Keisuke glanced up at his friends, both of whom were trying to get their emotions under control. He held the book up, waving it slightly back and forth. "Who's next...?"
"You take it, Tetsuya," Yui said quietly. "I don't think I could bear to read anything right now... poor Koji... poor Tasuki... was the first story like this, for you guys?"
They nodded slightly, Tetsuya taking the book from Keisuke's hands. He flipped it to the beginning of chapter sixteen, taking a deep breath and beginning. "'Meanwhile, far from the walls of Konan and ignorant to the dramatic events that had been occuring there, the important deeds of an alliance were taking shape...'"

Hataku opened one eye slowly, finding the other to be sealed shut. He had absolutely no idea where he was, barely knew WHO he was. The former Takkan general moaned slightly, attempting to move. He gave a muffled grunt of alarm, as his entire body flared briefly in almost unbearable pain.
A ruggedly attractive woman stuck her head in his range of vision. "Oh, yer awake already, are ya?"
"Bounces back rather quickly, doesn't he? I would have thought he'd be asleep for a bit longer than a week," a man's pleasant voice remarked. "Still, I suppose we can't expect less from the dastardly Hataku, agreed?"
Hataku closed his eye again, taking a shallow breath- deep breathing caused him even more pain. Hataku, of course, that was his name... general of Takkan... but wait...
"You stupid, pathetic fool! To think that I would really offer you such a high position when you so obviously hate me?"
The half-awake general gritted his teeth tightly, the hatred in his heart burning strongly. It all came back in an instant, every detail of his encounter with Setsuka. The tricks, the drugging, the painful beating that had followed... but he hadn't cried out, no matter what, he hadn't screamed the way she wanted him to... at least that was some consolation. Still...
"Mm, mm, I s'pose this means that he will live, hai hai. Well, good for him I say!"
Hataku clenched his fist, one of the few activities he could do that didn't cause him too much pain. He'd live, all right; there was no doubt in his mind on that fact. He had to, if he expected to kill the woman who had destroyed his life.

The next couple weeks passed slowly, Hataku healing remarkably quickly with the small amount of medical care the RAFT members could afford to give him. The general, who was now hampered with a nasty limp in his left leg, right eye almost completely blinded and a slight bend in his back, tolerated the pain and handicaps quietly. In fact, he did everything quietly, rarely speaking to the rebel members who had saved his life.
He was civil and polite when he did speak, usually to thank them for something or ask a favor. In spite of themselves, the RAFT members were becoming somewhat fond of their one-time enemy, though they were always wary that he'd turn on them once he was in better health.
One day, after Hataku had spent almost a full conscious week with the RAFT, Aji attempted to speak with him about the Takkan palace.
The charming actor took a seat next to the former general on his straw bed, handing him a bowl of somewhat watery soup. "Apologies for the nasty taste, but no one ever said rebels were cooks as well."
Hataku took a sip, shrugging his thin and battered shoulders. "It tastes fine, better than some things I've had. Arigatou."
Aji shifted slightly, putting his hands behind his head. "Ah, they didn't feed you too well back in the barracks, I take it." A small nod. "You lived in that palace for a while, didn't you? Probably know plenty of ways in and out of old Setsuka's- may she die a thousand deaths- home..."
Hataku's chopsticks snapped in his hand. Aji jumped slightly, watching the patient with wary eyes. For the first time since he'd met him, the former general was showing a real, passionate feeling, and it was almost scaring the RAFT member. Hataku's single eye flared angrily. "I'm going to kill that woman," he spat viciously. "I'll make her pay a thousand times over for what she's done."
"Ah, of course," Aji said, chuckling nervously. Deciding that it would be a good idea to change the subject, he sipped his own soup, pulling a face. "This tastes fine to you? They must have served something rather awful back in that army of yours!"
The rebel man was surprised and a little bit happy to see Hataku chuckle slightly; it was the first time the former general had so much as smiled. Aji didn't bring up Takkan or the Lady who ruled there again, and had warned the others to do the same.
Time wore on, slowly but surely, and Hataku found himself feeling better by the day. One evening, after spending almost three weeks with the RAFT, the former general quite suddenly announced that he was going somewhere in town, and would be back later. Kita, suspicious and curious as to what he was doing, followed him down several backstreets and towards a run-down house near the edge of town.
Hataku, who had quickly mastered the curious new hop-skip walk he'd had to develop, jogged as quickly as he could to the house, glancing around to make sure there were no soldiers around to see him. With a sardonic smile, he realized that none of the soldiers would have recognized their disfigured general anyway, and knocked twice on the door. After a moment, he let himself in.
Kita snuck up to the window, peeking in and hoping that Hataku wasn't turning she and her allies over to the Takkan army- it seemed unlikely, but you could never quite tell. The sight that met her eyes was anything but expected.
Kita found herself looking in on a small, one-room house. The place was somewhat dark, as it was being lit by only one lantern, and shabby in the way most Takkan homes were. The room was sparsely furnished- a large bed in the corner, and a smaller one near that, along with a small cooking area and a chest that must have contained the clothing of the family- but clean and homey nonetheless. Kita immediately took a liking to the atmosphere, as well as the cheerful young woman sitting near the stove and the older woman seated on the bed.
"Okaa-sama? Nia?" he called quietly as he entered the house. Kita was surprised at how soft and gentle the former general's usually harsh voice was. "It's me, Hataku."
Hataku closed the door behind him; Kita cursed slightly, wishing she could hear the conversation. She was left with the difficult task of attempting to read lips. She was only able to catch snatches of the conversation, but the rebel leader got the just of what was going on.
The elderly woman glanced up, peering through a pair of small glasses to the shadowy figure. "Hataku, dear, is it really you? We'd heard that you'd been killed in battle..." she gasped softly, noticing his new appearace. "Oh! Suzaku, what in the world happened?"
The younger woman looked up, turning her head in the direction of his voice. Her face seemed to light up at the sound. "Onii-chan? Is something wrong with him, Okaa-sama?"
The former general hobbled over to where the younger woman sat, taking a seat on the floor next to her. "It's nothing, Nia. There's been some... problems at the palace, we'll say. If I told you the details, it might endanger your life, so I think it's best that I leave you in the dark on this one."
The young woman- Nia- chuckled slightly, touching a hand to his face. "Well, I'm used to that, now aren't I?"
'She's blind,' Kita realized with a start. She glanced around at the neighborhood she was in, gritting her teeth in newfound hatred for Setsuka. 'Her own general gets paid so little that his mother and blind sister have t'live here!? That monster...'
"It's so nice to have you home, dear," Hataku's mother remarked, looking down at the quilt that she was sewing in her lap and trying not to stare at her son's face. "Out of curiousity, has her Ladyship followed through on that promise of hers? About your new position?"
"I'm afraid not, Okaa-sama. Truth be told, there's been... a falling out between the two of us. I'm not even working for Takkan anymore, as a general or anything," he let Nia's hand rove up his cheek and touch the loose headband that draped over his disfigured eye.
She frowned slightly. "Something happened to your eye, Onii-chan. Is that what Okaa-sama was worried about?"
He held her hand in his, pulling it gently away from his face. "A bit more than just that. In a way, it's probably better that you can't see me. I don't know if you'd recognize me anymore."
"Not recognize my own brother? Ridiculous," she said fondly. "You seem exactly the same to me, except that your walk's changed a little. Although... you have something very important on your mind. Has it really been that horrible at the palace?"
"It's been bad, Nia," he told her. "But it's all right, because I'm going to make everything okay again. I promise you that. I'll get you and Okaa-sama out of this rathole, and then..."
His mother chuckled slightly, pulling her needle through in quick, smooth strokes. "You worry far too much. Nia and I are perfectly fine. We have enough to live on, and we have each other. The only thing missing from our lives is you, Hataku."
"I know," he said quietly. "I'm too busy, aren't I?" Both women nodded slightly. "I apologize, but I'll change that as soon as I can. There's something I have to do, though. Something that'll take me away from home for a while. A couple months, maybe even more."
The former general's mother sighed heavily. "I had a feeling. Any chance I can talk you out of it?"
Hataku shook his head. "It's important, and it's something I've been putting off for much too long. There's nothing you or anyone else could do or say that'd stop me from this."
Nia groped around for his hands, finding them without much difficulty. "It's one of those things, huh? Well, if it's that important than I guess I'd be stupid to try and stop you. Be careful, and stay safe, please. I don't want to lose my Onii-chan, not after everything that's already happened."
Hataku nodded, squeezing his sister's finger slightly. "I'll be okay. Something tells me I wasn't meant to die just yet. You take care of yourself, and Okaa-sama too, all right? I love you both so much, I'd never forgive myself if something happened to you." The general smiled suddenly, sitting down and sniffing the air curiously. "Let's talk about something more pleasant for now. Like maybe what you've got cooking. It smells wonderful, Okaa-sama..."
Kita slipped quietly away, already feeling as if she had violated too much of the general's personal life. As she jogged back to Otoo-san's home, Kita thought back over what she'd just seen and puzzled over it. 'I never woulda guessed that HATAKU had a family, an' one he loved, no less. Granted, he's a nice enough guy, but I've never seen him so... gentle. He really cares for that sister of his, an' his mother too. Y'never really know a person, do ya?' she thought with a small chuckle. 'I'll remember t'be nicer t'him, an' next time we raid one-a the soldier barracks I'll send some food over t'his family. They looked like they coulda used another income, poor guys...'
"Konban wa, Kita m'dear," Aji said, watching as she trotted towards the unofficial HQ of the RAFT. "I take it the good general didn't do anything uncalled for?"
She looked up at her lover, smiling slightly. "Uncalled for? No, I'd say he definitely did that."
Aji raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what, praytell, did he do that caused you such happiness?" Realizing what he'd just said, the actor put a hand to his heart. "Oh, Kita dearest, say it isn't so! Has Hataku stolen my love from me!? The horror!"
She pushed him, causing the suave rebel to topple rather undramatically into an empty trashcan. "You melodramatic baka! It's nothin' like that. It's... well, let's go inside, an' I'll explain th' whole thing t'you there. Ya'll never b'lieve me, though..."

The next day, Hataku made an unexpected announcement. He, along with Otoo-san, Aji and Kita were enjoying a decent breakfast, when the former general quite suddenly said, "I'm leaving today."
Aji nearly choked on his tea. "Nani yo!? Did I hear that right? You're leaving?" Hataku nodded, finishing off his plate and setting it on the floor. "But, but, I had assumed you would stay here with us and help to fight Setsuka-"
"-May she die a thousand deaths," everyone- including Hataku- chorused.
"Why the sudden departure? And why so soon?" Aji finished.
Hataku looked down at the floor, rolling the tip of his cloak between his fingers. "As much as I might enjoy fighting with the rest of you, in order to complete the task at hand I can't stay in Takkan. My path must cross again with that woman's, and for it do so I'll have to go to Konan."
"Konan!?" Otoo-san said, jumping slightly. "My, my, why ever would you need to go there? The Lady you wish to kill is here, in Takkan, so she is. Hm, mm, if you want to do what you say you do, wouldn't it make more sense to stay here, closer to your hated enemy?"
Hataku shook his head. "That woman," he didn't like referring to her by her name, "will go to Konan before this war is over. She told me before this war even started that she would be the one to finish things, regardless of whatever else happened. To do that, she'll have to wind up at the Palace, and when she does," he gripped his teacup hard in his hand; Kita was actually worried that he might break it, "I'll be there to finish things as well."
Aji nodded. "Ah, a wise move, Hataku-san, but I think there's a hole in your plan. Where exactly do you plan on staying while you wait for her to show up?"
"Where else but where she'll attack?" Hataku asked with a chuckle. "Konan Palace." For the first times in their lives, the trio were all rendered speechless at the absurd remark. "I don't expect that they'll just let me in with open arms, seeing as how I am who I am. But I think the valuable information I have about their enemy will help persuade them to let me stay. I also plan to offer my services as a general to them- those soldiers of theirs could use a real commander."
"D'you plan on comin' back t'Takkan?" Kita asked, thinking of the former general's mother and sister.
"I don't know," he admitted quietly. "If I'm not killed by a Konan Warrior on sight, and if I manage to survive the rest of this war in my condition, and if I can kill Setsuka correctly, then yes, I know I'll return to Takkan. I have to."
Otoo-san frowned thoughtfully. "Hm hm, those are an awful lot of 'if's. Hai hai, quite a lot, don't you agree?"
Hataku nodded, looking directly at Kita. "My family doesn't need to know that, though." The rebel spit out her tea, looking at him with wide, chibi eyes. The former general chuckled slightly. "A person doesn't spend fifteen years in the army and not learn when someone is tracking them."
Kita looked down, fiddling with her swordhilt. "I, er, I didn't... I was just..."
"You didn't trust me," he said bluntly. "It's understandable. You can't trust much of anyone these days, can you?" He paused for a moment, watching a small ant work its way across the wooden floor. "Kita-san-tachi, may I ask you a favor?"
"Depends on what it is, I guess," Aji remarked with a small chuckle.
"Do you think... do you think you can check in on my family, just every once in a while?" Hataku asked, and for the first time Aji and Otoo-san saw that same look radiate from Hataku's eyes that Kita had seen. The former general really did care so much for his family.
Kita smiled. "No problem, Hataku-san. Truth be told, I was already plannin' on doin' jus' that. Nice t'know I got yer permission now."
The former general returned the smile, just slightly. "Arigatou. I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me."
"Like I once told Kiori, any enemy of Setsuka's- may she die a thousand deaths- is always a friend of ours." Aji stood, offering the former general a hand up. "Well, Hataku-san, shall we go get you a horse? If you want to be in Konan in a few days, I'd think you might need something a bit faster than your own feet."
Hataku nodded, ignoring Aji's hand and standing on his own. "I was just about to say the same thing." He nodded politely to the other RAFT members. "Kita-san, Otoo-san. Good luck in your rebellion; it's almost a shame that I have to miss seeing you overthrow that woman."
Kita chuckled. "If we had that kinda positive attitude, we mighta done it already. Thanks, though."
The rebel woman watched as the former general shuffled his way out of Otoo-san's house, following Aji to a local farmhouse. She sighed, smiling slightly. "Ganbare, Hataku-san. I hope you do get t'be th' one t'kill Setsuka- may she die a thousand deaths. You deserve that honor."

A week had passed since Koji's funeral, and life had returned to a somewhat normal swing around the palace. As hard as the death of their close friend was, the other Konan Warriors knew that they couldn't just drop their lives, especially during the middle of a war.
Though it took a bit of urging from Chichiri and Houki, the rest of their allies were coping relatively well with the loss- even Tasuki, though the seishi had been unusually quiet, and would occasionally skip a meal when he wasn't in the mood to socialize. Chichiri understood, though, and told the others not to pressure him into feeling like he had to be his usual cheerful self.
As the evening of the one-week anniversary of Koji's funeral fell, the Konan Warriors- as well as Aoi-found themselves once more in the dining area, settling down for another exquisite meal. Kiori and Ritsuka drooled slightly as they watched the different items being brought out, Chichiri and Akai attempting to hold them back from the piles of cuisine. The light atmosphere seemed almost fake, though, and it was hard for the others not to snatch glances at the empty spot where their companion had once sat.
"Ritsuka, gimme that, I called it!"
"Kiori, you can't call food! It's the law of, um... table manners."
"Is that so? Then I'll just help myself to some of your soup."
"HEY! No fair no fair, if it's already in my bowl then it's officially mine!"
"You snatched those noodles right off my plate, cheater!"
Tasuki managed a small chuckle at the antics of the ravenous pair, but his heart wasn't really in it. He stirred the rice on his plate with his chopsticks, knowing he should be hungry and finding that the thought of food just didn't appeal to him at all. The seishi decided to ignore the food, and concentrated all his willpower on trying not to stare at Koji's empty seat...
Houki attempted to make conversation in the lull that followed the Kiori and Ritsuka food battle. "I have not heard the call for battle recently. What do you suppose Setsuka-"
Tasuki's chopsticks snapped in his hand at the mention of her name. Chichiri jumped at the noise, glancing over at his friend. The seishi was glowing slightly with red ki. "Hey, Tasuki, you all right?"
"I'm gonna kill that bitch," he growled dangerously. "She's gonna pay a thousand times over for what she did t'Koji. Until then, please, nobody mention that name again. It ain't fit t'be said in a decent place like this."
"Ah... hai, of course." Houki coughed nervously. "Hm, allow me to re-word my question. When do you suppose the next attack will be?"
Ritsuka shrugged. "Beats me." She waited expectantly, watching Tasuki out of the corner of her eye. Nothing. Ritsuka frowned, immitating the seishi's kansai accent as best as she could. "Beat you? My pleasure!" she thumped herself over the head, then turned back to her normal self. She glared at the seishi. "That's how it's SUPPOSED to work, anyway. Geez, I gave you a wide opening to hit me, and you completely ignored it. You've been the most depressing person I've ever met since-"
"Let it go, Ritsuka-san," Akai said sharply, blowing on her slightly steaming fish.
The redhead frowned, setting her chopsticks down on her plate. "Why does everyone refuse to talk about what happened?" she asked. "I just thought I'd ask, because quite frankly, it's starting to get on my nerves. I know it's a horrible thing to happen, but what's the good of sitting around quietly steaming, or pretending like everything's perfectly normal? Why can't we just talk about Koji-"
Akai's hands hit the table hard, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. "I said to let it go, Ritsuka-san!"
The two stubborn fighters stared across the table at each other for a long moment, almost as if attempting to beat the other into submission with their eyes alone.
Aoi set his bowl down and stared hard at the contents. The warrior boy sighed heavily. "This entire thing is all my fault. If I wasn't such a useless wallguard..."
Tasuki's plate hit the table with a slight clang; he clenched a fist angrily. "I'm partially t'blame as well. How could I be soft on that kid..."
The pair stood up and quietly left out the same door, one going right and the other left. Akai and Ritsuka looked up at the sound of the door shutting, blinking curiously. "Aoi/Tasuki-chan?" They glared back at each other, growling slightly. "This is all your fault!"
With a "humph" of frustration Akai and Ritsuka stormed out of the room, going in the direction Aoi and Tasuki had gone, respectively.
Kiori sighed, watching the door slam behind the angry women. "I've never seen them get like that around each other before." She sipped at her tea thoughtfully, glancing over at Chichiri. "I don't suppose you want to blame yourself for what happened and have me chase after you, too?"
The monk ran a hand through his hair, fingering the small tail that hung at the nape of his neck. "I haven't started blaming myself. Yet, anyway." His hand closed around the tail of hair; he frowned unhappily. "I just can't figure out how that Element managed to get in here without my sensing him..."
Houki spoke tentatively. "I may have the answer to that, Chichiri." Monk and college girl turned to the Emperess curiously. "Some of the servants who found the boy Kaze noticed a small bag of magical pellets on his belt."
"'Pill magic.'" Kiori quoted, remembering the scroll's words.
"Exactly," Houki agreed. "The bag was full of these strange balls, many of varying colors and sizes. Now, no one in the palace can get the pellets to work, or even begin to understand what each of them do, but it is my belief and that of several scholars in the palace that one of the pills may very well produce some sort of powder than will not allow a person to sense a ki."
"That could be it, ya know." Chichiri sighed, putting his chin in his hands. "Great. Huh, in the end, this entire thing might be MY fault, ya know..."
"Your fault!?" Kiori exclaimed, surprised by the suggestion. "Chichiri, how in the world could you have possibly known that kid would have something like that? This is nobody's fault but Setsuka's, and you know that as well as Tasuki and Aoi do."
"But if the barrier had been up-"
"You weren't strong enough to build the barrier," Kiori argued, determined not to have another companion kicking themselves for the terrible events that had occured. "And it's certainly not your fault that you were too weak. I mean, a person can't almost die twice and not get drained of their energy."
Chichiri frowned. 'But that's not true,' he thought to himself. 'If I'd asked for your help, I could have had the force field up over a week ago. Only...'
Only what? an inner voice demanded. Only, you're afraid of getting close to her? Only, you're worried that you'll be forced to uncover those buried feelings, and find out that you really do love her? Only, you're terrified of being hurt again, like what happened with Kouran!?
"You just don't understand, ya know," he said quietly, setting down his teacup and walking quickly out of the room.
Kiori frowned behind the monk's back, setting her cup down as well. "Chichiri, I'm... what'd I say? Chichiri?" Curiously she followed him out of the dining area, leaving Houki alone with her lightly dozing son.
The Emperess sighed. "Oh, my. First Koji's death- may he rest in peace- and now all of this... it is a bit like ripples in a pond, isn't it?" She ran a hand gently through her son's hair. "I must say, I am almost glad that the only man in my life is you, Boshin-chan. It seems much less complicated this way."

From her private chamber, Setsuka and Mizu watched the entire dining room scene through Mizu's seeing-crystal; the latter feeling guilty about spying on the lives of the Konan Warriors, and the former getting a sort of sick pleasure out of seeing them all in so much emotional pain.
"Hm... do you know, Mizu-chan, even though Kaze failed in his task, I still think he did us a world of good. Who knew that killing one member of their group, and not even one of their leaders at that, would cause them so much trouble?"
Mizu didn't answer. She tried not to think about Setsuka and the Konan Warriors anymore- about who was right, and who was wrong. Deep down, she knew the painful answer, and at the moment it wasn't the one she was ready to hear.
"Mizu-chan, keep your crystal on that seishi, the one we call Kaji." Mizu did as she was instructed; Setsuka watched him head down the walkway to his room, head cast downwards. "That one took the death of the bandit the hardest, didn't he?"
"Hai, my Lady. They were best friends."
Setsuka nodded, fingering the red gem around her neck thoughtfully. "I can feel his hatred towards me. It's quite amazing, how much anger he has harnessed in his heart, and all of it directed straight to the woman he should be serving. Quite amazing..." she paused thoughtfully. "Strange... my connection to him seems to have strengthened somewhat. I wonder why..." Setsuka's eyes flicked towards the headband Tasuki now wore; her eyes lit up and she nodded understandingly. "Hm, that makes some sense."
Mizu couldn't contain her curiousity. "What makes sense, my Lady?"
Setsuka gestured towards the headband. "Kaze battled with the one who that headband originally belonged to. If he used some of his magic against the bandit, chances are there are still bits of his power attached to it." She actually laughed, though it was a sound that made Mizu's skin crawl. "Kaze my boy, you were nothing but trouble while you lived, but in death you've given me a nice new game to play with our rogue Element. All this hatred towards me... hm... I may be able to use it, possibly amplify it, twist it around until it clouds his judgement and he tries something foolish."
Mizu frowned, glad that Setsuka couldn't see it. "What in the world are you planning to do, Setsuka-sama? I thought the bond between you and Tasuki was destroyed..."
"The connection between Element and Lady can never be completely broken," Setsuka remarked, more to herself than Mizu. "Though I cannot directly reach him, nor get him to obey me... there may be a way that I can work an idea into his head."
Mizu felt that she had to ask. "What idea would that be?" 'Do I even want to know? Knowing Setsuka-sama, it's sure to bring more grief to the poor guy...'
"Mizu-chan, do you know how a wolf kills an elk?" Setsuka didn't wait for an answer. "It separates it from the rest of the herd. If you take one away from many, that one becomes nearly helpless. It is only a matter of time before the pack it faces has it beaten." Setsuka gripped the red gem firmly between her fingers. With a sinister grin of sadistic enjoyment, she sent every angry thought, every hated remark, every horrible emotion straight into the gem. "That's right, hate me, Kaji. I have played this game before- the more you hate me, the easier it is for me to do what I need with you."
It was beautifully entertaining to the Lady of Takkan to watch as the seishi's expression slowly turned from thoughtful sadness to determined anger. "Now, let's see what happens when I whisper a little suggestion to our rogue Element, one that could very well lead him straight into our arms."
Mizu shivered in spite of the warmth of her kesa, watching helplessly as Setsuka put her twisted plan into action.

Akai found Aoi sitting out by the palace pond, gripping his knees tightly to his chest. "Aoi?" she called quietly. "Daijoubu ka?"
The boy sighed heavily, leaning back and looking up at the sky. "Hai. I'm all right, Akai. I just... I can't help thinking that that Element was supposed to kill me."
Akai frowned. "You shouldn't say things like that, Aoi! It wasn't like Koji-san offered to take your place knowing there was going to be an attack."
"Hai," he agreed, much to Akai's surprise. "You're right. But, but Akai... did it ever occur to you that if I'd been awake, instead of sleeping on duty, that I might've spotted that Element and got an arrow through him before he even reached the palace?"
Akai opened her mouth to argue, but the warrior boy cut her off. "I know, I know. All the other wallguards were asleep too. I've heard that from you, Houki-sama, Chichiri-sama... minna. But the other wallguards didn't get offered a chance to sleep while their friend took over their watch, did they? The other wallguards didn't find out the next morning that, due to that friend's kindness and their own laziness, that friend was dead and-"
"Aoi, stop it! Stop it please!" Akai shouted, hugging herself unhappily. "Why do you have to say it!? Can't you just leave it alone? I can't bear to think of Koji-san... of Koji-san out there, dying alone... Please, Aoi, don't ever say those words again!"
The warrior boy looked over at his friend, startled by her outburst and the angry tears in her eyes. "Akai..."
"Death is horrible, Aoi. I hate everything about it... about losing a friend, knowing you'll never see them again! So why do people ever have to bring it up!? Why do people have to stir those horrible memories...?"
Aoi put a hand on her shoulder. "Is that why you snapped at Ritsuka-sama today? Because you don't want to have to think about what happened?"
A small nod. Akai grabbed a handful of grass angrily, blinking her eyes. "The problem is that I still do think about it, no matter how hard I try not to. That new general of theirs hasn't fought us in a week, so I can't even lose myself in a battle... and I keep coming back to the question: why? Why did Koji-san die, Aoi?"
"Gomen Akai, but I don't have the answer to that. I guess... I guess it's just one of those things that happens," he said gently, wiping at her tears with the sleeve of his shirt. "And anyway, I thought you didn't wanna talk about it."
"I don't," she said with a sigh. "But we're on the subject, and you got me started..." Akai smiled slightly. "Huh, and all this time I thought I was the one who came out here to comfort you."
"You did, in your own way. I'll be okay," Aoi told her, laying back in the soft grass and closing his eyes. "How 'bout you?"
She sniffled, rubbing hard at her eyes and laying down next to him. "I... I think I will. It's just... Aoi?"
"Hai?"
"D'you think Koji-san... d'you think he really did die happy, like Ritsuka-san said? In spite of everything... d'you think he died without any regrets?"
Aoi chuckled. "Did you ever know Koji-san to regret something he did?"
The warrior girl smiled slightly, closing her eyes and picturing the cheerful bandit. "Hm. You know what? I think you're right."

Chichiri had just sat down at the desk in his room when he heard two knocks on his door. The monk knew who it was immediately, and briefly considered pretending that he wasn't there. His polite side won in the end. "Come in, ya know."
Kiori poked her head around the door, looking more than a little concerned. "Chichiri? D'you mind if I come in?"
He waved to the bed. "Be my guest, ya know." The monk turned his back on the college girl and focused his attention on the legend scrolls, hoping that Kiori would understand that he was busy and leave.
"Chichiri? Is everything okay?"
'No such luck,' he thought with an inward sigh. "Shouldn't it be, ya know?"
Kiori shifted nervously, rubbing her hands together. "I guess so. I mean, I don't know why things wouldn't be... it's just, well, you've been sorta, I don't know, distant these past couple of weeks. Ever since that one night, when you had that dream... I guess I'm just a little worried, is all."
Chichiri frowned, knowing Kiori couldn't see it. 'Has it really been so bad that she was actually worried about me? I thought I'd been covering it up fairly well, ya know...'
"Chichiri?" Kiori called, almost nervously. "If I'm butting into your personal life again, just let me know."
The monk turned around, throwing on a fake smile. "It's not that at all, ya know. I appreciate your concern, but the truth is there's really nothing wrong at all. If I seem a little distant, it's probably just because I've got a lot on my mind, ya know. And if that scene in the dining room had you worried, well..." he fumbled around, trying to think of a good excuse. "I guess I'm going through the same thing everyone else is. I didn't know Koji as well as Tasuki did, but he was still one of my closer friends, ya know."
Kiori nodded, though it was easy to tell that she didn't believe him. "That makes sense. Sorry if I sounded like I was stressing over nothing. If you ever, you know, want to talk about whatever you've got on your mind, I'm always ready to listen."
"I'll remember that, ya know." Chichiri frowned again as he turned back to the scrolls. He hated lying to Kiori like that, but what else could he do? His only other option was to tell her the real reason why he was avoiding her, and if he told her that... "Ano, I'm going to be a little busy with these scrolls, ya know. I'd like to try and figure out who the next Element will be, and who's going to have to fight them. You can stay here if you want, but I don't think it'll be very much fun, ya know."
"I don't mind," she told him; it was the exact opposite of the answer Chichiri had expected. "Maybe I can help you. I've been thinking about it for a while, and I might have an idea."
The monk smiled in spite of himself. Truth be told, he wanted Kiori to stay; he enjoyed being around her, though he firmly told himself that he liked her company in the same way he did Tasuki's or Ritsuka's. Chichiri turned around and tossed her one of the scrolls. "Let me hear all about it, ya know."

"Tasuki-chan? Tasuki-chan? Oi, oi, would you stop moving so fast!? Tasuki-chan!?"
The seishi gave up on trying to pretend like he couldn't hear Ritsuka and turned around. He impatiently waited while she caught up, letting her catch her breath before saying, "What do you want?"
Ritsuka, hands on knees, looked up at him and panted slightly. "You and your stupid seishi power. Makes it a hell of a lot harder to keep up." She watched as he turned around, heading for his room. "Would you stand still for half a second!? Tasuki-chan! Are you even listening to me!?"
The seishi slid the door of his room open with a bang, going over to his shelves and rummaging around for something. "Did you jus' follow me here t'annoy me, or is there some reason why yer here?"
She glared daggers at him, hands on hips angrily. "What am I, the person who makes your life miserable or something? I happened to be worried, after you just got up with that whole, 'I'm to blame,' bit."
She watched as he tucked his tessen into its holster* and looped it around his shoulder. Quietly he grabbed his rapier from the shelf, sheathed it, and hooked it on his belt. Lastly, the seishi grabbed a bag, stuffed it with a pair of clothes, and headed back out the door. Ritsuka raised an eyebrow. "What exactly are you doing?"

*A/N: Holster... yeah, that's not the right term, is it? What in the world DO you call that thing...?

"Ain't it obvious?" he asked, heading down the walkway. "I'm takin' a little trip."
"Trip?" Ritsuka asked, following him as fast as her legs would allow. "Something tells me this isn't your ordinary vacation. Where you going?"
By now they'd reached the pantry. Tasuki stuffed some random food into the bag, then clipped it shut and tossed it over one shoulder. He tried to leave, but Ritsuka blocked the doorway. "Move, Red."
She met his angry gaze stubbornly. "Answer my question, Tasuki-chan."
He glared at her, and for a moment the redhead wondered if he might move her by force- she knew he could do it if he really wanted to. At the last moment the seishi seemed to change his mind about doing anything physical, and answered slowly. "Reikaku. I'm gonna tell Hareya-tachi what happened."
"That's a lie," Ritsuka said sharply. "You won't even talk about Koji's death with us; I highly doubt you'd be able to break the news to his own fiancee. Tell me the truth, Tasuki-chan, or I'm not moving."
"I could get you out of this doorway with one hand tied behind my back," he snapped angrily, fingering the handle of his tessen.
Ritsuka's eyes flashed fear for a quick second- no telling what the Tasuki she was talking to now might do- but held her ground. "Try it, Tasuki-chan."
The seishi brought back a fist, holding it as if he meant to strike her. Ritsuka closed her eyes as he brought the hand down with an unusual amount of force.
Crack!
Ritsuka opened her eyes slowly, surprised that she hadn't been knocked off her feet. She glanced to her left, where the snapping noise had come from. Tasuki's fist had hit the doorframe, sending splinters flying in every direction. "Dammit Red!" he swore loudly. "I'm goin' t'Takkan, okay!? Now move already!"
The college girl was momentarily frozen in surprise of what he'd said, allowing the seishi time to slip past her and out the pantry door. Ritsuka got over the shock quickly, and turned on her heel to follow her determined friend. "Takkan!? What do you plan on doing once you get there!?"
"Do ya have ta ask!?" Tasuki shouted over his shoulder. "I'm gonna do what I said I'd do. I'm gonna kill Setsuka an' end this war, b'fore anyone else gets hurt 'cause-a her!"
Ritsuka snorted. "Oh, so you're just gonna walk into the palace, find Setsuka's room, give her the old 'Rekka Shin'en' and walk out!? In case you forgot, she's still got three Elements in that palace with her. You think you can get in and out alive?"
"No," came the short reply.
The answer came as unexpected as his one about going to Takkan; Ritsuka stopped in her tracks. "No?" she whispered, having a terrible idea as to what he meant. She took off after him again, loudly demanding: "What do you mean, 'No'!?"
Tasuki stopped, sighing slightly. He turned to look at the college girl, whose blue eyes were suddenly full of fear. "Listen, Red, I never said that I'd live t'tell about th' job..."
Ritsuka caught up with her friend, pulling up short and staring at him hard. "You've totally lost it, haven't you? What makes you even think you'll be able to find Setsuka, before one of those Elements gets you? Have you even thought about this, even a little?"
"I've thought about it enough," he said stubbornly, taking off towards the northern gate. "There ain't much t'think about, really. I'm gonna kill Setsuka, that's all there is to it, an' if I don't survive then at least I'll know I rid the world of scum like-"
Ritsuka threw herself at the seishi from behind. She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, voice full of desperation. "Dammit Tasuki-chan! I know you wanna kill Setsuka, but this isn't the way to do it!"
Tasuki was momentarily touched by the pleading note in her voice. He shook his head, gritting his teeth. "Let go of me, Red. I really don't wanna hurt you!"
"You men are all alike!" she cried angrily. "You think that running off into a battle you have no chance of winning is courageous and noble! But it's not noble, Tasuki-chan, it's just stupid! D'you hear me!? There's nothing heroic about death, even if you say it's for a good reason!"
"Red!" Tasuki pulled out of her hold, taking several quick steps in the direction of the North wall. "Don't try to stop me again, or I'll..." Honestly, he didn't know what he'd do. "Just stay outta my way, okay!?"
Ritsuka blinked back tears, watching the seishi. She clenched her fists tightly; her voice was low but firm as she called out to him one last time. "Do you really think that getting yourself killed is going to avenge Koji's death?"
Tasuki froze. The college girl's words had been harsh, but painfully true. The seishi's golden eyes widened slightly as he realized that Ritsuka was right. He could cover this with talk of ending the war as much as he wanted, but the truth was all he really cared about was killing the woman who'd been the cause of his best friend's death.
'But what good would runnin' into a palace fulla Elements, soldiers 'n' servants do t'help me do that?' he asked himself, thinking straight for the first time since the idea had crossed his mind. 'I wouldn't last five minutes in that city, let alone the palace...'

Setsuka frowned, the sort of frown a child might use when it's own private game had been spoiled. "Oh, he's finally starting to think again. And he almost hit that stupid girl, too. Ah well, it was fun while at lasted."
Mizu sent a silent cheer to Ritsuka, though she knew she couldn't risk a smile- Suzaku only knew what Setsuka would do if she saw that. "What now, my Lady?"
"That's all for today, I suppose," she remarked, letting go of the gem and taking all her vicious thoughts with her. "Still, with a bit of work and a bit of luck I might be able to break him down. Hai, I'll try again tomorrow, maybe."
"May I leave, please? To... to see Sora? She took Kaze's death pretty hard, and I thought I could cheer her up a little..." It was only a partial lie; the Sky Element was suffering from the death of her childhood friend, though Mizu's real reason was that she just needed to get away from Setsuka for a while.
"I suppose so. I will call you again, when I need you."
"Hai, my Lady."

The sudden loss of all that hate that had been building up in his heart was too much for the already high-strung Tasuki to handle. The seishi bandit slumped to the ground dejectedly, looking at the stone road he'd been travelling on. The road that, had he continued to follow it, quite possibly could have led to his death.
He allowed the pent-up tears to come, watching as they turned the gray rock to a grimy black. Tasuki didn't bother looking up as Ritsuka crouched down next to him.
"Are you, um, you again?" A small nod. "About damn time. I thought I'd have to tie you to your bed before the night was over." She watched as Tasuki wept quietly, feeling helpless and a little out of place. "Well, if you're not gonna do anything stupid... then, ano, I'm probably gonna head back to the palace..." she started to stand. "Just to see who Ritsuka the Counselor can help next, y'see-"
The redhead was cut off as Tasuki quite suddenly tossed his arms around her waist. "Don't leave," he said quietly. "I don't trust myself alone, anymore... just stay here, okay?"
Ritsuka's look softened. "I... oh, hell. Sure, I'll stay." She patted his back somewhat awkwardly, glancing around and realizing they were in the middle of a darkened Konan city street. "Ano, can we continue this touching moment somewhere else? I don't want the civilians to think they've got a live-action soap opera getting filmed outside their houses, heh..."
She gave her friend a hand up, and looping an arm around his shoulder she led him to the North wall, which by now they were closer to than the palace. Ritsuka swung the door to the gatehouse open, giving Tasuki a gentle push inside and watching as he collapsed into a nearby chair. The redhead crossed her arms over her chest, watching as he put a hand to his head and rubbed his temples. "Anything you need? I bet they've got some food in here, somewhere- but then again, that bag of yours has plenty of goodies, too."
"Hai," he said, voice husky from crying. "A psychiatrist and a bottle of sake. Don't s'pose you carry those around?"
Ritsuka felt her pockets, then looked up and shrugged. "Damn, I'm fresh out. Well, let's take a look in the shelves around here and see what we can find..." Ritsuka threw open the door to one, and rummaged around before pulling out a half-full bottle of alcohol. She popped the cork out, sniffing the beverage suspiciously. "Well, it smells like it's been sitting in there for a couple years, but it's still sake."
Ritsuka tossed the bottle to her friend. Tasuki took a deep draught, not seeming to mind the stagnant taste. "Oddly enough, I feel better already." He set the bottle down on the nearby table, leaning back in the chair and closing his eyes tightly. "Am I losin' it, Red?"
Ritsuka laughed. "Tasuki-chan, you lost it a long time ago."
He pulled his tessen out of it's holder* and wacked her lightly on the arm with it. "I'm bein' serious fer once. Last week, all I wanted t'do was curl up an' die. For almost four straight days I hardly spoke t'anyone, didn't eat a thing, either... Now, after almost a week of thinkin' I'm finally copin' with it, I pull THIS stupid stunt..."

*A/N: Whadda ya think? Is "holder" a better term for it? Kuso, what IS the right word...?

"Well, you DID just lose your best friend," Ritsuka reminded him, hopping on the desk. "No one expects you to come running into the room tomorrow singing 'Over the End' at the top of your lungs and belting me over the head with your tessen."
Tasuki managed a small chuckle and an eyeroll. "I know that. But it's just... it's so weird... I never had anything like this planned out, other than maybe thinkin' about it a little- but I never planned on doin' it, just one of those things you sorta muse over... then all of a sudden when I was walkin' to my room, I started thinkin' about that woman, about how horrible she is- declarin' war on a peaceful nation, whackin' you over the head, kidnappin' Chichiri an' all- an' suddenly I just... I just wanted t'kill her more than anythin'..." Ritsuka frowned thoughtfully. "Maybe you do need a shrink."
Tasuki threw the now empty bottle straight at her head. The redhead ducked, catching it before it hit the wall- a skill she had become surprising good at- and tossing it right back at him. It hit the seishi on the forehead, knocking him out of his chair. "Then again, anger management might be more appropriate. Say it with me now, Tasuki-chan: Violence is not the answer."
Tasuki rubbed his head ruefully, scrambling back into his chair. "You should practice what you preach." The seishi bandit put his elbows on the desk and his chin in his hands. He looked up at the college girl through his bangs. "Thanks, Red. You've got the uncanny ability of always bein' there when I'm about to lose it, don't you?"
She winked, flashing a victory sign. "I'm like a cockroach- you just can't get rid of me." She put her hands behind her head. "Besides, it's not like you never did the same for me."
"Guess that's true," he admitted. "We're pretty good friends, when ya get right down to it, ain't we?" Ritsuka nodded. Tasuki chuckled slightly. "Y'know, I just remembered somethin' Chichiri, Koji an' I were talkin' about, the day when he... y'know..."
"Say it, Tasuki-chan. You'll never be able to handle it if you don't."
He frowned, muttering quietly. "The day Koji died." Tasuki glanced up again, voice louder; somehow, that had actually made him feel a little bit better. "Anyway, we were sorta talkin' about, er, girls-"
"What else do guys talk about?" Ritsuka asked with a laugh.
"Huh, well, that might be true... but would'ja believe it? Those two actually thought that there was somethin' between us. That I had feelin's fer you."
"Oh, well, you do, Tasuki-chan," Ritsuka said. The comment came so suddenly that Tasuki fell right out of his chair. "I mean, there aren't many guys who can resist this killer figure, delightful wit and charming personality."
"Charming what!?" he asked, sweatdropping.
She leaned in close to her friend, fluttering her eyelashes. "Look into these baby blues and tell me you don't love me." She was practically nose-to-nose with him; Tasuki felt his cheeks heat up a little. Ritsuka broke away fast, giggling like a little kid. "Wow, you're actually blushing. Maybe you really do want me."
Tasuki rubbed at his cheeks, feeling stupid and a little bit embarassed. "Yeah, and Miaka hates food."
Ritsuka stuck out her chest, put her hands behind her head, and looked at the bandit coyly through half-closed eyes. "Oh, you're a terrible liar Tasuki-chan!" She held up a hand, closing her eyes dramatically. "Unfortunately for you, you could never have me!"
"Oh, an' why's that?"
"You're too violent, too much of a loud-mouth, and your hair's too red."
"Didn't you just describe yerself?"
A chibi Ritsuka ignored him and grabbed his bangs. "And what's up with all this? Can you even see around this mop?" She pulled them up, chuckling slightly. "Hm, now, maybe if you whacked these bad boys off... wow, you actually have kinda sexy eyes once a person can see them!"
Tasuki shoved her away, nearly knocking her into a cabinet. "I'm glad you think so, but I'm startin' t'hate 'em." He sighed again, the moment of teasing ending as quickly as it began. "It's 'cause of their color that I'm one-a those damn Elements... t'think, I coulda actually been SERVING under that woman..."
Ritsuka clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Daijoubu, Tasuki-chan. We'll get her, trust me on this one." The college girl didn't care for these sort of serious moments, plus she really hated seeing her friend like this. She smiled slightly. "Can I ask you a tiny question, though?"
"Ano, I guess so. What's that?"
The redhead cracked her knuckles, growling comically. "Lemme smack her around a little before you give her the roasting she so dearly deserves..." she hugged him again, nearly strangling her friend. "After all, no one hurts my Tasuki-chan and lives to tell about it!"
"You baka! Let go! I can't breathe! Red!"

Chichiri rubbed at his tired eye, stretching and covering a yawn. "I've been staring at these words for so long I've probably got them memorized, ya know," he remarked more to himself than anyone else. "It's that one line that keeps getting my attention: 'The answer lies within love's well.' What in the world could that mean, ya know?" He turned around. "Any ideas, Ki-"
The monk stopped, not able to stifle a small chuckle. Kiori, who had been unusually quiet, was laying on the end of Chichiri's bed fast asleep, seeming to be using a scroll as a pillow. Chichiri walked over, deciding to wake the college girl and send her to her own room. "Oi, Kiori?"
Kiori curled up tighter as he neared her, muttering quietly in her sleep. "Mm, Mom, more ramen please... s'good..."
The monk stopped calling her name, smiling somewhat sadly and deciding to let her dream about her deceased family.
Chichiri gently pulled one of the scrolls out from beneath her head, setting it down with the others. Quietly, he removed his mask, placing it on the dresser next to his bed. He blew out the small lamp that radiated light throughout his room, then lay down at the head of the bed, opposite the college girl.
The monk curled into a somewhat comfortable position, staring up at the darkened ceiling and letting his thoughts wander. 'If Tasuki or Ritsuka came in and saw us in the same bed, I can just imagine what they'd say, ya know.' he thought with a smile. 'Then again, Tasuki might know better, ya know. Chances are he'd find himself in the palace pond, or better yet, on Mount Taikyoku...' Chichiri chuckled at the idea.
"Oh well," he muttered sleepily. "No harm in letting her sleep in here for the night. I just didn't have the heart to wake her up, ya know. Dreams are all she has left of her family, after all..." He sighed, just slightly. "I guess I know how that feels, ya know."

Sora curled up tighter on her bed, trying to decide what she liked the least- the anguished cries of pain that echoed from Tsuchi's room every once in a while, or the dead silence that hung about the nearly deserted sleeping quarters. 'Kaze... I can't sleep anymore, knowing that you'll never again use the bed opposite mine...'

~~Setsuka had called Sora up to her chamber, though the young swordswoman couldn't begin to guess why she'd been brought up. The Element touched her forehead to the floor. "How may I serve you, my Lady?" she asked respectfully.
"There is little you can do for me at the moment," Setsuka remarked, voice sounding almost bored. "I just had some information concerning Kaze that I thought you deserved to know."
Sora's breath caught in her throat. Had Setsuka discovered his plan to overthrow her? Had Kaze returned without killing the seishi? Worse still, was her friend to be sentenced to some grizzly fate right before her eyes?
The Element forgot her manners; her head jerked up. "Setsuka-sama, what happened to him?"
"Kaze is dead," Setsuka said snippishly. "And I will thank you to keep your head bowed when speaking to me, Sora."
She gasped slightly, bringing her head down so Setsuka couldn't see her eyes rim with tears. "Oh Suzaku, I knew it. How...?"
"By challenging a Konan Warrior, foolish boy. Small wonder he was killed," the Lady of Takkan explained pitilessly. "No matter, though. He failed in his mission- had he returned, I would have killed him myself."
Sora's hands clenched into fists at the words. Did her Lady have no sympathy for her Elements? Sora had known for some time that Setsuka was cruel and ruthless, but this complete lack of emotion, and to one of the people she called allies...
"We will be taking a small break from fighting," Setsuka told her after a moment. "Keep yourself in good physical condition, Sora- your turn will come next, as I'm sure you know."
The Element wanted to tell Setsuka that she'd rather die than follow her orders, but didn't have the nerve to do so. Sora quietly stood, bowing her head politely and managing to keep her composure until she got to her room. Only then did she let herself cry out all her anger, grief and frustration to the Lady, Kaze, and the unknown Konan Warrior who had killed her friend.~~

"Sora? Sora, are you asleep?"
The Element recognized the voice, and at the moment was in no mood to talk to her younger companion. "Mizu-chan, please leave me alone. I'm not... I don't want to speak with anybody right now."
"It's hard, sleeping when your friend is gone, isn't it?" the girl said quietly. Sora tried to ignore her, but Mizu persisted. "I understand that you miss him, Sora. The two of you went back, didn't you?"
The Element gave up on getting the younger girl to go away. She sat up in bed, staring at the floor unhappily. "I've known Kaze for over half my life. We trained together, went to school together... he was always so impatient, so rebellious... I kept him in line, and he helped me learn what it meant to have a little fun once in a while." She smiled slightly. "I know he may have seemed violent and angry to you, Mizu-chan, but... but he really wasn't that way, until we came here."
"Kaze had a good heart," Mizu remarked with a smile. "I could tell, by the way he acted towards Tsuchi after Setsuka-sama punished him for being a traitor."
Sora clenched her fists tightly. "He did, but Setsuka-sama... Setsuka-sama pitted him against Tsuki, and Taiyou, in every swordfight, every Elemental training lesson... he could never hope to beat them, not with their skills and experience. She turned him into the bitter, battle-hungry Kaze... it's all her fault, Mizu-chan. Everything is."
"You can't say that, Sora!" she reprimanded, crystal buzzing unhappily. "Setsuka-sama... Setsuka-sama is on the right side of things. Sometimes she does things that seem a bit harsh, but everything is for the good of Takkan. Kaze wouldn't even be dead, you know, if he'd only followed her orders from the beginning-"
Whap! Sora's hand struck Mizu hard on the cheek, freezing her in midsentence. The older Element's voice was like ice. "You really are just Setsuka-sama's little pet, aren't you Mizu-chan? You idiot."
Mizu's lower lip quivered slightly, as she touched a hand to her stinging cheek. "Sora..."
"Get the hell out of here," she said, voice low and dangeous. "Go ahead, run back to your precious Setsuka-sama, and tell her that I smacked her powerhouse playtoy. I am sure she'd punish me, possibly kill me. Death would be a blessing, compared to this life we lead. We're nothing but her little toys, just like Kaze always said. Get the hell out, and don't bother coming back unless you have something sensible to say."
Mizu, eyes filled with tears of betrayal, shot out of the room like a bolt of lightning. Her crystals were humming so loud Sora almost couldn't hear the girl shout back, "I won't tell Setsuka-sama anything, because you're still my ally and my friend! I'd never do anything to hurt my friends! That's why... that's why...!"
She never finished her sentence, but Sora hadn't really been listening anyway. The Element looked down at her hands, thinking hard and allowing a few tears to cloud her eyesight. She held her hands out in front of her, sending her ki out through them. In a moment, a small silver dagger had literally materialized out of her hand, glowing faintly with her midnight blue ki.
Sora stared hard at the dagger, holding it up and facing the point towards her heart. "Kaze... there is only one way to escape that woman..."
She plunged the weapon towards her chest, but stopped at the last moment. She remembered something that Setsuka had told her; something that had been bothering her for the last week. "Kaze was killed by a Konan Warrior..." she gritted her teeth angrily, the dagger dissolving into her hands. "I cannot end my life on this world until I see him fully avenged. He deserved that, and perhaps it will give us both some peace of mind."
Sora had not been told that the Konan Warrior who killed Kaze was also dead, something Setsuka had deliberately withheld from her. The Lady of Takkan knew her Elements well, and she knew that Sora would want to kill the person who killed Kaze.
"I will remain with my Lady, and continue to fight for her..." Sora said quietly to herself. "For the moment, anyway."

Tasuki woke up in the middle of the night, feeling comparitively better. Glancing around, he realized with mild confusion that he was in the gatehouse on the North Wall, sprawled out on the floor next to Ritsuka. The redhead was sleepily peacefully, using Tasuki's bag as a pillow.
Seeing the bag reminded the seishi about everything that had happened earlier that evening- or had it been yesterday? "I wonder what time it is, anyway," he muttered to himself, standing and going to the small gatehouse window.
Tasuki threw the shutters open, breathing in the warm night air. He leaned against the frame, watching a few small clouds scuttle across the moon. "Beautiful night. Be even better if I didn't feel like crap."
He closed his golden eyes halfway. 'All that anger from b'fore... I thought I might burst, it was so strong, an' then it jus' disappeared like that... like it didn't b'long t'me...' Tasuki sighed heavily. 'What th' hell is happenin' t'me? Well, at least I feel like myself again. That's a plus, I guess.'
Ritsuka rolled over in her sleep. "Tasuki-chan... right in th' pond..."
The seishi smiled slightly, glancing over his shoulder to look at the redheaded college girl. "I really owe her one," he mused. "If she hadn't been able t'reach me, Suzaku only knows what coulda happened..."
He turned his back to her and looked back out the window, eyes alternating between the stars above and the ground below. His thoughts kept wandering to the stubborn redhead behind him. "She jumps on my back, calls me '-chan', annoys th' hell outta me... yet fer some reason I wouldn't trade her fer half the girls in Konan." He chuckled slightly. "Huh, maybe I am fallin' in love with her. Stranger things've happened, I guess..."
Tasuki perked up suddenly, sharp golden eyes picking up a lone figure riding across the plains, on a direct line for Konan. "Speakin' of strange things..."
The seishi bandit left the window, kneeling down next to Ritsuka and shaking her gently. "Oi. Oi. Oi. Red?" He decided to use her own medicine against her. "Red-chan, wake up."
Ritsuka opened her eyes partially, blinking sleepily. As things came into focus, she found herself staring into a pair of somewhat urgent golden eyes. "Did we find 'em?"
Tasuki raised an eyebrow. "Find who?"
"Th' bastards that stole my cheesecake, who else? Well, didja get 'em?"
"I don't even know what a cheesecake is, an' besides that, we got more important things t'worry about," Tasuki told her, realizing that she was still dreaming, in a sense. He stood, going to the window.
Ritsuka reluctantly got up as well, glaring at him. "And what could possibly be more important than finding food-thieves!?" She stomped over to him, rubbing sleepily at an eye. "Well, maybe kicking the butts of certain people who wake other people from their rest. I should charge you with violating code 104: Disrupting the Beauty Sleep of the Local Redheads. How d'you plead, hm?"
"Would you just shut up and take a look at this?" he asked somewhat impatiently.
"Don't make me throw you out of this window, Tasuki-cha-" she stopped short, watching the figure that was heading quickly towards the North Gate. "Well that's odd."
Tasuki nodded in agreement. "Who d'you think would be comin' t'Konan at a time like this? In the middle of a war, AND th' middle of th' night?"
Ritsuka watched the figure carefully as he drew nearer. "I'd say it couldn't be anyone good. You think it's another Element?"
The seishi shrugged, gripping the handle of his rapier firmly in one hand. "Only one way t'find out."
Ritsuka cracked her knuckles, snatching Tasuki's tessen out of it's sling*. "This one's mine, okay? You already got to kill yours, after all." She started out the door of the gatehouse, heading for a spot on the wall above the North Gate.

*A/N: Ah-hah! The word is sling! Woohoo, I finally got it! And it only took me three tries to do it! ^_^;

Tasuki followed her, pointing out the obvious. "What good'll my tessen do you?"
"Oh, more than you might think. I've been meaning to show this little trick to you..." Ritsuka didn't bother turning around. She held the tessen out, and mumbled something followed by "Rekka Shin'en." A blaze of flame shot out of the fan- nothing as powerful as Tasuki's blasts, but still a fairly decent fire.
Tasuki's mouth dropped open. "How... how...?"
You could practically see the halo over Ritsuka head. She turned around, stubbing her toe into the ground innocently. "Well, truth is, that one time when we were up on the wall cutting the grappling hooks, you sorta kinda said the spell out loud, under your breath and all. I was nearby, and I sorta happened to just accidentally hear the words, y'know."
"Accidentally my ass," he muttered. "An' yer tellin' me you remembered th' whole thing!?"
She grinned viciously. "I have a surprisingly good memory- just ask my choir teacher." She whapped Tasuki on the back with the tessen, nearly sending him toppling off the wall. "And besides, I told you a long time ago that I planned on learning how to use this baby, and I always do what I say I will!"
The seishi waved his arms wildly, managing to keep his balance on the wall. Once both his feet were planted firmly on the stone, he sighed. "Should't've expected any less from you, Red. I s'pose this means you'll be usin' my own tessen against me, ne?"
She wagged the weapon in front of his face. "Only when I think you really deserve it, Tasuki-chan."
"Which'll be pretty much anytime you get mad at me?"
"Just about."
"I can't win, can I?"
"Don't think so."
"Hey! Excuse me!? Is anyone there!?" a voice from the gate below them called.
The two exchanged surprised looks, glancing over the ramparts and looking down on a man standing next to his horse. The stranger had a hood on, making his face indistinguishable, but it was obvious from his slightly bent shoulders that he was either an older man or had been in some sort of crippling accident.
"No Element, I guess; they don't usually ask t'be let in," Tasuki muttered to himself. Louder, he yelled down to the man below. "What're you doin' ridin' out here so late?"
"I've been travelling for over two days," he said calmly, speaking just loud enough for the two to hear. "I have some business with the Konan Warriors, and I thought cover of darkness would make it easier for me to get in. What with those Takkan soliders attacking and all, it seemed safer this way."
"He's got a point," Ritsuka remarked quietly to her friend. She shouted down to the stranger. "Friend or enemy?"
Tasuki sweatdropped. "Like anyone would SAY 'enemy.'"
"Friend, I assure you," he replied without hesitation. "Though I think it's better that I remain nameless and faceless for the moment, otherwise you might doubt my words." He spread his arms, showing a simple outfit beneath the cloak. "There's just me, and I'm unarmed, as you can see. May I come in?"
Ritsuka looked to her friend. Tasuki frowned throughtfully, watching this new person curiously. "He doesn't seem dangerous, and he's unarmed as far as I c'n tell," the seishi said slowly. "But I still don't know if we can trust him. This might be some kind-a Takkan trap."
The redhead glanced back down. The man was pacing slightly, as if impatient about their decision. It was easy to see that he walked with a heavy limp. "Aw, c'mon Tasuki-chan. This is just some crippled man, probably from a nearby village or something. Nothing scary about him. I say we let the guy in."
Tasuki chewed on his lip thoughtfully. "I s'pose yer right. Still, I don't wanna take any chances. Red, I'm gonna go down an' meet him. You stay up here an' open th' gates. Close 'em right behind him, as fast as you can. If this is a trap, we're gonna make sure we've only got him t'deal with."
Ritsuka saluted smartly, trotting over to the lever that controlled the gates.
The seishi bandit took the steps down to the ground two at a time, thinking about the stranger and wondering why he seemed strangely familiar. "Like an old friend... or old enemy..."
Once at the bottom, Tasuki waved upwards to indicate that Ritsuka open the gates. The redhead did as she was told; the Main Northern Gate swung open with a slight squeak. The man outside led his horse within the walls of Konan, shuffling along in his strange walk.
"Okay pal, yer in, now let's have a name and some explanation," Tasuki said officiously.
"Straight to the point. I like that in a person." The man pulled his hood back slowly, running a hand through his brown hair in an attempt to smooth it down.
The former general had changed so much, it took Tasuki a minute to realize who he was. His golden eyes trailed up the thin face, past the small criss-crossing scar along his right cheek, up to the single green eye that stared straight into his own, and finally to the mop of short brown hair. "Omae wa..."
The image of the pompous Takkan general flashed through the seishi's mind. "Hataku!" Tasuki grabbed his rapier out of it's hilt. "It's a trap, I knew it! Red close the gates now!"
Ritsuka just barely heard the call; not understanding what was going on, she kicked the wedge that she'd fitted in the simple machine; the doors slammed shut with a dull thud. The redhead took off down the stairs at a sprint, thinking Tasuki might be in trouble.
The seishi's golden eyes flashed dangerously as he held his rapier high, ready to bring it down for a killing strike. "Takkan bastard-!"
Hataku spoke five words that seemed to work like magic: "I have information on Setsuka."
Tasuki's weapon halted half an inch from Hataku's throat. "You have what?" he whispered slightly, voice filled with pent-up emotion at the mention of the Lady's name.
"Tasuki-chan, what in the world is going on!?" Ritsuka cried, coming across the grounds at a fast run. She pulled up, panting slightly and recognizing the former general almost immediately. "Oi, what's he doin' here?"
The seishi didn't answer. His eyes stared hard into Hataku's single one, as if trying to extract the information without speaking. The former general looked the pair up and down quickly. "Konan Warriors. This'll make my job even easier."
Ritsuka was immediately on the alert, hand on the hilt of Tasuki's tessen. "Just say the word and I'll-"
Tasuki held up a hand. "Chotto." He nodded to Hataku. "Get to explainin', or I'll let her loose."
Hataku, knowing that his position was a perilous one, decided that respectfulness might save his life. The former general knelt to the ground, keeping his head bowed slightly. "I travelled from Takkan to come here and give you information on Setsuka. I am no longer her general, and she is now my sworn enemy. I'll explain everything to your Emperess and the rest of the Konan Warriors, if I may."
Tasuki wasn't quite ready to believe him. "What proof d'you have that this isn't jus' some kinda scheme you worked out with her?"
"I would swear on my honor as a soldier, but you probably don't believe anyone in Takkan has honor to swear on." The former general stood. "The truth is, I have no proof that Setsuka and I are enemies."
"Then what makes you think we can trust you?" Ritsuka demanded fiercely, hand still gripped firmly to Tasuki's tessen.
Hataku's single green eye stared into the golden ones of the seishi across from him. "Use your best judgement."
Tasuki watched the former general closely. He knew that look in Hataku's eye... it was the same look he himself had- the fires of revenge and hatred burned brightly within that green orb, as it did in his own golden ones. The seishi nodded. "Let's head back t'the palace. Ritsuka, walk on his right, I'll take his left."
Hataku didn't smile, but the look of relief was obvious on his face. His body relaxed slightly, as he realized he'd made it past the largest obstacle in his quest to get into Konan Palace. He spread his arms again. "I'm unarmed, as you can clearly see. You don't need to mistrust me so much."
Tasuki took his tessen back from Ritsuka and sheathed it, but his rapier remained out and ready to strike at the slightest notice. "I said I believed you, I never said I trusted you. Play us false an' you won't see sunrise."
Hataku shrugged, completely nonplussed. "Fair enough."
The old Takkan general shuffled along between the two Konan Warriors, keeping his eyes turned forward and not bothering to exchange words with them. He thought it better if he acted more like a prisoner than a guest- in a way, that's exactly what he was.

"'As the former general was led to the Konan Palace, the pair of Konan Warriors' eyes met, exchanging questions that neither knew the answers to. Who was this Hataku, really, and what would make him betray his own nation?'" Tetsuya tossed the book to Yui, who managed to catch it before it hit the floor. "End Chapter Sixteen."

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Chichiri: Hm? Tasuki's brought in a new arrival to the palace, ya know? Da! Hataku, General of Takkan- oh, former general, ya know. And you say he's willing to answer any questions about Setsuka? Hey, that seems like a nice deal, makes our jobs a lot easier ya know! ^_^
The past isn't easily brought up, but when it is it can often bring to light a lot of information, and a lot of old memories. The truth about Setsuka is finally known, and it looks like I'm not the only one fighting buried emotions, ya know.
The Next Episode of Fushigi Yuugi: The Next Chapter: "A New Arrival! The Memories of a Former Ally!"
Can the past ever really be put behind, ya know...?
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