In the stables of a small house in Shazenchou, a young woman tended to a fussy horse. Each time she reached out to try and brush its mane it shook its head and ducked away. Undaunted, she started to hum soft and low and as she expected, soon, the horse was calm and let her brush its mane. Finished, she gave the horse a loving pat on the neck. "There, that wasn't so bad now, was it?" The horse neighed and tossed its head in response, making her laugh.
	Sighing, she put the brush away, and swept a stray strand of violet-black hair behind her ear. No sooner had she done that when cries of "Oneechan! Oneechan!" became audible.
	Stepping out of the small stable, she was rushed and nearly bowled over by a bundle of endless energy. A small child of about four grinned from beneath her dark brown hair, blue eyes sparkling. "Oneechan! Mama and Papa are home!"
	She knelt down and ruffled the child's hair, "Sumei-chan, shouldn't it be time for you to get cleaned up, then?" Before Sumei could protest, she offered her back to the young girl, who quickly hopped on in expectation of a piggy back ride. With Sumei clinging to her back, she hurried into the house and deposited her giggling passenger onto a chair. "Now, you go get cleaned up, and when you're done, you can eat your dinner." 
	Sumei obediently ran to go get herself cleaned up, bumping into her father on the way, he scooped her up and spun her around once. "Where are we going in such a hurry, hmm?" he asked with a wide grin.
	She squirmed until he let her down, proclaiming with a smile, "I'm gonna get cleaned up so I can eat Oneechan's cooking!" With that, she scurried along her way, prompting a smile from her parents.
	"We're home, Inami!" said Sumei's mother as she walked into the house.  She stopped to take in the smell of dinner. "You're too good for us, you know that! How do you manage to get everything done and still have time to deal with Sumei's energy?"
	Inami smiled, "I don't know, Houmei. It's a mystery, even to me." She turned her head to address Houmei's husband. "How was business today, Ryouen-san?"
	He smiled brightly, his blue eyes shining much like his daughter's, "It was great! If business keeps up like this, we'll be rich soon."
	"Don't exaggerate like that, dear," chided Houmei. She playfully scolded her husband, but it was obvious that she was as excited as he was. Inami smiled and felt hapy that things were looking up for the young couple. For all that the Kou family had done for her these past few years, she wished them all the happiness in the world.
	"Houmei, Ryouen-san, sorry to interrupt, but after dinner I have something to tell you guys." The couple exchanged a glance, feeling that the news wouldn't be good.
	Their fears were confirmed when after dinner, Inami excused herself, then went to her room, returning to them in changed attire. She had taken off the black dress, colorful apron, and headband common to Sailou's people, and was now wearing a tunic over trousers and a blouse.  Her hair was tied back into a bun, long ribbon wrapped strand of hair falling down around her shoulders, and strapped to her waist was a travel bag and the hilt of a knife could be seen tucked away beneath her sash. She had her belongings packed away in a bag.
	Upon seeing this, Sumei promptly began to cry and ran to her, embracing Inami's leg. Inami sadly smoothed down the child's hair and announced, "It's time for me to leave again." Her voice was tinted with sadness. "I don't know why, but I feel I need to return to my homeland. Thank you, with all of my heart, for all that you've done for me."
	Houmei stood and wrapped Inami in a farewell hug; there were a mere five years between them, and they were as close as sisters. "You'll be missed," she told her gently.
	Ryouen hugged her as well. "Come back to us again, you hear?" Inami smiled and nodded.
	She then kneeled down and embraced Sumei tightly. She was part child to her and part like the little sister she had lost, and thus so precious.  Wiping the child's tears away, she reached into her sash and pulled out the reed pipes that she had made herself so many years ago and gave it to Sumei. "Think about me when you play it. We'll see each other again, little one." 
	With that, she gently pried Sumei off of her leg and stood up to leave.  She gave the family once last glance, her grey-blue eyes overflowing with gratitude, and left off into the night. Her destination: Hokkan.




	Humming a little tune to herself to alleviate the boredom of nonstop travelling, Inami treked as cheerfully as possible through the foot hills of the mountains around Hokkan. She sometimes wondered why she should even bother to be cheerful -- after all, she didn't really want to come back to Hokkan, especially with winter just around the rise -- but she knew that there was nothing to be done about it and that she might as well make the best of it. 
	Tired and a little sweaty from travelling quickly over uneven ground, she paused to take a sip of water from her water-skin. She was about to pour some in her hand to splash her face with when she noted that there wasn't much left. Reconsidering, a green muted light started to shine on the front of her right shoulder from beneath her clothes and a gentle chill breeze blew across her face, refreshing her. Taking in a deep breath, she began to move again.
	In a few minutes, she noticed the onset of dawn and sighed. She had been travelling the past two nights so as to avoid the hot Sailou sun, and though she was nearer to Hokkan with its milder days, she still wanted to reach a town so that she could rest, get some decent food, and hopefully bathe. Squinting her eyes, she scanned the horizon in hopes that she could see something, anything that resembled a town. She was about to give up and find someplace to rest for the day when she thought she saw a plume of smoke in the distance.
	"Hopefully, that's a town, or at least some friendly travellers who wouldn't mind some company," she said to herself. "Of course, there's always the possibilty of them being slave traders, but I'll chance it for now."
	She secured her belongings tightly to her, stretched for a second, checked to see if anyone was around, and then seeing that the coast was clear, took off running, invoking her seishi gift of speed. Within a minute or two, she could make out what definitely appeared to be a town. Slowing down to a walk, she took in deep breaths, exhausted from running, and her sense of smell confirmed what her eyes had seen.  She sighed in contentment and anticipation as she smelled what seemed to her at that moment to be the most wonderful meal. Eager to eat, bathe, and sleep, she walked her way into town. Noting the band of wagons that seemed to be camped out on the edge of the small village and the liveliness of their inhabitants, her curiosity was tickled and she resolved to explore the camp later and maybe get to talk to one of the travellers. For now, though, she just wanted to get her way to an inn.
	Though her stomach was soon satisfied, to her dissappointment, she discovered that the town's inn had no bath, and that the public baths were not only all the way on the other side of town ("Near the shrine," the innkeeper had said, "you can't miss it.") but that they were only open from late afternoon.
	"I suppose that bath will have to wait," she thought as she undressed down to the blouse she wore under her tunic. Too tired to pick her clothes up from where she had kicked them off, she flopped into bed and was soon sound asleep.




	"Rei! You -can't- leave! You're the best draw this piddley circus has! Where am I going to find someone who can replace you on the high wire at such short notice?" The circus owner stared down at the shorter, unconcerned man in dismay. "The audiences -love- you." 
	The other man shrugged. "I can't stay. There's something I have to do. Besides, I did warn you about this when I agreed to join. I didn't have any money, and you were the most convenient way to travel through Hokkan. Strangers aren't well liked here."
	"The sister you told me about? You found something about her?" The owner's expression of dismay changed to one of puzzlement. "I thought you said she was kidnapped when you were both kids. I never expected you to actually get any information."
	The other man, Rei's expression darkened. "Look. I can't stay." Rei turned and walked away from the circus owner towards a well packed horse.
	"Rei. Trust me about this, you will regret leaving!" The circus owner's face was a bright red. This was the first time he had ever let someone walk away from himself. The only way someone left his circus was when they were dead. Or if they fetched a good price as a slave.
	Rei snorted at the other man's melodrama. As he mounted the horse, he muttered quietly to himself. "There are lots of things I regret. Somehow I doubt this will be one of them." But the circus owner was no matter. There was quite a bit to do. For the first time in nearly 15 years of searching, he had found a trace of his long disappeared sister. She had been sold to the circus. One of the owner's biggest draws to the crowd were the several beautiful, nubile young women he had "available." Apparently Rei's sister had been one of them for a time. However, according to the book keeper, Rei's sister had been sold just about five years ago to some rich man in Kutou. 
	Rei had a destination. Rei had a purpose. Not to mention the fast horse. Things were beginning to look up for the man.


	Tomo had been pushing the horse hard, and needed to stop and rest, both for his sake, and for the horse. He had been walking for a while now, anxious to try and pick up traces of his sister in Kutou. Unfortunately the book keeper could only tell Rei the town that his sister was sold in, but not to who. The trail could be dead cold when he arrived in the capital of Kutou, or his sister could be the first person he met. The thought sent butterflies into his stomach. 
	He took his eyes off the ground, and looked ahead. The sun was beginning to set, and Rei could see a small village in the distance.  Both Rei and the horse could use a night under a roof, rather than under the stars. Despite his anxiousness to reach Kutou's capital, Rei decided that this village would be a stopping point on his journey. 
	"I do need some new supplies," he muttered, glancing at his sparse food supplies. So, now decided, Rei strode towards the village.




	The caravan made slow progress as it rounded the final bend.  The trip through the mountains between Sailo and Hokkan wasn't easy, and supplies were running low.  Of course, they hadn't 'volunteered' to leave Sailo themselves.  It was just that the locals had 'suggested' it might be in their best interests.  Looking off into the distance, a town is spotted.  They should be able to arrive by sundown.


	In the distance, the sun was barely peeking over the mountain range as the disheveled and motley collection of wagons finally approached the city.  The few townspeople and guards awake at the time, looked on at the caravan with wary curiosity.  The wagons, their large iron girt wheels kicking up plumes of snow from the road, had an odd, distinctly foreign look.  Their coverings patched together of various cloths, were all a swirl of bright colors.
	Even stranger to the townsfolk however, were the people themselves.  Unusually darker skinned; the men almost all had curiously dark black hair, short thick and curly.  All of these strangers were of slight build; so thin one expected to be able to count each and every one of their ribs.  Between this, and the overall ragged appearance of their clothes, the group gave off an impression not too distant from that of refugees from some war torn province.  Noticing the town however, the travelers passed amongst themselves a few small knowing smiles, and soon ever so slightly festive music began to spring from the wagons, as the drivers began to arrange them, apparently for some sort of break of sorts, near the city.  Despite their worries over these strangers, the music couldn't help but bring slight smiles to the faces of those few awake late enough to catch their arrival.
	The Romani had arrived.

	A man's eyes opened.  He'd been awakened by jostling, or more precisely the current lack of jostling from the wagon in which he slumbered.  Yawning, and stretching to comfort a back which had spent too many nights on the hard wooden floors of wagons, the man muttered to himself in his native tongue "Plain dirt ground is more comfortable..."
	Looking out the back of the wagon, and deftly hopping out of it, he looked towards the city they were near.  'Not that large.' the man thought to himself, 'Large enough though, at least so we can make it to someplace more advantageous.'
	Glancing over the snow covered ground a shiver passed through him, not entirely from the cold, 'Hokkan...  It's been a long time.'  His right hand strayed absent mindedly to the outside of his left shoulder, rubbing slightly as if at an old scar.
	Shaking off a slight sense of foreboding, he leaves the ring formed by the caravan, heading to the town, and more specifically its guards.
	For most Romani, this wouldn't be their first action.  But then again, this wasn't exactly most Romani; this wasn't exactly even a Romani. His name amongst them was Natasha Tzigane.  By birth, he was of Hokkan, but he abandoned both the ways of its people, and the name he'd received there.  That was why he could dare to enter the town so boldly.  Despite his unusual dress, his lighter complexion alone easily marked him as one of the townspeople's kind, so he rarely had problems.  At least, compared to the others he rarely had problems.

	Seeing the first of these 'immigrants,' or whatever they were approaching the town, a pair of guards approached the young man.  They're slightly taken aback, doing a double take realizing that this mere boy in their sight, was of their own race.  Noticing them lower their readied weapons slightly, Natasha let out a small sigh of relief.  Keeping his accent as minimal as he could, he explains "I hope you and your town's most gracious rulers don't take too much offense.  My friends are travelers... from far off lands, beyond the four countries.  They mean no harm, and are but a band of meager performers.  Just needing a rest on their journey, we'll gladly entertain your people if desired, or simply pack and be on our way as quick as the wind.  Whichever is desired."
	The guards of course knew little too make of such an odd request, but the boy looked so young.  A thin scrawny thing, no muscle or anything else on him for that matter, and the rest looked the same.  And the music, just a touch of a random melody wafting from where the wagons were forming an encampment of sorts was awfully inviting.  Thinking no harm could come of this, the first guard nodded managing a slightly confused agreement, before the two returned to report the odd development and their normal routine.
	Natasha smiled to himself, relieved that the normal 'spiel' as he thought of it, had worked.  His fair skin allowing him to get the band off the hook so to speak with local authorities, and having a fairly good crowd drawing act himself, Natasha was exempt from the chores for setting up the encampment, but he chose to help today, wishing to keep his mind from other things.
	As he helped raise a tent, a flash of brilliant red hair in the periphery of his vision catches Tomite's attention.  He's already rolling his eyes as the source of the hair remarks from behind him, "You know, you don't have to help now, Nat.  Or are you trying to keep something off your mind, hmmm?"
	Shaking his head, Natasha retorts, "Well, at least some of us prefer to be more of a help than a hindrance."  Grinning he adds, "That really was a nice... camp fire last night."
	The gypsy lass glowers at the young man, embarrassed blush almost matching her fiery locks, "Well... well, at least _I_ can make some use of what the Elder teaches."
	Turning away from the tent, finally completely erected, Natasha chuckles, "Ah yes, charring one of the wagons is such a great use."
	"You know I was just trying warm everyone up.  I just over did it... a little," looking for a change of subject Loli returns to her initial query, "Anyway, you are trying to keep things off your mind.  This is... Hokkan, correct?"
	Having turned from the campsite, walking slowly apart from the caravan, Natasha responds slowly, voice quiet, "Yes...  yes, it is."
	Face turning serious, Loli pauses, "It still hurts...?"
	Nodding, Nat replies, "Yeah.  It always will, in one way or another.  It just makes me wonder..."  He pauses, not knowing what to say, or how to say it.
	"You shouldn't doubt yourself, Natasha," Loli smiles reassuringly as he turns his face towards her, "You _are_ more of a gypsy than most born to the privilege."
	Natasha shakes his head, letting loose a quiet, uncomfortable laugh, "Thanks Kat..."  Rubbing at his upper left arm he adds, "There are a few things that'd care to disagree with you on that matter though."
	Loli grins, "Don't go for the 'oh woe is me, my predestined life' with _me_ of all people Natasha."  Twirling a lock of hair around her finger with significance, she adds, "I've got my own worries."
	Mood lightening, the Genbu no Shichiseishi has a small grin on his face as he comments, "Well...  I must have been fated for this life.  No gaje knows music well enough to use this," tapping his symbol twice.
	Smiling with relief, Loli remarks, "Good, that's the Nat I'm used to seeing."  Looking back towards the caravan, she adds, "Looks like they could use the star too, we'd better be getting back."  A nod in response and the two make their way back to the encampment.

	"So there you are, young Tzigane," came the call of the elderly man to the pair.  Turning to the Elder Csihari, Natasha bows his head in respect, "I apologize for any tardiness, Elder.  I suppose that you are planning on some small performance tonight, to generate more interest, so we may reap a better benefit tomorrow?"
	"Yes, everything is prepared for reception of the town."
	Bowing his head again, Natasha thanks him, "I thank you, it is a pleasure for me to serve the troupe so."

	Taking their leave of the Elder, Loli elbows Natasha, "Always so proper with the Elders...  We're probably only two who rank such that we could get away without being so respectful, and you're so deferential.  Like you're some little kid still."
	Smirking, Natasha responds simply, "I'm sorry, I prefer to save my sarcasm and attitude for those who deserve it."  He adds a meaningful glance in Loli's direction, to which she just shakes her head.
	"I'll leave you to your singing and luring in the Gaje, I'll be needed for the old cards and crystal balls routine," Loli responds, heading off in her own direction.
	Raising his voice in song over the relative quiet in the camp, Natasha heard, slowly one or two at first, and then more, other voices join his in accompaniment, as he prepares for a night of festivity.


        Looking about, Genbu no Shichiseishi Tomite was pleased.  Something about the carnivalesque atmosphere as the band began to draw in the local crowd always made him feel this way.  In the middle of the encircled wagons, protected from Hokkans harsh weather by their makeshift tents, snow melted away, quite possibly with Loli's assistance, he sang, watching his fellow gypsies as they danced.  The first townspeople began to trickle in: the bravest, most curious souls.  Greeted warmly by the strange travelers they were encouraged to dance and make merry, partake in the festivities before them.
	Natasha smiled; he always loved this part of the life, a song drifting to a close from his lips.  The crowd cheering him on, the singer gets a glint in his eyes, spotting his friend who seems to have abandoned her fortune telling for the evening.  He acrobatically flips through the crowd, performing a handstand upon the shoulders of an unsuspecting man before flipping through the air to land before Loli Tschai.  Having some inkling of what was coming, Loli suppressed a grin.
	Taking a step back, and a large breath, Natasha fires off a quick song, without accompaniment.  The syllables tripping forth from his lips in a quick staccato style, he takes Loli in hand and begins to dance, the lyrics painting a picture that is most akin to a bawdy limerick, involving a special red haired lass.  With the end of the song, he pirouettes away from Loli, and towards a local woman.  Bowing with a flourish and taking her hand, he begins again, spinning yet another ribald tune, this time seemingly about his current partner.  Whirling and twirling his way through the crowd, Natasha finally senses the weariness of the locals as the first few begin to drift back to town, exhausted from the events at the gypsy camp.  Deciding to draw things to a close for the tired townspeople, Natasha breaks away from the crowd, and changes his tune to a more traditional folk song of his people, singing in his native gypsy tongue.


	The festivities finally dying down, the gypsy sits back to a wagon wheel, to bask in the afterglow of the night's events.  Loli leans against the wagon beside him, and grins, "You know, sometimes I think you should follow through with me, what you dream up in those songs you sing."
	Arching an eyebrow, Natasha asks, "So, I see you must not have been too successful with the local guys this time, correct?"
	As she plops down to the ground beside him, Loli gives Natasha's arm a playful slap; "You're horrible."
	"One second you're flirting with me, the next telling me how horrible I am," Natasha grins, "You're certainly one for consistency."
	Shaking her head, chuckling softly, Loli remarks, "Thanks for reminding me of the reasons I _don't_ want you to follow through with those songs."
	"Any time, it is always a pleasure for me, madam," Nat responds, with mock politeness and a head bow.
	Turning away from him, Loli asks, "Seriously...  Do you think you'll be leaving...?"
	Mood changing abruptly, Natasha straightens himself up, and asks confused; "Leaving... what do you mean?"
	"We're back in Hokkan.  You're marked by... Genbo?  Gembu...  Oh yes, that's it, Genbu.  Do you think your fate will come calling...  Will you be 'drawn to duties?'"
	A hint of frustration in his voice, Nat responds "How am _I_ supposed to know... you're the one who's good at the fortune telling, remember..."  Pausing, he sighs, "I don't mean to snap.  It's just; this is my home, my family, the troupe...  We wound up here, even though we never meant to...  events just seemingly pushing us this direction.  Part of me feels like I'll be dragged into this... back to the people I never wanted to see again.  I can't tell you what will happen but...  This is where I want to be, and where I really belong.  Constellations and animal gods be damned."
	Loli chuckles weakly, "That certainly sounds like you alright Natasha.  Must admit, I have tried prying to see what's going to become of you while we're here but...  It seems obscured.  One second the cards seem to imply you'll be with us, the next it seems like your father is popping up...  And the crystal ball, nothing but a fog.  Strong forces are at work, I guess."
	After a moment, Natasha reaches out and turns Loli's head to face himself, "Looking into my future, eh?  I...  thank you for caring... showing the interest.  Come what may, I'm not going to lose the troupe, or my real parents, or you for that matter.  I don't care what freakish animals breeding sort of god bars the way, once any of this mess is cleaned up, I'll find my way home."
	"You almost made me blush there for a moment Nat.  Anyway, I do have a special gift for you," Loli remarks reaching into her bodice.  An eyebrow raised and smirk on his face, Natasha comments "I thought we'd finished the 'playful, not exactly meant but not exactly not meant either, flirting' stage..."
	Pulling out a deck of cards, she retorts, "You're incorrigible...  This is what I meant.  A tarot deck."
	"That's more than just a normal deck..."
	She nods, "You've got the training and know how, and the talent for the magics...  it's just this Genbu's shade, his influence that keeps you from being able to sling the gypsy magics as well as you should be able to.  I prepared this deck.  You should find it easier to invoke it, despite your handicap.  It always helps to have an extra trick up the sleeve."
	Flipping the deck of cards over in his hand, Natasha nods, "The cards'll be one shot though.  Once I invoke the empress once, it'll drain that cards enchantment from the feel of the spell..."  Loli nods, "Correct."  Leaning over to give her a quick peck of a kiss on the cheek, Natasha thanks her, "Thank you...  these'll definitely be nice, if I need them."  Sitting back, he adds, "Then again, if things work out well, I'll never have to leave the troupe."
	Smiling, Loli agrees, "Yes.  It definitely would."  Standing up and stretching, she remarks, "I don't know about you, but we need to start an early day tomorrow.  Looks like the Elder is planning on a short stay here.  One night to lure them in, the next day grab what we need and be off."
	Natasha nods, standing, "Guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow then."
Loli watches Natasha slip between the wagons heading out away from the caravan, "Where are you going, Nat?"
	"Not too far...  I want to see the stars, sleep out in the open.  You know the deal."
	Loli nods, "Say hi to your constellation for me... Tomite."
	Nat chuckles, shaking his head, shouting back "You know I don't like that name..."

	Snow covered ground, a solitary tree, barren, without leaves or fruit stands off a slight distance from the caravan.  The gypsy slowly approaches it, gazing into the heavens above him, watching the stars he's so closely been tied to twinkle off in the clear sky.  Leaping gently into the tree, Natasha brushes a slight bit of snow from a branch, before settling into a crook in the tree, lying along a branch.  Listening carefully to the music of the world, he nods, looking up at the sky, "So you thought you could dump a little snow on me tonight, eh?"  Invoking his power, and singing a gentle melody, he has a slight smile on his face as he finishes.  "There...  now there's no snow in the offing for tonight."  Leaning back against the trunk of the tree, he watches the glimmering stars as he slowly fades into sleep for the night.