Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yuugi.

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Narrator's POV

Takiko felt very relived when she found out that Tomite would probably be fine. For the first time she really felt the happiness that she had found another seishi. Although Tomite was still passed out, she would spend hours in his room looking after him. It was during one of those times that he first began to stir. When Tomite woke up, he felt like a bulldozer had run into him and found Takiko in his arms sobbing.

"“T-Takiko... What's wrong?"” He asked the crying girl worridly.

"“Don't you ever do that to me again! You could have been killed! If Namame-san hadn't-”"

“"Wh-what? Slow down, Takiko-san. Namame? Isn't that the name of one of the seven Genbu Seishi? Did you find the next one or something? A-and you're suffocating me. Please, stop hugging me so hard."” Tomite asked as he cut her off. "“The last thing I can remember, is being in that fire with a broken leg and telling Uruki to get you outside. What happened after that? How did I survive?"” he continued. Takiko had been speaking so fast that he had barely been able to understand what she was saying before he had interrupted her. She sat back on his bed and stopped strangling-er-hugging him. She then took some deep breaths and told him everything that had happened since the fire. About half way through her story, Namame came in and added his side of the events. Finally they stopped and gave Tomite some time to absorb what they had said. After a bit more talking, Takiko left the room to give Tomite some time to ‘get to know Namame. Tomite and Namame had a short conversation before Namame left, saying that Tomite should get some more rest because they would be leaving in a few days. Tomite promptly fell back asleep once he was gone, feeling very worn out, while processing all that they had told him in his head. He would have to thank Namame for saving his life later.

Meanwhile, Uruki was having her wound looked at by the doctor. He told her that she was doing well and that the wound was healing, but that she would probably have some pain from it for the rest of her life. She sighed and walked out of the room. Her arm was hurting at that moment, most likely because of the way the doctor had poked and prodded at it. Se quietly walked up the stairs absently rubbing the place where she'd been hurt. Unfortunately, that just made it hurt more. She stopped at a door and opened it to reveal her temporary room. Inside, she found Hikitsu.

"“What are you doing in here?"” She asked him.

“"I was waiting for you,"” Hikitsu answered and she blushed. "“I wanted to ask you what the doctor said.”"

"“He said that I was fine but...”" She didn't want to tell him the last part. She didn't want him to worry, and she knew that he would.

“"But..."” He prompted, wondering why she wasn't finishing her sentience.

"“Um...”" She didn't see any way out of it now. She'd have to tell him. “ "But I'll probably feel pain from it for the rest of my life,”" she finished bluntly, not meeting his one remaining eye. When she finally looked up, she saw a worried look in his eye, although no emotion showed in the rest of his face. ‘I knew that he'd be worried!' She thought.

"“Are you sure you're okay?”"

“"Yes."”

“"Uruki, I-”"

“"Geez, Hikitsu! I'm fine! You don't need to be so worried. I'm not a little baby, anymore. I can take care of myself! Just... Just leave me alone!”" Uruki finally yelled. As soon as the words where out of her mouth, she wished that she could pull them back. She wished that she could wipe the hurt off Hikitsu's face. She wasn't mad at him. She was simply angry at her own helplessness.

"“A-All right, Uruki-san. I'll... I'll go then...”" He told her, trying to erase the feeling from his voice.

"“Hikitsu I-"” But he was already gone. "“I'm sorry,"” she finished softly to herself, but she knew he couldn't hear her. She could hear him going down the stairs. Once she couldn't hear him any more, she threw herself onto her bed and cried herself to sleep.

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Namame's POV

I watched as Hikitsu slowly came down the stairs. I sensed a deep hurt from him that he refused to show. I sighed and causally walked over to him.

"“Hikitsu, can we talk?”"

“"Um... Sure... What is it?”"

"“What's wrong?"” I asked him once we where outside.

"“N-nothing. I-I don't know what you're talking about,"” he lied.

"“Hikitsu... You're forgetting that my seishi power is to sense emotions. I'm sensing a great pain from you right now. One that you're not willing to show. I can't force you to tell me, Hikitsu, but... It can really help to have someone to talk with."” I watched as Hikitsu turned this over in his mind. Finally I sensed defeat, and maybe even a little relief. I smiled knowing that he had decided to tell me. He told me about Sora, about how he was in love with Uruki but didn't want to be, about how she had yelled at him when he was only worried. He told me everything that he'd been bottling up for so long. I listened patiently, letting him tell me anything he needed to. I knew how it feels to have feelings similar to that bottled up. I was surprised that he hadn't blown up in anyone's face because of the pressure. ‘'He must have told somebody else some of it.' I decided. Still... He was stronger that he looked. He had been able to hide all of these things inside him and not let them show. He had not been willing to worry others with his problems. Finally, Hikitsu finished and looked at me. I smiled slowly at him and he returned my smile with a small shaky one of his own.

"“Please... Please don‘t tell anyone about this,"” he said.

“"Of course,”" I answered. "“It will be our secret.”"

“"Uruki! Tomite! Hikitsu! Namame!”" We heard Takiko calling from inside. "“It's dinner time!"” We both stood and walked into the kitchen to see Uruki, Takiko, and my parents waiting for us. A few seconds later, Tomite slowly walked in, leaning on the wall for support. My father had told him that he could walk and get out of bed if he wanted to, but that he still needed a little help sometimes because of his leg. Takiko rushed over to him and helped him into a chair, then she and my mother brought out the food. As we ate, I noticed that Uruki was very quiet. I also sensed guilt coming from her. I decided that she must feel bad about yelling at Hikitsu and decided to talk to her about it tomorrow. I started feeling a bit like a nosy idiot, but I wasn't going to let that stop me. After dinner, we all went to bed. We planed to leave for the capital the day after tomorrow. It wasn't far now, and we would probably get there a few days after we left.

A few days later, we were leaving. I looked around my room one last time. I knew that I may never see this place again. I had packed my bags the night before, and Tomite and my father where putting them on the horses. I sighed and walked down stairs. The others watched as I said good bye to my family. My father had decided to give us some spare horses. Now everyone was riding alone except for Takiko, who still couldn't ride. She was riding with Tomite. Earlier she had said that she felt most relaxed riding with him. She had also said that it was probably because he had found her and so the first time that she had been on a horse was with him. Her other reason was that she had ridden the most with him. Yet, even though she insisted that these where the only reasons, I had a strange feeling that they weren't. She and Tomite seemed very... close. I hugged my mother one last time and mounted my horse. I noticed with pleasure that it was one of my favorites. I had raised it from a colt that my father had bought, because if he hadn't then it would have been killed, and had given it to me to raise. I guess that you could say that I had rescued it, just as my parents had rescued me. I sighed and first kicked it into a walk and then into a trot. We where finally off. In a few days I would have my first glimpses of the capital. I had to wonder if the stores about how beautiful it was and how kind the emperor was where true. I hoped that they where. I was very nervous about meeting someone as important as the emperor.

I turned my thoughts to the long road ahead. I didn't know what trouble we might run into on the way to the capital. I checked to see if my knife was safely strapped to my belt. My grandfather had given it to me a long time ago and I was quite skilled with it. The handle was a very dark green with a tortoise carved into it. The tortoise was a symbol for Genbu, and the knife had been passed threw our family for generations. I had trained with it since I was a little kid because my seishi power wasn't very good in a fight and I wanted to be of use at all times. Not just when things where peaceful or after a fight. I hated it when I couldn't be useful. It was very annoying. I looked up and saw that the others where already ahead. I yelled for them to wait up and kicked my horse into a canter whiled Tomite laughed at me. I also laughed and caught up with him, giving him a playful punch on the shoulder. I had a strange feeling that we where going to get along. And not just Tomite and I. All of us. Even though each of us had our problems. I was sure that we could overlook that...

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End of Chapter 15

Sorry this one took me so long to get out. It's mostly a pointless chapter. I just needed to build up Namame's character some. More coming soon. Please r/r.

I have up to chapter ninteen done, but due to the fact that my internet is down, it may be a bit before they're out.