Title: Historic Travels

Author: Cheza-chan

Rating: PG-13

Summary: As most Priestesses who travel into the Shi Jin Tenchi Sho, Amai Ritsuko has a similar set of troubling issues and a few new ones of her own. Will her upbeat attitude give her the strength she needs to succeed in her perilous journey? And can she tame the hearts of the Seiryuu Shichiseishi?

Disclaimer: I would never lay claim to any of Yuu Watase-san's work, but if I could… I'd let Miaka and Tamahome die a thousand times over and don't bring them back alive in the end. (laughs evilly)

A/N: Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! I never thought I'd be writing one of these… A couple months back… I bought the ENTIRE set, Oni and Eikoden included, off eBay—hell if I know why—and ended up hating Tamahome and Miaka (even more) and liking Nakago a great deal. So… this fic is in honor of my new favorite character! But… I doubt there's been any good or even new Fushigi Yuugi fics out in the world lately. I'm not saying mine's going to be good—I'm writing down what I feel—but I hope it gets read. (smile)

Chapter One – Chosen

Hazel eyes stared up through the pool's clear water, unblinking. A splash sounded dully in the figure's ear but she remained motionless. Arms encircled her waist and she found herself being carried toward the surface. Amai Ritsuko gasped loudly and began laughing soon after. Student PE teacher, she enjoyed making learning fun. "Who wants to be next?" Ritsuko asked, staring at the students lining the side of the school's indoor pool.

"I'll do it if Ritsuko-sensei's the victim," a boy smiled. Everyone else agreed and the young woman smiled. She pushed away from her last rescuer and dove back under the placid water.

At the age of twenty, Ritsuko had just acquired an apartment for herself that was a few mere minutes from the school. Her body went lax and motionless and her lips parted; a few air bubbles escaped. There was only one problem: her heart had an irreparable tear that she hid perfectly with a smile.

The boy dove in and swam down toward the slowly sinking Ritsuko. He grabbed her wrist, drawing her close, and headed back to the surface. Ritsuko remained limp in his arms as he struggled to lift her onto the low wall. Why not start CPR lessons now? He squeezed her nose shut and placed his mouth near hers. "Sensei," he whispered.

Ritsuko's face muscles shifted and she couldn't restrain her laughter anymore.

"Ritsuko-sensei's so cool!"

"Yamada was about to kiss her!"

"I wasn't," the blushing boy retaliated, splashing water at his classmates. The bell rang then and everyone groaned.

Ritsuko sat up with a soft grunt and pushed her tawny-colored hair aside. "Sorry, folks, but I'll be here tomorrow."

"Bye, Ritsuko-sensei!"

She waved as her class walked away then sighed, drawing her knees up to her chest. It was suddenly cold. Ritsuko smiled sadly and lowered her head.

"Sensei?"

"Shinji-kun," the woman smiled, staring up at the boy. She held out her hand and he pulled her to her feet with no problem. His sandy-colored hair fell into his bright green eyes and she swore he was the most adorable boy she'd ever seen. He blushed under her close scrutiny and released her hand. "You're going to be late." Ritsuko snatched up her towel from the smooth ceramic-like tiled floor and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"I came back to apologize for earlier," Shinji Yamada mumbled, staring at his feet as they walked.

"You weren't going to kiss me," Ritsuko laughed, clapping him on the shoulder. She missed the blush that spread across the boy's face and reached up, tousling his hair. Running ahead, she glanced back at him over her shoulder. "Wait a while. I'll take you to your next class."

"Amai-sensei."

Ritsuko turned toward the new voice and waved. "Taka-kun!"

Sukunami Taka rubbed the back of his neck as he laughed nervously. "Please. Sukunami-sensei," he corrected. "Do you have a second?"

Ritsuko glanced around to tell Yamada go ahead but he was already walking away. She sighed softly then returned her attention to the man before her, smiling warmly.

"Keisuke-kun!"

Keisuke's eyes widened and he dropped his clipboard in order to hold up the body landing on his back. The man sighed without even looking around. "You're the replacement."

"Bingo," Ritsuko giggled, locking her legs around his waist. She waved to the openly gaping members of the basketball team. "Hi!"

"Amai-sensei," Keisuke groaned. "Sometimes I think—" He eased her back onto the waxed hardwood floor of the gymnasium. "—You're a little too friendly."

Ritsuko folded her arms over her chest and shook her head. "I'm a student teacher, Keisuke-kun, I'm only acting my age." The "second" Taka wanted her for yesterday was to request she substitute for him in coaching the team. He'd only coached her for about two weeks before she transferred schools suddenly but he could tell then that she was perfect to fill in. He and Miaka were going away because of a photo shoot Hikari had been chosen to take part in and wouldn't be back for another week; Yui and Tetsuya were leaving with them. Ritsuko focused her gaze on a group of girls and smiled, remembering when she was fifteen too.

"Mayo, Saori, all of you," Keisuke shouted. He waved his clipboard, motioning the entire court toward himself. Ritsuko watched them all, unaware that she was also being observed. Sakaki Mayo stared at the woman with narrowed, calculating eyes. After practice, she would talk with the substitute coach. Ritsuko glanced in her direction and smiled brightly.

"You have the same look as me," Mayo stated bluntly, not bothering to stare at the woman balancing on the pummel horse with her hands. They now inhabited the empty equipment room off to the left of the gym now that practice was over.

"Hmm." Ritsuko spun around then swung both legs over the bar, landing square on her feet. "You don't smile as much as I do, Mayo-chan."

"Your eyes," Mayo sighed. "They reflect the same things mine did."

Reaching out, her fingers curled around the girl's and she spoke in a hushed tone. "How did you get rid of that… look?"

Mayo's expression darkened and she squeezed Ritsuko's fingers lightly. "In a way I hope you never have to."

With a sudden laugh, the woman twirled both herself and the girl before pulling away. "See you, next practice!" she yelled as she ran from the empty gymnasium.

Mayo stared at the hand she'd held the woman's with and steepled her fingers together as she prayed silently. 'Please… don't let the book find her!'

§§§

Ritsuko snatched up the object beside her car without confirming what it was then got in. The vintage

Book as thrown into the back seat; she'd return with it to school tomorrow and turn it over to Lost and Found. The tires squealed as the woman peeled out of Yotsubadai High School's parking lot. She was home in no time—consider how fast she drove and how close she lived—and ready for her microwave dinner.

Ritsuko turned down the framed photograph on the hall table and skipped up the stairs to change out of her sweats. The pictures in her room were also turned down as she passed them. It had been routine now for almost two years so she knew where each was without even glancing. They all had the "heartbreaker" in them.

Once she was finished with her shower, Ritsuko retired to the den with her dinner and there she fell asleep, curled in the single chair.