Disclaimers: I don't own Fushigi Yuugi.
A/N: This chapter has to do with the thing that happened at the end of chapter 20. I had a cliff hanger that I never tied up and showed the ending to. Well, it's taken seven chapters, but this is what happened. If any of you forgot what happened all the way back in the 20th chapter, then I suggest that you reread it.
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Narrator's POV
Look! There's the capital! Where almost there! Cried Takiko happily. The had set off from Uruki's village as soon as Takiko had gotten well. After she had woken up, she'd had a speedy recovery, much to everyone's relief. Nobody but Tomite and Hikitsu knew how she had recovered so quickly, although Umiyame suspected. Tomite smiled, happy that she was happy and well. He kicked his horse into a canter and began to ride towards the capital. Soon, the others followed suit and they were all cantering to the capitals gates, happy to be back. They were let into the capital without much trouble once the guards realized that they there the Genbu no Miko and five of the Genbu Seishi.
They had only been inside the gates for a few seconds when a horse came galloping up to them. Takiko recognized the rider on the horse as soon as he was close enough for her to see his long blue hair flying in the wind as he hurried up to them.
She cried. By then, he had made it to them and had brought his horse to a stop.
Thank Genbu your back! Hurry! You must come with me to the palace. He turned towards Hikitsu. You especially must come. The others looked at each other, puzzled at why Namame could be so frantic. Quickly, they rode up to the palace...
I have to warn you, this may be a bit of a shock, Namame told them as they walked though one of the many passages of the palace. They had gotten there about a half hour ago and Namame still hadn't mentioned what he was so worried about. He had been introduced to Umiyame, but she still hadn't seen the emperor. Pretty much all that they had done was settle in before Namame insisted on showing them what had happened. Now, the six seishi (Uruki was not present) and the miko stood in front of a closed door. Takiko vaguely recognized it from her as the door that she had seen Namame pacing in front of. He slowly opened the door and led them into the dark room.
Once their eyes had adjusted to the gloom, they could see that they where in a plain room. There was barely anything in it except a small desk, a bed in the corner, and a chair by the bed. They could see that someone was lying on the bed. Hikitsu walked over to the bed and looked down onto it to see who was lying there. What he saw made his heart stop beating for almost a full minute. On the bed, with dry blood covering her chest, lay...
Uruki.
Takiko and the others walked up behind Hikitsu, trying to get a better look at the bed. Takiko covered her mouth with her hands and buried her face in Tomite's shirt. Tomite stared dumbly at the girl lying on the bed and then turned his head away, not wanting to believe what he saw. Iname and Hatsui, fearing that she was dead, left the room to get control of their emotions without having others witness their humiliation. Even Umiyame looked shaken, although she had never known the girl. She had heard many stories from Takiko about her and how strong she was.
Hikitsu asked Namame, trying to hide his emotions and failing. How did this happen?!
It was a few days after you left the capital, started Namame. Kutou attacked us in force. The emperor decided to go out and fight alongside his people. Uruki... Uruki was guarding him, making sure that no harm could come to him. One of the Kutou archers was up in a tree. I saw him and yelled out a warning to Heika-sama, but he didn't hear me... Uruki did. She... He stopped, trying not to cry at the memory. She jumped in front of the arrow to protect Heika-sama. But... While most people would have just stopped and died right there, she didn't. She didn't even faint. She didn't pass out until she was sure that the emperor was safe and inside of the palace. Nobody could get her to stop. She... I tried... but she... she... Now everyone could see that he wanted to cry, but wouldn't let himself in their presence.
It's okay, Namame. It was Umiyame who spoke. We understand. You don't have to finish your story. I think we basically understand what happened. And with that, she led him out of the room, an old wrinkled hand on one of his shoulders. She did it for a few reasons. She knew what it felt like to want to cry more than anything, but not be able to or not be able to let yourself. Once he was outside, he could cry in peace. Also, she knew that Iname and Hatsui would need to know the story because they still hadn't come back into the dark room after they had left to get a hold of their feelings when they saw Uruki. Plus, she felt sorry for the boy. He'd had to witness all of that and then tell them. It must have been horrible, and Umiyame knew what it was like to have to go through horrible things.
In the room, Tomite left, bringing Takiko with him. The girl was already distressed about her , and this was just making her more distressed. He wanted to have a chance to calm her down. This left Hikitsu alone with the girl. he sat by her bed and held her hand, wondering if she was still alive.
She's alive, if that's what your wondering. But... Nobody knows how long that will last. Hikitsu turned around quickly, surprised by the voice in the door way. It was Namame. He had gotten a hold of himself surprisingly quickly. Namame walked over to him and stood by his shoulder. Sometimes, she would call out your name in her sleep. Not anyone else's name. Just yours. Hikitsu was surprised by this and looked at Uruki's still face. There was a long pause in witch no one said anything. Then, Namame spoke again.
You love her, don't you. Hikitsu didn't turn this time, although if he had allowed his face to show anything, it would show how shocked he felt. H-H-How did he know?!' he thought, but he only said, What makes you say that? Namame smiled a bit.
Don't you remember? My seishi power is sensing emotions. I can your love for her.
Oh... Then, yes. I do, Hikitsu answered, still not looking at him. He wondered how long Namame had known about his feelings for Uruki. How long had he known about his feelings for Uruki, anyway? He guessed that the knowledge had just come gradually.
Hikitsu sat there for a long time, lost in his thoughts. He didn't even notice when Namame left him there to think. He didn't notice anything as he thought about the girl on the bed in front of him...
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Hikitsu's POV
It had been three days since we had gotten back to the capital. Three horrible days. Hatsui had treated Uruki's physical wounds, but had found that the arrow that she had been hit with was poisoned. Unfortunately, poison was one of the many things that he couldn't heal. I had offered to watch her and make sure that nothing happened to her and that she didn't get worse.
I had not been frightened many times in my life, but now I was. I was afraid that Uruki would die before I even got to tell her my feelings. Slowly, I took her hand. She's so cold...' I thought. Her hand felt like ice. Being that cold couldn't be a good thing. Suddenly, Uruki began to breath harder and faster, like she was having trouble breathing at a normal pace.
I cried worriedly. I wasn't a doctor. I didn't know what to do when things like this happened. I didn't even know what was happening. Then, with a jolt, she stopped. She just... stopped. Her chest no longer struggled to rise and fall as she took breaths. For she was no longer breathing. Desperately, I scrambled to find a pulse. As I felt her wrist, I felt the small beat that meant she was alive. But it was fading quickly. She was dying! If I didn't do something immediately, she would die. But... I didn't know what to do. I was afraid that if I did something, it would just make everything worse. But... I was even more afraid of just doing nothing as she died. Of not trying to save her at all.
I called out into the darkness of the room. Come here! NOW! I don't know why I did. Surely he wouldn't come and heed this small cry for help. Surely...
Suddenly, the previously dark room was filled with a bright green light and... and he was there. The great tortoise god of whom was standing before me in that very room. Except... We weren't in the room anymore. I had a strange feeling that we weren't even on Earth. Instead, we where in a sort of sphere type thing of green light.
You called me, Chen Entato. Hikitsu of the Genbu Seishi. Protector of the Genbu no Miko. What do you want?
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~End of Chapter 27~
Yay! I'm a very happy person right now! My friend just got out of the hospital! I'm so relived that she's okay. Anyway, now you all know what happened to Uruki. And we also have our first appearance of the god. Yippee! And you all thought that his first appearance would be at the summoning. Nope. Here he is. But why is he here? What will he do? Will he do what Hikitsu wants? To find out, read the next chapter witch will be coming soon. Also, review. I'm going for a personal record for the most reviews I've ever had. (My record is 22) Thanks!
