Chapter 8

Hotohori and Nuriko rode as fast as they could to Qu-Dong. "Do you really think that she is there?"

"I wouldn't doubt it. They did the same thing to Yui."

"But then why did all the rest of the priestesses make it back to Hong-Nan just fine? Why would Yume be transported to Qu-Dong instead of Hong-Nan?"

"Well that's the mystery now isn't it?"

"Is there any possible way that we could be wrong?"

Hotohori thought it over. "Yes. We could be. She could still be in her world, but that doesn't mean we're going to stop looking."

"Our priestess is here. You are not mistaken by any means!" A voice called out to them. Hotohori stopped the horse and they looked around.

"Tell me I'm not the only one that heard that."

"You're not. I heard it as well."

"Up here you stupid fools!" Hotohori and Nuriko glanced upwards to find a crimson-haired suspect gather chi from a rod.

Izumi lay unconscious on the cold ground. A second later, she came to, taking in her surroundings. She sat up rubbing her head. "My head hurts, I wonder why…" She suddenly remembered the great fight against the wolves that attacked her. She checked all over he body and found not one tear in her skin. 'How can that be?' she asked herself. Suddenly she remembered her savior.

Izumi jumped to her feet. "That's right! That nice man saved me…" She looked around. "…crap. I think I'm lost. Where am I?!" She cried.

"Well currently, yer at ther bottom of Lige-san moun'ain."

Izumi jumped. "Oh! It's you…" Izumi took a better look at her hero. She jumped away. "Holy crap! By any chance, are you Mitsukake?" She asked.

"Yep, that's my name. How do you know me?"

"Oh my gosh! And you're young even! I always thought you were hot when you were younger! Well there's no time for me to be chatting away like this, we need to get you back to Hong-Nan pronto!"

"Hong-Nan? Why Hong-Nan? Who are you?"

"Oh! I have been a little rude huh?" Izumi bowed. "I'm Izumi Minamoto and if you'd be so kind as to willingly come to Hong-Nan with me then all will be explained." Izumi started dragging him to the nearest horse available.

"Not so fast. Do you think I'm going to let you get away so easily? You might have scared of my wolves but I won't be so easily defeated. Heh heh heh!"

Izumi and Mitsukake turned around to find a green-haired weirdo licking his lips as if he were thirsty, his eyes said he was thirsty for blood.

"No. It can't be…"

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Tomo." (A/N i.j. he is a homo!)

KNOCK KNOCK. "Hello? Is anyone here?!" Tamahome was knocking on the door to the shack on the hill. He glanced around but saw no sign of anyone there. "If you are home please come out! I must speak with you!"

There was no answer.

"Geez, what is everyone in this town afraid of?"

"They're afraid of me." A girl came running up the hill with her long hair flowing behind her.

"Of you?"

"Yes. That is the case. They all flee from me thinking that I will cause harm."

"How could you possibly cause harm. You're the one that led me up to this shack right? I remember that voice even though you were whispering."

"Oh. Yes I am." Tamahome took a good look at her.

"You remind me of someone…" He said. Before he could place who, the girl reminded him that he still had to find Mitsukake.

"If he's not here then where could he be?"

"Well, there are some woods over there that he might be in." She pointed. "I heard he spends a lot of time in there."

"Well then, off we go." Tamahome grabbed his horse and helped the girl on. They rode off into the woods and the girl smiled. Tamahome threw himself off the horse and the girl after him. He started walking keeping the horse close to him. The girl walked behind him just staring into the back of his head.

"You know… you're very handsome."

"Oh really?" Tamahome said as if he hadn't noticed. "You are a funny little girl." He said never looking back but still walking.

"I'm not little." She retorted.

"Yes you are, you're very little with a cute little voice to match."

"You don't understand. I'm not a little girl." The sound of something light falling to the ground made Tamahome turn around. The girl was wrapping her hair in a bun with a ribbon, letting some still swing back and forth. She was wearing something totally different than before, her other clothes on the ground. She wore a short fighting Chinese dress with long slits up the sides and other fabric coming out of the slits.

"No…"

"Do you understand now former celestial warrior? I am not a little girl." The girl's voice totally changed with a tint of malice in it.

"Soi? Your hair is green! You're still alive?! What's going on?!"

"Yes you are right. My name is Soi, it's a pleasure to meet you but I can't let you find the new celestial warrior, it's my duty under our new eminence."

"New priestess? Who, who is your new priestess?"

"Eminence Yume."

"Yume?!"

"Ups-a-daisy!" The lady said pulling Houki to momentary safety on a roof top. Ashitare ran into the wall thinking he would attack Houki, knocking himself out.

"Thank you!" Houki praised.

"Your welcome. What are you doing here? This alley way isn't a place for a little girl, especially one that is the emperor's only daughter."

"Well I remembered what my friend looks like, and you reminded me so much of them. You have the exact same eyes."

"So are you trying to tell me that you have been looking for me young one?"

"Yes! You're the one I'm looking for! Sure you look different on the outside but you'll always be my friend Chiriko!"

The lady seemed surprised. "Lady Houki. How is it possible that you remember me? You were so young when I died. You were barely a yearling."

"You used to read stories to me and, and sometimes you would sing! You were the reason I started talking at 6 months old! I wanted to talk to you so bad!"

"How do you remember all this?"

"I don't know how, I just know that I do."

"I am referred to as a different name now. My name now is Nuriko."

"Fine! Nuriko! We need you! Come back with me please!" Nuriko glanced down at the defeated animal on the ground.

"Okay, let's go."

TO BE CONTINUED

IM SO SORRY THAT I DIDN'T UPDATE IN FOREVER, BUT I HAD EXAMS AND GYMNASTICS AND MORE STUFF! But I am proud to say that I will be able to update a little more than I have been lately. So keep checking in!