Shadow of the Moon, the Sea of Shadow - Chapter Nine

Youko is reunited with Rakushun in the Kingdom of En.

Summary
Youko walks off the boat and looks around, she is finally in En. She is called out to be a familiar voice and turns arount to see Rakushun. He tells her that he waited for her and looked everywhere for her when he got here. He tells her that he's glad she ran away because she could have gotten arrested. She rushes up and gives him a hug, calling him by his name. He thanks her for that. She tells him that she almost planned on killing him, and he says that he was a little disappointed because he was hoping that she would trust him someday. He tells her that she shouldn't apologize because it's entirely up to her if she trusts him.

Rakushun has been working here for a while and compliments Youko on how she's been doing. He tells her that there is something special about her and says he is going to bring her to the government office.



Yuka is looking around and wonders if all those people are refugees and notices in Kou the conditions were bad. She bumps into two men who realize that she is speaking in another language and begin to take her to the government office. She is taken inside by an old lady and is walked up the stairs as Youko is walking down the stairs. Yuka is asked to write down her name, address and zipcode. Yuka asks if the lady is a kaikyaku because she is speaking Japanese, and she tells her that she isn't. Enki sees Yuka.



Youko wonders why the system is different here than it is in Kou, and Rakushun tells her that King Kou believes that kaikyaku are evil. Rakushun tells Youko to follow him and she does.

Yuka is told by the clerk that what she filled out is wrong, because there are seven digits. The lady stops speaking in Japanese and wonders if she's really a kaikyaku. Enki soon walks up and tells the lady that the Japanese zip code is seven digits and that she is telling the truth. Enki apologizes to Yuka because their source has not been updated. Another clerk lady comes up to the other one and tells her that another Kaikyaku that came in wrote down seven digits too. Enki wonders about the last one that came in and asks Yuka if she came with a friend, she says no.

Yuka ends up following Enki around because she doesn't know anyone else to go to who speaks Japanese and thinks he is a kaikyaku. He tells her that there is a man named Houryu that lives in the town up ahead. He tells her that he's going there now. Yuka looks up at one point and notices the parrot.



King Kou is looking out the window with his parrot on his shoulder with Kourin still sick in bed.



Rakushun wonders why Youko would stay in the place she chose now that she has money. Youko doesn't seem to care. Youko wonders why there are so many Hanjyuu in En than in Kou, and Rakushun tells her that a Riboku has the same amount of Hanjyuu no matter the kingdom, it's just that in Kou they aren't allowed outside. Youko asks if Hanjyuu don't like wearing clothes, and he tells her that they're uncomfortable. Yourko is preparing for a bath and asks Rakushun to join her, he is flustered.

Rakushun asks Youko about the man who brought her here while she is bathing alone. Youko tells him that he had a lot of Yo-uo with him and that they were calling him Taiho. Rakushun says that that's what you call a Saiho. Youko thinks he comes from royalty and wonders why he's come looking for her. She leaves the bath and dries her hair, coming to the conclusion that she won't dye her hair anymore.



Yuka is speaking to Enki and finds out that the ruler of En has been ruling for 500 years. He tells her that once you become a ruler, you are granted eternal life from the Heavens. He tells her about Sennin, who can also be granted eternal life. He says that when a king dies, there is always chaos so the longer a king lives, the better the kingdom does and people don't have to starve.



Rakushun tells her that this is the town of Houryou and Youko wonders why they were brought here. He says he will tell her later. Youko sees a Shoujyu and decides that she will stay there for the night. When she reaches the door, she is told by the man that she does not look like a kaikyaku and he has never met a person with red hair like that in Japan. Rakushun comes to the conclusion that he is a kaikyaku, and the man says that he is, and named himself Heki Rakujin. She tells him that her hair color, face, and voice changed since she came here and he tells her that she's probably a taika. He shows her a tree and she says she saw one in the forest. He tells her that the tree she saw was a yaboku and this is a riboku. He tells her that when shoku happens and connects the worlds at ranka can sometimes be blown into the other world where a ranka will go into a mother's womb and a baby will be born. She asks why she was said to look almost exactly like her grandmother when she was in the other world and he tells her that taika are in a shell when they are in the other world and they return to the true shape Tentei gave them when they come here. Youko muses that she might have felt so out of place in the other world because she didn't really belong there.

Later, Heki tells her that he is not a taika when asked, and that just by being a Taika you can't understand this world's language. He says he knew basic Chinese and has been studying about the Kaikyaku for a long time and that they have a hard time learning the language. He says that he's been here since 1969, Youko muses that that's 30 years ago. He says that he's been studying the language since then and he can understand it a little. She tells him about when she came here and didn't notice there was a different language and that her wound healed. She even said that Youma have been attacking her here and in the other world and that she was called an evil kaikyaku. Heki tells her that it's because she is not a human. Youko thinks that she is a taika of Youma, which is why they were probably all after her. He tells her to visit the King of En and Youko is angry, believing that she is a monster. Rakushun pipes up and says that she was brought here by a man named Keiki who has the abilty to cross over between both worlds. He tells her that he's the kirin of Kei and he says that she arrived in Kou, between Kou and En and many people are escaping Kei. He explains to her about how there is only one kirin in each kingdom and that Kei must not have found a ruler in Kei and went to Wa, Japan, to look for a ruler who was a Taika. She tells him that he kneeled in front of her and pledged his loyalty. They both bow down before her and tell her that a kirin is a holy creature who only bows down to his king or queen. Rakushun tells her that she is the queen of Kei if he did that.

Everyone is asleep, Youko in a bed while the other two are on the floor, but she is awake and staring out in the night.

Youko looks at a couple tying a ribbon on a branch of the Riboku. Rakushun tells her that it's a wish that they tie to a branch and if it's granted, Tentei bears them a fruit in that place. He tells her that each couple has to weave their own ribbon. Youko wonders if she will be able to find her parents, because they must have been disappointed to lose their ranka.



Yuka soon enters the shojo from where Youko left. Heki tells her that he will teach her the language and he asks her how she knows such a knowlegeable and great person. She tells him that a kaikyaku named Rokuta gave it to her. He then asks her if she came to this world with Youko Nakajima because she might be able to help her out. Yuka runs out and call out "your majesty" once there, the parrot lands and she tells it that she has found out about the evil kaikyaku and that she is in Tourin-en. Yuka is not happy that Youko is now a queen and collapses to her knees crying, Heki watches her from his door.



Rakushun tells Youko that as long as she has the sword, he will know it's her, that's what the En Taiho tells them. She asks him to come with her and then a Youma attacks the village. Youko goes out to fight it and another one appears. Rakushun calls out that it is Kingen and Youko looks up, dodging as a few birds try to attack her. She lands on the ground and is almost attacked by a charging Youma before a man jumps in front of her and slices it down. He tells her to stay focused and starts to slay the flying Youma. When the man asks if they met the person they were supposed to meet, they ask if he's the En Taiho. The man responds by revealing that he came to see what was keeping the En Taiho and introduces himself as Naotaka Komatsu, a taika and the King of En.