Summary: A woman finds herself whisked away to the world of the Four Gods where she meets her favorite seishi, Chichiri, a year before the arrival of Miaka and Taka. Marissa finds more at stake than there seems, because she knows the future, but what will be the costs to herself and the world if she tries to change it?
*Updates and other stories can be found at my webpage http://www.thecompendium.org
Author's notes: Hello everyone and welcome to my very long but highly interesting story of love, evil, gods, magic, some kick butt action, and as always characters you want to wring the life out of because they're so thick-headed. Thanks for this story go out to my aniki Trina-chan, who planted the first seeds of this tale in my mind and helped it to grow. Harmony and Tenmei, you two will always be god mothers of this fic. Riina, for kicking me in the butt when I needed it and helping to rewake my love of this story. Amy, my wonderful beta who's helped to breathe new life into this fic and blow off the dust from sitting on the shelf too long. And of course, the fans and the countless emails and reviews I've received over the past 3 years for this fic. Without you guys I don't think this tale would have gone beyond chapter 5. Thank you and enjoy!
Don't go searching far from home for it - it's here,
Or you're like the man with a lantern looking for light,
And can't you see what a total waste of time that is?
Marissa flopped down on her bed and lay on her back, placing an arm over her eyes to shield out the bright afternoon sun that filtered through her window. It's all over... She uncovered her eyes and looked at the clock that sat on her night stand. 3:47. Draping the arm over her face again she let out a loud sigh. I don't want to think about it. School is over, it's summer... there's nothing more to worry about.
Peeking out from under her arm, her eyes fell upon a familiar picture sitting on her wall. It was a head shot of her favorite anime character, Chichiri. Strangely, it brought her comfort and made her smile every time she looked at it. For a brief moment she could imagine that he was smiling at her, and only for her, caring for her as much as she cared for him. And even stranger, was that she swore the expression on his face changed from day to day. Today he was smiling his small, comforting smile and gave Marissa her first bit of light in an otherwise depressing day.
Pulling herself upright with a quiet huff she sat on the edge of her bed, the tips of her sneakers resting on the orange carpet, and snuck one more look at the picture. Still smiling. She couldn't help but throw back a smile at his concerned expression before tipping back her head to look out the window over her bed. Even with her face turned she could still feel those paper eyes boring into the back of her head, making her itch to suddenly turn around and could catch him with a different expression. Sometimes she could swear that she was in love with him. All the signs were there, the way her heart would contract while watching him on TV, how just staring at pictures of him made her feel calm and comforted. Deep inside though she knew it was totally illogical to fall in love with an anime character. It was a battle she was constantly waging between her heart and mind, the power of logic versus the strength of emotions. She still hadn't come to any decision on the matter. He made her happy, despite not being real, and that's all that mattered to her right now.
It was a late sunny afternoon outside, with summer having begun a couple of days ago, the days growing warmer with each rise and setting of the sun. Marissa made a face at the bright orange globe, trying her best to look upset. I hate hot weather. Why can't it rain? Eyes squinting shut she sighed, feeling the first tendrils of boredom begin to eat away at her mind, and fell backwards onto the bed to lay staring at her ceiling.
Mou, what to do? Without school I'll have no life to speak of whatsoever. You are a pathetic nerd, Mari, you know that right? Somehow the embarrassment of being rebuked by her inner thoughts managed to propel her body off the bed towards her bookshelf. There's no better way to escape reality and let time slip away than by reading a good book, she proclaimed to herself, more than happy to solve all of her problems with the simple solution. She reached out to grab the first thing her fingers touched and looked down to see what had been pulled out. Fushigi Yuugi? Gimme a break I can't even read 90% of the stuff in there.
Marissa cast another long look at her bookshelf, willing anything to pop out at her and beg to be read for the 10th time over. Nothing caught her eye though, so with a sigh she plopped down at her desk and let the small manga fall to the wooden top with a loud smack. A picture of Miaka holding The Universe of the Four Gods stared back up at Marissa. Somehow the thought of reading anything that focused mainly on the 'Whining Miko' made Mari's stomach queasy and longingly she looked back over to her shelf, tempted to yank out a volume that featured more, ahem, interesting reading material. Like a certain hot springs scene, she thought with an inward grin.
Mind made up she turned in her chair and wedged the first manga back in its place, at the same time trying to remember just exactly which manga it was that contained the best pictures of her favorite guy. Fingers skimming over the yellow jackets she made her way down the row of thin books, hearing the japanese numbers echo in her mind. Juu... ju-ichi... ju-ni... ju-san... At volume fourteen she paused, tapping the spine lightly with her index finger. Was it this one or the next one...
Reaching towards the next volume, she let out a grunt of surprise when her hand refused to obey the command she had given it. Her index finger remained where it was, pressed between the spines of volume fourteen and fifteen. A point of light flickered into existence at the tip of her finger, illuminating her nail and making it look pearlescent. Wow, that's kind of pretty, Marissa thought bewilderedly, then let out a gasp as the point of silver light started to expand. The circle of light wavered and grew steadily larger, and she felt a light tugging on her hand as the top of her finger sank into the shimmering pool.
"Oh shit." Eyes widening she tried to yank her hand back - unsuccessfully. Another lurch forward and her hand sunk in up to her forearm, and the entire top shelf of her bookcase was covered with the shimmering silver light. It would have been a beautiful rainbow of mother of pearl if not for the fact that it was slowly sucking Marissa in limb by limb.
As her struggles increased the circle seemed to grow faster, soon reaching nearly to the floor and now across a third of her wall. A greater tug yanked on her hand and she pitched forward, her other arm flailing to grab a hold of anything. Her hand made contact with her computer chair, only to come away with the blue jacket that had been draped over the back of it clasped between her fingers. With a loud scream she felt herself dragged completely into the circle of light.
* * * * * * *
Everything shimmered around her, colors blending and dividing before her eyes, rippling like waves on a pool of mercury. Her mind was aware of neither time nor space. There was nothing, just her thoughts and the liquid light that enveloped her. She had no physical body, just a single soul existing within a void filled with beauty and endless boundaries. There was no fear or darkness, simply a warm womb that cradled her spirit and gently pushed her onward, guiding her through the light towards something. A future, a hope, a possibility. It beckoned her closer, a place that would welcome her and wrap her up in soft folds of peace and happiness, a place where she wouldn't have to cry or hide, accepted and included into a fate that gave her a home.
But something called to her. A voice. More now. Soft but there, a hum that was filling the void behind her. It rippled across the light, painting it with colors that made her soul spasm with worry. Pain and suffering. She pulled against the tide that was carrying her, reaching back towards the voices that called out. I have to help them. The light contracted, pulling her, dragging away from the cries that were slowly growing dimmer with distance. No. Stop, I have to help them. She pulled harder, wrenching herself free from the current, and felt a chill sweep over her soul as the light began to recede, continuing onward without her towards the place she had forgone. But the voices were louder now - crying, screaming, pleas, whimpers, whispered cries for help - and the light around her swirled and turned dark and cold with the power of their despair.
It was cold and alone, so much pain and suffering, she knew it was wrong, that it had to be stopped. She reached out, trying to find the way. I'll help you. There were no senses here, she couldn't see or feel, only think and will herself to move. The cries were growing louder as she traveled on, the light completely gone. She was falling now; she could feel it instinctively, faster and faster. The blackness wrapped around her like a suffocating cloak, dragging her down, immersing her in the screams that had replaced the crying. Please, stop!
A pinpoint of white light emerged below her, a glittering star within the darkness that offered relief. It slowly grew bigger then rushed up and surrounded her. This light wasn't warm though, it was harsh and biting, too bright for her eyes. It burned and hurt but she had no way to shut her eyes against it. Falling further there was a spasm of unexpected pain and she became aware of the rest of her body in one dizzying moment. Her stomach was tied in knots, her heart was thudding wildly, and her skin felt raw and exposed. Eyes stinging with tears she could feel her hair whipping against her face, like tiny icicles piercing her skin with each lash. The sound of someone screaming began echoing all around her and belatedly Marissa realized it was her own voice creating the horrible sound. With a choked cry she shut her eyes against the light, waiting for the inevitable.
* * * * * * *
It was shockingly cool and a great pressure pressed against her ears, like the wind being sucked out of a room too fast. Her eyes snapped open and the breath she had wanted to take caught in her throat at the sight of blue-green all around her. There was no up or down and a strong feeling of nausea nearly overtook her, her head spinning at the sudden loss of direction. Flailing her arms around she felt herself rotating sickeningly, the contents of her stomach having nearly moved into her mouth, and realized with a start where she was. I'm... underwater!
Feeling her lungs sting with trapped air and the need to vomit growing greater she looked around, searching for anything to reveal her orientation. Below her and just behind her left knee she spotted a glimmer of light and began kicking desperately in that direction, eyes trained on the ripples of gold that broke through the surface of the water, promising release for her burning lungs. Legs nearly ready to give out she breached the surface, sucking in deep breaths air around the wracking coughs that shook her body. A moan escaped her lips at the pain which was coursing through her limbs, oxygen starved blood making a burning path through her muscles. Struggling to stay afloat she rubbed the water from her eyes and the snot from her nose, blinking as her pupils adjusted to the brightness. Her surrounding slowly became clear and she saw that she was floating in the middle of a large pond surrounded on all sides by tall trees. A bank of the pond was only a couple of yards away and beyond that was a small grassy area with trees that offered shade from the harsh sunlight.
Still coughing, Marissa took a few deep breaths to calm her pounding heart before slowly swimming to the edge of the pond, now noticing just how heavy her clothes were as she dragged herself through the water. With a grunt she clutched at the muddy bank and pulled herself onto the grass, swallowing down the urge to retch as her hands found purchase. She crawled on hands and knees towards the grove of trees, stopping to rest a few feet away from the shady perimeter, exhaustion taking over her body. Slumping to the ground she turned over, her wet back pressed against the warm grass while she gazed up at the sky, finally feeling the wave of nausea begin to subside. Where in the world am I?
It was mid afternoon by the position of the sun, bright and warm as it filtered down through the treetops and turned its yellow eye on the pond which was secluded in a clearing fully surrounded on all sides by tall, leafy trees. Sounds of the forest came to her water clogged ears, birds twittering and calling amongst each other, the faint buzz and hum of insect life and small animals scurrying beneath the brush out of sight. It was quiet peaceful, like a secluded land untouched by the hand of technology or civilization, every city dweller's dream that yearned for a spot of land where nature, not concrete, reigned supreme.
It would have been a very pleasant experience if not for the fact that Marissa was sure she had fallen from the sky right into the pond before her, and had only been sitting in her bedroom moments before that. Feeling her strength returning she pushed herself upright and peeled off her shoes and socks, dropping them beside the dark blue heap that was her jacket. Ironically, she had been clutching it the whole time. She stretched out her legs, regretting for the first time that she had chosen to wear jeans today, and leaned back in her arms, letting the sun bath her to speed up the drying of her clothing.
Leaning her head back she looked up at the sky, a sprinkle of green leaves in the highest boughs just at the top of her vision. A pristine blue sea dotted with white puffy clouds greeted her eyes, unmarred by haze or smog, the kind of beautiful day one would find in the high desert or out in the countryside. A few birds flew through her line of sight after a moment, so high in the sky that they appeared only as black Vs against the blue backdrop, their shrill calls reaching her ears moments after they had passed out of sight.
Shutting her eyes against the strangely calming scene she struggled to piece the situation together in her mind. Where the hell am I? How could I possibly be here, wasn't I was just in my room a few seconds ago? Alright Mari, think. What were you doing? Going to read, and then... a light. I swear I saw a light! But... dammit what happened after that?
Fidgeting on the grass Marissa dug her fingers into the soil under her hands, feeling the blades give way to warm dirt. It's a dream. This has got to be a dream. That light... maybe I had a migraine and passed out and now I'm dreaming. Alright, so you've never had a migraine before but things can happen, like that movie with John Travolta. You saw a light, brought on by stress and hopefully nothing more, and now you're lying on your bedroom floor waiting to wake up.
Peeking open her eyes slowly Marissa looked around once more, biting down on her lower lip as an unnerving feeling of anxiety began to overtake her. Shit... this really doesn't feel like a dream though.
Despite the soaked state of her clothing she pushed herself off the grass and snatched up her jacket, stuffing her damp socks in the pockets and slipping on her shoes without lacing them. Alright, if this is a dream, it's time to take a walk and find the end of it.
Eyes paying close attention to every detail around her, she made a circuit of the entire pond, passing by a rocky outcropping at one end of the somewhat rectangular looking body of water. After walking the whole way around and finding no apparent path or road or any sign of civilization, Marissa turned and headed back towards the rock. If she came upon the area again, at least she'd know where she started from. Passing by the flat stone she entered the grove of trees, feeling a noticeable drop in temperature once inside the sheltering foliage. She picked her way past bushes and tree trunks and worked her way deeper into the forest, stepping over fallen trunks and boulders covered with heavy moss. The light began to grow dimmer as she walked and soon the treetops blocked out the sun's light entirely, creating an eerie world beneath the branches, neither of day nor night. The sound of wings flapping or the heavy rustle of leaves was all that Marissa could hear as she walked through the maze of trees.
Stepping out from behind a particularly large tree she stopped, having come upon a small grassy clearing in the middle of the forest. She found her inner artist rising to the surface to take an appreciative look at the way the sun filtered in through the tree tops, golden rays of light sparkling with dust particles that touched the leaf covered forest floor. It was beautifully surreal, and Marissa saw no harm in stopping to consider which direction to head in next. That was until she heard a noise in the brush to her left.
"Hello? Hey... is someone there?" She stepped fully into the clearing, making her way towards the line of trees where the noise had come from. It's probably just some animal...
* * * * * * *
Chichiri pulled the door closed behind him and stepped away from the small house he had just come out of. He took in a deep breath of the afternoon air, the smile already on his face growing larger with satisfaction. Gripping the fishing pole he was carrying a bit tighter, he set out for the woods that stood alongside the road that ran in front of the house.
Though his face was masked by only happiness and joy, Chichiri carried with him important experience, knowledge, and pain that he had gained in his 25 years of living. Being a Suzaku seishi had taught him many things and he was grateful for the three years he had spent training under Taiitsukun. They had prepared him for the challenges that he had faced while fighting to protect his Miko and his country.
Even though the fighting had ended a year ago he was still a hero among his countrymen, so he had inevitably chosen to retain his life of a monk and wanderer, never tied down or held back by anything. He could go where he pleased and do whatever his heart desired, usually being welcomed with open arms into the most rural of areas. His fame had spread that far. For now he planned to make this abandoned house his home for a few days. It was close to a large town located down the road, but far enough out of the way so that he could have the peace and quiet he wanted.
Chichiri stepped into the woods and made his way down a path that he had traveled several times before during the last couple of days. It was heavily overgrown, and infrequent use had caused the "path" to merely be a route that Chichiri had memorized in his head. He maneuvered his way past familiar trees and bushes, and was halfway through with his walk when he heard a terrified scream come from somewhere in the woods.
Looking around, Chichiri tried to pinpoint where the scream had originated from. He began to wonder if his mind had only imagined the sound, when it emanated from the woods once more, this time longer and expressing more pain. Feet moving before he even had time to think, Chichiri began running in the direction the scream had come from. Silence now met his ears, and his mind raced with thoughts of what might have happened. The silence quickly became even more dreadful then the screaming, as the lack of it meant that whoever had been hurt might already be dead.
In just a few minutes he emerged breathless upon a clearing in the woods, his eye brows arching high with horror at the scene in front of him. A giant, glistening, purple scaled monster filled the entire clearing. Its sharply spiked tail swished around like a cat's, giving it the balance to stand up on its massive hind legs, each one ending in a set of wickedly sharp looking toenails. Both long forearms ended in three, heavily jointed claws, and he noticed with dismay that one was flecked with blood and bits of fabric. Its head was enormous, hanging low to the ground with two sets of black beady eyes on either side that blinked with eyelids which moved from left to right. Its mouth was stuck in a permanent snarl, saliva dripping in disgustingly large globs between rows upon rows of dreadfully sharp teeth. Chichiri forced his eyes to pull away from the monster and focus on what lay unmoving on the ground in front of it. A mass of hair, fabric, and blood was all that met his eyes.
Now he knew what had cried out so painfully, and whoever it was, was now injured and in need of his help. The monster bent lower towards its victim and scooped it up in one of its massive hands, raising the body toward the gaping black abyss that would swallow it whole. Chichiri thrust his fishing pole forward and picked up the end of his necklace with his thumb, placing his index and middle fingers together in front of his mouth. His fishing pole wasn't his staff, but its channeling ability would serve the same purpose. He concentrated and whispered a few words as the monster prepared to drop the body into its open mouth, summoning up a large amount of ki to make sure that his aim was true and nondestructive to the body he was trying to save. In the span of one precious second the spell came full circle, and like the power of a bullet being fired from its barrel, Chichiri released a wave of energy bolts toward the monster.
The weapons hit their mark and the monster was enveloped in yellow filaments of electricity, spidery bolts that arced high into the air before returning to stab the creature, the smell of ozone and charred flesh rolling through the clearing. When the magic finally died away the monster stood paralyzed for a moment, then crumpled and fell to the ground with a loud groan, the trees around Chichiri shuddering under the force of the impact. The remains began to smoke and within a few seconds the entire corpse suddenly cracked to pieces, the broken bits collapsing in on each other as they dissipated into the air.
Chichiri ran over to the motionless body that had been tossed several feet by the falling monster and hunched down beside it. Setting down his fishing pole he reached out carefully with both hands, grasping the person gently by the shoulders to turn them over. Brushing away dark red hair he was surprised to see the heavily scratched face of a young woman. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing with difficulty, each rise and fall of her chest emitting raspy moans that shook her unconscious body.
Thank Suzaku she's alive, Chichiri thought, exhaling with relief. He slowly and gingerly pulled at the blood soaked pieces of clothing to see the real damage that had been done. Her face and arms were covered with scrapes and bruises, a few somewhat serious cuts oozing bright red across one arm and her ribcage, but the worse wound was on her right leg. A long, deep gash across her right thigh was the source of most of the blood and was still bleeding uncontrollably, the cut extending all the way down to the yellow bone underneath.
Realizing the need for urgency Chichiri took the kasa off his
back and placed it upside down on the grass. He quickly gathered
the girl in his arms, hoping that there were no broken bones among
the mess of bruises and blood. At the movement the girl's head
fell against his chest, a low moan of pain escaping her lips,
and the harsh quality to her breathing quickly worsened. Worriedly
Chichiri looked down at her scratched face, but her eyes remained
closed and only shut themselves tighter with the pain of her injury,
bits of her hair clinging to the blood that was beading against
her skin. Using his ki he summoned his fishing pole to follow
them, along with a dark blue article of clothing he assumed belonged
to her, and jumped inside the kasa.