A Legend Reborn
Chapter 6
"Look! They're here! They're here! Tasuki! Chichiri!"
"Hey, Nyan-nyan! You're looking pretty grown up these days, no daa."
"Chichiri! Tasuki!" Miaka and the others come running out to meet them, "It's been forever you guys!"
The old friends exchange handshakes and hugs.
"Tamahome! Getting a little thin there on top?" Tasuki jokes.
"What about you, beer belly?!"
"All right, boys, settle down!"
"It's really great to see you all again!" Miaka says, tears in her eyes, "Everyone's here... Yui, Tamahome, Nuriko, Hotohori, Chiriko, Mitsukake, Tasuki, Chichiri.... We're all together again..... I missed you all so much..."
"So do you have any news on Misao and Chisa?" Yui asks.
"Well, Chisa's been in Konan with us, no daa...."
"So she's safe then....? I'm so relieved.......!"
"...but... we haven't seen Misao... we didn't even know she was here....."
Yui's face becomes distraught.
"Do you think she could be in Kutou?" Miaka asks.
"Could be, no daa...."
"There's one way to find out for sure....."
"AAAAA!!!" Tasuki and Tamahome scream.
Taiitsukun takes Tasuki's fan and smacks them both upside the head with it.
"How, Taiitsukun?"
"Through my mirror of course."
"Oh, yeah! I forgot about the mirror!"
"Why didn't we use it earlier?!"
"I have my reasons......"
"Well what are we waiting for?! Let's go already!"
***
"Good day, priestess...."
".... Good day....."
"Hello, priestess...."
"..... Hello....."
"Suzaku no Miko, how are you today?"
"..... Fine, thank you....."
"Oh! Chisa-sama! Good afternoon!"
"..... Afternoon....."
"Salutations, miko....."
".....Uh, hi...."
"Priestess....."
"Miko......"
"Suzaku no Miko....."
"Chisa-sama....."
"All day long! All the girls in the harem.... every priest in the city.... the senators... the councilmen.... everybody!! I'm very well aware that I have decided to take up the role of priestess of Suzaku, but does everyone have to keep rubbing it in my face?!" Chisa thinks. Shutting her bedroom door behind her, she flops down on her bed. She takes hold of her necklace and begins to play with it, running the chain through her fingers. "Mom..." she whispers, breaking down into tears.
***
*knock knock*
"Come...."
"Y-your highness....?"
"Shyoka..... What can I do for you?"
"It's... it's Chisa, sire... I'm worried about her...."
"What is the matter....?"
"Haven't you noticed? She's been in her room all day, she walks around the palace listless, she doesn't eat meals regularly..... Sir, she's sick....."
"Are not your powers healing, Shyoka?"
"She's homesick, sire.... I can't do much to help that..."
"...I see... It has become too much for her... She has been gone too long from her own world.... The same thing that the first miko went through....."
"Have your men been able to locate her friend yet?"
"No.... They have searched every part of Konan.... including the surrounding villages...."
"...I think we both know the only way to help her..."
***
"Chisa..... Chisa......"
"Wha...? Mom... Dad... Misao... Uncle Tetsuya.... Uncle Keisuke..... Aunt Yui and Aunt Rei... You're all here! I thought I might never see you again......"
"Hello, Chisa....."
"I'm..... I'm back home.....? I'm home!...."
"No, Chisa....."
"....what....?"
"You're not really home, Chisa...."
"You're just dreaming....."
"No! It can't be... I... I... no... I wanna go home..."
Chisa awakes from her dream crying. Suddenly she notices someone standing over her.
"Ryu-ryunosuke.....?! What are you doing in my room?!" Chisa asks angrily, wiping her eyes with her sleeve.
"I... umm... Well,.... everybody's worried about you... It's late and you haven't gotten out of bed all day....," he replies.
"....I just don't feel like it....."
"You can't just lock yourself up in here... It's almost time for dinner... Why don't you get dressed and come with me...?"
No response.
"We'll go out to the country......."
Chisa slowly turns her head around.
"We both should get out of the palace for a while... I think the fresh air would do you some good...," Ryunosuke says, "Come on..... What do you say......?"
Chisa looks into Ryunosuke's eyes, "....They're so blue... How can I say 'no' to eyes like that....?" she thinks. "....All right....."
"Great... I'll meet you outside in a few minutes...."
***
Shyoka walks quietly down the hall to Chisa's room. She makes a fist to knock on the door when Chisa comes bursting from the room, throwing the door wide open.
"Oh! Sorry, Shyoka! Did I hit you?"
"No, I'm fine, but...."
"Good.... I'll see you later!"
"Wait, Chisa...... Where are you going?!"
"Ryunosuke and I are going out.... We'll be back in a little while....."
"But Chisa....!"
Chisa runs to the front of the palace where Ryunosuke sits on a horse waiting. Shyoka chases after her.
"Bye, Shyoka!"
"Chisa!!"
Shyoka watches as the palace gates close behind them and Chisa and Ryunosuke disappear.
"That girl.....," she sighs.
***
"Well, this is it....," Ryunosuke says stopping the horse underneath a tree on a hill side.
"Wow..... The view from up here is great....."
He dismounts and then helps Chisa down off the horse.
"I come up here every once in a while.... It's been a while, though since the last time I was here.... Sometimes I just come up here to sit and think...."
Ryunosuke turns around to see that Chisa is already seated beneath the tree and stuffing her face, "Hmmmmm? Were you saying something....? I'm sorry.... I just realized how starving I am......"
"Uhhh.... It wasn't important anyway....."
Ryunosuke sits down next to Chisa, leaning back against the tree.
"The air is so clean here.... it's a lot different from where I'm from..... There are so many tall buildings and bright lights that you can't see the stars at night... It's noisy and crowded, but here.... it's so peaceful... the land is so beautiful.... Of course I like my home, but... I think this place is starting to grow on me, too....."
"I've always wanted to travel, to explore, but I never have gotten around to actually doing it.....," he says, "I never have been able to leave my village..."
"I love to travel... My dad takes a lot of business trips and sometimes he'll take my mom and I along... One year we went to America and another to France and then there was the one time he let me miss a whole week of school on a trip just him and I to Hawaii...... My mom called in for me everyday saying I was sick, but nobody really believed it when I came back to school with a tan....," Chisa smiles, "I really miss my family....."
"So do I...," Ryunosuke says, "Mine all died when I was little....."
"Oh, my.... I'm so sorry....."
"Don't be.... It was a long time ago...," he says, "For a long time I wished I had gone with them, but not anymore... Especially since I met you......"
Chisa turns her head quickly toward Ryunosuke, her face red, caught off guard by the comment. Her mind races.
"Do you mind if I.....?"
"Is he asking what I think he's asking?!" she thinks. "...okay......"
"Thanks," Ryunosuke grabs the food.
"....Oh.... he just wanted the food... Why do I feel somewhat disappointed......?" Chisa thinks.
She tries her best to shake the thoughts from her mind, "The sunset's beautiful......"
"It'll be dark soon.... We had better head back...."
Ryunosuke stands and offers his hand out to help Chisa up. She accepts it and begins to pull herself up, but in a clumsy move manages to accidentally pull Ryunosuke down on top of her.
The tension between them thick like a fog, Chisa stares into his eyes, her heart beating faster, scared, a little excited, unsure what will happen next.
"....meow...."
Mii-chan suddenly appears between them, walking on Chisa's stomach. He begins to purr and lick Chisa's nose.
"Mii-chan...! H-h-how did you get here....?" The moment gone, Ryunosuke and Chisa separate. Chisa sits up and pets Mii-chan, scratching his back as he swipes his tail under her chin, "He must have followed us here.... or maybe he stowed away in the saddle bag...." "Oh, Mii-chan...," Chisa thinks, sighing to herself.
"....Like I said..... we better get going....."
"Oh..... right...."
Chisa and Ryunosuke climb back on the horse and they head back to the city, the sun setting as they journey back.
"He's not saying anything.....," Chisa thinks, stroking the cat nestled in her lap, "That look he gave me... when he was helping me up onto the horse... was it... disappointment.....? No.... Couldn't be......"
A fog begins to set in and the scenery begins to change.
"None of this looks familiar...," Chisa thinks, looking about her nervously, "I have a bad feeling about this....."
"Ryunosuke, are you sure this is the right way?"
"....Yeah.... It's the same way we came...."
Chisa looks down at the cat, his fur bristling, he
hisses and leaps down off the horse.
"Mii-chan....? Where are you going.....?"
Suddenly, a large hand reaches out from the darkness, grabbing Chisa's mouth, yanking her off the horse.
"Chisa!" Ryunosuke pulls the horse to a halt.
"Hey, buddy, You don't mind if we borrow your girlfriend here for a while, do ya?"
"Leave her alone!" Ryunosuke snaps suddenly, leaping from the saddle.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, kid," the man pulls out a knife, placing it right at Chisa's throat.
Chisa stares at the blade, her eyes full of fear. She turns her eyes to Ryunosuke, "....his forehead...."
"Let her go.....," Ryunosuke demands.
"A prize like this? You've gotta be kidding. I'm not giving up this cutie without a fight!"
"I'm warning you! If you hurt even a hair on her head, I'll make you regret it....."
Chisa watches as the symbol begins to shine brighter.
"Whoah! You think you're tough?!" the man laughs, "Boys, teach this punk a lesson."
From the shadows several other unclean, scarred, mean-looking bandits appear.
One of the bandits ventures out to be the first attacker, the others following his lead. His forehead now glowing a crimson read, Ryunosuke goes into full battle mode, the attackers falling backward as soon as they approach.
"This is it... I've got to take this chance....," Chisa thinks. Chisa clamps her jaws down on the hand of the kidnapper. He yelps in pain, promptly releasing his grasp on Chisa's mouth. In one swift movement, she takes the man by the arm, flipping him over and slamming him onto the ground, knocking him unconscious on contact.
"Thanks for the martial arts lessons, dad!" she says to herself.
"Ryunosuke....!" she gasps. She watches as he continues in the fight. Suddenly, he finds himself being smashed into a tree, the sound of bones breaking clearly audible. Ryunosuke collapses.
"No!!!!!" Chisa screams.
Ryunosuke slowly pushes himself up only to be kicked in the stomach and fall again.
The men taunt him, telling him to give up, but he rises once again and continues to fight.
Tears of anger fill her eyes, blurring her vision. Chisa begins throwing punches and kicks left and right to help Ryunosuke, but somehow she and Ryunosuke are cornered again.
Trembling, her entire body begins to glow bright red, forming a shield for her and Ryunosuke. The remaining attackers vanish.
As the dust settles, the light disappears along with the strange fog. All that is left is Chisa and Ryunosuke.
Bruised and physically drained, Chisa uses the last ounces of her strength to help Ryunosuke back to his feet.
"....Ryunosuke....!"
"....Did.... did they hurt you....?"
"Don't worry about me! You're bleeding!!"
"...I don't care... I just wanted to make sure you were okay....."
"...Ryunosuke.... I'll get you to Shyoka. Just hold on till then, Ryunosuke....."
".... As if this couldn't get worse.....," Chisa thinks feeling a down pour of rain from the heavens.
The horse long gone, Chisa and Ryunosuke stagger together back to the palace.
***
"So you have survived test number one.... Suzaku no Miko....."
Chapter 6
"Look! They're here! They're here! Tasuki! Chichiri!"
"Hey, Nyan-nyan! You're looking pretty grown up these days, no daa."
"Chichiri! Tasuki!" Miaka and the others come running out to meet them, "It's been forever you guys!"
The old friends exchange handshakes and hugs.
"Tamahome! Getting a little thin there on top?" Tasuki jokes.
"What about you, beer belly?!"
"All right, boys, settle down!"
"It's really great to see you all again!" Miaka says, tears in her eyes, "Everyone's here... Yui, Tamahome, Nuriko, Hotohori, Chiriko, Mitsukake, Tasuki, Chichiri.... We're all together again..... I missed you all so much..."
"So do you have any news on Misao and Chisa?" Yui asks.
"Well, Chisa's been in Konan with us, no daa...."
"So she's safe then....? I'm so relieved.......!"
"...but... we haven't seen Misao... we didn't even know she was here....."
Yui's face becomes distraught.
"Do you think she could be in Kutou?" Miaka asks.
"Could be, no daa...."
"There's one way to find out for sure....."
"AAAAA!!!" Tasuki and Tamahome scream.
Taiitsukun takes Tasuki's fan and smacks them both upside the head with it.
"How, Taiitsukun?"
"Through my mirror of course."
"Oh, yeah! I forgot about the mirror!"
"Why didn't we use it earlier?!"
"I have my reasons......"
"Well what are we waiting for?! Let's go already!"
***
"Good day, priestess...."
".... Good day....."
"Hello, priestess...."
"..... Hello....."
"Suzaku no Miko, how are you today?"
"..... Fine, thank you....."
"Oh! Chisa-sama! Good afternoon!"
"..... Afternoon....."
"Salutations, miko....."
".....Uh, hi...."
"Priestess....."
"Miko......"
"Suzaku no Miko....."
"Chisa-sama....."
"All day long! All the girls in the harem.... every priest in the city.... the senators... the councilmen.... everybody!! I'm very well aware that I have decided to take up the role of priestess of Suzaku, but does everyone have to keep rubbing it in my face?!" Chisa thinks. Shutting her bedroom door behind her, she flops down on her bed. She takes hold of her necklace and begins to play with it, running the chain through her fingers. "Mom..." she whispers, breaking down into tears.
***
*knock knock*
"Come...."
"Y-your highness....?"
"Shyoka..... What can I do for you?"
"It's... it's Chisa, sire... I'm worried about her...."
"What is the matter....?"
"Haven't you noticed? She's been in her room all day, she walks around the palace listless, she doesn't eat meals regularly..... Sir, she's sick....."
"Are not your powers healing, Shyoka?"
"She's homesick, sire.... I can't do much to help that..."
"...I see... It has become too much for her... She has been gone too long from her own world.... The same thing that the first miko went through....."
"Have your men been able to locate her friend yet?"
"No.... They have searched every part of Konan.... including the surrounding villages...."
"...I think we both know the only way to help her..."
***
"Chisa..... Chisa......"
"Wha...? Mom... Dad... Misao... Uncle Tetsuya.... Uncle Keisuke..... Aunt Yui and Aunt Rei... You're all here! I thought I might never see you again......"
"Hello, Chisa....."
"I'm..... I'm back home.....? I'm home!...."
"No, Chisa....."
"....what....?"
"You're not really home, Chisa...."
"You're just dreaming....."
"No! It can't be... I... I... no... I wanna go home..."
Chisa awakes from her dream crying. Suddenly she notices someone standing over her.
"Ryu-ryunosuke.....?! What are you doing in my room?!" Chisa asks angrily, wiping her eyes with her sleeve.
"I... umm... Well,.... everybody's worried about you... It's late and you haven't gotten out of bed all day....," he replies.
"....I just don't feel like it....."
"You can't just lock yourself up in here... It's almost time for dinner... Why don't you get dressed and come with me...?"
No response.
"We'll go out to the country......."
Chisa slowly turns her head around.
"We both should get out of the palace for a while... I think the fresh air would do you some good...," Ryunosuke says, "Come on..... What do you say......?"
Chisa looks into Ryunosuke's eyes, "....They're so blue... How can I say 'no' to eyes like that....?" she thinks. "....All right....."
"Great... I'll meet you outside in a few minutes...."
***
Shyoka walks quietly down the hall to Chisa's room. She makes a fist to knock on the door when Chisa comes bursting from the room, throwing the door wide open.
"Oh! Sorry, Shyoka! Did I hit you?"
"No, I'm fine, but...."
"Good.... I'll see you later!"
"Wait, Chisa...... Where are you going?!"
"Ryunosuke and I are going out.... We'll be back in a little while....."
"But Chisa....!"
Chisa runs to the front of the palace where Ryunosuke sits on a horse waiting. Shyoka chases after her.
"Bye, Shyoka!"
"Chisa!!"
Shyoka watches as the palace gates close behind them and Chisa and Ryunosuke disappear.
"That girl.....," she sighs.
***
"Well, this is it....," Ryunosuke says stopping the horse underneath a tree on a hill side.
"Wow..... The view from up here is great....."
He dismounts and then helps Chisa down off the horse.
"I come up here every once in a while.... It's been a while, though since the last time I was here.... Sometimes I just come up here to sit and think...."
Ryunosuke turns around to see that Chisa is already seated beneath the tree and stuffing her face, "Hmmmmm? Were you saying something....? I'm sorry.... I just realized how starving I am......"
"Uhhh.... It wasn't important anyway....."
Ryunosuke sits down next to Chisa, leaning back against the tree.
"The air is so clean here.... it's a lot different from where I'm from..... There are so many tall buildings and bright lights that you can't see the stars at night... It's noisy and crowded, but here.... it's so peaceful... the land is so beautiful.... Of course I like my home, but... I think this place is starting to grow on me, too....."
"I've always wanted to travel, to explore, but I never have gotten around to actually doing it.....," he says, "I never have been able to leave my village..."
"I love to travel... My dad takes a lot of business trips and sometimes he'll take my mom and I along... One year we went to America and another to France and then there was the one time he let me miss a whole week of school on a trip just him and I to Hawaii...... My mom called in for me everyday saying I was sick, but nobody really believed it when I came back to school with a tan....," Chisa smiles, "I really miss my family....."
"So do I...," Ryunosuke says, "Mine all died when I was little....."
"Oh, my.... I'm so sorry....."
"Don't be.... It was a long time ago...," he says, "For a long time I wished I had gone with them, but not anymore... Especially since I met you......"
Chisa turns her head quickly toward Ryunosuke, her face red, caught off guard by the comment. Her mind races.
"Do you mind if I.....?"
"Is he asking what I think he's asking?!" she thinks. "...okay......"
"Thanks," Ryunosuke grabs the food.
"....Oh.... he just wanted the food... Why do I feel somewhat disappointed......?" Chisa thinks.
She tries her best to shake the thoughts from her mind, "The sunset's beautiful......"
"It'll be dark soon.... We had better head back...."
Ryunosuke stands and offers his hand out to help Chisa up. She accepts it and begins to pull herself up, but in a clumsy move manages to accidentally pull Ryunosuke down on top of her.
The tension between them thick like a fog, Chisa stares into his eyes, her heart beating faster, scared, a little excited, unsure what will happen next.
"....meow...."
Mii-chan suddenly appears between them, walking on Chisa's stomach. He begins to purr and lick Chisa's nose.
"Mii-chan...! H-h-how did you get here....?" The moment gone, Ryunosuke and Chisa separate. Chisa sits up and pets Mii-chan, scratching his back as he swipes his tail under her chin, "He must have followed us here.... or maybe he stowed away in the saddle bag...." "Oh, Mii-chan...," Chisa thinks, sighing to herself.
"....Like I said..... we better get going....."
"Oh..... right...."
Chisa and Ryunosuke climb back on the horse and they head back to the city, the sun setting as they journey back.
"He's not saying anything.....," Chisa thinks, stroking the cat nestled in her lap, "That look he gave me... when he was helping me up onto the horse... was it... disappointment.....? No.... Couldn't be......"
A fog begins to set in and the scenery begins to change.
"None of this looks familiar...," Chisa thinks, looking about her nervously, "I have a bad feeling about this....."
"Ryunosuke, are you sure this is the right way?"
"....Yeah.... It's the same way we came...."
Chisa looks down at the cat, his fur bristling, he
hisses and leaps down off the horse.
"Mii-chan....? Where are you going.....?"
Suddenly, a large hand reaches out from the darkness, grabbing Chisa's mouth, yanking her off the horse.
"Chisa!" Ryunosuke pulls the horse to a halt.
"Hey, buddy, You don't mind if we borrow your girlfriend here for a while, do ya?"
"Leave her alone!" Ryunosuke snaps suddenly, leaping from the saddle.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, kid," the man pulls out a knife, placing it right at Chisa's throat.
Chisa stares at the blade, her eyes full of fear. She turns her eyes to Ryunosuke, "....his forehead...."
"Let her go.....," Ryunosuke demands.
"A prize like this? You've gotta be kidding. I'm not giving up this cutie without a fight!"
"I'm warning you! If you hurt even a hair on her head, I'll make you regret it....."
Chisa watches as the symbol begins to shine brighter.
"Whoah! You think you're tough?!" the man laughs, "Boys, teach this punk a lesson."
From the shadows several other unclean, scarred, mean-looking bandits appear.
One of the bandits ventures out to be the first attacker, the others following his lead. His forehead now glowing a crimson read, Ryunosuke goes into full battle mode, the attackers falling backward as soon as they approach.
"This is it... I've got to take this chance....," Chisa thinks. Chisa clamps her jaws down on the hand of the kidnapper. He yelps in pain, promptly releasing his grasp on Chisa's mouth. In one swift movement, she takes the man by the arm, flipping him over and slamming him onto the ground, knocking him unconscious on contact.
"Thanks for the martial arts lessons, dad!" she says to herself.
"Ryunosuke....!" she gasps. She watches as he continues in the fight. Suddenly, he finds himself being smashed into a tree, the sound of bones breaking clearly audible. Ryunosuke collapses.
"No!!!!!" Chisa screams.
Ryunosuke slowly pushes himself up only to be kicked in the stomach and fall again.
The men taunt him, telling him to give up, but he rises once again and continues to fight.
Tears of anger fill her eyes, blurring her vision. Chisa begins throwing punches and kicks left and right to help Ryunosuke, but somehow she and Ryunosuke are cornered again.
Trembling, her entire body begins to glow bright red, forming a shield for her and Ryunosuke. The remaining attackers vanish.
As the dust settles, the light disappears along with the strange fog. All that is left is Chisa and Ryunosuke.
Bruised and physically drained, Chisa uses the last ounces of her strength to help Ryunosuke back to his feet.
"....Ryunosuke....!"
"....Did.... did they hurt you....?"
"Don't worry about me! You're bleeding!!"
"...I don't care... I just wanted to make sure you were okay....."
"...Ryunosuke.... I'll get you to Shyoka. Just hold on till then, Ryunosuke....."
".... As if this couldn't get worse.....," Chisa thinks feeling a down pour of rain from the heavens.
The horse long gone, Chisa and Ryunosuke stagger together back to the palace.
***
"So you have survived test number one.... Suzaku no Miko....."