Fushigi Yuugi - The Next Generation: Part 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yuugi. Sad. Isn't it?

Author's Note: There was a lot of scene changes in the last part. This time it won't be any different. Don't worry this is all preparation for the upcoming parts. Fair warning: there will be spoilers from the TV series, and maybe from the OVAs. Who knows I might see them?

"I knew it. He had to be. I tried to deny it. But, it still happened," whispered Yui. Tetsuya was having some trouble hearing her.

"What? Yui? Did something happen other than Sei passing out at the track?" asked Tetsuya. Keisuke's eyes perked up. He knew that Sei was the seishi for the Sazaku group.

"Come to the hospital. I have to go back, and check on him," said Yui as she hung up the phone. Tetsuya heard the line was dead. Keisuke looked at him.

"I'll drive us all back to our apartment. You can pick up your car, and go to the hospital," said Keisuke in a quiet voice as he got into the car. He knew that Tetsuya was worried about Yui more than Sei. Mariko was asleep in the back of the car. She was just so tired. Keisuke drove carefully back to his apartment. So, that Tetsuya would be calmer, and not to wake up Mariko.

When they got to the Yuki residence, Tetsuya went to his car, and took off. Keisuke gently woke up Mariko. Mariko blinked and stretched her arms. They both went up the elevator to the family penthouse. There was Hoshi who was waiting for them. He was pacing, and muttering things under his breath.

"There you are! Mariko, where were you? Why weren't you where you were supposed to be?" said Hoshi angrily. Mariko was too tired to fight back.

"You know that I pick up you after school each day. I was worried. I thought something happened to you! What were you thinking?!" shouted Hoshi who was very annoyed.

"Stop, Hoshi," said Keisuke in a quiet voice. He typically didn't stop the children when they argued, but he knew that Mariko was tired.

"But, Uncle Keisuke, she wasn't there. What if someone hurt her or worse?" said Hoshi in a worried tone.

"I picked her up. I am sorry I didn't call you. I forgot. Anyway, I have to go into my study for a little bit, then I'll be going to your Aunt Yui and Uncle Tetsuya's house. You're making dinner tonight," said Keisuke as he got ready to go to his study.

"It's Mariko's turn. It's on the schedule," said Hoshi.

"Do it. Can't you see she's exhausted? Go to bed until dinner, Mariko," ordered Keisuke gently. Mariko did as he asked. Hoshi had a puzzled look on his face. He wondered why his uncle was acting differently tonight.

As Keisuke got into his office he thought, 'He is so much like his father. In looks and actions.'

* * *

Tetsuya finally made it to the hospital. There was so much traffic. Keisuke let him take the book with him, so that he could show Yui. Tetsuya asked the front desk where to find his son, and found the room. Yui was with him. Sei was sound asleep.

Yui perked up the moment she saw her husband. They locked into a tight embrace. Tetsuya was whispering words of comfort into his wife's ear. She was close to tears. Sei heard all of this and woke up.

"Dad? Hi. I'm fine," said Sei. He wasn't saying that to reassure his father, but rather for his mother to hear.

"Just go back to sleep, son. The doctors say that you can come home tomorrow. You're just staying overnight for observation," said Tetsuya.

Sei went back to sleep. Yui and Tetsuya went for a short walk. They had to call Yui's parents because Soki was staying with them tonight. They both knew that Sei was fine enough to go home, but that was something they couldn't explain to the doctors. Everything was quite unbelievable.

Yui flipped through the pages of the book. The names of the four girls was listed, but no mention of which god each girl was to represent. Sei was the only seishi mentioned so far. Yui was breathing calmly. This was a surprise for Tetsuya. He knew about his wife's strong feelings towards the book. Her experience in the book was nothing like Miaka's experience. Unfortunately, for Yui, she was on the side that was led by Nakago. He warped her mind, and turned her against her own best friend. Nakago brought out a side of Yui that she never thought she had in her. It was a dark side. Yui hated that side of her. She spent many years burying it after Miaka's death. Earlier, Yui thought that she could forget, but she still had Nakago's earring. She said once that she wanted to remember what it was like to have that dark side of her, but Yui soon realized that it was Miaka's strength that helped her pull through. When Miaka died, Yui lost a part of herself. She was still strong. She had to be because her was suppose to act as a substitute mother to Hoshi and Mariko. However, Yui never thought that she was as good as Miaka could have been with her own children. Mariko looked very much like her mother, but her hair was darker and shorter. It was cut short and had waves in it. Her eyes were the color of her father's, but it was still her mother's eye shape. She was about her mother's height, maybe a little taller. Hoshi was the spitting image of his father, Taka. But, mentally, Yui always knew him as Tamahome. At one point, Yui was in love with Tamahome, but he and Miaka fell in love. Yui had eventually grew up, and found that Tetsuya was her soul mate. He still was. She loved him more than anyone. He gave her, her sons. Her boys. Her Seijitsu and Soki. She always knew that Sei was special. Soki was different from his older brother. Yui didn't worry that much about him, but Sei, she was afraid for him.

"You said that you knew about Sei," said Tetsuya quietly as he caress his wife's shoulder.

"Do you remember when we brought him home from the hospital?" asked Yui.

"Of course. He was fantastic. He never really cried. Sei was a beautiful baby," said Tetsuya with remembrance. This was strange because they were in the hospital.

"He was just a few days old. There was a mark on his forehead. I am sorry, Tetsuya. I should have told you sooner. I thought that if I ignored it, it would go away. I thought that if I named him "Seijitsu" because I thought that maybe if I mock the symbol, then it wouldn't happened," said Yui as she closed the book. She didn't need to see more.

"I forgive you for not telling me, Yui. I wish you would have told me sooner. You should have told me when the mark first show up. I always thought that it was strange that you were so worried about Sei. You knew that Soki would be fine, but Sei was different. You are more overprotective of him than Soki. Now I know why," said Tetsuya. He wasn't angry or hurt. He knew that his wife was trying to protect their son.

"What happens now, Tetsuya?" asked Yui.

"We'll have to meet with Keisuke later tonight." Answered Tetsuya as he held on to his wife.

* * *

Hoshi was making dinner. He was concerned about his family. His sister was obviously tired. His uncle was acting strange. 'Uncle Keisuke is unusual. But, this is strange for him. It seems like his hiding something from us,' thought Hoshi. His thoughts were disrupted by his uncle.

"I'll be going now. Have a nice dinner. Don't stay up too late," said Keisuke as he left.

"Bye, Uncle Keisuke. See you later," said Hoshi. He checked on his little sister. Hoshi opened the door a little bit and peered inside. His sister looked so innocent and pretty sleeping there. He didn't want to wake her up, so he put the food to be kept warm in the oven.

Hoshi quietly turned on the television. He watched a sports program. His sister, uncle, and he loved sports programs. Any kind of sports. Then again, Hoshi didn't know about his sister's gambling ring at school. Neither did their uncle. They both assumed she had a healthy interest in sports because she grew up with two males. They didn't know that she watched to keep track of the scores in her red book.

* * *

Keisuke arrived at the Kajiwara residence around eight o' clock. Yui let him in. She looked anxious. Keisuke noticed that Soki wasn't there. Yui had dinner prepared for all three of them at the dinning room. This is were the conversation would take place.

"The book said that there will be a messenger from the Universe of the Four Gods. We should wait," said Keisuke who was being quite rational.

"You should be upset. Mariko is one of the girls. One of the Mikos. We don't even know which god she's for. We don't even know why the book came back all of a sudden the way it did," said Yui.

"She's my niece. I love her very much. She's the closest thing that I have to a daughter. No, I don't want her to get hurt, but if this is the path she must go, then I will have to accept it. You forget Yui. The book's powers have it's value too," said Keisuke.

"What value?" exclaimed Yui.

"Well, if you think about there were a lot of good things that came out of the book. Things that were meant to be. Miaka met Tamahome there. He came to this world as Taka. Hoshi and Mariko wouldn't exist without that book. And I would have never fallen in love with you, Yui. I wouldn't have two sons that make me so proud. The events of the book even brought me my career. It brought Keisuke's career. You wouldn't have become a journalist in the first place," said Tetsuya in a soft voice.

Yui didn't realize that the power of the book had so much effect on her life. Her eyes were filled with awe, but the same underlying fear she had before remained.

"They could get themselves killed. Or worse. I have never forgotten what Nakago did to me. What he almost did to everyone. Just because we know about the book, doesn't mean we don't know what's going to happen. There could be more dangers there, if that's possible. Not only do I have to protect Sei, I have make sure that Mariko stays safe. On behalf of Miaka and Taka," said Yui adamantly. She stood up to get some green tea ice cream from the kitchen for all of them.

"Yui had it really bad in the book, Keisuke. But, she is right. Mariko is your niece. Do you really want to put her in that kind of danger? I know that when Miaka went there you were always so worried," said Tetsuya.

"You keep forgetting yourself. Everything turned out all right. I think everything will be just fine. Like before. For now, we should just wait until the other seishi are located by the book, and written down," said Keisuke.

Tetsuya knew that Keisuke was wiser than he was when they were in college. The events in the book had changed both of them. Keisuke was made a wiser and more mature person, but he still had his silly moments. Having Miaka and Taka's children to care of, made him a wiser still. Tetsuya valued Keisuke's counsel on these things. This was their children's future that they were talking about. They talked a little more before Yui came back.

"Well, what did I miss when I was gone?" asked Yui.

"We've come up with a plan," said Tetsuya.

"Yes. Here it is: we wait until the book is done locating the other seishi. Then, we let the all of them decide what to do. It has to be their choice. We can't influence their decision to do this in anyway. We have to tell all of them about the book. Hoshi, Sei, Mariko, and Soki. Especially, Sei and Mariko, it could affect their futures," said Keisuke solemnly.

Yui just nodded. They all made more plans. After that, Keisuke decided it was time go to home.

* * *

It was the day after the book was discovered that Hoshi was at the dojo that he represented all over Japan. He was like his father. Trained to fight. He had won several competitions. His uncle sent him to the dojo immediately when Hoshi expressed the desire to do the martial arts.

Hoshi was concentrating on a candle. He was seeing if he could focus on the flame. It was the normal way to gain concentration. It was relaxation exercise.

The flame of the candle got larger.

Too larger for any normal concentration exercise.

Hoshi opened his eyes, and the light went back to the way it was.

'That was strange,' thought Hoshi disconcertedly.

He was the only one in the room. There were no mirrors.

No one, not even Hoshi, saw the blue symbol that appeared on his forehead.

* * *
Sasaki Yoshi had to go to his economics class. He walked along the hall, and noticed something unusual. There were phantoms. No, people who were ghost-like in the hall.

Yoshi shook it off, and opened the door to his economics class when he did there was a frozen tundra with ice and snow. Yoshi closed the door there was something strange. He opened the door again the Sensei and the rest of the class was looking at him strangely.

"Mr. Sasaki, are you coming in for class or not?" asked the Sensei.

Yoshi blushed at this embarrassment, and quickly took his seat.

* * *
Tei was looking at the plant the he grew at the lab. The Sensei said that they could either put it for recycling or take them home. Tei was still wondering why it grew so well. The leaves were so green. Tei touched the leaves.

The leaves and the stems started to move on their own. Tei let out a gasp. Everyone else in the room stopped to look at him.

"There's nothing wrong. I am alright," said Tei.

"Thank you telling us that, Mr. Asaiya," said the Sensei.

'I am just losing my mind is all,' thought Tei as he put the plant down.

* * *

Keisuke was the one reading the book because Tetsuya had to attend a faculty meeting. Yui was at the magazine, and she said that she didn't want to read the book. As soon as Mariko and Hoshi went off to do whatever they wanted, Keisuke was in his study. Now it was a Saturday. The book was discovered on Thursday.

He had tons of books on the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho. He made it a point to acquire copies of the books he had used when Miaka was in the book. Keisuke didn't know why, but perhaps in the back of his mind something like this was bound to happen again. Unfortunately, Keisuke didn't have the scrolls, those belong to the Universe of the Four Gods. He wondered if any scholars over there had noticed any changes in the scrolls.

The book had stopped writing since it announce Sei as one of the seishi. Keisuke had the book wide open on his desk as he read other books. He looked over the book again and again waiting for it to write. Gradually, the book started to write again:

"You will find the first Seiryuu Seishi at his training place. He is the true dragon. Ryu. He is will be know as Dragon Star. Hoshi Ryu. Just as his father was know as Tamahome. The ogre."

Keisuke's eyes widened. But, the book wasn't done yet:

"The first Genbu seishi can be found at his rightful place. Sasaki Yoshi is a scholar. He is also a seer. A guide that will see and guide his Miko. He will be known as Yogensha. Lastly, the first seishi of Byakko can be found at the same place as the Genbu seishi. He is the controller of plants. He will be known as Inochi. His name in this world is Asaiya Tei."

Keisuke had to bring out more books. He knew where Hoshi was, but he didn't know where to find the other two. Keisuke didn't think that both his niece and nephew would both involve in this. 'What's Yui going to say about this?' thought Keisuke.

* * *

Yui and Soki were at the competition at the dojo. Yui also made it a point to attend most of Hoshi's competitions. Tetsuya and Keisuke were doing things about the book. Yui needed to have some kind of distraction. Besides, she loved to see Hoshi compete. 'He's so good. Just like his father,' thought Yui.

"Is Hoshi going to fight soon, Mom?" asked Soki excitedly.

"Soon. According to the program, he's next," said Yui as she looked at it.

"Yeah! I hope he wins. What am I saying he always wins!" exclaimed Soki happily.

The fight was announced. Hoshi and his opponent came out to the ring. They both wore karate gi and had their black belts. Hoshi and his opponent were equally matched at five degrees in their black belts.

"The rules are: the first one that is thrown out of the circle wins, a knock out is a win, or if the fighter has the most points as determined by the Master at the end of match wins this competition."

Hoshi and his opponent bowed, and began the match. The opponent was slightly shorter than Hoshi. He was the first one to strike with a kick to knock Hoshi down. Hoshi jumped and pulled back. He kept his arms up and gave his opponent a karate chop on one side of his ribs. The opponent pulled back, and did a roundhouse. Hoshi felt the impact of the roundhouse on his back. He blocked the pain and advanced again.

"GO! GO HOSHI! YOU CAN BEAT HIM!" shouted Soki. He had his father's dark hair and his mother's eyes. Which were positively on fire as he watched the fight.

Hoshi was able to get the upper hand. He pulled his hands back and came full force back at his opponent with his palms.

"AHYA!" shouted Hoshi as he did his finally blow.

His opponent was thrown out of the ring. He was barely touched by Hoshi's last attack. There were cheers for Hoshi's victory. Hoshi's face was at an angle that a lot of people couldn't see.

Yui saw something thing glowing on the center of Hoshi's forehead. It was blue. It was the character for dragon. She had gotten pale. No one noticed. Except her.

* * *

Hoshi, Sei, Mariko, and Soki were told to wait in the living room at the Kajiwara residence. Hoshi and Sei were pacing impatiently. Mariko was sitting in an armchair. Soki was sitting in the large sofa. Finally, Keisuke, Tetsuya, and Yui came into the room. Keisuke was carrying the book.

The older boys stopped pacing as soon as the three of them entered the room. There was something serious going on. Keisuke placed the book on the center of the coffee table. Tetsuya went to close the curtains. Yui had a solemn look on her face. She looked at Hoshi first, then at Sei, and finally at Mariko. The three of them were disturbed by the looks she gave them. It seemed like she was sad.

"Mom, what's wrong?" asked Sei with concern in his hazel eyes.

"What's going on, Uncle Keisuke?" asked Hoshi.

Mariko stared at the book on the coffee table from where she was sitting. She reached over to pick it up.

"DON'T TOUCH THAT BOOK!" ordered Yui with a touch of hysteria on her voice.

Mariko pulled back with a hurt look on her face. Her godmother never yelled at her. Yui's sons both looked surprised. Their mother never really yelled.

"Why not?" asked Hoshi.

"We have something to tell all of you. Some things that are unbelievable," started Keisuke.

"You all have to listen. It effects Hoshi, Seijjtsu, and Mariko. You are here, Soki, because you have a right to know," said Tetsuya.

"The book on the table is called the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho. It is the Universe of the Four Gods. We'll leave it here for you, Hoshi, to read out loud. The part where we marked it is where you should start. Mariko do not touch the book," instructed Keisuke as he, Tetsuya, and Yui exited the room.

Hoshi picked up the book. He turned the pages until it was the bookmark. The book was marked at the place where Yui and Miaka first meet Tamahome. There is a picture of Tamahome. Hoshi looks at the picture closely. 'He looks just like me. But, that's not me. Who is this?' thought Hoshi. He looked up and noticed that Sei, Mariko, and Soki were looking at him expectantly.

Hoshi cleared his throat and began to read the book. As he read, everyone in the room was amazed. This was the story of their mothers. Hoshi continued to read for several hours. They took breaks and got water and something to eat every once in awhile. Hoshi and Mariko soon realized that the one named, Tamahome, was their father, Taka. Sei and Soki were surprised about their mother's past. Sei inwardly winced when he heard about Nakago's manipulation. Soki was actually not his hyperactive self.

"This is stupid! What the hell is this?" said Mariko.

"Don't talk like that, Mariko," said her older brother.

"I don't care. This whole thing is a joke by them. Can't you see that? It sounds like thing Uncle Keisuke would write!" exclaimed Mariko impatiently.

"I don't think so, Mariko. You saw the look on my mom's face," said Sei. He had gotten pale during some of the reading.

Hoshi got mad during the reading when Nakago tried to rape their mother. They read the end of the book. Hoshi knew that he was the seishi for the Seiryuu group. Sei was the seishi for Suzaku group. Hoshi realized that there was something strange about the match he was in. He thought it was strange, but he felt his chi built up during the match. He focused his energy and was able to throw his opponent out of the ring without touching him. It looked like Hoshi did, but he knew he didn't. Hoshi realized that he was more connected to his father, then he ever thought possible. He was a seishi. But, he was a seishi for the Seiryuu. He was the DRAGON. He smiled when he thought of his symbol. He liked the idea of being known as the DRAGON. Hoshi sort of laughed at the idea that his father was known as the "ogre."

Sei was sitting down. He was rubbing his forehead. His brother was looking at him. Soki didn't know what to think. He took it seriously because his older brother and Hoshi believed. Soki looked at Mariko who was looking away from all of them. Soki looked at Sei again. There was something glowing on his forehead. It got brighter. It was Sei's character.

"MOOOMMMM!" shrieked Soki.

All three of the parents came running into the room. Soki was on the floor.

"Stop kidding around, Soki. Get off the floor. It's dirty. People walk on it," said Mariko in a firm tone that she used when she babysat Soki.

"What's wrong?" asked Tetsuya frantically. All three of them saw the symbol on Sei's forehead. Everyone is now staring at him.

"What? I didn't do anything to him. Soki stop acting like a gaki," said Sei.

"Um. Your forehead is glowing," said Hoshi as he pointed.

"Oh!" said Sei. He is now in a cute superdeform mode. "I didn't know! At least, I know what it is now,"

Sei was rubbing the back of his head, and was still in superdeformed mode.

Soki ran up to his mother. Yui rubbed his back reassuringly. Keisuke and Tetsuya were staring at both Hoshi and Sei. Hoshi's symbol was glowing as well. Then, both symbols diminish. Mariko was staring at all this.

'I don't believe it. It is real. My mother. My father. Now Hoshi and me,' thought Mariko.

Yui was looking at her. Yui knew that Mariko was thinking about her mother. Soki was fine now. He walked up to both Hoshi and Sei.

"Could you show me again?" asked Soki. Both Hoshi and Sei got down lower so they were both eye level to Soki. They willed their symbols to glow. Soki touched their foreheads.

"Cool! I wish I were a seishi," said Soki sort of disappointed.

Yui looked shock. Tetsuya saw his wife's reaction and immediately stepped in.

"Soki, this is a very serious matter. It's very important. Your brother and Hoshi have big responsibilities. So, does Mariko," Tetsuya said in a very stern voice. Soki shut up right away. Sei and Hoshi stopped messing around. They were already comfortable in their new roles. Mariko looked sort of like in a daze.

"Which god does Mariko represent?" asked Hoshi.

"Yeah. We didn't see that. Wait. I think that's what it means that we have to wait for the messenger to come and tell us. Uncle Keisuke and Dad already found the mikos. As for the other two, they are our classmates. Aren't they, Mariko?" Sei asked Mariko.

"I don't want any part of this," said Mariko in a quiet serious voice.

Everyone looked at her. Yui went over to her and started to pat her shoulder.

"Why?" asked Yui.

"How could you ask, Aunt Yui? All those awful things that happened there. I don't want to be involved," answered Mariko.

All the males in the room looked at the two most important females in their lives. Both were closer than anyone would have ever expected.

"We've discussed it. All of you have your free will on this. You will all have to make the decision on your own. However, don't make your decision until we've talk to all of you," said Yui in a firm voice.

Keisuke, Hoshi, and Mariko went home after dinner.

'What will happen to me if I go?' thought Mariko as they drove home.

~*ClareBear's Omake*~

Nuriko: That was heavy stuff. Hoshi is just like Tamahome.

Mitsukake: He's the first seishi for the Seiryuu group. This is fascinating.

Tamahome: I still think something is wrong with this casting.

Nuriko: Is it because he gets a cool name, and you didn't? Ghost.

Tamahome (gets red aura around him): No one calls me that. (Nuriko isn't the slightest bit bothered by his reaction)

Hotohori: Actually, that symbol on his forehead makes him Ghost Jr.

Tamahome: Now all of you have gone too far. NO ONE MAKES FUN OF MY SON! (Bigger aura)

Nuriko: At least his temper isn't like yours. He's taking things pretty calmly. He must get that from his mother.

Tamahome (gets ready to throw a spirit ball): Take that!

The spirit ball doesn't work. Tamahome is superdeformed.

Tamahome: I guess it didn't work.

Everyone falls over.