Strange, isn't it?  When you're a child you adore your parents, you 
practically worship them.  When you're a teenager, you start resenting 
them.  Then, when you're an adult, you find yourself going back to 
them again and again for help.  If you have children, they go 
through the same thing.  Such an odd cycle...

=====
Wings of Fate
by John Evans and Ardweden

Chapter 20: Thicker Than Water
by Sharyna Tran
=====

I will admit that I felt a bit of apprehension at the thought of seeing 
my family again-my direct family, that is.  I hadn't seen any of them 
for years, and although Great-Uncle Goranu had been fairly supportive 
of us, if not our motives, there was no guarantee that my father be 
quite as understanding.  Even if he were, he alone could not decide, and 
to hope that the Council would agree to help us...well, it was a long 
chance, but at this point it was pretty much the only chance we had.  
I sighed and looked about for any signs of Macha's return.  

The powerful...magician?  Crow?  Goddess? had left us about half an 
hour ago, and we hadn't seen so much as a feather of her since.  
Mind you, that would not have bothered either of us under 
ordinary circumstances, but Shuukou was in no condition to 
continue walking, and I had no intention of leaving her by herself 
again.  I glanced over at her.

Shuukou stood by the narrow road, her eyes distant.  I waved at her 
cautiously; no response.  She had spaced out again.  This was the 
fourth time this had happened since we had reached Shimokata Hanto.  
The power that we could all feel radiating from Mount Osorezen 
affected all of us, but for some reason Shuukou seemed particularly 
susceptible to it; the closer we got to the ryokan my family operated, 
her affinity to plants increased, and it was getting to the point where 
she would space out every time she touched any sort of plant.  If we had 
still been in Tokyo, that wouldn't have been much of a problem, but 
Shimokata Hanto was one of the wilder regions of northern Japan, and 
even with the onset of fall, there was growth almost everywhere.  

My arm twitched, and I dropped my reflections to concentrate once more 
on telling it that no, it was not supposed to sprout feathers.  At least, 
not right now.  It was just another sign of my lack of control, how I had 
to actually concentrate to remain in human form.  Macha was the only one 
of the three of us not to have any problems-at least, none that she showed.  
I shook my head ruefully and looked at Shuukou again.  She was looking at 
me-that was a good sign, it meant she'd regained control.  She had an 
odd expression on her face, though.  I cocked an eyebrow at her.  
"Something wrong?"

She pointed at the center of my forehead.  "Um...you have a feather."

At that moment, Kenchi arrived.

I almost didn't realize that it was him; he drove up in a nondescript 
beige station wagon, and if he hadn't stopped right beside us I 
wouldn't have given him a second glance.  As it happened, though, I 
could hardly miss it when he braked beside me and drawled out, "Do 
you two strangers happen to need a ride?"  I glared suspiciously 
at him.  Where was my car?

"Where's my car?" I asked sharply, ignoring his attempt at humor.

He in turn ignored my question, focusing instead on my forehead.  
"Nice feather, Judou."

Irritably, I willed the errant feather to return where it belonged, 
and asked him again, "Where's my car?"

He had the grace to look embarrassed.  "Um...I'll explain on the way.  
You two get in."  He avoided our eyes as he opened the door for us.  

"Well?" I demanded once he began driving.

"Aren't you even going to ask me how I've been?" he asked.

"Stop evading and answer the question," Shuukou snapped.

Kenchi sighed.  "It happened yesterday.  We'd parked the car in a 
garage near our hotel and gone shopping.  When we came back, well..."  
He made a mushrooming movement with his hands. 

Shuukou sighed resignedly.  "I should have known."

"Known what?" Kenchi and I asked, almost in unison.

"Known that there would be some sort of attack on you.  After about 
half a week without any incidents, I'd say it was about time."  
I blinked at her.  A joke?  Shuukou wasn't without her own sense 
of humor, but it was still kind of unexpected.  "Were any of you 
hurt?" she continued.  

Kenchi shook his head.  "But we did decide that it was a bit risky 
to stay and wait for you, so we went on ahead."

"How did you figure out where my family was?" I wanted to know.

He flashed a quick grin at us.  "These two men on the ferry were 
discussing the various inns near the Yamen springs, and happened 
to mention a very interesting one...that had a sign with a tengu in 
front.  I suppose your relatives aren't THAT enamored of 
remaining inconspicuous, then."

I narrowed my eyes at him.  "It's called 'hiding in plain sight,' 
Kenchi.  For one thing, no-one really believes that tengu exist.  
For another, some of our little quirks that might stand out in 
another setting can be explained as authentic atmosphere."

"Like clutter?" Kenchi asked wryly.

I rolled my eyes at him.  "Yes.  Like clutter."

He chuckled slightly.  "So, how was your trip up here?"

Shuukou and I glanced at each other, neither of us really 
wanting to tell about the decidedly...odd trip we had had.  
"Let's just begin by saying that it wasn't boring," Shuukou started.  
I gave her a grateful grin, then went back to brooding.  

As Shuukou finished her story, and Kenchi was about to begin his, 
we reached my family's ryokan.  I gulped as we got out of the car, 
coming up with a dozen different arguments and discarding every 
one of them.  We walked up to the door and were about to ring the 
bell, when it was opened for us.  

"So, grandson, you've finally decided to return," a familiar voice said.

I bowed.  "Sorry for the long absence, obaasan."  

My grandmother stepped into the light and began looking me over 
critically.  She-that is, her human form, didn't seem to have 
changed much since the last time I had seen her, which wasn't 
surprising.  Her hair was the same salt-and-pepper mix, her 
eyes the same piercing black.  The lines on her face, though, 
seemed to have multiplied, reflecting the many troubles and 
worries she had been through since the last time I had seen her.  
All of a sudden, I felt overwhelmingly guilty for imposing on my 
family like this.  If only I hadn't decided to involve them in 
this...but what's done is done; the past is the past, and what matters is now.  

"Hm," Grandmother snorted.  "All right, I suppose.  Your father's 
waiting for you."  She then turned and led the way to the gardens.

Kenchi turned to me as we followed.  "Your grandmother's not one 
for many words, is she?"  I shook my head.  

We entered the gardens, where we were greeted by the scent of 
fresh pine and orchids.  Shuukou took a deep breath and sighed.
I watched her nervously, hoping that she wasn't about to tune out
again, but she seemed all right.  I turned my attention to the group
waiting for us.  

My father was there, of course, as well as Akari, who looked worried,
and Soshi, who looked...Soshi-ish.  Macha was there also, and she 
had the most smug expression on her face that I have ever seen.

My father turned to look at me.  "Judou," he nodded.

"Father," I bowed.  He looked into my eyes for a moment, then turned
to Shuukou.

"And you are Shuukou," he intoned.

"Yes," she answered.

Macha's nostrils flared.  "As much as I would like to stay and listen
to this enthralling dialogue, I have other business to attend to."
She stared at me flatly.  "And we WILL meet again, little one.  
That is a certainty."  She turned to Soshi.  "We too, my warrior."

Soshi opened his mouth, I assume in protest, but Macha shifted
back into her crow form and flew off before he could speak.  

Father watched her for a moment, then turned back to us.  
"Now, would you children care to tell me how you got into this mess,
and how you expect us to help?  As if we weren't burdened enough
already?"

I surpressed a laugh, as Akari launched into what I had started
thinking of as "our story".  He sounded just like he had when scolding me
when I was young.  

After Akari finished, Father rubbed his beak thoughtfully.  
"Very interesting," he stated emotionlessly.  "Judou," he said.  

I almost jumped.  "Yes, Father?"

"Your grandmother and I will speak with the council about this.
Meanwhile, Itomo will show you to your rooms.  You DO remember
Itomo, don't you?"  

My eyes widened.  "Itomo?  But Father-"

Father gave me a small almost-smile,
and left for the council rooms, Grandmother following him.

"Hello, cousin," a voice unnervingly near my ear purred.

I sighed.  "Hello, Itomo."  

"Is that all you have to say to me, after you've been gone all
these years?" my cousin asked in mock disappointment.  

I rolled my eyes.  "How are you, Itomo?"

Akari giggled, drawing Itomo's attention to her.  "Cheerful, 
aren't you?  I don't believe my cousin's introduced us yet?"

I gritted my teeth and began the introductions.  Honestly, I didn't
know what irritated me about Itomo so much.  Ever since we were
children, he had always managed to somehow get on my nerves, 
without even acting particularly offensive.  It was just a talent
he had.  "...And this is Hayashi Shuukou," I told him, finishing up.

Itomo looked over the group, and if his gaze lingered just a bit
on Akari and Shuukou, I was the only one who seemed to notice.
"Interesting," he drawled.  "Well, I suppose I'm to show you to
your room," he said to Shuukou.

"And I?" I asked.

He shrugged at me.  "Your old room's still open."

I glanced at my friends, not feeling entirely comfortable with the idea
of splitting us up.  My old room was relatively far from the guest 
rooms they had almost certainly been placed in, and it wouldn't be
impossible for something to happen to them that I would have no 
knowledge of.  "I'd like to stay near them, if it's all the same to you,"
I told Itomo coolly.  

He raised an eyebrow.  "All right then."

Kenchi, Akari, and Soshi returned to their rooms, Akari looking 
like she wanted to help Soshi but knowing that he wouldn't 
appreciate it.

Soshi paused.  "Itomo-san..."

My cousin turned to him.  "Yes?"

"What do you know of the Entsu-ji Temple on Mount Osorezen?"

Itomo scratched his head.  "Well, you just missed the last festival, 
so there won't be many priestesses there...it'd probably be a waste 
of time for all of you to go, though, so you might as well just send 
one."  He winked at Akari.  "How about Cheerful here?  She seems
like the type to go and talk to priestesses."

Even Soshi glared at him.

=====
Author's Whining:

AARGH!  *thunk*

Thanks to Ravi and Lira for brainstorming and to Illyria for 
accepting this late (email errors >_<;;!).  Apologies to all 
for the shortness and lack of plot development,
which, annoyingly enough, has become almost one of my trademarks.  -_-;;