To Mary (Zebra-Frog) for her birthday! For you even these two would come together....



Fushigi Yuugi is © Yu Watase and all those big companies... (*names have slipped her mind at the moment*). Don't sue me, cause I have nothing.

Really.

Now, on to the Fic!

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Runaway Horses

Hikou Himemura smiled at his wife as they drove back to their home in Calgary. They were coming back from a long vacation in Ireland since his cousin had been selling his ranch, and had offered Hikou a discount on his prize stud, knowing Hikou had had his eye on the horse for a long time. It had been a perfect opportunity to bring their son out of the country, to see a new environment -not to mention giving him and his wife a break from all the business at their own ranch. But now it was time to return home, to the snow of early spring in Canada. His smile grew as they passed a sign on the road that read: Bluegrass Ranch, 30 kilometers. The name of the ranch they had worked so hard to build was a bit of a joke. There was no blue grass. Blue grass just doesn't grow in Canada. His wife had picked it...it seemed funny at the time, at least. They had spent more than ten years realizing their dream. Ever since they were teenagers, and Li had suggested it.....

A shadow crossed over his face as he thought of his once best-friend.

Kouran reached over and gave his hand a squeeze, smiling reassuringly at him.

"You thinking about him again? I do to...all the time," she leaned over and kissed Hikou on the cheek "I love you."

The sad expression left as Hikou though of all that he'd gained despite the loss. He had a beautiful wife and son, he had achieved his dream...he was truly happy. Hikou slipped his arm around his wife as the horse-trailer attached to their car slid around on the slick pavement.

"I know you do. None the less, isn't it about time we tried to speak with him again? It's been too long alrea-"

Hikou didn't have time to finish what he was saying, as a large truck took the turn ahead of them to fast and went spinning into their path. Hikou swerved the wheel hard to the left, but the end off the truck hooked the horse-trailer and sent him in a spin off the side of the road into a cliff face. Hikou's head flew forward and hit the windshield before the airbags pushed him back up against his seat, stopping any hope of escape. It wouldn't have mattered, since Hikou was already slipping into the stream of unconsciousness.....

* * *

Li Houjun walked out of the airport terminal, frowning at the name and address he had been given.

He hurried to pick up his baggage and catch a cab, all the while thinking about his situation. Two weeks ago he had received a letter from Hikou's mother -Mrs. Himemura- informing him of Hikou and Kouran's deaths. She had requested that he attend the funeral, since they had once been the best of friends, and Houjun had wished it. She also hinted at something else, though Li was not sure what.

Li was staying at a small hotel, near the funeral parlour. Nothing too fancy, he liked things simple. A short hall led to the main room where there was a lamp and a telephone on a small table beside a double bed, a t.v. on a long table, with enough room left for him to work on business if he had any, and a large window looking out over a hillside forest. The bathroom and closet both attached to the hallway. He set his bags down on the floor beside the door and made his way towards the phone. He dialed the number scrawled in fancy cursive beneath the name, squinting to read the fine print. The phone rang a few times, and then a soft voice spoke.

"Hello, Himura residence?"

She sounded old and tired... more than she should at 62. He felt sorry for her. He could not imagine what it would be like to lose his child, if he had any. He could not. He knew, however, that he was sorry that his friends had died. He had not spoken to them since he had found them in each others arms and had left in a flurry of accusations and tears. He regretted that there was no way to be reconciled with them now.

"Hello Mrs. Himemura. This is Li. You asked that I phone when I arrived..?"

"Oh my! I didn't know you were here today, dear...how are you? Was the flight alright?

"I'm doing okay,'"Li wondered if he should feel guilty for feeling as well as he did "'the plane wasn't very good though..."

Their conversation stayed mostly on the same small subjects. Li had always considered Mrs. Himemura as his second mother but they acted tense because of all the years since they'd seen each other, and the awkward situation in which he'd left his home. But she had no one to talk to, and Li was glad to speak with someone where he didn't have to answer embarrassing questions. Soon the tension had melted away. Mrs. Himemura asked that he pay her a visit, since she missed seeing him, and he offered to drive her to the wake, and have supper with her afterwards.

As Li exited the cab in front of his hotel, he thought about all he had to get done. The wake was in three days, and he needed time to find a suit, and an apartment. The funeral in itself would not have been enough to bring him from Kingston to Calgary, even though he wanted to go. He just didn't have the time off work to take that kind of a trip, right after visiting his own parents in Vancouver. Fortunately the company he worked for had offered him a good position here, and he had had no significant ties in Kingston, so he jumped at the opportunity.

Li opened the door to his room, and, sighing settled on the bed.

"It's past 3:00- too late to look for an apartment or suit.... looks like I'll be spending the rest of my day watching soaps. Bleh"

Looking over to the t.v. he searched for the remote...which apparently wasn't there. He looked over to the side table. Nope not there either. Maybe it fell behind the t.v.? No. Frowning, Li began to hunt for the remote.

"This is ridiculous,'" he said, heaving himself up from where he'd been hanging over the edge of the bed. "remotes do not get up and walk away, they are the tool of the couch-potato....dammit. I'll just have to go down to reception and ask for another."

Grumbling, he went out into the hall, down the elevator, and over to the front desk.

"Hello. Um, I seem to be having a bit of a problem -the remote for my t.v. seems to have...well, disappeared."

"Oh are you Mr. Houjun from room 604? I'm sorry, I thought you had been told.... the remote for that room was malfunctioning, and had to be taken for repairs. You'll be getting it back by tomorrow. Please except my apologies on behalf of the hotel!"

"Well, ok. But make sure it doesn't happen again?"

"Yes, of course! Oh, and Mr. Houjun?"

"Hm?"

"You have an envelope."

With that the lady behind the counter handed him a yellow business envelope. Li took the folder looking at it curiously. 'Whiyde, Finkelstine and Black Law firm', it read.

"Have a nice day!"

Frowning, Li didn't answer as he turned back to his rooms.