Author's Notes:
My poor attempt to get back on the writing track… ^_^;
This is to satisfy your Tamahome+Miaka cravings… well, I do hope I get to satisfy them…. ^_^
THE MYTH AND THE MAGIC
By: g3ozLizh
The night was darker, like it never was before. Stars of infinite count twinkle their diamond sparks one by one, simultaneously and even together by chance. They were that many that a layman couldn't keep track anymore if it was the same star that twinkled or another one he thought to have twinkled thereafter.
One of these uniquely analogous stars was the one star the two lovers: a man of the earth and a mermaid of the sea, wished upon and indeed you guessed right: that wish did come true.
Miaka looked down at her pair of legs as the old man finished telling them the story that had mystically resounded throughout the village and its mountain where the two lovers had been when they professed the wish. Tamahome and I are both humans… and we still could not be together forever… Her face scrunched up the slightest bit, losing a fragment of hope that had sprouted when the storytelling first started. So just how powerful is this ---
"Faith is a great factor for it to grant your deepest desire."
Miaka stopped her train of thoughts just then, realizing, after hearing what the old man had said, that when all reason fail, faith awaits. She turned back her gaze to the old man and stole a glance at Tamahome who was sitting a few paces away from her on the shiny wooden floor of the small cottage.
As if knowing what she was about to do before she could actually do it, Tamahome caught his gaze and smiled his heart-stopping smile. Miaka wondered if she could survive the moment enough to hear the rest of what the old guy have to say before she faints.
Thankfully, Xiang-Min --- as what the old man is called --- spoke louder than usual to bring back the attention that had been easily taken from him. "But it must not be blind faith, one must really believe from his heart of hearts."
Both Tamahome and Miaka nodded in manifestation that they were still listening to him.
"And that is the hardest part, I tell you. Lots of couples come to our mountain and wish upon that same star but their wish weren't granted. They held false hopes and uncertain trusts in their hearts that Fate couldn't work its wonders.
"Fate?"
"What exactly that this star look like if ever it does doesn't look the same like the rest?"
Both asked at the same time.
Xiang-Min smiled at the questions often thrown at him. "How will I say this…," he paused. Even after how many times he had answered those same questions, it still took time to say the right words to the inquiring couple. It is because each couple have different beliefs and the explanation must pierce through that belief so that it will not be interpreted in any way other than what it actually is. And fate and faith are like fire and ice: both extremes and only tames the each other after they got over their elemental differences. When one talks of faith, fate does come to mind but it doesn't go hand in hand with the former. Sometimes, to have faith is to defy fate.
"Yes fate. As it is, you can not separate stars and fate for it is in the stars that our fate lies."
Tamahome was getting confused so he interceded. "Wait, wait. I didn't get you there. How will our faith work if fate still gets the final word? Isn't that somehow contradictory?"
"Yes, just as contradictory as one makes choices in his life yet still threaded by destiny."
Faces of Tamahome and Miaka turn chibi with eyes half-closed, mouth agape, a teenie sweatdrop and a "Huh?" in unison.
"Somehow, I think I grasp what this ojii-san said but still… I think I'm hovering halfway…" Miaka stage whispered to her companion.
Chibi Tamahome nodded his head vigorously.
"You'll know what I mean," Xiang-Min mysteriously added upon seeing the bewildered expressions.
"For sanity's sake, I hope so," Tamahome muttered under his breath, back to his gorgeous self.
"How do you think a man and a woman works?"
"Uh…"
Miaka could already see through Tamahome's dirty mind.
"They… you know…" He was turning red (or maybe green in this case) but upon seeing Miaka watching him with wide-eyed disbelief, he whisked that blush away then flashed her a killer smile along with wiggling (AN: uh… the up and down motion that we sometimes do with our eyebrows) of his eyebrows.
Miaka boxed him on the head. "Tamahome no baka!" She composed herself then, turning to the old guy with an embarrassed smile, she answered, "They complement each other?"
"Exactly! Without fate, there wouldn't be faith for what is faith if --- "
"Okay, okay," The Tamahome with an added bulge on the head motioned for him to stop, with his hands, after recovering from Miaka's mind-blowing punch. "I… um… I think we get it now. No need to get us more confused!"
Xiang-Min was still beaming at the exact guess of the lady. I mean, there could be a million ways on how a man and woman work but this girl pinned it right down on her first guess. She must definitely have spoken from experience! "I don't know what you guys do with your time together but you lady sure hit the spot."
Somehow, the old man doesn't look like a kind li'l ol' grandpa anymore. Tamahome had this lecherous picture of the man chasing after young girls.
The thought bubble popped when the old man slapped his knee and laughed heartily as though what he said was some big joke.
Miaka and Tamahome knowingly looked at each other. Better get away now.
"Now about the physical description of the star." In this, he turned his closed-eyed gaze to Miaka who had addressed to him the question.
Miaka jumped in surprise as that now creepy look turned to her.
He didn't say anything for a while for added effect then without warning, burst out, "It doesn't look like anything special!" Then he guffawed. Again. "The star just seem to be one specific star because for any couple, there is just one star! You don't make a wish to a million stars, do you? That wouldn't be romantic now, would it?" Laugh, snort, laugh, laugh.
Miaka and Tamahome looked at each other knowingly. Again. And looking a bit lost. They both have sheepish looks on their faces.
Tamahome and Miaka stood up, ready to give the old man a forced thank you smile when he suddenly turned serious. "Really. What I'm saying is not a joke."
Really? Go figure, Miaka thought sarcastically though her face remained smiling.
"As many stars are there in the sky, surely you'll find one just for the two of you."
"How about I let you find one now?" Tasuki suddenly exclaimed from his position at the back, leaning against the wall. He glared at the old man with fist closed.
"Tasuki!" Miaka clutched her now irregularly beating heart. They completely forgot that he was with them.
"That was about the lamest story, joke or whatever you call it I've ever heard! I'd bet you Miaka would end up with Hotohori that that is just all crap!"
Tamahome's eyebrow twitched.
Tasuki turned to his irked friend, calm as a doctor explaining to a patient what medicine to take in in the morning, noon and night. "Now, Tamahome, you did throw me into the water --- "
Without further ado, Tamahome charged towards him at full speed.
And there, Tasuki had a night swim under his beloved stars.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Tasuki grumbled and mumbled curses as he walked back to their campsite drenching wet. No. Make that freezing wet.
"If I catch hypothermia here and now… I'll --- "
"You'll promise yourself not to cross the line!" Tamahome supplied knowingly. "Besides, how was I to know that the water would be that cold!"
"Cold? Cold? Cold doesn't even begin to describe how that water felt!"
"Now, now guys. Let's not get into each others' throats." Miaka turned to address Tasuki. "Tamahome didn't mean it."
Tamahome smugly grinned.
"Heck, he didn't!" Then a mischievous thought entered his mind. "Hey, if Tamahome throws me into the water again, would you do me the favor by returning what I did to you the time when you nearly drowned because of Chichiri's bestfriend… you know, the --- " He then made supposed to be CPR actions but appeared more to be like kissing actions.
"WHAT?" Tamahome made a move to charge at him.
"Now do we take that as a go signal, Miaka?"
Author's Notes:
Well, fun and mayhem starts in the next chapter as Miaka and Tamahome heed what that old Chinese man said.