Big thanks to all the reviewers. I really appreciate the support. It's
probably not deserved... but I appreciate it anyway.
Chapter 3
It was so dark. Miaka groaned in her head "I've done it now." She tried to force her eyes to open but they refused. In fact, she couldn't move her body at all..! She was just starting to panic when she saw a large red light in front of her eyes.
"Oh no! I'm going back in the book. Am I going back into the book? Why am I going back into the book? If I'm going into the book then shouldn't Taka be with me? Wait a minute! I didn't even touch the book! Why am I back in the book if I didn't touch it!" she wailed. "This is all so unfair! I didn't even go near the blasted book! Hey, I wonder what Chichiri and Tasuki are up to..."
"Miaka! Hey Miaka! You're not in the book! The sun's just shining in your eyes cause I opened the curtains", a voice said. Miaka took a minute to process the fact that she wasn't going into the book. She took the next minute to process the fact that Taka was obviously safe and sound cause he was grumbling in the background about stupid magic books and women who don't look both ways before dancing off the pavement. Her brother was also here because he had just stopped her panic fit. So, the question was - why couldn't she open her eyes? Unless they were already open! Was it possible -?
"I'm blind!" she wailed. Keisuke and Taka shared a moment of exasperation. How could one girl be so silly? She hadn't even opened her eyes before wailing that one. Not that she really could open them much considering the shiners she had. Keisuke didn't know how it was possible, but Miaka always seemed to dramatize the moment.
"Miaka, you can't really open your eyes right now. They're too swollen. You must have blocked the fall of your head with your fists or something cause you have two huge black eyes" Taka explained patiently. Miaka thought about that before asking quietly, "How bad is it?"
Keisuke grinned at his sister's boyfriend as he turned to him with a pleading, half-panicked look in his eyes. This was definitely a time when tact and decision-making were called for and Taka was in the hot seat. It could possibly be one of those 'am I less attractive than that girl?' or 'does this outfit make me look fat?' questions. On the other hand, it was possible that she truly wanted to know the extent of her injuries. But which option was it? Or was it that she wanted him to reassure her that she was still beautiful despite her injuries? Should he pretend that the marks were barely noticeable? But wouldn't she see through that? Choosing the wrong option would mean a very angry Miaka. What to do? What to do?
The next thing Miaka heard was the slamming of a door and her brother's laughter.
"Taka?"
Chapter 3
It was so dark. Miaka groaned in her head "I've done it now." She tried to force her eyes to open but they refused. In fact, she couldn't move her body at all..! She was just starting to panic when she saw a large red light in front of her eyes.
"Oh no! I'm going back in the book. Am I going back into the book? Why am I going back into the book? If I'm going into the book then shouldn't Taka be with me? Wait a minute! I didn't even touch the book! Why am I back in the book if I didn't touch it!" she wailed. "This is all so unfair! I didn't even go near the blasted book! Hey, I wonder what Chichiri and Tasuki are up to..."
"Miaka! Hey Miaka! You're not in the book! The sun's just shining in your eyes cause I opened the curtains", a voice said. Miaka took a minute to process the fact that she wasn't going into the book. She took the next minute to process the fact that Taka was obviously safe and sound cause he was grumbling in the background about stupid magic books and women who don't look both ways before dancing off the pavement. Her brother was also here because he had just stopped her panic fit. So, the question was - why couldn't she open her eyes? Unless they were already open! Was it possible -?
"I'm blind!" she wailed. Keisuke and Taka shared a moment of exasperation. How could one girl be so silly? She hadn't even opened her eyes before wailing that one. Not that she really could open them much considering the shiners she had. Keisuke didn't know how it was possible, but Miaka always seemed to dramatize the moment.
"Miaka, you can't really open your eyes right now. They're too swollen. You must have blocked the fall of your head with your fists or something cause you have two huge black eyes" Taka explained patiently. Miaka thought about that before asking quietly, "How bad is it?"
Keisuke grinned at his sister's boyfriend as he turned to him with a pleading, half-panicked look in his eyes. This was definitely a time when tact and decision-making were called for and Taka was in the hot seat. It could possibly be one of those 'am I less attractive than that girl?' or 'does this outfit make me look fat?' questions. On the other hand, it was possible that she truly wanted to know the extent of her injuries. But which option was it? Or was it that she wanted him to reassure her that she was still beautiful despite her injuries? Should he pretend that the marks were barely noticeable? But wouldn't she see through that? Choosing the wrong option would mean a very angry Miaka. What to do? What to do?
The next thing Miaka heard was the slamming of a door and her brother's laughter.
"Taka?"