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Part 54: Bitter Reunion

Info

Writer

Dougurasu

Character Introductions

Yamome

Shousha

Character Deaths

Shousha even though it had already happened a few days ago.

Arcs

Hikari Crystals Arc

Nagata's Trial Arc

Siren's Love for Zesshou Arc

Timeline Entries

The Story

Endless Rain

Part 54: Bitter Reunion

© Dougurasu

"Welcome back, Lady Hitori!" Nagata proudly said as he led the Mikomi back into their home. It has only been seven days since the Sendo claimed their village, but to almost every Mikomi man, woman and child it seemed like months.

"Thank you General Nagata," Hitori answered and walked inside. Finally back. She was an emotional wreck and now finally she could return home. She knew it was long from over, but finally she could be in her own room again.

"We have so much to tell you," Nagata continued, but Hitori shook her head.

"Please Nagata... I'll come back to you in an hour or so. I really need to get some rest." Without listening to any further comments from anybody she wandered zombie-like to her chamber. She didn't notice the hordes of women and men running around find their friends, or loved ones or their children. It seemed a happy reunion... Or so Nagata thought.

Hitori reached her room. Her closet was pushed over, the rugs on her bed were torn and the wall even had some burn marks, but worst of all... her mirror had fallen onto the ground and shattered into a million pieces. If she hadn't seen the mirror she would have been able to stop herself from bursting into tears, but she had. She fell to her knees and began sobbing and smashing her fist on the floor into the broken glass. Her tears mixed with her blood, but she could not care less.

She felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Hana's. "It's okay, Hitori, it's okay..." Hitori looked at her best friend and hugged her. Thank you for being here for me. I owe you so much, she thought. "Hana..." Hitori sobbed, "Please don't tell this to anyone else... but..."

"But?"

"I really, really don't want to be the Lady of the Mikomi tribe anymore. I hate it. I really do!" She had regretted her decision of sitting down on the throne for a long time, but she never hated it... until now...

"Ah, Kino!" Nagata said.

"Nagata, dear boy. I never thought I'd say this, but I missed you. What happened?"

Nagata sat down and started telling him his story.

In a corner out of sight sat Kyen Koh. How on Earth was she supposed to... fit in with these people? After all she had done. Especially now, after she had officially been banned by Lord Tebok. The day before Lord Tebok arrived at the Mikomi village. General Nagata and her had stepped up towards the army with Lana in Typhoon Gryffinstrenght's power. Nagata had threatened to kill Lana if the Sendo attacked. They agreed to exchange prisoners in three days. The Sendo were beaten and they hadn't even lost a fight.

"And after the Sendo left, Zesshou was really eager to go out and find Lady Hitori and Siren. Don't worry, he went with two Mikomi guards and I've already informed their families about that. So... all in all, the only thing we have to do is save Baku and get that last Hikari Crystal." Nagata concluded.

Kino frowned, "As usual you don't see everything, youngster. Moyasu ran off with one of the Hikari Crystals and we haven't heard from her since. And even if we have all five Crystals, we have no real idea on how to use them, do we?"

Nagata smiled, "You're still the pessimist, aren't you?"

"General Nagata!" a voice commanded.

Nagata looked up. "Yes... how may I help you?" He looked at the face of a woman with dark brown curly hair.

"I'm Yamome. You are a murderer!"

"Excuse me?!"

"You heard me! I asked around and I heard my husband, Shousha, is dead and that it is your fault. It was you who sent my husband to his grave!"

Nagata immediately rose to his feet. "Shousha?! I uh... I'm sorry that it happened, but there really was nothing any of us could have done to prevent it..."

"Lies!" the widow continued.

Kino now rose to his feet too. "Nagata is a member of the Mikomi council and he knows what is best for his fellow Mikomi! He was trained to know such things!"

Yamome glared at Kino. "You have no idea, do you? You don't even know how he died!"

"Well then, how did he die?" Kino barked.

Nagata held him back. "Please, Kino... don't do it."

Kino turned to face Nagata, but he looked away. "Nagata, you are a member of the council! I trust you to do what is best in any situation."

"Well... why don't you tell Mister Kino here what happened, Nagata?" Yamome taunted, "Just tell him. Let him judge!"

Nagata hesitated. "It happened just before we recaptured the village. Before I climbed up the village wall to see if Lightning was there, I asked one person to stay behind. That person was Shousha."

"And? I don't think I really see what's bad about that." Kino said.

Yamome intervened. "I'll finish the story for you. They found Kyen Koh and got that Hikari Typhoon thing. Then they captured Lana and made sure that every Sendo in the village had been banished."

"And?" Kino asked impatiently.

"All this time my Shousha was still waiting outside, but did Nagata warn him to get inside? NO! He forgot about him. He failed to remember that one of his soldiers was still in danger. The next day his body was found outside the gate on the exact same place he was supposed to wait. Killed with a sword." Yamome was furious and made wild hand gestures. "He didn't just let Shousha die, he MURDERED him! Shousha did his duty and he even died for it, but General Nagata here just forgot! He FORGOT!"

Nagata had completely turned away from Kino and Yamome.

"Nagata..." Kino started, but the friendly hand he extended was slapped away by Nagata.

"Just leave me alone!" he cried and ran away in the direction of his house.

Yamome clenched her fist. "And that is supposed to be a General? Someone that runs away from ones mistakes? And to make matters worse, a council member?"

"Miss Yamome, wait." Kino started but it was already too late.

"I will see what the other council members have to say about this!" And with that she stomped away.

"Fairy for sale! One pretty Fairy for sale!" Chounin yelled at the top of his lungs, "Only 1000 pesocs! A real bargain!" For two days no one had wanted to buy his fairy at all. His other items were selling as usual, but Siren just wouldn't sell. Whenever someone came close to buying her she started "singing". Somehow Siren realised that if she sang only the evil people would hear an awful noise.

"Would ya stop singing, lass. It's driving the customers crazy!" Chounin tried. Instead Siren glared at him and started singing again. "I can't take it no more! Please stop!!" he yelled, but even he didn't hear the words coming out of his mouth.

Zesshou and his two guards were also at the Market Square. The Market Square was something like a neutral village somewhere near the mountains and next to Hiyou Lake. No one would fight there. It just didn't happen. It was a sort of taboo for all tribes to start a fight there. That didn't mean all the tribe members liked each other. On the contrary, if you were from another tribe as the merchant he would most probably raise the price, especially the Sendo. The Market Square was close to where they had lost Hitori before.

"Hikari Guardian for sale! One of the five guardians for sale! Only 1500 pesocs. The best bargain you can get. Directly from Afrain. Hikari Crystal not included!" Chounin tried.

Siren looked up. "What? But I thought you didn't believe me when I said..."

"Well, I don't. But it's not about what I think, ey? It's about what the customer thinks." Chounin grinned. "Guardian of the Soul Hikari Crystal! Secretly Soulheart!"

"That's Serenity, idiot!" Siren snapped.

This got the attention of two Sendo warriors and within seconds the deal was made.

Amazed Chounin looked at his money. "Wow, that was fast."

"Chounin! You bloody son of a bitch!" Zesshou yelled and jumped him. "You STOLE Siren!"

It was already getting dark and because of everything that happened the Mikomi were exhausted. Almost everyone was sleeping. Hitori, Hana, Nagata, Wevlum, Wevli and Wevles... Yamome had cried herself to sleep. Kino was one of the only one's still awake.

"Kino... where are you?"

Kino looked up. Nobody.

"Kino... don't you want to see me?"

"Who is it?"

"Uraniaaa..."

"What do I have to do to see you?"

Inside the cellar of the throne room Lana was smirking. "This is what you have to do..."

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