Disclaimers: I now actually do own Nuriko, due to incredibly successful dabbling in the edible Play-doh business. For a modest fee, I’ll rent him out to provide fanfic inspiration. [!!! In my dreams.]

Warnings: Ummmm….let me see… **scans fic** Tasuki-language. Drama. ~.^;; Ummm, make that potential melodrama. -_-()

Notes: Great thanks to Kaze-chan and Okie-Dokie-Chan (that’s you, Emily! hee hee) for taking the time to read this and comment when it could not yet be posted. A Nyan-Nyan to both of you. &^_^ & &^_^&

The streets outside were silent. But in a way, the silence was worse than the screaming had been.

It was over, whatever it had been. But how had it ended? What had been the outcome? Who were these madmen who had charged through the town with weapons drawn, destroying what little peace these people had been left?

"Damn Rishun," Tasuki muttered from the table, still holding a frightened Horyuu on his lap.

Chichiri glanced up in surprise. Does he know who’s behind this, no da? Before he could pose the question, though, the bandit had turned his attention to the boy he held, trying unsuccessfully to pry him away.

"They’re gone, kiddo…hey, you hear me? They’re all gone now."

No response.

"Horyuu?"

Still nothing.

With a helpless look at Chichiri, Tasuki stood up and began to spin around the room, trying to get a yell, a squeak, anything, out of his charge. He even made dramatic swooping noises in an attempt to make him laugh. Nothing seemed to work; Horyuu just clung to him, still shaking, breathing heavily. Almost to the point of tears, the red-haired man plopped down at the table again. He reached back and grabbed the thin wrists, firmly but gently removing them from around his neck. Horyuu’s terrified eyes met his, and he forced himself to keep his temper (a difficult feat, indeed!), despite wanting to storm outside, find whoever had caused this sudden trauma, and smash him to a bloody pulp. Instead, he settled for a more pragmatic solution.

"What happened?" he demanded quietly.

The purple-haired boy drew his fists to his chin. They both gave a start at the sudden hand that appeared on the small shoulder, looking up to see that Kentoku had approached them.

"What happened?" Kentoku repeated. "Tell us…come on."

There was a moment of silence as Horyuu attempted to gather his thoughts and calm himself down.

"I…" he finally choked, glancing from his friend to Tasuki. "I…I died."

Tasuki blinked. "Eeeehhhh, what?"

"I d… I died. Didn’t I. When I was him," the boy said in a voice barely above a whisper. "I saw it. I felt it." He shuddered. "It…it hurt."

"Horyuu," said Tasuki gently, "I know it seemed real, but it was just a memory. Memories can’t hurt you, ya know." Except in your mind…they can always hurt you in your mind.

"I know…But it happened, didn’t it?"

Tasuki nodded quickly, inwardly shaking his head to clear it, unwilling to let himself remember the awful day in any detail.

But the boy continued. "You buried me in the snow," he murmured quietly, "and I looked down and watched…You were crying."

The bandit’s brown eyes widened, his heart clenched. His own memories flickered before him despite himself: the hard, unfeeling mountain wall against his back; his friends a few yards away, their bodies blurred by his tears. How could he…

"I wanted to tell you…that you were a…pathetic excuse for a bandit." The small mouth twitched into a shy smile. "But I couldn’t. You couldn’t hear me. I felt so bad… I didn’t want to leave. But…" his face took on an anxious expression, "it was for a noble cause, wasn’t it?"

New tears pricked at his eyes, and he closed them to stop them from falling. Can’t freakin tell him I think he died for nothin, now, CAN I. "The noblest," he said roughly. He was watching us. He was there with us…The thought both warmed him and tore at him; he couldn’t help it. He had never really experienced loss before Nuriko, and it still hurt to think of it…still hurt to know that Nuriko himself was never coming back. His soul had been reborn, true—and Horyuu was his twin in looks and temperament—but he wasn’t Nuriko. Tasuki had tried to pretend he was, but he wasn’t. He couldn’t remember the inside jokes they’d shared, the things they’d done together…what it was like to be a seishi, the glowing feeling it gave you right in the center of your chest. He had hoped that, if he did develop memories—subconscious or otherwise—it would be as if they’d never seen that bloody mountiain. But Horyuu’s newfound memories of his death were the jolt into reality the bandit had both longed for and dreaded. It was the bitter knowledge that, even if the child did remember his past life…it wasn’t going to bring Nuriko back.

When he was finally able to look at the boy again, he gave a slight smile of his own. And even though he knew now that memories could never replace his friend, he asked the question he’d been dying to ask since he’d recognized him for who he used to be. Beggars couldn’t be choosers, after all; he’d take as much of Nuriko as he could get.

"Horyuu…do you remember anything else?"

The purple head shook.

"Anything at all?"

The child hesitated, and something inside Tasuki’s chest gave a flutter of excitement. "There’s this woman… she comes to see me sometimes when I’m sleeping," Horyuu admitted. "She has brown hair and green eyes, and wears a funny brown tunic…she sings me songs sometimes." He lowered his large eyes, fiddling with his fingers. "I don’t remember ever meeting her. When I was me, I mean. I think…she’s from him."

"Um….do you know who she is?"

The bandit opened his mouth, but found he couldn’t bring himself to reply.

Apparently, the kid took his silence as a no. He sighed. "Tasuki-san?"

"Y…yeah."

"Why….were those people running around outside? I’m sorry I ran out. I thought they would burn things again…" Horyuu swallowed. "They didn’t."

"I….I really don’t know," Tasuki frowned. "But you can be sure, Chichiri and me, we’re gonna find out, okay?"

"Perhaps it was a military coup," Kentoku put in. "They happen all the time, military coups. And it would make sense, since Kutou’s so weak."

Tasuki blinked. It made sense! Damn me if the kid isn’t right!! Rishun…that complete and utter BASTARD…

"Rrrrrright," he said, masking the connection he’d made and leaping up from the table. "Back to bed for you pipsqueaks! Chichiri-san and I have to talk. We’ll be right in the next room if ya need us."

Gen’ei silently obeyed, the model of discipline, shoulders sagging; the monk looked after him almost sadly.

"But I’m a Shichiseishi," Horyuu protested, making a startling recovery from his earlier near-catatonic state. "I’ll bet Nuriko never had to sleep."

"Trust me." Tasuki cocked an eyebrow as he herded the two reborn Suzaku warriors into the bedroom. "He did. A lot."

"What if something bad happens?"

"Then Chichiri and I will hear it, and we’ll come right away."

"But what if you don’t?"

"We will."

"But what if you can’t?"

Tasuki rolled his eyes. "Well, then you’ve got Ken-chan to protect you."

Horyuu giggled and jumped on the other boy’s back; Kentoku gave the bandit a look that plainly said, "Why must you encourage him further?"

With a smile that managed to be both innocent and evil, Tasuki nudged them forward and into the bed.

~*~

When the children were settled and drifting off once more—despite what had happened, and their subsequent protests, they were all still exhausted—Tasuki rejoined Chichiri in the main room, a fanged grin splitting his face.

"Did ya hear?! He remembers Miaka! He dreams about her!! I knew there was something…"

"You know who these brigands are, no da," Chichiri said bluntly.

The grin faded, and Tasuki scratched his head uncomfortably, lowering his gaze. "Uhhh….yeah, I might know some stuff…"

The monk folded his arms and waited expectantly.

"I…recognized a few of the guys running," Tasuki related. "They’re some of my…former Mt. Reikaku Bandits."

Chichiri was startled. "Your bandits?"

"Led by a bloodthirsty jerk named Rishun," Tasuki confirmed with a grim nod. "Rishun’s the one who burned the village where we found Hoto….where we found the kids. Dangerous guy. What Ken-chan said about seizing the throne of Kutou might not be that far off. Guy’s a complete mental case. But smart. Reeeeeal smart."

"But, why would he want Kutou, no da?"

"Beats the hell outa me. Is he takin it just because it’s the easiest to take, or does it have some kinda sentimental symbolic crap? Not a freakin clue. Once he has an army, though…I doubt the Kutou army would be as incompetent under Rishun’s control. He’ll wanna do stuff, put ‘em to use. I can guarantee it. The Kutou army’s been sittin on their asses doin paperwork and shit since the war. Most of ‘em’ll jump at the chance to go out and freakin do somethin for a change."

The monk clenched his jaw thoughtfully. "I think you’re right, no da."

Tasuki gave a start. "Uhh…ya do?"

"We have to stop him before he gets out of control, no da," Chichiri said firmly. "And that means, finding out exactly what his goals are: is he just power-hungry, or does this conquest have a specific purpose, na no da?"

"Wait, hold up!" Tasuki cried, waving his arms. "We don’t even know if he beat the palace guards or not! Heh heh, see? What I said just now really isn’t that impressive, after all!"

"Tasuki, no da," said Chichiri tiredly, "you realize, it’s not a bad thing to be smart, na no da."

"Maybe he lost! Maybe we’re makin a whole big deal outa nothin!"

"We’ve established that Kutou’s army isn’t exactly up to snuff, no da…I think we can be fairly certain that it’s been beaten, no da, whatever that might mean for the Royal Family."

"What, you mean he might just set up a freakin puppet government?"

Chichiri shrugged. "He worked for you, no da…does he seem like the kind of man who would rule vicariously, or take full control himself?"

"How the hell am I supposed to know???" Tasuki exploded. "He was good at hiding things! I didn’t even know he was a damn freakin homicidal lunatic until he went all pyro on Sarasshi!"

"Will you be quiet, no daaaaa??!!" his friend hissed. "The kids are trying to sleep, no da!!"

"Dammit, stop talkin to me like we’re freakin married," Tasuki replied, but his volume had been considerably lowered. "Nag, nag, nag….small wonder you’re not married yet!"

"I’m a monk, no da!" Chichiri stated incredulously.

"Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard all yer excuses…"

Chichiri sighed, rolled his eyes, and went to the window, peering out into the street and trying to ignore the bandit’s irritating voice. Suddenly, he stiffened, moved his hands to rest on the windowsill, and strained forward to see something.

"…Which I suppose is fine, if you don’t like girls," Tasuki was jabbering, "but for someone who’s interested, it’s just freakin sad…"

"Shh!! Shut up, no da!" Without turning his head, Chichiri motioned for the younger man to join him.

Tasuki scowled as he went. "What the hell is it now?"

"Across the street," the monk said solemnly.

Two bandits—easily identified by their mismatched armor—were pounding on the door of the house across the street; when they received no reply, they began kicking at it harder; the wood snapped, and the two barged inside.

"What the hell?" Tasuki demanded, a slight tremor in his voice betraying his unease. "What do they think they’re doin?!"

Chichiri was about to reply that he had no idea whatsoever, when there was a loud, persistent rapping on his own door.

"Open your home, in the name of Emperor Rishun the Redeemer!!"

The two old friends shared a stony glance.

"Certainly doesn’t waste any freakin’ time," Tasuki growled, his eyes narrowing.

~*~

They saw the marching "army," and reined the horse to a sudden stop.

"They’re going the same way we are," Chiyu whispered over his new friend’s shoulder. "What do you think they’re doing?"

"I…" Shunshuu frowned. What were they doing? Where were they going?

"Should we keep going this way, or avoid them, do you think?"

The smaller boy frowned. "Let’s go around them," he said quietly. "We don’t want any trouble; just to get to Kutou."

Chiyu nodded his agreement; however, when they turned the horse, there was a huge brown gelding blocking their way. Atop it sat a man with blue hair and a long, vertical scar running down his left cheek.

"Where ya headed?" the man remarked casually.

"Uh…K-Kutou," stuttered Shunshuu, having been taken by surprise.

The man clicked and shook his head. "Ya don’t wanna go to Kutou…so many awful things happening there…"

Shunshuu and Chiyu glanced at each other.

"Awful things?"

"A war, in fact," the man said grimly. "So if I were you two, I’d stay away until we end it."

"A war!" Chiyu tapped his friend’s shoulder. "Do you suppose it has something to do with why we were summoned?"

"Quite possibly," Shunshuu agreed. "Almost certainly, in fact. It can’t be that much of a coincidence."

The scar-faced stranger blinked. "Wh-what are you talking about, now?"

Intelligent green eyes looked up at him calmly. "We must go to Kutou, sir. We were called."

" ‘Called’?"

The child nodded. "Yes. It’s imperative that we arrive there soon."

~*~

Kouji stared hard at the two children riding the mare. Something about them seemed…odd. Normally, he would have insisted that the two of them go right back home, accuse them of playing some sort of hero game. But…he almost felt like… he believed their claim of a summons. Which was perfectly ridiculous, really…they were just kids! Didn’t know what was best for them…

…But deep down inside, he just had this feeling…

"Ehhh…Okay, well," he addressed the two children, astonishing himself with the unquestioning way he followed his instincts, and turned his horse alongside theirs. "Will you allow us to be your escorts to the capital?"

The boys looked surprised, but nodded eagerly.

"I’m Kouji," the bandit said, giving them a small salute, "surrogate leader of the Mt. Reikaku Bandits."

"I’m Shunshuu, of Eiyo," said the smaller boy, bowing as low as he could from his seat atop the horse. "This is Chiyu, of…er…"

"Nowhere of Consequence," said the other with a smile and another bow.

Kouji chuckled despite himself. "Pleased to meet you both. Now…shall we get going?"

The bay mare joined the modest army of bandits marching or riding off to war, unaware of what awaited them, or even of why they were going in the first place… By order or righteousness or summons, the Defenders of Freedom made their way to Kutou.

TBC…

Notes: -_-() forgive the incredibly cheesy and over-dramatic ending paragraph….Mouse-chan no sleepy last night…

And please, if you guys find plot holes, let me know and I’ll try to fix them! ^_^ Email me: PurpleMouse105@hotmail.com. I know there’ve gotta be a ton, but it’s hard to recognize them when you’re the one writing the thing. ^_^ Thanks, everybody! Have fun!