DISCLAIMER: ~wraps a bandana around her head and puts on large dangly gold hoop earrings~ For Kaze-chan... hooommmmmmm... For Kaze-chan, I see something she very much desires... but... Oh my! It seems to be out of her reach! What could it be?!... AHHH! 'Tis a specific anime she wants! But no, it cannot be hers!
AUTHOR'S NOTES: I never claimed to be fully sane, remember? ~_~
I shall stop with the Overdone Plot bemoaning, and just go with the flow. ~snaps her fingers~ Go with the flow, daddio... All right, I'm scaring myself.
To answer Ryuen-sama's not-really-a-question question ~_~ Risa-chan (Risako) is an original character... Like most of the OCs I make up, I grow attached to them and it ends up being that I can't get rid of them when I originally planned. So she wasn't s'possed to be in this for more than two or three chapters or so, but that definitely didn't turn out to be the case...
You'll quickly see that Reijirou is not like the vast majority of other Nuriko-reincarnations out there, and I'm kinda glad he's not. He's still a lot like the seishi, but he's also his own person, and I don't really expect anyone to be exactly the same in different lives... Look at Taka and Tamahome, Miaka said that Taka was different, but in a lot of ways similar. And as another example, Kagome and Kikyo (from Inu-Yasha, my fave manga aside from FY, which I ALSO do not own...) are incredibly different, at least from what I can tell.
I shall hereby stop these really boring explanations and get on with the story ~_~ Y'all are wonderful for putting up with me through them!
Reijirou's captive was NOT a happy camper.
"PUT ME DOWN NOW YA SHIT!"
"Shut up already, nimrod." Reijirou managed to bash him in the head again with his right fist. "You did it, you pay the price."
The mugger saw stars yet again. "Put me down 'r I'll bite ya." He twisted his neck around to glare Reijirou in the face, hiding a wince of pain.
Reijirou just glared right back. "Look, you've got two options. One, I take you back and turn you in. Two, I break your arm, take you to the hospital, and turn you in there. Either one works for me, how 'bout you?" He kept walking steadily back to the street; they'd be there in a few minutes.
"That's low, man, that's real low." He groaned as the stars swirled around his head one more time, just for the heck of it. "C'mon bud, jus' put me down, I don't think I can walk straight as it is."
Reijirou gave him a suspicious, calculating look. "You won't pull that again?"
"I do and ya can break my neck, jus' put me down afore I pass out!" He wasn't making it up; the world was swimming before his eyes.
Reijirou noted the absence of cussing. He groaned and bent over to put the mugger back on his feet, then grabbed onto him to keep him from falling over.
"Thanks man, I owe ya."
"You seriously do, damnit." Reijirou risked a quick glance around; as he thought, no one had followed them. "Get the hell out of here now, before they come looking for us. I'll say you got away, just go!" The mugger nodded and stumbled away at a ninety-degree angle, deeper into the trees and hopefully away from the police.
Reijirou grumbled under his breath for a minute, rotating his stiff shoulders and shaking out his arms, watching him clump away through the brush. He shook his head at the retreating figure, then pulled the purse off his shoulder and opened it, searching for some form of identification. He rummaged through, bypassing a jingling key ring and makeup case, before finding a slim woman's wallet. He pulled out everything that was inserted in one of the credit card holders and looked through it: a picture of two girls in their late teens, one blonde and one brunette, a business card for some day care or other, and - finally! - a driver's license. He glanced at the picture: yep, it was the woman who was mugged. She looked like the brunette girl in the picture also, only older. He quickly read the name. "Sukunami Miaka - SUKUNAMI?!"
There was no mistake, that woman had the same last name as his new sensei. They had to be related. Another quick rummage in the wallet produced a small photo of her and Taka, stuffed between two credit cards. No doubt, he thought as he looked at the picture, those two are close. Are they married...?
"Baka! Get back there!" he yelled aloud to himself, stuffing the pictures and cards back in the wallet and shutting it in the purse. He started running again, though this time taking it slow, letting his aching muscles loosen up.
By the time he got back the ambulance had been and gone, taking Sukunami Miaka with it. Most of the crowd was gone as well, no doubt pushed along by the two police who were taking statements on the sidewalk. Risako was still there, leaning against the wall and watching the police, arms crossed and an impatient look on her face.
He silently crept up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder. "So what's new, Risako-san?"
"Yah!" She jumped and whirled, he had freaked her out showing up so suddenly. "Baka, you scared me!"
He just grinned and ducked a swipe. "Then you should pay more attention." He jumped over the wall and walked to the police. "Officers! I got the purse back!"
The policewoman looked up, motioning to her partner to continue taking the last witnesses' statements. "Arigato, we owe you something." She took the purse and opened it, shuffling through in much the same manner Reijirou had.
"Nothing's missing officer, he dropped it while I was chasing him." Well, it IS the truth... he mentally excused his blurring of reality.
"Ahh." She glanced up again, alert eyes darting back and forth behind him, scanning the immediate area. "Did you get him, too? Your friend over there," she said, motioning to Risako, who was listening in on their conversation, "seemed to think you'd have no problem catching up."
He sighed, a very convincing one that always worked on his mother, and hung his head slightly. "Gomen, he got away." It ISN'T a lie! It's just not the whole truth, he told himself, as Risako gaped in shock. "He was too fast." Now THAT was a lie.
The policewoman sighed as well. "Well, you tried, and you recovered Sukunami-san's purse, so thanks. At least she can know her things are safe. She was worried about her credit cards."
Reijirou nodded. "Hai. But is Sukunami-san awake now? Last I saw she was unconscious."
Risako piped up. "She was only out for a second, Reijirou-kun." She chuckled. "She's a pretty spirited woman. You could tell she'd be raving and be after the thief herself if she had the strength. The medics thought it would be better to take her to the hospital and have her injury looked at though, it was bleeding somewhat and they suspected a mild concussion."
"Thank you Doctor Daishi," he said in a dry voice, then looked at the policewoman again. "Excuse me, but are you going to the hospital to give her purse to her?"
She nodded firmly. "Hai, I want her to be reassured as soon as possible."
"Can we hitch a ride? It's kind of a long way to walk." He grinned.
"Well, I guess you could. I think she'll want to ask you some stuff anyway, might as well kill two birds with one stone."
"Hey, Owake!" The policeman's voice broke through their conversation. "We're wanted at the station!"
The policewoman sighed and shook her head. "Come on kids, we can drop you off."
Reijirou perked up immediately. "Can we ride in the back?"
"You'll have to."
"SUGOI! We'll look like criminals!" He sprinted for the car.
The police car went quickly, but not dangerously (something Reijirou was VERY glad of), down the roads to the hospital, Sargent Owake driving and Officer Fujimara, her partner, taking Reijirou's statement. Soon they were in front of the sterile-looking white concrete building that was Tokyo's closest hospital, where the officers dropped off Reijirou and Risako.
"Remember kids," Owake said, leaning out the driver's side window, "tell her to come to the station as soon as she's able to make her statement. The medics wouldn't let us question her. Bye!" Owake pulled herself inside the car again and took off in the direction of the station. Fujimara waved to them out the window, and they waved back, watching the car disappear.
After it had vanished, Risako turned on Reijirou with murder on her face. "All right, EXPLAIN."
Reijirou feigned innocence. "Nani?"
"Don't 'nani' me, you idiot, you know what I mean! There's no way that guy could get away from you, so what happened?!"
Reijirou took a prudent step back from Risako. "I'll explain later, it's a long story. Let's do this." He grabbed the protesting Risako's arm and dragged her after him into the building and up to reception.
The nurse behind the counter looked up. "Visitors?"
Reijirou nodded. "Hai, for Sukunami Miaka. What room is she in?"
The nurse turned to her computer and hit a long series of keys quickly, making Reijirou envious. "Sukunami… Ahh, the mugging victim, right? Room 6074. Elevator to the sixth floor, take a left, and keep going until you get there."
"Arigato!" Reijirou walked to the elevator, Risako following and frowning. He punched the call button and leaned against the wall to wait. "Nani?" he asked, seeing the look on Risako's face.
"How'd you know it?" she demanded. "None of us ever used her full name."
He tossed the purse to her, which she easily caught. "That. I checked it for identification. You can carry that thing. Have you caught on yet?"
It was her turn to look confused. "Caught on to what?"
He grinned; he'd be able to get a lot of teasing out of this one. "And here I thought you were smart. She and Taka have the same name."
Risako's eyes widened in surprise, then went back to normal. "That's right, I didn't realize it before… NE!" She whacked Reijirou when he started to laugh again. "YOU try dealing with an unconscious woman and see how well your mind works!"
"Sukunami-san?" Risako called through the open door to 6074. "It's Risako-san again. Reijirou-kun's with me this time."
Nothing responded.
Risako looked at Reijirou, shrugged, and walked in the room, pulling him with her. Sukunami Miaka, a brunette in her early-to-mid twenties, was asleep, a small bandage on her left temple, held in place with gauze tape, propped up on a stack of pillows. Reijirou could tell she was the teenager in the photo now, then blinked as déjà vu momentarily overtook him.
"Sukunami-san?" Risako called gently, standing on the left side of the bed, Reijirou opposite her on the right. "Sukunami-san? Please, wake up. I've brought a visitor for you."
Sukunami-san mumbled something, slowly turned her head to face Risako, and opened her eyes. "It's... Risako-san, ne? You helped me before." Sukunami-san's voice was much stronger than Reijirou expected it to be. He was thankful she wasn't hurt too badly.
"Hai, that's me," Risako responded cheerfully. "I've brought another visitor, he helped you too." She grinned, holding up the purse.
Sukunami-san brightened even more at seeing her valuables recovered. "My purse!! Arigato!" She took the bag, opening it.
"Don't worry Suku- Sukunami-san?!"
Sukunami-san had dropped the bag, spilling its contents over the bed, when he started to speak. Her mouth was agape, her open hands were shaking as she turned to look at him.
"NURIKO!" He had no time to react before she hurled herself at him, throwing her arms around his shoulders and crying into his shirt.
"Nuriko! Nuriko, it's really you! It's really you...!" she sobbed, holding him too tightly for even him to move.
Risako and Reijirou stared at each other in shock. Not once, but twice that day had Reijirou been called that name they'd never heard before! Neither of them knew what to think. Reijirou sent Risako a pleading look. Risako shrugged, and he looked down at Sukunami-san with a helpless expression. "Anou... Sukunami-san?"
"Hai?" Her reply was muffled in his shirt.
"Who is this... Nuriko person?" He was very confused and a little freaked out about being repeatedly mistaken for him by the Sukunami family.
Sukunami-san slowly pulled away from him, putting her hands on his shoulders (which Reijirou found much more preferable to having her latched onto him), slowly and carefully inspecting him with tear-reddened eyes. "Nuriko... who..." She sighed, and he could see the fire of hope being extinguished from her eyes. She looked down, letting her hands drop off his shoulders and folding them in her lap, and carefully shook her head. "No, you wouldn't remember, would you?… Never mind then." She looked up, and Reijirou could also see her making herself act normal. She smiled cheerfully. "Gomen nasai. What's your name? And please, have a seat."
To both Reijirou and Risako, acting normal seemed the best course of action, and they each pulled up a characteristically uncomfortable hospital chair. "Well," Reijirou said as he settled in the chair, "I'm Enomoto Reijirou. I got your purse back for you."
"Arigato, Reijirou-kun. I was very worried."
"I know. But... gomen, I didn't catch the thief." A brief glance from Risako let him know he wasn't out of the woods on that explanation yet. "I ran after him, but he was just too fast, and then he threw the purse into the bushes. I think he was making me choose between chasing him and getting it back, Sukunami-san."
She nodded. "That would make sense, and you can call me Miaka." She smiled at Risako. "And you can as well. After all, if those who help you in times like these aren't your friends, who is?"
Risako smiled back. "That's true, Miaka. You can call me Risako if you want. How did the doctors say you're doing?"
Miaka grimaced; she had a very mobile face. "Terrible. They told me that I had to have a few stitches, but nothing was seriously damaged. They also told me the only reason I passed out at all was because I hadn't been getting enough sleep. I told them try sleeping with a hyperactive four-year-old!" Reijirou and Risako laughed. "Now I'm hungry to boot, and hospital food is one of the few things I DON'T like."
Reijirou stood up. "We can fix that Miaka. I'll go down to the visitor's cafeteria and get something, I'm hungry myself. What do you want?" He pulled his wallet out of his pocket, opening it to tally his money. And blanched. "Risako-san, if you want something too, better chip in, I don't have that much."
"Could you get me some sort of sandwich and a large bottle of water please?" Miaka asked. "And maybe some potato chips?"
Risako tossed him her wallet. "Just get me a couple of muffins or bagels and some orange juice. This'll be my treat."
He grinned and tossed his back to her. "Here's a hostage for you. Be back quickly." He took off at a medium jog out the door and down the hall to the elevator.
Miaka watched him go, a slightly sad look in her eyes. "Nuriko..." she whispered softly, unaware that Risako heard her clearly.
Risako wisely kept her mouth shut.
Reijirou returned to 6074 to find the door had been shut and the "No Visitors" sign had been hung on the door. He groaned and tried to juggle sandwich, chips, water, bagels, orange juice, boxed salad, roll, and Gatorade to find a free hand, but in the end gave up and kicked at the door lightly with his foot.
"Who's there?" Miaka's voice called.
"Ish nee, ofen theh dohr!" He worked the words out around the chip bag held in his teeth.
"Who?"
"REISHIRHOU! HURRHY!" The water was threatening to slip out of his hold and take everything else (except the chips) with it.
"That's him all right," came Risako's voice, and a few seconds later she opened the door. She yelped and quickly began taking food from him. "Gomen! But thanks for going."
He was finally able to take the chips out of his mouth. "It was no problem. Here you are Miaka, food as ordered." He flipped up the little dining tray on the side of the bed and put her meal on it, then took a plastic-wrapped plastic fork out of his pocket and flopped in his chair as Risako sat down, eating a bagel. "Food at last! I've been running too much today." He popped the lid on his salad and dug in. When he looked up a few seconds later Miaka's food was completely gone. "Hungry, weren't you?"
"Hai." She smiled cheerfully again. "Arigato Reijirou-kun. May I call you Reijirou?"
He swallowed some lettuce. "Sure, why not? Oh yeah, that police woman, Owake-san, told us to tell you to go down to the station and make your statement as soon as possible."
"Thank you for telling me. Actually, while you were gone, the doctor told me that if everything's all right in this last set of x-rays I can leave in a few hours. I'll go then."
"Sounds like a plan," Risako said, finishing the first bagel. "Gomen, but I have to leave soon Miaka, I have an afternoon class at two."
"I should probably leave soon too, I still have to go shopping." Reijirou groaned. "I don't want another hellish morning like today in a million years."
Risako grinned teasingly. "Damn alarm clock, ne? Made you late for Taka's class. And on the first day no less!" She shook her finger at him impishly.
Miaka also grinned. "Hai, Risako told me about your experience this morning. Taka doesn't like it when students are late, you know."
"Oh, NOW she tells me," he groaned. "That reminds me, are you and Taka related?"
"Hai." She smiled down at her hands, where a gold wedding band glinted. "We're married."
"I was right then, always good to know." He finished the salad and pitched the box into the trashcan. He quickly ate the roll and drank some of the Gatorade before standing up. "I better go, I think my mom expected me home about now. Do either of you know where the nearest department store is? Baka, almost forgot." He pulled Risako's wallet out of his pocket and chucked it at her.
Miaka quickly gave him directions while Risako threw his wallet back to him, then he ran out the door with a quick "arigato", closing it behind him.
Risako looked at Miaka seriously again. "All right, now tell me the rest about Nuriko..."
Later that evening, in the twilight just after sunset, a young couple sat on the couch in the main room of their small apartment, talking quietly so as not to disturb their sleeping daughter.
"Is it really him?" the man asked, still entirely bewildered.
The woman nodded slowly, but firmly. "Hai, I'm positive."
"And are you sure you should have done that?"
She nodded again. "I don't regret telling her what I did. Somehow she's going to be mixed up in this, she has a right to know. But he needs to experience it before he experiences it." She gave the man a significant look. "First-hand."
The man sighed. "I'll trust your judgement on this love, you'd know better than I would."
She looked away from his face, out the window into the sky, purple with sunset. The purple of his hair... "One thing bothers me though."
"Nani?"
"If he's here... how many more are out there?"
AUTHOR'S NOTES II: Yeah, I know, a bit melodramatic on the end there. And if you're confused, just wait around, the answers'll come out - sooner or later ~_~
