"OTOGI ZOSHI" "Traveler, you must not look back" "Wander on where the wind takes you" "The steps you take will guide you on your way" "Journey on into the unknown" "There's a voice you cannot forget" "Though it may bring you to tears" "You must live with all your might" "Just think of your homeland" "And all your grief will vanish" "And all your grief will vanish Throw old notions by the wayside" "Go, go, until you've slashed through the sunset" "Look up toward those distant memories" "Go, go, until you've smashed through the sunset" "Lord Raikou, I, Watanabe no Tsuna, shall protect you with my Iife!" "Tsuna, keep going until we've lost them!" "It is the Heian Period in Japan when famine, disease, and political instability ravaged the nation." "Meanwhile, the culture of the nobility was on the brink of blossoming." "During this time, it was the Onmyo-ji, masters of yin-yang theory who wielded political clout as they influenced court affairs through divination." "Meanwhile, the warrior class, skilled with the bow and the sword exerted its considerable influence as it rode across the country keeping provincial rulers in line and showing signs of rising to dominance." "ACT ONE RAlKOU" "March 972 (3rd year of Tenroku) Hitachi" "They just keep coming." "And they ambushed us before we even reached the Tsuchigumo cave!" "It was as if they knew what we were planning." "Tsuna!" "Oh!" "In all things, perfection is located at the point of harmonic balance between yin and yang." "Tsuna!" "You are safe." "Within Yin there is Yang;" "within Yang there is Yin." "AII things are backed by the shade, faced by the light..." "And are neither dream nor reality." "I am Watanabe no Tsuna, Minamoto no Raikou's most loyal retainer." "Take flight if you fear my sword, Onikirimaru!" "Otherwise, you shall be reduced to mere dust on the road and forever Iament your own impotence in the hereafter!" "Do you wish to die in vain, my lord?" "Sorry." "Remember, you are Lord Raikou now." "Heian-kyo (Kyoto) Buraku-in" "Mansairaku..." "It has been quite a while since he last appeared in court." "When did he return to the capital?" "It seems he arrived just last night." "Am I right, Minister of the Left?" "That is correct, sir." "I was certain that His Highness would wish to see him so I summoned him to tonight's banquet." "Minister of the Left, you've outdone yourself." "It's as if you are able to divine His Highness' thoughts!" "Mansairaku, I appreciate your coming straight to court." "I understand you've just returned from dedicating your Okina dance." "Tell me, did it go well?" "AII went as planned." "Good." "I assume you will be staying here in the capital for a while?" "No." "I will be taking my leave before dawn..." "What?" "And where will you be headed next?" "I shall follow the scent of plum blossoms, to the East since there are no real plum blossoms to be found in the capital." "Watch your tongue, Mansairaku!" "No, that's quite all right." "Come back when you've had a change of heart." "I'd be more than happy to appoint you to the post of Imperial Entertainer." "I am honored, sir." "Your Highness, are you all right?" "Your Highness!" "Your Highness, Your Highness!" "Your Highness, you must hold on!" "Somebody, go to the Onmyo Chamber and summon Abe no Seimei, now!" "Yes, sir!" "Abe no Seimei!" "Bring Seimei here!" "It looks like we've lost those Tsuchigumos." "Lord Raikou." "I think we should rest here for the night." "Rest?" "Have you forgotten that my brother is waiting, Tsuna?" "They say that one's eyes speak as much as one's mouth but not as eloquently as one's stomach!" "This is a good resting place." "Lord Raikou, have some dried rice." "Forgive me." "I would have moistened the rice, but my canteen is empty." "Never mind that." "We're not going to win the battle on an empty stomach, you know." "Brother..." "Don't worry." "I'm sure your brother has overcome his illness." "Right." "And once we regain possession of the Magatama then your brother, and the capital, will be saved." "That's right." "If we can just get that Magatama back..." "Indeed." "Still, I didn't expect the Tsuchigumo clan to be so intimidating." "I fear that the advance troops must have..." "You think the Imperial forces sent ahead of us ran afoul of the Tsuchigumos?" "Unfortunately, they were probably massacred." "Lord Raikou, if I may..." "I have a suggestion to make." "If the Tsuchigumo clan attacked us here that means there must be a village somewhere nearby." "If we approach the villagers perhaps we can replenish our supply of food and water." "My lord, Iet us seek their aid in fighting the Tsuchigumo clan." "You talk as if we had all the time in the world!" "Yet we have no time to lose!" "I am aware of that, my lord!" "But we must be at full strength to take on the Tsuchigumo clan." "Now is the time for us to be calm." "At any rate, we'd better get some rest." "But, Tsuna!" "The longer we take to bring the Magatama back to the capital..." "Hikaru..." "That must have been quite a nightmare." "It was a terrible dream." "Don't worry." "Hikaru will make a safe return." "Stop worrying." "Just think about getting well." "Father, may I ask you to raise the curtains?" "I would Iike to look at the moon." "Here, take this with you." "But elder Brother, this is your cherished flute!" "It's all right." "Just think of this flute as me, and take it with you." "My brother, I need your help." "What's that?" "You let them escape?" "Yes." "But I have my most alert men covering the mountains." "If those two make the slightest move, we'II be sure to find them." "Hmm." "I hope it will work out that way." "What's that?" "One of them used this against us." "I've never seen this type of arrow around here." "No." "I believe they must have come from the capital." "Hmm." "They're after the Magatama, eh?" "In all likelihood..." "You'd think they'd have learned." "We routed the troops they sent a year ago... to the Iast man!" "I'm going to give you ten men with good night vision." "Bring back the heads of those two... without fail!" "Seiryoden Heian-Kyo (Kyoto)" "Lord Seimei." "We have been waiting for you." "please, come with me." "The seizures show no sign of abating." "We are at our wits' end." "Matsumushi." "What have you done..." "Lord Seimei!" "Have no fear." "His Highness is merely sleeping." "I see, for a moment I thought..." "Well!" "You have saved the day, Lord Seimei." "If he has another seizure, you should give him this." "Seimei...the blind Onmyo-ji." "Matsumushi...his mute apprentice." "She sees for him, he hears for her, eh?" "If I recall correctly..." "Seimei served the present Emperor's grandfather before journeying to China." "Actually, it is said that he has served ten generations of emperors and that he is well over a hundred years old!" "What a bizarre man..." "Still, we should align ourselves with Seimei for convenience's sake." "True." "With the present Emperor soon to be out of the picture..." "Come to think of it..." "I thought I saw the Regent's men following Seimei's oxcart just now..." "So the Regent has his eye on Seimei, too?" "AII we have to do is strike first!" "Don't worry, Matsumushi." "I arranged to have them follow us." "If the Minister of the Left sees them, he will surely make a move." "Minister of the Left!" "What is it?" "Must you shout?" "The Emperor wishes to see you, sir." "The Emperor?" "His Highness has awoken, sir..." "Oh, is he awake now, you say?" "That is good news indeed!" "Heian-kyo (KYOTO) Rashomon" "I never dreamed the place was in such ruins..." "Is that you, Mansairaku?" "Mansairaku!" "We have an early start tomorrow morning." "Better get some rest while you can." "You heard him, Mansairaku!" "Why don't you come back to the inn with me?" "They say Rashomon's haunted by a man-eating demon..." "How dreadful!" "What could be more fitting for a capital such as this?" "Oh, my!" "Wait for me, Mansairaku dear!" "Just as he said, the capital's gone completely downhill." "But Boss, I heard that we'II be getting the Magatama back soon." "That will rid the capital of all this famine and disease!" "That's nothing but a fairytale." "Oh, come on!" "Do you want us to get cursed?" "Lord Raikou..." "Tsuna!" "Now, my lord!" "My lord!" "My lord!" "Hurry, he needs hot water and medicine!" "Are you all right?" "You've got to hang on." "Here is your medicine..." "I am Watanabe no Tsuna, Minamoto no Raikou's most loyal retainer." "Take flight if you fear my sword..." "Lord Raikou!" "I'm all right." "Bastards!" "You'II pay for this!" "Lord Raikou!" "Lord Raikou, are you in pain?" "I'm fi ne." "It's just a Iittle scratch." "Wounded for the likes of me..." "Forgive me, my lord." "No, I am the one who should apologize." "For putting you in danger, all on my account..." "Not at all." "It is my sworn duty to protect you, Lord Raikou." "By my sword, I would gladly give my Iife to fulfill that duty." "Thank you, Tsuna." "But without you, there'd be no hope for the Magatama, nor for my brother." "Isn't that true?" "I am honored, my lord..." "Lord Raikou." "You should cleanse your wound before we go down to the village." "A good idea." "Now that feels good, doesn't it?" "I wonder how long I must continue to fight this battle." "I need your help, brother Raikou!" "The young girl called Minamoto no Raikou had barely escaped the Tsuchigumo's attack with her life." "Little did she know that when she reached the village she would meet the man who would decide the outcome of the search for the Magatama." "To be continued..." "Outside the window, the rain is falling, shutting us in." "If you feel bad about today, then come pick me up." "That's what I want to say, but I can't..." "The dreams that I wished upon a star are all coming true, one by one." "Yet I just can't seem to catch up with you." "The dreams that I wished upon a star are all coming true, so..." "I want to get closer to you." "We entered the village and were invited into the home of the village elder who greeted us with great hospitality." "For the first time in a Iong time, we were treated to a warm meal and a roof over our heads." "They truly made us feel at home." "But disaster struck that very night." "Act Two:" "Sadamitsu." "Don't miss it!"