A Second Chance
Chapter 1: The Emperor of Konan
By Kaen
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Instead of my usual blurb of nonsense that I have before each chapter, I would like to take this space to honor the memory of the victims September 11, 2002. To the people who have lost loved ones, my prayers are always with you. Particularly in this time, please remember all those who have died as innocents and those who have died as heroes. We must never forget the tragedy that occurred just a year ago today. God Bless the United States of America. (9/11/02)
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It was such a strange feeling. It was almost like floating, yet almost like falling. It was an intense pain, but mixed with a great pleasure. It was like finding yourself on the edge of your dreams, while feeling yourself being awakened from your slumber. It was hot enough to steal your breath, but cold enough to chill your bones. It was illogical, yet somehow, it all made perfect sense; all the pieces of time were falling into place. And yet, somehow, they seemed scattered and misplaced. She found that she couldn't think a coherent thought as she plummeted through this strange, dream-like reality. Images of places and people flashed before her eyes, yet when she reached out to touch them, they vanished as if a mirage. She found herself crying out, pleading to take hold of something –anything- that was real, anything that was tangible. Strands of auburn-brown hair whipped across her face and obstructed her vision, and she relished the sensation. It was the only thing that she could feel or acknowledge, the only thing that told her that she was still alive."Where am I?" she whispered meekly, her question barely reaching her own ears. "Why am I here? And… why am I alone?"
"You will be returned to the time at which your adventure was initiated…" A voice boomed from all around her, echoing in the abyss in which she was plummeting down. She gasped, frightened by the unexpected change. However, as the words sunk in, Miaka suddenly became very aware of where she was. It was no place on Earth, in either of the known worlds. She was not in a time realm, and she was not in a heaven. She was in a god-forsaken place, a realm which was not a realm or even a definable place. It was simply a desolate, intangible place that had been overlooked in the creation of the world and its laws. Within its infinite bounds it held the scares and failures of the universe and its bleakness was a place that only the darkest souls would ever know."No promises shall be made, however, as to where this gap in dimensions may take you. There is most certainly a reason why it has been all but sealed off. It is a forbidden place, ruled by no laws of the universe and conquered by no god, for even they fear its unpredictable, indefinable powers."
"What does that mean?"
"It means that they may be no return to a better place! You may remain trapped there for eternity! With no laws of life or time, the universe might cease to exist before you find what you were searching for! It was an ancient myth that has revealed the powers of this strange place, however…"
"What happened?"
"Their lives... ended in tragedy. It was never recoded the outcome; it could have been too horrific to speak of. Do you understand what kind of risk you're taking? Is it worth a second chance that may go awry?"
"Yes."What was that light? It hurt her eyes. The void had been black, impossibly dark and possibly impermeable by even the strongest light. But it was gone, and now there was just a stinging brightness, and a… warmth? What's going on now? Miaka focused her hearing on anything that she could make out, which wasn't the empty, echoing and silent void. She heard something rustle above her and when she dared crack open an eye, she was met with the sight of healthy tree branches swaying slightly in the soft breeze. Soft grass cushioned her back and she found herself remaining like that for several minutes, staring blankly at the trees and the cloudless sky above.
"Tamahome?" she whispered, her eyes wide and her face devoid of all logical emotion. It had long-since fled her senses, leaving Miaka feeling empty, yet overwhelmed. "Chichiri? Tas-" she cut herself off, remembering that no matter where she was now, Tasuki was definitely not going to be there. But… how long would it be?
A small smile graced her face, the first signs of emotions managing to return themselves to the void that had filled up her heart, mind, and soul.
"Miaka! Miaka, where are you?" a worried voice called out to her, echoing across the vast landscape. She sat up abruptly, allowing the arm that had been unconsciously draped across her stomach to slide down her body while using the other one to support herself. That voice… It was Tamahome. He was here! But what about Chichiri…?
"Tamahome! Tamahome! I'm here!" she answered without another thought.
The long silence that followed afterward worried her and she found herself standing, desperately searching for the source of the voice. Miaka's gaze swept over her surroundings, which appeared to be some sort of rural agricultural area. Wheat and other grains sprung in plenty from the rich ground, and across the field, she spotted the roof of a small home or storehouse. Directly beside her there lay a dusty highway, blemished with deep potholes and animal dung, and this road continued as far as she could see: till the horizon. And at the horizon, she caught sight of a familiar teal tuft of hair, followed closely by powder blue. And as the climbed the hill towards her, she could feel the happiness swell within her. They had all made it! They were together, and they weren't trapped in the gap. The only thing left was to ensure that they were in the right time…
"Miaka!" Tamahome cried, rushing up to her and embracing her in a tight embrace. "Oh, gods, I was so worried about you! You're all right, aren't you?"
"Tamahome," she said softly, biting her lip in order to contain her excitement. "We made it, didn't we? This is where we belong, right? We made it!"
She began to laugh loudly, a pure laugh born out of true bliss. Tamahome watched her unsurely for a couple seconds, until what his love had said registered in his recently relieved mind. He couldn't help but grin broadly at the reality of her words. It was true; they were there. Their second chance had begun. Miaka suddenly stopped laughing, though, as she recalled Chichiri's current position. Or at least, what it had been before they "traveled."
"How is Chichiri?" Miaka questioned, her brow creasing in concern.
"He's right over there. Why don't you go see for yourself?"
She nodded, pulling away from Tamahome and facing the large tree that she had awakened under. There, Chichiri sat silently in the meditative position, his legs crossed. It appeared as though he was searching for something, and he was lost in deep thought. Miaka approached him cautiously as to not startle him. Her feet made soft, muffled noises as they contacted the ground.
"Chichiri?" she called gently, watching him suddenly straighten his shoulders and open his eyes to her under the mask.
"Miaka, what is it, no da?" he responded. His mask wore a simple smile; it was the expression that Miaka knew that magic mask would take on when Chichiri was being serious or was upset. Frustrated by his secretiveness in such a time of hope, she reached up to his face and pulled the smiling mask away, revealing the surprised face below.
Seeming satisfied, she began speaking as she absently turning the mask over and over in her hands: "Chichiri, can you tell if where we supposed to be?"
The single mahogany widened slightly at the question. "I'll try, but it might be difficult to adjust to the new...order of things," he stated in his lower, more serious voice. The eye drifted closed for several moments and Chichiri's face become one of intense focus. Finally, the eye snapped open and his facial expression became more relaxed.
"We're about two hours away from Konan's capital city by foot, only one by horse, and-" A genuine smile graced his lips. "-the aura of this place tells me that we are in a time just days before the priestess of Suzaku's arrival- you, Miaka. We're exactly where we need to be, we've made it!"
Miaka jumped up and down, excited and relieved beyond belief. Chichiri chuckled slightly to himself. Although he might not have displayed his happiness like Miaka, he believed the two of them to be otherwise equal in their delight.
"Did you hear that, Tamahome? We're here! We're right where we need to be!" Miaka exclaimed, running over to him and throwing herself on him in an ecstatic hug.
He gladly returned the hug, smiling to himself. So much was going to different this time. They could prevent all the pointless deaths, save Yui, summon Suzaku, all without any problems! He would be able to see Yuiren and his father again, and protect them from Suboshi's weapon. So much would be so much better, and everyone would be happier!
By this point, Chichiri was standing up and brushing the dirt off of his pants. He picked up his disregarded mask that Miaka had absently dropped on the ground in her flurry, shaking it once and pressing it to the skin of his face, sealing away his real visage behind it's smiling cover. He then placed a little weight on the leg that had been injured in the escape before their arrival, being pleasantly surprised to find that it functioned perfectly. It would make sense though, he supposed, to be restored to our previous physical states. It's the invaluable knowledge that we hold within us that is what really matters, though. We'll Tasuki; we'll save them all…
"Ready to get to the palace?" he called to Miaka and Tamahome, hoping to break their thoughts before it led into a long and boring display of affection. This seemed to work and they snapped their gaze away from one another to Chichiri, who was already beginning to walk down the dusty road.
"Yeah!" Miaka replied enthusiastically, a bright smile still adorning her face. She bounded away after Chichiri with Tamahome following closely behind her. The afternoon wore on, brightly lighting the way of three content travelers on a mission for redemption.
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"Oh, I'm so tired!" Miaka complained loudly, her gaze sweeping over the busy city-life around her.
"We're almost there," Chichiri reassured her, raising the brim of his kasa in order to see her and Tamahome clearly, who was also trudging along slowly. She nodded tiredly, probably driven on only by the prospective of seeing a previously lost dear friend.
Just then, something slammed into her shoulder, making her wince and loose her balance. She landed flat on her rear on the ground, watching through startled, wide eyes as a large cart of fabrics rolled by.
"Oniisan!" scolded a strangely familiar voice. "You knocked this strangely-dressed young lady right over! I do believe that we owe her an apology!"
A dark-blue haired boy looked over his shoulder, his widening in surprise and shock, probably partially due to Miaka's strange clothing.
"Are you just going to stand there gaping? Really! You have no manners at all!" The owner of the voice moved from behind the cart and offered a delicate hand down to Miaka, which she took hesitantly, still in a stupor.
"Thank you," she mumbled, getting to her feet.
"We're terribly sorry, miss," the older of the two finally spoke up. "But we must be on our way. It's a busy time of the week for business!" He flashed an apologetic grin, turned his head to look at the road, and began pulling the overloaded cart.
Miaka stared at the ground, looking up only when the cart had passed, as she was rather embarrassed. It had been more her fault than the two who owned the cart that she ran into, since she had been so absorbed in her thoughts. She sighed, looking up in order to watch the retreating backs of the two siblings. And before the crowd shifted and the small break of people was lost, Miaka could have sworn that she saw a long, royal purple braid tumble off the shoulder and down the back of the first to offer her assistance. She blinked in confusion, but in the time that it took to clear her vision, the crowds shifted and her pathway was lost. Was that…? Could that have been…? No. He wouldn't be here. With the small dispute settled in her mind, she ran through the crowds and caught up with Tamahome and Chichiri. They had never noticed her absence and so the continued on in silence, until the reached the grand entrance to the imperial palace.
"Good afternoon," Chichiri began, acting as the communicator for the small group. This captured the guards' attention and they watched intently, tightening their grip on their spears. However, Chichiri continued on, undaunted, "I am Chichiri, a celestial warrior of Suzaku, and this is my companion, Tamahome, who is also a warrior of Suzaku. The girl with us is the legendary Priestess of Suzaku, who had transcended universes to serve our god. We request a presence with the emperor, in regards of our quest to serve his country."
The guards traded looks curiously, both unsure of what to do. The stepped close together, whispering amongst themselves about what to do about the uncommon claim. Chichiri, Miaka, and Tamahome stood back and patiently awaited their response. One of the guards then looked up and vaguely gestured to Miaka's strange attire, making her shrink under his intense gaze. The other guard looked at Miaka as well, and the seemed to make a decision. As one turned around to give the order to open the massive gate, the other watchman informed the group, "We will take you to the emperor, but it will not be permitted for you three to go without a strict escort. Follow the group of guards to the throne room. It is to the emperor to determine whether your claim is true, or false. If this turns out to be some prank, however, the penalty will not be lenient."
Miaka swallowed nervously, suddenly doubting the ideas behind meeting with Hotohori. What is something goes wrong, or if they can't prove their identities? A steady hand clasped down on her slumped shoulders, causing her to raise her eyes to meet Tamahome's sparkling gray ones.
"Don't worry, Miaka. Even it doesn't work out well, we're more than capable of finding our way out," he said mischievously, winking at the startled priestess. She forced a smile as they began they short voyage to the throne room. The walk passed too quickly in Miaka's opinion, but her seishi appeared cool and confident, so she copied them as the gold-embroidered door was pushed open. But upon seeing the memorable figure sitting upon the throne, all seconds thoughts were lost and Miaka broke free of the escort and raced up the steps to the emperor's pedestal.
"Hotohori!" Miaka cried joyfully, all but throwing herself into his arms. "It's so wonderful to be able to see you! You would never believe everything that's happened to us- happened to you!" She paused, studying Hotohori's surprised face more carefully. Somehow, there was something unidentifiably… different…
"Step away from the emperor! It is still yet to be determined whether you are the priestess of legends, or just some imposter!" a nearby guard barked at her while several other guards with pointed weapons surrounded the shocked Miaka. She nodded dumbly, the answer being lost to her as to why Hotohori hadn't greeted her like he did the first time they met. Regardless, though, she conceded with the command and stepped away quickly. There was a long a thoughtful silence from the emperor as he looked on at the three people before him, his gaze switching from Miaka, to Chichiri, to Tamahome. Miaka could feel her heartbeat speed up at the uncomfortable pause, the seeds of uncertainty sewing themselves in her troubled mind. The emperor pursed his lips, as if debating something within his own mind. Finally, he spoke.
"We apologize, but you seem to be mistaken," he said slowly. "Whether you are all imposters or truly the minions of Suzaku, it is essential for you all to know that We are Tendou, the fourth emperor of Konan. We know not of this 'Hotohori' that you speak of..."
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Yes! The first signs of a plot! Isn't that great? Oh yeah! I'm having the most terrible time spelling anything tonight, though, so please be gentle. We're just lucky that spell-checkers on computers exist, because I'd be lost without it. T_T& I also wanted to apologize for the delay on updates. I've really been trying to focus on writing more chapters for Nijuusei and putting off my other epics, but alas, I couldn't stick with it for too long. ^^& Anyway, I'm really excited about getting this story going. I have so many great (in my opinion, anyway) ideas just lurking around the corner, but please review and let me know what you think of the story so far. Thank you!
-Kaen ^^
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