The Adventure Begins
Part One
"And the story became true, as soon as the first page was turned…" Jamie read aloud from an old book Megyn's father had borrowed from the library to study. He was interested in old stuff like books and basically anything else.
"Interesting," she replied. Jamie almost turned the page when a "Lights out, girls," was heard from the hall.
"'Kay," Megyn called back. "Let's finish tomorrow." Jamie shut the book and they fell into a deep, yet restless, sleep.
A soft breeze from the open window blew the soft-covered book open and turned the first page.
"Hmm..." Megyn yawned as she woke up, her eyes still closed.
Just Jamie, her best friend, and she were there. Megyn was surprised that Jamie's parents let her come all the way from the United States to Japan to visit her for a year!
She and Jamie were very different. Jamie had long, wavy, dirty blonde hair while Megyn's hair was long, dark and straight, but a little wavy near the ends. Jamie didn't have bangs, but Megyn did. Megyn was shy, but Jamie was outgoing. Both girls had a short temper. Megyn was smarter and more patient, but Jamie was braver and more athletic. Megyn was sixteen and Jamie was seventeen, but only by three months.
Megyn's father worked in the computer business and, about three years ago, got a big promotion. Everyone, including Megyn, was excited, until they learned that they would have to move to Japan.
"Dad, it's not fair," Megyn cried. "I love it here and all my friends are here. Besides I don't even speak Japanese!"
"I know it's not fair, I know you love it here, I know all your friends are here, and I know that you don't speak Japanese, but you can learn," said her dad, more than slightly annoyed. Megyn had been bugging him all day.
"Hun, I can sympathize with you," said her mom in an attempt to comfort her. "We are all giving up things. It will be better in Japan."
Megyn opened her eyes to stare at the plain, white ceiling of her room, but...
The girl sat upright and looked around. Jamie was asleep a little ways away, but not for long.
Megyn grabbed her shoulders and shook her.
Jamie woke up rubbing her eyes. "God. I was asleep."
"Jamie, look around."
Jamie let out a surprised gasp as she took Megyn's advice. They weren't in her room anymore. In fact, it didn't look like they were in the Tokyo apartment building either.
After a few moments, Jamie broke the silence. "We can't just sit here all day. Megyn, go find us something to eat."
"Me?" she asked in a squeaky voice. "Why me?"
"Because I'm busy."
"BUSY?! With what?!"
"Sleeping," she said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Fine. Have a nice nap." I'm not going to get anywhere by arguing with her. If there is anyone more stubborn than me, it's Jamie.
Megyn walked down the hill they were on to a little village she had seen. She saw a boy outside one of the houses and ran to greet him. The boy wasn't much younger than she was. He was shorter than she was and he had dark teal hair.
"Can I help you?" asked the boy.
"Yeah. Where am I?"
He gave Megyn a funny look. "You are in Hakko Village," he said, still giving her the funny look.
"Where?"
"Juso prefecture."
"Um. Where is that?"
"Konan."
"Okay. Hmmm..." This isn't going to help me at all. I don't know where Konan is. I wonder if they have a telephone so I could call Mom. No, that's ridiculous. This looks like ancient China, or something. I'm so retarded.
"Chuuei, what is it?" asked a voice from inside the house.
"Some funny looking girl, Father," said the boy who must be Chuuei. She scowled. 'Funny looking girl?'
"Bring her in," said the voice.
"Come in," said Chuuei.
The house was very small. It had to be made of mud bricks or something. There was an old man sitting at the table and three children, younger than Chuei, hiding behind him.
"Good afternoon, young lady," said the old man.
"Good afternoon," Megyn said shyly. She smiled as the children tried again to stay hidden.
"May I ask your name?" asked the old man.
"Megyn," she responded.
"So, are you from the other world?" asked the old man, as he looked her over.
"The other world?" she asked. "I'm not from Konan, if that is what you mean. I don't even know where Konan is."
The old man paused for a minute, as if thinking, before saying; "I would be honored if you would stay with us tonight. My oldest son will be here tomorrow, and he can take you back to the capital with him."
"No, thank you, but I have to get back to my friend who is sleeping on the hill," she said although she wished she could stay with them to earn the trust of the three cute children.
"The hill? By the forest? Chuuei!" he said hurriedly.
"I can handle it, Father." He turned to Megyn and put a knife in her hand.
"Hey! What's this for?" she squeaked.
"Just c'mon," said a slightly annoyed Chuuei.
"Wait for me!" the girl called to him as he ran at top speed the way she had come.
The hill was not very far away. On the way towards the hill, Chuuei told her that the hill was a very dangerous place to be. He told her about a vicious animal that lived in the forest that was very protective of his territory. Anyone who went in his territory rarely came out again. No one lived within a quarter-mile of the hill.
As they neared the top of the hill, they began to hear screams. Please be all right, Jamie, Megyn prayed as they ran.
Just before they reached the top of the hill, Chuuei charged ahead of her. She reached the top just in time to see Chuuei being thrown against a tree by a four-legged creature holding Jamie down by her shoulders. Now I have to save everyone. Shit!
Megyn's grip on the knife tightened. She began to charge; the knife held in front of her.
As she neared the beast, she raised the knife high above her head. She brought the knife down onto the creature and felt the knife cut deep into the thing, blood spraying her face. The monster let out a horrible cry of pain and swung its head around in an attempt to remove the knife. A great surge of pain ran through her as the monster hit the back of her head. Then...nothing.
"Meggie? Megyn wake up," Jamie ordered. Megyn opened her eyes.
"Ah, I'm so glad you're awake," said the old man. "You were unconscious for quite awhile, and we began to worry."
"Oh, I'm sorry," she said, still dazed.
"You really need to lose some weight. Chuuei and I had to carry you all the way back here, and damn are you heavy," said Jamie with a grin.
"Well, that's what you get for being a lazy son of a—," Megyn retorted.
She was cut off by a, "So, she woke up."
She spun her head towards the source of the voice. A boy, about their age, was standing in the doorway with Chuuei. He looked exactly like Chuuei in every way, except taller. He and Chuuei could have been twins if it wasn't for the four or five year age difference.
"My father said that you and Jamie needed to go to the capital," said the boy.
She nodded shyly. "Who are you?"
"I am Tamahome," he said puffing out his chest. "Me, Tarzan. You, Jane" was the first thing to pop into her head.
"You two do ride horses, don't you?" Tamahome asked.
"I own three horses myself," stated Jamie matter-of-factly.
"Well…I've never actually ridden a horse before, but I'm willing to learn. It can't be that hard," Megyn mumbled.
"Thank you so much for your hospitality," the girls called in unison.
"Our house is always open to you," the man called back as they rode off.
Jamie rode beside Tamahome and Megyn. Megyn had to sit behind Tamahome because her riding lesson had been disastrous.
"Hell no am I getting on that thing," Megyn screamed. "It's huge!"
"C'mon Megs," coaxed Jamie. "It's only a pony."
"Look, Megyn, it won't bite," said Tamahome petting its snout; then it bit his finger.
She turned her back to them with crossed arms.
The next thing she knew, she was being hoisted onto the beast.
"Oh, God," she said and grabbed the horse around the throat. She nearly choked the poor beast to death.
"See Megs, it's not so bad," said Jamie.
"Not so bad?" she squeaked. "It's terrifying! Get me off! I demand it!"
Jamie refused to let Megyn ride behind her after she had seen what she did to the pony. So, Megyn was stuck behind Tamahome.
The forest is so peaceful in the afternoon.
Megyn noticed that Jamie began to gallop ahead. Tamahome followed her example and began to gallop as well.
"Holy shit!" Megyn shrieked as she squeezed Tamahome's waist tighter. They slowed to a halt. She released her grip around Tamahome's abdomen. A deep gasp for air came from ahead and heavy panting followed.
"Oh…um…sorry, Tamahome," Megyn said sheepishly. "Sometime my own strength amazes me."
"No…kidding," gasped Tamahome.
Jamie came out from behind her stopped horse and burst out laughing. "Tamahome the look on your face…priceless," said Jamie between laughing fits. "And you, Megs! Hilarious!"
After that incident, Megyn walked beside Jamie's horse in front.
After a moment of uncomfortable silence, Jamie said, "How long until we get to the capital?"
Tamahome looked around before saying, "A little more than a day. Why are you going there anyway?"
Jamie and Megyn looked at each other and shrugged. "We don't know," said Jamie. "It's where your father said we should go."
"You don't know?!" Tamahome exclaimed. "How could you not know?!"
"We've only been here three days, and your father knows more about this place than we do," Jamie argued.
Not listening to their argument, Megyn asked, "Do you know where we can get new clothes?"
"Oh, yeah. We're still wearing our pajamas, aren't we?" said Jamie, blushing at the sudden realization of her 'My Little Pony' pajamas. Megyn wore a simple red football jersey and gray boxer shorts.
"We'll get clothes when we get to the capital. There is a town we'll coming up in a few minutes. We can stop for lunch," said Tamahome.
They arrived in the town a few minutes later, just like Tamahome had said. They rode, or in Megyn's case walked, to what seemed to be the only tavern in town. They tied up the horses.
"You know that you are going to have to pay for this, Tamahome," Megyn said.
Tamahome cringed. "Yeah, I know."
Tamahome opened the door and walked in; Jamie and Megyn followed. They sat down and the waitress quickly served them, as they were the only ones there.
"What can I get you?" asked the waitress sweetly.
"I'll have my usual," said Tamahome as he smiled at the waitress.
"I'll have what he's having, please," Megyn said wondering what exactly was Tamahome's usual, but willing to try anything.
"Me, too," chimed in Jamie.
"Your order will be right out," said the waitress as she turned toward the kitchen.
"You must come here a lot to have a usual order," Megyn said.
"Yeah," said Tamahome.
"What is your usual anyway?" asked Jamie.
"I don't care, as long as it's food," Megyn pronounced.
"Guess you're right," said Jamie. "I'm hungry whatever it is."
"Big surprise," Megyn said sarcastically.
"Hey! What was that supposed to mean?" asked Jamie.
"Nothing. It's just that you're a p-i-g, pig," she quoted from Animal House.
"What?! A PIG?!" asked Jamie, steaming.
"Oh, never mind," Megyn said.
Jamie began to calm down when the food came. They ate silently. Well, except for Jamie's munching.
When they finished, Tamahome paid the bill, and they left. They untied the horses, and started on their way.
When they finally stopped for the night, Megyn and Jamie were exhausted. For dinner, Tamahome caught them some fish. They ate (sans Megyn) and went to bed. Megyn fell asleep almost immediately.
