Kido: *Looks at half dead sister* College is really that rough on ya, huh?
Kida: *Muffled against desk* You have no idea...
Tamahome: Is this college that bad?
Kida: For my anxiety...hell yeah. It's the reason I didn't post a chapter this week. Sorry, peoples!
Tamahome: Kida Tenshi does not own Naruto or Fushigi Yuugi. She only owns Aika Hitsubasa and other OCs. Enjoy!
Seiryuu has been summoned at last and secure in their great advantage, Kutou launched an aggressive attack on Konan. Lady Aika, along with the surviving members of the Suzaku Seven, joined the battle against the armies of Kutou. However, because the power of Suzaku has been sealed away by Lady Yui, the Priestess of Seiryuu, the Suzaku Seven have no special powers to use to defend against them. Soi of the Seiryuu Seven is killed in the fray and the Lady Yui has used her second wish to Seiryuu.
"Take Aika and me to our old reality at once!" Yui ordered before she and Aika, along with Kurama, were sent back to their world, but with Tamahome following. Aika looked over to see Tamahome laying on the ground next to Kurama.
'Tamahome.' And then a miracle occurred.
~0~
Naruto made his way back to the Hidden Leaf Village with Sasuke, thinking to himself as he looked ahead.
'It's up to you now, Shikamaru,' Naruto thought seeing as Shikamaru stayed with Suzuno's grandson Toki.
~0~
"He's here. It can't be. Tamahome's come out of the book unless this is some sort of illusion, just a trick, or maybe a dream," Aika said thinking of the possibilities. "Though with Kurama here, it might be real," she added seeing the fox. She then brought her hand down and felt Tamahome's pulse. "I can feel his pulse. I can't believe it. He's here. He's a flesh and blood person in my own world!" She said stunned. Kurama groaned and woke up.
"Hm? What happened? Why does it smell like I'm home?" He muttered looking around. "I am home!" He exclaimed jumping to his feet.
"Yeah, we are," Aika said making Kurama look at her.
"I'll be damned-what the hell?! How'd he get here?!" Kurama asked pointing to Tamahome.
"Good question," Aika sighed. She looked at Tamahome. "What do I do? I can't keep him out here in the open like this. Someone will know he's different by his clothing."
"It might be best to take him home," Kurama said making her nod. Aika then picked Tamahome up as best as she could and started making her way home with him.
~0~
"Man, I'm all wiped out and it's all Aika's fault," Naruto muttered. He had gone to Aika's house to keep an eye on the place. Sasuke had gone home. Suddenly the phone rang making him jump. "Years of not having a phone like that is still weird. Oh well, comes in handy," he sighed before picking it up. "Hello, Hitsubasa residence."
"Naruto? Naruto!" Aika's voice said from the other line.
"Aika! Is that you?!" Naruto asked surprised.
"Can you come and help me out? I'm using the phone at Ichiraku's. Hurry!" Aika told him
"I'm on my way!" Naruto said before hanging up. He then went to go get her.
~0~
Yui's mother was at the young girl's room and knocked on her door.
"Yui, why don't you tell me where you've been? I've been worried sick about you," Yui's mother said.
"Leave me alone! I'm tired!" Yui replied.
"Yui!" Yui's mother exclaimed with surprise. Yui laid on her bed and looked at the blue earring in her hand
"Lady Yui, take this gem. It's one of the earrings I wear. If for some reason we're ever separated, it will allow you to communicate with me no matter where you may be. If I place the remaining matching earring inside of Tomo's shell, it will make a connection with your life force to let us talk to each other. If anything should happen and you need me for any reason, I'll come to you at once," Nakago said giving her the earring.
"Forgive me, Nakago, for abandoning you all in the middle of such an important battle," Yui murmured.
~0~
The Kutou soldiers watched as the building burned, most were cheering.
"Let's attack! Their ramparts are weak! We're almost in!" One of the soldiers shouted.
"The ramparts!" Tasuki exclaimed.
"They're falling!" Chichiri added. Suddenly Mitsukake was attacked by ray of blue light and fell back with a pained groan.
"Mitsukake!" Tasuki called. He looked over and saw Nakago who was holding a dead Soi.
"Say your prayers because this is where you die," Nakago said to them. Tasuki went to Mitsukake and slowly sat him up a bit.
"Tamahome, Aika, and Kurama have disappeared somewhere and our forces are losing the battle," Tasuki said to Chichiri.
"At this low advantage point, there's not really much we can do against them now, ya know!" Chichiri told him.
"Suboshi, the time has finally come to dispose of them. What are you waiting for?" Nakago asked the boy who was kneeling on the ground.
"Lady Yui…"
"There's nothing to fear. We shall see Lady Yui again," Nakago stated with a slight smirk. Suddenly the two looked up with some surprise to see arrows flying at them. Nakago used his life force to make an energy shield around him. "Who do you fight for?" He asked seeing the group on a cliff.
"Oh, knock, knock. Who's there? It's only and incredibly dashing fellow here to save his old boss who's in a tight pinch," the guy said. Tasuki grinned. "Well, come right in! Thank you very much!"
"Koji!" Tasuki exclaimed.
"Braggarts and bandits and they're on their side. This has grown very tiresome, Suboshi. We're leaving," Nakago said calmly before leaving with the young Seiryuu Warrior.
"Hey! Come back here!" One of the bandits shouted.
"Forget about it, we'd have chance against them anyway," Koji told him.
"Koji!" Tasuki called before two hook arms, going around in a circle.
"It's good to see you again, Genrou!" Koji said to him.
"How's it hangin', Koji?" Tasuki asked excited. They stopped and Koji placed his hands on Tasuki's shoulders.
"It's been pretty rough for us actually, but whatever happened to the Priestess of Suzaku, huh?" Koji asked making Tasuki frown.
"We don't know…."
~0~
Naruto had changed Tamahome into some of Aika's father's old pajamas and now the Suzaku Warrior was laying in the bed of the guest room, sleeping. Aika had changed into a red tank top with a black skirt, her hair tied up in a ponytail. Naruto poked Tamahome's cheek with a ruler.
"I don't believe a person from that book actually came out of it," Naruto said, slightly spazzing.
"You're the one who had to carry him all the way home and changed him and now you don't believe he's real?" Aika deadpanned.
"She's got you there, Kit," Kurama muttered.
"Okay, you're right. Then just tell me how you got back here from inside the book. What happened?" Naruto asked her. Aika and Kurama frowned.
"Well, first of all, Yui summoned Seiryuu. I think she used one of her wishes to will us back to this reality and I have a feeling she was trying to separate Tamahome and me," Aika sighed.
"Sounds about right," Kurama mumbled. The three walked out of the bedroom.
"So you think Yui's come back here too?" Naruto asked her as she closed the door.
"I don't really know where she is. What about the Universe of the Four Gods? What have you been doing with it?" Aika asked him, meaning the book.
"Oh yeah, you have no idea what Sasuke and I have been going through these past few days," Naruto muttered.
"Really? Like what?" Aika asked as they made their way to the kitchen.
"Like meeting the Priestess of Byakko! Believe it!" Naruto told her making her eyes widen.
"You really met Suzuno?!" She asked.
"Yup! And we saw Tatara too," Naruto stated. Aika smiled softly.
"So, he and Suzuno can finally be happy together," she murmured. She got everything out to start cooking. "So, how is everyone? I've missed them. After all, in the book it's like I've been gone for a couple months," she said to him.
"It's only been a couple days believe it or not. So nothing's really changed," Naruto shrugged.
"Good. Has Lord Kakashi badgered you about the book?" Aika asked.
"Nope. I haven't talked to him since he was last here," Naruto replied.
"What about the others?" Kurama asked.
"Everyone but Yamato believes this is really happening. Sasuke and Shikamaru have been helping me out with this while Sai takes care of Hinata and Sakura for me and Sasuke," Naruto replied.
"I'm sorry, this is becoming such a burden on you and the others," Aika frowned.
"Hey, don't worry about it. It's not the worst thing that's happened to all of us," Naruto smiled at her.
"Such as you almost dying?" Kurama asked his former host.
"Yeah…let's not talk about that," Naruto muttered, shuddering from the memory.
"You really owe Sakura for that one. She was the one who kept your heart beating," Aika stated.
"Yeah, I do. Now, what do we do if Kakashi or Yamato come here and suddenly see Tamahome?" Naruto asked her.
"Well, until we have to tell them, we keep them away from Tamahome. The last thing Tamahome needs is to be interrogated. Especially if they bring Ibiki in for that," Aika stated making Naruto and Kurama nod.
~0~
In the guest room, Tamahome slowly woke up and opened his eyes. He sat up to find himself in a strange room.
~0~
"Right. Okay. I'm sorry to bother you," Aika said before hanging up the phone. She then looked at Naruto. "Yui has come back here to the Leaf Village too, but her mom said she wasn't home. That she had some errands to run," Aika stated as she went back to the kitchen to check on the food.
"Okay, as long as the book is with Osugi and the others, there should be no trouble," Naruto said.
"Oh yeah. Suzuno Osugi," Aika mused.
"Yeah, Shikamaru, Sasuke, and I went to go visit her. It's sad that she died," Naruto murmured making Aika nod sadly.
"She's gone," Toki said as they looked at the dead Priestess. Naruto then saw a glow from the doors. He got up and slid the door open to see a man with long dark hair and silver eyes.
"It's…it's Tatara!" Naruto said to them.
"Then it's all true," Toki said in awe.
"Tatara," a young woman said making the men turn to see a teenage girl with long brown hair braided into pigtails and green eyes. The client jumped in fright when he saw the ghost. Suzuno ran passed the men and up to Tatara who held her in his arms. "Tatara!"
"Suzuno!" Tatara smiled as he held his beloved. Naruto smiled a bit.
"It's all okay now. It took them so long, but they were always at peace and even now, they're both so happy," Naruto said with tears in his eyes.
"The end of their lives, they were together. After that, the guy Toki offered to help us. Right now, he and Shikamaru are researching the book. I knew sooner or later Kakashi would show up so that's why I came back with Sasuke. That's when you called. I had just walked in," Naruto said to her.
~0~
Tamahome felt the blinds on the window before turning the nob that was there. The blinds opened and his eyes widened when he saw lights. Lights of the village. Tamahome let out a loud grunt when he fell off the bed in shock. Aika opened the door then with Naruto and Kurama behind her.
"Tamahome, you're awake," Aika smiled a bit as she turned on the light.
"Aika!" Tamahome said sitting up. He took her by the shoulders. "Where am I?! W-what is all this?! Where's Tasuki and all the other Warriors?! And where's Nakago?! What's going on?!" Tamahome asked freaking out.
"Tamahome, calm down. You're in the Hidden Leaf Village where I live. Somehow we've both traveled back to my reality," Aika said trying to calm him.
"Your reality? This is your world? We have to turn around and go back. We have to go back right away. Our friends and all of Konan are in danger. Aika, get ready. We have to hurry. Where's my armor?" Tamahome asked, determined to get back.
"Well, you see…" Kurama let out a nervous laugh.
'To go back we need to use the Universe of the Four Gods, but Tamahome doesn't know he's a character in a book! How do I tell him?' Aika thought to herself. Naruto grinned and placed a hand on Tamahome's shoulder.
"Hi there, Tamahome! How ya doin'? I'm Naruto Uzumaki, Aika's best friend and future Hokage and I'm so glad I got a chance to meet you! You're even cooler than I thought you'd be! Believe it! Can I get your autograph?" Naruto asked as Tamahome, Aika, and Kurama sweat-dropped.
"You don't have to act like a fan boy, ya know! It was horrible when it came to Sasuke and his fan girls!" Aika exclaimed. Naruto turned serious.
"I know you're worried about the battle in Konan and all your friends there, but I'm afraid we don't know how to send you back just yet. You somehow crossed dimensions to get to this world. We need to figure out how that happened," Naruto said to him. Aika grabbed Naruto's arm and pulled him aside.
"What are you doing?!" Aika whisper shouted.
"Yeah, really, Kit," Kurama agreed.
"Well, we're gonna have to tell him something and it's the truth anyway. We can't do anything without the Universe of the Four Gods," Naruto stated.
"Aika! Are you here? There's someone on the phone for you by the way!" Kakashi's voice rang throughout the house.
"Oh now, Lord Kakashi's here already," Aika sighed.
"That must be Shikamaru on the phone. Okay, Tamahome, don't worry. We'll put our heads together," Naruto smiled before leaving the room with Kurama. Tamahome sat on the bed.
"I can't go back? I wonder if everyone's all right," Tamahome murmured.
"Tamahome, can you tell me what you remember what you did to get here?" Aika asked softly as she walked up to him.
"I think so. It happened in the instant your body started to disappear in that bluish light," Tamahome said as he remembered. "Aika!" Tamahome said as he looked at her. "My heart was screaming 'I won't let you leave me again' and I grabbed on as tight as I could," Tamahome stated looking up at her.
'And he came with me out of the book,' Aika added in thought with a small smile. Tamahome smiled and looked out the window at the sight of the village.
"So this is it. This is where you were born and spent your entire childhood," Tamahome mused.
~0~
"Yeah, yeah, it's true. Aika's here and somehow she brought Tamahome back from the book to the real world. I know it's unbelieve able, but it's true! Amazing what the power of true love can do!" Naruto grinned. Kakashi was in the kitchen, having a little of the supper that Aika made.
"You shouldn't get too moved by all this, Naruto. The situation isn't as cute as you think it is," Shikamaru told him.
~0~
"I don't know if what's happened there is to blame, but you're not telling me anything new because our world has just moved into this story too!" Shikamaru stated over the phone as he looked at the book.
"Huh?!"
"It seems to me like this book takes the actions of the main characters and turns them into the story. Well, as we speak, I'm reading about what's happening at Aika's house in the book. This conversation we're having is turning into a sentence right before my very eyes."
"What?!"
"The girl's older brother figure bellowed loudly into the telephone period," Shikamaru read out loud.
~0~
"So you're telling me you and I are characters in the Universe of the Four Gods book now?!" Naruto asked grinning excitedly.
"Don't get too excited. There's more and it's not good. It says 'and presently a sinister renegade will transfer dimensions and bring darkness to the young girl's world. He is a masterful villain that possess a life force of tremendous evil who desires the world at his feet and wishes no less than to become God," Shikamaru stated. Naruto's eyes widened.
"It can't be…."
~0~
"Tamahome, you mean you did it so we wouldn't be apart?" Aika asked him as he turned from the window to look at her. Tamahome smiled.
"I made you a promise, didn't I? That we would always be together? That I'd create a miracle to keep that promise?" He asked. Aika smiled and hugged her, her face nuzzling his chest as he held her close.
"Tamahome, you did. You did create a miracle and kept your promise. I…I feel like I'm dreaming, but you're really here, aren't you? You're really here with me," Aika said softly. Tamahome smiled, nuzzling his face gently into her raven hair.
"I'm here with you, Aika. You're not dreaming. We're really here together," he murmured happily.
'His arms, the warmth of his skin, the sound of his heart beat…it's not a dream, we're not in the book. Tamahome's here. He's here!' Aika thought happily. What they didn't know was that Yui was watching with a horror stricken face.
"But how?! How can Tamahome be in this world? It can't be! He's only a character in a book!" Yui exclaimed until she remembered what he told her.
"No! I won't let even the laws of Heaven triumph over us! If Aika can't stay in this world, then I'll…I will go to Aika's world!" Tamahome told her.
"I thought I had separated those two, but there they are," Yui said as she looked at the earring.
"If anything should happen, I'll come to you at once," Nakago had told her.
'I'm not going to let this go on, Aika.'
~0~
The next morning, Aika woke up in her bed and saw her room making her remember what had happened.
"Oh, that's right. Yesterday I came back from inside the book to my reality," she mused. She then remembered and gasped. She got out of bed and ran out of her room to the guest room. She opened the door and saw Tamahome asleep in the bed. She smiled. 'Tamahome….He really did come out of the book with me. It wasn't a dream, he's here. He made a miracle happen so he could be with me,' she thought before softly kissing his forehead. She soon left the room and took a shower before getting dressed into a red short kimono with a brown sash. Aika then went to the kitchen where she began making breakfast.
"Aika, you in?" Naruto asked walking into the house.
"In the kitchen," Aika called. Naruto walked over after taking his shoes off.
"Hey, is Tamahome up yet?" He asked.
"No, but can you go get him? Breakfast is ready," Aika said with a smile.
"Yeah, sure!" Naruto grinned before going to wake the younger man up. Aika looked at the living room and saw the book Jiraiya had written. Legend of the Gutsy Ninja. She then remember her promise of putting the book in her shop.
'There won't be any shop for me, Naruto. I've decided to live my life with Tamahome. I promised. And I'm going back into the book with him. Boy, it's going to be such a shock when he finds out he's a character in a book,' Aika thought. Naruto soon came back with Tamahome as the table was being set by Aika. Aika smiled when she saw Tamahome "Good morning, Tamahome. I made some rice because I was sure you would want something you were familiar with more than you would pancakes or cereal," she said to him. Tamahome smiled back at her.
"It smells great. Thanks, Aika," he said to her. The two then took a seat as Aika went into the kitchen to put rice in the bowls. Tamahome then saw something. "What's that?"
"Oh, it's communicator. I left it here after my last mission. Teams normally wear them on missions so in case we're split up, we can talk to each other. We wear it around our neck for when we talk then we have an earpiece in our ears so we can hear the other person," Naruto explained.
"Wow, that sounds it could be really useful in my world," Tamahome mused looking at it.
"Too bad you don't have the resources to make them, huh?" Naruto asked.
"Got a point," Tamahome replied as Aika came back.
"Time to eat," she said taking her seat after putting the rice bowls down.
"Thanks," the two males said before they all began eating. "Is Naruto right? He said I had crossed some dimension and that you still don't know how to send me back to my reality," he said to Aika who blinked a bit and gave Naruto a look. Naruto gave her a nervous smile.
"I'm not positive, but I think I've figured it out," Naruto said.
"You did? Really?" Tamahome asked hopeful.
"But Naruto!" Aika whispered with a look. She didn't want Tamahome to know he was a character in a book yet.
"Well, actually, I'll be meeting Shikamaru in the Hidden Valleys Village a little later on today. And he's got the Universe of the Four Gods book with him. Then we'll explain things to him, okay? It'll be easier if we can show him the book," Naruto whispered to her. Aika sighed and nodded. "Besides, maybe you can show Tamahome around. Let him see how we live." That made Aika smile.
"Sounds like a good idea," she agreed. After breakfast, Naruto took Tamahome to change. Naruto had some old clothes here and some of Aika's father's old clothes. Aika did the dishes then waited outside the bedroom door for them.
"I did it! Wait till you see! Check it out!" Naruto said with a large grin.
"You look like a psychopath…" Aika muttered.
"Check it out!" Naruto growled a bit. Aika looked at Tamahome and blushed at what she saw. Tamahome was wearing a fishnet t-shirt with an open blue vest over it. He also wore black pants, the ankles to below his knees were in bandages, and he wore black shoes. He also had black fingerless gloves.
"What do you think?" Tamahome smiled. Aika was too stunned to speak.
"He looks like a major magazine model if you ask me, only better," Naruto said with a proud smile.
"Naruto said that I shouldn't go outside in my armor for some reason. Is this all right?" Tamahome asked Aika who was still blushing and nodded.
"All right? Is that ever and understatement! You'd never guess that you were a chara-!" Aika punched Naruto in the head before he could finish.
~0~
Yui's mother knocked on her door.
"Yui? Yui, are you feeling alright? You're not sick, are you? Maybe I should call the doctor and make an appointment," she said.
"I'm not sick! Leave me alone!" Yui called. She was sitting on her bed, looking at the earring Nakago gave her. "Nakago….Nakago, are you there somewhere?"
~0~
Nakago was riding his horse back to Kutou with the army, Soi in his arms. He looked at the orb in his hand when he heard Yui.
"Yes, I'm here," he replied.
"Uh, Nakago?" Suboshi asked confused.
"It's Lady Yui."
"Huh?! Where?! Where?! Where is she?!" Suboshi asked looking around frantically.
"She's here, calm down," Nakago told him.
~0~
"Lady Yui, can you hear my voice?" Nakago asked.
"Yes, I can, but I need to see you, Nakago," Yui said to him.
"I can see you so clearly," Nakago said as he looked at the shell that showed the image of Yui, his other earring inside.
"Lady Yui," Suboshi smiled when he saw it.
"Suboshi. I hope you both will forgive me for running away and coming back here. It'll all work out all right, Nakago. I'm going to save my final wish for you, no matter what happens to me," Yui smiled a bit.
"You sound a little upset, Lady Yui. Is something or someone bothering you?...Tamahome?" Nakago asked her.
"Nakago….I thought that…I thought that I finally separated Aika from Tamahome, but somehow Tamahome ended up here in our world with her. What is it? Why can't I ever win against those two? Why always him over me? We were together first! We've been best friends since we were five!" Yui said with tears.
"I'm confused, Lady Yui. Who is it you love? The girl? Or Tamahome?" Nakago asked making Yui's eyes widen.
"Tamahome…Yes, I did love him once, but I…I don't…it's just…I don't want…Nakago! Please come soon! I can't stand this alone! I can't stand them together!" Yui cried.
"Lady Yui…" Suboshi frowned.
"Well, I would like to come to you immediately, but there are certain things I must attend to here and so I must delay my visit a bit," Nakago said.
"But why? You said you'd come to me just as soon as I needed you!" Yui told him.
"Don't worry, Lady Yui. You will not be alone for very long. I promise you that."
~0~
"What do you mean Aika, Tamahome, and Kurama have disappeared?" Hotohori asked shocked. He was currently dressed in his armor, ready to fight. He was looking at Tasuki and Koji who knelt before him and his Empress.
"It's true! They suddenly vanished into this blue light! Mitsukake was hurt real bad and so Chichiri is taking care of him. We managed to get to the capital by taking and indirect route through some back roads only the Mountain Bandits know," Tasuki stated.
"We were able to turn back the first attack, but the second assault is already moving in and if the ramparts fall, we're finished! Your Highness, the bandits of Mount Reikaku pledge their allegiance and fighting strength to you," Koji stated making Hotohori smile a bit.
"I know those three will come back. We've just got to fight hard and hold out until then! We can do it!" Tasuki stated making Hotohori give a look of determination.
"Very well then, our course is set. I have decided to command the armed forced and will join you presently. Prepare your Reikaku regiment for what lies ahead," Hotohori ordered.
"Yes, your Highness!" Tasuki and Koji said before running off to do so. Hotohori then looked at his chair and saw the dagger Aika had given him.
"Keep this with you so that you'll think of me," Aika smiled as she gave it to him.
'Has she returned to her old world? And taken Tamahome? If so, perhaps it's for the best,' Hotohori thought before leaving the room. He then looked out at the view of his kingdom. 'At least the two of you can be happy there, in a world not wracked by war.'
~0~
"This place looks amazing and so peaceful and calming!" Tamahome said looking around the village as they walked.
"That's how it's been since after the war. Hopefully it stays that way," Naruto smiled.
"I have a feeling it will be when you become Hokage, Naruto," Aika said to the blonde.
"Speaking of Hokages, look over there, Tama!" Naruto pointed to the Hokage Summit. Tamahome's eyes widened.
"Wow! Are those all the Hokages that had ruled over this village?" He asked earning nods from the Uzumaki and Hitsubasa. "Incredible! I can't believe we don't have something like this for our Emperors," he mused.
"Some villages do it differently. Like in the Sand Village, they have stone statues. My friend Gaara happens to be the Kazekage! Has been since he was fourteen!" Naruto said surprising Tamahome.
"Wow, that sounds a lot like his Majesty," Tamahome said.
"Oh yeah, he became Emperor when he was fourteen too," Aika remembered.
"It truly is amazing here," Tamahome smiled as he looked around. Aika smiled, watching him. She liked seeing him smile like that.
Kida: So, like the ninja world, Tamahome?
Tamahome: I just said it was amazing!
Kida: It is and much more entertaining than my world.
Tamahome: Wait...how am I even there and here at the same time?
Kida:...Good question...*Thinks about it*
Kido: Great, she's in her thinking place. We hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please favorite and comment!