A Legend Reborn
Chapter 7
"Sire! There are three people outside the front gate."
"One of them looks to be the priestess."
"Chisa....?"
"Yes, along with a young man and a small child."
"A child?!"
"She's carrying the priestess and Ryunosuke, your majesty."
"That is absurd! A small child carrying two full grown people?"
"It is the truth, sire."
"I'll go look into this, Emperor Boushin."
"Shyoka...."
"If it is them then we had better get them inside fast."
Accompanied by the guards, Shyoka runs through the rain and mud to the front gate to see just what the guards were describing. There is a young, rain-soaked girl of about eleven or twelve years of age, her purple hair pulled back into two little buns on the sides of her head, standing there, Chisa slung over one shoulder, Ryunosuke over the other.
"I think these belong to you....."
***
"The guys sure are missing a lot of this... I wonder if I should wake them up....," Rei thinks to herself. She looks over at Keisuke, "They were so tired... I better just let them sleep......"
Keisuke begins to stir.
"Oh! Good morning, sweetheart."
"*yawn* I really needed that sleep... Thanks for taking over...."
"Oh, I'm happy to do it... I've really gotten into this story.... It's getting really interesting now....."
"Yeah? What's been happening?"
"Here...," she hands him the book, "You look for yourself. I'll get some breakfast started...."
"You know, sometimes you're too good to be true."
"I know....," Rei smiles.
"I really don't deserve you...."
"I know that, too...," Rei jokes, "I married you out of pity.... Plus you're just so cute.....!"
***
"So have you been able to get anything in yet?" Miaka asks.
Taiitsukun and Chichiri have been trying for the past few hours to get the mirror to work with no success.
"The interference is tremendous, no daa," Chichiri says, his hands constantly moving.
"Do you think it might have something to do with the rain? Sometimes when it rains, our TV doesn't work very well....."
"Something like rain wouldn't affect it, Miaka. Something.... or maybe someone.... is trying to keep us from using it."
"Who or what would be able to do something like that?"
"I have no idea. This is the first time I've really had trouble with this. I've never felt such strong resistance......"
"We'll keep trying, but it's really looking hopeless, no daa......"
"All right...," Miaka sighs. Quietly she exits the room.
"We both know all too well who is doing this, no daa...," Chichiri says as soon as Miaka has left.
"Yes, but still I pray that my suspicions are not true... I pray that I am wrong... There is no absolute proof of it yet so until then I will not worry Miaka and the others..."
"You will have to tell them about her sooner or later, no daa..."
"I know, but for now I feel it is best not to......"
"What will happen to Chisa and Misao, no daa?"
"Only she knows...," Taiitsukun says, "She is the author of the second prophetic scroll after all......"
***
"Still nothing?" Tamahome asks seeing Miaka come down the hallway.
"Nope...."
"This is strange.... What could be causing something like this.....?" Yui asks.
"There have been a lot of weird things happening lately...."
"One thing I still don't understand is how Chisa and Misao even got here! I mean, Chichiri put a seal on the book so this couldn't happen......"
"The seal was broken....."
"That's obvious, but how....?"
"Who knows?"
"Even Taiitsukun and Chichiri have been wondering...."
"Actually.... I think Taiitsukun knows more than she's letting on....."
"What do you mean, Chiriko...?"
"Just a feeling I've been having....."
"I think the best thing for us to do is go to Konan and Kutou ourselves."
"That's a good idea, Tamahome."
"Miaka, you and I will go to Konan and Chichiri and Tasuki can escort Yui to Kutou."
"Hey! I don't want to take orders from you!"
"You got a better idea, Tasuki?!"
"Fine... Whatever...," Tasuki huffs, "but I'm not doing it because Tamahome said to!!"
***
Chisa awakes to warmth. Squinting, she sees the hand hovering over her again.
".....Sh.... Shyoka....?"
"Ah! Chisa! You're all right! I'm so relieved!"
"Where.... where's Ryunosuke?"
"He's in his room...."
"You took care of him first, right...? He's healed now, too, right.....?"
"Actually....."
"What happened.....?"
"Well, you see when I told him that I can only do this special healing thing of mine once a day..... well, he insisted that I heal you first....."
"Once a day....?"
"Yeah...."
"But.... but he was the one in real pain! Why did he do something like that.....?"
"I don't know, but he absolutely wouldn't hear of me helping him first... Believe me I tried to convince him that you weren't very bad off... really I did..., but he was absolutely stubborn about it....."
"......Ryunosuke.....," Chisa sighs.
"What happened out there anyway?" Shyoka asks, "You two came back in pretty bad shape....."
"We were on our way back here when we were attacked out of no where by some bandits....."
"Bandits.....?"
"Ryunosuke saved me.... he fought them off...," Chisa says, "but they weren't ordinary bandits... I could feel it.... There was definitely something strange, almost not human, about them......"
*knock knock*
"Enter..."
"Hi. The cook asked me to bring this to you....."
"Who are you....?"
"Oh, Chisa, this is Keiko."
"Pleased to meet you, Suzaku no Miko!"
"Keiko is the one who found you and Ryunosuke. She carried you both all the way here."
"Carried us....?!"
"I know it's hard to believe, but she really is quite strong....," Shyoka says.
"I found you and that guy passed out near my house and I had recognized that you were the miko so I figured that I should bring you back here."
"Thank you, Keiko....."
"Oh! The food! The cook figured you would be really hungry so he sent me to take this to you....."
"Mmmmmm.... Smells great!" Chisa quickly snatches the tray away from Keiko and begins chowing down, finishing it all within a matter of minutes. She pushes the sheets away and leaps out of bed.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to go see Ryunosuke now."
Chisa walks down the hall to Ryunosuke's room where several of the royal physicians surround his bed.
"Excuse me...."
"Oh! Miko."
"Could you allow me to talk with Ryunosuke privately?"
"Of course. We were finished anyway."
The physicians quietly depart from the room, bowing as they pass her.
"Uh... Thank you...."
Quietly she approaches Ryunosuke.
"Don't let all those doctors scare you.... I'm really fine...," a bandaged Ryunosuke says sitting up in bed, "They were just dressing my wounds...."
"I'm... I'm so sorry, Ryunosuke...."
"Don't say that.... I knew what I was doing.... I wouldn't have just left you there for them to kill....."
"I know that....," Chisa says, "but... but I don't want you to go and get yourself killed..... You knew you were outnumbered.... Why would you do something like that....?"
"I just had to.... It's my job....."
"Do you really think I'm that stupid.....? I know that's not all... I know it... Why wouldn't you let Shyoka take care of you first? I was fine... Look at you...! Your ribs are broken for crying out loud...! I want to know why!"
"What does it matter...."
"It matters to me... You matter to me...! Tell me why!"
"Because.... because I love you dammit!!" Ryunosuke snaps, "I admit it, okay...? I don't know why, but ever since I first saw you... I knew... that I had to protect you... I knew that I couldn't let any harm come to you.... From the start......"
Chisa simply stands there. Her hands over her mouth, tears in her eyes, her mind racing.
"The truth is.... even if you had decided not to be the miko.... I'd still protect you.... I couldn't do that for anyone else......"
No response.
"Now that I've made a complete idiot of myself.... I'm going to get some sleep.....," Ryunosuke says coldly.
"But.... Ryunosuke....," Chisa stammers.
"Just go....."
Chisa slowly and quietly leaves the room, shutting the door behind her.
Chisa stands outside the door in shock, her hands still covering her mouth, Ryunosuke's words echoing through her head.
".... but..... I love you, too....," she whispers.
***
"Hey all you sleepy heads! I thought you were going to leave today! Get up! Wake up!" Nyan-nyan calls out.
"But the sun isn't even up yet!"
"Don't make me force you up again! *clink*"
"Nuriko!!"
"You don't have to be like that!"
"Do you really think we'd over sleep with something this important to do?!"
"Yeah....," Nuriko shrugs.
"You know, you could've at least hesitated a little!"
***
Chisa sits alone outside on the porch of the palace, watching the sun rise.
"I didn't sleep at all...," Chisa thinks, "It seems like the longer I stay here the worse it gets... That stupid Ryunosuke... Why does he have to love me.....? Risking his life like that... The idiot...," at this Chisa begins to cry, "What am I thinking...?! I'm the idiot... I just hope he's all right... I hope he's not mad at me....."
She turns to see a figure approaching. "Ryunosuke...? Oh... what am I going to do... I'll just be cool... Just don't worry about it....," she thinks as she wipes the tears from her eyes, "Maybe he doesn't remember anything about last night.... What the heck am I thinking?! Of course he remembers!!!" "Uh... good morning...," she says.
"Mornin'"
"So..... Shyoka took care of you already?"
"Yeah...."
"I'm glad to see you feel better...."
Ryunosuke continues to walk by her.
Chisa hangs her head low and sinks to the floor, "How did everything get so messed up all of a sudden....?" She buries her face in her hands as the tears return to her eyes, flowing down in streams as she sobs.
"There you are, Chisa," Shyoka says, "The emperor has called us to his chambers for a meeting......," she stops, "Chisa... What's the matter....?"
"Nothing.... I'm fine....*sniffle*," Chisa wipes her eyes again.
"No you're not.... You're crying.....," Shyoka kneels down next to Chisa, "Please.... Tell me what's wrong....."
"It's... it's nothing.... I just don't want to talk about it right now....."
"All right... but please... as soon as you are ready to talk about it, I'd be more than happy to do what I can to help....."
"*sniffle*.....okay....."
"Why don't you get dressed and then we'll go to the emperor's room together? I'll wait for you."
"I guess I should clean up a bit......"
"All right....."
Chisa walks into her room and begins to change. "Shyoka is so nice... She reminds me so much of Misao.... She even looks like her.... a little.... not really... Well her hair anyway.... She's so nice to me... Misao is always willing to listen to me....." Chisa splashes her face with a little bit of water. "Maybe now I won't look quite so bad...."
"Okay... Let's go...."
Chisa walks with Shyoka to see the emperor.
"You didn't get any sleep last night did you?"
"Is it that obvious?" Chisa sighs.
"What happened last night after you went to see Ryunosuke?"
"Actually it was when I visited him that all of this started."
"Really?" Shyoka stops walking.
"Yeah.... I guess I can talk about it now....."
"Then I guess I can listen now....."
"What about the meeting with the emperor....?"
"Just talk while we walk...," Shyoka says, "We can take the long way if you want....."
Chisa lets out a deep sigh and tells Shyoka about the night's events, the picnic, the bandits, and the confession.
"Oh.... I see now.... That explains his mood this morning... You had quite a rough night..., huh....?," Shyoka says, "So what do you think you're going to do....?"
"I don't know...," Chisa replies, "That's what I spent all night worrying about....."
"Well, don't worry about it too much... I'm sure things will straighten themselves out...."
"The thing is, though.... that.... I love him, too...."
"I knew that already...."
"....really....?"
"I knew you two liked each other.... I mean, why else would a guy jump in front of a runaway horse?!" Shyoka says, "I've seen the way you look at each other... That night, our first night at the palace... and then the carnival.... I was just waiting for you two to realize it....."
Chisa stares at the floor.
"Just don't let it bother you too much... that's all," Shyoka says, "I know that everything will work out the way it's supposed to be......"
"Shyoka.....?"
"Yeah?"
Chisa wraps her arms around Shyoka suddenly.
"Thank you.... I'm really glad that I've gotten to know you and that you're so nice to listen to me..... You're the only one I can turn to......"
"It's no trouble at all...," Shyoka says, returning the embrace, "Now, let's go.... I don't think we should keep the emperor waiting much longer...."
"You're right..."
"And one more thing, Chisa...."
"Huh?"
"Don't forget to smile......"
Chapter 7
"Sire! There are three people outside the front gate."
"One of them looks to be the priestess."
"Chisa....?"
"Yes, along with a young man and a small child."
"A child?!"
"She's carrying the priestess and Ryunosuke, your majesty."
"That is absurd! A small child carrying two full grown people?"
"It is the truth, sire."
"I'll go look into this, Emperor Boushin."
"Shyoka...."
"If it is them then we had better get them inside fast."
Accompanied by the guards, Shyoka runs through the rain and mud to the front gate to see just what the guards were describing. There is a young, rain-soaked girl of about eleven or twelve years of age, her purple hair pulled back into two little buns on the sides of her head, standing there, Chisa slung over one shoulder, Ryunosuke over the other.
"I think these belong to you....."
***
"The guys sure are missing a lot of this... I wonder if I should wake them up....," Rei thinks to herself. She looks over at Keisuke, "They were so tired... I better just let them sleep......"
Keisuke begins to stir.
"Oh! Good morning, sweetheart."
"*yawn* I really needed that sleep... Thanks for taking over...."
"Oh, I'm happy to do it... I've really gotten into this story.... It's getting really interesting now....."
"Yeah? What's been happening?"
"Here...," she hands him the book, "You look for yourself. I'll get some breakfast started...."
"You know, sometimes you're too good to be true."
"I know....," Rei smiles.
"I really don't deserve you...."
"I know that, too...," Rei jokes, "I married you out of pity.... Plus you're just so cute.....!"
***
"So have you been able to get anything in yet?" Miaka asks.
Taiitsukun and Chichiri have been trying for the past few hours to get the mirror to work with no success.
"The interference is tremendous, no daa," Chichiri says, his hands constantly moving.
"Do you think it might have something to do with the rain? Sometimes when it rains, our TV doesn't work very well....."
"Something like rain wouldn't affect it, Miaka. Something.... or maybe someone.... is trying to keep us from using it."
"Who or what would be able to do something like that?"
"I have no idea. This is the first time I've really had trouble with this. I've never felt such strong resistance......"
"We'll keep trying, but it's really looking hopeless, no daa......"
"All right...," Miaka sighs. Quietly she exits the room.
"We both know all too well who is doing this, no daa...," Chichiri says as soon as Miaka has left.
"Yes, but still I pray that my suspicions are not true... I pray that I am wrong... There is no absolute proof of it yet so until then I will not worry Miaka and the others..."
"You will have to tell them about her sooner or later, no daa..."
"I know, but for now I feel it is best not to......"
"What will happen to Chisa and Misao, no daa?"
"Only she knows...," Taiitsukun says, "She is the author of the second prophetic scroll after all......"
***
"Still nothing?" Tamahome asks seeing Miaka come down the hallway.
"Nope...."
"This is strange.... What could be causing something like this.....?" Yui asks.
"There have been a lot of weird things happening lately...."
"One thing I still don't understand is how Chisa and Misao even got here! I mean, Chichiri put a seal on the book so this couldn't happen......"
"The seal was broken....."
"That's obvious, but how....?"
"Who knows?"
"Even Taiitsukun and Chichiri have been wondering...."
"Actually.... I think Taiitsukun knows more than she's letting on....."
"What do you mean, Chiriko...?"
"Just a feeling I've been having....."
"I think the best thing for us to do is go to Konan and Kutou ourselves."
"That's a good idea, Tamahome."
"Miaka, you and I will go to Konan and Chichiri and Tasuki can escort Yui to Kutou."
"Hey! I don't want to take orders from you!"
"You got a better idea, Tasuki?!"
"Fine... Whatever...," Tasuki huffs, "but I'm not doing it because Tamahome said to!!"
***
Chisa awakes to warmth. Squinting, she sees the hand hovering over her again.
".....Sh.... Shyoka....?"
"Ah! Chisa! You're all right! I'm so relieved!"
"Where.... where's Ryunosuke?"
"He's in his room...."
"You took care of him first, right...? He's healed now, too, right.....?"
"Actually....."
"What happened.....?"
"Well, you see when I told him that I can only do this special healing thing of mine once a day..... well, he insisted that I heal you first....."
"Once a day....?"
"Yeah...."
"But.... but he was the one in real pain! Why did he do something like that.....?"
"I don't know, but he absolutely wouldn't hear of me helping him first... Believe me I tried to convince him that you weren't very bad off... really I did..., but he was absolutely stubborn about it....."
"......Ryunosuke.....," Chisa sighs.
"What happened out there anyway?" Shyoka asks, "You two came back in pretty bad shape....."
"We were on our way back here when we were attacked out of no where by some bandits....."
"Bandits.....?"
"Ryunosuke saved me.... he fought them off...," Chisa says, "but they weren't ordinary bandits... I could feel it.... There was definitely something strange, almost not human, about them......"
*knock knock*
"Enter..."
"Hi. The cook asked me to bring this to you....."
"Who are you....?"
"Oh, Chisa, this is Keiko."
"Pleased to meet you, Suzaku no Miko!"
"Keiko is the one who found you and Ryunosuke. She carried you both all the way here."
"Carried us....?!"
"I know it's hard to believe, but she really is quite strong....," Shyoka says.
"I found you and that guy passed out near my house and I had recognized that you were the miko so I figured that I should bring you back here."
"Thank you, Keiko....."
"Oh! The food! The cook figured you would be really hungry so he sent me to take this to you....."
"Mmmmmm.... Smells great!" Chisa quickly snatches the tray away from Keiko and begins chowing down, finishing it all within a matter of minutes. She pushes the sheets away and leaps out of bed.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to go see Ryunosuke now."
Chisa walks down the hall to Ryunosuke's room where several of the royal physicians surround his bed.
"Excuse me...."
"Oh! Miko."
"Could you allow me to talk with Ryunosuke privately?"
"Of course. We were finished anyway."
The physicians quietly depart from the room, bowing as they pass her.
"Uh... Thank you...."
Quietly she approaches Ryunosuke.
"Don't let all those doctors scare you.... I'm really fine...," a bandaged Ryunosuke says sitting up in bed, "They were just dressing my wounds...."
"I'm... I'm so sorry, Ryunosuke...."
"Don't say that.... I knew what I was doing.... I wouldn't have just left you there for them to kill....."
"I know that....," Chisa says, "but... but I don't want you to go and get yourself killed..... You knew you were outnumbered.... Why would you do something like that....?"
"I just had to.... It's my job....."
"Do you really think I'm that stupid.....? I know that's not all... I know it... Why wouldn't you let Shyoka take care of you first? I was fine... Look at you...! Your ribs are broken for crying out loud...! I want to know why!"
"What does it matter...."
"It matters to me... You matter to me...! Tell me why!"
"Because.... because I love you dammit!!" Ryunosuke snaps, "I admit it, okay...? I don't know why, but ever since I first saw you... I knew... that I had to protect you... I knew that I couldn't let any harm come to you.... From the start......"
Chisa simply stands there. Her hands over her mouth, tears in her eyes, her mind racing.
"The truth is.... even if you had decided not to be the miko.... I'd still protect you.... I couldn't do that for anyone else......"
No response.
"Now that I've made a complete idiot of myself.... I'm going to get some sleep.....," Ryunosuke says coldly.
"But.... Ryunosuke....," Chisa stammers.
"Just go....."
Chisa slowly and quietly leaves the room, shutting the door behind her.
Chisa stands outside the door in shock, her hands still covering her mouth, Ryunosuke's words echoing through her head.
".... but..... I love you, too....," she whispers.
***
"Hey all you sleepy heads! I thought you were going to leave today! Get up! Wake up!" Nyan-nyan calls out.
"But the sun isn't even up yet!"
"Don't make me force you up again! *clink*"
"Nuriko!!"
"You don't have to be like that!"
"Do you really think we'd over sleep with something this important to do?!"
"Yeah....," Nuriko shrugs.
"You know, you could've at least hesitated a little!"
***
Chisa sits alone outside on the porch of the palace, watching the sun rise.
"I didn't sleep at all...," Chisa thinks, "It seems like the longer I stay here the worse it gets... That stupid Ryunosuke... Why does he have to love me.....? Risking his life like that... The idiot...," at this Chisa begins to cry, "What am I thinking...?! I'm the idiot... I just hope he's all right... I hope he's not mad at me....."
She turns to see a figure approaching. "Ryunosuke...? Oh... what am I going to do... I'll just be cool... Just don't worry about it....," she thinks as she wipes the tears from her eyes, "Maybe he doesn't remember anything about last night.... What the heck am I thinking?! Of course he remembers!!!" "Uh... good morning...," she says.
"Mornin'"
"So..... Shyoka took care of you already?"
"Yeah...."
"I'm glad to see you feel better...."
Ryunosuke continues to walk by her.
Chisa hangs her head low and sinks to the floor, "How did everything get so messed up all of a sudden....?" She buries her face in her hands as the tears return to her eyes, flowing down in streams as she sobs.
"There you are, Chisa," Shyoka says, "The emperor has called us to his chambers for a meeting......," she stops, "Chisa... What's the matter....?"
"Nothing.... I'm fine....*sniffle*," Chisa wipes her eyes again.
"No you're not.... You're crying.....," Shyoka kneels down next to Chisa, "Please.... Tell me what's wrong....."
"It's... it's nothing.... I just don't want to talk about it right now....."
"All right... but please... as soon as you are ready to talk about it, I'd be more than happy to do what I can to help....."
"*sniffle*.....okay....."
"Why don't you get dressed and then we'll go to the emperor's room together? I'll wait for you."
"I guess I should clean up a bit......"
"All right....."
Chisa walks into her room and begins to change. "Shyoka is so nice... She reminds me so much of Misao.... She even looks like her.... a little.... not really... Well her hair anyway.... She's so nice to me... Misao is always willing to listen to me....." Chisa splashes her face with a little bit of water. "Maybe now I won't look quite so bad...."
"Okay... Let's go...."
Chisa walks with Shyoka to see the emperor.
"You didn't get any sleep last night did you?"
"Is it that obvious?" Chisa sighs.
"What happened last night after you went to see Ryunosuke?"
"Actually it was when I visited him that all of this started."
"Really?" Shyoka stops walking.
"Yeah.... I guess I can talk about it now....."
"Then I guess I can listen now....."
"What about the meeting with the emperor....?"
"Just talk while we walk...," Shyoka says, "We can take the long way if you want....."
Chisa lets out a deep sigh and tells Shyoka about the night's events, the picnic, the bandits, and the confession.
"Oh.... I see now.... That explains his mood this morning... You had quite a rough night..., huh....?," Shyoka says, "So what do you think you're going to do....?"
"I don't know...," Chisa replies, "That's what I spent all night worrying about....."
"Well, don't worry about it too much... I'm sure things will straighten themselves out...."
"The thing is, though.... that.... I love him, too...."
"I knew that already...."
"....really....?"
"I knew you two liked each other.... I mean, why else would a guy jump in front of a runaway horse?!" Shyoka says, "I've seen the way you look at each other... That night, our first night at the palace... and then the carnival.... I was just waiting for you two to realize it....."
Chisa stares at the floor.
"Just don't let it bother you too much... that's all," Shyoka says, "I know that everything will work out the way it's supposed to be......"
"Shyoka.....?"
"Yeah?"
Chisa wraps her arms around Shyoka suddenly.
"Thank you.... I'm really glad that I've gotten to know you and that you're so nice to listen to me..... You're the only one I can turn to......"
"It's no trouble at all...," Shyoka says, returning the embrace, "Now, let's go.... I don't think we should keep the emperor waiting much longer...."
"You're right..."
"And one more thing, Chisa...."
"Huh?"
"Don't forget to smile......"