I'm having one of those update marathons. It's like, "Everything must be updated, NOW!" Which includes this story. I feel like I neglect this story sometimes. Mostly because I so badly want to write it well that I think I'm hesitant about producing chapters. Well, I'm gonna shut up now because I bet you want to read the damn story.
Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yugi.
Warnings: Minor cussing. Cool stuff happens!
Somewhere Out There
Chapter Six
I went downstairs for breakfast where my parents were drinking coffee and looking rather serious. I tried to ignore that as I went about putting a bagel in the toaster. I could tell they wanted to talk to me. I don't know how I knew, I just did. After all, I was now Ryuuen, the son who dressed like the dead daughter.
"Ryuuen…" My mother began first and when I turned I saw she was biting her lip. "Why don't you come sit down for a moment?"
"Okay." I shrugged. My dad took a long drink of his coffee, cleared his throat, and then he took a deep breath.
I wondered if they had rehearsed this before or at least discussed exactly what they were going to say because it sounded as though they were trying to read a script but forgetting the clever words of the play and had to replace them with their own hesitations.
"Ryuuen, I understand that this has been very hard for you." My dad looked at me. "It's been hard on all of us. Your mother and I and Rokou…well, we all…we feel as though…you're isolating yourself from the rest of us."
"We're a family." My mother took over. "And we love you very much. But maybe you don't know how to express your emotions to us so we can understand exactly what you're going through."
"We were thinking, perhaps…you'd like to talk about it with someone else." My dad was looking almost nervous now. "Someone…that isn't involved…"
It just clicked.
I knew exactly what my parents were trying to say. They wanted to help me. But they didn't understand. They didn't want to understand, they wanted me to go and tell someone else. I didn't want that kind of understanding.
"You want me to see a shrink?" I asked in an accusatory tone.
"Talking with a psychiatrist might help." My mother could see I wasn't taking this well.
"That's right, I'm going loony. A cross dressing LOONY!" I slammed my hands down on the table. My eyes shut tight.
"I would like you to feel free to come to me."
"Nobody said—" My mother began in protest.
"You didn't even try to understand! Just decided to ship me off to a shrink. 'Wow that solved our problems.'" I imitated them, glaring at them.
"Ryuuen! That is not—" My dad tried to get in but I jumped up.
"My bagel's finished." I cut in lamely. I just didn't want to talk about it. Both my parents opened their mouth to say something but seemed to forget what they were going to say. I went to get my bagel and my mother did speak.
"The school called…they were hoping you could start coming again next week." My mother spoke in a quiet voice; as if afraid she would upset me further. "Is that alright Ryuuen?"
"It's fine." I shrugged and then left. As I did, I heard the quiet sound of my mom trying to cover up the fact that she had begun to cry.
I made her cry…
I'm hurting them all so much…but I'm so hurt…
What do I do?
I can't let anyone in right now…Not now…
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After a day of avoiding the family again, I found I just wanted to go to sleep forever. Maybe if I slept long enough, I would just fade completely into that other world. Away from my grief and pain.
Fade away completely…
This time I found myself in my room with Houki who was an interesting shade of white. ("You just appeared out of nowhere!") I quickly changed and Houki went about doing my hair but I wasn't really concerned about it.
After that, I went to see what Saihitei was up to but a guard told me that he was in a very important meeting with his advisors and I would have to wait 'til after. I decided to take a walk and found myself thinking about what my parents had said. I knew that psychiatrists weren't just for loonies but for some reason I had just gotten so angry.
That was before one of the miko in training stopped me. Her eyes were wide with worry and she was wringing her hands.
"Please, Lady Kourin, have you seen the Suzaku no Miko?" She asked.
"Um…no." I answered. Was Miaka missing? "Why? Is something wrong?"
"No one can seem to find her." The miko in training answered. "I'm…well, to tell you the truth Lady Kourin, I think she might have gone…out there." The miko in training looked behind me at the walls and gates of the palace and its grounds.
"Why would she do that?" I asked, slightly alarmed.
"Because…Yui's sick. And we were talking about how we needed a special herb that only grows in the fields outside of town." The miko in training looked like she might start crying. "And the Suzaku no Miko…we told her to just wait until we could send someone to go get them but…she and Yui are really close…I think she might have run off to go get herbs."
"Well, maybe she'll be alright." I tried to think reasonably. The Suzaku no Miko was a high religious position so the people probably wouldn't harm her.
"But if a man touches her!" The miko in training protested. "She'll be desecrated!"
It's a little too late for that…
But Miaka shouldn't be out there by herself.
"Is something going on here?" A male voice asked us. I turned to see the blue-haired man, Kishuku standing there.
"The Suzaku no Miko!" The miko in training had taken a step back almost instinctively. "We can't find her and we think she might have run off to get herbs for Yui—"
"Where?" Kishuku questioned sharply.
"The fields south of town." The miko in training informed him.
"Then let's get going!" I raised a hand in the air.
"Lady Kourin, you might want to stay here…" Kishuku hesitated. "If there's any danger…"
This may sound weird but I really felt like I should go. It was important that I go. And maybe, if I can protect Miaka, then it'll make up for touching her.
"I want to go. And you can't make me stay!" I amended as though that would settle the argument. "Come on, we can't stay here arguing." Kishuku gave me a look that clearly told me he didn't know what to make of me.
"Fine, let's go." Kishuku turned towards the miko in training. "Could you go inform the guards that Lady Kourin and I are going out to find the Suzaku no Miko?"
"Of course!" The miko in training nodded and took off. Kishuku led me towards the stables where we got on his horse. I had to ride side-saddle because of my skirts and had my arms around Kishuku's waist so I wouldn't end up falling off the horse.
People cleared out of our way as the horse charged down the streets. Kishuku seemed to know where we were going. I sincerely hoped that Miaka was alright. I hoped there was a mistake and Miaka would end up being in the palace, forgetting to tell anyone where she was.
Why didn't she tell anyone where she was going?
Fear rose up in me as I saw Miaka's large innocent green eyes began to blend together with a pair of large rose-colored eyes.
Kourin…
We've got to find her…
Before…it happens again…
There were woods but Kishuku said the fields were just beyond them. Just as the woods ended, Kishuku stopped his horse suddenly.
"There's Miaka…" His voice changed, like he was admiring something. I looked up and indeed Miaka was there, sitting in the field and gathering herbs in a small basket she had with her.
Then I saw them, three men who were sneaking up quietly on Miaka. Kishuku and I were both off the horse as fast as possible. Kishuku started running towards her and I tried to do the same and ended up tripping over my skirts.
Ryuuen to the rescue…
"Miaka! Look out!" Kishuku went running towards her and Miaka looked up at him in surprise and then turned to see the men. One of them jumped towards her, probably to grab her and Miaka flung herself aside just as Kishuku bounded to the spot between her and the men.
"Well look at this, boys, a regular knight in shining armor." One of them joked towards the others. The one nearest to Kishuku tried to reach around him and grab at Miaka who was still sitting on the ground.
Kishuku grabbed the man's hand and twisted it behind the man.
"Don't lay a finger on her!" He said fiercely and then something happened. It was like a wind ruffled his long blue bangs and then a symbol appeared on his forehead, burning brightly. He flung the man aside.
I was running there just in time. The two others went towards Kishuku and then the other man yelled and more men appeared. This was not good.
I've got to help Miaka and Kishuku.
I didn't understand Kishuku's symbol but I guess I wasn't really focusing on that. I don't think Kishuku had even noticed it yet. But a man was going for Miaka and I planted myself in front of her.
Now, I'm not much of a fighter. But I knew I had to do something. I balled up my fist and punched the guy with all my might.
Something felt very warm on my chest at that same moment. I looked down to see something glowing within my robes. I looked at the guy I had punched. He had hit a tree a good twenty yards away.
What is this?
The next guy that rushed at me, I grabbed him by the shirt, and he was as light as a feather as I threw him.
It's like a super power…
What's that glowing?
I heard sounds of people fighting behind me; I didn't know how Kishuku was doing. I turned to see he had a bit of collection going with beat up men. I found myself tossing men aside left and right. Then I saw that there were no more.
Kishuku and I looked at each other. Miaka was staring at us with wide eyes. Kishuku's symbol was still glowing and I guessed that the glowing from inside my robes came from a symbol as well.
"Tamahome!" Miaka exclaimed. "You're Tamahome! One of the Suzaku no Shichiseishi!"
"And Lady Kourin…" Tamahome pointed at me in a daze. I moved my robes just enough to reveal a red symbol glowing on part of my chest, near my heart.
"Nuriko." Miaka beamed. "You are a seishi!"
"I had no idea." I was amazed. How could I be a legend? I was Chou Ryuuen; a boy from another world who everyone thought was a girl. Why would I be chosen and marked by a god?
"Neither did I." Kishuku scratched his head. "So we're supposed to protect the Suzaku no Miko?"
"Yes." Miaka nodded eagerly.
"Well as my first act as a seishi, WHAT WERE YOU DOING OUTSIDE THE PALACE WALLS?!" I yelled at her. "WHAT IF YOU HAD DIED?!"
"I'm sorry…" Miaka's eyes began to well up. "I'm really sorry but Yui was sick and I wanted to get the herbs for her myself…I feel so bad about the whole Choosing ceremony. Everyone really thought it would be her. And it was me instead."
"It's not your fault." Kishuku told her comfortingly. He looked for a moment like he might put a hand on her shoulder but seemed to realize that he couldn't and let his hand drop down.
Because you haven't said anything…
Your dishonesty may cause a lot of unhappiness.
"Lady Kourin!" Miaka pointed behind me. "Look out!" I whirled around but I ended up falling over on the hem of my dress.
Urgh, good job Ryuuen. Best seishi ever.
One of the men loomed over me with a knife.
He's going to stab me…like Kourin…they stabbed her…
I completely lost my head and was just staring at him. Kishuku had instinctively moved in front of Miaka and was about to help me when someone else stepped in.
"Kourin!" The familiar voice yelled and suddenly I saw that the man was gurgling as someone had just run him through with a sword. The man dropped and I looked up to see Saihitei standing there, looking incredibly cool posed with his sword.
"Saihitei!" I exclaimed because not only was I surprised to see him but something was glowing on Saihitei's neck. Something red. Another symbol.
Is everyone a seishi?!
Well there are supposed to be seven…
"Hotohori!" Miaka looked so excited I thought she was going to start dancing. "That's three! I only have to find four more!"
"Hotohori…do you mean…?" Hotohori looked like he was trying to look at his symbol. Then he saw me, still on the ground and helped me to my feet. "Three? Then…Kishuku? And…Kourin?"
"We had no idea." Kishuku admitted and I nodded as well. "I wondered why they just appeared."
"Probably because you were protecting the Suzaku no Miko who I hear decided to go outside the palace walls by herself." Saihitei raised his eyebrows at Miaka who looked down at her feet.
"I'm Tamahome." Kishuku pointed at the red symbol which had faded to a regular red and was no longer glowing. "And Lady Kourin's Nuriko."
"But then why did yours show up?" I asked Saihitei. "You weren't protecting Miaka."
"I suppose it was because I was protecting a fellow Suzaku no Shichiseishi." Saihitei seemed to be rather calm even though he had just discovered he was a holy warrior.
"I'm so glad you were one of them Lady Kourin." Miaka smiled.
"You can call me Kourin." I prompted her. "I'm not really a lady…"
In all senses…
"Or Nuriko!" Miaka cheered. "I'm glad you two are seishi as well." She beamed at them and Kishuku gave her a smile with his eyes glittering and Miaka went rather pink in the face.
"I suggest we get back to the palace." Saihitei suggested. "We need to discuss our plans to find the other seishi."
"I only have my horse." Kishuku told Saihitei. "Did you come on a horse?"
"Yes…" Saihitei's brow creased. "I suppose Kourin and Miaka could ride on them and we could walk."
"Maybe we should all walk." Kishuku seemed to be thinking. "In case anything else happens."
"Agreed." And with that, we all trekked back to the palace.
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Back at the palace, even though I looked rather disheveled, Saihitei insisted we all dine together. When Miaka entered the room, I noticed Kishuku's eyes light up almost instantly.
Somebody has a crush on Miaka.
I glanced at Saihitei but saw that he was looking at me and I felt my face heat up a little.
"I'm starving!" Miaka announced and as soon as we were all sitting down and the food was there, Miaka began to dig in with such enthusiasm that the rest of us just stared at her.
"Very healthy appetite." I remarked weakly.
"I guess so." Kishuku agreed.
"To get to the matter at hand," Saihitei began to calmly eat his food. "I think that none of the other seishi probably know that they're seishi."
"But we found out because of protecting Miaka." Kishuku commented. "And fellow seishi."
"Precisely." Saihitei nodded. "We may have to go look for the other seishi. They could be anyone."
"They'll be drawn together by Suzaku." Miaka stopped eating to say. "After all, isn't it amazing that all three of you arrived in time?"
"Miaka's got a point." I took a bite of food.
"I would still feel better if we found the others quite soon…" Saihitei's brow furrowed. "The truth is that Kutou's forces have become rather hostile and there are reports of skirmishes along the border." Saihitei saw the blank look on my face. "Kutou is the kingdom to the east."
"Gotcha." I nodded. "So we want to find all the seishi before a war breaks out?"
"I suggest we send soldiers to the borders." Kishuku quickly put in his opinion. "Try to keep everything under control and then, I think we should be very careful when traveling with the Suzaku no Miko. The word of what happened and the seishi may already have traveled to Kutou."
"Very careful." Saihitei nodded. "We'll begin to make preparations immediately. I'll leave a council of advisors in charge while I am away."
"I'll probably wake up soon so you might wanna wait until I come back." I told Saihitei.
"Is it true that you come here when you are asleep?" Miaka looked excited and curious.
"Yes, we will have to remember Kourin's circumstances." Saihitei didn't seem happy. "I'm sure Suzaku will bring you to us every time."
"Yeah, where else would you end up but with us? We're seishi." Kishuku grinned at me.
We discussed plans until I faded away from the world and woke up in my bed. I no longer bore the mark of Nuriko. I was just me again. No super strength…no special powers.
I'm just me. Is that really good enough?
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That wasn't so bad now was it? Oh Otakupitcher, I know, I usually catch stuff like that. -_-;;; But sometimes when I'm re-reading I don't even see those things. Thanks for your reviews you guys! They're really appreciated!