* * * * *

* * * * *

Legal Stuff: Let's just say that even in my wildest dreams I can still only *wish* that I created/owned Fushigi Yuugi. It's actual owners are Yuu Watase, Flower Comics, and Shogakukan Inc. I'm not taking credit for their hard work and I don't think you should either.

* * * * *

Author's Note: My information on the names of the Byakko Seven and the locations of their symbols comes from "Byakko no Shijin Tenchisho" at http://garuby.com/byakko/ I suggest you take a look there, it's quite nice.

* * * * *

* * * * *

In The Beginning...

A Fushigi Yuugi Prequel

By: 18th Angel

* * * * *

Chapter Two

To Seek the Seven Stars

* * * * *

Outside, night had fallen. The rain that had lasted all day still hammered down on the roof above, occasionally punctuated by a peal of thunder in the distance. But Oosugi Takao was oblivious to the forces of nature raging above his head. His attention was focused on the ancient book in front of him.

The young girl and Toroki had finally reached the Imperial City. There they would find out once and for all the girl's true purpose for being there...

* * * * *

"How's that ankle?" Toroki asked as they passed through the streets of Sairo's Imperial City.

"It doesn't hurt as much now. It may not even be broken." Suzuno said absently. Currently, her attention was being drawn far away from the pain in her ankle. She had never seen anything like the Imperial City before. It was like...well like a storybook come to life, which made perfect sense, as it was exactly that.

"The Palace is just a little further." Toroki said, pointing to a large group of buildings ahead of them. "We'll have a doctor take a look at it once we get there."

"You act like you've been there before."

"I have." Toroki replied. "Once, when I was very little, my parents took me there."

"Did you meet the Empress?" Suzuno asked.

"Uh...we....may have...bumped into each other...I guess."

* * * * *

"TOROKI!"

Toroki seemed just as surprised as the guards and courtiers arrayed throughout the throne room when the young woman leaped off of her throne and ran to embrace him.

"Uh...Jianna....I mean...Your Highness....Uh....I mean....." Toroki desperately sought the right words.

"I didn't think I'd ever see you again!" The girl went on, oblivious to Toroki's discomfort.

"Highness, do you know this...boy?"

Suzuno found herself sympathizing with the elderly advisor. His Empress had just thrown herself into the arms of a peasant boy he had never seen before. The Empress' bodyguards seemed unsure of how to react as well.

The young woman gave her advisor a look that held, in one instant, all the combined disdain of an Empress and a teenaged girl. The old man withered under that gaze.

"Of course I know him." The Empress said. "This is Toroki, one of the Byakko Seven, don't you recognize him?" A strange look came over her face. She took a step back. "You are Toroki, aren't you?" She asked, looking slightly embarrassed.

Toroki smiled and held up his arm, displaying the glowing symbol on his wrist. "It's me." He said.

"Then if you're back that means..." The Empress immediately shifted her gaze to Suzuno. "That means you must be the Priestess of Byakko!"

"I...don't know." Suzuno said.

"This is Oosugi Suzuno." Toroki said. "My father thinks she may be the Priestess."

"It's an honor to meet you." The young Empress said. "I am Hseng Jianna, Fourteenth Empress of Sairo."

"Highness, Suzuno's ankle was injured on the way here." Toroki said. "May I take her to a doctor before she speaks with you?"

"Of course." The Empress said. "I'll have my own physician tend to her."

* * * * *

"So you and the Empress are friends?" Suzuno asked. She and Toroki had been put in a small but comfortable room to wait for the Imperial physician to take care of her.

Toroki nodded. "We met when we were just children. When her father was Emperor." He said, a hint of nostalgia in his voice. "But I didn't know she was the Princess at first."

"How could you not know she was a princess?" Suzuno asked.

"Well that's a long story."

"And I'm not going anywhere for a while." Suzuno replied, indicating her swollen ankle.

Toroki smiled and sat down next to her. "Well, it happened when I was about five years old...

* * * * *

* * * * *

"Who is next?" The aging Emperor asked.

"Chao Shien of Tso-Pao." An advisor read from a long list of names. "They claim he bears the mark of Toroki."

"Very well. Send him in."

A young couple was led into the throne room. They wore the simple clothes of subsistence farmers and seemed in awe at their surroundings. A little boy with dark brown hair walked between them. Where his parents were almost timid in the presence of the Emperor, their son seemed completely oblivious to the importance of the old man. He bowed when they reached the throne, but it seemed more that he was emulating his parents than anything else.

"So you claim this boy is Toroki of the Byakko Seven?" The Emperor spoke to the boy's father.

"Yes, Your Highness. He was born with the symbol."

The Emperor signaled one of his advisors. At the man's request, the boy politely rolled up his right sleeve, revealing a dull gray symbol on his wrist. Rubbing with a wet cloth confirmed that the mark was not painted on.

"The mark would appear to be genuine, Highness."

"That's good." The Emperor said. "However, more proof is needed before the boy will be accepted as a Warrior of Byakko." He turned back to the boy and his parents. "Please consider yourselves guests of the Imperial Family until we can confirm or deny your claim."

"Thank you, Highness." The boy's father said, bowing as low as possible.

"The valet will see you to your quarters."

* * * * *

The little boy spent the next few days in a small nursery with several other children ranging in age from infants to adolescents. He kept mostly to himself, not liking being separated from his parents. But by the time he left, three weeks later, he had made two new friends. The first was a tall, thin boy six years his elder with long blue hair and piercing gray eyes. The older boy noticed him sitting alone in a corner for the second day in a row and approached him.

"What's your name?" He asked.

The younger boy hesitated for a moment. "Chao Shien." He finally said.

"No, no." The older boy said. "I mean your real name."

"My....my parents always call me Toroki."

"Toroki huh?" He smiled and puffed up his chest. "I'm Karasuki, of the Byakko Seven." He said proudly.

"You're really a Warrior of Byakko?" Toroki asked.

Karasuki's brow furrowed a little. "Well, they keep saying that it's not 'official' yet. But I know I'm Karasuki so eventually they'll figure it out too."

"How do you know you're really Karasuki?"

Karasuki smiled again. "Because Byakko's already given me my powers."

And they're really neat, too.

Toroki looked around quickly, trying to see who had spoken. The voice had been Karasuki's but his mouth hadn't moved.

When you're done looking around, I'm still right here.

Toroki looked back at Karasuki. The older boy smiled, obviously very amused with himself.

"How did you do that?"

"It's my gift." Karasuki said. "No one else can hear it unless I want them too."

"Wow." Toroki seemed impressed.

"What about you?" Karasuki asked. "Can you do anything?"

"Not really......" Toroki said. "Well except..."

"What?"

"No." Toroki shook his head. "It's dumb."

"Come on! Tell me!" Karasuki insisted.

"Well...I'm the only person who can ride Hino. That's our mule. She bucks everyone else off."

"Hmm...That's not much of a power..." Karasuki agreed.

"I know." Toroki said dejectedly. "I don't think I'm a Byakko Warrior."

"That's too bad." Karasuki said. He shrugged. "Well, I'll still be your friend as long as you're here."

* * * * *

By the end of the first week, all the other children had been sent home. Only Toroki and Karasuki remained. Every once in a while, Toroki was taken from the nursery into a small classroom where he was given various tests, most of them involving the mark on his wrist.

Sometimes Karasuki would be taken away, and every time Toroki feared his friend would be sent home and they would never meet again. But Karasuki always came back with a smile on his face. Toroki had no idea how he was doing in the tests, but Karasuki obviously believed that he was doing very well.

Toroki was sitting alone one day, waiting for Karasuki to return from the latest round of tests, when a girl his age came into the nursery. She had black hair and sky blue eyes. She smiled when she saw him. The little girl walked right up to Toroki and sat down next to him.

"Why are you all alone here?" She asked.

"I'm not alone. I'm just waiting for Karasuki to get back." Toroki said.

"Oh!" The girl's face lit up at the mention of Karasuki. "Are you one of the Byakko Seven?"

"My parents think so. But I don't know." Toroki said.

"Can I see your mark?" She asked excitedly.

By now, Toroki was used to having people examine his wrist. He held it up so she could see the symbol.

"Wow!" The girl gently took hold of his wrist and examined the mark. "So if you have this mark...." She thought for a moment. "Then your name's Toroki, right?"

"That's what everyone calls me."

"But you don't think you're the Toroki?"

"Well...It's just that...I can't do anything." Toroki said. "You know, like Karasuki can."

"Maybe you just haven't found what you're good at yet." She suggested.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed from down the hall, approaching them.

"I have to go now." The girl said. "Will you be here tomorrow?"

Toroki nodded. The girl smiled and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Toroki called after her. She turned to face him again. "You never told me your name."

The girl seemed to take a moment to consider her answer. "It's Jianna." She finally said. "I'll see you tomorrow, Toroki." With a final smile and a quick wave, she took off down another hallway, heading away from the approaching footsteps.

* * * * *

Toroki and Jianna met again the next day, and the day after that. Jianna seemed to have a knack for showing up right after Karasuki left and disappearing before he returned.

The third day, she showed up with a thick line of brown fur draped across her shoulders. At first, Toroki took it to be a part of her clothes. That is, until it started moving.

"What is that?" Toroki asked. He stared intently at the piece of fur and suddenly found a pair of clear black eyes staring back at him.

"Oh him." Jianna giggled. "I forgot he was even there." She reached up and plucked a small ferret off of her shoulders. "This is Ping."

Toroki reached out to pet the little animal. "Careful!" Jianna cried, but Toroki's hand was already on the ferret's head, scratching it lightly between the ears. "He...bites..." Jianna trailed off. She stared in awe at Toroki. "How did you do that?" She finally asked. "Ping never lets anyone except me touch him."

"Animals just like me." Toroki said with a shrug. "Even wild ones."

Jianna smiled. "You really are Toroki." She said.

"What do you mean?"

"Only a Celestial Warrior could pet Ping without getting bit."

* * * * *

* * * * *

"Well I guess she was right." Toroki said.

"So when did you find out she was the Princess?" Suzuno asked, wincing a bit as the doctor examined her ankle.

"Not until the last time I saw her." Toroki said.

* * * * *

* * * * *

"I made it, Toroki!" Karasuki exclaimed as they walked toward the throne room. "I passed all the tests!"

"Me too!" Toroki said happily.

"So you really are Toroki."

Toroki nodded, beaming with pride.

They found the entire Imperial Court awaiting them in the throne room.

"Out of nearly one hundred children brought before us, these two have proven themselves to be genuine Warriors of Byakko." The Emperor announced. "I present Fah Soun and Chao Shien; to be known from now on as Karasuki and Toroki of the Byakko Seven."

Everyone in the room bowed to the two boys, both of whom were struck speechless by their newfound fame.

* * * * *

Later, when the ceremony had been completed, the Emperor took Toroki's parents aside. Toroki was asleep in his mother's arms, exhausted by the day's events.

"It seems I owe you a great debt of gratitude." He said. "Some day, your boy will help save all of Sairo. Thank you for bringing him here."

"We were honored to, Your Highness." Toroki's father replied, bowing. "I only wish that more than two Warriors could have been found."

"I'm sure you heard that Karasuki will be raised in the Palace from now on."

"You mean...?" Toroki's mother seemed to tighten her grip on her sleeping son.

"No. Do not mistake me. It was at his mother's request. I am simply offering to give Toroki the same opportunities as Karasuki." He smiled. "But I think I already know your answer."

"Please do not be offended, Highness. But...we cannot accept you offer. I apologize."

"There is no need for apologies." The Emperor said, smiling. "Our children are all we really have in life. I could no more ask you to give up your son, than I could give up my own daughter."

"Thank you, Your Highness." Toroki's father said. "For everything."

* * * * *

"So you're leaving?" Karasuki seemed a bit upset.

Toroki nodded. "We have to go back home now."

"Well...It's going to be kind of boring around here without you."

"You're not...mad at me are you?" Toroki asked.

The older boy smiled. "Of course not. You should live with your parents. I would...if mother could afford it."

"I'll miss you." Toroki said.

"Me too." His friend replied. "But we know it's not forever. One day the Priestess of Byakko will come here from her own world. And then it'll be you and me, Warriors of Byakko, fighting for our Priestess!" He smiled and ruffled his young friend's hair, sending it into even further disarray than usual. "I'll see you then!" He turned and walked away, waving good-bye one last time before he disappeared into the palace.

"Toroki, go make sure we haven't left anything."

"Yes father." Toroki walked quickly back to the small apartment where they had lived for the past few weeks. He was surprised to see Jianna waiting for him.

"Congratulations." She said quietly.

"Thank you." Toroki said.

"Are you ever going to come back?" She asked.

"Of course." Toroki said. "Father says they'll send for me when the Priestess appears."

"Do you think you'll ever come just to visit?"

"I don't know." Toroki said.

Jianna whispered something.

"What?" Toroki asked.

"I said I wish I could be the Priestess of Byakko. Then you wouldn't have to leave at all." She ran to Toroki and wrapped her arms around him. "Will you protect me Toroki?" She asked. "When we're all grown up and you're a Warrior. Even though I'm not your Priestess. Will you still protect me?"

"Yes." Toroki said, returning her embrace. "I will."

"Promise?"

Before Toroki had a chance to answer, they were interrupted by a sound at the door.

"Princess Jianna! There you are!" A young woman rushed into the room out of breath and looking very worried. "Please don't run off like this anymore, Princess." She begged the little girl.

"It's alright Miss Lin." Jianna said. "I was with Toroki."

"Princess?" Toroki asked, astonished.

"I'm sorry." Jianna said. "I didn't tell you, because I just wanted you to think of me as a normal kid, not the next Empress."

"Please come along Princess." The young woman rushed Jianna out the door. Toroki called out to her just as they were leaving.

"I promise!" He said. "When you're the Empress and I'm a Warrior, I'll protect you, even though you aren't my Priestess. I promise."

And then she was gone.

* * * * *

* * * * *

"And you never saw her again?" Suzuno asked.

"Not until today." Toroki said. "I never saw Karasuki again either."

"Well this ankle doesn't look broken." The doctor said, standing up. "I'd say you probably just twisted it. Go easy on it for the next few days."

Suzuno nodded. "Thank you, Doctor."

The doctor turned to Toroki. "I couldn't help overhearing your story, young man." He said. "I think I know your friend Karasuki."

"He's still here?" Toroki asked.

"Oh yes." The doctor said. "Works in the Royal Archives I believe. He's a very nice young man. Bit of a bookworm though."

"A bookworm?" Toroki repeated. "That doesn't sound like Karasuki."

The doctor shrugged. "I believe Her Highness is waiting for you both."

* * * * *

The throne room had emptied out a little when Toroki led Suzuno in to meet the Empress. Before, she had been wearing a simple but elegant silk dress. Now she wore the extravagant robes of an Empress. Her long black hair was pulled back tightly into a long braid and hidden under a small crown. However, Jianna now looked far less comfortable than she had before. Toroki got the feeling that she didn't wear the 'official' clothes of Royalty except when she absolutely had to. She smiled as they approached; the same friendly, welcoming smile she had given Toroki the day they met.

Toroki bowed before her, gesturing for Suzuno to follow suit, which she did. Jianna smiled. "Leave us, please." She said to her advisors. They bowed and filed out of the throne room, leaving Toroki and Suzuno alone with the Empress.

As soon as they were gone, Jianna stood up. "Now quit all the bowing and scraping and 'Your Highness' business Toroki." She said. "It's embarrassing." Toroki smiled and stood up, just in time to receive another warm embrace from Jianna. "I really am glad to see you again, Toroki."

"Me too, High...Jianna." Toroki said, stumbling a bit over the informal address.

Jianna released him and turned to Suzuno. "And you are the Priestess of Byakko, right?"

"I...don't know." Suzuno said. "I was hoping you could tell me."

"All right then." Jianna replied. She took hold of Suzuno's shoulders and looked into her eyes. "You are the Priestess of Byakko."

"Huh?"

"You're the only one who can decide if you are the Priestess or not." Jianna explained. "All you need do is accept the duties of the Priestess."

"Duties?" Suzuno asked. "I can't do duties. I have to get back to my world."

"And you can." Jianna assured her. "The mission of the Priestess is to gather the Seven Warriors of Byakko. Once you have done that, Byakko will grant you three wishes. Any three wishes."

"You can wish for Byakko to send you home." Toroki said.

Well this is just typical. I work my fingers to the bone in the archives every day for *Eleven Years* trying to find out where and when the Priestess of Byakko will appear. And then you come along and trip over her in a field!

"KARASUKI!" Toroki turned to see his old friend standing in the doorway. At least, he was fairly sure it was Karasuki. The man before him had the same light blue hair and gray eyes as when he was a child. But now the hair was cut short and the eyes were hidden behind a tiny pair of spectacles. Karasuki now looked...respectable. A far cry from the unkempt boy Toroki had made friends with eleven years before. "What on Earth did they do to you?"

"They sent me to live with a librarian." Karasuki answered. "It's good to see you again." Toroki nodded in agreement. "So you found our Priestess?"

Toroki nodded again and gestured to Suzuno. "Karasuki, meet Oosugi Suzuno, the Priestess of Byakko."

"Priestess." Karasuki bowed. "It's an honor to finally meet you."

"Perhaps you could explain to Suzuno exactly what it means to be Priestess, Karasuki." Jianna suggested.

"Of course, Highness." He turned to Suzuno. "If you'll come with me Priestess, I'll explain everything." He led Suzuno out of the throne room, leaving Toroki alone with Jianna.

"How have you been, Toroki?" She asked.

"I've been all right." Toroki said. "I...heard about your father. I'm sorry. He was a great man."

Jianna hung her head and nodded slightly. "Thank you."

Toroki hesitated before asking his next question. "How long until the attack? Will we have time to find the others?"

Jianna hesitated even more before answering.

"I hope so." She finally said. "But I don't know."

* * * * *

"The Heavens above us are divided into four quadrants. Each contains seven of the twenty-eight cardinal points, represented by constellations. Here in the West, the Seven Stars are Tokaki, Toroki, Amefuri, Karasuki, Subaru, Kokie, and Tatara; all guarded by Byakko, the White Tiger of the West. The North, East, and South have their own Guardian Gods; Genbu, Seiryu, and Suzaku, respectively, each with their own seven star signs." Karasuki explained. "When a Priestess from another world gathers the seven Celestial Warriors of one of the Gods together, she can summon that God. Your task is to find the remaining five Warriors of Byakko. Do you understand?"

"I think so." Suzuno said. "I have to find five more people before I can go home."

"That's right." Toroki walked briskly into the room followed by the Empress. "And we have to move fast. There's no time to lose."

"What do you mean, Toroki?" Suzuno asked. "I mean, I'm anxious to get home, but you act like it's life-or-death."

"It may very well be, Priestess." The Empress said.

"Kutou?" Karasuki asked.

Toroki nodded. "They're beginning to move again."

"Two more villages fell last night."

"I must have missed something." Suzuno said, taking in the grim expressions on her companions' faces. "What's Kutou?"

"Kutou is the nation to the east of Sairo." Jianna said. "They used to be peaceful, but then one of their generals took over and declared himself Emperor. Since then, they've been waging war on the countries around them. Now they're coming here. They've already begun attacking small towns on their way here. Soon, they will attack Sairo itself."

"That's how I knew you had to be the Priestess." Toroki said. "A girl from another world who appeared just when we needed you the most."

"Needed me?"

"Yes." Jianna said. "Our own army cannot stand against Kutou. Only the power of Byakko can save us now. That is why you must find the remaining five Celestial Warriors as quickly as possible. Please, I beg of you."

"All right." Suzuno said. "I'll do it. I'll be your Priestess. But how are we going to find the other five Warriors."

"With this." Karasuki said, taking a small scroll from the table. "This was given to the first Emperor of Sairo by Taiitsukun. It is Byakko's Universe of the Four Gods."

"Universe of the Four Gods?" Suzuno exclaimed. "But that's the book that brought me to this world!"

Karasuki shook his head. "This is not the complete Universe of the Four Gods." He said. "It only pertains to our God, Byakko. It contains clues as to where the Warriors of Byakko may be found, and instructions for the ceremony to summon Byakko."

"So this scroll tells us where the other Warriors are?" Suzuno asked. "Great! Let's go find them!"

"Uh...it's...not exactly that simple." Karasuki said.

"Huh?"

"The scroll contains clues about the identities of the Warriors of Byakko. It doesn't come right out and say where they are. For example; it says that Karasuki will be found 'in a house of knowledge'." He gestured at the stacks of books and scrolls around them. "As you can see; true, but not what you'd call descriptive. And the scroll itself is written in an ancient dialect, so translating it is also difficult."

"Oh, this is hopeless!" Suzuno cried. "Is there any good news?"

"Well, yes." Karasuki said. "I think I know where we should look for the next Warrior."

"Where?" Toroki asked.

"Look here." Karasuki pointed to a section of the scroll. "'In the southern kingdom, you will find the lord of all things that grow in the earth, Tatara.' I believe we should start looking for Tatara in Konan."

"Of course!" Jianna said. "'The southern kingdom'. That must be Konan!"

"We should leave as soon as Suzuno is ready to travel." Toroki said.

"Right now!" Suzuno said. "I'm ready now!"

"But Suzuno, you're ankle..." Toroki said.

"It's okay, really." Suzuno assured him. "Honestly, it feels much better now." Actually it hurts just to move. But I can't let them know that, or they'll want to stay here until it gets better. Then we'll never find the others before Kutou attacks. "Come on! We have to go to Konan and find Tatara!"

* * * * *

The Priestess of Byakko urged her Warriors, Toroki and Karasuki to hurry. The very next day, they set out for the Empire of Konan. Little did they know that the Emperor of Kutou had been informed of her arrival. The Priestess was walking into a trap!

"Suzuno! Don't go! It's a trap." Takao found himself yelling at the book even though he knew Suzuno could not here him. He would have to count on Toroki and Karasuki to protect her. And they were just characters in a damn book!

Please be careful Suzuno. Karasuki, Toroki; take care of her.

* * * * *

To Be Continued

* * * * *