Change of Heart
Disclaimer: Sadly enough, I don't own the FY characters.
Notes: This is written with
the idea that Ryuuen saved Kourin from certain death…but got himself killed in
the process. Ages are the same (Ryuuen: 10; Kourin: 9).
Okay, I did the stupidest thing halfway through chapter 1. I accidentally slipped into first-person POV. I didn't notice it for half a page, but I corrected it. But that half of a page in that POV was really good… It's surprisingly easy to write in that POV when you're not trying to…^_^;; Anyways, THANK YOU for all of the wonderful reviews I got for the prologue alone!! (7!! O.O) Ohhh yeah! I'll be gone from the 13th to the 21st, but I'll have copies of stories with me and, if I don't leave them at the beachhouse (like I did last year… grumblegrumble), I'll have plenty of stuff to update when I get back! ^_^
Chapter 1: Arrival
A simple white bandage, held in slim, strong hands.
Nuriko watched her mirror self wrap the bandage thrice around her small chest, concealing what she really was. She tugged at it, tightening it, but not so much that she couldn't breathe or work easily.
She pulled her clothes over her head and took a deep breath. The scent of breakfast was in the air. Her surrogate parents, an elder couple kind enough to take her in when she first traveled away from home, were always up before dawn.
Carefully, Nuriko brushed through her thick violet hair and braided it tightly, then took one last look at herself in the mirror. Satisfied with her overall male appearance, she left her room and went to eat.
The morning sun had just climbed over the mountain to the east as she went to start her chores. Being seventeen, her parents (a/n: By parents I mean the people she's living with, not her real family…) had begun to pester her about marriage. Of course, this would turn out to work very poorly once her chosen wife figured out what she really was. So Nuriko stayed out of the house as much as possible, to avoid the subject of marriage altogether.
If not for the Suzaku-given strength she had acquired, she didn't think she would be able to disguise herself so well. She fit in with the other men, taking on work as much as –and occasionally more than- everyone else. They all called her 'Ryuuen', but she knew that the time would come when she would leave, and be called 'Nuriko' by a group of people she would know as her allies.
As lunchtime slowly came around, Nuriko took a break to eat and talk with Saiho, one of her best friends.
"Or Ryuuen's," she silently, bitterly reminded herself. If he had lived…would he be here? No, he would have been at home…where he was born. His parents wouldn't have sent him away, disgraced by the abomination they called their daughter, or son.
It would have been so different…
"So anyways, I turned the corner and you'll never guess what happened!" Saiho said with a laugh.
"You're right," Nuriko said. "I won't guess. So why not just tell me, hmm?" She smirked at him, pushing back the dull throbbing in her head that had pestered her all day. Saiho proceeded to finish his story (which was actually the one he had told yesterday, with a few details added to make it seem different).
The dull feeling –not exactly pain, but uncomfortable nonetheless- in Nuriko's head suddenly intensified, and something changed. Something had happened. The willow symbol on her chest burned brightly, and through the chaos she could barely hear Saiho asking if she was all right.
The Suzaku no Miko, the girl from another world who was destined to save all of Konan, had finally arrived.
"I have to go," she whispered. "I- I have to…" Clumsily picking herself up from off the ground where she had fallen, she started to run.
"Ryuuen! Wait! Hey- oh gods, WATCH OUT!" Saiho cried. Nuriko stopped immediately and watched a cart hurry by. She was so short and probably unnoticeable…it would have run her over if Saiho hadn't…
He had saved her life.
She stood, frozen to that spot. She didn't dare move as Saiho put a hand on her shoulder.
"What's wrong with you?" he asked, his voice a bit shaky. "Is he worried about me? Of course- he's my best friend, after all," she thought.
"Saiho," she whispered dryly. "You don't understand-"
"Well what is it? What is so important that you had to rush into the middle of the street and nearly get yourself killed?"
"It's…" she frowned; what if she was wrong? She had no way to know that the Miko had appeared…but her heart told her differently. She was here…wandering around in Konan.
She was here.
"Ryuuen…" he frowned at her, knowing she was keeping something from him. For the five years since she had traveled to the town, he had been the only one she befriended and truly trusted.
She had no other choice but to tell him.
"It's…" she paused, and, knowing what she would see, pulled the collar of her shirt down just enough to see the symbol of the willow glowing crimson on her chest.
"You mean you're…" Nuriko nodded.
"And the Miko is here."
"So you have to go," he said. She nodded, stern-faced. Then she turned and ran back to her home to grab a few things she knew she would need. After all, she wouldn't be gone more than a few weeks. Once her job was done, she would return home.
"Ryuuen," her mother said, seeing her about to leave with a bag. "Is it time already?" Nuriko stopped and nodded quietly.
"It's the Miko. I think she's appeared in this world already."
"And it's your duty as one of her seishi to find her."
"Right." Her mother bowed her head.
"Very well then. I wish you luck."
"Thank you for everything you've done," Nuriko said softly, smiling. "Once she's summoned Suzaku and my duty is done, I'll come back here."
"I'll be waiting for that day. In the meantime…don't lose touch. Send a letter every once in a while." Nuriko smiled; in the entire time that she lived with them, her mother was the only one who had known her secret, and had kept it secret as well.
"I will, mother," she said, hugging the woman tightly.
"Now go, before I start to cry," her mother said moments later.
"Ah, c'mon! It's not like you won't ever see me again!" She dropped her bags and triumphantly flexed her muscles. "I'm the super-strong Suzaku shichiseishi, Nuriko!" She picked up her bag and ran from the house, waving good-bye to her parents.
She left the village, and left to seek her destiny.
~*~
Having realized that she had no idea where she should be going, Nuriko decided to head to the imperial city and look for the Miko. Unfortunately for her, the city was quite a ways away.
As the sun began to set on her first evening of travel, she began to wish that she had the sense to take a horse along. She sighed and looked around…there wasn't really anything to look at besides the road she was walking on and an occasional grove of trees. And, of course, there was the vast stretch of green land. None of them were extremely appealing for sleeping choices, but the better choice seemed to be a nearby grove of trees.
As the sun set and the stars began to appear, Nuriko lay on the ground, using her bag as a pillow. She took the silent moments to think. What would the other seishi and Miko be like? How would they summon Suzaku? When? Why?
And how long would it take for all seven seishi to be gathered?
She didn't recall the exact moment when she fell asleep –she usually never did- but she awoke the next morning stiff from sleeping on the ground. Nonetheless, she continued her journey to the imperial city.
By lunchtime she had reached a rather small village. Feeling a great emptiness in her stomach (and having some money with her), she entered the nearest inn and decided to see what they were having for lunch.
While waiting for her food to arrive, and even while eating, she heard talk from the imperial city of a girl in strange clothing who had stolen food, and was looking for someone with a symbol.
"It must be her," Nuriko thought, smiling to herself. She was right after all; the imperial city was the best place to look. She set out anew with a fresh sense of adventure, eagerly waiting to meet the Miko.
So it's not that bad is it? Hope not…the traveling parts may be short because they're no fun when she's all alone with no one to talk to. ^_^ I hope to go completely thru the storyline to episode 33, because a lot of things will be different with Kourin instead of Nuriko. Wish me luck on pulling this one off! ^_^
And please leave a review!!!