You'll notice that the writing in these chapters isn't too great, but
it gets better. I have 51 chapters written so far, and I PROMISE,
eventually the writing will get MUCH better!
(You know the disclaimer, Chiharu-no-owns)
Chapter 2 : A Book Re-opened
Saori opened her eyes. She was in a pile of garbage and dirt, surrounded by white brick walls. The hot sun hit her face, and birds called above her. She moved into kneeling position, and looked down.
Two identical tubes of red lipstick lay beneath her.
Fear moved into Saori's mind. What had she done? Of course the lipstick wouldn't be WITH Mayo, and she didn't have any idea where she was... or where to start looking. Picking up both blue objects, Saori stood up and brushed herself off. Climbing over the smelly grime, she got to one of the walls. Standing on half-broken wood, she hoisted herself over the fence, landing with a thud on the ground.
"Ow..." She whimpered, rubbing her leg. She looked around. One side of her led to several trees, most likely a forest. She could see down the other side of her a few stands and tents set up, it looked like an old- fashioned market place. She looked at her shoes. The ground was just packed dirt, no cement or pavement of any kind. She slowly started to walk towards the market place. There were no cars, no trains... not even any bicycles. Everyone was on foot, with the exception of a few horses. They all wore generally simple robes, the woman wearing longer ones. Everyone's hair seemed to be in buns and ponytails, if they had long hair.
Saori felt like a red ball on a green carpet. She was sure she stuck out. Taking in a big breath, she mingled in with the crowd, searching for the familiar red head.
'Mayo was tempted to LIVE here?' Saori thought, passing the people who gave her weird looks. She tugged on her skirt, as if trying to make it longer. In her attention to her thoughts, she was nearly knocked over by several men laughing at a particular stand. Saori gasped. regaining her balance. She just quickened her pace through the streets.
"This is getting me no where..." She mumbled to herself. She saw a nice looking couple, and walked over to them. She tapped the woman on the shoulder.
"Excuse me, but..."
The woman turned around. "Oh hello, are you lost?"
"No." Saori stated. It didn't matter even if she had said yes. She could be anywhere in this place and be lost. "I was wondering, have you seen a girl with short red-orange hair, about this high?" Saori placed her hand about an inch above her head.
The woman smiled, but shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I haven't."
A look of disappointment fell onto Saori's face. "All right, thank you." She made a quick bow and sprinted away, somewhat embarrassed.
After much walking, the markets began to turn into homes. Saori was now in a more residential area. Maybe Mayo had come this way and was staying with a nice family. Saori walked through the smaller roads, little kids darting around everywhere. She couldn't help but laugh at their silliness. Her eyes scanned the people. No one even looked close to Mayo. Saori's shoulders slumped. She wiped her forehead. It was pretty warm here, in.... whatever the place was the Mayo was in. Saori was pretty sure it started with a 'K,' something like Kiwan, or something. Saori smacked herself. How was she supposed to find Mayo, if she didn't even know where she was? That lipstick could have been sent out to an island somewhere! Tucking her hair behind her ears, she approached a young man.
"Excuse me, can you tell me where I am?" She asked, somewhat less politely than she had talked to the woman.
The man looked at her strangely, and picked up two pails full of water.
"Please, will you tell me where I am?" Saori repeated, somewhat irritated.
The man looked back at her, sensing seriousness in her voice. "Uh... you're in the Konan empire, the city of..."
"KONAN!" Saori shouted, nearly scaring the man to death. "That's what it was called!" She waved thanks to the man and ran off.
"Weird girls these days..." He muttered.
Well, at least now Saori knew she was in the right country. The sun was setting by the time she stopped running. She stopped, bending over to catch her breath. She looked around. She was on a long road between cities.
"Nice going." She commented to herself. She kicked a rock with her shoe and started walking. No one was around, so Saori decided to try a new way of finding Mayo.
"MAYO!" Saori shouted. "MAYO! Where are you?! MAYO!" She cupped her hands around her mouth. "Mayo?! MAYO SAKAKI!!!"
It was useless. Saori remembered that Mayo had been at the Konan palace... but there were two problems with that. One, she didn't know where the palace was, or how far it was. She could be headed in the opposite direction for all she knew. Two, even if she found it, it would probably be guarded, and she wouldn't be able to get in.
Legs finally aching beyond recognition, Saori slumped down to the road, pulling herself next to the large rock wall bordering it. She curled her legs to her chest.
"Great, this is great." She complained. "I still haven't found Mayo, I'm lost, hungry, tired... and in the middle of a dang... dirt road!" Saori put her head on her knees. "What am I supposed to do now?"
*******************
"No, Mr. Kawai, Saori wasn't in practice today." Keisuke said into the phone. You haven't seen her since last night? She not there now? Does she have a cell phone? Ah... I see..."
Tetsuya, was helping himself to Keisuke's refrigerator, turned around, curious. "Who's that?" He asked. Keisuke motioned for him to be silent. "Yes, I did hear. Have they found her yet?"
The was a pause.
"Mmhm." Keisuke said. "I will look into it. Thank you." Keisuke hung up the phone.
"What's the matter?" Yui asked. She sat across from Keisuke on a chair.
"That was Mr. Kawai, Saori's father." Keisuke said, looking worried. "He said Saori is missing. She came home after school yesterday, but he hasn't seen her since. When he went looking for her, her closet was a mess."
Yui looked worried. "Did you call Taka? Maybe he knows."
"Mr. Kawai already did." Keisuke said quietly. "He doesn't know either.
Strange, Mayo has been gone for the past couple of days as well." The was a silence.
'I'm worried that Mayo might have gone back...'
Keisuke stood up. He grabbed his car keys from the dresser next to him.
"Where are you going?" Tetsuya asked, pushing his sunglasses up.
"Today, in practice..." Keisuke hesitated. "Saori... Saori told me she though Mayo had gone back into the book. Maybe she went in looking for her..."
Tetsuya ran from the kitchen and block Keisuke. "But the book disappeared, didn't it?" he countered.
Keisuke looked down, and sighed. "It did when the first story ended, didn't it? Every time we lose it... it always returns to..."
"The library." Tetsuya finished. Yui was now standing to his side.
"Let's go." She suggested.
******************
Saori wrapped her arms around her tighter. Though it was hot during the day, Saori found herself to be quite chilly. She fought to hold back the tears. She was scared, cold... was she going to die? Saori rolled her eyes. "Stop thinking like that." She commanded. She looked around. Something came to her surprise.
"What the...."
It was a hat. Just... floating down the road.
"G...Ghost?" She asked. She pressed herself harder against the mountain. A blue cape swirled around the hat, and a man stood there.
"Gya!!!!" Saori screamed, standing up.
The blue haired man looked at her strangely. "You shouldn't be out here, no da." He commented.
Saori relaxed... slightly. "Who.... who are you?" She asked.
The man recognized the outfit the girl was wearing, and stepped forward. "My name is Chichiri, no da. I sensed your life force earlier today. Are you all right?"
Saori calmed herself. "Chichiri? The name sounds vaguely familiar..." She said. She brightened. "Ah! You one of those.... seven people guys! The magician dude, right?"
Chichiri looked confused. "Do you know Miaka?" He asked.
"Miaka Sukunami? Yes, I know her." Saori took in a deep breath. She was tired. "I was with her in the hospital when Mayo came..."
"You are the girl's friend." Chichiri stated more than he asked.
Saori nodded. She walked forward, but the image of Chichiri only got blurrier. "I.... I..." She stuttered. Her eyes closed and she fell to the ground.
*******************
"Is anyone looking?" Keisuke asked.
Tetsuya peeked over the stairs. "Nah." He said, coming towards the door. Keisuke jiggled the handle, opening the room. He, Yui, and Tetsuya all walked in, closing the door behind them. The each went down different aisles, scanning the shelves. Yui turned into her second one, and gasped.
"Yui? Yui, what is it?" Tetsuya called, running to where she was. Yui pointed.
Sure enough, a tattered, old, Chinese book lay on the floor, wide open. Keisuke came from around the other side of the aisle, and picked it up. He turned a page, and then another. He cursed.
"What now?" Tetsuya asked.
"She's in there." Keisuke answered. "Saori's in the book."
(You know the disclaimer, Chiharu-no-owns)
Chapter 2 : A Book Re-opened
Saori opened her eyes. She was in a pile of garbage and dirt, surrounded by white brick walls. The hot sun hit her face, and birds called above her. She moved into kneeling position, and looked down.
Two identical tubes of red lipstick lay beneath her.
Fear moved into Saori's mind. What had she done? Of course the lipstick wouldn't be WITH Mayo, and she didn't have any idea where she was... or where to start looking. Picking up both blue objects, Saori stood up and brushed herself off. Climbing over the smelly grime, she got to one of the walls. Standing on half-broken wood, she hoisted herself over the fence, landing with a thud on the ground.
"Ow..." She whimpered, rubbing her leg. She looked around. One side of her led to several trees, most likely a forest. She could see down the other side of her a few stands and tents set up, it looked like an old- fashioned market place. She looked at her shoes. The ground was just packed dirt, no cement or pavement of any kind. She slowly started to walk towards the market place. There were no cars, no trains... not even any bicycles. Everyone was on foot, with the exception of a few horses. They all wore generally simple robes, the woman wearing longer ones. Everyone's hair seemed to be in buns and ponytails, if they had long hair.
Saori felt like a red ball on a green carpet. She was sure she stuck out. Taking in a big breath, she mingled in with the crowd, searching for the familiar red head.
'Mayo was tempted to LIVE here?' Saori thought, passing the people who gave her weird looks. She tugged on her skirt, as if trying to make it longer. In her attention to her thoughts, she was nearly knocked over by several men laughing at a particular stand. Saori gasped. regaining her balance. She just quickened her pace through the streets.
"This is getting me no where..." She mumbled to herself. She saw a nice looking couple, and walked over to them. She tapped the woman on the shoulder.
"Excuse me, but..."
The woman turned around. "Oh hello, are you lost?"
"No." Saori stated. It didn't matter even if she had said yes. She could be anywhere in this place and be lost. "I was wondering, have you seen a girl with short red-orange hair, about this high?" Saori placed her hand about an inch above her head.
The woman smiled, but shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I haven't."
A look of disappointment fell onto Saori's face. "All right, thank you." She made a quick bow and sprinted away, somewhat embarrassed.
After much walking, the markets began to turn into homes. Saori was now in a more residential area. Maybe Mayo had come this way and was staying with a nice family. Saori walked through the smaller roads, little kids darting around everywhere. She couldn't help but laugh at their silliness. Her eyes scanned the people. No one even looked close to Mayo. Saori's shoulders slumped. She wiped her forehead. It was pretty warm here, in.... whatever the place was the Mayo was in. Saori was pretty sure it started with a 'K,' something like Kiwan, or something. Saori smacked herself. How was she supposed to find Mayo, if she didn't even know where she was? That lipstick could have been sent out to an island somewhere! Tucking her hair behind her ears, she approached a young man.
"Excuse me, can you tell me where I am?" She asked, somewhat less politely than she had talked to the woman.
The man looked at her strangely, and picked up two pails full of water.
"Please, will you tell me where I am?" Saori repeated, somewhat irritated.
The man looked back at her, sensing seriousness in her voice. "Uh... you're in the Konan empire, the city of..."
"KONAN!" Saori shouted, nearly scaring the man to death. "That's what it was called!" She waved thanks to the man and ran off.
"Weird girls these days..." He muttered.
Well, at least now Saori knew she was in the right country. The sun was setting by the time she stopped running. She stopped, bending over to catch her breath. She looked around. She was on a long road between cities.
"Nice going." She commented to herself. She kicked a rock with her shoe and started walking. No one was around, so Saori decided to try a new way of finding Mayo.
"MAYO!" Saori shouted. "MAYO! Where are you?! MAYO!" She cupped her hands around her mouth. "Mayo?! MAYO SAKAKI!!!"
It was useless. Saori remembered that Mayo had been at the Konan palace... but there were two problems with that. One, she didn't know where the palace was, or how far it was. She could be headed in the opposite direction for all she knew. Two, even if she found it, it would probably be guarded, and she wouldn't be able to get in.
Legs finally aching beyond recognition, Saori slumped down to the road, pulling herself next to the large rock wall bordering it. She curled her legs to her chest.
"Great, this is great." She complained. "I still haven't found Mayo, I'm lost, hungry, tired... and in the middle of a dang... dirt road!" Saori put her head on her knees. "What am I supposed to do now?"
*******************
"No, Mr. Kawai, Saori wasn't in practice today." Keisuke said into the phone. You haven't seen her since last night? She not there now? Does she have a cell phone? Ah... I see..."
Tetsuya, was helping himself to Keisuke's refrigerator, turned around, curious. "Who's that?" He asked. Keisuke motioned for him to be silent. "Yes, I did hear. Have they found her yet?"
The was a pause.
"Mmhm." Keisuke said. "I will look into it. Thank you." Keisuke hung up the phone.
"What's the matter?" Yui asked. She sat across from Keisuke on a chair.
"That was Mr. Kawai, Saori's father." Keisuke said, looking worried. "He said Saori is missing. She came home after school yesterday, but he hasn't seen her since. When he went looking for her, her closet was a mess."
Yui looked worried. "Did you call Taka? Maybe he knows."
"Mr. Kawai already did." Keisuke said quietly. "He doesn't know either.
Strange, Mayo has been gone for the past couple of days as well." The was a silence.
'I'm worried that Mayo might have gone back...'
Keisuke stood up. He grabbed his car keys from the dresser next to him.
"Where are you going?" Tetsuya asked, pushing his sunglasses up.
"Today, in practice..." Keisuke hesitated. "Saori... Saori told me she though Mayo had gone back into the book. Maybe she went in looking for her..."
Tetsuya ran from the kitchen and block Keisuke. "But the book disappeared, didn't it?" he countered.
Keisuke looked down, and sighed. "It did when the first story ended, didn't it? Every time we lose it... it always returns to..."
"The library." Tetsuya finished. Yui was now standing to his side.
"Let's go." She suggested.
******************
Saori wrapped her arms around her tighter. Though it was hot during the day, Saori found herself to be quite chilly. She fought to hold back the tears. She was scared, cold... was she going to die? Saori rolled her eyes. "Stop thinking like that." She commanded. She looked around. Something came to her surprise.
"What the...."
It was a hat. Just... floating down the road.
"G...Ghost?" She asked. She pressed herself harder against the mountain. A blue cape swirled around the hat, and a man stood there.
"Gya!!!!" Saori screamed, standing up.
The blue haired man looked at her strangely. "You shouldn't be out here, no da." He commented.
Saori relaxed... slightly. "Who.... who are you?" She asked.
The man recognized the outfit the girl was wearing, and stepped forward. "My name is Chichiri, no da. I sensed your life force earlier today. Are you all right?"
Saori calmed herself. "Chichiri? The name sounds vaguely familiar..." She said. She brightened. "Ah! You one of those.... seven people guys! The magician dude, right?"
Chichiri looked confused. "Do you know Miaka?" He asked.
"Miaka Sukunami? Yes, I know her." Saori took in a deep breath. She was tired. "I was with her in the hospital when Mayo came..."
"You are the girl's friend." Chichiri stated more than he asked.
Saori nodded. She walked forward, but the image of Chichiri only got blurrier. "I.... I..." She stuttered. Her eyes closed and she fell to the ground.
*******************
"Is anyone looking?" Keisuke asked.
Tetsuya peeked over the stairs. "Nah." He said, coming towards the door. Keisuke jiggled the handle, opening the room. He, Yui, and Tetsuya all walked in, closing the door behind them. The each went down different aisles, scanning the shelves. Yui turned into her second one, and gasped.
"Yui? Yui, what is it?" Tetsuya called, running to where she was. Yui pointed.
Sure enough, a tattered, old, Chinese book lay on the floor, wide open. Keisuke came from around the other side of the aisle, and picked it up. He turned a page, and then another. He cursed.
"What now?" Tetsuya asked.
"She's in there." Keisuke answered. "Saori's in the book."