Disclaimers: I don't own Fushigi Yuugi.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Narrator's POV
Takiko-sama! Takiko-sama! One of the many maids yelled as she pounded on Takiko's bedroom door, trying to get her up.
Takiko whined as she opened the door. For the sake of Genbu... What could she want, this early in the morning?'
Takiko-sama, His Highness told me to summon you so that you could purify yourself for the summoning today.
Oh! That's right! The summoning is today! I'll be right out. Just let me get dressed, Takiko exclaimed as she shut the door and began to find some clothes. She picked out a light green kimono with darker green flowers on it. Her obi was a plain, dark green one with a white border on it. It was one of her new outfits that she had gotten when she and Hatsui had gone on a trip to the market a few days ago. Since he had lived in the capital all of his life, he knew all about the city and had offered to show her around to keep her mind off of the quickly approaching ceremony.
Takiko ran a brush through her long, silky hair, letting it flow down her back. Once that was done, she began to put it up in a braid, hesitated, and left it down. It had been almost a month since they had returned to the capital, and it was finally time to summon Genbu. Takiko couldn't believe that it had been almost two years since she had come to this strange world that now felt like her home. It didn't seem like that long. She had been through so much in this world, both horrible and wonderful. Throughout the entire time, she had hoped that when it was all over, she would be able to go back to her world; back to her family and friends. But now, she wasn't so sure. She had come to love this world as if it was her own. She had made friends there, and her seishi where like her family now. And Tomite was there. If she left, then she would never see him again. He would only be a memory. A thing of the past. A character in a book.
Throughout her entire adventure in the book, Takiko had always been sure of two of her three wishes. First, she would wish for Genbu to save Hokkan for the emperor. She was still sure that she would wish for this. But after she had made that wish, she had always thought that she would wish to go home. But now that the time had come, she wasn't so sure. She wasn't sure if she wanted to leave. But... She wanted to go home; back to her world, the one she was born and raised in. I'll decide what to do when the time comes. And besides, I don't even know what my third wish will be. I'd better think of that. Then I'll decide whether or not I want to stay in this world. And if I do, then I'll ask Genbu to keep me here as one of my wishes.' Satisfied with that, Takiko calmly walked out into the hall where the servant was waiting for her, with her chin held high, looking as regal as the Miko she was.
Takiko-sama, first you will eat breakfast with the Genbu Seishi and then you will go to wash and purify yourself. Then, you will be dressed in your summoning outfit and will summon Genbu. Is that okay? The servant asked as they walked to the dinning hall.
Yes. Of course, Takiko replied a little nervously. They reached the dinning hall and the servant opened the door to reveal the Genbu Seishi and the emperor. Takiko walked in and took her seat beside Tomite as the servant closed the door behind her. She and the others talked about normal things, but each knew that the others where nervous. This was the day. They would summon Genbu. Takiko would make her wishes. Hokkan would be saved. But there was one big If'. All these things would happen if Takiko could do it. Everything was up to her now, and she was scared. Scared out of her wits. Everyone could tell. Her hands were shaking and she barely ate. She was also silent throughout the entire meal as she pushed her food around her plate with her fork, but didn't put any of it in her mouth. Her seishi, especially Tomite, and the emperor were worried about her, but kept it to themselves. They knew that she would just be more distressed if she knew that she was worrying them.
Takiko, of course, wasn't the only one that the others were worried about. They had all noticed that throughout the months that they had been in the capital, Uruki had been avoiding Hikitsu. Only Hikitsu, Uruki and Umiyame knew why, but they told no one. After she had seen Hikitsu kissing the other girl, she had avoided him. She had decided that she would just have to get over him and that the only way to do that would be to stay away from him. Hikitsu had been trying to get her alone so that he could explain things to her, but had been unable to. She was very successful at avoiding people, and, although it hurt because she knew that she was hurting him, she had continued it for the month after she had seen him and the other girl. Throughout the entire meal, Hikitsu kept glancing at her, trying to catch her eye as he had done at every meal during that month, but she ignored him, acting like he wasn't even there.
The other seishi looked from Takiko, to Uruki, to Hikitsu worriedly. Today was the summoning. They couldn't put it off any longer. Everyone knew that. The longer they waited, the closer the Kutou army got to them. If they waited too long, then they would all be killed. They could only hope that they would all be ready when the time to summon Genbu came...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Takiko's POV
I sat in my room and fidgeted nervously. Everything was happening to fast. Way to fast. It seemed like it was only a few days ago that I had been struggling against bandits and scared of Tomite's symbol, and now I was about to summon Genbu. Of course, it had been much longer than a few days since I had come to this world, it just didn't feel like it. I sighed, lying back on my bed, memories flying through my head.
~*~
"As you can see, you have already found one. My real name is Chamka Tan, but my seishi name is Tomite."
~*~
"Yes. My name is Chen Entato, but you may call me Hikitsu."
~*~
"Hello Uruki."
"You're that man from the other day. How do you know my seishi name? I know that I never told you. In fact, I didn't even tell you my real name!"
~*~
"My name is Temur Bataar. But you may call me Namame, of the Genbu seven. My power is sensing others emotions."
~*~
Yes. my name is Dugureng Zaan but you may call me Iname.
~*~
My real name is Shi-Hsiu, but my seishi name is Hatsui. You are also a Genbu Seishi, aren't you?
~*~
"I am Umiyame of the Genbu Seishi. And just so you know... You're in my house, right now."
~*~
Each of my seishi where so different, yet so similar. Each had come to me willingly. Each had saved me so many times with no concern for their own life. I had been lucky so many times. It hardly seemed fair. But... Now I was lost. Today was the day. I had to decide what I was to wish. In only an hour, I was to be purified. I wanted to know what I would wish for before then.
*Knock knock* Someone pounded on my door. Who is is? I called. It was too early for the servants that would help me purify myself to come.
It's me, Tomite, he replied. I sighed and opened the door.
Come on in, I said and he did so.
T-T-Takiko-san... There's been something that I've been meaning to ask you for a while now. He was a nervous wreck. And... And I think that I should ask you now, before you summon Genbu. what could be so important that he would be this nervous?' I wondered. And why does he have to ask me before I summon Genbu?'
What is is, Tomite? I asked him as I sat down on my bed once more.
W-W-Well... Well I... I was... I was wondering- He knelt and suddenly I realized what he was going to ask. I felt me heart begin to beat faster and the sweat begin to form on my palms. Will you marry me, Takiko? Will you stay in this world and become my wife?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
~End of Chapter 30~
Well, you all knew that he'd ask her sometime. The question is, what will her answer be? Ah, I just love to leave you at cliff hangers... The joys of being an author (ess). Anyway, please, please, please review. I love reviews! they make me happy, and a happy author (ess) will update more! So please review! More coming soon.
