(And this chapter is dedicated to.... chri26!!! Congratulations!!! Don't worry, the next few chapters will be dedicated to the other readers as well, so wait patiently!!!)

Chapter 14: Flashbacks

Nuriko:

I woke up feeling dizzy. "What happened?" I muttered as I felt a damp, cold cloth being placed on my head.

"Sshhh... Just get some sleep, Nuriko," the person said. I opened my eyes to look at my caretaker. "Hikari?"

Hikari smiled gently. "Don't worry, everything is under control. Just get some sleep. You must be tired."

I heaved a sigh of relief. So Hikari was safe. Why should I get suspicious of her? She's a kind girl. All I could remember was rushing down the stairs and being unconscious. Matte! Being unconscious? What happened?! I certainly didn't hit or bumped into anything. And I certainly am sure that I didn't fell down the stairs. Hikari got up to leave. My hand shot out to grab Hikari's clothing.

"Matte! Hikari! I need to ask something! How did you find me? And why were you and..."

"Chichiri, Hotohori and I were having an early morning walk when we found you laying unconscious at the bottom of the staircase," Hikari interrupted.

"What about the evil presence?!" I asked with urgency in my voice.

"What evil presence? Nuriko, you seriously need to rest. Everything is safe. So stop worrying, okay?" Hikari gently removed my hand from her sleeve and tucked me in. "Oyasumi nasai, Nuriko," She left the room.

I took a quick glance at the window. Streaks of bright orange sunshine shone through the window covering the entire of Konan in its glory.

Matte!!!

Sunshine?!

It's morning?!

Why did she say good night for?! Jumping out of the bed, I put on my shoes and gave a big yawn. Why was I so tired? I look at the inviting pillow. Getting some sleep wouldn't hurt anyone. Kicking off my shoes, I plopped on the big soft bed and fell into a deep slumber.

Hikari:

I left the room hurriedly. Closing the wooden doors behind me, I heaved a sigh of relief. At the same time, I felt guilty. I was lying to Nuriko. About the evil presence...

How did he know?

Besides Hotohori, Chichiri, Miaka and the new seishi Chiriko and me, there wasn't anyone else who had experienced anything strange.

Miaka had been attacked by a monster. Tamahome and Tasuki were drunk. Mitsukake was looking after the kids and Chiriko was currently resting in his room. Amiboshi was sleeping. Yukiko was somewhere in the palace, I think.

Could it be...

FLASHBACK

Hikari:

I sighed. We were getting nowhere.

"Chichiri, can't you teleport us out of this place?" Hotohori asked tiredly.

Chichiri firmly shook his head. "Gomen, but I can't do that. If we're in another world of some sort, it would be too dangerous for me to do such a trick that requires a large amount of ki. Besides, we should be aware that right now, we're in the enemy's territory," Chichiri reminded.

Hotohori looked at me. I shook my head. "Gomen."

We all sighed. Just then, Hotohori pointed at a blur figure that stood at the top of the stairs. Purple hair, pink clothes...

"NURIKO!!!" All of us cried enthusiastically. Nuriko took a step forward.

"Dame!!! Nuriko, don't!!!" I shouted, frantically waving my hands hoping that he would notice.

"Why can't Nuriko enter to save us?" Hotohori asked confused.

"Because there's a possibility of him being trapped here with us!" Chichiri informed.

Everyone started to shout out his name but it was in vain. Nuriko began climbing down the stairs, still unable to see us. Half-way down, Nuriko was covered by a thin layer of black aura.

"Nuriko!" Chichiri cried worriedly. "He's entering the portal!!!"

Nuriko stopped for a moment, looking at our direction, confused. "Nuriko, can you see us?" Hotohori asked loudly.

Without answering, the purple head collapsed.

"NURIKO!!!!!!!!"

Hotohori rushed forward to catch him. Chichiri and I rushed over to the unconsciousness Nuriko who now laid in Hotohori's arms. "Nuriko, daijoubu ka? Nuriko?! Answer me, onegai!!!" Hotohori pleaded, tears forming in his eyes.

Chichiri placed a hand on Hotohori's shoulder. "Daijoubu. Nuriko just fainted, that's all." He turned to me with a worried look. "Anou... The black aura..."

"I don't know what it was... But whatever it is, it must have caused Nuriko to faint. Anou, Chichiri, do you think that it has something to do with the portal's doorway?"

Chichiri silently nodded. "I suppose.... It could be possible that the black aura covers the person entering the portal".

Just when all hope seemed lost, a faint melody of a leaf flute could be heard.

We all looked around trying to trace the source of the sweet music. I closed my eyes and listen harder. The music.....

The ki in the music......

Of both pure heart and soul.....

Just then, the surroundings seemed to melt away. My eyes fluttered open to see a new surrounding, this time, the wall Hotohori slashed was destroyed and the stairs had some deep cracks. "Chichiri, do you think..."

Chichiri stood up smiling and outstretched his hand to me. "Hai. We've returned. Hotohori, go find Mitsukake to help Nuriko. In the mean time, Hikari and I will go find Miaka."

I took his hand and both of us dashed like mad rabbits in fear for the miko's life.

Minutes later...

We found Miaka leaning against a pillar for support. Her face was as white as a sheet and she sat there, shaking in fear. "Miaka, daijoubu ka? Miaka?!"

Miaka didn't answer but just pointed to a dead body of a monster. I went over to have a look. The monster had close resemblance to Tamahome and looked like a crossbreed between a lizard which had a snout of a pig and fangs of a cobra. I bent forward and touched its scaly skin. I gasped when it evaporated into black mist and disappeared. "Nani?! Masaka..." I murmured. How was it possible that a solid being could evaporate? How was it possible that such a hideous monster could know where the miko was? Who, no, what sent this creature?!

I turned around to see Chichiri carrying a fainted miko in his arms. "She fainted," Chichiri informed me, "Shocked, I guess."

I silently nodded. "Chichiri, what about the music?"

"Not now. We have to get Miaka to Mitsukake. She has some nasty bruises".

Chichiri:

I began heading towards Mitsukake's room. I too wanted to know more about the music but there was another much more important matter in my hands right now. The safety of the miko.

The music...

Could it be...

Suzaku seishi...

Chiriko?

Chiriko:

"Let me in! I need to see the emperor urgently!!!" I said urgently.

"Do you have an appointment, kid?" asked a guard who had a long bushy brown beard.

I shook my head. 'There's only one way to prove to them,' I thought to myself.

"Boku wa Suzaku seishi Chiriko. If you do not let me pass, the miko will DIE," I stressed on the last word of my sentence.

The two guards looked at each other. "Prove it," the second guard said.

Taking the leaf from before, I began to play a tune. I could feel my foot getting warm but...

My character didn't appear.

'Uso...' I thought to myself.

"Well, well, fancy you lying, kid. Little kids like you should be in bed by now," chuckled one of the guards.

"Dame!"

The guards turned around to see a young lady with red hair rushing towards them. "You will not turn away this young boy!" She instructed. The guards stepped aside and bowed politely at the young lady. She walked up to me and bent down to look at me at eye level. Smiling, she placed a hand on my forehead. I gasped as I saw her hand glow red and my character on my foot glow brightly without any reason. The character faded after a few seconds and she removed her hand.

"Were you the one who played the music?" the girl asked cheerfully.

I nodded shyly.

"Well then, follow me. I'll bring you to see the emperor," grabbing my wrist, she began dragging me away. A loud grunt followed by a whine brought everyone's attention to my short pony. "Yours?" She asked as she pointed to my pony.

"Hai, ojou-san," I answered.

"Guards, please help me to keep the pony in the barn," she turned to face me. "I'm Hikari," she bowed politely. "I'm the Suzaku oracle. I've been summoned to protect you and your fellow seishis as well as the miko. It's a pleasure to meet you, Suzaku seishi, Chiriko".

I could only stare at her. I was at a total loss of words for once. Suzaku oracle? Here? Now?

"Come and follow me inside. It's warmer there and you can meet the rest of the seishis there," she got up and began walking away. I quickly followed her.

Hotohori:

Mitsukake did a quick check up on Nuriko and healed Miaka. He then advised them to get some rest. I sighed. I was so worried for everyone's safety. If I failed to protect those close to me, how can I protect an entire nation?!

"Heika-sama, daijoubu ka?" Mitsukake's question snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Daijoubu. Just tired," I replied with a smile.

"Hhmm..." Mitsukake walked over to where I was sitting. He placed a hand on my forehead.

"Well, you have no fever but you need a lot of rest. Everything is fine now so just get some sleep," he advised.

"Get some sleep, Hotohori. You must be tired after the entire incident," Chichiri added.

I nodded. "Thank you for your advice. Rest assured, I will get some rest but first, I need to tell my advisors to cancel all meetings. I don't want anyone to bother me in my beauty sleep," I flicked a strand of hair away from my face. "Aren't I beautiful? But all the trouble Kutou has been bringing is giving me some nightmares... I must take care of myself or I'll end up as ugly as Taiit-sikun...."

Chichiri and Mitsukake sweatdropped.

I got up from my chair and straighten my robes before heading towards my throne room.

A few minutes later at the throne room...

"And please cancel all meetings for today. I need to catch up on my beauty sleep," I announced to my advisors. Some of my advisors were yawning from being woken up so early. Glancing out of the window, I could see tiny streaks of bright sunshine peeking over the horizon.

All of a sudden, Hikari barged in with a short boy trailing her.

The boy looked like he was no older than eight. He had light brown hair which was tied up in a high ponytail. He wore a green robe and immediately bowed down when he saw me.

"Please rise, young one. And what brings you here so early in the morning?" I asked.

The little boy rose up slowly. He looked up to see me then, as if afraid he had done something wrong, he quickly looked down again. Upon seeing that the boy was unable to answer my question, Hikari decided to answer for him.

"Hotohori," several old advisors gasped at the fact that Hikari didn't address me with a 'sama'. "This boy played the music that saved our lives and helped the miko. He is young Chiriko," Hikari said, glaring back at the advisors who were staring at her.

"Are you sure?"

"Hai".

"Fine then," I waved to a row of servants standing at the side, signalling them to come forward. "Bring Chiriko to his room. I would like to retreat to my bedroom now. Please inform me of any updates after I wake up," I got up and left the room.

END OF FLASHBACKS

Hikari:

I yawned. I might as well go to sleep. After all, everyone else were resting too, weren't they?

Meanwhile in Kutou...

Narrator:

Motoki scanned the dark room, looking for a suitable candidate. "You," she said as she pointed to a large werewolf twice the size of an average man. The werewolf snarled, baring its fangs dripping with poisonous saliva. The interesting thing about the werewolf was that it had two heads instead of one. Another creation by the great Motoki herself. It cautiously approached Motoki and bowed down before her as a sign of respect.

"Kill the pathetic family of Suzaku seishi Chiriko..."

Author's note's:

Once again, I do not owe Fushigi Yuugi unless a kind reviewer out there buys it from Yuu Wasate and give it to me as a Christmas present, no.

Gomen minna for the long update!!! You see... It's the holidays and I thought I'd pay attention to my other life besides anime and fanfiction, as in my social life. So, I caught up with my boring life and here I am. Okay, not so boring since I have a very interesting 'problem' that's happening right now. But other than that, no. Okay, to make up for the previous long update, I did a long chapter for this one. I'm so sorry if this one is boring but I'll try to fasten up the pace in the next chapter.

List of Japanese words :

Dame – Stop

Oyasumi nasai – Good night

Matte – Wait

Boku wa Suzaku shichi seishi Chiriko – I am Suzaku seishi Chiriko.

Heika –sama – Your majesty