The sun shone brightly on the Konan Countryside. The wandering monk known as Chichiri adjusted his kasa and peered up at the sky.

"Another hot day, no da," he said to himself. "Good thing there's a spring ahead, at least there was the last time I remembered, no da." He came around the bend and nodded when he saw the gray stone structure that housed a small well by the side of the road.

"This sure can get boring, no da. No one to talk to at all... Tasuki went back to his bandit group to lead it with Kouji and everyone else is dead... Except for Taka-san, but he went with Miaka to her own world... All that's left is Chichiri, wandering the countryside again, no da." While he was chatting with himself he reached the well. "All that talking makes me thirsty, na no da." He pulled up the rope and dipped his hand in the bucket of water, splashing a little on his face and drinking the rest. "Ahh, that tastes good, na no da!"

A small white figure leaped from the bushes and landed precariously on the lip of the well. Chichiri jumped back in fright, dropping the bucket.

"MREOW!" Few cats like getting wet and Tama-Neko was no exception.

"Tama-Neko, no da! You scared me!"

"Mrow." Tama-Neko shook off the wettest parts of his fur and starting grooming the rest. He looked up at Chichiri and gave him the victory sign. "Da!"

"Da to you too. How did you get here, no da?"

Tama-Neko gave up trying to dry his fur and circled the well's stone edge four times, then looked up at Chichiri expectantly.

"Uh..."

Tama-Neko meowed and repeated his actions, watching the monk the whole time.

"You walked around a lot, no da?"

Tama-Neko meowed and circled the well four more times.

He looked at the cat, scratched his chin, then wondered, "You're making me dizzy walking around like that, no da."

"Meow!" Tama-Neko sat on his haunches at the lip of the well, gave up, and shook off some more water from his fur.

"Well, it's good to see a familiar face, no da," remarked Chichiri.

"Mrow!"

"Do you want to come with me, no da?"

"Mreow!"

"Okay, no da."

Tama-Neko leapt off of the well and onto the monk's shoulder, rubbing his whiskers against his face. The cat purred happily.

"Well then, Neko-chan, let's go, no da!"

The man and the cat continued on their way.

A week later, Chichiri and Tama-Neko reached the capital of Konan, a bustling city full of people. They wandered around for a while, past the booths were merchants were selling trinkets and gems, past taverns and homes and other places, until Tama-Neko tapped a paw on Chichiri's kasa and pointed to an inn. "Mreow!" he complained.

"I'm hungry too. Let's go get something to eat, how about that, na no da?"

"Mrow!"

"Hmm..." Chichiri bent over to read the sign. "It says 'No Pets Allowed'. What do you think of that, no da?"

"Mreow?"

Chichiri snapped his fingers and the air clouded around the cat. Tama-Neko was not the happiest of felines and he shook off the illusion. "Mrew!"

"Well then, you can wait outside, no da."

Tama-Neko looked up at the monk, shook his head once and hopped off. A moment later he returned, decked out in Miaka's school uniform, complete with a wig.

"Hmm..." Chichiri rubbed his chin and squinted at the cat. "That's not the most convincing of disguises, no da." He shrugged, "But it's your choice, I guess, no da."

Before they were able to enter, a young guard ran up, panting from the exertion. "Sir! Chichiri-san!" He blinked at Tama-Neko. "Su-Suzaku no Miko-sama?"

"MROW!" The cat stalked off angrily.

"What is it, no da?"

"The Empress requires your audience, great wise monk!"

He reddened. "But why, na no da?"

"Just follow me!"

Chichiri did just that, and along the way Tama-Neko appeared again, hopping onto the comfortable shoulder perch as himself.

"Sorry, no da. That disguise did work after all."

"Meow." Tama-Neko cleaned his paw nonchalantly.

Before long they reached the entrance to the royal palace.

"Houki-sama, no da!"

"Chichiri-san!" Houki was waiting at the gates, worrying the hem of her sleeve.

"Da!" greeted Tama-Neko.

Houki ran up to the two and embraced them warmly...and tightly. "Chichiri-san, I need your help!" she wept into the monk's other shoulder.

"Daaaaa...." Chichiri managed to wheeze out, the rest of his breath squashed out of him.

Tama-Neko crossed over to Houki's shoulder and purred loudly, rubbing his nose along her cheek.

"Tama-Neko-Chan!" Houki let go of Chichiri and reached up to pet the cat.

"Mrrrrow," he purred happily.

"Auuuugh...good thing you don't have Nuriko-san's strength along with his looks, no da!"

She grabbed his hand with a strength that defied his comment and started to pull him along, "Chichiri - Boushin is sick!"

"Boushin-sama? But what about the healers, no da?"

Houki led them down the corridors, explaining, "All of Konan's best healers have come by and none of them knows how to cure him. But you can help, can't you?"

Chichiri blinked a few times. "I can try... but I'm a monk, not a healer. I'm not Mitsukake, no da."

"Please, you have to at least try!" Houki had tears in her wavering eyes.

"Where is the young Heika-sama, no da?"

"Meow?"

"This way." She led them into an open room, where on a cot lay a young boy who was only 5 years old. His brow was wet with sweat yet he shivered under the thick red blankets.

"C-c-c-old..." he said very softly.

"Mrow!" Tama-Neko leapt off of Houki's shoulder and padded over to the bed. He sat down next to the young boy and nudged him gently with his paw. There was no reaction, and the cat looked back expectantly at Chichiri.

The monk sighed, wishing deeply for the skill of the Suzaku Shichi Seishi healer, Mitsukake, who died during the battle between Konan and Kutou and the Seiryuu Sinchi Seishi. He pointing the tip of his staff at Boushin and closed his eyes, concentrating his ki. He glowed, then his staff, then suddenly the young emperor was enveloped in the soothing, red light.

Houki held her breath. "Did...did it...did it work?"

The glowing stopped. "Cold..." the child whispered.

Chichiri hung his head and set down his staff. "I...I don't know what to do to help him, no da. The sickness is a very evil thing, both hot and cold, and it is too much for me to heal, no da."

Houki's eyes widened with fright, and tears were swimming in them. "You can't do anything? But you're a Suzaku no Shichi Seishi! You have to be able to do something!"

In the meanwhile, Tama-Neko very quietly slipped out of the room. No one noticed.

The monk shook his head. "I'm very sorry, no da."

The empress burst into tears again and knelt down by her son. She gently placed a hand against his brow and kissed him softly on the cheek. "Our poor son... Our poor Boushin... Oh, Heika! My Emperor... What do I do?"

Chichiri quietly walked outside, leaving Houki to her grief. Clutching his staff tightly, he leaned against the railing. "Baka! I couldn't even do anything to help, no da! Now she's lost even that hope, no da! I wish Mitsukake were still here, na no da!"

"Da!" Tama-Neko appeared suddenly along the railing.

"Mits...Mitsukake-san, no da?"

(Tama-Neko had appeared dressed up as Mitsukake.)

"Tama-Neko-Chan! What are you doing?"

"Mrow! MEOW!" Tama-Neko started to pantomime. He sat on his haunches and waved his right paw in the air several times. He lay down and then rose up happily. Then he waved his paw once more and fell over. After that he scratched at the railing. When this series was over he grabbed onto Chichiri's kesa and started to pull on it.

"Okay, okay, lead on, no da! You must know something if you're dressed that way, no da."

"Mrow!" agreed the cat.

Tama-Neko led Chichiri to the middle of town, stopping by the well and sitting down by it.

"This is where Mitsukake helped to heal some of the townspeople, even after Suzaku's power was sealed, no da!"

"Mrow!" The cat started to scratch at the ground, turning up the dirt with his claws.

Chichiri joined the cat, still puzzled at what he would find but desperate for anything that would help Boushin and Houki. Together they lifted aside dirt and sod, until his hand hit something solid. Gently, the monk pulled out the smooth object. It was a small and unpretentious jar, but Chichiri instantly knew what it was.

"Mitsukake's jar of spirit water from Taiitsukun!, no da!"

"Meow!"

"I see, now, Neko-chan. Mitsukake used the last of this water healing the people of Konan, and the little girl named Shouka, no da." He opened the lid. "Wait...there's still a few drops left, na no da!" He grabbed his staff and he and the cat took off for the palace in a rush.

"I'm surprised you knew it was still there, no da!"

"Mrow!"

"You are a very smart cat, and you might have just saved the crown prince-sama's life, no da!"

"Meow!"

They pelted into the palace grounds, narrowly missing two guards, and turned down the corridor.

"Ch...Chichiri-san?"

"Houki-sama, Tama-Neko found this, no da!" He showed her the precious jar, then bent down by the young boy. Carefully he let the last few drops of spirit water drip into Boushin's mouth.

There was a long moment in which nothing happened and everyone held their breaths expectantly. Then, the young boy blinked slowly and looked up at everyone. "Okasan?"

"Boushin!" Houki stumbled over and hugged her son tightly. "Boushin - you're okay! We were so worried for you."

"Mommy, what's going on?" asked the young boy confusedly. "Who's that funny-looking man and the cat?"

Chichiri grinned, "I'm Chichiri, no da, the wandering monk and former Suzaku Shichi Seishi. This is Tama-Neko-Chan, although right now he looks at lot like the former Suzaku Shichi Seishi known as Mitsukake."

"They saved you, finding the special spirit water bestowed on them by the Creator, Taiitsukun."

Boushin looked at them again. "Arigatou..." He seemed at a loss for words.

"Da!" Tama-Neko padded up to Boushin and rubbed his cheeks against the boy's hands. The young boy laughed and petted him gently.

"Kawaii! Neko-san ga kawaii desu!"

Chichiri watched the two and smiled. "All's well that ends well, na no da."