Disclaimer: I do not claim to own Fushigi Yuugi. Nor do I intend to.
Thanks to...
Otaku Pitcher: Yea, her past is pretty interesting. A bit is revealed in this chapter but a lot more is told in chapter ten. I like Kouji too and I am planning on giving him some sort of role in this story, or at least part of it.
neppy: You know, you probably did. I wouldn't be surprised. Alex deserves it, lol. I like the Neppy in this better because she is pure evil. Hehe. And...she gets...well, you know.
Wingstar23: Thank you! I always like getting new readers! Hope you like the rest.
Author's Note: ::peeks out from behind Genrou:: Please don't hurt me! I know this took forever and a day to get out but I have reasons! Really! I do! I had the worst possible writer's block on this story and I couldn't think of anything. I mean, wow. The ideas I had were just awful. But I'm over it. Sort of. And after that, I couldn't find the stupid disk that I have this story on (I still haven't found it but I'm using a new one) which just plain pissed me off but I'm working hard so please, please don't hate me. This chapter isn't very long but it's pretty good and will hint at some things of her past (as the title should suggest). So, without anymore pleading on my part, I give you the chapter.
Chapter 8: Encounters From the Past
"Ok Nephiro. We're here," Genrou announced. We had been hiking through the forest for a couple of hours now and my stupid human feet were beginning to hurt. Not that I could be blamed. You try stumbling through a forest, blindfolded, and relying on two complete idiots to guide you. Well, one complete idiot and one guy with half a brain. You figure out which is which.
"Then can someone please get this stupid blindfold off of me?" I snapped. And I was losing my patience with them. I felt the blindfold removed. "Thank you. I hate having to rely on two practically complete strangers," I added, not even trying to tone down the harshness in my voice.
"Aw, come on, Nep. Ya can't really think of us as complete strangers," Kouji said, smiling at me.
"I don't. That's why I said 'practically complete strangers' rather than just complete ones," I replied, smirking back. "But I still don't know you very well. For all I knew, you two could have been leading me off of a cliff."
"We'd never do that to ya, Nep. At least, not until we found out whether or not ya can be a bandit."
"Don't I feel loved."
"Ya should."
"Well, we have to get goin' now. It's gonna get dark soon and we can't be here when it does. It'd be against da rules." Him and Kouji disappeared into the woods and I was alone. 'Finally! I was beginning to think they'd never leave!' I thought, turning around.
I acquired a focused edge and glanced at my surroundings. It was getting dark, and fast. I had noticed while I was blindfolded that we never really changed directions while traveling here. If I could just find that path before it became completely dark, I would be able to find my way back. But I wasn't going to use the way they disappeared. They might be trying to lead me in the wrong direction. You never know. Genrou seems to think he is smart. I could just stand here for a while and warp back there but I wanted to use my magic as little as possible. This is supposedly a holy mountain and I do not wish to draw any unneeded attention to myself. I took another look and the ground around me. Nothing seemed out of place. Those two were exceptionally careful not to leave me any hints. "All right boys. I see how this works," I said to the seemingly empty forest.
I paced around in a circle, stopped, and snapped my fingers. My tracks illuminated for a second before returning back to normal. "Hmm...This mountain must have strong magic to be capable of casting a glow that bright. I should be able to use the mountain's magic instead of my own!" This realization made me very happy indeed. I love finding ways around my limits. It is rather rewarding for me. I closed my eyes and concentrated, attempting to draw out the power of the mountain and use it to point me in the right direction. I hit a wall. "What the-?"
"I don't think so, my little Unwoven one," an ever-so-familiar voice called out. "I can't let you take the easy way out, now can I?"
"Leave me alone, Ryo. I don't have time to deal with you," I growled, utterly annoyed, while turning to see the smiling sorcerer.
"Now, Aomi! Is that any way to talk to the person who raised you?" he asked, his dark eyes twinkling.
"No. But it's the perfect way to talk to the person who lied to you your entire existence and still has the nerve to follow you everywhere you go!" I yelled back. Ryo. My hatred for him exceeds my hatred for the gods by an enormous amount and extends back in time before I even could say I knew the gods. It is an eternal and ever lasting hatred.
"That hurts, Aomi. It really does." He put his hand on his heart as if I struck him.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't just kill you now," I hissed, glaring at him.
"Because if you do that, you'll never learn the reason why I came here," he answered simply.
"And you think I honestly give a shit why you're here? Haven't you learned by now that I hate you? I have things to do and you're in my way. Leave now or I will kill you," I warned.
"You should care. It has to do with you, after all." He smiled, thinking he was getting somewhere with his stupid remarks. He always does.
"When doesn't it? Just go away, Ryo. You've delayed me long enough as it is." He took a step closer to me so that I had to look up to see his face.
"I've missed you, Aomi. Haven't you missed me even a little?" he asked quietly, brushing a strand of my hair away from my face like he used to do when I was a child. I took a step back and growled.
"Stop calling me that! I'm no longer the little girl you used to take care of, Ryo! I haven't been for a long time. I want nothing to do with you." He looked hurt but I didn't care. He deserves it. After everything he put me through, I don't think there is anyone who deserves it more. Well, Suzaku is close but Ryo takes the cake.
"Just ask me why I'm here and I promise I'll go away and let you get on with the life you claimed for yourself this time," he said. "No matter how much I don't understand it."
"Fine. Why are you here, Ryo? To torture me some more with hints of my past before I came to be with you? Is that it? What game have the Fates decided to play on me this time that you just jumped up to be a part of?" I exclaimed, slowly losing the few strands of self-control I had been keeping.
"I am here to warn you. The gods know of your escape," he told me, looking more than a little hurt.
"What?! Then why haven't they done anything to me yet?" I questioned in disbelief. They know? How? I was so careful. They could be on their way. I don't want to go back! I won't go back!
"As of yet, they don't know what you're planning. They want to figure it out before they take you back. I just thought I'd let you know. Be on your guard, my dear. I don't want you imprisoned again either. Life is so boring without you. So long, Aomi..." He faded from sight, a sad smile on his face.
'Shit. The gods know I'm here? Knowing Ryo, he probably told them to get back at me for running away. Arrg! I hate that man! But I mustn't let what he said get to me. I have a mission to finish.' I attempted to resume my hacking into the mountain's source of power but my mind was distracted, as it always is after a visit from Ryo. That man has a way of messing with my mind that no one else in the world can do. He knows just how to work my... emotions and I hate him for it. Well, that and some other things. It's hard to like someone who raised you telling you one thing and then you find something completely different. Even when I knew it to be true he was still hesitant to admit it to me. But I don't want to get into that. I could sit here the entire night thinking about that and still have more to think about. 'Just let me get this done and take care of vengeance against the gods and then I'll worry about Ryo. I can always get back at him for what he did after.' I tried to concentrate again, blocking Ryo from my thoughts. I was sort of successful: the tracks glowed, but only for a brief moment. It was enough for me to get an impression on where I had to travel, though.
By this time, it was pitch black out in the forest and I was lucky to be able to see a foot in front of me (in this body). I stumbled along until I finally got fed up with the weak human senses I was stuck with in this body. Extending my hand, palm up, I created a small ball of light that floated just above it. 'That should help at least a little.' I continued on, vision heightened, for another hour or so until I heard a rustling of leaves just outside my field on vision. Now, tonight so far had been a strange night where not even the smallest breeze blew so I knew it was not the wind. My first response was to think that Ryo had decided to follow me. It would not be the first time. He has been tracking me for hundreds of years, why would he stop now? I twirled around to face him only to find him not there. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a blur of shadowed movement and a glint of glimmering green. That was definitely not Ryo. Then I heard the growl. A rare and beautiful sound, the growl of a wild cat, but I was not enjoying it this time. I felt my body tense. 'It couldn't be... Ryo said they knew I escaped but still... They wouldn't... Not this time... Never him... Not again...'
Author's Note: Uh oh! What's out there and what will Nephiro do about it? Hehe. So now you know a little more about Nephiro's past. Well, you met someone from it and now know one of her names. One that she dislikes a lot. But it's still a name, right? Wow, who would have thought that there was someone out there she hated more than the gods? He must have kept something pretty big from her to get her that mad. Don't worry, I will explain it someday. In chapter ten, (not to taunt you or anything), I do actually explain why Nephiro hates the gods so much so you have that to look forward to. Well, I think I'm going to end this author's note before I give away too much.
~Smack
Here's your quote:
"Ha ha ha. Important? You? Yea. Right."
Thanks to...
Otaku Pitcher: Yea, her past is pretty interesting. A bit is revealed in this chapter but a lot more is told in chapter ten. I like Kouji too and I am planning on giving him some sort of role in this story, or at least part of it.
neppy: You know, you probably did. I wouldn't be surprised. Alex deserves it, lol. I like the Neppy in this better because she is pure evil. Hehe. And...she gets...well, you know.
Wingstar23: Thank you! I always like getting new readers! Hope you like the rest.
Author's Note: ::peeks out from behind Genrou:: Please don't hurt me! I know this took forever and a day to get out but I have reasons! Really! I do! I had the worst possible writer's block on this story and I couldn't think of anything. I mean, wow. The ideas I had were just awful. But I'm over it. Sort of. And after that, I couldn't find the stupid disk that I have this story on (I still haven't found it but I'm using a new one) which just plain pissed me off but I'm working hard so please, please don't hate me. This chapter isn't very long but it's pretty good and will hint at some things of her past (as the title should suggest). So, without anymore pleading on my part, I give you the chapter.
Chapter 8: Encounters From the Past
"Ok Nephiro. We're here," Genrou announced. We had been hiking through the forest for a couple of hours now and my stupid human feet were beginning to hurt. Not that I could be blamed. You try stumbling through a forest, blindfolded, and relying on two complete idiots to guide you. Well, one complete idiot and one guy with half a brain. You figure out which is which.
"Then can someone please get this stupid blindfold off of me?" I snapped. And I was losing my patience with them. I felt the blindfold removed. "Thank you. I hate having to rely on two practically complete strangers," I added, not even trying to tone down the harshness in my voice.
"Aw, come on, Nep. Ya can't really think of us as complete strangers," Kouji said, smiling at me.
"I don't. That's why I said 'practically complete strangers' rather than just complete ones," I replied, smirking back. "But I still don't know you very well. For all I knew, you two could have been leading me off of a cliff."
"We'd never do that to ya, Nep. At least, not until we found out whether or not ya can be a bandit."
"Don't I feel loved."
"Ya should."
"Well, we have to get goin' now. It's gonna get dark soon and we can't be here when it does. It'd be against da rules." Him and Kouji disappeared into the woods and I was alone. 'Finally! I was beginning to think they'd never leave!' I thought, turning around.
I acquired a focused edge and glanced at my surroundings. It was getting dark, and fast. I had noticed while I was blindfolded that we never really changed directions while traveling here. If I could just find that path before it became completely dark, I would be able to find my way back. But I wasn't going to use the way they disappeared. They might be trying to lead me in the wrong direction. You never know. Genrou seems to think he is smart. I could just stand here for a while and warp back there but I wanted to use my magic as little as possible. This is supposedly a holy mountain and I do not wish to draw any unneeded attention to myself. I took another look and the ground around me. Nothing seemed out of place. Those two were exceptionally careful not to leave me any hints. "All right boys. I see how this works," I said to the seemingly empty forest.
I paced around in a circle, stopped, and snapped my fingers. My tracks illuminated for a second before returning back to normal. "Hmm...This mountain must have strong magic to be capable of casting a glow that bright. I should be able to use the mountain's magic instead of my own!" This realization made me very happy indeed. I love finding ways around my limits. It is rather rewarding for me. I closed my eyes and concentrated, attempting to draw out the power of the mountain and use it to point me in the right direction. I hit a wall. "What the-?"
"I don't think so, my little Unwoven one," an ever-so-familiar voice called out. "I can't let you take the easy way out, now can I?"
"Leave me alone, Ryo. I don't have time to deal with you," I growled, utterly annoyed, while turning to see the smiling sorcerer.
"Now, Aomi! Is that any way to talk to the person who raised you?" he asked, his dark eyes twinkling.
"No. But it's the perfect way to talk to the person who lied to you your entire existence and still has the nerve to follow you everywhere you go!" I yelled back. Ryo. My hatred for him exceeds my hatred for the gods by an enormous amount and extends back in time before I even could say I knew the gods. It is an eternal and ever lasting hatred.
"That hurts, Aomi. It really does." He put his hand on his heart as if I struck him.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't just kill you now," I hissed, glaring at him.
"Because if you do that, you'll never learn the reason why I came here," he answered simply.
"And you think I honestly give a shit why you're here? Haven't you learned by now that I hate you? I have things to do and you're in my way. Leave now or I will kill you," I warned.
"You should care. It has to do with you, after all." He smiled, thinking he was getting somewhere with his stupid remarks. He always does.
"When doesn't it? Just go away, Ryo. You've delayed me long enough as it is." He took a step closer to me so that I had to look up to see his face.
"I've missed you, Aomi. Haven't you missed me even a little?" he asked quietly, brushing a strand of my hair away from my face like he used to do when I was a child. I took a step back and growled.
"Stop calling me that! I'm no longer the little girl you used to take care of, Ryo! I haven't been for a long time. I want nothing to do with you." He looked hurt but I didn't care. He deserves it. After everything he put me through, I don't think there is anyone who deserves it more. Well, Suzaku is close but Ryo takes the cake.
"Just ask me why I'm here and I promise I'll go away and let you get on with the life you claimed for yourself this time," he said. "No matter how much I don't understand it."
"Fine. Why are you here, Ryo? To torture me some more with hints of my past before I came to be with you? Is that it? What game have the Fates decided to play on me this time that you just jumped up to be a part of?" I exclaimed, slowly losing the few strands of self-control I had been keeping.
"I am here to warn you. The gods know of your escape," he told me, looking more than a little hurt.
"What?! Then why haven't they done anything to me yet?" I questioned in disbelief. They know? How? I was so careful. They could be on their way. I don't want to go back! I won't go back!
"As of yet, they don't know what you're planning. They want to figure it out before they take you back. I just thought I'd let you know. Be on your guard, my dear. I don't want you imprisoned again either. Life is so boring without you. So long, Aomi..." He faded from sight, a sad smile on his face.
'Shit. The gods know I'm here? Knowing Ryo, he probably told them to get back at me for running away. Arrg! I hate that man! But I mustn't let what he said get to me. I have a mission to finish.' I attempted to resume my hacking into the mountain's source of power but my mind was distracted, as it always is after a visit from Ryo. That man has a way of messing with my mind that no one else in the world can do. He knows just how to work my... emotions and I hate him for it. Well, that and some other things. It's hard to like someone who raised you telling you one thing and then you find something completely different. Even when I knew it to be true he was still hesitant to admit it to me. But I don't want to get into that. I could sit here the entire night thinking about that and still have more to think about. 'Just let me get this done and take care of vengeance against the gods and then I'll worry about Ryo. I can always get back at him for what he did after.' I tried to concentrate again, blocking Ryo from my thoughts. I was sort of successful: the tracks glowed, but only for a brief moment. It was enough for me to get an impression on where I had to travel, though.
By this time, it was pitch black out in the forest and I was lucky to be able to see a foot in front of me (in this body). I stumbled along until I finally got fed up with the weak human senses I was stuck with in this body. Extending my hand, palm up, I created a small ball of light that floated just above it. 'That should help at least a little.' I continued on, vision heightened, for another hour or so until I heard a rustling of leaves just outside my field on vision. Now, tonight so far had been a strange night where not even the smallest breeze blew so I knew it was not the wind. My first response was to think that Ryo had decided to follow me. It would not be the first time. He has been tracking me for hundreds of years, why would he stop now? I twirled around to face him only to find him not there. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a blur of shadowed movement and a glint of glimmering green. That was definitely not Ryo. Then I heard the growl. A rare and beautiful sound, the growl of a wild cat, but I was not enjoying it this time. I felt my body tense. 'It couldn't be... Ryo said they knew I escaped but still... They wouldn't... Not this time... Never him... Not again...'
Author's Note: Uh oh! What's out there and what will Nephiro do about it? Hehe. So now you know a little more about Nephiro's past. Well, you met someone from it and now know one of her names. One that she dislikes a lot. But it's still a name, right? Wow, who would have thought that there was someone out there she hated more than the gods? He must have kept something pretty big from her to get her that mad. Don't worry, I will explain it someday. In chapter ten, (not to taunt you or anything), I do actually explain why Nephiro hates the gods so much so you have that to look forward to. Well, I think I'm going to end this author's note before I give away too much.
~Smack
Here's your quote:
"Ha ha ha. Important? You? Yea. Right."