5   Hotohori's Courage

"So this is the village he lives in, Taka?" A friendly smile appeared on Reishun's face.

"When did ya hear our na... That's really something." Tasuki looked at the girl with an emotional expression thinking. She's Nuriko after all.

"Yeah? Thank you, Dosukoi."

"Grrrrr! It's Tasuki, Tasuki."

Taka looked around.

The sun had already set when the 4 of them had arrived in the village named "Suzaku".

Even here they could hear an ominous cawing from far away in the sky.

"It's too late to be looking for Hotohori-sama's reincarnation today no da..." Chichiri said.

Taka nodded. "But there's no inn here. If it was just us we could sleep out in the open but..." He said and looked at Nuriko's reincarnation, Reishun.

"Oniichan. I'm hungry." Reishun fussed, her hand held by Taka.

"Hey. Are ya starting to remember?..."
Translation by Tasuki no Miko
"Remember what...?" Reishun turned to Tasuki and tilted her head.

"Like being in love with Hotohori-sama?"

"Hotohori...?"

"Yeah. You were the best gay in the world!"

"What's a gay?"

"This is no good..." Tasuki hit his hand with a smack. "I know. We need something to stimulate your memories like with Mitsukake. Hey, in the end you bravely fought the Seiryuu Seishi Ashitare and were defeated! Like this." And then Tasuki bared his fangs and pretended to attack Reishun.

"Uwa~n. I'm scared..." Reishun tried to hide behind Taka and burst out into tears.

"Tasuki... What are you doing scaring her no da?..." Then Chichiri suddenly fell into thought. "Could... this village possibly return Nuriko's memories no da?..."

"I thought that too. I'm sure if she met the boy who is Hotohori's reincarnation..."

"Yeah."

The light of hope grew in their hearts at Chichiri's idea.

It was then that 2 men jumped out from hiding, snatched Reishun, and ran.
Translation by Tasuki no Miko
"Reishun!?"

"Hold on~."

Taka and Tasuki followed after them and soon caught the men.

Taka put a hand on the shoulder of the man holding the child, turned the man to face him, and easily reeled him with a strong right jab. Smack! Taka grabbed him by the scruff of his neck. "Why are you doing this?!"

The dirty farmer merely shook his head. "...I-I don't know. A voice... said... it's better if that girl's not around..."

"...Better if... she's not around..." Taka bit his lip.

"They were being controlled no da..." Chichiri narrowed his eyes.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... Please forgive me..." The man looked at his accomplice and desperately begged for forgiveness.

The man's companion, held by Tasuki, was already beaten up from head to toe.

"Son of a bitch, who d'ya think we are?! Ya trying to mess with us?"

"Tasuki. Weren't you starving to death no da...?"

Tasuki suddenly stopped. "Yeah... Why d'ya hit me when I was so hungry I couldn't even move?!" Tasuki said and weakly fell to the ground.
Translation by Tasuki no Miko
When the 2 farmers who had been controlled by the dark envoy staggered away, a bright burning flame shone on the group.

"Who's there!? What are you doing in front of my home?" A boy about 15 years old holding a torch stood before them.

"That was really good." Tasuki, the first to eat up the meal after a long time of no eating, thanked the family.

"You're welcome. I'm sorry we couldn't do more. Even though you Suzaku Seishi came all this way, this is all we can provide." The wife bowed her head.

On either side of the head of the Riku family sat his son, the boy from earlier, and his little sister.

"But what a surprise..." Having heard their story, the head of the farmer family shook his head. "To think that the reincarnation of Hotohori-sama is in this village..."

"No. We don't know that for sure. It's just that this village's name is Suzaku." Taka said.

Chichiri asked the man. "Why is this village named 'Suzaku' no desu da?"

"Yes..." The husband nodded and began to tell them. "Long ago this place was attacked by the Kutou army. All the villagers were killed and the village burned. We moved our family here... 2 days after the previous emperor died..."

The wife continued. "That's when... we saw it."

"Saw what?" The precocious Reishun asked full of interest.
Translation by Tasuki no Miko
"......Suzaku." The boy sitting beside his parents answered.

His little sister beside him nodded.

"Suzaku!?" Taka, Chichiri, and Tasuki simultaneously cried out.

"That can't be. Cause Suzaku appeared back then in the world where the Miko lives."

The family shook their heads at Tasuki's protest.

"No. No matter what anyone says it was the divine form of the Shinjuu Suzaku." The wife decisively replied. "So we called this place Suzaku."

The husband quietly continued the story. "It was as if... Suzaku came to show itself to the grave of someone named Tendou..."

"Tendou...?"

"Yes. I don't know who he was but when Suzaku flew in front of his grave, 3 characters were engraved on the tombstone that read 'Suzaku King'..."

"........." The 3 silently looked at each other.

The 3 thought... Suzaku came down to this village and there's a grave of a person called "Suzaku King"... His true identity is unknown but, the Suzaku King must have something to do with Hotohori.

"So... is there a boy in this village... who you think is the reincarnation of Hotohori-sama?" Taka asked the family.
Translation by Tasuki no Miko
"It's... probably..." The father said.

The daughter spoke up. "Eian."

Hearing that Taka, Chichiri, and Tasuki all together let out a long sigh.

"It has to be Eian... He's beautiful with nobility that can't be concealed..." The husband said.

Reishun jumped up. "His name is Eian!" And then she stared at the family's daughter. "You wouldn't happen to like Eian, would you?"

The farmer daughter's cheeks redden and she angrily replied. "No. Eian is only 9 years old. I have no interest in anyone younger than me."

"Ah. I see. That's alright then."

Sparks flew between the 8 year old and the 11 year old girls.

But the 3 Suzaku Seishi's shoulders drooped a little at hearing the age "9 years old".

Nuriko's reincarnation still hadn't recovered her memories. Compared to her, recovering a year older Hotohori's memories would be next to impossible.
Translation by Tasuki no Miko
"Shu Eian's home is the poorest in the village. I can't believe Hotohori-sama would be reincarnated in such a home..." The husband told the visitors. "At any rate we have to help the country out of its crisis. Tomorrow morning we'll take you there right away."

The next morning the group left the farmhouse and shook their heads upon seeing with their own eyes the terrible state of Suzaku Village.

"Wa--h. This place is full of sandboxes. Tasuki, let's play." Reishun said, her eyes sparkling.

Tasuki patted her head. "That's right. Your town hasn't shown any signs of destruction yet..."

"Reishun. This isn't the time to be playing no da. We're going to go see the boy you like now no da..." Chichiri said.

"OK..." Reishun nodded seriously.

"Please recover your memories..." Taka thought out loud.

"Well then, follow me." Standing in the lead, the farmer boy, Riku Kenshin, urged the 4 on.

Concealed behind the door, his little sister, Keirin, saw the group off.
 
 

They went through the withering fields, glancing at every crumbling house. After awhile the boy stopped in front of a poor looking house.

"Excuse me! It's Riku." He knocked on the falling apart door.
Translation by Tasuki no Miko
A skin and bones woman soon popped her head out. "Oh, Kenshin." She looked at the unfamiliar group lined up behind him with an uneasy expression. "Who are they...?"

"...Obasan. Please don't be frightened. ...These people are 4 of the Suzaku Seishi..."

"Wha~t?" The woman put a hand to her mouth. She looked confused when her eyes shifted from Taka, Chichiri, and Tasuki to Reishun.

The boy said. "Uh... is Eian here...?"

"Huh? Yes, Eian is probably back there..."

"Back there...?"

"The grave in back......" The boy turned to the Suzaku Seishi. "Behind this house is the grave of Shu Tendou... Come to think of it, by coincidence this family has the same name."

".........!"

"I'll explain it to Obasan so please go on ahead." Kenshin said and pointed toward the back.

The Shu Tendou grave in back of the house was in the middle of  3 graves.

A boy wearing rags was quietly kneeling in front of the tombstone engraved with "Suzaku King" under his name.
Translation by Tasuki no Miko
Reishun looked at his back and put a hand to her chest.

"Is he the boy?" Taka asked.

Reishun silently nodded.

"Go on..." He then gently pushed the in love 8 year old girl's back.

Reishun slowly walked toward the boy.

"...Please, Nuriko. Recover your memories together with Hotohori-sama, if ya can." Behind Reishun, Tasuki swung up his fist.

Reishun stopped just behind the boy. She turned back looking helpless.

"......Idiot, don't stop. Go, go. He's the person who even though you loved him so much in a previous life and with all that happened he never knew your feelings..." Tasuki spurred on Reishun with his hands.

"......Uh. You're Eian, right?..." Reishun hesitantly said.

The boy slowly turned around at that.

"Oh......" The 3 sighed as they watched over the situation from a far off place.

"Even his reincarnation is beautiful no da......"

Even though she had seen him before, Reishun blushed.
Translation by Tasuki no Miko
"How do you know my name...?" The 9 year old boy said.

"And he's noble too no da..." Chichiri muttered.

The 3 were already convinced that this boy was Hotohori.

"Who are you?" Eian asked Reishun. Seeing the 3 adults nearby he then tilted his head.

"I'm...... Reishun..." Reishun hesitated a lot, being the first time in her life that she had declared her love.

"Did we happen to have met before in the city...?"

"Uh-huh!" Reishun's face suddenly lit up.

Taka, Chichiri, and Tasuki nervously clasped each others hands.

"Um, you had a mirror back then, didn't you? I thought it was nice..."

Hearing that, Eian took out a small hand mirror from his breast. "It was the first time in my life that I had gone to the city so my mom bought it for me..." Eian said and looked into the hand mirror with an enraptured expression.

"......He's 500% Hotohori..." Tasuki nodded his head.

"Let me see..." Reishun reached for it.
Translation by Tasuki no Miko
Eian held the mirror to him with a swish. "I'm sorry. This is very important to me."

Reishun's strategy to try and get him to talk about the mirror was interrupted.

".........Eian..." Reishun hung her head.

Looking troubled, Eian looked at her.

"Uh...... I, I, uh, love........."

Tasuki silently struck a "GO~~~~" pose.

But the boy cut off Reishun. "You're awfully carefree when the country is being destroyed..." Eian looked at Reishun with a bit of contempt.

Reishun's face gradually contorted.

"It didn't work?...... Aah, she's gonna cry." Tasuki ran up to the 2.
Translation by Tasuki no Miko
Taka and Chichiri followed after him.
 
 

Eian looked up at the 3 men with a cool dignified glance. "Did you know the person from this grave?" Eian asked.

Taka shook his head slightly. "No... We're just passing through..."

The 3 silently looked at each other. What should they tell him beyond this?

Reishun clung to Tasuki and sobbed "Wa--h wa--h".

Looking at her, Eian elegantly tilted his head thinking. What's the matter with her?

"Excuse me but who are you?"

Taka, Chichiri, and Tasuki shut their eyes tightly having lost their last hope that Nuriko and Hotohori would regain their memories together.

"I'm sorry. I have to go look after my father..." Eian tried to leave.

Taka then cried out to him. "Please wait, Hotohori-sama."

".........Hotohori-sama!?" Eian turned around and muttered.

Taka continued. "Ergh, forget the honorifics! You are the reincarnation of Hotohori. I'm Tamahome, and they are Chichiri and Tasuki. And this girl is Nuriko. We've already found Chiriko and Mitsukake. We are the Suzaku Seishi!"
Translation by Tasuki no Miko
Eian beautifully knit his brow. "Suzaku Seishi...? You guys are? And I'm......?" The boy had an expression of disbelief, having already heard the Suzaku legend from his parents.

"Right! And we're gonna protect the country by summoning Suzaku again with the Miko's power!"

"Protect the country...?" Eian said. He looked at Taka's waist.

"Taka. He's looking at the divine sword no da..." Chichiri told him.

Taka hastily pulled out the sword. "This is... the sword that... you had long ago. With this you fought together with us in order to protect the country..."

Taka then let Eian take hold of the divine sword with his small hands.

"............"

In that instant, Eian's body appeared to be imbued with a soft light.

"Hotohori-sama!"

"Please remember no da!"

A large chi flickered up from Eian's body.
Translation by Tasuki no Miko
"Oh, way to go! Just a little more. Hotohori-sama, you can do it! Remember, your gorgeous palace! Your hot harem! You were Saihitei! You married Houki-san and had a kid named Boushin!"

"Hotohori-sama! In the end you confronted Nakago for the sake of the country even though you had lost your Suzaku Seishi power!"

"......Look no da. At his neck...!" Chichiri pointed at Eian's neck.

A red character now faintly appeared there.
 
 

Then the dull overcast sky was instantly full of dazzling brightness.

Everyone wondered what had happened as they looked up at the sky lost in the unbelievable sight.

"............Suzaku...!?"

The bird flew high above the village, its golden wings spread wide.

"Why is Suzaku..."

Suzaku slowly landed before Eian. Not knowing what to make of it, everyone's mouth gaped open.

"No! It's not Suzaku!!" Kenshin yelled out as he ran to them.
Translation by Tasuki no Miko
With its leg, the bird snatched the divine sword that Eian held up.

"Wh-what're you doing?!"

The instant it stole the sword, the bird turned from gold to jet black.

"............!"

And then its body split into dozens of ravens. Holding up the sword in the center of the flock of birds, they disappeared into the thick clouds.
 
 

Everyone stood dumbstruck.

"How did you know it wasn't Suzaku...?" Taka asked Kenshin beside him in a hollow voice.

He answered. "I saw Suzaku here long ago. He...... how do I say... was full of endless love..."

At those words, the area was enveloped in silence.

"That was a fake Suzaku... Mayo is controlling it with dark energy..." Before Taka finished talking, Tendou's grave and the graves on either side of it soundlessly turned to dust.

Eian clutched his chest painfully.

They could no longer see chi flickering from his body and there was no longer any sign of the red character on his neck.
Translation by Tasuki no Miko
And when it looked like the memories of his previous life would be miraculously recalled due to the divine sword, it was stolen by the fake Suzaku.

"Just a little longer and... Shit." Tasuki stamped his foot.

Eian slowly walked to his mother standing behind Kenshin.

"Mom... I'm going with these people." The place went silent again at Eian's words. "I am the Suzaku Seishi, Hotohori... So, I have to fight to protect the country."

Having heard everything from Kenshin, Eian's mother held her son's shoulders as her eye's glistened with tears. "......Go Eian... Your father and I will be thinking of you with pride..." And then the mother said. "Your previous memories have returned?"

Eian shook his head slightly and said. "But I will protect the country as the Suzaku Seishi, Hotohori. And help you, Dad, and the people of this village."

".....Eian..." The mother hugged her son tightly and sobbed...

Why was the previous dead emperor reincarnated as her son in such a poor village? She was surprised and puzzled.

The mother, not to mention the others there, didn't know that the owner of the grave that her son visited every day, a person named Shu Tendou, was the true older brother of Saihitei who had been taken out of the castle and raised as a farmer's child, or the full account of the sad story of the reunion with his older brother.
Translation by Tasuki no Miko
Then Reishun rushed to Eian's side. "I'll protect the country together with Eian! And defeat that black bird from before that did such a terrible thing!" Reishun sided with Eian. Perhaps she had finally begun to have a sense of purpose, having heard the legend the night before. "Suzaku Seishi are cool! I'm one of them too! Wa--i, Eian is Hotohori and I'm Nuriko."

Reishun was in a good mood knowing that she could now be together with Eian but there wasn't any sign that her memories would return.

"Hey hey, where are we going next?!" Reishun asked the active Suzaku Seishi.

Chichiri put his hand on his kasa. "To the capitol's palace of course no da...!"