Taka jerked out of bed with a start, looking around in surprise. Had he been dreaming? He couldn't remember anything, but... something must have happened, something horrible, somewhere. His hand inched towards the phone by his bedside, when suddenly it began to ring. Taka jumped slightly, then picked it up. "Miaka!?"
"Taka!?" the person on the other line said.
"Oh thank God you're okay," both said simultaneously.
"Huh? Me?" Taka asked. "Why wouldn't I be?"
Miaka's voice had a slight tremor to it. "I... I'm not sure. I just woke up, suddenly, and I had this feeling like someone I loved was in trouble. I immediately thought of you, so..."
"The same thing just happened to me," Taka confided. He paused thoughtfully. "That's too weird, ya know?"
"Say that again?"
"Mm? 'That's too weird, ya know?' What about it?"
Miaka sighed. "Oh, nothing. For a moment, something you said had me thinking what was wrong, but... you don't think anything's happened to Keisuke, or Yui-chan do you?"
Taka shook his head, even though she couldn't see him. "I wouldn't worry too much about it, Miaka. We ate the same thing at dinner tonight," he chuckled a little, "maybe that's what it was."
"Maybe..." she said, sounding unsure. "Sorry to bother you."
"Hey, no problem, I was about to call you myself. Get some sleep, all right? School tomorrow."
"You sound like my Mom," Miaka giggled. "All right. Oyasumi, aishiteru."
"Aishiteru," Taka hung up the phone, staring into the murky blackness of his room and thinking about that line, the line Miaka had said was bothering her. "...Ya know..."

"C'mon Taiyou, you 'n' me, one on one t'the death!"
Mizu and the other Elements heard and saw the challenge through her seeing-crystal. All the Elements were taken aback at the different feelings they possessed. Sora was both surprised at her "cruel" enemies' reactions to the seishi's death and the feeling of- could it be?- sympathy for the grief-stricken Kaji. Kaze frowned, trying to feel like this victory meant something and surprised to find it void of any emotion other than a happiness that Tsuki was gone.
Tsuchi wore a puzzled, sad expression on his face. 'Setsuka-sama told us that our enemies were cruel and evil, and that's why we had to defeat them,' he thought to himself. 'Yet all of them are so emotional about the death of one of theirs, while when Tsuki died, we didn't care at all. So why...?' He shook his head hard. 'I shouldn't be questioning her Ladyship! I have to trust her... but still...'
A single tear ran down Mizu's cheek, spotting the triangle-patterned kesa she wore about her shoulders. "Houjun."
"Mizu-chan, whatever is the matter?" Setsuka, who had recovered from her reaction to Tsuki's death with amazing speed, asked with concern.
The young girl managed to cover the sadness in her voice with a quick lie. "Tsuki... I'm sorry, my Lady, but he was one of us, and..."
Setsuka turned around, misunderstanding the looks on the Elements' faces to mean they felt the same as Mizu said she did. The Lady of Takkan smiled serenely, trying to comfort the teenagers. "The death of a friend-" Kaze tried hard not to snort at the idea, "-is always difficult to handle. Why don't the four of you go to bed, and not worry about all of this? Tsuki did not die in vain; with him goes a powerful, evil enemy. Remember that as you sleep tonight."
The four Elements turned to go, Mizu shutting off her seeing-crystal; she couldn't bear to watch anymore. The young girl dashed out of the room faster than the others, desperately needing a place to cry.
"Poor Mizu-chan," Tsuchi said with a sigh. "She really did take his death hard."
"My Lady, aren't you going to sleep too?" Sora asked, turning to see her mistress still sitting.
"Oh, in a moment, my dear," Setsuka assured her. "I must go to the battlefield now, to retrieve Tsuki. I should be back before long."
"Before long?" Kaze asked with a raised eyebrow. "But ain't the sight of the battle three days' march from-"
Setsuka smiled secretly. Her golden ki glowed about her body slightly, though it was mixed with another color- flecks of silver?- and she vanished.
Tsuchi's eyes widened. "Tsuki's power..."

Kiori had been riding hard to the fields of Ikou when she felt the dimly throbbing life force in the cloth piece about her waist suddenly plummet. Kiori sucked in air, praying desperately that it wasn't what she thought. "No... please, please, no... not Chichiri, God no, not Chichiri..."
The feeling of a ki seemed to disappear almost completely; Kiori grabbed the cloth tightly and threw her will into it. "Hang on, please... CHICHIRI!"

Ritsuka had stayed with the fallen monk even after his final breath, too tired to bother moving. As she blinked tears back from her eyes, remembering she had to be a man about this, she froze. The college girl held her breath, watching Chichiri carefully. Was it possible... had she just seen his eyelid move, ever so slightly?
"Chi... Chichiri?" There was no response, and Ritsuka sighed heavily. Her eyes were just playing tricks on her, then.

Taiyou looked at his new opponent with a confident- though somewhat sad- smile. "You, battle me? Have you gone completely mad? You're as exhausted as your friends, and if you fight me you'll be as dead as that one too."
"You shut up!" Tasuki shouted, tears glistening his eyes.
Akai, who had gone over to check on Koji to take her mind off of Chichiri, now looked up. Koji followed her gaze, both watching their enraged, sorrow-filled friend about to do battle. For the first time in either of their lives, they understood exactly what it meant to be a seishi.
Tasuki gripped the handle of his tessen tightly, red ki glowing brightly about his body. In his eyes was rising the fire of battle; his symbol was like a beacon, nearly readable from where the two were sitting. "Even if I die... I don't care if you kill me, Taiyou. That doesn't matter... but..." Tasuki held his tessen up, ready to attack. "But I won't let you escape, I won't let you get away from here alive. Not after what... you did to Chichiri!"

There! Ritsuka was sure of it this time. Chichiri's eyelid had definitely twitched, just a little bit. She grabbed his broken arm, searching for a pulse.
"Oh God." There it was. The tiniest, smallest bit of a beat, but he was alive. "Chichiri, please hang on! I'll just... I'll..." Ritsuka looked around helplessly, not knowing what she could possibly to do help him. "Keep ahold of that thread of life, Chichiri. Please, for Tasuki's sake!"

Tasuki charged, tessen held at an angle and rapier held straight in front. Taiyou smiled and side-stepped the tessen, blocking the blade with one of his infamous shields. "My, you are fast. It's a good thing I don't have to worry about being quick when I have these force fields, don't you think?"
The seishi whirled, not bothering to answer. He pulled his fan back. "REKKA SHIN'EN!"
The power of the blaze lit the valley; people in Ikou thought a prairie fire had been started. Once the glare of the flames had cleared, Tasuki looked up to see Taiyou still standing, though he looked a little winded.
"Nice," the Element said, trying to remain composed. "I had to use my full strength on that one. You aren't bad for an injured idiot."
"Damn his shields," Koji muttered as Akai ripped off part of her shirt tail and laid it on the nasty cut on Koji's back.
"How's that?" she asked.
"It'll work, s'fine," the bandit leader muttered, barely noticing his injury anymore. All his attention was focused on the battle playing out before his eyes, every last inch of his willpower asking Suzaku to let Tasuki win.
Back and forth Element and seishi went, Taiyou blocking everything that came his way, and Tasuki dodging. Exhaustion and previous, minor injuries forgotten in his anger, Tasuki battled on tirelessly, intent on killing the enemy in front of him.

Setsuka teleported to the battlefield, watching with her cold, silver eyes. Though the Lady had plenty of confidence in Taiyou, she was no fool; it was obvious to see that the Element was tiring, and didn't have the same blind rage to fall back on when his energy failed.
Her hand strayed to the brightly glowing red gem on her neck. "His ki is blazing. I've never seen anything quite like this before. Taiyou will never be able to defeat him if he keeps this up." She smiled viciously, glancing to where Chichiri lay. "Still, he had his uses for a time." Her eyes strayed back to the battle; she, like everyone else there, was captivated by the raw emotion that Tasuki battled on with. "Perhaps I underestimated my enemies. I always knew they were powerful, but this... this feeling..."
It was beyond Setsuka's comprehension to completely understand things like love and friendship, but she knew well enough that it was the fuel of the seishi- and quite possibly his friends, as well. Her smiled curled into a sneer, as a new idea began forming in her mind.
The Lady of Takkan glanced over at Tsuki emotionlessly. He had served few purposes in his short time with her, other than teleporting missions, which she could do herself, now. Setsuka sniffed contemptuously and turned away from his body. Not noticed by Ritsuka, Koji or Akai- the latter being too interested in the battle, and the former too intent on keeping the last breath of life in Chichiri's body- she teleported quietly over to where Ritsuka was sitting.

Kiori was pleasantly surprised with her latest discovery. Everytime she felt the life force in her piece of kesa start to diminish, if she grabbed onto it and called Chichiri's name it would pulse back, just slightly. The college girl was happy to know she was reaching the monk, but it didn't change her need for haste. She couldn't waste one second...
'Chichiri's life could lay in the balance of that one second,' she thought to herself, urging her horse on and following the feel of his life force to the battlefield. 'I can't let him die... not Chichiri, not the first person who ever understood, the first person I ever...'
As his life force dimmed, she sped up, gripping the cloth tightly. "Chichiri, don't you dare die on me!"

Setsuka walked up quietly behind Ritsuka, looking for a piece of wood or a rock of some sort to knock the girl out with. She had decided that the fighting college girl would make an excellent hostage... and if her sadistic nature felt the need, an object of torture to gain information from as well.
Ritsuka had no idea anyone was behind her. She held onto Chichiri's wrist tightly, always seeking that tiny bit of a beat that seemed to fade and pulse constantly. She muttered quietly to him, not sure if the monk could hear her or not, but knowing it made her feel better. "C'mon Chichiri, I knew you could pull through this... so just wait up, and once Tasuki-chan finishes kicking this guy's ketsu, we can go back to the palace and fix you up... huh, and me too, while we're at it, my rib's killing me..."
Setsuka noticed Chichiri's staff, which had fallen from his hand when he'd hit the ground. She picked it up carefully, but the small rings jingled despite her efforts.
The sound caught Ritsuka's attention, she whirled her head around, seeing the beautiful, evil woman behind her. "Hey, what-"
The end of the staff came crashing into the side of Ritsuka's skull; she fell with a strangled cry, knocked out immediately.
Setsuka chuckled viciously, leaning over her victim. She touched the girl's wrist, ready to teleport back to the palace with her, when she stopped suddenly. The Lady happened to glance at the fallen seishi; her eyes widened slightly. Chichiri's chest was rising and falling! His breaths were so shallow it was hardly noticeable, but it was evidence enough that the monk, somehow, had survived so far.
"These seishi really are as amazing as everyone says," Setsuka had to admit, a hint of awe in her voice. Her lips curled into another deadly smile, as she realized just what this meant. "A female hostage is all well and good, but this seishi..." she chuckled, "this seishi will be priceless."

Akai had managed to help Koji onto his feet, and with one of his arms slung across her thin shoulders they were making their way over to where Ritsuka was sitting. The Palace Warrior happened to take her eyes off the battle to check on Ritsuka at the exact moment Setsuka struck. "Holy..."
Koji looked up, seeing what Akai was watching. "Hey, ain't that... what th' hell is she doin' here!?"
Akai set the injured bandit down as quickly and gently as she could, dashing over to find out just what Setsuka was doing. The warrior girl called out angrily as Setsuka put a hand on Chichiri's arm. "Let go of him you witch!" She started to draw her sword. "Don't lay a hand on Chichiri-sama, you hear me!?"
Setsuka glanced up, still smiling her nastiest. As Akai drew within five feet of the Lady, Setsuka threw back her head and laughed, teleporting at the last possible moment. The warrior girl swung her sword at air, screaming as she did, "Come back here with Chichiri-sama!"

Kiori frowned unhappily; Chichiri's life force had suddenly faded a good deal- it didn't seem like he was necessarily dying, it was more like he was farther away. "And more towards the west, too..." Kiori remarked to no one in particular.
Looking ahead, she could see flashes of orange and red- the battle was nearby. Ignoring the link between she and Chichiri, which urged her west, she continued towards the fight.

Tasuki's adrenaline was starting to run itself thin; for the first time since the beginning of his battle with Taiyou he was feeling the pull of exhaustion. Knowing he couldn't go on like this forever, the seishi went in for a direct charge.
Tasuki's original intent was to block with his fan and get the Element with his rapier, but anger and fatigue clouded his judgement. Taiyou stopped the tessen easily enough, side-skipping to the right to avoid the full blow of the blade. As blood ran down a minor cut in his side, the Element dropped his hold on Tasuki's tessen arm and took a step forward. The seishi stumbled slightly, moving in an opposite direction from Taiyou. The Element swung out with his staff, connecting solidly with Tasuki's right shoulder.
Koji winced. Even from where he was sitting he could hear the sickening crunch of bone as the seishi's shoulder was crushed under the heavy metal globe. The rapier slid out of his numbed hand and fell to the ground with a foreboding thud. The power of Taiyou's hit sent Tasuki forward a few more steps, until he finally lost his footing and dropped like a stone.
Akai held her breath. "No. Not Tasuki-sama too..."
Ritsuka stirred slightly in the warrior girl's lap, eyes fluttering open. She tried to sit up, but was sent back down by a wave of throbbing pain that raced through her head. The tips of her fingers touched the blood-drenched coat Tasuki had loaned Chichiri. Ritsuka rolled over slightly, ignoring her headache and watching him with concerned , half-closed eyes. "Tasuki-chan..."
"Hm. As I expected," Taiyou panted slightly. "You were too tired to manuever correctly, and it was indeed your undoing, friend Element." He held out his staff, preparing to utter an incantation. "Any final requests, Last Seishi?"
To everyone's surprise, Tasuki started to stand. His ki was still glowing as strongly as ever, despite how tired he obviously was. The seishi gripped his tessen in his left hand- it wasn't his strong hand, but he'd have to deal with that. His eyes met Taiyou's defiantly. "Final request? Only to see you dead, bastard!"
The Element only looked moderately surprised. "What, getting up for another round? How's that shoulder of yours? I must have crushed every bone in it, judging by that noise. Look at that, you barely have the energy to stand. I could kill you with one single hit."
"I already told you," Tasuki said, breathing hard and obviously trying to buy some much-needed time, "it doesn't matter if I die. I don't care, if that's the way it goes than I'll take it like a man. But the one thing... the one thing I can't allow... is for an asshole like you t'get away from here alive." He stood straight up, fighting off the urge to collapse. "Ready, Element?"
"Whenever you are," Taiyou said with a small chuckle.
Akai knew her friend was in trouble. He was hurt, he was running at about the average speed of a normal person now, and his flames didn't work against Taiyou's shield... "His flames don't work..." the warrior girl's eyes lit up. "That's it!"
Akai could be very loud when she needed to, and this was definitely one of those times. The Palace Warrior took a breath of air and cried from where she sat, "Tasuki, you're flames can't penetrate the barrier, but your tessen can!"
Mind numbed by a blend of fatigue, hatred and sorrow, it took the seishi a moment to understand what she meant. He nodded, attempting a victorious grin that fell short. Trying not to pay attention to his crushed shoulder, Tasuki gathered every last inch of energy he had and dashed straight at the Element.
Taiyou didn't understand the plan behind this desperate attempt. He smiled contemptously, throwing up a shield as Tasuki got within range. 'Baka. He should know by now he can't penetrate my barrier,' he thought with a vicious chuckle.
Taiyou was right: Tasuki himself couldn't penetrate the force field. However, the Element had forgotten the small fact that Chichiri had given him about the Suzaku weapons. Tasuki drove his tessen through the orange barrier, tips of the fan nearly touching Taiyou's head. The Element understood what was happening too late. "Nande kore..."
"REKKA SHIN'EN!"
A burst of flame rose into the sky, enveloping both seishi and Element alike. Koji, Akai and Ritsuka squinted their eyes against the brilliant light, trying to see through the fire to find out of Tasuki was okay.

Kiori saw Tasuki use his fan just as she came over the hilltop. Her horse pulled back, not willing to run into the valley where the fire was coming from. Kiori shaded her eyes slightly, trying to find out it exactly what was going on.

Finally, the fire cleared. Taiyou- or, what was left of him- was splayed out on the battlefield, nothing more than a charred corpse. Tasuki was several yards away, watching the smoke clear with tear-filled eyes. The front of his shirt was in shreds from the flames, and the front part of his arms, chest and face had their own share of burns.
"I won..." he muttered, in something of a daze. Unable to stand any longer, the seishi sunk to his knees. He buried the tips of his tessen in the earth, putting his hand atop the hilt and his forehead on top of his hand. The pain in his shoulder was unbearable, and the burns along the front of his body throbbed dully, but Tasuki hardly noticed it. He was only thinking about one thing... or rather, one person. "I won, but... but vengeance never tasted this bitter."
Koji bit his lip hard; he could tell by the up and down movement of his wounded friend's shoulders that he was crying.
"Koji! Hey, hey Koji!"
The bandit leader attempted to turn towards the familiar voice, wincing in pain as he did. Still blinking back purple spots, he saw Kiori riding down the hill towards him. "Kiori?" he asked weakly.
The college girl jumped lightly off her horse and crouched down next to the bandit. "What happened?"
He sighed, shaking his head. "Way too damn much, Kiori... way too damn much. Tasuki, and the battle, and then there's Chichiri... damn those Elements..."
Kiori sighed. "Koji, you really aren't making much sense."
"Gomen, Kiori, it's just... dammit all, it's everything," he gestured helplessly to his sobbing friend, then to where Ritsuka was sitting, clutching Tasuki's jacket to her chest, and finally to a helpless, numbed Akai. "And that woman... Chichiri..."
Kiori felt a feeling of panic rise in her chest. "Koji, where's Chichiri?" He muttered something she couldn't hear. "Koji, where is he!?"
"I don't know," the bandit leader murmured unhappily. "Akai went to go see what was goin' on, you'll have ta talk t'her... dammit, dammit all..."
Kiori was about to snap at her fellow warrior, but remembered that he was injured, tired and obviously troubled by whatever had happened. "Okay," she said gently. " I'm gonna go talk to Akai right now."
He managed a quick nod. Kiori jogged across the field, trying not to look at the half-conscious seishi. The college girl came up to Ritsuka, noticing the nasty gash in the side of her head immediately. "Ritsuka, what happened? Are you okay? Where's Chichiri?"
"They took him!" Ritsuka sobbed miserably. "That woman... she took him with her, and like an idiot I just sat there and let her... like some silly, helpless little girl I let her knock me out and take him! Dammit, dammit!"
Kiori rubbed her temples. She was starting to feel worse and worse about this situation, and everyone's reluctance to talk sense wasn't helping her mood. "Ritsuka, wakarimasen. Who took Chichiri, and what..."
Akai walked up quietly to her friend. "There was a battle, Kiori-san. Chichiri-sama was... he was..." she gulped hard. "Chichiri-sama was... he was trying to save us-"
"ME!" Ritsuka interrupted. "Trying to save me, because I couldn't defend myself... I'm such an idiot..."
Akai sighed. "He hit Tsuki, and killed him, but Taiyou hit Chichiri-sama at the same time. Chichiri-sama was hurt... and... Kiori-san, Chichiri-sama, he's..."
"Iie," Kiori said quietly, gripping her sash tightly. "Iie, Akai!"
The warrior girl misunderstood her words. "I'm sorry, but it's true. Tasuki fought Taiyou, and just now won, only... only that WOMAN, that Setsuka, she..."
"Akai, spit it out, please!"
"She took him, she took Chichiri-sama!" Akai's fists bunched angrily at her sides. "That wicked... how could she, Kiori-san!? Hadn't he suffered enough!? Oooh, I can't bear the thought of him in that horrid place... what would that twisted witch want with his body, anyway!? And I almost had her, too..."
"He's not dead," Ritsuka's voice was barely a whisper.
Akai whirled on her. "He... he's what!?"
"He's not dead," Ritsuka said again. "He was alive, barely... somehow..." the college girl punched the ground weakly. "I shouldn't have let her take him! How couldn't I have heard her behind me, until that last second... dammit, he could have lived! But now... oh, God..."
Kiori looked at her friends; Akai was on the verge of tears, and Ritsuka was crying freely. She closed her eyes tightly. 'IIE! I will not let Chichiri's life end this way! Not at the hands of Setsuka! Not Chichiri... I won't!' "I'm going after him."
Ritsuka's head snapped up. "Kiori..."
Her friend's normally peaceful green eyes seemed to burn with a passionate determination... and something else, something Ritsuka couldn't quite place... "I'm going after Chichiri. I'll find him at that palace, and I'll bring him home. Alive."
"But, Kiori-san," Akai began, "you don't know where the Takkan Palace is, and even if you got there, how would you plan on getting in and finding him?"
"I don't know how I'll get him out," she answered simply. "I'll figure that out when I get there. As for finding him," she held up part of her kesa/sash, "I have this to lead me. My voice has been keeping him alive this far... maybe it can save him."
Akai straightened her tired shoulders. "Then I'm coming with you. If there's a fight, or you run into trouble, you'd need a warrior, someone to fight..."
Kiori shook her head. "Akai, you're exhausted. Don't try hiding it- you can't do everything, after all. Besides," she waved a hand to their three friends, "look around you. These guys are hurt, and as tired as you are. They need someone to get them home safely. Please, this is something I have to do on my own."
Akai opened her mouth to protest, but Ritsuka cut her off, "Let her go, Akai. She's the only hope Chichiri's got." The redhead forced herself to stand, meeting her friend's eyes. "My scroll told me to follow my heart in any decisions I made. Well, I guess I'll have to, since I sure as hell can't trust my head after a hit like that," it was a weak attempt at a joke, but Ritsuka felt that she had to say something to lighten the dead weight in her heart. "And my heart's telling me to let you go... maybe my heart's as stupid as my brain, but it's all I've got to go on, right now. Ganbare."
Kiori smiled slightly. "Ritsuka..."
"Here," the college girl undid her belt, scabbard and sword, handing them over to her friend. "You might need that, in case you run into trouble. It's the least I can do, after how stupid and useless I've been..."
"Arigatou," Kiori said quietly. "Akai, can I use your horse? Mine's wiped out."
The palace warrior nodded slightly, following Kiori over to where her animal stood. "Kiori-san, are you sure you want to do this?" she asked quietly.
"I've never been more sure of anything in my life," she said stubbornly. "Oh, Akai, here..." Kiori rummaged through her medicine bag until she found what she was looking for. The college girl pulled out a roll of bandages. "Koji needs something to patch up that cut in his back, and Ritsuka for her head, and Tasuki for..." she glanced at the motionless seishi, "well, everything, I s'pose. Oh, one more thing," she reached in again, pulling out a small vial of fluid. "Give this to Ritsuka and Tasuki. I think Koji should be all right without it, and you might need him to keep Tasuki on his horse."
"What is it?" Akai asked, looking at the medicine.
"A tranquilizer, of sorts," Kiori said with a small chuckle. "One tube of it will knock out a full-grown elephant for a week. Just give each of them a drop, it'll keep 'em out for a night or so." She sighed, glancing at both redheads. "They need it, for their injuries. Emotional and physical."
Akai nodded slightly, gripping the vial in her hand. She happened to look down, noticing Chichiri's hat lying where he'd tossed it. She picked up the simple headgear reminiscently, dusting it off slightly. "Please bring him back safely. Tasuki-sama... Ritsuka-san... Houki-sama, Koji-san and I, we all need him."
Kiori took the hat from her friend's hands. She looped the strap about her neck, thinking it might come in use at some time or another. She smiled at her friend. It was a sad smile, and yet at the same time it was filled with so much hope. "So do I, Akai. Which is why I'll come back with Chichiri, or I won't come back at all."
Akai returned the smile. "They say even the most peaceful of people can become fierce warriors when they're protecting the ones they love."
"Hm? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing, Kiori-san. Safe journey." Akai turned on her heel and jogged tiredly back to where Ritsuka was sitting. The redheaded girl gave her college friend a quick wave, though it was easily read in her blue eyes that she didn't expect to see Kiori again.
Kiori sighed heavily, mounting her new horse. She kicked the animal into a fast run, and, following the feel of her sash, turned northwest. She rounded a hill, and was soon lost to sight.
Akai wrapped a hasty bandage around Ritsuka's head and helped her over to one of the horses. Once she'd assisted the girl in mounting and given her a few drops of medicine, she went to go check on Koji.
"Where's Kiori goin'?" he asked.
The palace warrior replaced her makeshift bandage with a real one, and helped the bandit leader to his feet. She tried to be more cheerful than she felt. "After Chichiri. Good news, he isn't dead yet."
"Yet," he echoed cryptically.
Akai and Koji steered one of the five remaining horses in Tasuki's direction, knowing he wouldn't have the energy to travel far on foot. Akai touched her friend's uninjured shoulder timidly. "Tasuki-sama? We need to get going. Back to the palace."
Between she and Koji they managed to get the tired bandit to his feet, making sure not to touch his shattered right shoulder. He blinked back tears sleepily, taking the drop of medicine Akai gave him without question. He glanced up at the four riderless horses and Ritsuka's mount- all of whom had followed Akai and Koji to where the seishi sat. "Chichiri?" He managed to murmur.
"I'll explain everythin' on the way there," Koji told him, helping his friend into the saddle and hopping on behind him. "In th' meantime, jus' try t'relax, okay Genrou?"

Aoi had volunteered to work the midnight watch on the north wall that evening. As the crescent-shaped moon reached its zenith in the night sky, he saw the forms of five horses walking towards the palace. Aoi fitted an arrow to his bow and aimed at the animals, though he had a pretty good idea who they were. As they drew nearer, the warrior boy recognized Akai, Tasuki, Koji and Ritsuka.
He frowned. "Why're Tasuki-sama and Koji-sama sharing a horse? So are Akai and Ritsuka-sama... Kiori-san told Highness and I that Chichiri-sama rode out too, so where in the world is he?"
Aoi trotted down the steps to the door, opening it quickly and running out to check on his friends. He held up a lantern in one hand, seeing that all four looked tired and beat up. "Akai, what in the world happened?"
She looked at her friend through half-closed eyes; she was the only one still awake, Koji having drifted into a light doze some five minutes ago. "Oh, Aoi, thank Suzaku, someone to help..." she dismounted. As she was walking towards her friend, the girl's tired legs gave out from under her.
Aoi managed to catch her before she fell. "Akai! What's going on? Are you hurt?"
She shook her head slightly. "I'm the best off, actually. Just tired."
Aoi swung an arm around her, helping her to stand. "That must have been quite the battle. You sure you aren't hurt bad?"
"No, I'm all right," Akai pulled out of her friend's hold. "Get these three to the infimary. They need medical care, and I don't mean that pathetic job I did. I need to go talk to Houki-sama. A lot happened tonight... a lot of evil, and a lot of sadness."
Aoi shook his head firmly. "You're coming with me to see the doctors. Her Majesty would kill me if I let you go to her without even getting you patched up and fed."
Akai chuckled slightly. "Like a fussy old mother, that's what you are, Aoi. Oh, fine, I'll come with you, if only to make sure the others are all right, but then I have to go talk to Houki-sama."

The head doctor, a surly man by the name of Uji Yukeda, looked over his four new patients. He clucked his tongue unhappily. "Work during the day, work during the night, there's just no end t'them all." He started barking out orders to the few doctors and nurses who were still on duty. "You, lay Tasuki-sama over there. He's got a severely broken shoulder and some bad burns as well. Patch the burns up, add some Mitsubalm, then get to work on that shoulder. Get it open, pick out the shattered bone pieces and put it in a splint. Okay, you, take care of the girl. Concussion, broken rib, multiple cuts and bruises. Patch up the minor injuries, bandage that head injury, and keep the rib as immobile as possible. Right, the dark-haired man..."
As the nurse tried to move Koji, he came awake, groaning slightly. "Dammit, yer gonna kill me movin' me like that. Here, here, I'll go there myself." The bandit managed to stumble to the pallet he was directed to, laying down on his stomach. "Wait, lemme guess, clean it out an' stick a bandage on, ne?"
"Quite," Yukeda-san sniffed. "Get him some pain killers, if you will..."
"Don't bother, I don't need that sissy stuff!" Koji barked grumpily.
Yukeda-san humphed. "Stubborn." He rummaged around in a cupboard until he pulled out a bottle of sake. "Here, then, have a couple swigs of this. We need to clean that wound out... have you ever had alcohol poured into an open wound before?"
"Can't say I have."
"I had a feeling. Still don't want the pain killer?" A headshake. The doctor pulled out a chunk of rubber. "Then bite down on this when you're done with the sake. Hopefully it will keep you from shouting and waking the entire palace... Now, I said a couple swigs! A couple means two, two I say!"
"Ah get lost, baka, I've had a hard night!"
"You won't be helping yourself by getting drunk! Give that back! No, right now, not after you've drained the bloody thing..."
Aoi, who sat just outside the infirmary with Akai, smothered a giggle. "Koji-sama seems to be doing all right. If this is the worst you suffered..."
"Chichiri-sama's dead," Akai said dully. Aoi's head snapped up, looking at her with wide blue eyes. "He died saving us."
Aoi sighed heavily. "I'm sorry for being so light-hearted at a time like this. I didn't know..."
"Daijoubu," she assured him. Akai's head turned upwards, to the brightly shining stars. "That's what he always used to say, isn't it?"
Aoi followed her gaze, keeping his eyes on the shining stars of Chichiri's constellation. "It's hard to believe... I'd heard so many stories about Chichiri-sama, and Tasuki-sama... I guess I'd started to believe they were, I don't know, unbeatable." He sighed again. "But I guess, in the end, he was just like the other seishi."
Akai shook her head slowly. "Not like the other seishi. Chichiri-sama... was in a class all his own." She stood, swaying slightly on sore feet. "C'mon, Aoi. I need to report to the Emperess."

On foot, Takkan was give-or-take a three days' march from Konan. Kiori managed to catch first sight of the palace after riding hard for the rest of that night and the next day. She slowed her horse down to a walk, wanting to faster but knowing the animal needed a rest. They had been running off and on for nearly twenty-four hours; Kiori was as tired as her horse.
She patted his neck. "I know, Kenichi," she said, having nicknamed the animal. "I need a break too. But what if I drift off to sleep and Chichiri..."
The power in her sash seemed to dim slightly. She grabbed a tight hold of it and sent her will and voice through the strip. "Hang in there, Chichiri, I'm not far now."
Peering through the evening shadows, she thought she could see lights- a village- near the foot of the palace. "Okay, Kenichi, we'll stop there. How's that sound to you?" The horse snorted. "Oh, I know it's a little bit away, but compared to the miles we've covered so far it'll be nothing."
Kiori sighed, realizing she was talking to a horse, and urged the animal forward. She'd find a restaurant in the village, and get something to eat while Kenichi got some rest. Then would begin the difficult task of getting into the palace... assuming she wasn't arrested on sight when she reached civilization. "They wouldn't recognize me, seeing as how I haven't really fought... would they?"

A storm rolled into Konan the same evening Kiori caught her first glance of the Lady's home. The wind whipped around the Konan palace and drenched everything it touched in rain. Every once in a while a roll of thunder would rumble out of the sky, bringing with it a fresh sheets of water. The flags at the palace hung at half-mast, signifying the death of a beloved, ever-smiling Celestial Warrior. Everything within the buildings of Konan Palace was silent; even the youngest of children seemed to understand that this was a solemn time.
Houki watched the rain drip past her window drearily. 'The gods are mourning our loss as well,' she thought to herself. 'And what a loss it was...'

~~"Akai, I am so glad to see you are back. Now, do not mind about waking me up, I was anxious to hear how things went. I trust that, since you are here safely, everyone else is as well? Oh, Akai, dear, whatever is the matter?"
Akai bowed her head slightly, holding Chichiri's staff in her hands. "Houki-sama, Tasuki-sama is seriously hurt, and Koji-san and Ritsuka-san both experienced their share of injuries as well. They'll live, though," she held up the staff with a slight jingle, barely keeping back tears. "Chichiri-sama, however..."~~

Houki looked over at the monk's staff, which she had leaned against her wall for the time being. Later, they would build a shrine of sorts to put it in. If Kiori retrieved Chichiri's body- for, Houki told herself, there was no chance he'd be alive if the college girl returned at all- they would bury him in the shrine, along with other articles that seemed worthy.
Houki sighed, trying not to cry. As Emperess, she had to be strong even when her city, soldiers, and fellow warriors were all painfully weak. No, especially when they were weak. She would do whatever she could to keep them- and when she said them, she knew in her heart she meant Tasuki, Ritsuka, Koji and Akai- from losing hope in the war. It was her duty.
A promise from what seemed like years ago drifted back to Houki on the breeze. "I swear that as long as there's a breath of life in my body, Konan will not be taken. For as long as Suzaku allows, I'll keep Boshin-chan safe. You have my word on that."
Houki sighed heavily. "Oh, but Suzaku, but what hope is there to keep alive?"
"Mama?"
Houki whirled around in her seat. She put a hand to her heart; it was only Boshin. His room was attached directly to the Emperess', and she had forgotten that on stormy nights he often came in with her. "Oh, Boshin-chan. You scared me."
"Gomen, Mama," he said with a small smile. He padded quietly across the room, dragging the old, worn-out teddy bear that had once belonged to his father behind him. "Th' storm scared me, so I came in here. That okay?"
She helped him climb into her lap. "Of course it is, dear. I could use the company."
"Mama," Boshin asked, getting himself comfortable. "Why's everyone sad t'day? Tai won't tell me nothin', an' when I asked where Uncle Chichiri was so I could play with him she didn't say. Mama, what's wrong with 'em? Is he sick?"
Houki smoothed her son's hair down slightly, wondering how she could explain it to the young boy. "Boshin-chan... Boschin-chan," she said again, "you remember what I told you about Daddy, right? How he was taken away from us, even though he didn't want to be?"
He nodded. "An' how even though he's not here he still loves me and watches over me from the stars?"
"Exactly," she blinked back tears. "Well, honey... sometimes... people we love, and care for... sometimes they're taken away from us, too, like Daddy was."
"Is that what happened to Uncle Chichiri? Did he go t'the same place Daddy is, up in the clouds? Heaven?" Boshin asked, innocent eyes not completely understanding what exactly that meant.
"Hai, Boshin-chan. In heaven. Uncle Chichiri... Uncle Chichiri went to heaven, with Daddy, and his other friends," Houki explained, trying to keep her voice from cracking. "And he won't be coming back... no matter how much we wish he could..." The Emperess dropped her head, not able to stop the single tear from tracing its way down her cheek and falling into her lap.
Boshin's small, chubby hand reached up and wiped away his mother's tears. "Don't cry, Mama." She looked up, staring into her son's sweet, young eyes. He smiled slightly. "Uncle Chichiri isn't really gone, right? He'll watch over us, from the stars, just like Daddy does. It's okay, Mama. Don't cry."
Houki grabbed her son in a fierce hug, as if she was afraid he'd get taken away too. "Oh Boshin-chan... I love you so much, dearest, you know that, don't you? Such a wise, caring son I have... you would have made a wonderful Emperor... only now... only now how can we ever hope for victory... now that our heart's been taken from us?"

The spring storm had not reached Takkan. Kiori tied her horse to a post outside the door of a shabby building, and entered the dimly lit bar uneasily. In all honesty, she hadn't wanted to pick this place, but it was the only building open at this hour. She tried to ignore the funny looks the other figures in the room gave her, sitting down at a corner table and trying to be inconspicuous.
'I must stick out like a sore thumb,' she thought. 'I never even thought to change out of my school uniform- why would I? Well, at least nobody seems to think I'm an enemy. Just a weird stranger- but is that better?' She straightened her jaw resolutely. 'This is for Chichiri, just keep telling yourself that. He needs your help.'
The college girl ordered a glass of water and a small meal, knowing she only had a few gold pieces in her pockets. She noticed a rugged woman watching her with cautious brown eyes. Kiori stared back at her, unafraid. "Something you wanted?"
The woman smirked. "So, Miko or nutcase?"
"'Scuse me?"
"Yer outfit," she nodded at Kiori. "Only the Mikos wear those sorta funny clothes. I figured yer either one-a them, or yer just insane. So, which is it, and how stupid d'you think you are comin' into a sleazy bar like this? Jackals like those boys," she nodded towards a group of vicious-looking men in one corner, "would eat you alive."
"I'm not afraid of anyone. My business is my business, and no one else's."
"Not short o' nerve. I like that," the woman took a sip of her beer. "Name's Kita- that's th' name I use, anyway. How 'bout you? What's a tourist like yerself doin' in this nowhere village?"
Kiori thanked the waitress as she brought out her food- it was a bit burnt, but edible. She lied through a bite of rice. "The name's Rica. I'm a traveller- no Miko or anything like that. As soon as I find an outfit that doesn't stick out so much, I'm off to see her Ladyship. I've got some business with Setsuka-sama."
Most of the eyes in the building turned to stare at her with hatred. Kita scooted over to sit next to the girl, chuckling and patting her head. "Dumb kid's been visitin' all the bars in the city. So drunk she don't know what she's sayin'." Kita breathed a sigh of relief as the other customers turned back to meals and gambling games. "Baka. Now I know you ain't really on Palace Business. If you were, you'da known not t'come t'this place. Didn't you know this is a Rebel Bar?"
"A Rebel Bar?"
Kita tapped her head, winking. "Right-o, girlie. Judgin' by yer accent, I'd say yer not from around here, and judging by yer clothes, I'd say you must be one-a those other-world girls who came t'help Konan, ne?"
"And if I was?" Kiori asked defensively, hand on her swordhilt.
"You ain't the only one against her dear Ladyship- may she die a thousand deaths," Kita hissed, leaning in close. "Whatcha doin' in this place, then, Konan Warrior? Here t'do some assassin work?"
Kiori shook her head violently. "No, I..." she decided to confide in the rugged woman- maybe she could get some help out of her. "A friend of mine is being held prisoner. I want to try to break him out, but... but I don't know how to get into the palace, and even if I did they'd know who I was by my clothing immediately."
The rebel pushed her beer glass away, smiling at the college girl. "Hm. Well, I can't help y'too much with gettin' in, though I may have a friend who can. As for clothes..." she stood up, tossing several silvers onto the table. "Follow me, girlie. I'll get ya fixed up right away, then we'll see if I can't help ya inside that palace. How's that sound?"
Kiori smiled. "Wonderful."

Beneath the ground level of the Takkan palace were several dark, damp cellars, used for food storage, and as prison cells. Some of them hadn't been used for nearly a decade. Moss grew from the ceilings of these rooms, water dripped from cracks in the ceiling, and heat was an unknown luxury to the few inhabitants- namely spiders and other unwanted pests, seeking refuge from the brooms of angry servants.
It was in one of these miserable, damp rooms that Chichiri was placed, flat on his back on the hard cement floor with nothing for warmth but his durable kesa and the tatters that remained of his shirt. The monk shivered slightly- partly from the cold, and partly from fever- but other than that he remained motionless. Every hour or so his eye would flutter open halfway, flicking up to the bare ceiling numbly. He would moan softly and close it once more; even the dim light of the cell gave him a headache.
Tsuchi stood at the door of the room, rubbing his hands together to stay warm. Setsuka stood behind the boy, watching her hostage impassively. "My Lady, you can't keep him in these conditions and expect him to live. It's a near miracle that he's still with us after a day of this."
Setsuka studied her nails. "If he has lived this long, I am quite sure he will live a bit longer. And, if he doesn't, than it is one less thing for us to worry ourselves about, don't you agree?"
Tsuchi frowned. The pain of the monk was obvious to anyone, but Tsuchi- who's magic was focused around the art of healing- could feel every break, bruise and cut vividly. His palms itched, and he gripped the bag of medicines and herbs that he always kept with him. "My Lady, please, allow me to heal him. Or, at least, let me patch him up a bit."
"His wounds have long since caked, so we have no worry about our enemy bleeding to death," Setsuka remarked. "I fail to see why we should help him at all."
"My Lady..." Tsuchi sighed. "I know that he's our enemy, and that taking hostages is a part of war, but... but seeing someone suffering like this is something I just can't bear!"
Tsuchi felt chill, smooth fingers slip themselves under his chin. He found himself staring into Setsuka's cold silver eyes. "Tsuchi, my dear, I understand that you wish to help this man. You are a good, kind boy, and I respect you for that. Unfortunately, you are still just a boy," his eyes flared just slightly, "and could not possibly comprehend the higher, important matters."
"My Lady..."
She smiled slightly. "Tsuchi, think about it. If you were to heal him... this seishi is very powerful, and very much a wicked enemy. If we, out of our good nature, nursed him back to health, how do you suppose he would repay our kind deeds, hm?" Her fingers tightened slightly around his chin. "He would kill every one of us, that would be our reward. Do you want to see that happen? To Kaze, to Sora, to me... to Mizu-chan?" Setsuka could see she'd struck a nerve. She patted his cheek lightly. "There, you see now, don't you? It is necessary to keep him here, and not to give him any aid."
In the back of Tsuchi's mind flitted several questions, several doubts. If his enemies were so cruel and evil, then why had that one fought so hard to avenge his friend's murder? Why had the others been so sad, so tearful, at the loss? Why had this injured seishi been willing to selflessly given his life to save his friends? Why, why...
"Dakedo..."
"Tsuchi, he is evil," Setsuka threw her power into her message; she could feel Tsuchi's will bending from her own. "The Konan Warriors are all cruel, heartless people. That is why we are trying to defeat them- it is for the good of the world. Remember, Tsuchi? Do not waste your pity or skills on your enemies."
He nodded slowly. "Yes, my Lady." Tsuchi hesitated, glancing at the monk, whose breath was coming out in quick, ragged gasps; it was so cold that puffs of steam were lifting from his mouth every time he breathed. Tsuchi decided to appeal to his mistress' tactful side, rather than her sympathetic side. "My Lady, if he dies, he'll no longer be a hostage- he'll be a corpse. And if we let him sit down here without any medical treatment, he will die. Before the night's out, if I'm not mistaken."
Setsuka said nothing for a long, tense minute. Tsuchi was afraid for a moment that he'd made her mad, and feared that he was about to get slapped, or worse... would she whip him like she did General Hataku?
"Do whatever it takes to keep him alive," Setsuka said after a moment, voice tight, as if making the decision to help her enemy was hurting her. "Nothing more."
"Hai, my Lady."
He heard her skirts swish, and knew she was heading back upstairs. He started into the room, but was stopped by her voice. "Oh, and Tsuchi?"
"Hai, my Lady?"
Her tone was icy. "The next time you question a decision I make, your hand will look similar to Sora's." Tsuchi shivered at the bitter note in her voice, not relaxing until she was safely up the stairs and out of sight.
The boy breathed a sigh of relief. He swung off his medicine bag, keeping the door to the cell open and going over to the monk. "All right then, Seishi-san, let's get you fixed up. I'm sorry that I can't do any more than help you hang onto life," he grinned a little, "but after fighting so long to keep death away, I'd say you should be happy for the help, ne?"
He almost thought he saw a sardonic smile flicker across the monk's face.

Kiori, now dressed in the common garb of a Takkan Palace housemaid- Kita claimed to have "connections," though Kiori suspected it was simply murder and theft- followed her new ally down the backstreets of the village, learning much about the citizens as she went.
It turned out people in Takkan were about as happy with their ruler as the people of other countries were. Setsuka's father, Edo, who had taken Takkan over after a bitter feud with the old leader, had led the country to many years of good harvest and victories. He was hard, but fair, for the most part, and though people complained a bit no one really felt the need to retaliate.
Then Edo died several years ago, and Setsuka had taken over rule. She placed tight laws on the citizens, punishing anyone who didn't obey her with death, or worse. The braver ones had organized a small guerilla unit- known simply as RAFT- "Rebel Alliance Forces in Takkan, y'know," Kita explained- to fight against the harsh command of their ruler.
"Unfortunately," the rebel woman explained with a sigh. "Setsuka- may she die a thousand deaths- is no idiot, an' that General of hers is a tough guy. He's rooted out a lot of us- only the really sneaky ones are still alive- an' even if we tried an attack those Elements of hers would kill us before we could shoot an arrow." She led the girl through a narrow doorway, smiling a little as she did. "We're rootin' fer you Konan Warriors, though. Maybe after you knock off a few more-a their Elements, then we c'n strike!"
Kiori peered through the bright room, her eyes adjusting to the change in light. The place was small and shabby, but cheerful enough, with bright rugs and matching wall hangings. A middle-aged man seemed to materialize out of the wall, running to Kita and kissing her cheeks happily. "Ah, Kita-chan, you never visit me anymore! It's so good to see you alive and healthy- and I see you've brought a friend as well. Who do I have the pleasure of meeting?"
The college girl looked at the slim, gray-haired man in front of her. He was decked out in colors about as bright as the walls of his home, from the red shirt to yellow breeches. He smiled at her, tipping a vivid red hat with a bird feather stuck into it respectfully. Kiori decided that he was a bit eccentric, but harmless. "Ki... Rica's my name, sir."
Kita winked at the man, who was chuckling at Kiori's behavior. "Bet ya haven't been called that in a while, eh Otoo-san?" She turned to her friend. "Everyone calls him that, Otoo-san I mean. He's what we in RAFT call our undercover spy, and a top-notch actor at that! All the soldiers think he's just some crazy man, so they let him wander pretty much wherever he wants." She nudged him. "Ya know the streets and secret entrances of this place better'n anyone, doncha?"
His head bobbed up and down. "Hai hai, that I do. Is Rica a new member to the organization? Is she doing some spywork? I'd love to help, if there's anything I can do, anything at all..."
Kita put a hand on her younger companion's shoulder. "Rica ain't exactly a new member, Otoo-san, but she's somethin' like one. Turns out one-a the Konan Warriors is bein' held prisoner in Takkan Palace. My friend wants t'get him out. You think you can get her in there?"
Once more his head wobbled up and down. "Not a problem, ha, child's play, really. There's an old tunnel, a bit dusty but not too bad if you watch where you step, leads right from the south wall into the ground level. Haha, simple task, quite simple indeed." He dashed towards the back of the room, grabbing a lantern and a dark cloak. "We have to be careful; all the real soldiers have left for the war, but there are still a few guards here and there, and Elements to worry about as well. Come on then, child, we can't putter around here all day, not while a good ally of the RAFT is in danger."
Kiori looked from the odd man to her newest companion, the rugged Kita. She smiled. "Arigatou. I never expected to find help in a place like this... if I can ever return the favor..."
Kita flashed her a thumbs up, blushing slightly. "Aw, wasn't nothin' girlie. Ganbare, an' listen t'what Otoo-san tells ya. An' if ya really wanna repay me, then get yer friend outta here, get back t'that palace of yers and kick some Takkan ass. Take s'more Elements out an' we might try a direct attack... huh, fightin' inside an' out. I bet that'd serprise her Ladyship- may she die a thousand deaths."
Otoo-san tugged on Kiori's sleeve, bading her in his odd, babbling speech to hurry along. The college girl followed him down more alleys and backstreets, letting her smile drop and her determined expression return. 'I can't thank these people enough. If... no, WHEN I get back to Konan, I'll make sure we rid the world of Setsuka and her army.' She sighed, looking up at the foreboding palace in front of her, setting her jaw stubbornly. 'First, though, I have to save Chichiri. That's all that matters right now.'

Kiori's strange guide pushed back a large slab of rock. A door slid open in front of them; Kiori stepped out into a dimly lit hallway, looking around and trying to get her bearings. The palace was really a very nicely decorated building- similar to Konan in some ways- but there seemed to be a sinister aura about it.
Otoo-san looked around nervously, fiddling with his lantern. "Ah yes, well, here we are, here we are, in the lion's den, you could say, I suppose. Hm, hm, not a good place for an unarmed man like myself, wouldn't you agree? Won't be much help I'm afraid to say, only get in the way, I'm sure, quite sure," he babbled nervously, not wanting to openly say he was afraid of the palace and its inhabitants.
Kiori smiled. "It's all right, Otoo-san. You've done so much already, I really can't thank you enough. I'll take it from here. You go back and tell Kita-san that I made it safely, and with a little luck I'll get out safely, too."
The actor coughed in relief. "Hm, of course, I'll let her know right away. When you want to leave, just come back the way you came, you see." He stepped out next to her, closing the secret entrance and pointing to the wall painting that covered it. "See, see here, you just tap on the dragon's eye and the door will swing right open." Kiori did as he said; the door immediately opened into the dark passage. Otoo-san looked from right to left anxiously, backing into the tunnel. "I'll leave the lantern here, so you'll get back all right, how does that sound, hm?"
"Won't you need it?"
"Oh, no, no, I know this tunnel very well, hai, very well indeed," he explained, taking off his hat and bowing dramatically. "Don't worry about Otoo-san, he can take care of himself. If you make it out all right, your horse will be waiting for you with Kita at the lone farmhouse at the southern edge of the village."
Kiori had seen the place the man was talking about on her way into town. "Right, I know just where to pick him up. More RAFT members?"
Otoo-san winked. "Our numbers are small, but our allies are numerous. The couple that owns the farm are some old friends of mine, quite peaceful, but very reliable, yes, yes indeed." He waved a hand at her, grabbing the edge of the door. "Well, I had best be out of your way, leave you to this mess of a palace. Ganbare, ganbare and a safe trip home, friend."
Kiori waited until the door closed, smothering a giggle at the odd, yet friendly and helpful man. She grabbed a part of her sash, sending her will through it to Chichiri and following the dim feel of his ki. "I'm coming Chichiri. I'll be there soon."

Mizu paced her room, lost in her own troubled thoughts. Memories flitted through her mind, memories of the monk that she'd never see again, that had been killed at the hands of the people she called friends...
The young girl frowned. All day she'd felt a flash of a familiar life force in the palace, one that she couldn't remember sensing in a long time. It was such a dim, dull bit of ki that she couldn't place it, couldn't even figure out where the person it belonged to was. "Why do I feel this urge to find them?"
Mizu's head snapped up suddenly. The feel of a strange, new life force had creeped into her mind, one on the ground floor. She turned to one of her two crystals- a green one. In a moments, she found the person she was searching for. "What in the world?"
It was that girl, the one Chichiri had bonded with. That earth girl... Kiori, that's what her name was! Mizu frowned thoughtfully. "Walking into this place is suicide for someone like her. I wonder..."
Her other crystal, this one blue, began to spin and buzz slightly. In a moment she disappeared from her bedchamber, down to see what her strange enemy was doing in the palace.

Kiori turned a corner, coming face-to-face with a young, cheerful-looking girl. "Oh!"
"Kon'nichi wa," she greeted, smiling in a friendly manner at the college student. "I don't think I've seen you around here before."
Kiori took a step back, looking the young girl up and down. She looked to be no older than fourteen, no younger than eleven or twelve, with hair a shade of blue close- if not identical- to Chichiri's. Her eyes were turned upward in a smile, so the college girl couldn't see the color of them. "Um, kon'nichi wa," she greeted, caught off-guard. "Who are you?"
"My real name is Mae Uta, but you can call me Mizu-chan. Everyone else does," the girl explained simply. Kiori nodded, then jumped as the name clicked in her brain, "Mizu-chan!?" She took a step back, hand on her swordhilt. "You, you mean you're one of those Elements!?"
"Hai," Mizu agreed. "And you're one of the Konan Warriors." Kiori started to draw her sword. "Wait, none of that!" Mizu's green crystal started buzzing slightly. The college girl found herself frozen to the spot. "I don't want to fight. And, if I did, you'd already be dead."
Kiori understood what the young Element meant; she'd successfully paralyzed every muscle below Kiori's neck. "All right. No fighting. What do you want to know?"
The crystal stopped making noise, and Kiori found that she could move again. Mizu looked at her thoughtfully. "You're the healer one, aren't you? You don't fight."
"How do you know that!?" Kiori demanded.
Mizu tapped her head secretively. "I know a lot of things that'd surprise you." She put her hands on her hips. "But what I don't know is why the Konan Warriors would send a healer out to do assassination work."
"Assassination!?" Kiori said. She held up her hands. "It's nothing like that. I'm not here to fight- well, not unless I have to, anyway."
"Then what are you doing here?"
"You don't know?" Kiori asked. A headshake. "I'm here... to save one of my friends. One that your mistress stole from me- from us, I mean. Chichiri-"
The girl gasped. "Chichiri's still alive!?" Mizu demanded, cutting the college girl off.
"Uh, yeah," Kiori told her, not sure why the Element seemed so anxious to know. She held up part of her sash. "See here? You can feel his life force through it. He's in the palace, and he's alive... barely." Kiori watched Mizu as she held onto the sash, golden eyes full of concern. It hit the college girl like a thunderbolt. "You knew Chichiri?"
Mizu dropped the cloth, fingering her own kesa reminiscently. "Back then, everyone just called him Houjun."
"Houjun..." Kiori remembered the name from Chichiri's story. "Was he special to you?"
Mizu nodded sadly. "I don't have time to explain... he just, he... he did so much for me... and now..."
Kiori opened her mouth to say something, but stopped. She wasn't sure just what to say, not really. Mizu looked so, so worried for the monk. He must have meant a lot to her, whatever their relationship was. "Mizu-chan," she said after a moment, "it's not too late to save him. He's in a lower level somewhere, if I'm not wrong. The only problem is, I don't know where the staircase is. If you could point me in the right direction, I could get him out of here, and maybe save him."
The young girl said nothing for a long, tension-filled moment. Finally, she spoke: "As a servant of the Lady," Mizu said quietly, "I am sworn to defeat all her enemies, no matter who they are or what sort of relationship I have with them."
Kiori took a step back, knowing if the decision was what she thought it would be, then there really was no hope for her, or Chichiri. "Mizu-chan..."
"Dakedo," she whispered, "as a human being, and as Houjun's friend... stopping you from saving him is something I can't do." The young girl's fists wrapped around her kesa tightly. "Keep going down this hallway. Take the first hallway on your left. There's a staircase at the end of it... Houjun should be down there, if your medium is working right."
Kiori's face broke into a relieved smile. "Arigatou gozaimasu, Mizu-chan. You're a good person. You know, if you wanted, you could come with me, back to the palace..."
She shook her head violently. "Iie! I couldn't do that! Ever... not... just, please, go quickly, before I change my mind." Kiori did as she said, turning on her heel and jogging down the hallway. Mizu's troubled voice stopped her. "Kiori-san... if Houjun, if Houjun lives... tell him that Mae-chan says to stay out of this, and keep away from Konan. And make sure that he lives. Please."
"I will, Mizu-chan," Kiori assured her. She turned again, dashing down the hallway as she felt Chichiri's ki drop slightly. "That's a promise!"

Tsuchi applied a bandage tightly to Chichiri's arm, looping it through a sling. "Ha! Finished!" He took a step back to view his handiwork. "Hm, not bad, considering the limited amount I could do."
Tsuchi had had to take off Chichiri's battered shirt when he was bandaging the monk's ribcage, and it had been replaced with an undamaged shirt- the kesa was looped over the top of that. Chichiri's head was wrapped in one tight piece of cloth, giving him a roguish air, and his side was patched up and padded well. Tsuchi's patted the man's uninjured arm gently. "Better? I hope so."
There was no answer, but the Element hadn't expected one. Wordlessly he went over to his bag of supplies, looking through for a specially homemade potion he always kept at hand. "Hm, where is it, lessee..." Tsuchi's head came up; he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. The boy smiled a little, slipping behind the door of the cell.
'It's probably Mizu-chan, come to see how I'm doing,' he thought to himself. 'Heehee, when she comes through the door I'll jump out and give her a nice scare- she's been so dreary these past two days she needs a little cheering up.'
Tsuchi peered around the door, biting his tongue to keep from uttering a shout of surprise. The person who had entered the room wasn't Mizu, nor anyone the boy had seen in the Palace before. 'Who in the world...'
Not knowing the Element was behind her, Kiori ran across the room to her monk friend, kneeling on the floor next to him. "Oh, Chichiri! Look at this place! Those monsters, I can't believe they'd put you in this freezing, damp room! Humph, at least they managed to find a little kindness in their hearts and patched you up some. Well, I'm here now, and I'll get you out of here, don't worry about that."
Tsuchi still wasn't sure who she was, but from the way she was speaking he knew she was an enemy; probably one of the Konan Warriors, even. He thought of a conversation he'd had with Sora earlier that same day...

~~"D'you think the warriors will send someone here to try and get their friend back, instead of bargaining like Setsuka-sama wants them to?" Tsuchi had asked.
Sora shook her head. "I spoke to her Ladyship about that. She told me that our enemies are strong, but they're cowards at heart. She said they don't value their friend's lives over their own. That's how they are."
"But, Sora, if that's true, then why did the one we're holding hostage give his life like that...?"
The warrior girl sighed, rubbing her temples unhappily. "Tsuchi-kun, please don't question what her Ladyship says. It isn't our place."~~

'So Setsuka-sama was... wrong,' he hadn't realized how hard it would be to get those words out. The boy noticed the medicine bag on her shoulder. 'She's no fighter, she's just some simple healer, like me. Why in the world did those warriors send out a peaceful person to bring back their friend...?'
Kiori turned slightly, and the Element slid back behind the door quickly, breathing a sigh of relief. Even if she wasn't a warrior, she certainly carried a dangerous-looking sword, and all he had was a knife. There wasn't anything he could do, after all, he wasn't armed and... 'And you're just a boy,' an inner voice chided. 'Just like the others say. Just a kid, you can't do this sort of thing. Better go run back to Mommy.'
Tsuchi shook his head hard. He gripped the handle of his knife, full of determination. He'd take a prisoner, that's what he'd do, and he'd prove that he wasn't a child.
Kiori was rummaging through her bag, trying to find a small vial of water, when she felt a sharp point touch her back. The college girl froze. "Who is it?"
"I should be the one asking the questions," Kiori was relieved to find that the voice was that of a young boy, and one that didn't sound too sure of himself, either. "G-get your hands up, where I can see them. D-don't try anything, please, or I'll..."
"My name's Kiori," she said gently, doing as he said. "Am I right in guessing you're one of the Elements?"
"H-hai," he replied, trying to sound tough and mostly just sounding scared. "My name's Tsuchi."
Her voice was soothing, and it made it hard for Tsuchi to be angry at her. "Tsuchi... you're the healer, right? We have some scrolls at the palace, and you were mentioned as a heartfelt healer."
"You're one too," he stated simply.
She nodded slightly. Kiori displayed complete poise on the outside, but inwardly she was tensing up in case she had to turn and fight the boy. "That's right. I came here to help my friend. You patched him up pretty well, so far, but if we want him to live I need to take him back to the palace. Onegai, you want him to live as badly as I do, don't you?"
"That hasn't nothing to do with this!" Tsuchi told her. "And I can't let you leave here, especially not with him. If you come quietly, up with me to see Setsuka-sama, I'll do everything I can to keep the two of you alive and healthy."
Kiori shook her head slightly. "And that's something I can't do. Because I promised my friends I'd bring Chichiri back alive, and if he stays in this cell much longer that'll be impossible. I don't want to fight you, Tsuchi. You're only a child, and-"
"I am not a child!" his voice snapped like a whip, the point of his weapon poking slightly harder into Kiori's back. "Now are you going to come with me, or am I going to have to kill you!? I don't want to, but, but in order to follow the will of the Lady..."
The healer was not terribly worried about getting the Konan Warrior to submit- not only was she not a fighter, but Setsuka said all their enemies were cowards at heart. She'd come willingly, he was sure of it.
Kiori dropped her head. "All right then, Tsuchi, if that's how it is." The Element smiled, but his feeling of victory was short-lived. Kiori whirled quickly away from him, taking several steps back and pulling out Ritsuka's sword. Her blue eyes met his golden ones square on. "Then I'll have to fight you, I guess. I didn't come here to kill anyone, but if I have to... if it'll save Chichiri... I'll do whatever it takes."
Tsuchi watched her curiously, mind in a confused jumble. 'She's going to fight me!? Look at her! She's obviously never held a sword in her life! Even with my knife and limited training I could still beat her, and pretty easily. Why... why would she...'
He stared into her eyes, trying to figure the girl out. Her blue orbs glared back at him defiantly; a mixture of feelings in the pools. She was scared, but not so much for herself- more for her friend- and she was quite clearly worried about him as well. There was courage in them, too; a fierce, protective sort of bravery that Tsuchi hadn't seen in the eyes of people in such a long time. There was something else, too... something he couldn't quite place...
It hit him like a thunderbolt.
"Ai." That was it. It was love.
'Love... but, but Setsuka said... she said they were... but, but how can someone truly evil...' His mind flashed back to the many times he'd spoken to his Ladyship, or the other Elements. Only Mizu's eyes had ever showed any flicker of that emotion in them, and usually when she was thinking about something far away. 'We did nothing for Tsuki, or Taiyou, but these Konan Warriors... they... this girl's willing to die for this man... all because...'
The knife slid from Tsuchi's hand numbly. "Setsuka-sama... she was wrong, the entire time... they aren't the villains in this scenario... it's us... oh, Suzaku, it's us..."
Kiori's eyes widened as she watched the boy collapse to his knees on the stone floor. "Tsuchi?"
"This whole time I've been strung along blindly, telling myself to listen to her every whim and command... she had me fooled from day one, thinking someone as evil as she could ever be on the right side of things..."
The college girl crouched down next to him. She was starting to understand things a little bit better. "Setsuka's been manipulating you, and the other Elements, hasn't she?" He nodded slightly, not meeting her eyes. "I had a feeling. She tried to do that to Tasuki- Kaji to you, I guess- but we stopped her. Is it some sort of power she has over you?"
He nodded again. "When I met her, I thought she was a goddess. All I wanted to do was follow her every order, no matter what it was. She tricked us all into thinking we were on the right of things. I listened to her so easily, too, I would've killed myself if she asked me too... I'm such a baka..."
Kiori smiled slightly. "You were. But you get it now, right? I'm here to save my friend. That's all any of us ever wanted to do- save Konan, save the people we care about. Please, let me leave with him."
Another numb nod. "Go," Tsuchi's voice was barely a whisper. "Get far away from this evil place. I have to stay here... even now, I can't abandon that wicked woman... if there's anything I can do to help..."
"You've done quite enough, keeping my friend alive and letting me leave. I thank you for that, from the bottom of my heart," Kiori said kindly. She stood, going back to the monk. "Now, how am I going to get you out of here...?" Her hand touched the kasa that she still had strung around her neck. Kiori's eyes lit up. "Of course! Thank you God for telling me to bring this along."
The college girl crouched next to Chichiri, not noticing that Tsuchi had gone over to his own medical bag. She put a warm hand to his cold cheek. "Hang on a sec, this might be a little bumpy."
Tsuchi rummaged around in his bag while Kiori slid Chichiri gently into the kesa. As she turned, Tsuchi stood as well. "Here. Take this." He handed her a small vial. "It's a special potion of my own. It's made to help heal a person faster. That is, assuming he lives through the trip home."
Kiori took it, looking at the gold liquid skeptically and tucking it into her medicine bag. "Arigatou."
"Wait," Tsuchi closed his eyes for a moment, and his light green ki glowed slightly about his body. He opened his eyes again. "Your friend- Chichiri, isn't it?- has a broken left arm, a minor concussion, a deep wound on his left side, and three broken ribs. One of the ribs is dangerously close to his lung- if he moves around too much it might get punctured. I don't have the power to heal a person directly, like Mitsukake-sama did, but... but I hope that bit of information helps."
"Arigatou," she said again. Kiori turned to the door, biting her lip. She wouldn't be able to go at anything over a light trot back to the palace, if she expected to get Chichiri home alive...
'And that's the only way I'm going to get him home,' she told herself firmly. 'I'm going to save Chichiri, no matter what it takes. After all, the hardest part is over already... isn't it?'

"'The young Element watched the Konan Warrior jog up the steps of the Takkan palace and out of sight. He breathed a long, tired sigh, putting a hand to his heart. "Ganbare, Warrior," he murmured quietly. "You're going to need it as much as I am."'" Keisuke was sitting straight up, reading the book as rapidly as he could, trying to find out the fate of the smiling monk. "End Chapter Ten."

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Kiori: Chichiri's out of the enemy's clutches, but he's not out of danger yet! While the five Konan Warriors at the palace battle emotions, injuries and enemies, Chichiri continues the bitter fight to stay alive.
But wait, what about those Elements I left behind? I hope they're all right... Setsuka couldn't find out that they let us escape... could she?
The Next Episode of Fushigi Yuugi: The Next Chapter: "Of Sorrow and Struggle! The Wrath of a Lady!"
Come on, Chichiri, you can't leave us, not now...
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