Part Four
Chichiri took the last watch. He went over to Suboshi and picked up the empty plate, smiling a little. Thank Suzaku. The kid finally ate something. He carried the plate over to the rest of the supplies and packed it away. The others woke slowly and reluctantly.
"So did the kid ever eat his food?" Nuriko asked, swallowing a huge yawn. Suboshi was still asleep.
"Hai, he did," Chichiri said. "But don't say anything no da. If we point it out, he'll just get irritated about it."
Mitsukake looked over at him. "I'd like to check his arms again, but I doubt he'll let me."
"I feel sorry for the kid," Nuriko said. "I mean, Tamahome was my best friend, but . . . I understand where he's coming from. I know what it's like to lose someone that close."
Chichiri looked at him questioningly. "What do you mean no da?"
"When I was ten, my sister Kourin . . . was killed. She was a year younger than me . . . we were very close." Nuriko's voice was soft; he was looking intently at the ground. He began to play with his braid. "I thought I could live . . . for Kourin."
"So you went gay?" Tasuki asked with his notable lack of tact.
Nuriko sighed. "Tasuki, your delicacy amazes me." He paused for a minute, still fiddling with his braid. "Anyway . . . I know how Suboshi feels."
"I think we probably all feel bad for him," Mitsukake said quietly.
"I wish I didn't," Tasuki said, glaring over at Suboshi. "I don't want to, it's just that he's so . . . pathetic."
"That's not very nice, Tasuki-san," Chiriko chipped in.
Chichiri sighed. "Come on no da, let's pack up."
Mitsukake took a plate of breakfast over to Suboshi and shook him gently. "Suboshi?" he asked.
Suboshi blinked awake. "Uhhh . . .?"
"Do you want any breakfast?"
Suboshi reached up and rubbed his face, then pondered the question. "Sure. What the hell." There are easier ways to kill myself, after all. He accepted the plate of food from Mitsukake and began to pick at it.
"Do you mind if I check your arms again?" Mitsukake asked.
Suboshi glared up at him. "They're fine."
Mitsukake knew better than to insist. "Okay. We're leaving in fifteen minutes."
Suboshi's mind tracked back to what had happened the night before and tried to remember who had been on watch. After a minute, he recalled that it had been Tasuki. "Hey, Tasuki."
"Yeah, whaddya want?" Tasuki asked, turning from where he was saddling his horse.
"Did you notice anything . . . weird . . . while you were on watch?"
"Nah. Why?"
"Nn. Never mind. Just thought I heard something last night, that's all." Suboshi turned away and began to eat his breakfast.
Tasuki shrugged and continued with what he was doing.
~~~~
"What the hell happened here?" Tasuki got off his horse and examined the new tracks.
"You tell us," Nuriko said.
"She met up with someone else, and he carried her off," Tasuki said. "His tracks get deeper and hers disappear."
"Huh," Nuriko said. "Wonder who it was."
"Hopefully somebody friendly no da," Chichiri said.
"It's getting kind of late," Mitsukake pointed out. "And this canyon is pretty sheltered. Why don't we camp here tonight, then go find her in the morning? Whoever it was can't have carried her too far."
"Good idea no da." Chichiri got down off his horse.
"Yeah, he's already out cold," Nuriko said, motioning to Suboshi. "Someone want to come give me a hand?"
Mitsukake got off his horse, helped Chiriko down from behind him, and then went over to give Nuriko a hand. Between the two of them, they got Suboshi to the ground. "I'm going to check his arms," Mitsukake said, propping him up against the canyon wall. "And his ribs, while I'm at it."
"We'll set up camp and see what we can do about dinner," Nuriko said.
Suboshi stirred under Mitsukake's touch. "What . . .?"
"I'm checking your arms. Hold still."
Suboshi glared. "I'm fine," he protested.
"Hold still anyway."
Suboshi grumbled but obeyed, not really seeing anything else he could do. He waited until his arms were unwrapped, then hastily looked away, turning pale. Once Mitsukake had cleaned them up a little and put new bandages on, he felt safe to turn back.
"There, you're fine now," Mitsukake said.
"I told you I was before."
"You don't want them getting infected," Mitsukake said. "It's a slow, painful, ugly way to die. Starving yourself would be easier. Now stop complaining."
Suboshi yawned. "Fine." Then he curled up and went back to sleep.
"Should I wake him up for dinner?" Chiriko asked about twenty minutes later, when the food was ready.
"Don't bother. He can eat some later," Mitsukake answered.
Tasuki was fidgeting. "What if this guy that found her is a Seiryuu or something?"
Chichiri sighed. "We'll jump off that bridge when we get to it no da."
~~~~
"I'm getting worried," Sachiko said. "Her fever hasn't gone down any since we found her. I think she must've wandered around for days."
"Hmm," Amiboshi said absently, not really listening.
"All I can think to do is to keep forcing the broth down her." Sachiko sighed and took the pot off the stove, pouring some into a bowl. "Here, take this in to her, will you?"
"Sure." Amiboshi took the bowl from her and went into Miaka's room. He put it on a side table, waiting for it to cool. Miaka was still tossing and turning in her sleep.
She tried to save me . . . Amiboshi thought, vividly recalling the last few minutes by the river. I can save her, but . . . He shuddered. They'll find me if I do . . . Nakago must be furious with me . . . But . . .
Miaka cried out in her sleep.
Amiboshi closed his eyes and mentally gathered his courage.
~~~~
Everyone looked over as Suboshi sat bolt upright, jolted out of a sound sleep. "Suboshi?" Nuriko asked. "What's wrong?"
Suboshi's eyes were wide and blank. He seemed to be focused entirely inward.
Mitsukake walked over to him. "Suboshi?"
Suboshi looked up at him, but seemed to look through him, not even seeing him. "Aniki?"
"Great, now the kid's hallucinating," Tasuki grumbled.
"Aniki . . ." Suboshi got to his feet and walked shakily towards the canyon exit. "Aniki . . ."
"What the hell?" Nuriko asked.
"Aniki!" Suboshi broke into a run.
"Tasuki, you're fastest," Mitsukake said. "Go get him."
"Will do," Tasuki said, getting to his feet and speeding off. The others followed as quickly as they could and found Tasuki lying sprawled on the ground.
"What happened to you?" Nuriko asked, helping him to his feet.
"The kid clocked me." Tasuki rubbed his jaw. "Didn't think he was that strong."
"I didn't think he was either," Mitsukake said.
"What do we do?" Chiriko asked.
"Follow him no da," Chichiri said. "It's all we can do."
~~~~
Miaka's eyes fluttered open. The first thing she noticed was that Amiboshi was shirtless and on top of her. "Ano . . .?"
Amiboshi immediately sat up. "Gomen . . . I had to, to save you." He stood up. "How are you feeling?"
"Su-Suboshi?" her voice trembled.
Amiboshi's face darkened. "No. It's me . . . Amiboshi."
Miaka sat bolt upright. "How is that possible?" she asked.
"When I fell in the river . . . I lost my memory," Amiboshi said. "Seeing you brought it back." He reached down to pick up his shirt.
"What happened to your arm?" Miaka asked.
Amiboshi didn't answer. "I'm going to go tell Kaa-san that you're awake. She'll know what to do. You've been very sick." He stood and prepared to leave.
"Ne, Amiboshi . . ."
He turned. "Hai?"
Miaka looked down at the blankets. "Arigatou . . . for saving my life."
"You tried to save me, when I had betrayed you," Amiboshi said quietly, looking at the floor. "I couldn't just let you die." With that, he turned and left the room.
"Kaa-san?" Amiboshi asked. "Miaka's woken up." He paused. "The girl. Her name's Miaka."
"Oh, thank goodness," Sachiko said.
"I'm going for a walk," Amiboshi said, and headed out the door without waiting for an answer.
~~~~
The others caught up with Suboshi fairly quickly. Adrenaline had boosted his strength, but he couldn't keep running for very long. He had slowed to a fast walk.
"What's going on?" Mitsukake asked.
"Aniki," Suboshi answered. This seemed to be the only word left in his vocabulary.
"Okay," Nuriko said. Suboshi continued to walk.
"We're following the tracks," Tasuki announced, looking down at the ground.
Within a few minutes, they came to a small village. Suboshi continued to stare straight ahead and walk purposefully. They rounded a corner just as someone else was coming the other way and walked straight into them.
There was a shocked silence as everyone stared.
"A . . . ni . . . ki . . ." Suboshi whispered.
Amiboshi stared. "Shun . . . chan . . ."
"ANIKI!" Suboshi flung himself into Amiboshi's arms, nearly knocking both of them to the ground.
Amiboshi slowly put his arms around Suboshi's shoulders, as if he was in some sort of dream.
The others stood there, unable to do anything but watch.
"Aniki, why didn't you come back to us?" Tears were starting to stream down Suboshi's cheeks.
Amiboshi looked away. "Gomen . . . I . . . I had no memory and then . . . Miaka . . ."
Tasuki could no longer keep silent. "You've seen Miaka?"
Amiboshi blinked up at him as if he didn't recognize the red-haired seishi. "Hai, she's in my house . . ."
Suboshi was clinging to his brother. "Don't leave me again, Aniki, please don't leave," he whispered into Amiboshi's shirt.
"Shun . . . what happened to your arms?" Amiboshi asked, looking at the bandages wrapped around them.
"I didn't want to be alone," Suboshi said, starting to sob full force now. "I missed you . . ."
Amiboshi stared down at him. "Shun, you didn't . . ."
"Gomennasai," Suboshi whimpered. "I'm so sorry, Aniki, I didn't . . . I didn't know you were . . ."
"But . . ." Amiboshi's voice trailed off.
Suboshi began trying to pull out of Amiboshi's arms. "No . . . don't touch me . . . don't even look at me, I'm such an awful person . . . I . . ."
Amiboshi grabbed him by the upper arms and turned him so they were facing. "What are you talking about?"
"I . . ." Suboshi pulled away and fell to his knees. "I ki -- " his voice broke off.
Amiboshi knelt beside him and put an arm around his brother's waist. "It's okay," he whispered. "It doesn't matter what you did. We're together again. You're going to be fine."
"It's not okay!" Suboshi yelled, attempting again to pull away. "I killed people, Aniki! Real, breathing people, I killed them!"
Amiboshi stopped short in shock. "You . . ."
"I thought . . . Nakago said . . ." Suboshi turned away. "I was so angry and I missed you so much, I thought . . ."
Amiboshi took Suboshi's chin in his hand and turned his head so they were facing. "What happened, Shun?"
"Nakago said that Tamahome killed you," Suboshi whispered, avoiding Amiboshi's eyes. "And I . . . I couldn't . . ."
Amiboshi looked up at the seishi. Tamahome wasn't there. He began to put the facts together. "And then you . . ." He looked down at Suboshi's bandaged arms. "Oh God, I shouldn't have left you . . . I shouldn't . . ." Tears were starting down his cheeks now.
"No, it's not your fault, Aniki," Suboshi said. "Don't think it's your fault, I'm just . . . I couldn't . . ." He clung to his brother, hiding his face.
Amiboshi held him tightly. "It's okay," he whispered. "It's okay. We'll make it okay, somehow. Oh God . . . somehow . . ."
Suboshi buried his face in Amiboshi's shoulder, withdrawing into himself.
Amiboshi closed his eyes and hung his head, his forehead just barely touching Suboshi's shoulder.
"Ano . . ." Chichiri broke in. "As much as I hate to interrupt, where's Miaka no da?"
"Is she all right?" Tasuki added.
"What happened to her?" Nuriko chimed in.
Amiboshi looked up and wiped his eyes. Suboshi kept his face hidden. "She's at my house . . . we don't know what happened, I just found her . . ." He found himself horrified at having to face these people, his friends he had betrayed. "I'm sorry . . ." he heard himself say.
"Oh, don't worry about it," Nuriko said. "Why don't we go back to your house and everyone can explain things, okay?"
Amiboshi nodded and shakily got to his feet, then leaned down and started to pick up Suboshi.
"Here, let me," Nuriko said, walking over and scooping him up.
"How . . . why is he with you?" Amiboshi asked as Suboshi curled up in Nuriko's arms.
"Long story. We'll tell ya when we explain everything else," Tasuki said.
"Did he really . . ." Amiboshi's voice trailed off. He swallowed hard and tried again. "Did he really kill Tamahome?"
The others looked away. "Hai," Mitsukake answered, seeing that no one else was going to.
Amiboshi wilted. "Oh God . . . I shouldn't have . . ."
"You couldn't help it," Tasuki interrupted, his logic not really comprehending the blame problem both twins seemed to be having. "So don't worry about it."
"But . . ." Amiboshi began.
"But nothing. Let's go," Tasuki said.
Seeing nothing else to do, Amiboshi began the walk back to his house.
~~~~
"Kaika, what . . .?" Sachiko's voice trailed off into confusion. "Who are all these people?"
Amiboshi tried to think of an explanation. "Uh . . . this is my twin brother . . . he's not feeling too well right now . . . I'm gonna put him in my room . . . these are Miaka's friends . . . she's in there . . ." he waved vaguely at another room.
Nuriko gently handed Suboshi over to Mitsukake. "Here, why don't you take him," he said, then added in a low voice, "you can make sure they're both okay."
Mitsukake nodded. "I should check on Miaka first, though."
"Oh. Right."
"I'll take him," Amiboshi said quietly. "I can carry him that far." He took his brother from Mitsukake's arms and disappeared into another room.
The others exchanged glances, then headed into Miaka's room.
Miaka's eyes widened when she saw the others. "Nuriko!" She immediately glomped onto her friend. Nuriko sat down on the bed next to Miaka and pulled the girl into her arms. Miaka was already crying.
"What happened, Miaka-chan no da?" Chichiri asked.
"Nakago . . . he . . ." Miaka was incoherent as usual.
"Are you hurt?" Mitsukake asked.
"No . . . Amiboshi healed me with his chi . . ."
The seishi exchanged glances. "That's how Suboshi knew he was still alive," Nuriko said thoughtfully.
Miaka didn't catch this, partially because she was still crying and partially because she'd never actually heard Suboshi's name. She continued to cry in Nuriko's arms.
"Well, if Miaka's okay, I'm going to go check on the twins," Mitsukake said. "I'll be back soon."
He left the room quietly and walked into Amiboshi's room. Suboshi was curled on his side on the bed, in fetal position. Amiboshi was kneeling beside the bed with one hand on Suboshi's shoulder, trying to get him to answer. He had also put a blanket over his brother. "Shun . . . Shun-chan . . . answer me . . . onegai . . ."
Mitsukake walked over and put a hand on Amiboshi's shoulder.
Amiboshi looked up with desperate eyes. "He . . . he just doesn't answer," he said, voice cracking. "I can't make him answer."
"Well, I think I'm going to give him something to make him sleep," Mitsukake said. "He might feel better when he wakes up."
Amiboshi nodded and swallowed hard. "There's some broth in the kitchen . . . I suppose I should explain this to Kaa-san and Tou-san . . ."
"I'll go," Mitsukake said. "We shouldn't leave him, and I'm sure he'd rather you stay than me." He left the room, then came back a minute later with a bowl of broth. Sachiko was behind him, as was her husband Suoh. Between the two of them, they managed to get Suboshi to drink it. He remained curled into a ball, but his eyes closed and his breathing steadied.
"Kaa-san . . ." Amiboshi began, looking solidly at the floor. Why am I still calling her that? She's not really my mother . . . "I . . . I'm sorry about all this. I . . . this is my twin brother, Shun. Can . . . can he stay here too?"
Sachiko was looking at Suboshi in both confusion and sympathy. "What happened to him?"
"He sort of thought I was dead and really kind of flipped out when he found out I wasn't . . ." Amiboshi's voice trailed off. "I guess I should start at the beginning, huh."
"The others probably want to hear this, too," Mitsukake interrupted. "I'm sure it's safe to leave him for a little while. He's not going to wake up any time soon. Let's go into Miaka's room."
Amiboshi nodded, stood, and cast one backwards glance over his shoulder as he left the room. They all trooped into Miaka's room. She was sitting up in bed, looking a little more composed.
Everyone sat down.
"Well," Chichiri said, seeing that no one else was going to start a conversation, "Who wants to go first no da?"
Tasuki was looking at Amiboshi. "Why aren't ya dead? I think you should go first."
Amiboshi sighed a little, looking at the ground. "I . . . I'm sorry about what I did . . . betraying you. I . . . you may not believe me, but I had reasons. I really did."
"Something to do with your brother no da?" Chichiri asked.
Amiboshi stared at the floor and mumbled something indistinct.
"And Nakago?" Mitsukake asked, beginning to catch Chichiri's drift.
Amiboshi shuddered. "He has to be one of the most evil people I have ever met," he said in a low voice. "I . . . I had to do it. He was going to hurt Shun . . . I couldn't let him hurt Shun . . ." To his horror, he felt tears sliding down his cheeks, and he hurriedly wiped them away. "When I woke up here, I didn't remember anything . . . when I saw Miaka, I remembered. But I couldn't go back. I hid my chi so none of them could find it, because I was afraid they'd make me go back. I thought maybe Shun would be safer without me. But then I had to use my chi to save Miaka . . ." His voice trailed off. "And I didn't know Shun would . . . would -- " He nearly choked on the words.
Chichiri put a hand on his shoulder. "It's all right no da. We understand."
Amiboshi rubbed his eyes. "Why is he with you?"
"Well, we think he came to slow us down or something," Nuriko said. "Except he hadn't eaten in about three days and generally just wasn't healthy, and proceeded to pass out before he could do a damned thing."
Amiboshi pondered this, then asked, "Why didn't you just kill him? He killed Tamahome."
"Well . . . at first it was because we wanted information," Tasuki said. "Sort of. And plus these guys are softies." He looked pointedly at his fellow seishi, who all sighed.
Mitsukake picked up the thread of the story. "When I checked to make sure he wasn't injured, I saw his arms, and . . ."
"Huh?" Miaka interrupted.
Mitsukake turned to Miaka and decided to explain what had happened. However, then he realized that Suboshi probably didn't want everyone knowing. He sat for a minute in indecision. All the Suzakus knew, and Amiboshi knew, and his 'parents' were bound to find out sooner or later. He continued to consider.
Amiboshi solved his problem by holding up his arms. "These scars appeared on my arms a little over a week ago," he said quietly. "I didn't know where they'd come from then. I do now."
Miaka's eyes widened and one hand went to her mouth. "Oh my God . . . he . . ."
"So we figured we couldn't just leave him," Chichiri continued. "And our only option was to bring him with us no da."
Amiboshi nodded, obviously deep in thought. "Arigatou," he said after a minute.
"So what happened with you, Miaka?" Tasuki asked, seeing that no one else was going to.
Miaka explained what had happened. "I . . . I didn't mean to betray Tamahome," she whispered, dissolving into tears.
Nuriko put an arm around her shoulders and hugged her tightly. "Ne . . . it's all right, Miaka. Once we call Suzaku, you can have Tamahome back, right?"
"But I can't call Suzaku anymore!" Miaka wailed.
The others exchanged looks. "Well, you said you don't remember, right?" Nuriko said uncertainly. "There's still hope."
"I -- I guess but -- " Miaka's voice broke. She looked steadfastly at her feet.
Nuriko gave her another hug. "We'll get everything straightened out in no time at all."
~~~~
Tomo looked up from what he was reading as there was a knock on his door. "Come in," he called, putting the book down.
The door opened and Nakago stepped in.
"Hai, Nakago-sama?" Tomo asked.
"A few hours ago . . . did you feel . . .?" Nakago searched for an adequate way to describe it. "Amiboshi's chi?"
Tomo frowned. "Hai, I thought I did, but I wasn't sure, and . . . he's dead. So I thought perhaps I was wrong."
"No, you weren't wrong." Nakago looked around. "Somehow, he's still alive."
Tomo considered this. "How is it possible that we didn't know this? Why didn't his brother at least realize?"
"I'm not certain," Nakago said. "I think we should . . . retrieve him."
"What about Suboshi?" Tomo asked. "He must have felt it when his brother reappeared."
Nakago shrugged. "He'll follow his brother back to us."
"I'm amazed he's lived this long," Tomo mused. "He certainly was bound and determined to die the last time I saw him."
"Maybe with his brother back, he'll be more useful," Nakago said. "Anyway, I was wondering if you could go collect Amiboshi for me."
"Certainly, Nakago-sama," Tomo said, standing up. "What if he resists?"
"I'm trusting you to bring him back," Nakago said. "In one piece. But your methods are at your discretion."
~~~~