On their way to find the last three Sei of Suzaku, Yui and her Seishi were captured by the bandits of Mt. Leikaku. However, the fifth Sei, whom they believe to be among the bandits, has not appeared, and although Nuriko, as well as Yui’s beloved Hotohori, strove to protect her, she was kidnapped by Genrou and found herself in the midst of a power struggle among the bandits. now, Genrou and Yui must both face grim odds to achieve their goals.

Episode Fifteen:

“Everyone stay alert!” Eiken’s whiny voice shouted above the din of grumbling bandits. “Genrou’s bound to make his move tonight.”

“Shame, I always kinda liked the guy,” someone toward the back of the group muttered.

“What was that?”

“Er, nothing, sir!”

Outside, Koji shifted slightly in the bushes, watching the fortress with Genrou and Yui. “I can’t believe I let you talk me into this, Gen-chan.”

“Quit yer griping, we’re here now,” he answered.

“So now what?”

“We go in there and get the fan away from Eiken.”

For a moment, Koji wished he had something solid to hit his head on. “Oh, so I suppose we just waltz up and say ‘Hey, Eiken, old pal, why don’t you let me see that fan for just a second?’”

“Eiken would probably fall for it,” Genrou muttered, rolling his eyes. “But no. If we can’t find her Sei, we’ll just have to sneak up on him.”

“Well, I guess it is a nice night to die.”

“Koji! You’re scarin’ the girl! ‘Sides, it’s not like we’re helpless.” Genrou held up a handful of paper slips.

“Oh, little pieces of paper! We’re saved!”

Genrou slapped him upside the head.

“What are these supposed to do?” Yui asked, looking over his shoulder. The cards he was holding looked vaguely familiar, and had a strange symbol on them, like an inkblot that had formed some arcane character by accident, or magic.

“They’re sorcery, given to me by a Taoist,” Genrou answered, melodramatically building up for a speech.

“Yeah, ‘given,’” Koji snickered.

“Koji, shut up! ---Anyway, they’re magic. You write what you want on them, and it appears.”

“They’ll bring you whatever you want?” Yui echoed, more to herself than Genrou. If I can get one from him, maybe I can bring Tamahome back here safe... With someone else to help, it’d be good for Genrou, too... Besides, she was starting to feel uneasy about this entire thing. What if she’d just committed her Seishi to a hopeless cause? Still, if they couldn’t find Tasuki... “Genrou, may I have one of those?”

“What for?”

“Well, there’s something I know would be really useful,” she said, still not wanting to tip her hand more than she had to. “Just one? Please?”

“Fine, here, just keep quiet,” he said, handing her one. He moved past her and started crawling towards the fortress. “Come on, let’s get in there and see if we can find your Seishi. Any idea where they might be, anyway?”

“We’re right here,” came a low voice. In the same moment, Genrou felt a steel edge touch his throat and a strong hand took Koji by the back of the neck.

“Um, uh...” Genrou started as Hotohori and Nuriko emerged from the bushes around them, Hotohori’s sword trained at his neck. “This isn’t what you think...”

“Hotohori!” Yui called softly, stuffing the card in her pocket and hurrying over to him. “Don’t hurt them!”

Hotohori looked up at her, and, without a word, lowered his sword and hugged Yui with his free arm. “Yui! I was so worried...”

“Are you all right, Yui?” Nuriko asked, still holding Koji fast.

“I’m fine,” she said. “Apparently Genrou here was supposed to be the leader of these bandits, but Eiken got that iron fan and took over behind his back. He says if we help him get it back, he’ll help us find Tasuki.” She paused and looked at the bandages on Hotohori’s arm. “And you got your shoulder bleeding again,” she said crossly.

“Um, could you please not kill my friend?” Genrou asked Nuriko. “I mean, I know he’s a pain in the butt, but he’s got sentimental value for me.”

“Thanks, Gen-chan,” Koji muttered as Nuriko grudgingly released him.

“So we’re going in to get the fan from Eiken?” Hotohori queried. “How many people do we have?”

Yui stared at the grass. “Just the five of us...”

“That’s all!?”

Yui avoided his eyes. I never should have gotten us into something like this. If it goes wrong, it’ll be my fault...

“Well,” Genrou said, leaning on Hotohori, “at least I can die happy now that you’re in my life.”

“Excuse me!?” Hotohori pulled away from him.

“Geez,” Koji groaned, burying his face in his hand. “Gen-chan, you are pathetic.”

“Opportunistic,” Genrou argued, ‘subtly’ moving toward Hotohori again.

“It’s gonna be tough,” Nuriko said, casually yanking Genrou aside. “Eiken’s expecting you. The whole place is on alert.”

“I can work with that! Yeah, that’s it!” Genrou maintained. “See, Eiken won’t be able to resist coming to flame us himself, ‘cause then he can gloat, see? So we’ll have the fan right there.”

“For the five seconds left of our lives,” Koji muttered.

“Come on, have some guts, Koji!”

“I’ve got plenty of guts, I just don’t want them splattered all over the fort.”

Nuriko smacked a powerful hand down on Genrou’s shoulder to cut off his retort. “I think a more subtle approach would be better.”

“Fine, fine. Can I have my arm back?” Nuriko paused a moment, but released him, and Genrou crept quietly toward the fortress. “Come on, I know a back way in. Maybe we can sneak up on Eiken when he’s only got a few guys with him.”

Tense minutes inched by as Genrou and Koji led them around the base of the building, and then into a neglected, obviously seldom used hall.

“Shh,” Genrou whispered, pressing against a wall as soft, distant murmurings floated around a nearby corner. “We’re getting close, so we’ll have to keep quiet.”

Nodding, the others followed his lead, slinking along the dark hall. Suddenly, Hotohori was jerked to a stop by a familiar grip around his waist.

“I’ve been looking for you,” came a slurred voice.

It can’t be, it can’t... Hotohori looked down to find the same bandit from earlier that day wrapped around his waist. “Nuriko!” he called softly.

“Hey, guys, the pretty lady’s ba---” the bandit shouted before Nuriko clamped her hand over his mouth and yanked him off.

Unfortunately, the shout summoned a stampede of footsteps heading the their direction.

With a curse, Genrou whipped out a handful of the papers. “Okay, people, let’s see what you’ve got! Genjitsu shinzarou!” he shouted, releasing a magical pack of wolves as the first wave of bandits rounded the corner.

The bandits’ eyes widened in horror at seeing the ghostly wolves bounding down the corridor toward them, and they turned and ran back the way they came. “See!? I said it’d work!” Genrou exulted, chasing them down the hall behind the wolves. Nuriko tossed the lovestruck bandit aside, and the rest followed Genrou down the corridor.

The wolves had just dashed into the main hallway, with Genrou following close behind, when they heard Eiken’s voice. “Lekka Shinen!”

Koji snatched Genrou out of the way as the wave of flame swallowed up the wolves and crashed down the corridor like a blazing tidal wave overtaking a seaside fortress. The two dashed back around the corner and pressed themselves against the inside wall among Yui and her Seishi, and let the fire wave bank around them and die.

“Okay, so maybe this wasn’t such a great idea,” Genrou muttered, trying to catch his breath.

“Gee, ya think!?” Koji snapped.

“What’s a matter, Genrou?” Eiken taunted, the floor creaking under him as he approached. “Scared of a little fire?”

“Let’s see how brave you are without the old leader’s tessen,” Genrou shouted.

Koji jerked Genrou back as he stepped toward the corridor again. “Are you nuts?”

“I’m not gonna just cower back here!” he insisted, then paused. “Hey, girl. Yui!”

“What?”

“That card. I need it back!”

Yui slapped her hand over her pocket. “No!”

“Genrou, it won’t work!” Koji argued. “Eiken just fried all your wolves! One more won’t change anything!”

“Maybe I can come up with something real good this time!” he said. “It’s all we got, girl, fork it over!”

No, I can’t lose this chance to get Tamahome back... She backed away from him, searching her pockets for a pen, hearing Eiken get closer and closer to the corner. There! She pulled out the pen and the card.

“He’s almost here! Give it to me!!” Genrou snapped, grabbing for the card.

“No!” Yui darted behind Hotohori and Nuriko. They took the hint, and Hotohori drew his sword to hold Genrou back as Yui braced the card on the wall.

“Ta...”

“What is this? Are all you Suzaku people suicidal!?” Genrou demanded.

“Ah, there you are, Genrou,” Eiken said, rounding the corner with the rest of the gang behind him. Genrou turned to face him.

“...ma...”

“Hey, Eiken. Still just as ugly as the last time I saw you, I see,” he said. “Why do the rest of you guys follow this spineless moron, anyway?”

The rest of the bandits looked at each other uncomfortably, but no one answered.

“You forgot already, Genrou?” Eiken sneered.

“...ho...”

He raised the tessen. “Let me show you again, then!

“LEKKA SHINEN!”

“Tamahome.”

“Yui, run!” Hotohori shouted, grabbing Yui and pulling her out of the way as the flames roared toward them.

Her hand pulled away from the wall, and the card flitted away, borne on the heat-blast of air. NO! The words, the words...!

“Genjitsu Shinzarou!” she shouted as Hotohori pulled her down the hall after Genrou, Koji and Nuriko, beyond the reach of the flames. For a moment, she saw him---Tamahome, standing there, the flames right on top of him, about to swallow him... “TAMAHOME!!!”

Suddenly, he seemed to vanish, but there was no charred paper left as when the wolves were destroyed. In another moment, her eyes found him again, behind the now-fading flames, descending on Eiken in a jump-kick.

Bandits scattered as Tamahome’s foot impacted squarely on Eiken’s chest, slamming him to the ground. The tessen flew out of his hand and skidded across the floor. Genrou darted after it, and Eiken tried to roll over to retrieve it, only to receive another blow from Tamahome.

“How in the world...” Nuriko started, peeking out from where she’d taken cover from the flames. “Tamahome, where did you come from!?”

“All right guys, quick allegiance check,” Genrou said, resting the iron fan on his shoulder as Eiken gave up trying to escape Tamahome and just cowered. “Who’s on my side and who’s on Eiken’s?”

With a cheer, the bandits moved to congratulate Genrou.

Tamahome remained silent. “Hey, Ogre-boy, I asked you a question,” Nuriko said.

“Genrou’s card!” Yui fairly sang, breaking away from Hotohori and running toward Tamahome. “It worked! It brought me what I wanted!”

As she got closer, Tamahome smiled at her, then his image faded like a mirage into nothing, and only the slip of paper flitted down to the floor. She slowed to a stop and hesitantly picked up the card. “Wha... Why...?”

Genrou broke away from the other bandits and walked over. “I’m sorry Yui. It wasn’t real; the cards just make illusions of what’s written on them.”

She paused for a long moment. “Oh.” That was all she said, but her eyes were sparkling.

Hotohori slowly walked up behind her and gently lay a hand on her shoulder. “Yui...”

“You okay?” Genrou asked.

She nodded silently, and turned to rest her head against Hotohori’s chest.

“I’m sorry...” he whispered, holding her. Tamahome is far away in Kutou, and still it was he who protected her. In a moment like that, it was him she called for... “Yui, I’m sorry...”

*

“Tamahome!” The sliding door rattled as it was thrown open, and footsteps thudded across the room to the bed. “Tamahome!?”

“Hmm?” he asked, pushing himself up and rubbing his eyes. “Miaka? What’s wrong?”

She threw her arms around him, knocking him back down. “Oh, you’re still here!” she cried. “I was so scared! I dreamed you went back to Yui, and I lost you and I could never see you again.”

“Shh, it’s all right,” he said, trying not to chuckle while patting her back. She was almost like a little kid sometimes. “I’m not going to abandon you. When I go back to Konan, I’m going to take you with me.”

“But you won’t leave me for Yui, right? Please say you won’t.”

“Miaka, calm down. It’s all gonna be okay.”

“I know,” she said softly. “I’ll just feel better if I hear you say it. Tell me you won’t go back to Yui, please?”

Tamahome sighed. “Now, Miaka, of course I’m going to go back to Yui; I’m her Sei. And you’re going to come with me.”

Miaka sighed heavily and sat up. “Please. I know it might sound mean, but I just don’t want you to get hurt,” she said, playing with the cuffs of her long-sleeved shirt.

“I’m not going to get hurt,” he assured her, sitting up and putting an arm around her.

She shook her head. “If you go back to her, you will. I know she seems sweet, but if you knew...”

“Miaka,” he said gently, “I know how things must look to you, but Yui never meant for anything bad to happen to you.”

“...’Anything bad to happen’...?” she whispered. “You know, don’t you, what happened?”

He paused awkwardly, then nodded.

There was a pause, and Miaka sobbed. “It’s Yui’s fault,” she said, her voice strained. “When Yui needed somebody, I was there. When she was trapped in that wizard’s mirror and almost died, I was there for her, like always. Since we were kids, I’ve done everything to be nice to her. Then when it was my turn and I needed someone, she wasn’t there! Nobody was! Nakago keeps saying he’ll protect me, but when I really needed someone to, he was too late. After it happened, I felt so bad, and I realized no matter how nice I was, no one was going to care. No one was going to give any back to me.” She wiped tears from her cheeks, and pulled back her sleeve, looking at the white scar on her wrist. “If I just gave until there was nothing left, and it wasn’t going to make any difference, what’s the point in going on like that?”

What do I do? What can I possibly say to her? Tamahome put his arm around her and hugged her, gently rocking her back and forth. “I can’t change what’s happened, but I’ll do my best to make things better for you now, I promise.”

“Don’t worry,” she said, covering her wrist again and smiling at him, though her eyes were still sparkling. “It’s not like that anymore. I’m gonna go on, but it’s different now. I’m not just going to give all the time anymore. There are some things I’m got gonna give up, and I’m not gonna let anyone take away from me.” She looked at him again. “That doesn’t make me a bad person, does it?”

“I... I don’t think so,” he said cautiously. “There isn’t anything wrong with keeping some things for yourself, I don’t think.”

“I knew you’d understand,” she said, putting her arms around him and holding onto him tightly. “You’re so nice to me.”

*

“‘Even as Tamahome comforted the Seiryuu no Miko, the bandits laid a feast to honor their new leader,’” Hiro read. “‘The bandit cheiftains had sheep, cows, horses, chickens’---Good grief, how much do these guys eat!?---’and geese slaughtered, and served them with good wine and vegetables. Because they had helped Genrou to take his rightful place as leader, the Suzaku no Miko and her Seishi sat beside him at the head table’...”

*

“So, I got the tessen, I got the leadership of Mt. Leikaku,” Genrou summarized, “now if only I had a ‘significant other,’ my life would be complete.” He leaned toward Hotohori, whom he had artfully had seated next to him, and rested an elbow on his shoulder, flashing what was apparently intended as a debonair smile. “I know who I nominate.”

Hotohori just sat in stunned silence as a deep blush crept up his face. Finally Yui leaned over to him and hooked her elbow in his. “Um, Hotohori’s already taken,” she said, blushing herself.

Genrou blinked for a moment, then pointed to them in turn. “You two?” Yui nodded. “Oh. Well, I guess I can respect it if you two are into that kind of thing...” he said, backing off slightly.

Hotohori finally found his voice. “What are you thinking!?!” he fairly roared. “I am a MAN!!!”

“Oh. Oh!” Genrou paused, then pointed to both Hotohori and Nuriko. “So, you’re both men, then?”

Nuriko shot a quick glance at Hotohori.

“Hold it. What was that?” Genrou demanded.

“What was what?” Nuriko asked.

“That eye-twitch thing. Don’t tell me; you’re a woman.”

Nuriko grabbed his arm and squeezed it. “If you make a big production of it, I’ll rip out your spleen and feed it to you.”

“Okay, okay, fine,” he griped, trying to pull his arm back. She released him on the third try, and he turned to Yui. “But you, you are a girl, right?”

“Yes,” she said with a nod.

“Okay!” he said with relief. “One out of three ain’t bad. Actually it’s only 33 percent; ah, hell...*”

“By the way,” Yui said. “I don’t know if you forgot, but we’ve fulfilled our half of the bargain. Now it’s your turn.”

“Tasuki, huh?” She nodded, and he leaned back and put his hands behind his head. “Well, there’s no getting around it, then. Our old Leader was Tasuki.”

“The old leader... The one who died!?!?”

“Yup. Sorry, but that’s the way it is.”

For a moment, Yui just sat there with her jaw clenched, then she swung her chair aside and stood, stormed the few steps over to Genrou and slapped him with all her strength.

“Ow! Hey, what was that for!?” he demanded, rubbing his cheek.

“You knew it all along!” she accused. “You knew he was dead and you led me on and used me and my Seishi to get what you wanted!!”

“You wanted to find Tasuki; I just told you where he is. Would you rather spend the rest of your life searching for a dead man?”

So many retorts flooded Yui’s mind at once that they caught in her throat, and all she could do was glare at him for a moment before throwing herself down in her seat again. What am I going to do now!? We can’t summon Suzaku with six Seishi. She rested her face on her hands. I shouldn’t feel like this; it isn’t my fault. He died before I even came here... In a way, that almost made it worse. To try her best and still fail was almost more painful than doing something wrong...

“Yui...” Hotohori said gently, laying an arm over her shoulder as she heaved a sob.

“Hey, now, don’t cry,” Genrou started awkwardly. “It ain’t gonna bring him back.”

Nuriko, sitting on Genrou’s other side, reached over and smacked him upside the head.

“You know,” a bandit near them at the table said before Genrou could retaliate, “I heard up North in Choukou they have someone who can raise the dead, if you thought it’d help.”

“Don’t tease her,” Genrou snapped. “She ain’t gonna get Tasuki back that way.”

Yui looked up. “Someone who can raise the dead? Who said that?”

The bandit in question hesitantly raised his hand. “Well, it’s just a rumor...”

“Even if it is, I have to try,” she insisted. “If there’s any chance at all, I have to try.”

“You’re just teasing yourself,” Genrou warned. “It ain’t gonna work.”

“And I’m supposed to believe you this time?” Yui yanked her chair back from the table and rose. “Nuriko, Hotohori, you know where this place is?”

“Choukou?” Nuriko said, and nodded.

“Good. In the morning, let’s leave this place.” She turned and walked out of the banquet hall, pushing the great wooden doors aside in front of her.

“Yui,” Hotohori called, getting up and following her. He touched her shoulders, but she never looked up.

“Poor guy,” Genrou remarked as the door swung shut behind them. “Trailin’ after that little spitfire like a puppy; he’s never gonna get any respect. I’ll have to give him a few pointers on---GAKK!”

The bandits around the table looked on as the din of violence echoed through the across the hall. “I dunno,” someone said. “Maybe we oughtta make the purple-haired guy our leader.”

*

“I don’t suppose I can talk some sense into you people,” Genrou asked, watching Hotohori help Yui onto his horse. He rubbed his head gingerly; between the wine and Nuriko’s pounding, it had taken quite a bit of abuse the previous night.

“No,” Hotohori answered. “We can’t give up until we have the support of all seven of Suzaku’s Seishi, including Tasuki. We have to cling to any small chance.”

Yui looked down at Hotohori and watched him put his foot in the stirrup. His face looked so solemn... When I was here, he used to be smiling all the time. All those years he waited for the Suzaku no Miko... If I can’t get Tasuki back and summon Suzaku, if I fail as the Miko, does that mean he and I...? “That’s right,” she said as he lifted himself into the saddle behind her. “I can’t stop until I get him back, whatever the odds.”

“Perhaps, if we’re lucky, this person in Choukou may also be a Sei,” Nuriko remarked, mounting her own horse.

“Yeah, well, don’t blame me when you come back disappointed,” Genrou called after them as they set off.

Koji came up beside him and watched them go. “I can’t believe you’re just letting them go like that.”

“Aah, she’s not cute enough to go through that kind of abuse for.”

“You know what I mean, Gen-chan.”

Genrou shrugged. “I’m the Leader of the bandits now. I can’t just go galavanting around on some fool’s mission.”

“Yeah, I know you had to do what the old Leader wanted, but... You do wanna go with her, don’t you?”

“Why would I wanna tag after some scrawny kid and her bunch of weirdos?” Genrou watched until their horses disappeared down the path, then turned to go back into the fortress.

*

“Da!” Chichiri whined, sprawling sideways across Hotohori’s throne in the otherwise empty throne room. “I wish I’d gone with them no da! I’m bored no da!”

She let herself hang upside down over the edge of the throne, kicking her feet slightly. I never imagined the Emperor’s life would be so boring. Get up, get---or rather, be---dressed, handle a crisis every once in a while, and otherwise just sit around looking regal. We need more crises...

Maybe I should make some crises... She paused in her kicking, then stood and paced the floor. After a few steps, she found Hotohori’s shoes too uncomfortable and stopped. Well, not exactly crises, but... When I’m wandering, I’m always seeing things I wish I could fix. If I’m the Emperor now... Surely Hotohori wouldn’t mind if I tweaked a few things, just to keep myself occupied. I’m sure he’d want to help the people like that if he was here and he knew about these things, so since I’m here, and I do...

She felt a wide smile cross her face. “That’s a great idea no da! I can... I can right wrongs and triumph over evil no da!” she exulted, striking a heroic pose.

Just then, the door opened. “Your majesty?”

By the time the advisor entered, Chichiri was sitting regally in the throne. “Yes?”

“A messenger came from the army garrison. The commander says the forces defending the capital have returned to their former strength. He and the Minister of War believe that any more new inlistees should be assigned to defend the border, but wouldn’t presume to make it so without your approval.”

“Let them know they have it,” she said, smiling internally. See, my ideas have already worked well. Surely he’ll be happier if I try to do a good job than if I just sit here...

*

“‘And so the Suzaku no Miko and her Seishi rode for several days to reach Choukou, not realizing the danger that awaited them.’” Hiro tried to rub the sleepiness out of his eyes with the heels of his hands, and finally just leaned his forehead on them. What am I going to do!? I can’t just sit here forever; Mom and Dad’ll get worried, I’ll miss my classes, and a security guard’s gonna bust my butt if I just sit here. I can’t just leave Yui alone in this book, though. I’ve got to find out some way to get her out... But how? What can I do against this thing when I don’t even know what it is!?

He glanced at his watch again. 3:00 am. Library opens at 7:00... That means four hours left in the longest night of my life... He looked back at the book. “‘...Not realizing the danger that awaited them...’ If I find out this is all some big joke, I don’t know if I’m going to hug Yui or kill her...”

*

To Be Continued...

*

PREVIEW

Yui and her Seishi travel to Choukou, searching for the person with the power to raise the dead. The village, however, has become a ghastly and mysterious trap for its innocent people, as well as the one Yui and her Seishi seek. As they search for solutions, they are only bound more fastly into an increasingly desperate situation.

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