Chapter 10: Monster

Hikari:

I silently leaned against the wall. Nuriko was cradling Miaka in his arms and Amiboshi was playing his flute softly. Yukiko sat beside Miaka.

"Miaka, hush. Tell me what happened." Nuriko whispered softly and gently to the crying miko.

Miaka only cried harder.

"It's... Horrible... Blood everywhere... Monsters... Burst through... All my fault..." Miaka cried in between sobs.

"Iie! It's not your fault!!!" Yukiko protested.

Miaka wiped off her tears and looked at the blue haired girl. "You really think so?" Without giving a chance for Yukiko to answer, she burst into another stream of tears. Amiboshi's music didn't helped one bit.

"Tell me, Miaka, what happened?" I asked calmly after a few minutes. Finally, Miaka was able to give a proper answer.

"I..." Miaka began.

FLASHBACK

"Minna!!!" Miaka called out cheerfully as she approached the little hut. "Tadaima!!!"

"Otou-san!!! Chuuei!! Yurien!!! Minna!!!" Tamahome said happily as his family crowded around him and gave him a big hug.

"Hey, 'nii-chan, are we gonna go to the palace today?" Yurien asked excitedly as Tamahome picked her up.

"The palace? How did you know?" Tamahome looked at Miaka who shook her head.

"Iie. I didn't say anything. Hey, you guys want some food for lunch?" Miaka asked as she held up two bags full of take-away foodstuff.

The children cheered in delight and led Miaka into the house. Meanwhile, Tamahome and his father stayed outside.

"Otou-san, how did Yurien know about my arrival?" Tamahome asked.

His father looked at him in surprise. "I haven't seen you for a while, son."

"Otou-san, you didn't answer my question." Tamahome began but stopped when he saw his father's eyes brimming with tears.

"Tamahome!!!" His father cried as he hugged his own son who had grown up. "I missed you so. It's good to see you again."

Tamahome hugged his father back. The two stayed in each other's embrace for a few seconds, enjoying each other's company again.

"So otou-san," Tamahome said as soon as they let go of each other. "How did you know about going to the palace? I wanted to surprise you but... Who told you?"

Tamahome's father looked at his son in disbelief. "Didn't the palace sent two messengers this morning to inform us? One was Chiriko and the other was a red haired girl. Luckily they were there, if not, we would have been dead."

"Dead?!"

"A Seiryuu seishi attacked us this morning. The girl saved us. If we go to the palace, allow me to thank her, Tamahome," his father smiled at him.

'A red haired girl? And Chiriko? Could it be? But why..." Tamahome thought to himself silently.

"In any case, we've packed up and we're ready to go," Tamahome's father informed him.

Tamahome nodded. 'Looks like I'll ask those two later when we get back..'

They entered the house where the children were happily playing with Miaka. Tamahome noticed something on Miaka's neck. It looked like a necklace made from hollow chestnut shells, a common thing made by young girls. He looked at Yurien who looked back at him with mischievousness in her eyes. Tamahome smiled as he shook his head. Who else would make such a thing?

They stayed for another two hours. Miaka was eating all the time and the younger siblings were too busy playing. Besides, going out in the hot afternoon was bad for his father's declining health. It was too hot near noon and the sun was really bright at that time. For everyone's safety, Tamahome thought that he would just stay for a couple of hours more. It wouldn't hurt would it?

If only he knew, if only he could predicted the future, if only....

It was just too late.

It was around three and the sun wasn't as hot or as bright as before. It was the perfect time to leave for the palace.

Unnoticed by them, strange thick black clouds hovered nearby.

Tamahome helped to carry the little children's belongings. Chuuei helped carry his father's stuff. Miaka on the other hand, helped looked after the younger ones, making sure that they didn't strayed while travelling.

They had only reached the end of the village when 'IT' appeared.

With a hideous face and two large purple protruding horns at the side of it's head, it blocked the only way to reach the capital from the village.

Everyone stared in shock at the gigantic monster in front of them. It was at least two storeys high. The skin was scaly and was black. The four paws had long razor sharp claws. The ugly snout made it resemble closely to a pig. It opened its mouth and everyone stared in horror at the 'stuff' inside its mouth. It had several dozen canine teeth and its tongue was blue in colour. It wasn't the colour of the tongue that made Miaka almost wanted to puke. It was what was found on the tongue...

Faces...

That's right. Faces.

Human faces.

Terrified human faces.

Miaka screamed as all the faces began moaning at once, "Help me.. Onegai... Come and join us... Save me.."

Several villagers nearby screamed and ran away as fast as their miserable legs could carry them.

"MINNA!!! STAY BACK!!! MIAKA!!! GO, STAY BEHIND ME AND PROTECT THE LITTLE ONES!!!!"

'What the bloody hell was this creature?' Tamahome thought to himself. It was ugly and what were those faces? It looked so real that it scared him.

Tamahome dodged one of the monster's attack.

"Kowai!" little Yurien said as she watched her brother fend off the monster but to no avail. It was just too strong.

"Tamahome!!! Kiyosukete!!!" Miaka cried out as the monster slashed his shoulder.

Everyone feared for the worst when they saw Tamahome being hit by the monster. His injured and battered body slammed to the ground and he didn't respond when his family called out his name.

"Minna!!! Run!!! Now!!!" Chuuei said bravely as he removed a chopper from his travelling bag.

"Chuuei!!! What are you doing?" his father asked in horror as Chuuei rushed towards the monster with the chopper in his hand.

"PROTECTING EVERYONE!!!"

With a snort, the monster's tongue darted out and hit Chuuei. To everyone's surprise as well as horror, instead of getting knocked down, one of the human faces sucked Chuuei right in.

Miaka tried to block out the deafening sound of Chuuei's bones being crushed as he was sucked into the tongue. Finally having the courage to look up, Miaka could clearly see that now, Chuuei's face with a shocked expression on his face was near the tip of the tongue.

Miaka opened her mouth and screamed.

Tamahome' father who was standing nearby, collapsed due to his weak heart. Without hesitation, the monster's tongue sucked him in as well. Miaka and the others ran to hide behind some nearby bushes. Tamahome, finally gained consciousness.

Just in time to see his father getting killed.

The monster now approached them. It was only a few meters away when it suddenly disappeared into thin air. It was as if it never existed at all...

A few hours later..

Tamahome bit his bottom lip as a fresh river of tears flowed down his cheeks.

He promised to protect his family.

And he failed.

Miserably.

He dishonoured his family and as a result, two members of his family were dead.

He looked at the two graves before him.

This was the result of a weakling.

He turned around, only to see everyone, Yurien, Miaka and his other two siblings crying their hearts out behind him. Trembling, he wiped off the tears off his cheeks and walked towards them.

"Daijoubu.. They.. Their graves will be peaceful here... Come, let's go to the palace shall we? The others must be worried."

"Tamahome, gomen!!!" Miaka said as she threw herself into his arms crying. "It's all my fault!!!" She buried her face into his shirt.

"Shhsshhh.." Tamahome tried to comfort her but ended up crying too.

End of Flashback

"A monster?" Yukiko asked after Miaka finished explaining the recent events.

"The tongue sucked in people?" Nuriko exclaimed in disbelief.

Even Amiboshi had stopped playing his flute.

"Masaka." he murmured.

I cleared my throat loudly on purpose. "Listen, sounds like Miaka had a long and bad day. I think it's best to give her some time to rest."

Everyone nodded. Amiboshi was the first to leave the room. Yukiko gave Miaka a tiny pat on the head before walking out reluctantly. Nuriko smiled at Miaka cheerful and gave her a peck on her forehead and left.

Now, I was left alone with Miaka.

"Get some rest," I said calmly before leaving.

Mitsukake:

I was busy attending to a tiny scratch on a brunette girl's finger. Chichiri and Tasuki on the other hand were trying their best to calm the children down and make them stop crying but to no avail.

"Darn it!!!" Tasuki burst out suddenly, frustrated. No, not at the crying kids, but frustrated at the fact that anyone, or anything in their right mind would make these innocent kids cry. His loud voice only made the little kids cry even louder.

"You need help?" I looked up.

Amiboshi stood at the doorway, with his flute in his hand.

"Yes please. Make them stop crying," Chichiri said as he wiped away the tears of a young boy.

Amiboshi gave a small nod and began playing. In matter of minutes, all the three kids were asleep.

"Wondered what scared them so much." I murmured.

"A monster. Some sort of a sucking piggy monster..." Amiboshi replied.

"What pig sucking monster?" Tasuki asked in disbelief.

Amiboshi was just about to explain what he meant when Hikari entered the room.

"Amiboshi? The monster.. Could be from one of the Seiryuu seishi?" Hikari asked.

Amiboshi thought hard for a few seconds before replying.

"Miboshi..."

Author's Note: I, hereby announce that I have changed my name to Yuu Wasate and now, Fushigi Yuugi belongs to me!!!! BWA HA HA!!! Oh, wait.. You're Yuu Wasate too? And you? I didn't know there were so many!!! Argh!!! That means I don't get Fushigi Yuugi? NOOOO!!! THE HORROR!!!

Okay, okay. So I still can't get Fushigi Yuugi... Anyway, looks like Chiriko comes in the story in another chapter. Too bad... Gomen Chiriko fans out there demo, if this chapter wasn't here, Chiriko won't get a good start. And we all want him to make a big impression, don't we?

Another cliffhanger for all!!! Haha!!!! Okay, sorry for the long update for this one but exams are here. In fact, I just had English exams a few hours ago. So, most probably, updates might take a while.

List of Japanese words :

Tadaima – I'm back

Otou-san – Father

'Nii-chan – Older brother (informal)

Kowai – Scary

Kiyokusete – Be careful