The book that should never be opened:

February, 1931-Tokyo, Japan

The home of Professor Takao Osugi

The rain was little more than a light drizzel, but it was enough to discorrage any outdore activities. No that that mattered much to Suzuno, she prefered reading anyway. Sometimes she would sit for hours reading about different places around the world. India, Englan, France, the United States, places she wished she could visit. She had also always wanted to visit Manchuria as well, but considering it's political relations with Japan, it didn't seem likely she would get the chance any time soon. She also read novels, particularly ones obout people falling in love. Will I ever fall in love, she thought.

She sighed as she finished reading a book about Egypt, another place she'd like to visit. Right now she just wanted to up and leave. Take off on an adventure somewhere, like her father used to do before he got the teaching job at Tokyo University. Suddenly, something hit her in the side of the head; a doll. She sighed once again, and looked at the four year old girl on the floor beside her. "Sayo-chan, please don't throw things at me while I'm trying to read," she said. The girl giggled, and appologised. Suzuno looked away to hide the smile on her face. Sayo was usualy good, and she enjoyed looking after her while the child's parents were away.

Now what to read next? She got up, and glanced over the various bookshelves that lined her father's study. Once again she sighed, she had read all of these books at least three times. Until he had become a professor, and had stopped writing, her father had constantly gone out to buy new books. When she had been little, he read them to her. When she learned how to read, she started reading his books on her own initiative. Now the only time they ever seemed to buy new books was for her birthday. Of course, there was one place in the study that held books she hadn't read yet, her fathers cabinet.

The books stored there were all priceless originals, and most of them were old and fragile, so she had never been allowed to handle tham. But she was certain she could take good care of them, and what her father didn't know wouldn't hurt him. However, there was one problem with retrieving any books from the cabinet, it was always locked. She looked around for the key, but knew she probably wouldn't find one. She was just about to give up hope, when she noticed Sayo's hair pin. "Sayo, may I borrow your hair pin for a moment?" she asked. The young girl nodded, and handed it to her.

Suzuno pushed the pin into the lock, and after a few moment she heard a satisfying click. She opened the cabinet door, and stared in wonder at what she found inside. Books like she had never seen. Priceless antiques, with names of places she'd never heard about. Novels that had never graced the shelves of any store. Treasures seen by only a very few people. Countless wonders written down, all for her to discover. It was like a dream, and she happily went about deciding which to read first. Then she noticed a book that seemed out of place.

She pulled it out; it looked too new to be one of her father's antiques. It was also very plain, like an unfinished manuscript. She looked at the front cover. It read "The Universe of the Four Gods by Einosuke Okuda. She knew him, he'd been one of her father's friends, but she hadn't seen him since she was very small. She'd heard that he and his daughter, Takiko, had died about seven or so years back. She remembered Takiko too; a nice girl almost 10 years older than she was. What a shame she had died so young, and now Suzuno had found one of her father's books. Slowly, she opened it, and began to read.

Herein contains the tale of a young lady and her quest to gather the seven constalations of Byakko together. And if you, the esteemed reader, should read to the storys end, the spell contained within this book shall bestow upon you the powers of the heroine, and grant you your wish. For indeed the moment the page is turned, the story will become reality. What a strange book, thought Suzuno. At the same time she was drawn to read it. She turned the page. All at once she felt a strange sensation, and a white light seemed to emerge from the book to envelope her. Then the white fadded to black and everything disappeared. Sayo ran screaming from the study, leaving the book lying on the floor.

Manchuria was the name for a region of China that was constantly being invaded by Japan at this time in history.

Sayo Aisaka is a character from the manga Negima! written by Ken Akamatsu. She died in 1940, about ten years after this fanfic takes place, and appears as a ghost in Negima!, which takes place in 2003.

Spoiler Alert! Acording to the original Fushigi Yugi, Takiko, the main character from FY: Genbu Kaided died after summoning Genbu. Her father died shortly after, and the book was entrusted to Takao Osugi, Suzuno's father.