Disclaimer: The characters of Fushigi Yuugi belong to Yuu Watase. But any new characters belong to me. ^_^
Took a while to get this one done. Started to get a little bit of writer's block. XP
Chapter 7: Does this ever END or what?!They had been walking all day.
Nisou wasn't used to so much walking.
After all, her school was near her house, and she hardly did this much walking.
She was NOT happy.
Looking at Youjin, who seemed perfectly happy walking, she frowned.
"You're so quiet," she muttered, walking beside him.
"Hmm?" He looked distracted.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Youjin muttered. "I'm fine."
"No you're not," Nisou objected. "It's not nice to lie…and you shouldn't keep everything hidden away."
"Nisou-san is right!" Rinrin chirped. "Tell us what's wrong?"
"To tell the truth, I don't know…" Youjin said quietly. "I just…nothing should be wrong. But I can't help being worried…"
"Worried? What're you worried about?"
"I don't know if it's me worrying or Tamahome, but I keep wondering if my mom's okay…if she was in the book before, she may already know that we're here…"
"Come to think of it…well, I guess I'm wondering if my mom knows that I'm okay right now," Nisou muttered quietly. "I just ran off last night…I didn't mean to, but I…" She sighed. "I lost my head."
"What happened?" Nisou shook her head.
"Everything seemed wrong, you know? Home, school…"
"You go to what's-it-called…Jonan, right?" Youjin interrupted.
"Huh? Yeah…and I hate it."
"Then why are you going there?"
"Dunno." Nisou shrugged. "I guess I didn't exactly have a choice. I wanted to go to Yotsubadai, but I decided to take Jonan's exam anyways, and I got in…and my mom was really happy because all of my relatives have gone there…I thought it might be fun. But everyone's so stuck-up there…"
"I see."
"You go to Yotsubadai, right?" Youjin nodded. "How do you like it?"
"It's okay, I guess…I'm not really the best at making friends though, so I couldn't really tell you what most of the people are like. Actually, I've been known to make enemies without trying."
"That must be awful…"
"Yeah, especially this one guy…Yotarou Akutama. He seems to hate me."
"Akutama? I've heard that somewhere before…" Nisou stopped walking, lost in thought. "I know! He practically follows me home from school every day! I never figured out why…my mom said it was because he liked me, but…it's kinda scary." She giggled.
"So he's a bully and a stalker?" Youjin asked with a grin. Nisou nodded and laughed. Suddenly, she stopped and stared at Youjin. "What? Is something on my face?"
"No," Nisou whispered. "I just realized…that was probably the first time I've seen a genuine smile on your face." She grinned. "I don't see why you don't use that face more often…it really looks good on you." Youjin blushed and muttered a quick 'thank-you', and then was silent.
By lunchtime, they had come to a pub near the border of Konan. Nuriko frowned; the area looked familiar…
They entered the pub and went to the nearest empty table. Nisou sat down on the wooden bench and sighed.
"I am so tired of walking…" she muttered.
"It's so nice just to sit down again," Nuriko agreed. She grinned and looked at Hotohori, who had chosen to sit down beside her. "Feels like old times again, ne, Heika- I mean, Hotohori?"
"Um…yes, I suppose it does," Hotohori told her with a smile. They held their positions for a minute before they realized that they were staring, and both looked at the wooden table in front of them.
"I guess the next thing to do is find the Shinzaho in Konan, no da," Chichiri muttered. "But where can we find it?"
"We have to think like Miaka…" Nuriko trailed off.
"I bet anything it'll have to do with Tamahome, if it's got to do with Miaka's heart," Chiriko suggested.
"That's right!" Nuriko shouted, jumping up and throwing a fist down on the table…which coincidentally broke.
"Nuriko…" Hotohori trailed off.
"Sorry, it was an accident!" They moved to a different table, ignoring the quizzical looks they received from other guests at the pub.
"Okay, I don't think either Youjin or I will be much help finding this Miracle Grow (which I do not own, by the way ^_^;;)…yeah, whatever it is," Nisou muttered. "Neither of us knows much about this world, and I don't know anything about…about Miaka. In fact, I'd like to know a bit more about what's happened…and what you guys left unfinished or whatever- hey! Where'd Rinrin go?" The small pink-eyed girl had disappeared.
"I knew she was a spy!" Nuriko jumped up. "She probably went to report back to…back to…"
"The big tall scary man she was talking about?" Youjin offered.
"Yeah! Oh, that pisses me off! And I trusted her, too!" Nuriko balled her hands into fists and slammed her hand down, stopping a few inches from the table. "Hah! I didn't hit it this time!"
~*~
"I have to admit, she's doing better than either of us," Yui muttered.
"You're right about that," Miaka agreed. "She hasn't had any problem collecting the warriors, and she hasn't gotten sick or had any murder attempts or anything…all she really needs to do is find the Shinzahos."
"Yeah, but that seems like it will be a problem…" Yui frowned and began to read from the book again.
"What, may I ask, is a Shinzaho?" Kouko asked, looking over Yui's shoulder at the illustration in the book.
"Something…worn by the Miko when she summons the beast god," Miaka explained, twisting her golden wedding band on her finger. She looked back at the book for a minute and sighed. "Taka…please watch over our son, and lend him your strength."
~*~
"We don't have time to worry about where Rinrin's gone," Nuriko said. "We have to concentrate on the Shinzaho." They left the pub and looked around the town they were in.
"It's pretty quiet here," Youjin muttered, looking around. The village was small, and looked mostly like a farming village. Something about the place seemed so familiar…
"Where exactly are we?" Nisou asked.
"I believe we are near Konan's northern border," Hotohori said. "But I'm not sure."
"That seems about right, no da…"
Suddenly, something clicked in Youjin's mind, as well as Nuriko's. They each looked at each other and nodded, running through the street. The others ran to catch up with them.
It was all there…or not there, however you want to look at it. In four years, nothing had changed. Nisou, seeing the wreckage, gasped and whispered,
"This is…awful."
~*~
"What was that?!" Miaka shrieked, pushing Yui out of the way and looking at the book.
"Miaka, calm down…" Yui mumbled, taking the book back. "What's wrong?"
"Do you think…do you think that's where the Shinzaho is?"
"I dunno, maybe." Yui shrugged. "What's so special about the place, anyways?" Miaka proceeded to explain the importance of the village. Yui nodded grimly. "It's possible that the Shinzaho is there…but I can't be certain. After all, it follows your heart, remember?"
"Yeah, I know…oh, I hope they'll be alright…"
