A Legend Reborn
Chapter 4
"My priests have been informing me that the gods have become restless. There has been a great disturbance...."
"I have become aware of it as well, no daa."
"My father was one of the warriors along with Chichiri and Tasuki... In the end only three of the seven survived... Tamahome, Tasuki, and Chichiri... I have been told that my father died courageously in battle while I was still in my mother's womb...," Boushin reaches for his collar. He pulls it down to reveal a red symbol. "I have been given the mark of Hotohori, the sea snake, my father's seishi name.... You, Ryunosuke, you are the new Tamahome...."
"How.... how did you know...?" Ryunosuke asks.
"When you saved Chisa, I saw the mark appear on your forehead."
"Your highness," Shyoka says, showing him her open palm, a red symbol appears.
"I see... You are the new Mitsukake..... Five of the seven have already been gathered quite effortlessly...."
Chisa seems to be deep in thought.
"Chisa...."
A voice breaks into her thoughts.
"Chisa, are you willing....?"
"Willing.....?"
"Willing to become the Suzaku no Miko of the second legend and save Konan?" the emperor asks staring straight into Chisa's eyes.
Chisa diverts her eyes from his glare. Her eyes wander around the room for a moment, across the faces of each person in the room.
"Would... would you mind... if I had a little time to think this over....?"
"I understand... in the meantime, I would like for you all to stay here, in the palace, as my personal guests."
"Really?!"
"Here in the palace?"
"I'll have your rooms prepared right away...."
"Staying in the palace.... I never dreamed I would ever even see the inside.....!" Shyoka says.
"Feel free to explore as much as you like...."
"Thank you for your most gracious hospitality, your highness," Shyoka says, bowing.
"Please, you may call me Boushin...."
Shyoka blushes again.
The emperor departs, leaving the five of them alone.
"I think I'm going to take a walk," Shyoka says, "Do you want to come with me, Chisa?"
Chisa watches as Ryunosuke exits.
"Uh... no, thank you... I've got a lot on my mind and I need to go do some thinking alone...."
"All right... I guess I'll see you later then.... Just don't get lost!" Shyoka smiles.
***
"Please tell me that's all we have to climb! I'm pooped..."
Tamahome pulls Miaka up to a landing spot on the mountain.
"It shouldn't be much further...."
"Come on, Yui...," Tamahome takes hold of Yui's hand and helps her up as well.
"Thanks....."
"Is this the right mountain?"
"It better be! I'm not going to climb up every single one of them, ya know!"
"I expected you three would come sooner or later..."
"Aaah!" Tamahome whirls around to come face to face with the wrinkled face of Taiitsukun, "It's the old hag!"
"Nice to see you, too, Tamahome...."
"Taiitsukun! It's really you!"
"Hey, you guys!"
Miaka hears a voice from behind Taiitsukun.
"We didn't expect to see you back here......"
"And Nuriko and Hotohori and Chiriko and Mitsukake... it's great to see you all again...," she says excitedly, "You all still look so young......"
"Well, we are dead after all, Miaka...," Hotohori says.
"And you all look so..... old.....," Nuriko says.
"Miaka, you remind me of my mom...!" Chiriko laughs, "All wrinkled and everything....."
Miaka shoots an annoyed look at Chiriko.
"Miaka! Tamahome! Yui! You're here!!" Nyan-nyan appears suddenly, hugging Miaka.
"Nyan-nyan! You look so much older.....!"
"Everyone's grown some," she says, "except for the ghosts over there...."
"How are Chisa and Misao?" Mitsukake asks.
"Actually, we don't really know.....," Miaka says.
"Something happened and now..... they're in this world...," Yui explains.
"What?!"
"But what about the seal that Chichiri put on the book? It was the strongest seal he could possibly create!" Chiriko says.
"We don't know... We were hoping Taiitsukun and the rest of you could help us figure this out.....," Tamahome says.
"Come with me and I'll explain as much of this as I can...," Taiitsukun says. She begins to lead them up to her temple high on top of the mountain.
***
"That must be the pond, over there, where the girl... my mother.... almost drowned... I wonder which room was hers....."
Day has faded into night as Chisa meanders around the grounds of the palace, gazing at the beautiful scenery, watching the sky as the stars come out one-by-one, the moonlight dancing on the surface of the water.
"What am I gonna do....? I'm just a normal twenty-first century girl... How can I be expected to take on something like this....?" Chisa holds the red bird on her necklace on the tips of her fingers, "Mom... it's times like this I wish she was around to tell me what to do... She would know.... and Dad, too.... They went through all this... I still find it somewhat hard to believe that the people in that story were.... my parents... Where are they....? Didn't they come looking for me...? They must be worried.... And what about Misao.....? What could have happened to her?"
Not watching where she's going, Chisa suddenly bumps into someone.
"Hey! Watch where you're goi-...."
"Oops! Sorry about that....."
That someone was Ryunosuke.
"Did.... did I hurt you at all...?"
"Of course not....."
"I'm sorry... It just seems like I'm bumping into a lot of things lately....," Chisa says.
Ryunosuke smiles causing Chisa to smile in return.
"I... I was just walking around the palace.... you can join me..... if you want.....," Ryunosuke offers.
"Well...... all right....."
The two of them wander about the palace together, neither of them saying a word.
"I've gotta say something.....," Chisa thinks. "Umm...."
Suddenly she has Ryunosuke's attention. His stare makes her nervous.
"Uh... I meant to thank you.... for helping me earlier today....," she stutters, "I guess I kinda forgot about it..."
"It's no problem...."
"No...., really..... you saved my life....."
The two stand in silence again.
"Gotta find something to talk about....! These silences are too uncomfortable..." Chisa thinks. "Do you mind if I ask, where are you from?"
"I'm from a little village just outside the city," Ryunosuke says, "So, what about you?"
"He's going to think I'm a total nutcase... that is, if he doesn't already...," Chisa thinks, "Should I really tell him...?" "Well, if you really want to know... I'm from another world... twenty-first century Japan... to be exact..."
"Oh....," Ryunosuke says, "I knew you were from another world.... I just didn't really know where....."
"How.... how did you know....?"
"Well, if those legends are really true and you're really the priestess of those legends, then you wouldn't be from this world," he explains, "That's what the legend says anyway....."
"So... you... you don't think I'm out of my mind...?"
"Why should I....?" he shrugs, "I mean, except for the way you seem to keep running into things you seem like a sane person....."
"Is that supposed to be some sort of compliment?!" Chisa thinks.
Ryunosuke sits down on a step to a small pavilion near the pond.
Hesitating a little, Chisa sits next to him.
".....beautiful....."
"What?!" Chisa whips her head around.
"...the stars... the Suzaku constellations are really bright tonight......"
"...yeah.....the stars.....," Chisa says with relief.
"Look at them...," Shyoka thinks watching Ryunosuke and Chisa from a distance, "After knowing each other not even a full day.... I kinda hate to disturb them, but..." "Hey, you two!"
"Hi, Shyoka! What's up?"
"Well, the cook's got dinner ready if you're interes-...."
"Dinner?!" Chisa exclaims, "Good I'm starving! Well, c'mon, Ryunosuke! Let's go already! It's time to eat!" Chisa grabs him by the arm and drags him back to the palace, all the way to the grand dining hall.
Shyoka smiles to herself.
***
Night has also fallen on Mt. Taikyaku. Taiitsukun has set up bedding for Tamahome, Miaka, and Yui.... but that doesn't mean that any of them are really able to sleep...
Yui lies in her bed dreaming.
"Mommy!"
"Misao?!"
"Mommy! Help me! Don't let it get me! Mommy!"
"Misao! No.......!"
"....mommy......"
"NO!"
Rivers of tears begin to stream down Yui's face. She holds her wrist.
"You won't get Misao... I won't let you take her from me...., Seiryuu......."
Chapter 4
"My priests have been informing me that the gods have become restless. There has been a great disturbance...."
"I have become aware of it as well, no daa."
"My father was one of the warriors along with Chichiri and Tasuki... In the end only three of the seven survived... Tamahome, Tasuki, and Chichiri... I have been told that my father died courageously in battle while I was still in my mother's womb...," Boushin reaches for his collar. He pulls it down to reveal a red symbol. "I have been given the mark of Hotohori, the sea snake, my father's seishi name.... You, Ryunosuke, you are the new Tamahome...."
"How.... how did you know...?" Ryunosuke asks.
"When you saved Chisa, I saw the mark appear on your forehead."
"Your highness," Shyoka says, showing him her open palm, a red symbol appears.
"I see... You are the new Mitsukake..... Five of the seven have already been gathered quite effortlessly...."
Chisa seems to be deep in thought.
"Chisa...."
A voice breaks into her thoughts.
"Chisa, are you willing....?"
"Willing.....?"
"Willing to become the Suzaku no Miko of the second legend and save Konan?" the emperor asks staring straight into Chisa's eyes.
Chisa diverts her eyes from his glare. Her eyes wander around the room for a moment, across the faces of each person in the room.
"Would... would you mind... if I had a little time to think this over....?"
"I understand... in the meantime, I would like for you all to stay here, in the palace, as my personal guests."
"Really?!"
"Here in the palace?"
"I'll have your rooms prepared right away...."
"Staying in the palace.... I never dreamed I would ever even see the inside.....!" Shyoka says.
"Feel free to explore as much as you like...."
"Thank you for your most gracious hospitality, your highness," Shyoka says, bowing.
"Please, you may call me Boushin...."
Shyoka blushes again.
The emperor departs, leaving the five of them alone.
"I think I'm going to take a walk," Shyoka says, "Do you want to come with me, Chisa?"
Chisa watches as Ryunosuke exits.
"Uh... no, thank you... I've got a lot on my mind and I need to go do some thinking alone...."
"All right... I guess I'll see you later then.... Just don't get lost!" Shyoka smiles.
***
"Please tell me that's all we have to climb! I'm pooped..."
Tamahome pulls Miaka up to a landing spot on the mountain.
"It shouldn't be much further...."
"Come on, Yui...," Tamahome takes hold of Yui's hand and helps her up as well.
"Thanks....."
"Is this the right mountain?"
"It better be! I'm not going to climb up every single one of them, ya know!"
"I expected you three would come sooner or later..."
"Aaah!" Tamahome whirls around to come face to face with the wrinkled face of Taiitsukun, "It's the old hag!"
"Nice to see you, too, Tamahome...."
"Taiitsukun! It's really you!"
"Hey, you guys!"
Miaka hears a voice from behind Taiitsukun.
"We didn't expect to see you back here......"
"And Nuriko and Hotohori and Chiriko and Mitsukake... it's great to see you all again...," she says excitedly, "You all still look so young......"
"Well, we are dead after all, Miaka...," Hotohori says.
"And you all look so..... old.....," Nuriko says.
"Miaka, you remind me of my mom...!" Chiriko laughs, "All wrinkled and everything....."
Miaka shoots an annoyed look at Chiriko.
"Miaka! Tamahome! Yui! You're here!!" Nyan-nyan appears suddenly, hugging Miaka.
"Nyan-nyan! You look so much older.....!"
"Everyone's grown some," she says, "except for the ghosts over there...."
"How are Chisa and Misao?" Mitsukake asks.
"Actually, we don't really know.....," Miaka says.
"Something happened and now..... they're in this world...," Yui explains.
"What?!"
"But what about the seal that Chichiri put on the book? It was the strongest seal he could possibly create!" Chiriko says.
"We don't know... We were hoping Taiitsukun and the rest of you could help us figure this out.....," Tamahome says.
"Come with me and I'll explain as much of this as I can...," Taiitsukun says. She begins to lead them up to her temple high on top of the mountain.
***
"That must be the pond, over there, where the girl... my mother.... almost drowned... I wonder which room was hers....."
Day has faded into night as Chisa meanders around the grounds of the palace, gazing at the beautiful scenery, watching the sky as the stars come out one-by-one, the moonlight dancing on the surface of the water.
"What am I gonna do....? I'm just a normal twenty-first century girl... How can I be expected to take on something like this....?" Chisa holds the red bird on her necklace on the tips of her fingers, "Mom... it's times like this I wish she was around to tell me what to do... She would know.... and Dad, too.... They went through all this... I still find it somewhat hard to believe that the people in that story were.... my parents... Where are they....? Didn't they come looking for me...? They must be worried.... And what about Misao.....? What could have happened to her?"
Not watching where she's going, Chisa suddenly bumps into someone.
"Hey! Watch where you're goi-...."
"Oops! Sorry about that....."
That someone was Ryunosuke.
"Did.... did I hurt you at all...?"
"Of course not....."
"I'm sorry... It just seems like I'm bumping into a lot of things lately....," Chisa says.
Ryunosuke smiles causing Chisa to smile in return.
"I... I was just walking around the palace.... you can join me..... if you want.....," Ryunosuke offers.
"Well...... all right....."
The two of them wander about the palace together, neither of them saying a word.
"I've gotta say something.....," Chisa thinks. "Umm...."
Suddenly she has Ryunosuke's attention. His stare makes her nervous.
"Uh... I meant to thank you.... for helping me earlier today....," she stutters, "I guess I kinda forgot about it..."
"It's no problem...."
"No...., really..... you saved my life....."
The two stand in silence again.
"Gotta find something to talk about....! These silences are too uncomfortable..." Chisa thinks. "Do you mind if I ask, where are you from?"
"I'm from a little village just outside the city," Ryunosuke says, "So, what about you?"
"He's going to think I'm a total nutcase... that is, if he doesn't already...," Chisa thinks, "Should I really tell him...?" "Well, if you really want to know... I'm from another world... twenty-first century Japan... to be exact..."
"Oh....," Ryunosuke says, "I knew you were from another world.... I just didn't really know where....."
"How.... how did you know....?"
"Well, if those legends are really true and you're really the priestess of those legends, then you wouldn't be from this world," he explains, "That's what the legend says anyway....."
"So... you... you don't think I'm out of my mind...?"
"Why should I....?" he shrugs, "I mean, except for the way you seem to keep running into things you seem like a sane person....."
"Is that supposed to be some sort of compliment?!" Chisa thinks.
Ryunosuke sits down on a step to a small pavilion near the pond.
Hesitating a little, Chisa sits next to him.
".....beautiful....."
"What?!" Chisa whips her head around.
"...the stars... the Suzaku constellations are really bright tonight......"
"...yeah.....the stars.....," Chisa says with relief.
"Look at them...," Shyoka thinks watching Ryunosuke and Chisa from a distance, "After knowing each other not even a full day.... I kinda hate to disturb them, but..." "Hey, you two!"
"Hi, Shyoka! What's up?"
"Well, the cook's got dinner ready if you're interes-...."
"Dinner?!" Chisa exclaims, "Good I'm starving! Well, c'mon, Ryunosuke! Let's go already! It's time to eat!" Chisa grabs him by the arm and drags him back to the palace, all the way to the grand dining hall.
Shyoka smiles to herself.
***
Night has also fallen on Mt. Taikyaku. Taiitsukun has set up bedding for Tamahome, Miaka, and Yui.... but that doesn't mean that any of them are really able to sleep...
Yui lies in her bed dreaming.
"Mommy!"
"Misao?!"
"Mommy! Help me! Don't let it get me! Mommy!"
"Misao! No.......!"
"....mommy......"
"NO!"
Rivers of tears begin to stream down Yui's face. She holds her wrist.
"You won't get Misao... I won't let you take her from me...., Seiryuu......."