Fushigi Yuugi: Everlasting Story

Disclaimer: The characters of Fushigi Yuugi belong to Yuu Watase. But any new characters belong to me. ^_^

Forgot to mention that Hotohori is no longer the emperor. Yeah, he still looks kinda similar to the way he used to and he acts sorta the same too, but he was reborn as a *erm…* commoner. (Didn't have another word for it.) That's the story with all of 'em…they probably have different real names, too, but I don't think they come up in this fic.

Chapter 5: Suzaku no Miko Chapter 5: Suzaku no Miko

"Taiitsukun, I'm sure I speak for all of us when I ask…what exactly is going on?" Nuriko asked.

"Very well then, I suppose it's time I told you everything…"

"Past time, if you ask me," Youjin muttered. Taiitsukun send a murderous glare in his direction and he immediately shut up.

"A…disturbing event has occurred," Taiitsukun explained.

"I have a bad feeling about this already," Tasuki muttered. "Damn it, I was hoping we were done with all this fighting shit!"

"Yes, well, something was left unfinished," Taiitsukun snapped. "If you'll let me continue…"

"Tasuki, shut up," Nuriko said.

"Fine then."

"As I was saying, some things were left unfinished when the last Miko left this world for the last time. It is the job of the next Miko to fix these things," Taiitsukun explained. "The Gods have made their decision that is the job of the Suzaku seishi only because you were the easiest group to assemble in such a short amount of time."

"I bet we all feel very lucky," Youjin whispered to himself.

"Can I ask a quick question?" Nisou asked. Taiitsukun turned towards her.

"Go ahead, young lady."

"I'll probably regret asking this, but…who exactly is this Miko?"

"Yeah. It's nice to know who we're protecting," Nuriko trailed off.

"Suzaku no Miko is…you, Nisou. If you will accept the task."

~*~

Kouko nearly fainted. First her daughter was pulled into this book…and now they wanted her to summon a god? It was too much to believe…

"Um…Kouko? Are you alright?" Miaka asked.

"No, I'm not alright," Kouko snapped. "How could I be alright?! My daughter has been pulled into a book, for heaven's sake!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean…look, I know it must be hard, but…"

"I want my daughter back, Miaka! How do I bring her back?" Kouko slammed her hand down on the book. "How do I get her out of there?!" Miaka and Yui looked at each other.

"Kouko…there's no way for you to help your daughter when she's in the book," Miaka explained with a sigh. "And you can't bring her back."

"Wha…Miaka, there has to be something we can do! Please…" Tears were rolling down her cheeks as she pleaded with Miaka.

"I'm sorry, but it's true," Yui said. "You can't help Nisou any more than Keisuke or I could help Miaka when she was inside the book. All we can do now is read…and pray that they return safely."

The sacrifice that Nisou would have to make stayed in the back of Yui's mind. "What if she's not strong enough?" She had a feeling that Kouko wouldn't be able to handle the possibility that Nisou may never return, but she wouldn't be able to forgive herself if the girl was taken by Suzaku…

"Nisou, please…give it all of your strength," Yui prayed silently. "You have to return…"

~*~

"M-me?! You…you want me to be the Miko?" Nisou shouted. "But why?"

"No one chose you to be Suzaku no Miko," Taiitsukun. "Nor did they choose their other Mikos. But the ones destined to fill the job…the ones with the strength of will were drawn into this world, in one way or another. I called the Miko, that's true, but I didn't specifically call you."

A tense moment of silence followed.

"Will you accept your responsibility as Suzaku no Miko?" Taiitsukun asked. Nisou felt the eyes of the seven warriors on her…there was so much tension in their gazes…everything depended upon her answer.

Finally, she surrendered.

"What…what do I have to do?" Taiitsukun smiled a little.

"You must summon Suzaku…and make a wish," she explained. "You will get three, and we only require one. So the other two will remain up to you."

"And…and that's it?"

"Not quite." Nisou frowned…of course things wouldn't be that easy. They never were. "To summon Suzaku, you must find the four Shinzahos."

"What's a Shinzaho?"

"It is a talisman, something worn by the Miko when she summons a beast god. There are four of them, like I said before, and while three of their locations are known, the fourth remains hidden."

"So…first of all, can you tell us where the three Shinzahos are that're not hidden?" Nisou asked.

"You'll find them in Sailo. The fourth Shinzaho, from the last Suzaku summoning, is somewhere in Konan."

"So…the fourth Shinzaho…was something of Miaka's?" Nuriko asked.

"Yes…the wedding ring she wore when she summoned Suzaku," Taiitsukun explained. "And you will find it in Konan. You should not have much trouble locating the other three Shinzahos."

"Can you give us any clues to where we'll find the one here, though?" Nisou queried. "Anything…anything to go on?"

"I can tell you this: to find it, you must try to think like Miaka. It will follow her heart. Good luck to you, and I will see you again when you find the Shinzahos."

~*~

"My wedding ring…?"

"Miaka…"

"Yui?"

"What wedding ring?"

"It's nothing."

"It seems important." Yui gave Miaka the 'tell or die' look.

"I can't believe I never told you about that…" Miaka blushed scarlet. "When you returned me to this world and Tamahome came with me, we knew that we might not see each other again…so…um, yeah."

"But you didn't…"

"No!" Miaka coughed. "I mean, I had to be, er…anyways…"

"I never thought you'd take that ring off…but I didn't know how much it meant to you," Yui muttered. "What happened to it?"

"I don't know," Miaka whispered. "I was so upset when I lost it…I thought it had slipped off in the shower or something…I lost it right about the time that…that he…" She didn't say any more, knowing that she would be unable to keep herself from crying.

"It's okay, Miaka…" Yui hugged her friend.

"I had hoped that this was all over with," Miaka sobbed. "Why will it never end?" She looked at Yui with watery eyes.

"We both hoped that it was…oh, Miaka…everything will work out," Yui whispered.

"I hope so, Yui…I really do."

~*~

Taiitsukun disappeared, leaving the Suzaku seishi and their Miko in silence. They sat in thought for a minute before Nisou asked,

"So, where should we start?"

"Think like Miaka…" Chiriko muttered.

"Try the nearest restaurant," Tasuki suggested. Youjin laughed.

"That sounds a lot like my mom, all right!" he said between laughs. Suddenly, he was quiet…he felt eyes, from…from somewhere…

"Somethin' wrong, kid?" Tasuki asked. Youjin blinked and looked at the fire-haired bandit.

"N-nah, just thought I heard something," he whispered. Then, as an afterthought, he added, "And don't call me kid."

"I'll call ya whatever I damn well please, kid," Tasuki said, grinning. It was so easy to get the kid riled up…

"Damn it, Tasuki! What'd I just say?!" Youjin stood, balling his hands into fists, ready to fight.

"I dunno, what did you say…kid?" He grinned again. This was so…much…fun!

"Oh jeez…!" Nuriko sighed, putting a delicate hand over her face. "Not again…"

"Tasuki, Youjin," Chichiri said, "We have more important things to worry about, no da." Youjin relaxed and sighed.

"Yeah, I guess you're right…" He stopped again. There was that noise…!

"Youjin? You okay, no da?"

"Did…did anyone hear that noise?" he asked. The others were quiet for a minute, but heard nothing. "I must be going crazy or something…" He sat down in the ground and put a hand on his forehead. "Talk about stress…"

Nisou sat down beside him and put a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Youjin…" she whispered. "I know how you feel. It's been a long day."

"Y'know, I have to give my thanks to Taiitsukun for bringing us all here and dropping us in the middle of nowhere with no supplies and nowhere to stay," Nuriko muttered. "Maybe it would be a good idea to find a place to set up for the night?"

"I think Nuriko's right," Hotohori agreed. "It's starting to get dark."

"Jeez…! Where'd the time go?" Youjin said. "It was morning back home…"

"Back home? Do you mean in your world?" Tasuki asked. Youjin rolled his eyes and replied,

"Duhhh…"

"What the hell is with that attitude, kid?! I was just asking a fucking question!"

"Damn it Tasuki! Don't! Call! Me! Kid!!"

"I'll call you whatever the hell I want to, kid!"

"Think happy thoughts," Nuriko whispered. "Count to ten. One…two…three…"

"Nuriko?" Hotohori sent the fuming seishi a questioning look.

"Anger management," she muttered. "Four…five…six…ah, damn, this isn't working." She yelled at the two fighting seishi, "CUT IT OUT BEFORE I DO IT FOR YOU!" Immediately, Tasuki and Youjin froze.

"Er…sorry," Youjin apologized after a moment. "I guess that Fang-boy kinda pissed me off…"

"FANG-BOY?! You little…I'll get you, damn it!" This time, when Tasuki began to chase Youjin, Nuriko stopped him first with her gift of strength. "Agh…Nuriko, Let me go! I'll teach that little dipshit a lesson!"

"Tasuki, we don't have time for this!" Nuriko snapped. "I'm serious! Calm down…we still need to find these Shinzahos!"

"Agh, damn it…you're right," Tasuki muttered. "Just…let go of me, okay Nuriko? Ah, damn, it's still so weird lookin' at you as a girl…" Nuriko smiled.

"What? Aren't I still as beautiful as I was before?"

"You people…" Nisou muttered. "You're so weird…"