Ukiyo ~ Floating World
Chapter 15: Destiny

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. Sigh.
Author's Note: I am so sorry it took me this long to get the final chapter out. I'm even sorrier that this doesn't make as much sense as I'd like it to. I couldn't sleep tonight and it is 1AM and it's time to finish this story. I hope you enjoy it...this is the first time I've ever finished a fic. The hope is it won't be my last. (P.S.: This is totally where the mature rating kicks in.)

These summer nights were rarely accompanied by a breeze, but on this fateful night, the blessing of wind gently made its way into the Shinsengumi compound. The door of that wind-facing room opened suddenly, threatening to fly off of its sliding path. "You let them escape," said a calm, cruel voice. "You know what the penalty for treason is."

Hida Iori sat away from the door, his smile small but true as the zephyr kissed his cheeks. There was no need to answer. The blue-clad warriors were renowned for their punishments. The young boy had decided that he wanted to spend his last few moments appreciating the gifts of nature instead of wasting his breath on the Shinsengumi captain. He bemoaned the waste of his life, following such inane rules. Freedom had always been there, and he'd been too blind to accept it. This was a fitting end.

A small blade was dropped before him. Seppuku. That's what they wanted from him. Would he be granted the rites of ceremony, with the white robes and his favorite meal? Only a few of the Shinsengumi retained these ideals. How stupid it was to follow them! Why follow rules when they decided which ones were just? He knew the punishment. He knew tradition — it was all he had ever known. But the courage shown by that foolish Yagami had been etched into Iori's heart. Surely, there must be another way.

Freedom had always been there, he thought, breathing steadily. I, too, can have freedom, if I sever myself from this world.

Iori accepted the tantou blade as if he were reciting a prayer. Seppuku was considered honorable, but who dictated this rule? He unsheathed the gleaming blade, smiling unconsciously as he heard it sing. The Shinsengumi captain's face was reflected there, stern and stoic. The perfect samurai, once upon a time. The perfect samurai until death. Rebellion stirred within Iori's young heart, but his expression remained emotionless as ever. He heard the captain retain his own sword — to think that the man considered himself important enough to be his second, his friend! — and in that instant, Iori relied on his own youth and speed, plunging the long knife into the captain's abdomen, making the slice as tradition stated.

From now on, I decide what honor means to me, Iori thought to himself gravely, standing tall and looking down at the man who would have killed him. Had he not acted, the husk of a life on the floor would have been him. It looked far from honorable.

The captain had been his first kill, the first victim of Iori's intense training since birth. His heart wrenched in a confused fury. Was he ever at peace? Was this the price of peace? His hands did not shake, but he felt his face wet with tears. There was no need for warriors in this day and age, and yet the Shinsengumi thought otherwise. And for what reason? To continue killing? It was senseless, utter madness.

If he lay his weapon down now to atone for his sins, the rest of the compound would smell the blood, and would tear him to pieces (in an honorees manner, according to the old ways, no doubt). The only thing to do was leave. Leave, and never come back. He did not know what he would find, or if he would be accepted in a world outside of the Shinsengumi, but a chance at freedom tasted sweeter in mouth than rotting here. He did not bother to take a last look at the man. Years of his young life had already been wasted at a useless occupation. He turned away and simply walked out, hoping to cleanse his soul at Bishamondou temple. Perhaps Kwannon would not forgive him, but he was comforted with the novel thought that he might be able to forgive himself.

Takeru, despite his slender form, was not as fast without Yamato nearby. His brother emanated a power that had the wind bend at his presence. Takeru smiled to himself. He doesn't even know what he can do, he chuckled, checking every so often to make sure that Lady Yagami was hanging on. My brother, who thoroughly disliked anything but music for his entire life, is faster than me. What fun!

Lady Yagami was terribly light, and while he was worried, he knew the best thing for her now was to get her to someplace warm and familiar. The lay of the land was easy to read, but he wanted to reach out to Hikari in any case. Since the disappearance of the Yagami family, he could feel the subtle waves of fear that Hikari stomached and never revealed to anyone. The girl was admirably resilient for someone who was left alone. Takeru remembered when he and his mother had first been spirited away.

He counted his blessings, for he knew that the spirits did not have to take a mother and child in. The spirits were never responsible for any human follies. And yet that rainy night, he and his mother were tired, hungry, and weak. Takeru had found a gourd just off the path, and was thinking to try and see if it was edible, but he instead brought it to his equally ailing mother. She smiled, remembering an old story that she could barely recite, and simply told him to offer it to the gods. They thought they had died when they awoke next to a healthy fire and cooked vegetables on Mount Kurama. The kind stranger never revealed themselves, but Takeru's mother knew it must have been a tengu, happy to have his magic gourd returned.

He extended his tether to Hikari, who only pretended to sleep since her family had been captured. He felt her giddy energy course through his veins, urging him to run faster, faster, and faster still so that he could reunite his soulmate with her mother. Silently, he thanked Sojobo for the strength he lent to him to make this journey possible. The price for the tengu's hospitality on the mountain was that Takeru and Natsuko could never leave without his permission. Takeru had never asked to leave until he felt that his older brother was embarking upon a dangerous mission. Sojobo heard the boy's prayers and decided it was time for Takeru to use the skills he had been learning since childhood. Takeru did not know it, but Sojobo did: this young boy, among a select few others, had the audacity and destiny to change the human world, with a little help from the spirits. Like a father seeing his son off on a grand journey, Sojobo remained mum, and ignored the pain he felt inside as the young boy leapt away with the grace of a tengu.

Takeru grew up knowing that tengu could be kind, if not sometimes mischievous, spirits. It was an oddity in a time where tengu were feared. His mother had told him that tengu had once been people, often Buddhists who were exempt from Hell, but too proud of themselves, among other things, to go to Heaven. That is why many tengu were often helpful to this day. Despite being the renowned king of tengu, Sojobo had a soft spot for Takeru and his mother, and was the one who bestowed the curious ema with the word "hope" etched upon it many years ago. Natsuko was a gentle soul who had seen too much pain in her life, and was more than happy to serve the tengu king. She renounced her ties to the outside world — Takeru was now considered a spirit to Sojobo — and was given those few short hours of joy to see her older son once more. Though she prayed for the safety of her boys, she knew that she belonged to the spirit world more than ever.

The boy was surprised to see both his brother and Taichi with ema of their own, and realized that they must have been chosen by spirits long ago for a specific task. He was not worried about this; spirits had a way of letting humans know when they were needed, simply paving the path without telling a soul about their intended outcome. He was more surprised to see Taichi inflicted with a fever, one that was associated with humans who didn't realize that spirits were in communication with them. As a child, Takeru had gotten fevers often, but once he understood that the tengu were simply trying to communicate him, the affliction went away. Soon, he would be able to pass along this knowledge to Taichi, but it was useless to do so while he was weak and confused. That aside, the samurai was in good hands.

Within the hour of the tiger, he was at the Takenouchi household once more, quietly entering so as not to disturb anyone's slumber. Hikari was already waiting for him. Though she looked healthy, her sad eyes betrayed the sleepless nights she had endured. He set Lady Yagami down gently. Hikari knelt down next to her mother, crying silent tears. She looked up at Takeru, mouthing a silent thank you. She wanted to hug him, hold him, make him wholly aware of how thankful she was, but right now her mother was weak and needed help. Their gaze lingered, hearts beating in quick succession, thundering within them like the largest of odaiko.

A harsh cough had them both back at attention. The light sleepers would be awoken, and Hikari decided it was fine to speak. "Will you be staying with us?" she asked Takeru. She did not ask for how long; she was afraid of the answer.

He nodded and smiled solemnly. She asked him to stay with his mother while she went to fetch water, food, and to inform the Takenouchis of the new arrival. He did not want to tell her that he would no longer be allowed back on Mount Kurama unless Sojobo summoned him. This human life was something he would have to grow accustom to once more, and he knew full well that not all humans were kind. But he knew he would at least be welcome in this place for a short time.

Jyou and Sora entered the room, gasping at Lady Yagami's condition. Takeru quickly introduced himself as a part of Ken's ninja squad (at least, he was as of the moment Ken had been charmed by Sojobo's spirit), a new member entrusted with the Yagami's safety, and Yamato's estranged younger brother. "Well, there is certainly room for more miracles, don't you think?" Sora said with a cheerful smile, despite her recent heartbreak. She found that she couldn't look at Takeru, either; the resemblance was too strong.

The priest quickly gathered herbs, helping Hikari with the food. "How on earth did you know he was coming?" he asked Hikari. "Everyone else was asleep! He's quieter than a mouse."

"Just a feeling," she replied with a mysterious smile.

No one else asked questions; it was very late at night, nearly morning, and it was comforting to have at least one more member of the Yagami family back. It felt like a small blessing, and there was no need to toss it aside. They did not want to bring bad luck upon the house by constantly asking about the rest of the family. The least they could do was fervently send their prayers to Kwannon.

Daisuke and Ken were hidden in the thick forests surrounding Bishamondou, dutifully scanning the area for Miss Tachikawa. They were surprised to find that Yamato, Taichi, and Lord Yagami were not too far. They agreed that Daisuke would check on the Yagamis and the musician while Ken would keep an eye out for Mimi's escape route. Silently, they both knew that Daisuke's face would be more appreciated than Ken's. Ken had been nonchalant and uncaring of other peoples' opinions for so long that he had grown used to saying precisely what was on his mind. He liked to think that it was a good trait, but that was not necessarily the case. He was happy to not have to keep his thoughts to himself. But he also realized quickly that it was not the best way to make and keep friends. Despite all that, he was happy that Daisuke accepted him for who he was. In the end, to him, as long as Daisuke was there, that's all that mattered.

As he watched Daisuke descend upon the musician and the samurai, Ken went in the other direction, hopping from tree branch to tree branch, keeping his eyes open for the maiko. Koushiro was still far behind, but not by much. Ken had to give the red-headed samurai credit. Apparently he could be fast when he wanted to. No matter, though — he would still do his job. Ken sped up, jumping faster, allowing himself maximum focus. Within a few minutes, the girl came into view with her telltale cherry blossom pink kimono. She was limping, and she had taken her attendant, Miyako, with her for support. Both of them looked ready to collapse. Surely, they had to have a guard with them. But the internal attack on their geisha house was sudden, and perhaps they wouldn't have had much time. They made a decision and stuck with it. They certainly are brave, I'll give them that, Ken thought grimly. But this is the wrong place to be.

Gracefully, he bound forward a few more trees, smug about the complete and utter lack of noise he made. At the very least, he was terribly good at his chosen occupation. Like a fox, he soundlessly made his way down the trees, knowing that he would startle the ladies whether he wanted to or not. He decided to keep his entrance brief. "I'm with the Hantsuki," he said calmly. "I'm here to assist you in your escape."

Not surprisingly, the ladies gasped. Miyako fell back, and Mimi stood stalwart, refusing to show fear. The girl may look like a flower, but she was surprisingly resilient. "Yes, I remember you. Ichijouji-san, correct?"

Ken bowed. "At your service. And I am happy to inform you that while I am alone now, Izumi-san is on his way to provide extra support. I am merely here to make sure that you two are safe so we can hide while your actual escort — that is, Izumi-san — is here for you."

Miyako flushed immediately after regarding the handsome ninja. She was never able to keep calm around him. She tried to utter something, but it was inaudible. To be sure, both girls knew of him based on his acting career. He was glad that Mimi simply accepted that he was a part of the Hantsuki; this meant that he didn't have to waste time explaining. In the back of his mind, he sincerely hoped that she wasn't always this trusting. That sort of nonsense was foolishness.

"Miyako, are you all right?" Mimi inquired after her attendant. "You look pale."

"O-Oh! I'm fine, Miss Tachikawa, just great, perfecto!" Miyako tittered, making her way back up. "Ken-san here is just making me frazzled, that's all." Her nervous giggles echoed through the woods in a way that made Ken terribly uneasy, more so than her direct nature.

The tiniest brush of leaves caught his attention. Ken immediately shushed them, cursing in his mind. There was no way they could be as stealthy as he was, and this would cause problems. He should have hid them first before letting them explain their situation. It was something most people did when they were stressed — they talked about their problems, pointing out the obvious, not realizing they were putting themselves in danger. He prayed to Kwannon, despite expecting the worst. They were much too close to the Shinsengumi compound. The moon was too bright. The forest had a fair amount of cover, but not enough. And there was always the dreadful thought that if the Shinsengumi were here, they had already visited Daisuke and company. That was not something Ken was ready to deal with, not now, not ever. Perhaps he was just being paranoid, perhaps that was it, just a tiny forest creature making its way out…

The flash of a sword pointed at Ken's neck made it crystal clear that it was much more than a small animal.

Taichi was beginning to regain his strength. The blonde boy was stroking his forehead tenderly, offering Taichi sips of water every now and then. The fever had broken, and he desperately hoped for a faster recovery so that he could continue protecting Yamato and his father. He was glad to have Yamato there, an unexpected source of strength. He loved seeing so many sides of the beautiful young man. He wanted to see more. Merciful Kwannon willing, please help me recover quickly. I want him to be by my side, and I want to get us all out of here. We have a future to look forward to.

He was murmuring in his fitful rest, and Yamato continued to worry. Jyou wouldn't give Taichi a medicine that didn't work, certainly, but it was difficult to maintain a sense of composure when the woods felt so open. Yamato was unaware of the true terror of the Shinsengumi. The most frightful thing that had happened to him that might have been anywhere near that degree was seeing Ken as a ninja. Every now and again he'd remember the head on a pike, a terrifying symbol of the weight of this world as the river rushed by it without a care. He put a hand to Taichi's cheek, glad that he was no longer burning up. While he would gladly give his life for Taichi without blinking an eye, Yamato was certain that his own skills as a new warrior would not have kept them safe for long. He knew that Taichi would be needed in a most unfortunate Shinsengumi situation.

Yamato held his breath. He had heard something. The slight crack of a dry twig. Someone else was there. He stopped for a moment, cradling Taichi's head in the palm of his hand. He wasn't sure what to do, but he knew that if a fight had to occur, he'd have to stand his ground. It was painful to know that he couldn't just hold Taichi's hand if it was the end. Certainly, though, it would be more painful knowing that he allowed his beloved samurai to die without a fight. Wordlessly, he crouched before Taichi, ready to defend him to the death.

His sword flashed before a startled ninja. "Oh, jeez, okay, okay, I get it, I'll stop being so sneaky," Daisuke whined quietly, whimpering before Yamato's weapon. "Put that away! You could hurt someone with that!"

Grumbling, Yamato resheathed the sword and immediately went back to tending to Taichi. Feeling the coldness of his shoulder, Daisuke deflated. "Hey, I'm here to help! Come on, you don't have to be like that. Seriously, I'll stop…even though that's the whole point of being a ninja, but of course no one cares about that little fact…"

"What are you even doing here?" Yamato asked, suddenly tired. It felt like this would be one more person to take back to safety. With Taichi's father already in terrible condition and Taichi himself still recovering, Yamato wasn't looking forward to having to pull Daisuke along, too. Did the boy even know where they were? He said he was here to help, and yet he looked pleasantly ignorant of the entire situation.

"I told you, I'm here to help. You can't carry both of them back like this, can you? Unless you suddenly gained the strength to carry two essentially grown men all the way back to the Takenouchi house."

"Fine, fine. Let's just get out of here already. I don't want to take any unnecessary risks." Yamato knew that they had stayed too long; it wasn't Taichi's fault that he was sick. It didn't mean that Yamato was frightened as every second passed. Each moment was a moment where they could be discovered.

"Let's go," Taichi said weakly. "Yama, I'll go with you. Daisuke, could you please take my father?"

"What?! I'm smaller than Yamato - I should take you!"

"You're also trained to do more tasks than Yamato was. Do as you're told," Taichi commanded, despite his quiet, thin voice. "The sooner we get out of here, the better."

Daisuke knew better than to continue arguing; he'd lost too many times against the older samurai. He bowed deeply to Lord Yagami, muttered an apology, and hoisted Taichi's father onto his back. "Oof. Well, are we ready to go yet?"

Yamato rolled his eyes, gently helping Taichi up and feeling a sudden burst of warmth in his cheeks as the samurai hopped onto his back. They'd been close before, but here, there was barely any space between them. He forced himself to breathe normally, hoping that he wasn't red in the face. If anything, perhaps he could just say that Taichi was heavy. The boy was rather muscular, after all. It would certainly make a viable excuse without him having to explain the sensations in his body. Somehow, it seemed too embarrassing. It was fine when he was on his own, or in dreams, wasn't it?

After making sure that everyone was ready to go, Yamato and Daisuke did another check to make sure that they were alone. The silence in the forest was eerie, but they convinced themselves that it was the comforting brand, not the dangerous kind. Yamato's ear was more geared toward music, and Daisuke was used to sneaking around. They nodded at each other in agreement and set off on their way.

The ema Yamato carried felt warm again. He hadn't questioned it before, but this time around, he noticed something bizarre. Before, he was sure time went by quickly because he was with his brother. Surely, things would seem faster with good company. But as he stepped out of the forest, he was fast. Unusually fast, to be more precise. Daisuke, nimble as he was, could not keep up with Yamato. The blonde had turned around to ask Daisuke how he was faring, and realized that the ninja was a tiny speck in the distance, struggling to catch up. Puzzled, Yamato stood still to wait for him, barely feeling an ounce of exhaustion.

A panting Daisuke, struggling with Lord Yagami on his back, glared at Yamato. "How…no…why did you have…to go…so fast…?" he muttered, trying to catch his breath. "Or…maybe…it should…be…how…"

"I'm not sure, to be honest," Yamato remarked apologetically. "I did not realize I was running so quickly. I…well, I was not even aware that I was running. Surely that's something that isn't normal, is it?"

Daisuke offered a flat look. "No, Yamato. No, it's not normal. And I don't really care, just, y'know, Lord Yagami is heavy, okay? And it's annoying that I can't keep up! I'm just as fast as Ken, and I…er…don't tell him this, but I don't think he could even match your speed! Is there any way we could just continue together, at a normal pace?" he begged.

Yamato thought about it for a moment. Takeru was able to catch up with him; to be certain, his younger brother had been well ahead of him when they had come by to rescue Taichi. What made that difference? Was it because they were brothers, bound by blood? Was it because Yamato was determined to get to Taichi? He had an ema, Yamato realized. That's what was dangling from his belt. Could that have caused it? Taichi has one, too…if I let Daisuke borrow it, would he be able to share this odd ability as well?

"Taichi, are you all right?" Yamato murmured to the boy on his back.

Taichi stirred, smiling peacefully as he opened an eye. "G'morning. I didn't realize you were a horse, too. I feel shamed, making you do this for me. If you let me down, I'm sure I'll be able to manage — "

"No, no, my lord. That's not why I've disturbed you. I wanted to make an odd request, if that was all right."

"From you? An odd request? Not surprising at all," Taichi grinned.

"I was hoping that…well, I was hoping that you might allow Daisuke to borrow your ema," Yamato said, knowing that there was no real rhyme or reason to his hunch. "There's something I'd like to try."

With a shrug, Taichi fished around his robes for the ema. He didn't feel the need to question it; he assumed that if Yamato had a thought in mind, he must have had some sort of thinking around it, which meant that Taichi didn't have to do anything but wait and see with amusement. Yamato thanked the samurai and handed the small wooden trinket to Daisuke, who took it with confusion.

"Isn't it, like, illegal to take these from shrines?" he asked, unsure of where to put it on his person. Yamato sighed and showed him how to loop it around his belt. "So…what is this supposed to do? It says 'courage', sure, but is that supposed to be some kind of motivation to run faster? Real funny, Yamato…"

Yamato didn't bother to explain. It was just a hunch, after all. If it didn't work, he'd think of something else to explain it away, but he had a feeling that things would work out just fine. He wrapped the ema by the string around Daisuke's wrist and then beckoned him to run along with him. "This…is interesting," Daisuke said, looking around in disbelief. No one silently agreed with him as he questioned Yamato's sanity, so he went along with it.

To everyone's great surprise, they all got much, much faster. Yamato, relieved that his hunch had paid off, decided to remain quiet until he could think up a proper explanation. There really is none, though, he thought, feeling great pleasure from the wind whipping at his face. I had figured it worked because of Takeru. I wonder if he knew? This life is wrapped up in such mystery…

They made it to the Takenouchi home with plenty of nighttime to spare. Daisuke was not gasping for breath as he had been doing before, though he had a look of complete bewilderment on his face that Yamato couldn't help but find a little funny. Taichi, though, was also looking rather appalled. Thankfully, this did not seem to be accompanied by fear. Perhaps enough strange things had happened to Taichi that he wasn't about to question it. Yamato was grateful for the silence; it would have been quite a lot to explain, and the important thing was that both Yagami parents were finally safe.

There was something off about the person standing before Ken. The sword pointed at his white throat already had blood stained upon it. Mimi and Miyako stayed stock still. Mimi had always thought herself brave, but this was the first time she'd ever come in such close contact with a weapon. Death was truly around the corner. She'd be lying to herself if she said she wasn't afraid. Nonetheless, she made it a point to stand in front of Miyako. She didn't have to be there; she'd only wanted to keep Mimi company as she felt it imprudent to go off on her own. At the very least, Mimi could show her appreciation by defending the younger girl, perhaps give her a chance to escape.

Ken narrowed his eyes, careful not to make any unnecessary movements. He surveyed the attacker, noting that he was very short, and from the looks of it, just a boy whose eyes looked haunted. It was clear to Ken that this boy didn't want to attack them. Was a he a warrior? Certainly; Ken could tell from the way that the boy didn't shake as he held his sword aloft. The only thing that gave him away was that he hadn't killed their defenseless party. That, and despite his ability to wield a weapon properly, his eyes betrayed him more than anything else.

"Your first kill, I presume?" Ken asked coolly, glancing at the blood at the tip of the sword. "And yet you don't look too proud of it, samurai."

"Get out of my way," came the soft, scratchy voice. Definitely a young boy.

"Killing gets easier the more you do it, you see. This is why I'm stopping to speak with you. I don't think you actually want to kill us, as I'm sure you wouldn't have even let me open my mouth, for starters — we just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. If you're trying to leave, then please, be our guest. But I'd like to ask you to look at the three of us and tell me: do we look like the people you're trying to run from?"

The boy did not lower his weapon, but his expression softened, just slightly. He could not quite set his jaw as straight as he might have liked to. Truth be told, he just wanted to run. He wished that this group of people did not have to be in this particular place at this particular time. Running away from something was much easier when there were no witnesses. These people looked suspicious in their own right, but if they were going agains the Shinsengumi…well, that didn't matter to him any more. And they didn't look a thing like his old order. None of these people had a single trace of the Shinsengumi blue on them.

After attempting to regain his composure, Iori breathed through his nose steadily and answered. "I am simply trying to leave this place. I will not look back. I understand I am in no position to make deals, but your honor would be well-appreciated, as I do not want anyone from this compound to locate me in the future."

With the situation lessened in intensity, Miyako peeked out from behind Mimi. She was surprised to see that it was young Iori who was threatening them this whole time. When they were young children, she used to watch over Iori as a boy. She was saddened to learn that he was the one who threatened Ken. She also had a sudden urge to scold the younger boy, but she was in no position to do so, what with a sword pointed so closely to her friends. Instead, she glared at him, which was the most courageous thing she could have done in this situation.

Iori recognized her almost immediately and lowered his sword. Ken raised his eyebrows, noting the connection between the two. "Friends?" he asked nonchalantly, not caring too much that his life was just spared.

"Neighbors. I have never had any friends. But I know that you're not a part of them. Please excuse my rudeness. I would like to leave from here as quickly as possible, and you should all do the same."

"Iori, what's happened?" Miyako asked, voice quivering slightly. "Why are you running?"

The young boy sighed. He was taken back to the days when he was much younger and so was she. They were innocent days, filled with sunshine and the glistening waters of the Kamo River. Miyako was like an older sister, and also tended to be very nosy. He knew that if he didn't answer, they'd be there longer than he'd liked, and it would simply be rude if he were to just leave. He may have grown up with the Shinsengumi after being pulled from his childhood home, but he wasn't raised to be a mannerless barbarian. "Because…I decided to help someone. That single action of foolishness now means that the entirety of the Shinsengumi may be on my trail now, so it is actually quite dangerous for you all to be around me."

"Hm. You helped someone, you say? From the Shinsengumi? It wouldn't have happened to be an abnormally large-haired samurai, would it?"

Eyes widened in surprise, Iori kept his lips sealed, but Ken had all he needed. Assumption was such a fun and easy thing to play with. "Ah. So it was. You must have helped our dear friends, the Yagamis. That surely must have been quite the price to pay, don't you think? You really must be a kind boy."

"Pardon my rudeness, but…is there a point to all this?" Iori was not a stupid boy. He was not very fond of people who tried to talk their way out of situations.

With a chuckle, Ken shrugged and made a subtle gesture to the direction they were headed. "You're sharp. It's good to know that not everyone connected with the Yagamis are courage-headed fools. No, I must apologize. I should've realized you were a smart one. What I wanted to do was make you an offer to join us. You see, we're headed toward a safe, secret place. I'm the intel here. The Shinsengumi don't know it. As long as you lay low, you'll be fine. Of course, you can just be on your way — I'm sure you'll survive — but it is as they say. There's strength in numbers. And also safety."

"How do I know you're not going to kill me in my sleep?" It was unwise to trust people like Ken. Staying vigilant was the only way a person could stay alive.

Miyako made a noise of disgust. The girl really was too loud for her own good. She looked like she was about to stomp and make a fuss, so Iori decided it would be best to just go along with them. There weren't many that one could trust, but someone like Miyako was not the kind of person who would sell you out for any reason. Lying was not one of her strong suits, which was often harmful at best and insulting at worst, but her sincerity (and of course, the hope that Miyako wouldn't cause a scene) is what made Iori sheath his sword and accompany them all to the Takenouchi household. He was surprised he didn't know about it. Perhaps this Ken character was worth listening to after all. He also decided that it was in his best intentions to not mention this to Ken, who already looked smug, as if everything were going according to an unknown plan.

The party gratefully made their way into the house after Sora tearfully opened the door for them. No words were exchanged. The boys were extremely weary. Jyou woke up with a start (he hadn't been sleeping very well; every little sound made him jump, especially at night) and made his way to the hall, where he immediately began to attend to Lord Yagami. The man barely stirred, but acknowledged the help with a dazed nod. With the help of Takeru and Daisuke, Taichi's father was brought into one of the rooms meant for medical attention. Sora went after them, still feeling the sting of shame from her earlier confession to Yamato. The musician didn't know how to react; he'd never gotten a cold shoulder before, but he wasn't sure what he was supposed to do if he didn't feel anything for her. That would have been more cruel than the alternative.

Taichi and Yamato were alone in the entrance hall. The samurai was on his feet again, but he couldn't hide the slight shakiness that had accompanied him for the whole trip. With a small smile, Yamato placed his hand upon Taichi's shoulder and guided him toward the shared room. Taichi shook his head, feeling dizzy from the too-quick motion, and started to lead Yamato to a different room. "Family friends means that I've been here a lot," Taichi explained, sliding open a door to a smaller, but decidedly more private, room toward the east wing. "The Takenouchis don't usually allow guests past the main rooms, you see. Plus, with all that's happened, I'm getting the feeling that you didn't quite get the chance to explore…"

He trailed off, trying not to sputter. Yes, he was tired. Exhausted beyond words. He'd narrowly escaped the shinsengumi, and was rescued by the beautiful musician. And somehow, here he was, safe, sound, alive. All he wanted to do now was be with the one person he couldn't stop thinking about. Yamato stood near the shuttered window, slivers of moonlight spilling onto his pearly skin. Without warning, Taichi gathered his courage and pressed his lips to Yamato's. Too much had happened. He couldn't bear the thought of losing the other boy. His mind replayed images of the days when he was confined to the compound, unable to make an escape, his body and heart longing for the warmth of Yamato beside him.

The kiss administered a shock to both boys, but neither of them made a motion to cease the moment. Taichi couldn't stop; Yamato's lips were so soft, so inviting. At first, the blonde had tensed, more surprised than anything else, but it was only for a fraction of a second. Nature encouraged him to reciprocate, and he obliged hungrily. Taichi let out a low groan, trying to keep himself quiet, but it was difficult when someone was beautiful as Yamato was kissing him back desperately. His kiss was so fierce. They were both new to this, and yet they knew without a shadow of a doubt that there was no one else they wanted to share these moments with, not for all the tea in China.

Taichi slackened, allowing Yamato to take the lead. Their bodies grew hot and hotter still as the musician laid the samurai down, momentarily breaking the kiss, but brushing his lips up against Taichi's jawline slowly. Taichi felt his mind burn; he could feel the intense heat in his blood as Yamato traced his way to Taichi's ear lobe. He thought he'd explode when the boy began to nibble at it gently, and he felt his heart pound as he heard Yamato's quiet, delicious voice in his ear in a low whisper, "You were shaking so much, Taichi…I can't have you falling over…"

And yet he'd already fallen so hard, so fast, for this lovely creature. There was nothing he wanted more than to explore, to feel as close as he could. Coherent thoughts struggled to surface in his mind, but instinct took over. He didn't mind laying down; the only thing he didn't like about it was that Yamato was too far. Normally, he would have worried that lying down would make him sleepy, but he'd never felt more awake in his life. The bit of skin that peeked out from Yamato's thin robes was a temptation within itself. He motioned Yamato to come down to him, beckoning with a finger. The boy complied with a smile, and didn't stop there. To his amazement, the musician took that finger into his mouth. A hundred nerves on his finger exploded as soon as Yamato's tongue made contact with Taichi's skin.

"Yama…" he groaned, feeling himself stiffen. The musician reacted to this by taking more of Taichi's finger into his mouth, going with his intuition, following the samurai's reactions faithfully.

Yamato had no idea what he was doing. His body seemed to be quite knowledgeable in his mind's place. His fine ears could detect slight changes in Taichi's breathing. It registered the gasps, the moans, those little sounds that meant Yamato was probably doing something right, and those became the things he'd stored in the back of his mind to please the boy.

Taichi's hands started to work again, clumsily trying to untie the belt that held Yamato's robes together. Just brushing his fingertips against his lover's firm chest continued to drive him into wild fits of desire, which he held down as much as he could. It was so much. He felt blind with passion; his mouth suddenly searching for the musician, his hands greedily touching as much of Yamato as they could, his groin aching to be touched by the young man. Speech began to elude him. He found himself growling, his hands pawing at the growing bulge in Yamato's lower areas. The good thing about robes was that it meant it was quite easy to get past, and as such, Taichi maneuvered his rough hands into the folds of Yamato's clothing, rubbing against his small clothes. This earned him a sharp gasp from the musician. Such a beautiful sound, coming from that honeyed voice…

"Ta…Taichi, I…this…wh-what are you doing…to me? It feels…s-so…so good…" he moaned, his eyes fluttering open and shut, his body beginning to tremble.

The sight of Yamato knelt over Taichi, his arms struggling to keep his body raised over the samurai's as he was being fondled, was intoxicating. Moonlight played on the musician's skin, showing off different parts of the boy. He wondered if he was going wild, and for the time being, he found that he didn't care. Everything about this was right. Taichi was not shy about placing his hand beneath the small clothes. He palmed Yamato's member, stroking it with his rough hands. This was enough to push him forward, now on his hands and knees above Taichi, struggling to keep himself from collapsing onto him. The motion made Taichi's hand rub even harder against him, and Yamato let out another moan, trying hard to keep himself quiet.

"Don't fight it," Taichi whispered hoarsely. "Sing for me."

"B-But…the others…will…aah…"

Smiling, Taichi began to move his hand faster and harder. "You know, this room is special," he said, keeping his voice surprisingly even. "Every hideout has one of these, in case we need to have secret conversations. No one can hear anything."

"Lucky me," Yamato smirked. Taichi quickly remedied this by shifting his thumb over Yamato's tip, already wet with precum. He gasped again, his eyes now half-closed in bliss as Taichi mercilessly teased his cock. The sensations he felt were cosmic, and a hundred times better than the dream he'd had, mainly due to the fact that Taichi was here with him, sharing his warmth in as many ways as he could.

With his free hand, the samurai tried in vain to remove Yamato's clothes. He was embarrassed to realize that he'd only be able to remove the boy's sash if he were standing behind him, as if he were wearing it, but…Oh, that's not a bad idea, he thought mischievously, sitting up with renewed strength and pressing a kiss onto his lips. He fumbled around, crawling behind the boy, kissing his neck down to the nape and back up to the jawline. There was no hiding his own hard cock; he pressed himself against Yamato's buttocks, sliding his hands down to the front knot keeping those damned clothes on. Within moments the knot was undone and the robe revealed Yamato's slim body, and Taichi's hand was busily working underneath the small clothes, now vigorously grasping the boy.

He'd thought of doing this plenty of times before, though he was the main recipient of his own actions. It was even better this time, with his member rubbing against Yamato's backside as he touched his lover as he would masturbate himself. Now that he knew the room was adept at keeping sound in, Yamato didn't try to keep quiet. He groaned freely, moaning Taichi's name, rubbing his firm buttocks against Taichi's bulge. The samurai felt frantic, deep in ecstasy, wanting desperately to be closer, as close as he could possibly get to Yamato, but he couldn't figure out how…all he knew was that the curve of Yamato's backside was too sensual to ignore.

Yamato had never done anything like this in his life, but he knew a lot about it. The women of the places he'd visited when he played the koto were not shy about talking about their private lives when they believed they were in a private place. It was the way of the Floating World. Trade secrets came along with it. And thus, he knew what to do in this situation. His groin was throbbing, and he was quite sure that Taichi must have felt the same; that desire that the men and women of the pleasure quarters talked about in hushed, semi-poetic tones. Going only on what he had heard (and thankful that one of the many courtesans gave him a small container of some special salve — "Just in case," he'd said with a sickening wink), Yamato turned on his hands and knees, facing Taichi.

The vision of Yamato kneeling before him, his big blue eyes looking up at him expectantly, was wildly erotic. Taichi wondered if his nose would bleed; his face felt so warm, so uncontrollably hot. Without saying a word, Yamato suddenly placed his mouth around Taichi's cock, causing a groan so guttural that Taichi feared for a moment that he had become a demon, succumbed to pleasure. This had to be a dream. Surely, the most pleasant dream of all, but a dream nonetheless. Yamato's tongue swirled around and around. This time, Taichi was also grateful for the special qualities of the room. He wanted to ask how Yamato knew what to do, but the sensations wouldn't stop. The musician began suckling at him. Perhaps I'm dead, Taichi thought in a moment of sobriety, looking down at the beautiful figure of the blonde boy servicing his twitching member. Perhaps I am dead, and this is what heaven feels like. What it looks like. What it's meant to be.

He combed his fingers through Yamato's hair as the young man continued to wet his cock with his playful tongue. Taichi nearly lost control, fighting the urge to buck into Yamato's mouth, when the blonde experimented with sucking at the shaft and licking the tip in tiny circles as he did so. The familiar feeling of fireworks began to bubble up within Taichi, except this time, he also felt like he was going blind with excitement. He'd made himself cum before, but it never felt like this. He hadn't even released yet. He had no idea what to expect.

Suddenly, Yamato's mouth was off of Taichi's cock. Taichi was too dazed to protest — even more so when Yamato straddled him, pushing a fierce kiss onto his mouth. They embraced each other passionately, their tongues playing with each other, Taichi reaching down to rub Yamato as well, to make sure that if they were going to do this, they were both going to feel good. Despite their inexperience, the boys certainly knew how to experiment until something worked for the both of them.

With a hoarse whisper, Yamato said, "Do you want to try…something? I've never tried it before, but…word gets around, you see, in the Floating World, and…"

A past Taichi may have protested, but in this moment, he was willing to be Yamato's slave. He had to admit that he was thankful that someone out there knew what to do. He'd been hard before, but never like this. Never to the point where he wanted so badly to be close to the one he loved. Certainly, never so intensely that he wanted his lover to feel as good as he was making him feel. If Yamato hadn't felt it, he wanted to make sure of it. Being taken to the edge by Yamato's tongue was so good that he didn't mind that they'd stopped; it just meant that they could keep going.

The boys grinned at each other as Yamato crawled over to his belongings. There was something terribly luscious about trying something new, potentially dangerous, and extremely adventurous. He fumbled for the small container filled with the mysterious salve. They looked at each other, shrugged, and opened it. The salve had a pleasant scent. "Eh? Isn't this…this is…tororo-jiru?" Taichi asked, incredulous at the yam mixture that Yamato just happened to have in his pocket at all times. It was an extremely strange thing to have on one's person.

Yamato sniffed at it. "Hmm, it certainly smells like it. Well, anyway, so they put this here, and…"

At first, Taichi was quite confused, but Yamato never stopped touching his cock, so he didn't mind. The slippery yam mixture made Yamato's hands slide faster and harder, causing him to moan. It was certainly odd, but there was nothing to complain about. The Floating World may have been frowned upon, but they always looked like they were having a good time, and there was little to be said to argue against it.

When Yamato stopped, Taichi looked down at him pleadingly. "Shh. Don't worry. I…I think this is what we're supposed to do…" he said softly, turning around so that his back was facing Taichi.

Taichi bit his lip as Yamato spread his bottom cheeks apart, gently dabbing the tiny hole with the tororo-jiru generously. "Yama…this…are you sure? It looks like it's going to hurt," Taichi said, very worried.

"They said it would hurt. Some of the courtesans were male, you see. It hurts for a bit, but it will feel good for both of us. And, well…a tiny part of that compartment was another hidden one. It had an herb that is supposed to reduce pain. I've already chewed on it, so some parts of me feel numb, including this one…so please don't worry about me. It will subside in due time, and we'll be able to feel good together. I want you."

Swallowing hard, Taichi steeled his resolve and readied his stiff cock against Yamato's hole. He was afraid of hurting Yamato, but the desire within him was burning so savagely that he thought he would go mad. In his frenzied state, he'd decided that everything he did to Yamato would be something Yamato could do to him. It was only fair to share whatever pain he may inflict. And the way that the musician said I want you…it rang in his mind like a bell and wouldn't stop.

He pushed himself in, slowly, slowly. Yamato winced, but didn't cry out in pain. Taichi, on the other hand, was shocked at the new feeling of tightness. He was sure he was going to come if he wasn't careful. The tororo-jiru made both his cock and Yamato very slippery, allowing a relatively generous opening for him to slide in and out of. The effect was majestic. Yamato whimpered, and Taichi stopped immediately. "Yama! Are you all right?" he asked breathlessly, concern bright and scared in his eyes.

The lean young man looked back at him, his eyes half-closed in passion. His mouth was slightly open, and he licked his lips in such a way that Taichi wondered again if he'd end up with his nose bleeding. The boy must have been crafted by the gods. Perhaps he was fashioned out of the seductive stuff of demons. Either way, Taichi was mesmerized once again by Yamato's infallible allure. "D-Don't…stop…" Yamato begged, his lovely pink lips quivering.

The samurai needed no other prompting. The way that Yamato looked at him was too much, too soon. Taichi lost all sense of control, finding that the salve had made the entrance easy to manage. He pounded into Yamato, his cock tingling with an animal-like gratification, reveling in Yamato's moans. "Oh, Taichi…y-yes, yes, there, please, keep…keep going, don't stop…" Yamato breathed, his voice like honey, covering Taichi, his muscles rippling, his member slamming in and out, in and out…

"T-Tai…Taichi…! Please, please…" Indulgence filled Yamato's voice. He could feel his own cock twitching as his lover ravished him, and he knew he was going to come. He never dreamed that it could feel like this. He'd never approached this side of the Floating World, and he was glad for it; he only ever wanted to have these moments with Taichi. He wanted to come with Taichi. Taichi, his lover, a samurai of his very own, someone he loved dearly, with all his heart, body, and soul…

"Oh, Yama…if you say that, I'll — I won't able to…"

"Don't hold back!" pleaded Yama. "I'm close, I'm so close, oh, please, don't stop…please, make me come…"

"Yama…!"

It was with a shuddering explosion that both boys came, breathless and sweaty and completely enamored with one another. Taichi held onto Yamato as if he were clinging onto life itself as he emptied himself into his lover; he also made sure to stroke every little bit of out the musician, pretending to play a koto of his own devising as he nibbled at Yamato's ear.

The blond was shaking. His whole body was ensconced in sheer bliss, unsure if he was numb or full of feeling or no longer of this world. He saw stars as Taichi tenderly coaxed more out of him, his nipples hardened painfully. With a small sound of longing, he forced himself to move his body just enough so that he could turn and tuck himself into the safe crevice of Taichi's arms. The stronger boy cradled him gently, kissing his forehead, wiping tiny beads of glistening sweat from his brow. Slowly, the men descended onto a shared futon, laying on top of one another. Their legs twined around each other, arms keeping them secure in a fond embrace. One last sweet kiss later, they were fast asleep, dreaming the same dream of the red thread that connected them fully and truly.

The next morning was terse, but still at least a little cheerful. The Takenouchi household was bustling and full of people. Thankfully, they still had room for all the visitors that had come by in the night. There was a reason why the Takenouchis were one of the main headquarters for the Hantsuki, after all.

It was bound to be another hot day. The Tengu that watched the procession from the trees murmured in their own special way. To them, it was funny that Hyakki Yagyou had passed by without notice. No one was spirited away that night. These humans were special. They were different. Their mere presence acted as protection for the rest of the town from any mischief. Instead, these Tengu were charged with the curious occupation of shielding them from harm. It was not a bother, of course; they felt their destiny written through their veins and accepted it as if an onmyoji diviner had asked them to leave. It was with their own red thread that they looked upon their humans fondly.

The oldest Tengu had the spirit of a dwelling dragon. Over the years, his visage changed many a time, from dragons to ancient lizards. He, like his companions, often found that binding their souls to the nearest physical beings allowed them to understand the bonds they were to hold in the future. In this day and age, though, so-called fantastical creatures proved to be much more resilient.

To be a spirit was often taxing. This era, he was bound strongly to the Yagami family, and in particular, the spirit of Taichi. He had faint memories of a human spirit from centuries past and centuries in the future, but every attempt to grasp at those memories resulted in a blur. To try and explain this to a human would be futile. But this spirit, who was known as Agurei, simply knew. Once every hundred, thousand, or even million years, he would awaken and immediately follow the red thread to the human soul he is bound to. To Agurei and his companions, time did not exist. Just states of true slumber and otherwise, a state of existence unbeknownst to man. Such was their way.

"Last night's commotion seemed to go unnoticed by anyone. Humans are quite silly, aren't they?" the spirit Garuru mentioned with the Tengu equivalent of a chuckle. "At least we know that we can't possibly be the only ones who cause their humanly high temperatures."

"Silly, yes! Extremely so. But humans have so many different ways of bonding. We only have the one and we do not even know how it works! But I feel no jealousy. Instead, I feel their warmth. Do you feel it, too?"

Garuru nodded in agreement. This was the spirit of a wolf, born again with the cry of Ishida Yamato's birth.

"The end of an era draws near," Garuru said, words entwined with a soft wisdom. "The chosen children must feel it as well. It is a difficult thing to hide."

"Insightful as always," came a voice from behind them.

A young man in a priest's robes sat on a branch nearby, materializing as if he were a ghost. He had a face that was handsome yet unrecognizable; the kind that one could look at and be unable to explain moments later. The spirits gathered around him as if he were a flame.

"Hello, Master Gennai," chirped Agurei. "It has been many suns since you have revealed yourself!"

He chuckled. "This is not true. Both Ishida-san and Yagami-san have seen me. Just in a form that they were more comfortable with seeing."

Garuru's robed red shoulders slumped. "Why is it that young folk in this age require all priests to be elderly? Master Gennai, you barely look like you are older than they."

"Well, I will not complain about being seen as older and wiser," Gennai remarked with a laugh. "In the end, though, I will say that I am pleased that they have discovered their own way to strengthen their red thread. Of course, I wasn't worried about it. The Yagamis and Ishidas are bound so tightly that they are as indistinguishable as individual stars within a galaxy."

The Tengu spirits had no idea what Gennai was speaking of; the young man often spoke in riddles that transcended their own time and understanding. "Oh, never mind what I've said. There is much to be done. Let us gather as our destined stars gather in the Hantsuki home. Surely they will have plans. We'll have to be here to protect them if they do."

"I do wish they wouldn't get feverish every time we helped them."

"Hush, Agurei. They will learn in time. It is only a slight disability that they will be able to overcome; for now, take comfort in the fact that you lend them your aid. Taichi and Yamato can barely contain themselves around each other. Imagine how overwhelming it must be to have immense spiritual powers as your own assist them! A fever is the very least we can do, and for the most part, they have been safe."

Agurei decided against pointing out that Taichi had been captured by the Shinsengumi the last time he'd had a fever, but Gennai knew all and responded in kind. "Agurei! Tell me, had you not been there the night when Taichi was taken, what would have happened to him?"

"The…the spirits of the Shinsengumi would have devoured him alive."

"Correct. And you helped him by banishing the spirits he could not yet see. Let us not count that against him, nor Yamato when he fell ill — their bodies should not have been able to take the momentary possession. And yet they held fast. They knew a bond was there; they hear you when you are near. They just could not understand it. And they will not, not for some time. This is a fact that we will have to accept as their guardians, as they are fated to be our guardians in the past, present, and future."

"Such a strange group of humans," murmured Garuru. "Yet, I am glad for their presence. Each time I awake I can say I have never felt such warmth. I desire to protect it."

"As do I," agreed Agurei.

"As you both well should. Come, then. Let us summon the others. The day is unfolding and the Takenouchi house is jovial. Taichi and Yamato are bonded. This is a time for a quiet victory. Let us watch, and guide them through this era."

One by one, other Tengu appeared behind Agurei, Garuru, and Gennai. At first glance, they all had the same face. The same scarlet, leather-like skin, with their long, beak-like noses protruding further out than any human's could. But to look at them again was looking at a multitude of ancient souls. Their large eyes, unreal in their current form, gazed upon the Hantsuki. They were children with a destiny that no one could have dreamed. These spirits watched them, gave them gifts of courage and friendship. Purity, kindness, and love. Knowledge and faith. Hope and light. They were not gifts in the sense that the children did not have them prior. No, quite the opposite. These children were born with these traits, shining naturally through the darkness. The gifts of the spirits strengthened those tendencies. Their gifts bonded them to the spirit world for years and years to come, bound strongly with the red string of destiny.

FIN

Notes:

1. Seppuku (written) or harakiri (the vulgar term used in speech) is a ritualistic suicide, where the person disembowels themselves by slicing open the abdomen. The ritual became more detailed with the Edo period, where the samurai's second (often a friend) in command would then decapitate them, leaving only a slight band of flesh to keep it attached to the body.

2. The tantou is the shortest blade kept by the samurai, which was used to commit seppuku for an honorable death.

3. A shout-out to Yamato's theme song, "Run With the Wind".

4. A story called "Tengu no Hyoutan", or the "Tengu's Gourd", depicts a tale about a gambler who tricked a Tengu into giving him gold and mochi by saying those were the things that scared him most (obviously not true). The Tengu truthfully said he was afraid of something random, like a leaf off of some tree. Thinking the gambler was doing something uncool, the Tengu thought to scare him away by throwing gold and mochi at him. Obviously, the gambler didn't care and welcomed it - all the while scaring the Tengu away with that random leaf. The Tengu also dropped his magical gourd as he fled.

5. The hour of the tiger is 3AM - 5AM.

6. Tororo-jiru is a Chinese yam that was supposedly used as a personal lubricant back in the 1600s of Japan. Who knew?

7. Hyakki Yagyou, or Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, supposedly happens during summer nights in Japan. Nurarihyon leads the yokai through the streets, and legend has it that whoever comes across it will perish or be spirited away unless protected by onmyoji handwritten anti-yokai scrolls. Better safe than sorry!

8. Onmyoji are Heian-period diviners and magicians. They were believed to be able to drive demons from the world.

9. I'm just doing weird wordplay with the Tengu names. Agurei = agu + gurei for Agumon and Greymon, etc. etc.

10. As a side note, I'm using the original Japanese wording of the crests. The English dub wasn't as clear as they could be (or maybe they thought the Japanese literal translations were too corny). In this case, I'm replacing Mimi's Crest of Sincerity with Purity ("junshin" - I'd add the kanji but I don't think it would show up here - is basically innocence). I'm also replacing Jyou's Crest of Reliability with Faith ("seijitsu" is actually closer to sincerity and honesty, but can also be used with faithfulness).