Disclaimer: I do not own characters of Fushigi Yuugi. They belong to Watase Yuu.
A/N: Thank you all for the reviews that I've gotten so far. They are really very encouraging. =) I know it has been a long time since I've updated this fic but no worries, I will not give it up. It's moving very slowly but I would like to get Miaka's & Yui's past out in the open before letting them meet their seishi so please bear with me. Arigato Gozaimaz!
Recollections – Part I
"Now Miaka, you are ready to face the other world after I have shown you the ways of the other world & the things that you have to avoid. When are you going over there? I reckon that Yui is making her move soon."
Miaka nodded at Taiitsukun's words. She understood the urgency of the matter. However, she could not help but wished to go back to Emperor Shi Ro's side for a final farewell. 'Churei too. I miss Her Highness already.'
Taiitsukun narrowed her eyes on her disciple's dreamy faraway look & shook her head in displeasure. "Suzaku No Miko! Are you listening to me?" shouted Taiitsukun angrily.
"Eh? What?" said Miaka confusedly. When she saw Taiitsukun's narrowed eyes, she gulped & apologized. "I… er… am sorry. Well, no matter when I have to go over to gather the 7 seishi, I have to return to the palace to let Emperor Shi-Ro know & well, bade farewell to him & Churei."
Taiitsukun nodded & dismissed her disciple with a wave of her hand.
Miaka nodded & thanked Taiitsukun for her lessons before leaving for the palace.
'Shit,' thought Miaka, 'if only I have the ability to teleport like 1 of my seishi. That will be so convenient.' She sighed & looked up at the bright sunny sky that greeted her as she left the mountains. 'Argh! What a warm summer this is beginning to be. Well, better summer than the eternal winter in Kutou.' With the thought of Kutou, Miaka stopped walking. A single thought formed in her mind, 'Yui.'
With a slight frown, Miaka turned to the opposite direction of the palace & began walking towards the borders of Kutou & Konan. 'I wonder if that small hut is still there.'
Soon, Miaka reached the outskirts of Konan. A dilapidated hut greeted her sight. Miaka smiled & walked inside the hut. 'Oh my… I have not been back to this place since I was 8. If it hadn't been for Yui…' Miaka clenched her teeth in anger. She thought back of the past when she was just a kid scampering on the borders looking for scraps of food with Yui & training with her.
"Yui chan!" called out an 8-year-old Miaka, "did you manage to find the dragon fruit that Master ordered us to find? I can't find it anywhere." Miaka began wailing loudly. Little Yui smiled & ran out of a thick bush. "You silly klutz! I told you that the dragon fruit could be found in the big white tree just next to River Nile. Why can't you remember such a simple thing? Anyway, here's your fruit. I knew that you don't remember about the dragon fruit tree when I reached there & couldn't see you." Yui handed the fruit to Miaka.
"But if Master knows that you had plucked the fruit for me… he will punish me!" Miaka continued on wailing. Yui sighed & closed her eyes. "Mi-a-ka!" shouted Yui loudly, "if you do not stop wailing, master will definitely find out! Now, if you keep quiet about this & I do not tell him, how will he know? Master is training us in martial arts, not in psychic powers you know!"
"Oops! Yippee! I guess you are right. Hahahaha!" Miaka laughed hysterically. Yui smiled at her only friend. Miaka & Yui had been friends forever. They do not even remember when they had become friends. Miaka knew that she was pretty slow at times but she has a very big heart & is always generous.
"Come on, let's go before Master blows his top at us for being late," urged Yui.
"Master," said Yui solemnly, "here are the fruits that you want."
Master Kazuma nodded & smiled. Miaka waited for her turn impatiently. However, her master started looking somewhere else dreamily. Miaka's stomach was growling by now & she could not help but called for her master's attention.
"Master? Master?" said Miaka impatiently.
Master Kazuma's eyes focused on Miaka & frowned. "Yes, Miaka?" said Master Kazuma rather loudly.
By now, Miaka was too hungry to notice her master's annoyance. "Here's the dragon fruit that you want! May we eat now? I'm famished! I want to eat!" said Miaka in her high pitched whiny voice.
Just then Yui melodious voice spoke up, expressing her hunger as well.
Miaka squealed with delight when her master dismissed them for lunch & lunged forward to give him a hug before leaving quickly. She was halfway out of the door when she realized that Yui was still inside. She turned quickly & could see Yui's uncomfortable expression as Master Kazuma held her, far longer than he had held Miaka. "Master Kazuma really dotes on Yui chan,' thought Miaka happily. 'Good. Then she can help me when Master is angry with me.' "Yui chan! Are you coming along?" shouted Miaka. Yui shot a grateful look to Miaka & managed to disengage herself from her master's hug.
Miaka's eyes snapped open when she realized that she wasn't alone anymore. "Who's there?" shouted Miaka, who was quickly positioning herself in a martial stance. When her eyes focused on the object of much noise, she ceased her position & laughed at herself. 'Oh my!' thought Miaka, 'I'm really tense today. It's just a little rat!' She smiled at her silliness. She was about to kick the rat aside when she realized that the rat was chewing on something. On closer inspection, she realized that the rat was chewing on a piece of cloth. 'It's Yui's favorite sash. Yui… Why Yui?' screamed Miaka inwardly as she returned to the past, on the fateful day, when she had just turned 10.
"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to Miaka! Happy birthday to you!" sang Yui & Miaka together. They were by the river playing & celebrating Miaka's birthday.
"Hey, where's the knife?" asked Yui. "Oops, I must have left it in the kitchen! Sorry. I was so excited when you said that you made a cake for me that I just ran out with the cake, without the knife," said Miaka apologetically.
Yui smiled at Miaka's carelessness. "Ok! I'll go & get the knife! Don't worry your pretty head about that."
"Pretty? Yui chan thinks that I'm pretty? But Yui, you are so much more prettier than I," protested Miaka.
Yui just smiled & left.
Miaka sat by the riverbank watching the fish. Finally she decided to take a short nap. She yawned & thought, 'Mmm… this breeze is heavenly. I'm going to take a short nap. I'm sure Yui chan will wake me when she arrives with the knife.' With that, Miaka slept.
When she woke, the wind was howling with rage. It looked like it was about to rain. Miaka sat up & tried to look for Yui. 'Strange. Yui chan's not here yet. I wonder what's keeping her. I better go back to the hut. Maybe Master is punishing her. I must help her.' Miaka picked up the cake & quickly ran back to the hut.
When she reached the hut, it was raining heavily. Her cake was already ruined. However, Miaka felt fear & apprehension as she approached the hut. It was as if she did not dare to look at what was inside the hut. A bolt of lightning & a tremendous clap of thunder broke her apprehension. Quickly, she pushed the door open &…
… dropped the cake on the floor. Her master was lying on the floor with blood gushing out of his throat. "Master!" Miaka cried. "Master! Please wake up. Master! Who did this to you? Master!"
Master Kazuma's eyes opened but he could not focus them & look at Miaka. Instead, he whispered 1 word before he died in Miaka's arms. "Yui."
Miaka's opened her eyes widely at this revelation. 'No! No! Yui would never harm Master. No! Master must be wrong.' Shaking her head in disbelief, Miaka looked around wildly for Yui. It was then she spotted Yui. But to her dismay, Yui was holding a bloodstained knife. Her clothes were disarrayed. Tears spilled from Miaka's eyes when she realized that her master was right. Yui had killed her master. Snarling in anger, Miaka marched over to Yui & slapped her, hard.
All these while, Yui had been sitting in a corner. She was as still as a stone. However, she woke with a start when Miaka slapped her, as if she had just awoken from some dream. "Miaka…" Yui whispered. She started to cry as she tried to hug Miaka. However, Miaka shoved Yui away & snarled. "You killed master! You murderer! I will never forgive you!" shouted Miaka through her tears as she ran outside to the howling rain.
Miaka sighed as she brought herself back to the present. 'Why am I thinking about this? It happened so long ago. But I vow, Master Kazuma, I will avenge your death no matter what,' swore Miaka.
Slowly, Miaka walked outside to the bright sun. She squinted her eyes to allow her eyes to adjust themselves from a dim & dark hut to the bright & shiny world outside. She walked towards the palace of Konan where happy memories await her.
A lone figure stood near the border of Kutou & watched Miaka carefully. When she was sure that Miaka was no longer around, she walked towards the small hut. With a toss of her golden blonde hair, Yui took a deep breath & stepped inside the hut.
A/N: As usual, I accept criticism & all but would like to know where I can improve myself. Also, I've started a new fic in Ayashi No Ceres, u might want to check it out too. Gomene that u had to wait so long for this fic. As usual, moi is busy. Last but not least, PLEASE READ & REVIEW! ARIGATOU!!! A million thanks to the people that had reviewed my story. Thank you!!! =)