To Poruporu: Hey, nice to see a review from you. Yes, Nuriko is with someone, you'll learn a little more about her in this chapter. I'm glad you liked my disclaimer.
To SilverPain: Nuriko is hitched. I know, I'm a genius, aren't I? (j/k) What I like more than Saori being Tetsuya's secretary is that they both work for Sony.
To Amayasan: When am I bringing in Tasuki? Who said he's even in this? (insert evil laughter here) And Chichiri would be 42. Thanks for pointing out that blunder to me, I hope most people were reading too fast to notice. ;;
--Thank you to everyone who reviewed, I really do appreciate it, and it inspires me to write! Arigatou!--
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Chapter 2: Feeling Uneasy: Under the Control of Strangers
"Oh Miaka, meet Seii... my wife."
Miaka could hear the horns trumpeting in the background and she stood there, flabbergasted. "W-Wife?" She cracked.
The young woman looked up at the mention of her name and caught sight of Miaka, giving her a warm smile.
Miaka stared in stupidity. Nuriko.... her Nuriko... the one who she had met so many years ago as a cross dresser in love with the emperor... was married?
"Miaka?" Nuriko waved a hand in front of her face. "Are you... okay?"
Miaka snapped out of her trance and nodded, the action followed by a stomach growl. "Hai... I'm just... I didn't know..."
Nuriko laughed, pushing Miaka's shoulder over to the table. "A little surprise for both of us, hm? Seii, do you mind having one more for lunch?"
The girl shook her head. "Iie."
"Seii, this is Miaka." Nuriko stood valiantly as Miaka seated herself. "The Suzaku no Miko."
The girl's dark blue eyes widened. "Miko?" She repeated, her voice light and naturally quieted. She stopped chopping for a moment. "You are the priestess of Suzaku?"
Miaka nodded.
Seii smiled warmly again. "Ryuuen has told me many things about you, Miaka-san." She turned from the block and bowed. "I'm very honored to meet you."
The luxuries of being the Miko still hadn't worn off, Miaka noticed. "Arigatou."
As Seii Chou turned back to her cooking, Miaka took the moment to study her. She was short, probably about her height. Miaka could see why Nuriko would marry someone like her... she was beautiful. She had long hair that was a vibrant red-scarlet color, one that put Miaka's own hair tones to shame. It spilled smoothly to her waste, the fronts of it pulled back and braided elegantly on top of her head. She wore a Chinese style dress that was almost the same color as her hair. Miaka thought her passive eyes were a complete contrast to her other colors; a dark, indigo-blue.
Miaka settled onto the pillows beneath her. She sure didn't talk much, that was for sure.
"When did you get here, Miaka?" Nuriko asked, seating himself beside the Miko.
"About two hours ago." Miaka added, twiddling her thumbs together in her lap. "I was at home, with Yui, and a red light just came out of the floor, and I found myself here. Well, there..." Miaka pointed northward.
Nuriko exhaled. "Well, I'm glad you found your way here safely, Miaka." The sound of his familiar concern was on his voice. "A lot of things can happen to a young woman in the streets, especially dressed the way you are."
Miaka nodded. "I'm worried, Nuriko." She confessed. "I mean, why did I come here? Why me and not Taka, or Yui? What if something bad is going to happen?"
Nuriko thought for a moment, but was interrupted by a muffled crying from the next room.
Seii put her knife down carefully and headed towards the noise, but Nuriko stood up and stopped her.
"Daijoubu, Seii, I'll take care of it." He said, stretching.
"Arigatou." Seii thanked him, returning to her block.
Miaka perked up, eyes shooting from one person to another. "Hold on, Miaka." Nuriko told her, walking past her and back into the hallway.
Had that been a baby crying? Miaka got up from her seat and quickly followed Nuriko into the hallway and into a dim room.
Miaka put her hand to her mouth when she entered, watching as Nuriko moved past her and to the small crib in the corner. Nuriko.... Nuriko was a father?
"Shh, Nashuka, it's okay..." Nuriko whispered, his hand disappearing into the crib.
Miaka carefully walked up to the crib and peered in. It was an infant, probably still a new born. So tiny, so frail...
"Is it a girl?" Miaka whispered, judging off that name Nuriko had used.
"Hai." Nuriko very carefully picked the crying baby up, still wrapped in a blanket, and rested her head on his shoulder, rubbing her back so that her wails lightened.
Miaka smiled. "Kawaii..." She whispered, awing at the scene of her beloved friend with the child. "May I?"
Nuriko nodded and very gently handed Nashuka over to Miaka, who cradled the infant in her arms and rocked her mildly. "How old is she?"
"About six weeks." Nuriko replied, keeping his voice down.
Miaka watched as the babe fall back asleep in her arms, sticking two of her tiny fingers into her mouth. She moved over to the cradle and carefully placed her back inside, careful not to wake her. She was amazing... to think, Miaka had missed all this?
"How long has it been since I left?" Miaka asked, returning to the main room.
Nuriko thought back. "About three years, I believe."
"Three years?!" Miaka exclaimed, remembering too late that she shouldn't be yelling with the sleeping baby in the next room.
"Hai." Nuriko recalled.
"That's strange... it's been three years in my world too, but I thought time here went by faster..." Miaka thought out loud. "Maybe since the book ended its story... time evened out? No... well... maybe... but that would mean it's going to change again..."
Nuriko leaned onto the table. "So you have no idea why you're here?"
Miaka shook her head. "No... Actually, I saw something before I ended up here."
"What?"
"A sign." Miaka said, tracing her finger in the air. "Hon."
"Book?" Nuriko repeated.
She nodded. "It was a big symbol in red light. It was only there for a moment before it disappeared. Kind of strange, now that I think about it. It said 'book', and then a few seconds later I'm back here, in the Universe of the Four Gods." The book world...
Nuriko was in deep thought for a moment. "I have no idea, Miaka. I think the best thing to do is get a second opinion."
Miaka perked up.
"I can take you to the palace after you get something to eat." He continued. "Hotohori-sama may know something."
"Hotohori?" Miaka lit up. So he and Mitsukake got their reincarnation. "I can't wait to see him again, all of them..."
Nuriko raised an eyebrow. "That's right... you haven't seen Shouei yet, have you?"
"Shouei?"
"The second prince of Konan." Nuriko smirked. "He's three years old; he looks exactly like Boushin did at his age..."
Miaka beamed. "He had another son? Wow..." She suddenly felt guilty. "I've missed so much... how is everyone else? Are they all okay?"
Nuriko nodded. "Just as fine as when you left them, better, actually. It's been a productive three years."
"Sumimasen, demo, the soup is done." The light voice came from behind Nuriko. "Would Miaka-san like some as well?"
"Yes, please." Miaka instantly spoke, ready for some food.
Seii nodded and returned to the kitchen.
"She's so... polite." Miaka tried to use a nice word to describe it.
Nuriko watched her for a moment. "She's horribly shy, I'm afraid, especially around strangers." He turned back to Miaka. "I've gotten most of the shell down, but I don't think she'll ever conquer that wall-flower personality of hers." He spoke as though it were a compliment.
Miaka smiled. "She's really pretty. How'd you get someone like her?" Miaka joked.
"Excuse me?" Nuriko retorted back.
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"The soup arrived, and Miaka helped herself to three bowls of it. After lunch Nuriko took the priestess of Suzaku to the palace. The guards alerted them that Hotohori was in an important meeting, and it would be a moment until he could see them." Hachiro finished. "It ends there..."
Kazuki nodded, knowing he had Hachiro's full attention now. "I was right, then, using the book's own characters makes the story longer."
Hachiro nodded, a bit stunned by Kazuki's finding. "I can make the meeting end, and the story should continue."
Kazuki nodded, a sudden smirk appearing on his face. "Do that, but then let's make it interesting."
"Interesting?"
Kazuki chuckled. "My dear Hachiro, a story has no plot without conflict."
Hachiro shifted in his seat. "Are these guys just characters, or real people?" He asked, wondering how deep this magic book's roots went.
"Everything in life is a character, Hachiro. End the meeting; I'll decide what to do next."
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"Almost a year, next month is the anniversary." Nuriko answered, sitting on the railing outside the throne room, occasionally peering into the palace to see if there was any sign of this meeting letting up.
"Sugoi..." Miaka trailed.
Nuriko perked up at the sound of conversation coming their way. "I think they may be done." He announced, leaping off the rail.
Two men came down the way, talking to each other about something along the lines of irrigation. Nuriko took the chance to catch their attention.
"Sumimasen, but are you returning from the meeting with his Highness?" He questioned.
The plumper man nodded, a wide grin on his face. "Why yes," he replied, a few more men coming from the same way they had. "I think our plans of action will go wonderfully."
"Plans of action?" Miaka repeated. "Is there a war?"
The second man laughed. "Heaven's child, no. Plans for construction! For government! I myself have come out of this with a fantastic idea for a new irrigation system."
"Did you come from the study?" Nuriko asked.
"Yes." The plump one said. "If you're wishing to speak with his Highness, however, I don't know if you'll get many words in."
Nuriko frowned. "We'll see..." Though he seemed a bit unsure. He allowed the men to pass before speaking again. "Miaka, can you wait here? Security for things like this can be a pain, I need to see if I can brush by."
Miaka nodded. "Go ahead, Nuriko. I'll wait right here." She moved her heels together and smiled.
"Good." Nuriko took a fast walk down the outdoor hallway and turned the corner, out of sight.
Miaka sighed. She supposed that even Hotohori couldn't come to her; he is an emperor, after all. He probably isn't aware that she's in Konan.
She stepped away from the wall and leaned over the railing, spotting a few irises below her. It must have been late spring, just like back home. Miaka glanced up towards the blue sky, only a few wispy clouds decorating it. What if she ended up staying here as long as she did last time? She loved Konan, and even more, she loved having the opportunity to see Nuriko again and learn about his family. But she was away from her own, away from Taka, away from Hikari. What if she wasn't the first to come here?
Miaka's mind went off on another tangent. Why would she come here, just out of the blue like that? Why did Suzaku call her? There wasn't a war, there was only peace. None of her warriors were in jeopardy, and all the other gods were dormant, for the most part. Was it possible for Nakago and the Seiryu seven to come back? No, not already.
She knew the book created stories to stay alive, but there were no more tales left to be told. No more priestesses, no more demons, no more reincarnating souls. So why was she here?
"Miaka?"
Miaka turned her head to see, of course, another stranger. He looked at her strangely, like she was a ghost. But wait... how did he know her name?
Miaka looked the man up and down. He was fairly tall, about Nuriko's height. He had long, light-colored hair that was pulled back, either in a braid or a ponytail, she couldn't tell. His eyes... did look familiar, but that was it. The voice was one she didn't know.
She blinked a few times. "Hai?"
The man still looked startled. "Miaka... what... how..." He cleared his thoughts. "What are you doing in Konan? Where's Tamahome?"
"Tamahome?" Miaka repeated. How did he know all that? She looked at his eyes again, those large, aquamarine eyes...
She nearly choked. Actually, she did, but there had been nothing to choke on.
"Chi-Chi-Chiriko!?!" She shouted, stepping back. "Is that you?!"
The man laughed into his sleeve. "You don't recognize me?"
Miaka panted as she studied him. "You're... so...big..." Last time she had come here, though Chiriko was already 16, he had only been about as tall as she, perhaps shorter. Now he rose above her, and his voice... sounded nothing like Chiriko's...
"Miaka!" Nuriko's voice came from behind her. "We can go in!" Nuriko noticed the other man. "Hey Chiriko, haven't seen you in a while."
Chiriko smiled. "I was here for the Riku meeting with his Highness."
"You were at the meeting...?" Miaka put two and two together. "Chiriko! You're a government official? Already?" Chiriko was so young to be a politician... he would only be... 19?
"Chiriko presides in a triumvirate over the Chouan Prefecture." Nuriko answered for Miaka.
Chiriko nodded. "But again... how did you get back to Konan?"
Nuriko grabbed Miaka's shoulder. "All of that is about to be explained. Come on."
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Mayo was safe, and she hadn't heard back from Yui. Taka and Keisuke were probably in mad hysterics, begging to be let off work... Taka might be able to, with the assistant coach, but how could Keisuke leave early with a history class to teach?
The door opened, and the man of the hour stepped in. "Saori, did I get any calls?"
"TETSUYA!!!" Saori nearly fell over her desk in an attempt to get to her boss.
"Nani?" Tetsuya seemed disturbed.
"Yui called just a while ago, Miaka's in the book again! She disappeared from the kitchen while Yui was over and Emi and Hikari are both fine but Yui said she'd call Taka and I imagine she'd call Keisuke too since they both work at Yotsubadai but for all I know Taka is in the book too! And Mayo, well, she's fine, but MIAKA IS IN THE BOOK!!!"
Tetsuya nearly dropped the half-eaten jelly donut he was holding. "What do you mean? Are you sure?"
Saori ran back to her desk and picked up the phone, fingers cascading over the digit keys. "Talk to Yui. Now."
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"Miaka... it really is you..." Hotohori stood from his chair and soon had his arms around the Suzaku no Miko. "Your journey here must have been tiring, are you feeling well?"
"I'm fine, Hotohori." Miaka said cheerfully as the emperor released her. "Nuriko is taking care of me."
"So I've heard." Hotohori took a step back to contemplate everything. "Where is Tamahome?"
Miaka supposed Tamahome was now the presumed side dish that came with her. "Taka's not here, he's back at home. Only I came."
Miaka went on the tell the story that she had relayed to Nuriko, only going in chronological order, starting with the chat she had with Yui to the moment she found Nuriko's home. Everyone in the room was deathly silent, hanging on every detail that came from Miaka's mouth.
"And I still don't know why." She finally breathed.
"You saw the word 'hon'?" Chiriko remembered.
Miaka nodded.
"How very strange..." Hotohori brought his fingers to his chin. "I cannot see of any reason why Suzaku would call his priestess back."
"It's a mystery." Chiriko added.
"I don't suppose any of this is by chance written on some ancient scroll somewhere?" Nuriko half-seriously suggested.
"I am afraid I know of none." Hotohori answered. "Perhaps something is soon to come."
"Miaka can't summon Suzaku again, not the original way, at least." Chiriko brought up. "Tamahome is in another world, and even with him and the others assembled, the shinzahos have been used."
"I wouldn't worry about summoning anything until we know what for." Nuriko folded his arms.
"Do either of you know of any strange news from the others?" Hotohori asked.
Both Chiriko and Nuriko came out negative. "Last I heard of Mitsukake," Nuriko began, "He was healing people and playing doctor down south. Tasuki definitely going to be up at Reikaku, and only Suzaku knows where Chichiri is."
"I find something odd." Chiriko said, alerting the others' attention. "I didn't sense anything when Miaka arrived."
"Neither did I." Nuriko said.
"Nor I." Hotohori agreed.
"Which probably means the others don't know of her existence here yet." Chiriko finished.
Nuriko was about to say something, but instead he spun around sharply as though someone were about to attack him.
"Nuriko?" Miaka asked. She looked at where Nuriko was and saw dimming red light.
"What, what is it?" Hotohori asked, puzzled.
"Symbols..." Nuriko stepped back, eyes focused. "On the wall..."
"What did it say?" Chiriko asked.
"Oui." Nuriko repeated.
"Just like the one before..." Miaka shuddered.
"But what does it mean?" Hotohori inquired. "Why would the mark for 'throne' appear..."
"AAAAAAHH!!!!!!"
The three celestial warriors all exchanged panicked expressions and ran out of the study, darting to the throne room with Miaka close on their heels. Nuriko was the first to reach it, pounding the doors open and running inside.
"What the hell!?" He shouted, seeing what looked like a giant cockroach on tithe throne, its rear pointed towards the ceiling and its long legs gripping onto the chair itself. Several guards poured in with their spears, getting ready to fight it.
The giant bug lashed out at one of the spears, ripping it away from the guard and hissing loudly. It started to climb down from its perched.
"That thing has to be six meters long!!" One guard shouted, backing away.
Hotohori drew the holy sword from the hilt around his waist, and he and Nuriko both ran into the room to fight. Several calls were given out to the emperor to stay away, but as a celestial warrior, he listened to none of them.
Nuriko grabbed a spear from one of the guards. ""Hey!" He shouted, trying to get the bugs attention before it could get any further.
The cockroach turned its gangly head towards Nuriko, and started charging for him, its six legs jittering together to increase its speed.
Nuriko reeled back and threw the spear at it. The cockroach ducked its head, the spear inserting itself into its back.
"HISSHHHH!" It hissed, continuing its charge on Nuriko.
Nuriko jumped and landed on the insect's back, the cockroach jolting its front legs into the air and knocking the seishi onto the floor. It was instantly on him.
"Back you fiend!" Hotohori shouted, lashing his sword at the beast. A guard from behind tried to spear it again, but the hard exoskeleton was only scratched.
Nuriko slid under the bug as Hotohori fought the front of it. He rolled back onto his elbows and kicked the bug with both feet, sending it off the ground and onto its back.
"Now!" Hotohori shouted.
The remaining guards let out a battle cry and stabbed their spears into the roach's belly, the bug screeching. Its legs finally stopped moving, and it disappeared in a quick flash of red light.
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"Excellent!" Kazuki announced, throwing a fist up into the air. "I can't believe it all worked, this is amazing!"
Hachiro scanned the book pages. "It even drew a picture..."
Kazuki snatched to book from Hachiro's lap and examined it. "It looked like authentic Chinese ink work... this book is exquisite!" Kazuki shut the book and reopened it. "It's all still there, we're writing the story, Hachiro." He paused for a moment, moving to a window and opening the blinds all the way, looking out onto Tokyo. "I think this story is real, that these people do exist..."
"I wouldn't go that far." Hachiro picked up the list of characters off the couch next to him and looked at it. "But the book brought in some of the characters on this list, so at least it's remaining constant."
"Another thing to prove my theory. If it just wrote stories, different stories, it would use new characters. The characters Miaka and Hotohori have been written since the first story I read."
Hachiro chuckled. "Heh, there's a girl named Saori on this list. Go figure." He pondered for a second. "How long are you gonna keep that Miaka chick in there?"
"Until I get bored, I suppose."
Hachiro knew the look on Kazuki's face. "Alright, what are you thinking of now?"
"I know how to prove my theory." Kazuki replied. "If I can go into this book, then I'll know for myself if it's real. If you write that down and nothing happens, then it's just some sort of magical fairy-tale book."
"Are you serious?" Hachiro asked.
Kazuki nodded. "I'm going to go formulate something." Kazuki opened the book up. "The story's stopped; write something to keep it going while I think."
Kazuki handed the book to Hachiro, who took out a pen and started thinking. "Hey Kazuki, wouldn't going into the book off set the universe or something? I mean, this is a Chinese book, and the Chinese have that whole thing with balance and yin/yang stuff."
"Perhaps." Kazuki's voice came from his bedroom, "but who cares?"
Hachiro shrugged. He glanced down at the book, only to find that it was indeed, still writing itself. "That's weird, I didn't write anything in there yet..." Maybe Kazuki was right, these people were real, and once their story started, it would keep going.... only Hachiro and Kazuki got to add in and change anything they wanted.