Disclaimers: I don't own Fushigi Yuugi.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Narrator's POV
Takiko walked threw the halls empty of the palace. It was dark, but she didn't care. Dark was perfect for being alone, and that was what she wanted at that moment. The emperor had finally decided that he would keep two of the six Genbu Seishi at the palace, while the other four would go with her to find the last one of the Genbu Seishi. they where leaving the day after the next. After that, they would come back to the capital and finally summon Genbu. That was, if everything went according to plan. The problem was that things rarely seemed to go according to plan. We where so close to reaching our goal. So why did it seem that we had just begun our adventure.
I thought about my father, back in my world. He must be worried sick about me. He probably thinks I'm dead. Now he must think that he's lost both my mother, and me. What dose he have left. What's even going to keep him living. He was always telling me that I was the most important thing in the world to him. That if something ever happened to me that he didn't think that he could live with the knowledge that I wasn't in his live anymore.' She began to cry at that thought. And what about me? I'm the only one here in this world that knows anything about my world. I'm the only one here who even knows that where inside a stupid book! And what about Suzuno and my other friends. I may never get out of this book! I may never see them again!'
Takiko-san? What are you doing out this late? Takiko spun around at the sound of her name. But it was only Tomite. She quickly tried to hide her tears, but he had already seen them. He walked over to her and took out a tissue. He said. she dried her tears and handed it back to him.
T-thank you, Tomite-san, she told him.
It's all right... He paused. Are you okay? What's wrong? Can you tell me? She looked up into his hansom face and saw worry in his brown eyes.
I... I'm just... She burred her face in his shirt and began to cry once again. She then told him how she missed her family, friends, and her entire world. He listened and comforted her.
You'll be able to go back, soon. Once you summon Genbu, you can wish to go home, He told her once she was done. she knew that. But while she wanted to go home, back to her family and friends, another part of her wanted to stay in the book world. She had found friends there, and she didn't want to be separated from them any more than she wanted to be separated from her friends in the real world. She knew that she would miss them too much to ever leave. And Tomite was in the book world. If she had to leave him.... She didn't know what she'd do. But... she missed everyone and everything back in her world so much that she could hardly stand to stay in the book world another second...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Takiko's POV
I... I'm not sure if I want to go back.... I said hesitantly, my words muffled by his shirt that I still had my face burred in. He pushed me away from him so he could get a good look at me, puzzled.
You don't? But I thought...
I'm a way, I do want to go home. I miss everything and everyone there. I wish that I could see my family and friends again. But... I know that if I went back.... I would miss this world as much as I miss my world. I'd miss the emperor, Iname, Hatsui, Namame, Uruki, Hikitsu and... and you, Tomite. I'd miss everyone. He looked at me strangely.
I...I'm glade. I don't want you to leave me. Even though it may be impossible, I want you to be with me. Even though it seems selfish.... Takiko I... There was a pause. And then, suddenly, his lips where pressed against mine and he was kissing me passionately. So I did the only thing that I could do. I kissed back. I put all the love I felt for him into that one kiss. It was all that mattered at that moment. It didn't matter that we would probably never be able to be together. It didn't matter that I was homesick. All that mattered was Tomite. He finally pulled back, blushing deeply.
Takiko... I love you! I've loved you for so long! I've just been too scared to tell you. I... I'm sorry... It's just... I can't hold back my feelings anymore. If you don't feel the same way, then we can just go back to the way things where. We... we can just be friends. But... Either way.... I want you to know how I feel... I chuckled softly and kissed him. He raped his arms around my waste and my arms where around his neck, holding him close to me, not wanting to let go.
You don't know how long I've waited for you to say that. I... I love you, too. So much. Maybe... not for as long as you've loved me, but... For a while now, I said once I pulled back. His face broke into a grin and we kissed again, and for a second I wished that moment would never stop. For the first time in a while, I was truly happy. And for those few minutes of happiness, I felt like I was in Heaven...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Uruki's POV
Takiko and Tomite looked much happier the next day than either of them had in months. The kept giving each other looks and smiling when there eyes met. I finally pulled Takiko aside and said, Okay. It's time to spit it up. He told you, didn't he. The look on her face was hilarious.
I-is it that obvious?
Yes! You have to tell me everything. Did you kiss?
She blushed. Yes.... We did.... Soon, I had gotten all the details from Takiko about that night and promptly went off to tell everyone else, despite her protests. Namame asked a ton of questions, some of witch I couldn't answer. I got the distinct impression that he was more nosy that I had noticed at first. Maybe in that way he was a little like me.
That was our last day together. The next day, Takiko, Tomite, Iname and Hatsui left to go find the last Genbu Seishi, Urumia. Namame and I where going to stay behind and protect the capital and the emperor. Because Kutou was attacking from the south, they figured that Urumia was in the east and where going to go that way first. The emperor had said that most people had deserted there homes and gone east so that they could be safe from Kutou soldiers that would raid towns and murder anyone that they found. I felt so helpless as I hugged Takiko one last time and said goodbye to the others. I wished that I could be going with them. I couldn't believe that they would all be out there risking there lives in the wilderness of Hokkan, while I sat here in this peaceful city and did nothing. That is, unless the capital was attacked. But somehow, I didn't think that would happen. I didn't know why, I just didn't. Hikitsu pulled me aside just before they left.
Uruki, I know what you're thinking. You think that you're going to be nice and safe here while where off risking our butts trying to find the last seishi. But you're wrong. The most likely thing that will happen is that we'll be staying at some inn while you risk your life defending the capital. I must not have looked convinced because then he said, I really mean it Uruki. I'm more worried about you and Namame than I am about myself.
Well, thats typical. You always worry about everyone else before you worry about yourself. And I do feel helpless. But not for the reasons that you think. He looked like he was about to ask why I was worried, but at that moment Takiko called, Hikitsu-san! Where leaving! He gave me one last look and ran over to them.
So, what did you want to talk to her about, Hikitsu-san? I heard Tomite ask him as they left.
Just something... He answered.
Aw come on Hikitsu. Tell me.
Nope. And don't ask so many questions.
Oh Hikitsu.... If only you knew that the reason that I feel so useless is because if something happens to you, I won't be able to do anything. I won't even be there,' I thought as they disappeared into the blood red sunset. I felt my brown hair whip against my face, but didn't care. The bitter wind bit into any of my flesh that wasn't covered. I stayed out there well after sunset, just starring at the direction that my friends, Miko, and love had gone. And I silently wished them well on their journey.
You know.... If you stay out here much longer you'll catch your death of cold, A voice from behind me said. I turned to look at the speaker. It was Namame. Lets go inside, he continued.
I-I think that I'll stay out here a little longer. You go on in, I replied. But instead of going inside, he sat down beside me. We sat there for a while. Not talking or anything, just sitting. Normally I hate silence. Although the town I came from was small, it was crowded and noisy. There was always something happening there. But somehow I didn't mind this silence. It was... nice. Namame was wonderful in that way. Some people never knew when to stop talking. They just didn't know how to listen or simply be silent. In that way, he was like Hikitsu. Even if he was a nosy idiot. Finally he broke the silence.
You love him, don't you. He sounded like there was no doubt in him that what he said was right. I knew who he was talking about. But I wasn't about to let him know that.
I asked. Who do you think I'm in love with?
W-who told you that?
No one. I guessed. But you do, don't you.
Um... Well... How did you know?
I've sensed it. It's not an emotion that I have much experience with, so I didn't recognize it at first. Of course, I've sensed it around my parents, but I was used to that. It felt strange to sense it around someone else. Almost alien. When I found out that Takiko and Tomite were in love, I realized that love was the feeling that I had been sensing around them, as well as around you. And right now, I sense worry. You're worried about him, aren't you. I nodded. I thought so. But you shouldn't worry. He is strong. And he has an extra protection with him One that even he probably doesn't even know he has.
What's that? I asked. I was wondering how someone could have a protection that they didn't know they had.
Your hart. Love, can be a powerful protection. I didn't understand, and decided not to ask. Knowing Namame, in I had he would have just given an even more confusing answer. Instead, I asked another question that had been worrying.
Um... You won't tell anyone, will you?
Of course not, Uruki-san.
Um... Have you ever fallen in love, Namame-san?
In a way, he said a sad look coming across his face. Then he stood. I'm going to go to bed. I'll see you tomorrow morning, Uruki-san. With that he left, and I absently wondered what he meant by In a way.' I wondered if something had happened to Namame. And then I finally understood what Namame and Hikitsu had been trying to tell me. That it didn't matter if I couldn't protect Hikitsu. I wasn't helpless. I could still protect him. In my own way. I could protect him with my hart, even if I wasn't there with him. Even if one of us died. I was confident that we would always be together...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
~End of Chapter 19~
Wow! That was a long chapter! Thank you to all of those people who have stuck with this story for this long as well as to all my reviewers. The Genbu Story is turning out to be quite long. Longer than I intended it to be when I first started writing it, anyway.
I tried to show Uruki's gentile side in this chapter. I don't show it much. She's usually a bit more fiery. But she dose have one. Also, I finally had Takiko and Tomite confess their love for each other! It's about time, too! I'm sorry to anyone who doesn't think that it's romantic enough of a confession (and that includes me), but I couldn't think of any other way for it to happen, and the story probably isn't going to be that much longer. I mean, I'm already on chapter 19. *sigh* It feels like I just started chapter 1 yesterday. Now all I have to do is make Uruki and Hikitsu confess their love for each other, if they ever do. Well... At least that's all I have to do when it comes to love. But I'm not going to tell you any of my other ideas. I'm not sure if I'm even going to do any of my current ideas, including having Uruki and Hikitsu ever confess their love for each other. I may just make them never get a chance to tell each other or something. Please review because, surprisingly, I like this chapter. I'm happy with how I did on it. (Witch is something that doesn't happen often. I usually hate how I do on the chapters as well as the story overall.) More coming soon. Thanks!
