Disclaimer: Still don't own Fushigi Yuugi… :P
A/N: Ari: Here we go, chapter two! ^_^ Notes to reviewers will be at the end of the chapter.
Yume: Yeah peoples… I'm the co-author. *mutter* But I suck at writing and am like a baby in skillz when compared to Ari here.* /mutter* Anyway. Chapter 2 is really awesome… it introduces my favorite rogued up version of Tamahome. *swoon* w0rd. Okie. I'll be quite and let you peoples read. Remember 2 always 534Cl 1337 ;)
Ari: Umm, yeah. ^_^;; Hope you all enjoy the latest chapter! (Aiiie, I just noticed the summary of the story gets cut off! o_O Oops.. hope that doesn't stop people from wanting to read it! It's supposed to say 'and the seishi of the book-world may not be as one remembers them.' Bah.)
Modern Miko: Chapter Two
Travis gently set the last magazine back on the pile, making a mental note to come back to the store one day when he actually had money with him. As he let his mind come out of gaming land enough to once again be aware of his surroundings, a strange feeling came over him. He realized then just how quiet it had become.
He attempted to shake it off. Rising from a crouching position, he glance up and down the aisle with an unexplainable sense of foreboding. Suddenly in a panic, he ran to the other end of the store, ignoring the flustered protests of the man at the desk. Travis scoured the bookstore for his cousin, alternating between calling her name, and that of her friend. I know they wouldn't leave without me…
After a second or third go-around, he noticed a door at the very back of the shop. He could have sworn that if there had been a door there, he would have noticed the first time—without hesitation he turned the knob until it began to give. If he wasn't supposed to go back there, it probably didn't matter—he had certainly broken enough rules already to begin with. The door opened.
Trav's first reaction upon entering the room was to shield his eyes. Beams of green and purple light were shooting out of an open book—Actually kind of cool… like something in a game—but his second reaction was to launch himself across the room and touch his cousin's shoulder. He wasn't sure why, but he knew he had to close the book, to snap her out of it at all costs. Yume held the right side of the small red book in one hand, Ari holding the opposite side in hers. Despite the blinding light, they stared at the book as if they were in a trance.
It was too late. The light only became brighter, until Travis had to squeeze his eyes shut against it. His limbs were frozen, his mouth wouldn't make a sound. He was stuck, and whatever was happening to them was about to happen to him as well.
*******
So warm…no…too warm! Yume leapt to her feet, searing pain still lingering all over her arms, legs, and back. At the same instant, her eyes snapped open. She immediately regretted it. Dots of colored light floated across her vision, as if she had been staring at a lightbulb for too long. Or the sun… which was at that moment beating down mercilessly—wherever she was.
I knew Visalia was hot today, but this is ridiculous! She blinked several times to clear her vision, sweat pouring off of her face. Whenever she attempted to wipe it away, it was just as quickly replaced. She then truly took in her surroundings.
The place where she had landed couldn't have been further from being anything like the dusty California bookstore. Rolling dunes of dark, golden sand stretched to the horizon in most directions; from the top of the dune she was on, she could see what was likely a town in the distance. That, at least, was promising. Other than the distant buildings, only small stands of twisted, withered-looking trees broke up the monotony of sand that stretched in every direction.
So, I'm in a desert…somewhere. The book must've…Ari! Yume spun around frantically. She hadn't seen her friend when she had briefly looked around, but she could only see so far. What if Ari had been sent somewhere completely different? It was a possibility she would have to consider. But first, she slid down the dune she had appeared on, to check the nearby area.
To Yume's relief, Ari lay at the bottom of the dune, propped up by her elbows and rubbing her head with one hand. To Yume's surprise, her cousin Travis also lay at the bottom of the dune, sprawled face-down a few feet away from Ari. But there was no time to wonder how he had also appeared in this strange place. Without water and shelter, none of them would last long. Yume sprinted to her cousin's side, gently shaking his shoulder.
"Trav?" He groaned slightly in response, and she flipped him over onto his back. Travis coughed several times, while attempting to open his eyes. Wincing as soon as they did, he snapped them tightly shut again.
"Yume…where are we? Nevermind… I'm sure you don't know either." He licked his lips, then made a sour face when he found that they were covered in sand. "It was the book, wasn't it?" He continued, "I had a bad feeling about it…tried to stop you. Guess it didn't work too well." He laughed humorlessly, which caused him to cough again. Yume watched him with a worried expression, which he seemed to sense—even with his eyes closed.
"I'll be okay." He grunted as he lifted himself into a sitting position. Once again he tried opening his eyes; it obviously pained him, but he didn't close them again. Scrubbing a hand through his light brown hair, he glanced over at Ari, who was now rising to her feet.
"Everyone accounted for, huh? That's good…What am I saying? We've been transported to a strange desert land by a glowing book, and we don't even have any—"
"Water?" Ari suggested, at the same time as he finished.
"—random battle enemies to fight!"
Yume and Ari stared at him incredulously.
"Guys…guys, I'm just kidding," he said.
"Sometimes I'm not so sure…" Yume raised an eyebrow.
"I am!"
"Of course." She rolled her eyes, glanced over at Ari, who looked like she was barely holding in laughter. Travis, the gaming addict… even when stranded in an unknown land he couldn't help comparing it to some video game. Well, at least he had no trouble keeping his sense of humor.
"Ahh, forget it," he said, shaking his head. "I—"
Whatever he had been about to say was cut off, quickly forgotten by himself and the other two as they followed his startled gaze. Turning so the dunes rose behind them, the girls drew closer to Trav as he scrambled to his feet, Ari to his left, Yume to his right. Ahead of them, their profiles indistinct and shimmering in the desert light, were two young men. They walked casually in long strides across the sand, laughing and talking as if they belonged there. One had the carcass of a medium-sized animal that resembled a boar slung over his shoulder. It was when they were only paces away from the group that they tensed, finally noticing the presence of other people in the shadow of the base of the dune. They turned to each other and whispered, occasionally glancing over at them, before they turned toward the strangers with seemingly friendly grins plastered on their faces.
The one who appeared to be the oldest, perhaps in his late teens with dark blue hair tied back with a strip of orangish-brown leather and mischievous blue-purple eyes, approached Ari. She flinched as he drew a finger along her chin, and scowled as he looked over at Yume. At the same time, though, he didn't seem sinister. As if he merely enjoyed toying with them, making them wonder…but somehow she didn't think he would harm them.
Travis was grinding his teeth, clenching his fists like he intended to do something, but hadn't yet decided what. Blue Hair looked over his shoulder at his friend, who still stood a bit further away.
"Here we have some pretty ones," he called. His friend merely raised his head slightly in acknowledgment, setting the animal on the ground.
Yume cleared her throat, her eyes darting between the two men.
"Are you… slave traders or something?"
Blue Hair's friend, a lanky teen with darkish brown hair that hung almost to his shoulders and nearly covered his face, seemed to panic at this accusation. He pushed back his hair to reveal a smooth and youthful face, wide jade-green eyes that caught Blue Hair's earnestly.
Needs facial hair, Yume thought.
Blue Hair caught the look.
"No, strangely-dressed one. We're no slave traders. Just your normal, every-day bandits." He made a mock bow. Jade Eyes stiffened, but didn't deny it.
"Bandits, you say," Travis growled, taking a step forward. Blue Hair nodded, grinning but making no move to step back.
"That's right… out for some hunting today, Tatara and I." He nodded towards the carcass that lay in the sand. "You folks wouldn't happen to have any money with you, would you?" He sighed as each of the strangers slowly shook their head. "I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.. of course, that also means you won't get an escort into the city." Flashing a quick grin, he turned his attention to Yume.
"Nice ring you have there. Can I have it? Really? Thank you." He had snatched it from her as quickly as he had said that, tossing the silver ring up into the air and catching it.
"For trespassing." He winked, and began to walk away.
******
Ari: As promised, I have comments for each of the reviewers. ^_^ But first, I will answer a few questions you may or may not have had while reading this chapter.
Q: How did Travis get into the book? All other people who have entered the book in the official stories were young girls.
A: Well, I can't answer that completely. It is part of the plot. ;) But realize that this was planned and not an error on the part of the authors/planners. The book has let some pretty odd things happen, remember.. originally, Yui and Miaka shouldn't have been able to enter the book at the same time, but it was strong emotions (jealousy, for one) that drew them both in.
Q: Why bother with the 'Blue Hair' thing. I know who it's supposed to be, and you know who it's supposed to be…
A: But they don't. ;) Sorry if it gets on anyone's nerves that he goes nameless for a while.. I dunno, it's kinda fun calling him Blue Hair. Maybe? ^_^
Anyway, you can totally ignore that part if no one wondered any of that… yeah. I'm just paranoid about misunderstandings, I guess. Now for reviewer comments…
Rhapsody: My first reviewer. Arigato! ^_^ I'm glad you've enjoyed the story so far.
MR.Anonymous Hehehe. Hilarious, eh? Well, I have much plans for all the characters, including Trav. So you'll just have to read and find out. ^_~ Thanks for reading!
Aqua: Within the next week? :P Ah, my friend, you underestimate my updating skills! Eh, besides… the SW Galaxies servers are all down for an unknown amount of time. -_-;; But I woulda updated the story even if they weren't. Really!