This fic is rated R for language. I will not asterisk-out any swearing.
~Two~
Don't Know Just What I Said Wrong, But Girl, I Apologize
Flashed of dark and light, colors, and shadows swirled around her, dizzying, terrifying. She struggled against the pulling once again, woken from the voice's spell. Do not struggle, please. I beg you to come to me, accept me… She relaxed again, calmed by the soothing words.
A figure stood silently by the water, the ocean lapping softly at its feet.
Fists suddenly clenched, eyes scowled, teeth grimaced, revealing fang-like canines. A soft growl echoed slightly. "Rrrgh….I have to beat this!!!"
Coat, boots, shirt, and tessen flipped harmlessly to the ground, flopping into a pile.
Tasuki stood, knee deep in the water, shivering, too scared and cold to go further. "Shit. It's freezing…"
Aiumi was suddenly plunged into the world again, her horrible journey ended. Something was wrong. She glanced downward, realizing she was sitting fifteen feet in the air- above water.
Tasuki glanced upward, eyes locking momentarily with the girl's.
"GYAAAAAAAHHH!!!!"
"KYAAAAAAHH!!!"
Aiumi fell in for a splash landing, sending a wave of cold water over Tasuki. Tasuki jumped convulsively backwards, landing on a tree branch, even more scared than before, and soaking wet.
"WHAT THE HELL DID YA DO THAT FOR????"
"YOU THINK I COULD HELP IT? I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE THE FUCK I AM!!!"
Aiumi fished herself out of the water, more than a little pissed at life. Shrugging off her waterlogged leather jacket, she sat dejectedly on a rock and ran her fingers through her wet hair.
She noticed something weird. Staring at her right hand, she murmured, "Only one ring…Keisuke…"
She glanced up, on the verge of hysterics. It had been eleven at night back home; here the sun wasn't even beginning to set. There was no sign of Keisuke, or any civilization whatsoever.
Tasuki jumped to the ground, frowning. Somehow, this girl had come out of nowhere, thoroughly soaked him with freezing cold water, and was now ignoring him. He walked toward the rock she was sitting on.
Aiumi glanced upward. She frowned for a moment, then silently grabbed the hand he offered her and allowed herself to be helped up.
"I DON'T need your help, fang-boy!"
"Fine with me! Find the way back yerself! AND DON'T CALL ME FANG-BOY, DAMMIT!!!" Tasuki whirled, and stalked back toward the palace.
Aiumi watched him go for a moment, and grabbed her stuff, heading in a different direction.
Fortunately, it's pretty hard to miss the royal palace of Kounan. Aiumi finally got through the gate into the gardens, slumping to the ground in exhaustion.
"Hello!"
Aiumi glanced around her, spotting a small boy sitting on a bench ten feet or so away, a huge book resting across his knees. His hair was light brown, fixed in a ponytail that stuck straight up. He stood, revealing himself to be impossibly short, making the effect even cuter than it already was.
"I am Chiriko. Tell me, how have you come to find the palace of Kounan?"
"I…I don't know. Where is Kounan?"
How strange, a traveler not even knowing the country she is in…and such unusual clothes! Wait, could she have come from another world? Perhaps the same one as Miaka? But…how is that possible? "Kounan is the Southern territory in the Universe of the Four Gods, protected by the god of truth and beauty, Suzaku, the scarlet phoenix. But never mind that, miss, how have you come to find this place? Certainly not by the normal means of travel…?"
"No, it was a book, I don't know exactly what happened, but there was a tiger and a…I guess it was a phoenix, and something pulled me in…a voice."
Ah, so she does come from another world! "Miss, do you perhaps know a 15-year-old girl by the name of Miaka?"
"Yes! My bo- a friend of mine has a younger sister by that name. And he was reading the book I went through…"
"Ah! Well, then, I expect the emperor will allow you to stay here. I will talk to him, and meanwhile, I will find you a room where you can go to dry off…What is your name, miss?"
"Aiumi. Aiumi Tsuyoi."
"Very well then, Aiumi, follow me."
Aiumi glanced down at the kid, a couple of heads shorter than herself, his ponytail bouncing slightly as he walked. She grinned, trying to keep from laughing, and shook her head.
Hmm, what room should I give her? Well, Tasuki said he wouldn't be back for awhile, so I suppose there's no harm in it…I'll be back soon, anyway.
Ten minutes later, Aiumi brushed the last tangle out of her hair, which fell back into place now that it was dry. She grabbed her jeans off the bed and yanked them back on. She pulled on socks and her shoes, and grabbed her tank top to put it on.
Footsteps sounded in the hall. "Chiriko?"
Tasuki slammed through the door, both pissed at himself for getting lost, and extremely tired from hiking uphill most of the way. Aiumi was probably the last thing he needed to see right now.
Anyhow, both screamed rather loudly, and Aiumi finished pulling on her shirt rather fast.
"DAMMIT, WHAT THE HELL ARE YA DOIN' IN HERE??? GIT OUT!!!!"
"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT??"
"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YA DOING IN MY ROOM??"
"IT'S NOT MY FAULT! CHIRIKO LET ME IN!!!"
Tasuki snapped. He was exhausted, disgruntled, and tired of yelling at this girl. "DAMMIT, I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YER SHIT! LEKKA---"
He wasn't actually going to fry her, just scare her enough to leave him alone. He hadn't counted on her reflexes being good enough to grab his wrist in midair, preventing him from finishing the incantation without setting the roof on fire.
She flicked his arm aside, the tessen slipping out of his grip and slithering across the floor.
With Tasuki disarmed and defeated, the room fell deathly silent. The two stared directly into each other's eyes, Tasuki's conveying disbelief, fear, and even awe, Aiumi's spewing pure Hate Rays™.
She smoothly collected her jacket and backpack/purse and pushed out of the room past him without another glance, going with her instinct to get out of this place as fast as she could before she exploded. It's amazing what a couple years of afterschool martial arts training can do for you, she thought, trying to find the silver lining of the little poofy stormcloud forming over her head.
She walked on, not thinking, not feeling. She finally stopped and looked back. Nothing. Just a stretch of dusty road. Gods, it was bad enough she'd given up her only hope of shelter in this strange place to anger, a simple quarrel. Wasn't that the way it was with Keisuke?, her conscience chided. Just face it, you're afraid of conflict.
Her stomach wrenched with sadness and she slumped to the ground, fighting tears. IwontcryIcan'tcryIwon'tIwon'tIwon't…I'm crying…
She grimaced, brushing the tears away angrily. She hugged her knees tightly, even until her knuckles were white with the force of her grip. Then she went limp, tired of fighting the losing battle against tears.
Tasuki grabbed the tessen angrily, clenching and unclenching his fists. He finally sighed and sat down, yanking off his boots. Alone with the silence, his thoughts invaded every corner of his brain.
Women…she'll probably be back within five minutes. Who does she think she is anyway, messing with the great Tasuki…
You started it, y'know…
'Ay, what're ya doing here? I didn't think I had a conscience!
::sigh:: That's what they all say…anyway, you know she's hurting, and it is your fault…
Yeah, right…go away, I don't need yer stupid comments…
Sorry, pal, I'm here to stay until you go and do the right thing.
And what if I don't?
Instantly, images of the girl being beaten, hurt, sold into slavery, and worse flashed into his mind, each more disturbing than the last.
Damn. I shoulda known this would happen…
Well, you know what ya gotta do, then.
Within seconds, Tasuki was heading out the way Aiumi had gone.
'Ay, how am I supposed ta know where she went?
Don't worry about it. With a conscience like me, you'll know.
Now you're really starting ta scare me…
Hey, I am you, so knock it off with the insults, here!
"Damn, I've gotta be goin' nuts or something…" He jogged off into the distance.
He soon spotted the huddled form on the roadside and skidded to a halt. Wondering how he could possibly even talk civilly to her, not to mention apologize, he knelt softly beside her.
Now what the hell do I do?
Well, for one thing, no cussing. Don't worry, I'll make sure you don't make too big a fool of yourself.
Geez, even my conscience is out ta get me…
Biting his lip, he laid a hand softly on her shoulder. She didn't look up, but at least she didn't shrug him off, either.
"Hey…look, I'm sorry…for everything I said and did…I was a jackass and I don't blame ya if ya don't forgive me…but…"
He stood, back to her, head hanging, truly ashamed now that he realized how much he'd hurt her. "…It's not safe out here…please, come back…"
Silence.
Turn around, you idiot!
All right, all right!
Darn it, you're too slow. I'll take it from here.
'Ay, what the hell are ya doing??
Tasuki no longer had control over his own actions, his control-freak of a conscience having taken over.
A hand rested lightly on his forearm, and Tasuki turned around.
Damn it, I want a new conscience!
Too late, buddy, you're stuck with me.
Ayumi had stood up, ready to forgive him, but instead burst out laughing at the expression on Tasuki's face as he regained control of himself.
"'Ay, what's so funny??"
"Gomen! Gomen! Calm down…"
A minute later…
"Look, let's just forget all of this, start over like we just met, ok?"
"Fine with me." He grinned. "Hi, I'm Tasuki, nice to meet you."
"I'm Aiumi."
They shook hands.
Back in the library, Keisuke read, "And from that moment on, the two former enemies were resolved to become friends…"
End of Chapter Two