But what she heard was a clash, the sound of metal scraping against metal. Miaka's eyes sprang open and saw two figures standing before her, shielding her with their bodies and lives.
"Houjun! Shonin!" Miaka gasped, the names echoed by the other Seishi.
The Priest held his staff out protectively with one hand while the other held his beads in a prayer-like position. Houjun never said a word but the strings suddenly dissolved into nothing and everyone gently landed on the floor. At his feet Shonin stood prepared to launch herself at the killer, though she did manage to quickly wink at Miaka.
"Damn you!" the assassin roared, throwing a set of darts toward the Chichiri Seishi and Miaka. Though Kishuku shouted a warning to them, Houjun was already a step ahead of him. Spinning his shakujou in a tight circle, he deflected all the knives as Shonin jumped at the assassin. She dug her teeth into his shoulder as Chie clawed his neck from behind and Toshi buried his unsheathed claws into the man's side. Through their combined efforts they brought the assassin to the ground--but didn't kill him.
'We need him for answers!' Chie's 'voice was acidic. 'And I'm going to get them, his sanity be damned!'
"Nii-chaaaaan!" the children whimpered, encircling Kishuku and preventing him from dealing with the killer. However, the other Seishi looked more than willing to take care of the problem as Miaka stood to the side and watched with worried eyes.
"Take them out of here. They don't need to see or hear this," Houjun turned to Kishuku, who nodded quickly and shepherded the four into the most distant room of the house with gentle brotherly urging.
"Answer me this," Doukun spoke in a dark demanding tone. "Why are you so interested in Miaka? Why this Suzaku no Miko?"
"Heh..." the would-be-murderer replied, sneering through his pain. "I would sooner speak to dogs than the vultures of Suzaku."
Doukun opened his mouth to speak again when Chie and the ketsu pushed him to the side as Houjun protectively shielded Miaka with his body. The sound of arrows hitting human flesh echoed in Miaka's ears and she cringed into the Chichiri Seishi's arms. When the house was silent again Houjun slowly released the Miko and both turned to the body, now a morbid mockery of a pincushion.
Kneeling over him, Doukun closed the eyelids of the man with a shaky hand. "He's dead..." he said softly. "But then... dead men tell no tales."
"I'll take care of this, no da," Houjun put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Go tell Kishuku and the children it's safe--I don't sense any other malicious ki nearby."
'We'll go outside and scout around. I can't stay in here or I may end up doing something I'll regret,' Toshi decided, his fur still sticking up with protective anger. Doukun nodded and went into the back room as the ketsu exited the tiny abode. Standing above it, Houjun held his beads again but slowly waved his other hand palm-down back and forth over the body, chanting and praying quietly. Within seconds, all evidence of the assassin's presence had disappeared, including the blood and remnants of the sticky rope. Then he sighed and turned to Miaka.
"We'll talk later, Miaka-san, but right now I think it's best if you stay around long enough to help care for the children, no da," Houjun said, tilting his head in the direction of the coming voices.
Looking past him she saw Shunkei and Gyokuran holding onto their big brother for dear life as he reentered, tears still wet on their cheeks. Doukun and Chuuei were talking animatedly, and from nowhere Yuiren hurtled herself past Kishuku's legs right at Miaka.
"Onee-chan!" the little girl cried, wrapping her arms tightly around Miaka's legs and burying her face in the robe.
"It's all right, Yuiren-chan," she said soothingly, picking her up and stroking her back. "Houjun-san says it's safe again. You're home is safe, it's all right little one."
'She's right,' Shonin appeared next to her bondmate, looking at the children with wide-eyed interest. 'Everything's all right, we've made sure of that.'
Gyokuran turned her head and her eyes lit up. "'Nother ketsu!" she cried happily, trying to wriggle out of her brother's arms. "Can I see her please?"
Houjun and Miaka looked down at the vixen, who rolled on her back in the effort to look cute. It worked--Kishuku put the children down and both of them ran over to hug and cuddle Shonin, their fears forgotten.
'Cheater...' Toshi muttered as he padded out of the shadows and rubbed against Kishuku's leg. 'She's just new--the attention will wear off.'
"Bit jealous, ne?" Kishuku teased the leopard, which ignored the jibe. Then he cheerfully clapped Houjun on the back. "So we meet again old man! Glad you could hobble over and join us!"
"I have to be ready at all times, no da. I seem to be making a habit of saving your sorry butt, no da!" he winked. "But I am happy to see all of you again, no da." He shared the usual greetings with Doukun and Miaka before Kishuku took his attention again.
"Ah, you must meet the family!" and he went around reintroducing his siblings and father. However, minutes after Houjun met Sou-san, Miaka found him speaking furtively to Kishuku.
"Your father has an infection in his lungs, and it feels as if it’s traveling to other parts of his body," Houjun explained. "I don’t have the medicine on me and he needs some soon. This is a stupid question, but do you have any extra okane? I only have a few ryou on my person, not nearly enough to get him a full dosage..."
Kishuku shook his head regretfully. "I can’t--we don’t have enough to get his medicine and take care of my siblings after I go."
Houjun nodded thoughtfully. "When Saihitei comes we’ll see if he’ll lend you some okane for your father." Kishuku bowed to the Priest in thanks for all his help then went back to take care of the hungry kids.
His father is really sick--sicker than any of us thought, Miaka mused sadly as she put a sleeping Yuiren in her bed. I don't have any money, but I don't think me being here is helping any...
"So Kutou's looking for their Miko and Seishi too?" Chuuei's incredulous voice wafted from the front room. Miaka walked in and saw him sitting with Doukun, Houjun, and the three ketsu. She silently scooted down next to Doukun, shared a quick grin with him, then turned back to the topic.
"That's what I heard during my travel with Shonin back here," Houjun nodded. "It seems that once they heard Konan was looking for its Chosen Shichiseishi they began searching for their own."
"Wait, what?" Miaka asked, a sudden quickening coming to her pulse. "What do you mean, Chosen Shichiseishi? "
Houjun looked at Doukun and Chie with a look that Miaka clearly read as she doesn't know yet?, both of whom looked extremely abashed under his glare. However, Shonin picked up seamlessly and said to Miaka, 'We've been trying to keep this information as quiet as possible, but you deserve to hear what we know. It is true--we have been blessed with the knowledge that the Chosen Suzaku no Shichiseishi have been called to save Konan... and we know the brave Seishi that will become the channels for Suzaku himself.'
Both Miaka and Chuuei gasped. "The legends are true! The Chosen Seishi are going to bring peace to the country! And you know them!" Chuuei's voice was choked with awe. "How awesome!"
"When is it going to happen?" Miaka asked eagerly. Because the sooner we have peace the sooner I can go home... but that thought didn't have as much joy in it as before. Still, the thought that she was hearing first-hand about the Chosen Seishi brought an excitement to her heart she'd never felt before.
Doukun picked up her question. "We cannot say. As of right now, not all of them are gathered and they must be present if Suzaku is going to be called." He turned to the ketsu. "Someone was saying something about the Chosen Seiryuu Seishi. What was it?"
'That it's not just a fruitless searching on their part--they have good reason to be looking for theirs,' Toshi said, keeping the conversation within the room. 'From what the assassin was thinking before he died, it appears he was sent by the Chosen Nakago Seishi.'
A chill ran down Miaka's spine and Doukun furrowed his brow in great consternation. "Did you get anything else from them?" Chuuei asked, still sounding a bit amazed by the news but holding his own.
'Apparently they have found their Chosen Miko but not all the other Seishi,' Chie explained. 'But that was all I caught.' Nods from the other ketsu showed that they too gained very little from the man.
"This is not good," Doukun frowned, propping his chin on his fists. "Outside of the fact that we hold antagonistic feelings toward Kutou, does it strike anyone else as too coincidental that both Suzaku and Seiryuu are finding their Chosen at the same time?"
"No, it can't be just coincidence, no da. The gods must have something planned, though I'll be damned if I know what it is, no da," Houjun shook his head then turned to Shonin. "Unless the ketsu are keeping secrets from us." Though they teased their Seishi the animals had nothing more to divulge.
The group talked a bit more but Miaka's mind had begun to drift from the conversation. Chosen Suzaku no Miko... I wonder who it is... she thought lightly. I wonder what that would be like, to be the Miko that Suzaku blesses with his godly powers. I wonder if it's like when I first became a Miko, so alive and new and reborn. I wonder what's going to happen now that Kutou found a Miko. Too bad Yui-chan's not here, she's so smart; she could make all sorts of guesses. I wonder if she knew about the Chosen Seiryuu no Mi-
And Miaka's heart stopped as her vision went black.
"Miaka!" a trio of voices called for her. She felt a pair of arms holding her up and a second set of hands brushing her face but she didn't respond to that. It was as if she was separated from her body, sensing the touches without really feeling them. Her world was too focused on one thought.
My Yui-chan's the Chosen Seiryuu no Miko! She has to be, Miaka thought as she floated in a sea of stunned darkness. Because that's why they attacked my village, for Yui-chan. It has to be the reason... because just one normal Suzaku no Miko doesn't make a difference.
'Miaka!' Toshi's 'voice reached for her, sounding distant but clear. 'Miaka, are you all right?'
'Honey, what's wrong? What happened?' Shonin followed, her mind twinning with the leopard's to strengthen the touch, and in perfect harmony Chie's thoughts joined the braid.
'Wake up, Miaka-chan. Come on back with us,' she called gently but firmly. With a weak agreement, Miaka grasped the rope of their telepathic consciousness, felt them wrap around her mind, and pulled herself back into the waking world. Her senses slowly returned until she could feel the cool cloth on her forehead, smell something piercing her nose, and hear voices coming from six different directions.
"Nnnnn..." she groaned, slowly opening her eyes. Hovering nervously above her were the Seishi males, with Houjun holding a small spring of rosemary near her face. Miaka slowly turned her head and noticed she was lying on Chuuei's bed in the children's room. I wonder when I got here... she wondered absent-mindedly.
"Miaka-san, are you all right?" Doukun questioned slowly.
She replied in a whisper, "I think so... I don't know what came over me..."
"Stress, most likely," Kishuku said sympathetically. "Just rest for a little bit and we'll take care of you."
"We will, Miaka-chan, we promise!" Shunkei nodded, mimicking his brother's serious look. "We'll make sure you get sleep and good food because good food always makes you better."
Those gathered chuckled at the last part, and even Miaka couldn't help but join in. They know my weakness, she thought, looking up at Kishuku's grinning face.
Once Houjun double-checked her ki for weakness and found none, the group left Miaka to catch some sleep. For most of the time that's what she did, but for the rest she was thinking and plotting on this new revelation.
If I leave tonight after everyone's gone to sleep and the ketsu are out hunting, I can make it home and tell Nii-chan what happened. He and Tetsuya can figure something out--I know they can! And I can't just let Yui-chan stay trapped in Kutou without knowing that I'm here and worried about here. I'll tell them what's going on, say hi to Kaa-san, and then head to Kutou to find Yui-chan.
Once she was confident about her idea, Miaka stood up and walked through the house. She talked to the children, reassured the Seishi and ketsu that she was all right, and went through the actions of a normal day. Finally, when all the children--Doukun and Chuuei included--Miaka decided now was the time to go.
"I'm going outside for a few minutes--I think all that practicing of being an owl has affected my sleeping habits," she admitted shyly.
"Well, just be careful, all right?" Kishuku asked, looking at her with protective eyes. "No point teasing the Kutou soldiers by being careless."
"Ahhhh, I'll be fine! You worry too much," Miaka reassured him, giving him a quick hug and peck on the cheek before heading to the door. "See you in a few minutes."
Miaka wasn't lying about her sleeping habits; combining the nocturnal needs of the coyote and owl had made her appreciate the night a great deal more than before. She was all keyed up to make the run back to her village but she wanted to keep her human form, at least until she reached the edge of the village.
Kishuku's right, I don't want to attract attention. I think I'll cut through the forest though, even though it's a tiny bit dangerous. It should save me a good hour or so, so it can't be too much for me to handle, can it?
She was about to find out. Slipping into the start of woods with barely a whisper of leaves to mark her passage, Miaka walked all of ten feet before she started getting second thoughts.
It's really dark... maybe I should shift now... she thought, jumping slightly at every hoot and howl she heard. I've been practicing holding owl-form but I'm still not that good. I'll just wait a little longer...
Miaka had no idea how far she walked, only that each time she took a step she thought her heart was about to break out of her chest and she would be attacked by an assassin, a wild animal, or a combination of both. She had actually traveled a good distance before her luck ran out.
Okay, I think I'm all right. I don't know how much farther I have to go but I think I--
She froze in midstep, suddenly looking into the eyes and maw of a large man-eating tiger. It growled menacingly at her, standing a whole ten feet away and smelling her fear like a treat to be savored.
No no no I don't want to die I can't do this I can't ...I can handle this. I'll just shift and fly away, her mind rationalized, pushing panic aside for just a minute. So she stood against the tiger, tilted her chin up in defiance, and reached for the freedom of the sky.
She completed the shift quickly and cleanly, but what she didn't count on was the fact that the tiger would pounce her in owl-form. She shrieked high and shrilly, beating her untrained wings hard enough to nearly break them. The tiger landed just underneath her, but then turned and jumped a second time without more than a breath's pause. This time, as she saw those fangs and claws coming at her, Miaka's mind knew with anguished acceptance that she was going to die.
As the tiger's fangs came down on her feathery body, a red shield protected her from the deadly teeth, and a blast of energy knocked the animal to the side. A second and third convinced the tiger to find a better meal elsewhere, and it turned tail and ran.
Miaka lay on the ground, back to her natural human form, shaking with fear and relief and emotions she couldn't even name.
"It's all right, no da. You're safe, Miaka," Houjun said gently, bending down and offering his arms to her. She looked into his unmasked face, so open and kind, and knew that she was safe. Miaka let out a strangled cry of "Thank you!" and let herself be gathered into his arms.
She clutched at his kesa like a child holding a parent that just banished much-feared nightmares. She didn't care how he knew she was out here - she was just thankful he was there for her.
Through it all, the Priest was silent, offering his comfort through his presence. Finally, after a few minutes of peace, he brought her to her feet. "Come on, let's go back to the house. It's been a long night, and we all need the sleep, no da."
Miaka froze. "I can't go back. I can't keep putting Kishuku and his family in danger. It's not right and it's not fair," she tried to explain, but her frustration couldn't be held in any longer. "Why can't you understand that? Why?!"
"You must be more responsible for your actions, Miaka. I realize you want to protect Kishuku and the rest, and that is admirable. But you must keep in mind that you cannot simply follow your will without regard for the concerns of others, no da," he spoke with grave solemnity. "This isn't just about Kishuku--you can't go putting your own family in danger, too. You're safest with us even if it doesn't seem that way, no da."
"Then I'll go to Kutou alone!" she retorted, then covered her mouth in shock. I didn't want to say that!
But Houjun just shook his head, taking it all in stride. "I don't know what's going through your mind, no da. I left Shonin and the ketsu back at the house to give you a small measure of privacy, but I'm sure it has something to do with the Mikos. That's what we last spoke of before you blacked out, no da." Miaka didn't make a comment either affirming or disputing that claim, so he continued. "But you have an obligation to your country that you cannot escape. There's something going on that's greater than you could ever have imagined, and you can't pretend that running away from it will make everything better, no da."
But Miaka was in no mood to hear any of this. After two close-calls with death, the attack on Kishuku's family, and the sudden incident with the tiger, Miaka was this close to keep running from Houjun, regardless of the advice he was so freely giving.
"I am being responsible!" she screamed. "How can you say that? I'm just trying to keep Kishuku and his family safe! I'm trying to save my best friend, and go back home! I'm even trying to keep you and Doukun safe, too! I'm doing the best I can! Why can't you just let me be?"
"Because you are the Chosen Suzaku no Miko and you owe your life and duty to Konan before your own selfish wants."
