Disclaimer: Yeah, I know, it's been a while, but I unfortunately did not get the rights to FY in that time. :P (Note the sarcasm, people-who-think-it-might-be-fun-to-try-to-sue-me.) FY is owned by Yu Watase, but all original plot ideas and characters are mine, and Yume's, and Mirai's.
Ari: Gomen,gomen,gomen. -_- And for those that read this and don't know any Japanese—sorry, sorry, sorry! I have had like no time the last month or so, technically I still don't, I have political science term papers to work on and history tests to study for… but I love writing this story and do it in the spare time I *do* have. I mean, honestly, if I could write this story all the time, I would. But here's how it breaks down: I'm a full time student. I have a part-time job. Where does that leave writing? Unfortunately, as a hobby, as much as I love it. During my break, I hope to write many chapters in a more timely fashion. Please be patient in the meantime, it is not laziness or any such thing. Okay.. with that out of the way… enjoy the latest chapter! And if you didn't see it update last time, don't forget to read the other chapters!
This one is a little long. (I can hear you all now—It'd better be.. :P—Heh.) Hope you like it! Lots of foreshadowing, so pay attention. ;)
Modern Miko: Chapter Seven
Ari weaved her way through the trees, wondering what she would find when she reached the end of them. She had left the sleeping Tatara behind to fend for himself, and felt very little guilt about it—besides, it didn't seem like a dangerous place. Parting some drooping branches that promised light and open space beyond them, her breath caught.
She stood at the crest of a gently sloping hill, a small village sprawled at the foot of it. If where she was standing was north, then south was a range of towering mountains, capped with snow even in the middle of summer. At east and west, a valley sheltered the village. Smoke was gently curling from several thatched roofs, and Ari found herself walking down the hill before she realized it, powerfully drawn to the tranquil scene.
"Beautiful," she murmured, and then jumped five feet into the air.
"RRRrrr…" said the noise, and she slowly turned to face what was either a wolf or a very large dog, teeth bared and snarling loud enough to be mistaken for some kind of engine. Easily. Except that engines generally didn't have a mouthful of sharp, shiny white teeth.
Backing away as non-aggressively and non-preylike as she could, she tried to talk to the canine in soothing tones— 'nice doggie', and all that. It barked. Loudly, and repeatedly.
Oh, great, I'm gonna die, and the only person that could help me in time is sleeping soundly under the willow trees.
She continued to cautiously step backward, the anime noisily creeping closer—and backed into a tree.
This is it. I'm so sorry, Yume…
That was when she heard laughter, and it came from above her.
"Sabaris! Here!" The dog/wolf swung its head from side to side with a puzzled expression. Then it looked up, and began to pant. Ari slumped against the tree, closing her eyes momentarily before she also looked up.
A little boy straddled a low branch, and he was grinning impishly. He had a mop of brown hair, and ill-fitting clothes—when he noticed Ari staring, he started laughing again, and hopped down from the branch.
"You're such a silly girl," he said, and Ari thought at first that he meant her. Saying this, he threw an arm around the animal's neck and let it wash his face vigorously. He stood again, pointing his finger at Sabaris.
"You shouldn't be so jealous. She didn't mean any harm, coming down here. Look, you've scared her." Sabaris blinked at Ari, looking almost abashed. The boy turned back to Ari, nodding to her and still grinning.
"I'm Yuriki, but you can call me just Riki."
"I'm Ari.. um.. nice to meet you."
He nodded again, and then gestured towards Sabaris, who was now sitting and regarding them solemnly, though her tail slowly thumped the ground.
"You've met Sabaris, of course." He laughed a little. "Forgive her though—she's part wolf, and can't always ignore her instincts to protect." Sabaris seemed to grin at this, and Ari shook her head.
Well, as long as the animals don't start talking, then I'm okay.
"Yu-ri-kiiii!" called out a shrill female voice from further down the hill. The boy ducked his head and winced. Upon hearing the voice, Sabaris began to lope towards the village, tossing her head back once as if to say, 'Well, aren't you going to follow me?' Riki met Ari's eye, shrugged, and then trotted after the wolf-dog. Ari soon followed, picking her way down the hill-side.
Riki and Sabaris had disappeared from sight once Ari was among the clump of rustic looking houses, but they were not that difficult to find. There was only one road, and likely not much more than two dozen houses and a scattering of other buildings spread across the valley. But even the relatively small area to search in was not what made them so simple to find.
You could probably hear that lady's voice from clear on the other side of town.
"What have I told you about wandering outside of the valley, Yuriki?!"
"But, mother, Sabaris—"
"Wasn't even with you! She was out hunting, or who knows what.."
"I was only over by the hill at the end of the valley—anyway, Sabaris was just standing guard and scaring a girl with weird clothing, I could see her the whole time from my tree."
Ari heard the mother pause from where she stood outside the door, listening but not sure if she should interrupt just yet.
"There was a girl?" Suddenly she was not so loud, and Ari had to strain her ears to hear their conversation.
"Yup. A teen with funny clothes. Pants that are blue and a weird fabric, and a king of shirt, but it didn't have sleeves.."
"That's.. an interesting story, Riki."
"Mother.. I'm ten, not stupid." Ari could almost hear the eye-roll. "I'm not makin' it up. You know that."
I guess this is my cue…
Sliding the door open, Ari stepped into a smallish room with several doors leading off of it. Riki and his mother spun to face her, and the woman's hand flew to her throat.
"Toldyou…" Riki whispered, but his mother wasn't listening.
"I…um…" Ari looked around the room helplessly, and realized she had no idea where to begin. Hi, I'm from another time and place. I got transported here by a book, which you're a character in. Yeah, that would be just great.
"Sit," said the woman, while Ari was still in her internal reverie. They sat cross-legged on embroidered cushions, around a low, white rectangular table. "Would you like some tea?"
Ari had to admit that something tangible and familiar like tea sounded pretty comforting right now. She sipped at green tea from a delicate white cup, while Riki's mother stared. Setting the cup down finally with a barely audible clink, Ari smiled.
"No, I'm not from around here."
Riki's mother laughed nervously. Her brown eyes were wide with—what. Fear? Suspicion? Surprise? It was hard to tell. Ari wished she could put her at ease, but had to admit that in this kind of culture, her appearance must be rather startling.
"Then where are you from?" Riki piped up. His mother shot him a look, and he scowled back before returning his attention to Ari. "From a foreign land, far away?"
Ari hesitated. "Yes. Far away."
"Far, far away?"
You have no idea…
"Mm-hmm." Ari traced the edge of her cup with her finger. The mother remained silent. Minutes passed.
"Is.. there any way that we can help you?" She said when the silence had become nearly unbearable. Riki nodded, with far more enthusiasm than his mother. Ari once again hesitated—but it had to be said, eventually.
"I'm looking for my friend, and her cousin." She cleared her throat. "See, well…we were all in the desert, and—"
The woman's brow furrowed. "The desert? When?"
Ari sighed. "Yesterday." Riki's eyes where as big as the teacup's saucer. His mother seemed understandably surprised, but then nodded slowly. "Continue," she said.
Ari recounted all of the events that had happened, leading up to her encounter with Sabaris. She strategically left out any references to 'books', however, and didn't try to explain where she and her friends had originally come from.
"Disappeared? Into the air, out of existence?" The mother's eyes narrowed. "What magic is this?"
"I…I don't know. I don't think it was any kind of magic, really. It's a mystery to myself, as well." Ari sighed.
"I know someone real good at solving mysteries, Ari!" Riki said, leaning across the table with excitement.
"Hush, child." There was no mistaking it now—what would best describe Yuriki's mother was afraid. She touched his shoulder, but he wrenched away.
"No! You're just scared of 'er, because she reminds you… reminds you…" Riki trailed off, seeing the pained look in his mother's eyes. Were those tears forming? Ari wished she knew what was going on.
"We can help her! He can, mother. If anyone can find her friends, it's Naihu." Riki got a determined look on his face.
"Naihu…" his mother whispered. She blinked, and seemed to shake away whatever had been afflicting her. She ran a hand through her long black hair and smiled a smile that did not quite reach her eyes.
"You are difference. You, I think might be trusted. Yes. My other son, Naihu, can help you, I am sure. He has…a natural ability of finding people. And judging character." Suddenly she seemed very old. Riki patted her arm. Ari was still confused, but felt that she might finally be getting somewhere.
"But first," the woman continued. "I was about to prepare the evening meal. You must stay tonight. Eat with us. Tomorrow you can go to the city to meet with Naihu.."
Ari and Riki nodded simultaneously. His mother seemed resigned, but a little less fearful.
There must be more going on here than it seems. I wish I knew what. She seems so.. broken.
*******
Eating rice with chopsticks that evening with the family, Ari had time to really think about her situation. She wondered how Yume was doing, and what had happened to Travis. Also, was her family worried about her? And.. they were supposed to meet Mirai to go to the movies that afternoon. She had forgotten about that…
How can I just sit here like this, when I shouldn't even be here! I've got to find my friends.. get back.. somehow.
"Are you alright?" Riki's mother looked up at her from her own bowl of rice. She looked worried, if apprehensive. Ari took a deep breath and let it out, setting her chopsticks on the low table.
"I'm… just tired, I guess." She tried to smile, but her head was starting to hurt, and her stomach twist up with anxiety. There were so many things to worry about, and she didn't even know where to begin. Even though she had slept peacefully after she had appeared beneath the trees, she really did feel drowsy now. Riki stood, breaking the silence and the tension.
"I can set up Naihu's room for you!" His mother opened her mouth as if to protest, but just nodded, so she darted off to another part of the house. Ari shook her head, laughing a bit. She was glad for his innocent enthusiasm; she wasn't sure she could handle the company of just his mother for very long. The woman was staring off into space, her mouth twitching subtly.
"It will rain soon," she said after a long and uncomfortable period of silence. "It is in the air—a strong storm."
"Well…I am glad for the shelter, then," Ari said quietly. The woman's eyes darted towards hers, at first with a hint of suspicion, but they quickly softened.
"Forgive me.." she murmured. "If you could only understand—"
A roll of thunder erased whatever she had been planning to say. Riki ran back into the central room, staring at the ceiling as the rain drummed against the roof—one of the few in town that was not made of thatch.
"Good thing it was patched up last season, right, mother?"
There was a pause, and the vacant look returned to her eyes. "A good thing, yes, Riki." Abruptly, she stood from her cushion, smoothing her skirt before she left the room, door sliding behind her. Riki stared after her, an uncharacteristic frown on his face. He turned to Ari, shrugging small shoulders.
"My father patched up the roof," he said, as if that would explain everything. "I guess I didn't think about that, when I said it."
"Your…father…"
"Yep." He looked as if he wanted to say more, but he did not, only looked back at where his mother had left. After a few minutes he followed, and Ari was alone inside the central room. The rain fell harder, and the wind outside howled through the trees. When it seemed that it was just her for a while, she tucked her legs up to her chin, shivering in the slight chill of the room. Minutes passed, and she became increasingly drowsy, her chin atop her knees and her eyes slowly drooping closed. Then she heard that now familiar sound.
Sabaris growling.
It wasn't an engine this time, but closer to the cautionary growl of your average domesticated canine. Ari's eyes snapped open, and she saw the wolf-dog, still curled up in the corner of the room, snarling deep in her throat and nose twitching. She didn't know what made her stand, crossing the small room as Sabaris leapt up to accompany her, fur still bristling but now silent. Riki and his mother remained wherever it was they had retreated to—she figured it would be best to let them be. As she neared the front sliding-screen door, she could see through it in brief lightning flashes a dark silhouette.
Aren't you forgetting all those childhood 'Don't open the door to strangers' lectures? She chided herself. She stood before it, hesitating, when the decision was made for her.
It burst open.
"Next time, don't hesitate to wake me up," growled Tatara, soaked to the skin and covered with grass and leaves. His long brown hair was plastered to his face and neck, and was so bedraggledly comical that Ari couldn't help but laugh.
"I don't see what you could find so funny about this." His jade eyes narrowed as he sauntered, dripping, into the room. "I woke up in the middle of a strange forest, rain splashing in my face and a rock in my hand. No, not funny at all."
Ari sobered, whirling to face him. Sabaris had not let him go out of her view, and seemed to be waiting for one twitch, one wrong move. "You took what didn't belong to you," Ari said, summoning up her courage. He gave her an "oh-give-me-a-break" look.
"Okay, I know you're a bandit, but…still.." she clutched at the ring where it now hung around her own neck. He blinked at her.
"Ah, forget it," he muttered. "I make a rule not to ever try to steal the same thing twice, anyway."
Ari suddenly felt very guilty about leaving Tatara out in the forest—she would feel worse if he caught pneumonia or something because of it. She supposed it wasn't entirely her fault, as she was alone and unsure if she would have attacked her, though.
"Um," she said. "Maybe I should go find Riki and his mother...they're the ones that live here…they can get you some dry clothes, maybe. She has another son that moved out."
He nodded. Leaving Sabaris to guard him—doubtful she would have left his side, even if I had wanted her to leave—Ari went in search of the family.
"Riki? Yuriki?" she called down the small corridor off the main room. This is a small house by my standards.. but in a place that seems like ancient China, they must have been quite affluent.
Taking a breath, she opened one of the doors. Yuriki's mother looked up, her eyes red from crying. Riki smiled at Ari feebly and waved. It was, apparently, the mother's bedroom.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but…" Ari shifted uncomfortably. "Someone just arrived… from the storm. A young man… I… kind of know him." The two rose from where they sat on the bed and followed her to the main room.
Here, Riki's mother's maternal instincts seemed to kick in. Why for him, and not for me? She ushered him quickly to another room, exclaiming when she saw him and carrying on about how cold he must be, and why wasn't he wearing warmer clothing, and that he must come take a hot bath to get rid of the chill in his bones. It was a puzzling transformation.
Meanwhile, Riki led her to her own room, the one that had previously been Naihu's. It was quite bland, Riki's brother obviously not leaving much behind. A simple bed, a chair, a small writing table. There was a tapestry on the wall of an epic battle, the only point of interest in the room. Ari studied it as she prepared for sleep, but couldn't quite figure it out. It depicted many soldiers in old Chinese armor, and it was obvious in the picture who was supposed to be 'good', and who were 'bad.' The bad ones all had angry, warrior looks on their faces; the good ones, serene and heroic. It was simple as that. The puzzling part came with the central clash—a man wielding a bright blue sword, cold, scheming malevolence on his face, crossing swords with another man that could only be called 'beautiful.' The man's sword was red, face peaceful but infinitely sad. They were locked in eternal struggle, but for what? It was intriguing, to say the least.
The flowing text running along the bottom read, "In memoriam—Emperor Saihitei of Konan."
Interesting…
Ari turned to her bed, welcoming the idea of sleep.
*******
A noise awoke her. It can't be morning yet… She felt she had hardly slept at all. Still, there was now a persistent knocking at her door, and she felt an obligation to answer it. Probably Riki… such an energetic kid. She yawned, sliding the door open.
Tatara stood there, a solemn look on his face, not angry, but resolved. He was cleaned up quite nicely, dressed in what were assumedly Naihu's clothes. He almost looked respectable—but there was still the hair…
"What—" He cut her off.
"We need to talk… priestess of Byakko."
*******
Ari: Oooh, ah, plot, foreshadowing. ^_~ We now depart from the Ari thread of plot, and return to Yume. *everyone cheers* Y'all are so mean. :P (I just said y'all. *blinks* I never say y'all. I need sleep. -_-) No, I like all the parts of the story, personally! Mirai and Trav, Yume, Ari… I am not biased towards my own character. :P Oh, but I love Riki. ^_^ He is so.. I dunno.. he's fun.
If anyone is wondering (FY fans) why I said 'priestess of Byakko', which is the dub translation, rather than "Byakko no Miko".. well, for one thing, the phrase would be meaningless for some of my readers who don't know much about FY or Japanese. I think it fits quite well, though I might make references to 'miko' now and then, just so ya know. I really do prefer the sub, and words like 'miko' and 'seishi', but I am trying to think of my audience. So, tune in next time for the next MM installment! Hope ya liked it, and sorry once again for the wait. School.. *sigh* Having to write bits of MM right before history class is no fun. :P