Chapter four
Naomi woke up with a killer headache. Stumbling out of bed, she slipped out of her blue kimono into a clean lavender one before heading down to breakfast. On her way down, she stopped at Miaka's door and knocked. "Miaka!" No answer. She opened the door a little and saw that the room was empty. 'Hmmm, must already be down to breakfast.' Naomi shrugged.
But she wasn't there. When she hadn't shown up a half an hour later, Naomi spoke up. "Has anyone seen Miaka this morning?" Nobody had.
Miaka's here? Why didn't anyone tell me? I would've liked to see her." Tamahome didn't notice Tasuki's glare.
By noon Naomi had walked all over the palace looking for her. She was getting worried. Miaka never missed breakfast. Or any meal for that matter. She saw Chichiri sitting by the pond fishing. She walked over to him.
"Any sign of Miaka yet, Chichiri?"
"Don't worry about her no da. I went down to the stables and her horse wasn't there. She probably just went into town. She has a lot of friends here no da."
Naomi nodded and walked away. That's right. She's probably just seeing some friends. She'll be back by dinnertime.
Tasuki was starting to get worried as well. After dinner and no Miaka, he and Naomi spoke with Chichiri.
"I think we should go look for her."
"Yea, Miaka's been known to run off and do stupid things." Tasuki thought of the time she tied him up in Kutou while Tamahome was being a jerk, and how Tama had almost killed both of them. "She definitely doesn't fare well on her own."
"I think I know what happened."
"Really, Chichiri? What's up?"
"I was speaking with Daiani today, and she said that she thinks Miaka knows about her and Tamahome. It probably upset our naïve miko, and she probably took off."
"Well then we really have to find her! A distraught Miaka is a lot more reckless than a normal genki one."
"Yes, but we can't just leave. We have no idea when Kutou will attack. I'll have Empress Houki send a couple guards after her."
"But. . ."
"No, Chichiri's right, Tasuki. We need to be here."
"But. . ."
"No!"
Tasuki pouted as Chichiri laughed.
Miaka looked up at the large mountain looming ahead of her. She could probably stay the night with the bandits of Mount Reikaku, but then there was a chance that Tasuki or Kouji might find her, if word got out. She continued on.
That night, everyone sat around the dining room of the palace. Naomi listened to Emperor Boushin talk about his rock collection and his imaginary friend Kenji (hey, the kid's like six or something!). Kouji and Kurea were drinking. . . again. Tamahome and Daiani were cuddling in a corner, but Daiani had a strange look on her face. Everything with Tamahome felt awkward with Miaka on everyone's mind. Chichiri was speaking with Empress Houki and one of her advisors. Tasuki just sat there, brooding. Once again, Kurea drank herself stupid. Only this time Kouji wasn't there to catch her when she fell on her butt, cause he was barely standing himself. The duo stumbled around the room until both passed out on the floor. Boushin had to go to bed, so Empress Houki went to tuck him in. Tamahome was carrying Kurea to her room, which left Naomi and Daiani to themselves. Daiani walked over and plainly stated, "I'm going after Miaka."
Naomi looked up, into the determined face above her. She saw that nothing was going to change her mind. Chichiri's words echoed in her mind, but she pushed them away. Chichiri had a point, but Tasuki was right. They couldn't just wait for her to come back. She nodded. "All right, I'll go with you. Let's leave tonight." Tasuki didn't have to answer. They all knew it would be near impossible to stop him from coming.
Daiani was packing a few things while Naomi and Tasuki informed Houki of their intentions. They had decided not to tell any of the others. The less people that went the better.
Tamahome chose that moment to walk in. "What are you doing, Di?
Daiani turned her head to look at him, then turned back to her luggage and answered Naomi and I are going to look for Miaka." Tamahome thought about talking her out of it, but he saw the steely determination in her eyes, like he saw so many times in Miaka's. He knew that nothing short of locking her in the palace dungeon was going to keep her from her mission. Course, that had never stopped Miaka either. So Tamahome gave up, and went back to his room.
Houki gave them permission to go after the missing miko, and the trio set off.
Naomi woke up with a killer headache. Stumbling out of bed, she slipped out of her blue kimono into a clean lavender one before heading down to breakfast. On her way down, she stopped at Miaka's door and knocked. "Miaka!" No answer. She opened the door a little and saw that the room was empty. 'Hmmm, must already be down to breakfast.' Naomi shrugged.
But she wasn't there. When she hadn't shown up a half an hour later, Naomi spoke up. "Has anyone seen Miaka this morning?" Nobody had.
Miaka's here? Why didn't anyone tell me? I would've liked to see her." Tamahome didn't notice Tasuki's glare.
By noon Naomi had walked all over the palace looking for her. She was getting worried. Miaka never missed breakfast. Or any meal for that matter. She saw Chichiri sitting by the pond fishing. She walked over to him.
"Any sign of Miaka yet, Chichiri?"
"Don't worry about her no da. I went down to the stables and her horse wasn't there. She probably just went into town. She has a lot of friends here no da."
Naomi nodded and walked away. That's right. She's probably just seeing some friends. She'll be back by dinnertime.
Tasuki was starting to get worried as well. After dinner and no Miaka, he and Naomi spoke with Chichiri.
"I think we should go look for her."
"Yea, Miaka's been known to run off and do stupid things." Tasuki thought of the time she tied him up in Kutou while Tamahome was being a jerk, and how Tama had almost killed both of them. "She definitely doesn't fare well on her own."
"I think I know what happened."
"Really, Chichiri? What's up?"
"I was speaking with Daiani today, and she said that she thinks Miaka knows about her and Tamahome. It probably upset our naïve miko, and she probably took off."
"Well then we really have to find her! A distraught Miaka is a lot more reckless than a normal genki one."
"Yes, but we can't just leave. We have no idea when Kutou will attack. I'll have Empress Houki send a couple guards after her."
"But. . ."
"No, Chichiri's right, Tasuki. We need to be here."
"But. . ."
"No!"
Tasuki pouted as Chichiri laughed.
Miaka looked up at the large mountain looming ahead of her. She could probably stay the night with the bandits of Mount Reikaku, but then there was a chance that Tasuki or Kouji might find her, if word got out. She continued on.
That night, everyone sat around the dining room of the palace. Naomi listened to Emperor Boushin talk about his rock collection and his imaginary friend Kenji (hey, the kid's like six or something!). Kouji and Kurea were drinking. . . again. Tamahome and Daiani were cuddling in a corner, but Daiani had a strange look on her face. Everything with Tamahome felt awkward with Miaka on everyone's mind. Chichiri was speaking with Empress Houki and one of her advisors. Tasuki just sat there, brooding. Once again, Kurea drank herself stupid. Only this time Kouji wasn't there to catch her when she fell on her butt, cause he was barely standing himself. The duo stumbled around the room until both passed out on the floor. Boushin had to go to bed, so Empress Houki went to tuck him in. Tamahome was carrying Kurea to her room, which left Naomi and Daiani to themselves. Daiani walked over and plainly stated, "I'm going after Miaka."
Naomi looked up, into the determined face above her. She saw that nothing was going to change her mind. Chichiri's words echoed in her mind, but she pushed them away. Chichiri had a point, but Tasuki was right. They couldn't just wait for her to come back. She nodded. "All right, I'll go with you. Let's leave tonight." Tasuki didn't have to answer. They all knew it would be near impossible to stop him from coming.
Daiani was packing a few things while Naomi and Tasuki informed Houki of their intentions. They had decided not to tell any of the others. The less people that went the better.
Tamahome chose that moment to walk in. "What are you doing, Di?
Daiani turned her head to look at him, then turned back to her luggage and answered Naomi and I are going to look for Miaka." Tamahome thought about talking her out of it, but he saw the steely determination in her eyes, like he saw so many times in Miaka's. He knew that nothing short of locking her in the palace dungeon was going to keep her from her mission. Course, that had never stopped Miaka either. So Tamahome gave up, and went back to his room.
Houki gave them permission to go after the missing miko, and the trio set off.