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Chapter 5 - Regroup
Nuriko, Hotohori, Suboshi, and Amiboshi walked in silence for a while after their encounter with the Seiryuu Seishi. None of them noticed the subtle tricks Tomo used to urge them in the direction he wanted them to go. Buildings were placed so they were obliged to turn away from a chosen path, or an obstacle was placed in their way. Once a fight broke out in a street they had just turned onto, forcing them to go another way. Finally Nuriko broke the silence. "So, Suboshi, Amiboshi, how did you two get here anyway?" he said conversationally. The twins exchanged glances. "I came with Nakago," said Suboshi quietly. "But it felt like I was being pulled to come. I think I could have done it even without him." "That's what I felt as well," Amiboshi said. "I saw a red light all around me and felt this pulling sensation. It was very strong. Even though I had no idea what it meant, I felt as though I had to go. I closed my eyes and let it take me, and when I opened them again, I was here." Suboshi burst out, "Yes, but why are we here?" he turned a fierce glare on the two Suzaku Seishi. "Aniki," Amiboshi tried to calm his suddenly agitated twin. "They're not our enemies anymore. Nakago-sama lied to us, remember?" "Hai, hai, I remember, demo..." he trailed off, staring down at the ground for a moment. Then he looked up. "Gomen nasai, Nuriko-san, Hotohori-sama, old habits die hard, I guess." "Don't worry, Suboshi-kun, we understand," replied Hotohori. "As for your question, the answer is, complicated." He was about to go on when Nuriko turned to him, urgency in his violet eyes. "Hotohori-sama, do you know how to get back to where we were going to meet the others?" Hotohori looked around. "Come to think of it, I have no idea. I thought we were headed in that direction, but I don't recognize any of these buildings." "Neither do I!" exclaimed Nuriko, clutching at Hotohori's arm. "Ooooh Hotohori-sama, what are we going to doooooo?!" "Nuriko, please, calm down," Hotohori said, attempting to extricate himself from the crushing grip of the other Seishi. Failing that, he sighed. "We'll just have to find it. Come on." Hotohori turned down a street that he judged might take them in the general direction he wanted to go and lead them on at a faster pace. Every turn seemed to lead to a dead end, though. What is going on? He wondered. What a strangely planned city.
"I can't lead them in the right direction quickly enough without them suspecting if they keep moving this fast, Nakago-sama!" Tomo exclaimed as the four prisoners broke into a run. "Do your best, Tomo." Nakago responded. They were still a ways away from the isolated site Miboshi had discovered. Slowly, Tomo found ways to compensate and the four Seishi were again being lead in the direction Nakago wanted them to go. Presently, they reached the campsite. Soi was cooking dinner while Miboshi pitched tents - with the help of some summoned monsters, of course. Tomo inserted a particularly confusing snare of streets and the prisoners halted, momentarily at a loss as to where to go. "Now what?" Tomo asked. "Insert me into your illusion. I wish to speak with them again." Nakago ordered. "Uh, hai, Nakago-sama."
The first thing Ashitare felt when he awoke was the smooth, polished wood of a floor against his cheek. The Suzaku! He thought, growling inwardly. He reveled for a moment in the warm spot of hatred growing in his belly. Nakago-sama told it truly, they are our enemy. A moment later he remembered that he was now Nakago's enemy as well. Does that mean I am the Suzaku Seishi's friend? His simple mind tried to get around the complexities, but all he really knew was that his face and wrists were hurting. He turned his attention to that for a moment. He knew why his face was hurting; he remembered the man who had fought him, helping the Suzaku Shichiseishi he had been about to kill. He now noticed that his wrists had been bound together - cunningly too, such that it was not too uncomfortable, yet he would have to break the ropes to get free. He chuckled inwardly, that won't be hard. He began testing the ropes and pulling on them. Just as he felt the fibres beginning to part he was interrupted by the touch of cold steel against his throat. "Yamete de gozaru! Stop pulling at them." Ashitare opened his eye. Standing over him was a man. His blazing red hair tumbled over a face whose violet eyes were so coldly determined they reminded the wolf-man of Nakago. A scar in the shape of a cross twisted his left cheek. The point of his katana was placed squarely against Ashitare's throat. Ashitare growled at his captor. "Who are you?" Then, the man smiled. The smile transformed his face. Suddenly, the red of his hair was friendly, the scar less prominent, and his eyes...Ashitare had never seen eyes like that before, but he wasn't afraid of them. The sword - which Ashitare now saw, to his confusion, was backwards - left his throat, sheathing itself so smoothly that it almost seemed that the man was not the one controlling it. "Sessha wa Himura Kenshin. I'm sorry we had to bind you, it is only to protect those sleeping in this house until you are ready to talk. We mean you no harm, I promise." Ashitare glared at Kenshin but remained silent. Inside, however, his mind was awhirl. Not going to harm him? Talk? Could it be that this man was not allied with the Suzaku? That he had rescued him from the men who had attacked him? The man sat down against the wall of what Ashitare now saw was a dojo. Cross-legged, his sword leaning against his shoulder, he seemed able to stay there for quite some time. When he spoke, his voice was quiet and seemed to breathe understanding and friendship rather than the condescension Ashitare was used to. Despite himself, the wolf-man felt himself falling under its spell. "Tell me when you are ready to talk, Ashitare-dono." Ashitare started sharply despite his best effort to suppress it. Dono? His mind's confusion redoubled. How can he call me that? But he still said nothing. He closed his eye and relaxed against the floor again. In the morning, surely, things would become clear. In the morning someone would tell him what to do. Surely.
Hotohori paused to take in a terrific sight. Five streets branched off before him. All were narrow, crooked, and choked with faceless pedestrians. Nuriko whispered at his shoulder. "We couldn't have come this way, Hotohori-sama. Surely we would have remembered this." "He has no idea where he's going," remarked Suboshi in a surly manner. The emperor was taken aback by his impoliteness, but said nothing. Amiboshi quickly shushed him. "Which way do we go, Heika?" the boy asked. Hotohori shook his head, glancing briefly at the sun as he did so. It was almost set. "There is something very wrong here." "Indeed, that is so," came a deep voice behind them. The four Seishi turned quickly, recognizing the voice instantly. Nakago regarded them with a mocking smile. Suboshi growled at the Shogun. "What the fuck is going on here, Nakago?" "Isn't it obvious?" Hotohori nodded sagely. "Yes. So you have trapped us in an illusion again. I suspected as much." Instantly, Amiboshi began to raise his flute to his lips, but Nakago waved his hand slightly and he froze in place, blue tendrils of ki energy whirling like snakes around his arms. "I-I can't move," he said in despair. "Quite so. I'm not ready to let you leave just yet." Nakago began advancing towards them, intent upon the young musician. "Your magic is powerful, Amiboshi-kun, however you have made the mistake of learning a form which relies on a material object-" his lecture and his advance were suddenly cut short as he nearly ran into Nuriko. He had firmly interposed himself between Nakago and Amiboshi, but Nakago, intent upon what he was saying, and on the traitorous Seiryuu Seishi had not noticed. "His flute is not his only protection," Nuriko declared, his violet eyes flashing. Nakago glanced down at the slightly shorter Seishi with narrowed eyes. They were so close, had Nakago taken another step, they would have collided. Then, Nakago smiled. He learned closer, until their faces were almost touching, tilting his head as if to kiss the other Bishounen. Nuriko's eyes widened, but to his credit, he did not shrink back. Instead of kissing him, however, Nakago spoke. "I did not intent to hurt him, only..." he reached out his hand and caught the flute as it flew from Amiboshi's paralyzed fingers. "...to disarm him." He straightened, releasing Amiboshi from the grip of his magic, and Nuriko from the grip of his eyes. "As I was about to say, he makes himself vulnerable by relying on such...objects. You could never disarm me in such a fashion." "I could always knock you out," Nuriko said fiercely. Nakago smiled. There was a pause, then Hotohori spoke. "What do you want with us, Nakago-san?" he said quietly. "The same thing I wanted when we met in the street earlier: to talk." "I find that difficult to believe. With this in mind you made cruel and undeserved remarks and then imprisoned us?" "But this is not the proper setting for it." Nakago said, ignoring the emperor's words. "Tomo. If you please?" There was a pause, and then the scenery shifted. The crowded streets were replaced by a dining room, the low table filled with sumptuous dishes. Just the sight was enough to make the hungry prisoners' mouths water. The smell made it almost unbearable. "Please, sit. We will talk as we eat." Nakago invited them. "What does it matter, as the food is not real anyway?" Hotohori said. Again, Nakago ignored him, and they sat, not knowing what else to do. No one touched the food, however. "What did you want to talk about, Nakago-san?" Nakago did not answer immediately, but favoured them all with a searching glance that seemed to penetrate down to their souls. Then, he turned the gaze full on Hotohori. "Quite simply, I want to discover what you are doing here, and how it is that we are alive." He leaned forward slightly, his face growing - if it were possible - even colder. "I give you the chance to answer now, without violence. I warn you, however, that the consequences will not be pleasant, either for you or your friends, once I find them, if you do not take this opportunity." Hotohori was unmoved. "Torturing us is not necessary. You are alive because the Suzaku no Miko wished it to be so." Nakago could not suppress his surprise at that. "That cannot be true," he interrupted. "Suzaku no Miko would not have wished such a thing." Hotohori continued. "Shortly after your defeat-" he could not help but put a slight emphasis on the word. Nakago frowned. "-Suzaku no Miko-sama wished that 'everything be put back the way it was'. Suzaku-sama chose to interpret that in this way." "Sou desu ka. And why have you come here, bringing us with you?" "I cannot say why you have come. All those intended to travel to this world were Suzaku Shichiseishi." Hotohori said evasively, carefully not revealing how many of the Seishi had come. Nakago narrowed his eyes impatiently at Hotohori. "But why have you come?" Hotohori was silent for a moment and Nuriko could almost see the conflict within him as the diplomat struggled to find a way to avoid answering the question. Who knows what will happen if they find out that we came only to find a way to defeat the Seiryuu again? Nuriko thought. Finally, Hotohori spoke. "Allow me to ask you a question. Now that you are alive again, what do you intend to do?" "I don't see what bearing that has-" Hotohori's eyes burned. "You attacked us, slaughtering my people for your evil political designs once. Who is to say you won't do it again? I ask you again, what are your intentions?" "I had not had time to consider it before coming here," Nakago returned scornfully. "I expect I shall ascend the throne now." "And will you then carry out your threat to dominate our world?" Nakago smiled cunningly. "Sou desu ka... You came here to find help against us. Interesting." He paused, smirking. "But how will you transport back an army twice the size of Konan country's? For that is how many you'd need just to equal the size of mine, as you well know." "As Suzaku-sama provided us the means to find the help, I'm certain that if it were necessary to transport that many people, that Suzaku-sama has provided the means to do that as well," Hotohori said reverently. "Perhaps, but in any case, you will understand if I cannot let you proceed with your plan. I can tell you that I no longer have any designs on Konan, but I see that you will not believe me." He turned his attention towards the twins. "Amiboshi-kun, Suboshi-kun, you are not Suzaku Seishi. You are one of us. I see that you have been seduced by these people's seeming good will, but do not be fooled. They support you only to prevent you from opposing them, not because they truly consider you to be compatriots of theirs." He took a deep breath, summoning his most sincere expression. "Onegai, say you'll come back to us, and all will be forgiven. I promise, nothing more will be said of what happened in our former lives." He leaned forward again, his eyes intent. "We have been given an opportunity to start over. Do not make the mistakes of these mistrustful Suzaku Shichiseishi. Come back and be Seiryuu Shichiseishi again." After this impassioned speech, there were a few minutes of stunned silence, then Suboshi stood up. His eyes were cold and resolute as he addressed the Shogun. "I will come-" He was interrupted by Amiboshi's whispered cry. "Aniki..." Suboshi shot his older brother a quieting glance. "I will come," he repeated. "Because you are right, we are Seiryuu Seishi. We have the characters that prove it." Nakago smiled triumphantly. "However, that does not mean that I will swear to follow you. I am a Seiryuu Seishi, I am not your flunky anymore." Nakago nodded. "Of course, Suboshi-kun. If you ever felt that I was forcing you to do anything you did not want to do, I apologize. I am used to my station as a leader, and perhaps I have been too forceful in the past. There is certainly no reason why I must be the leader of the Seiryuu Seishi. I don't believe we need one." Suboshi sniffed derisively but didn't argue with him. Nakago looked at Amiboshi. "And you, Amiboshi-kun?" Suboshi took his brother's hand. "Come on, Niisan. We don't have to stay here." Amiboshi looked at Hotohori and Nuriko, and then up at Suboshi. "I don't feel like a Seiryuu Seishi, Aniki." "What does that matter, Niisan?" He tugged on the hand impatiently. "There's still no point in staying here." "He is correct, Amiboshi-kun," Hotohori said softly. "Go on, Amiboshi," urged Nuriko with a smile. "You won't help us by staying here." Amiboshi's frown cleared from his face and he nodded. "Yoshi." He got to his feet and turned to Nakago. "I'm ready to be a Seiryuu Seishi again, however my brother's conditions stand with me, also." Nakago smiled thinly. "I wouldn't think of having it any other way." He stood and moved away from the table, then nodded curtly towards the Suzaku Seishi. "I hope you are comfortable here. Ask if you wish anything and it will be provided." "How about some real food," Nuriko suggested. "In fact, let us out of the illusion completely." Nakago bowed. "Of course. I will have it done as soon as possible. Tomo, release Amiboshi-kun, Suboshi-kun, and I from the illusion." They vanished.
While Amiboshi and Suboshi were still getting their bearings, Nakago turned to Tomo. "Bind them securely, then release them from the illusion." "Nani?" Tomo said incredulously. "You heard me." He turned to Soi as Tomo stammered an acknowledgement. "When dinner is ready, ensure that the Suzaku Seishi get portions." "Hai, Nakago-sama." "Arigatou gozaimashita, Soi-chan," he said. He turned then to Miboshi. "Erect another tent for the prisoners. If they are at least out of sight, it will be more difficult for their friends to rescue them if they locate us." "What are you going to do to them, Nakago-sama?" came Amiboshi's quiet voice. "Nothing. Except to prevent them from contacting the other Seishi and from interfering with us again." He began walking towards one of the tents, but paused at the entranceway, turning again to Miboshi. "Miboshi-san, tomorrow you will go looking for the other Suzaku Shichiseishi. If you find them, try to capture them, but do not kill them, understand? I need them alive." "Hai, Nakago-sama." "And Tomo?" "Hai, Nakago-sama?" "Come speak to me at your convenience." Nakago went into the tent. "Hai, Nakago-sama," Tomo responded to empty air. He shot a heated glare around at the other Seiryuu Seishi, who were all staring at him with expressions ranging from curiosity to pity, then went back to tying up Hotohori and Nuriko. | |
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