Fushigi Yuugi: Everlasting Story

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

Chapter 10: Journey to Sailo

At sunrise, and after breakfast, they began traveling again. Rinrin had informed them that it would be a long journey to get to Sailo, but that with each step they came closer.

Nuriko went to speak with Youjin.

"Is it really such a long journey to get to Sailo?" Youjin asked.

"I don't know. I've never really been there."

"Oh…" They walked in silence for a minute.

"You know…you and Nisou make a very cute couple." Nuriko grinned. Youjin just looked at her, shocked.

"N-Nuriko…"

"Have you kissed her yet?" There was a strange gleam in the Suzaku warrior's eyes.

"W-what?!" Youjin's face turned scarlet.

"You heard me. So, have you?"

"I-it's none of your business!"

"Oh, really? Is it that serious?" Nuriko was becoming amused now, watching Youjin's face turn a deeper shade of red with each word she said.

"Nuriko…" She sweatdropped and turned around, looking at  Nisou's slightly annoyed face. "What're you doing to Youjin?"

"Ohhh, nothing!" Nuriko said quickly, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "I'll leave you two alone now!" She went to join Hotohori…and to flirt with him.

The silence that followed Nuriko's departure was tense. Nisou and Youjin both stared at the ground in front of their feet, neither wanting to look into the other's eyes. Suddenly, they both spoke at the same time,

"About last night…"

"Sorry…you go first," Youjin apologized.

"No, that's okay. You."

"No, really…what were you going to say?"

"Oh…it was nothing, really. I forgot. You?"

"Same here." Another tense moment.

"Look at them, they're so quiet," Nuriko remarked to Hotohori. "Should we do something?"

"What could we possibly do?"

"Well, I…come to think of it, I don't have a clue." Again, there was Nuriko's mischievous smile. "Maybe we can set an example for them?" She put an arm around Hotohori, who blushed.

"N-Nuriko…" He didn't know quite what to say. What could he say to that?

He didn't exactly have a chance, because Nuriko planted a firm kiss on his lips at that moment.

~*~

"GO NURIKO!!!" Miaka shouted, throwing her fist in the air. Yui grinned.

"You sure seem happy for them," she pointed out. They were reading the book while eating sandwiches for lunch.

"Well Nuriko was in love with Hotohori for as long as I can remember," Miaka explained.

"I see…" Yui grinned. "At least she's got the guts to let him know."

"Mom…" Suboshi trailed off. "I thought you said that the story of the four gods was just a legend?"

"Well it is. The one thing I left out was that it's true." Yui explained. "Your name is from one of the Seiryuu scichiseishi, Suboshi, that protected me with his life…twice." She lowered her eyes. "And I hope he and the others rest in peace…"

"So what about the princesses?" Suboshi asked.

"Princesses? You told him they were princesses?" Miaka asked, looking at Yui.

"Well, yeah. I figured it would sound more like a child's story that way." Miaka sweatdropped, but said nothing. And Yui continued to read…

"They came out of the forest and stopped mid-morning to rest," she read. "But all seven seishi felt in their hearts that something was amiss…"

~*~

"You seem tense." Youjin looked at the speaker…Nisou.

"I do?" Nisou nodded. "Yeah, I felt something…not really felt something, but…well, I mean…that is, something doesn't feel right."

"What do you mean?"

"To tell the truth, I'm not sure," Youjin admitted, smiling nervously. "But something feels odd…" They had stopped to rest a bit by the road they traveled on, near a small stream.

"Something does feel off," Nuriko agreed. "But I thought it was just me."

"Is something going to happen?" Nisou asked. "Chiriko, do you have any idea of what's up?"

"Well…" Chiriko paused to think. "The sky. The sky is up." Nisou sweatdropped.

"That's not what I meant…"

"Then what did you mean?" Chiriko looked at her with wide, innocent eyes.

"Just tell me…do you know what's going on?"

"Perhaps because we are Suzaku seishi, we have some sort of sixth sense about danger forthcoming," Chiriko suggested. "I cannot be sure, however, because there are many possibilities."

"Jeez…fuck, I hate feeling like this!" Tasuki snapped. "I feel like somethin's gonna jump outta the damn bushes and attack me or somethin'."

"It's making me uneasy too, no da…"

"I don't like this," Hotohori muttered. The others all agreed.

Nuriko looked at Rinrin. Something felt so familiar about the young girl…

"Nuriko-san, what is it?"

"Nothing, really…" Nuriko muttered. "But I cab;t get over your resemblance to - aaa-CHOO!!!"

"Nuriko, are you catching a cold?" Hotohori asked, his voice full of concern.

"No, I'm alright," she muttered. "I just…I don't know. How strange…"

"Maybe we should get moving again," Mitsukake suggested. "We still have a long way to go."

"But remember…" Rinrin began.

"We know!" The others shouted. "We get closer with every step!"

"Right!"

"Before we go, I'm going to fill the water jugs at that stream we passed a bit earlier," Nisou muttered. "And I need to relieve myself." She stood…Youjin stood as well.

"But you shouldn't go by yourself…"

"Y-Youjin…" Nisou stuttered, blushing.

"I'll go with her," Nuriko mumbled. "Don't worry about it, Youjin. After all, we can't have you getting too physical with the Miko, ne?" She winked at him and followed Nisou into the woods to find the stream.

Youjin was just confused. Too physical…what did that mean? He looked around…Chiriko seemed to be the only member of the party that hadn't busied himself with anything.

"Chiriko…" he began, sitting beside the boy. "You heard what Nuriko said, right?"

"Yes…why? What's wrong, Youjin?"

"Well, uh…what did she mean when she said that?" Chiriko looked startled.

"You don't know…?"

"Know what?"

"Oh gods, I can't believe you didn't know," Chiriko muttered. Youjin frowned.

"Know what?! Just tell me!" he snapped. But then Chiriko looked like he was about to cry, and Youjin apologized for yelling. "But please tell me what you mean."

"Taiitsukun told Miaka first, and she told Tamahome, and then it seemed like everyone knew…I'm sorry, I didn't realize that you and Nisou didn't know." He took a deep breath. "What Nuriko meant is that…well, um," he paused, feeling a bit antsy about to subject. "The Miko must…uh, she must be a virgin. And unspoiled…"

"She must be…so then, I can't…I can't touch her," he muttered. "I have to stay away from her."

"Until Suzaku is summoned, that is the case," Chiriko agreed. "I-I'm very sorry to have to tell you that way-"

"No, it's alright. It's good that you said something before it was too late, or else all of this would be for nothing…"

~*~

"What did you mean?" Nisou looked at Nuriko as they searched for the stream. "Not get too physical? What was that supposed to mean?"

"You two shouldn't get too close," Nuriko said. "That's what I meant."

"And why not? What's so wrong with-"

"Until Suzaku has been summoned, the Miko must remain a virgin," Nuriko interrupted…and Nisou couldn't say anything against that. "I'd suggest being a bit more careful from now on." Nuriko turned her back on the startled Miko and looked around. "I don't see this stream anywhere…"

Nisou felt something odd. A moment of uneasiness. And hands…hands, reaching out from the forest. They smothered her and lifted her from her feet, dragging her further into the forest. She reached out, trying to call for Nuriko's help…but darkness suffocated her, and she knew nothing more.

Nuriko felt something was amiss. She turned around to find Nisou, who had become strangely quiet, and saw no one.

"Nisou?" she called. "Hey, where are you? Nisou!!" She cursed under her breath and ran to get the others.

"Nuriko? What's wrong?" Hotohori asked, seeing her run from the forest in a hurry.

"It's Nisou…! She…she…" Nuriko could barely get the words out.

"What is it? What happened to Nisou?" Youjin shouted, jumping up.

"She's gone!"