor's chamber, having recovered a little more of their dignity. Mitsukake had awoken in a similar state as Hotohori, dressed in burial robes, and lying in a funeral chamber. His body had been recovered from the war zone after his death and transported back to the palace, where he had come back to life. Chiriko had come back to himself curled up behind a pillar in Suzaku's temple, where Nuriko had failed to notice him. Neither he nor Nuriko's bodies had been recovered from where they had died, and no one knew how they had gotten back to Konan.

The only one who hadn't come back was Tamahome.

"I don't see the point of all this fucking talk," fumed Tasuki. "We're not getting anywhere. No one knows how you guys all got here or what happened, so why have we been sitting here for hours?"

"We haven't been sitting here for hours no da."

"Well, at this rate we will!" Tasuki yelled, his hand straying to his tessen. The other Seishi looked at the hot-blooded bandit helplessly.

"Maybe we should ask Suzaku what happened," Chiriko suggested.

Hotohori nodded. "Good idea, that's what we'll do."

The temple of Suzaku seemed somehow emptier than the last time they had been there. Without the Miko or their leader, Tamahome, the balance of the room seemed wrong. Six people, instead of eight, and no one to lead the prayers. Naturally, Chichiri removed his mask, then walked up to the dias and stood facing the great fire in the centre of the room. Everyone bowed their head in prayer and Chichiri took a moment to clear his mind, then he spoke:

"Great Suzaku-sama, hear us, your Seishi. Why have those of us who have passed out of this life been allowed to return no da?"

Chiriko couldn't repress a snicker at the "no da" but it was abruptly cut off as Nuriko elbowed him - gently.

Chichiri turned and glared at him, though a smile played about his lips, then he turned back to the fire. "Onegai, answer our prayers."

They waited, then, deep within the flames, an image began to form. Chichiri looked at it at first with trepidation, but it didn't look like Taitsukun, it was a man, with great red wings on his back. He stared at the monk, his face expressionless. "Suzaku-sama, no da," Chichiri breathed. He heard the gasps of wonder as the other Seishi opened their eyes and beheld the image of their god, gazing at them from the flickering fire. Suzaku spoke:

"I will answer your question. The Miko's final wish was that everything be put back the way it was before. I have decided to take that wish more literally then perhaps," he smiled, "she meant it."

There was a pause, then Chichiri burst out. "Arigatou gozaimasu, Suzaku-sama no da. Arigatou gozaimasu!" There were similar excited outbursts from around the room, then they quieted as the god's gaze swept over them.

"However, this means that I have also returned the Seiyruu Seishi to their former states as well." The god seemed amused by his Seishi's downcast looks. "I will, however, provide you with the means to defeat them again, should you choose to do so."

There was a shimmering in the air and Chichiri raised his hands to grasp a small crystal. "This item will allow you to travel to the place where you will be able to find someone to help you defeat the Seiyruu. That is all the help I can give you in this matter. Use this crystal to take you there, and use it to get you home. The rest is your concern." The image began to fade and seemed to shrink in size as though the god were moving away, but Chichiri cried out.

"Suzaku-sama, where is Tamahome? Why haven't you brought him back too?"

The image of the god solidified slightly, but did not grow in size. "He did not wish to come back. I have placed his soul in the body of a man in the world of the Mikos. He and Miaka will find each other and be happy, as you all will be happy in this world."

The Seishi bowed their heads in understanding as the image of their god left them. A charged quality seemed to go out of the air as the fire shrank and died. Tasuki was the first to break the silence.

"That bastard! I can't believe he would rather be here then helping us out!"

"I can," said Nuriko sadly.

Chiriko scurried over to Chichiri, his eyes bright with curiosity. "What is that thing that Suzaku gave you, Chichiri-san?"

The Seishi gathered around the monk to examine the object. It was a ruby, about the size of Chichiri's hands. Deep within the jewel, energy swirled and flowed, a kaleidoscopic dance of fire. "Sugoi..." Nuriko breathed, then she looked up at the monk. "So, how does it work?"

"I have no idea no da. Maybe I just will it to work..." he trailed off as the ruby glowed brightly in his hands, lighting up the cavernous temple with a crimson glow. It reminded him uncomfortably of the glow he had seen while transporting to the Miko's world.

"What the fuck did you do?!" cried Tasuki.

"I didn't do anything no da!" Chichiri answered as they were swallowed by the light...

|Chapter 1| |Chapter 2| |Chapter 3| |Chapter 4| |Chapter 5| |Chapter 6| |Chapter 7|

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