Chapter 8

In a little clearing, near the royal palace of the Princess Fuji, a young girl with long charcoal hair and wide copper eyes begins to set out the plentiful feast she'd been preparing for all day as a picnic with her fiance'. She carefully places each tempting dish on the blanket they were spread upon, looking excitedly into her future husband's eyes to see his approval of her handiwork.

"Ran, you've outdone yourself--yet again. Always, I think you can't be any lovelier or accomplished than you are and then you surprise me with your talents once again! This picnic is picture perfect---just as you are yourself."

Shimon Nagareyama can't help but push back a loose strand of Ran's hair that had fallen over her cheek in her rush to display all the foods she had made for their picnic together. She looks up at him with the true love and admiration reflected in his eyes at her.

"Oh, Shimon! I couldn't have done it except for your help! Don't give me all the credit! It's your amazing cooking that makes me want to improve my own! After all, a husband shouldn't be the better chef than his wife!"

Ran and Shimon laugh together at her little joke. There was complete ease and trust between them and the aura of their love for each other was felt by all who saw them.

Though both were originally from the future, Shimon had chosen to remain in the past to comfort and befriend the forlorn Ran Morimura who had no way to return to the future world, as she was called to the past by Akram and Black Dragon---both of whom had no intentions of returning her to her own time.

And so, Shimon, sacrificed his own passage back to the future, in order to care and help the friendless Ran. At first, he did so out of his friendship with her brother, Tenma, who, along with White Dragon Priestess Akane, had been transported back to the future. But also, he felt compassion and an unknown bond with the sad girl and had decided to remain behind, to be with her to lift her down trodden spirits. Perhaps he could do this for her. He never thought he was good at anything nor had ever accomplished anything, but maybe, just maybe, he could do this kind deed for another. Little did he know, at the time, that his kindness and feeling for her would soon blossom into a deep and abiding love between the pair. At the time, he didn't know that she was his soul mate--his true love--and now, he was deeply grateful to God for allowing and guiding him to stay with her-- though they were living in the past--and be all to her---and she to him.

Yes, she had become his everything--his entire world. He had not one regret in staying behind---in fact, quite the opposite. Here, with Ran, he had found his purpose, his meaning. He had made lifelong friends here as well---something he had never known or had before in their world, save for Tenma and Akane.

He was happy here and fulfilled. Soon, they would start the age-old sacred journey that would mark the beginning of the rest of their lives together--here, in the past, they would be married.

Shimon had originally been worried about the ceremony at first. He was raised by his grandparents as a Christian and wanted to be married in a church, by a pastor. In this century he now lived in, the people had never heard of Christ nor the One true God.

But Shimon, along with Ran, had inadvertently become the lone missionaries in this world, faithfully spread the Good News of Jesus Christ with the citizens of Kyou and, much to their joy, the citizens responded and they won many to the Lord with not only their words, but in the way they lived, as lights, that few in the city had ever seen.

This unforeseen, yet oh so important, mission was yet another reason why Shimon was happy he had chosen to remain in this era. He felt like he was actually helping people and being a comfort and blessing to the lost people of Kyou. He could never have done so much for God in the future and from this knowledge, he realized that this was his destiny all along. Together with the mirror to his soul, Ran, he could forge a life that was full of the gifts and paths that God intended for him from the start, and for that, he was truly thankful.

Jolted back to reality by a prod from Ran, Shimon shifts his full attention back to the girl he was in love with.

"Sorry, Ran," Shimon runs his hand through his ruffled hair with a sheepish grin on his handsome face.

"What were you thinking about that you stopped paying attention to my gourmet picnic!" Ran tries to put on a serious face of disapproval, but she was in too jovial a mood to pull off the faux pout.

Shimon sees this and instead of answering her, pulls her towards him swiftly in a tight embrace. Ran, of course, doesn't struggle in his grasp, but instead, snuggles deeper into his arms.

"Oh, just thanking God for you."

He trails off, as he closes his eyes and starts to draw her into a kiss...

"SHIMON! RAN! Help! Help! HELP!"

A noisy little voice comes into their earshot as both lovers, look at each other sadly and groan in disappointment at the lost moment that had just passed.

"Darn that, Kotengu!---Why is it, he's always spoiling things for others--and without his even knowing it sometimes! UGH!" Ran murmurs the imp's name in contention as Shimon nods his head in agreement of her assessment.

Within a few seconds, the guilty party descends upon them, panting and out of breath from his latest escapade.

"Shimon, Ran!" Kotengu flutters into Ran's lap and hugs her waist with his face towards her.

"What's the matter, Kotengu?" Shimon tries to pry the little beast off his fiancee, unwarranted jealousy starting to creep into his too human soul.

"Shimon! That damn guy Big Forehead is being mean to me!"

"Why, Kotengu-chan! Such language!" Ran tsk-tsks her tongue at the little creature's choice of words.

"But, but, but... sniffle he told me that I'm a pain in the a--- ahem ----neck, and that he never wants to see me again! WAHHHH!"

Kotengu's big eyes erupt in a wave of tears all over Ran's lap. She looks up at Shimon with a slightly amused expression which he returns as both valiantly attempt a look of sincere sympathy to empathize with the tengu.

"So, there you are, you little devil!"

A loud, clear voice pierces the air as Shimon and Ran (with a burrowing Kotengu in her lap) look up from the little guy to his pursuer---the fiery red haired Inori.

"Inori-kun!" Shimon calls out a genuine greeting, happy to see his best friend and partner.

"Ah, Shimon! Ran! I see the little rascal's run to the two biggest softies!"

"Hey! Inori-kun, I'm not a 'softy'! Ran, do you think I'm too soft?" Shimon can't help but frown at the wimpy characterization that Inori had just bestowed upon him.

"Of course you are, Shimon! But that's what I love about you!" Ran, on her knees, shuffles closer to her love and nuzzles her nose with his.

This action causes a wide eyed gasp of horror from Inori, who felt that all romance, if you even needed it, should be kept indoors and out of the offensive view of others, while Kotengu contorts his face into such a mass of horrified wrinkles that he leaps from Ran's lap and flies up into a nearby tree branch for cover from the kissy face couple.

"YECH! What do you two think you're doin'? Out in public!" Inori jumps in front of the pair, trying to shield them from the distant city and nearby palace with his long sleeves.

Shimon and Ran laugh in merriment at Inori's antics and shocked display at their carefree modern approach to courting.

"Inori-kun, this is nothing where we come from." Shimon can't help but tease back at the overly mortified expression on his best friend's face.

"Well, you're not there now! You're here and in this world, we don't do stuff like that---especially not outdoors! You're getting as bad as Tomomasa!"

Inori can't help but fire back with a poke at the flirtatious general along with his upbraiding at them.

"Oh yeah! That's right! Big Forehead! Wouldn't Tomomasa want to hear about where his partner is right now! HAH HAH HAH! We can keep it a secret from him though, especially, since he's always been such a pain in the---"

"KOTENGU! Be quiet!"

Inori cuts off the annoyingly haughty Kotengu's cruel speech, but it was too late. The cat was out of the bag.

"Tomomasa's partner?" Ran's eyes widen as she realizes who Kotengu was talking about. "Do you mean Takamichi-san!"

Ran jumps up and starts shaking the branch that Kotengu was lounging upon.

"Hey! Ran! Stop that! Do you want me to fall!" Kotengu selfishly scampers higher up into the tree, to avoid the girl's inquiries in addition to what he feels is his self-preservation.

"Inori-kun, what does he mean? Do you know where Takamichi-san is?" Shimon stands and questions Inori, who was standing there with an annoyed look on his face, turning it so he was gazing off into the distance instead of looking Shimon in the eye.

"We--ell, I---" Inori doesn't know what to say. He had planned to keep out of the situation. It wasn't his business and he didn't want to get on Yasuaki's bad side. Who knew what would happen to you if you got the Onmyouji mad? Inori shudders at the mere thought.

But Shimon wasn't aware of the warning, nor would he have obeyed it had he known. He was too compassionate to put his own safety above anyone else's---particularly a good friend's.

Shimon takes Inori's shoulders, in an attempt to make Inori look at him with full attention.

"Inori-kun?"

"Argh, Shimon!" Inori looks up at Kotengu, safely in a top tree branch by now, and shakes his fist at the little imp. "This is all your fault, you stupid tengu! I told you to keep quiet! Now, look at the mess I'm in! Sure! You're safe up in the trees, but what am I supposed to do now? And all because of your big mouth! Damn!"

Inori couldn't help but rant at the poor little creature, until Ran decides to take control and places a soft hand on Inori's arm to calm him and quiet him.

"Inori-kun. Please tell us! Princess Fuji is my dearest friend and since Takamichi-san's been missing, she's been in such a state! Please! If you know anything, why won't you say?"

Inori looks from Ran to Shimon, into both their concerned faces, and sighs in defeat. He himself had reservations about keeping such news a secret, so it didn't take much for him to tell the whole story of what he knew...

As he conveys the tale, Inori and Kotengu help themselves to the picnic (Might as well not let the tasty treats go to waste!) as Shimon and Ran contemplate their next course of action.

"Inori-kun! Of course, you were going to tell us this before Kotengu let it slip, weren't you?" Ran points a finger in Inori's face, deep shock on her girlish face that anyone could keep such a thing hidden.

"Ran! Don't look at me like that! I--I didn't know what to do! I guess, now that it's out, I'm glad inside. It sure is a heavy burden to keep bad things secret! Hey! Get away from that! It's mine!" Inori stretches his arms and shoos Kotengu away from the last piece of pie that the little creature was inching towards.

Shimon shakes his head in amusement that Inori and Tengu could be so blase about what they had discovered about the missing Takamichi.

"Inori-kun, you have to tell Tomomasa-san about this---and take us to where you found Takamichi-san, as well. Every minute that passes may be too late! Ooh, I just worry about how this will affect Fuji!" Ran's compassion for her friend causes her to tremble in trepidation as to how the news of Takamichi's condition would hit the already fragile princess.

Shimon sees her discomfort and embraces her with a swift but caressing hug. "Don't worry, Ran. Takamichi will get through this! I know he will! I can feel it--here." He touches his heart. "We are all connected somehow and maybe, if we all hope and pray hard enough, God will restore his health! Right now, we have to get to Tomomasa and inform him of what we know."

"You're right, Shimon---you always are. What a comfort you are to me---to us all!" Ran hugs him back and then tugs on his hand, pulling him to his feet. "But let's hurry! I know if I was in Fuji's place right now, I'd want to know where Takamichi is! Come on! We've no time to waste!"

The two start to run towards the palace, when suddenly, Ran stops and looks back at the reticent pair left at the picnic blanket.

"HEY! You two, get off your butts and help us! I can't believe you'd both just sit there and eat while Fuji's happiness is at stake! Come on! Get a move on!"

Ran's usually quiet voice becomes loud and raucous, causing Shimon beside her to shrink back in surprise.

Inori, grumbling as he gets up to join them, casually remarks to Shimon about her behavior.

"Boy, Shimon, glad I'M not the one marrying HER." He points his thumb in her direction. "You aren't even married and she's already treatin' you like a hen-pecked husband! This proves my point----a man should never get marrie--OW! What'd you do that for, Ran! I was just stating a fact."

"Ooh! Men! Fuji's in this whole mess all because of men! Shimon, tell me again why I'm marrying you?" Ran seriously puts this question to her husband-to-be, with her hands clenched into fists at the thought of all the turmoil caused by the men around her.

But Shimon just smiles, knowing her inside and out and that this latest display was just a show of her intense zest. "Because, my darling Ran, I love you." Shimon gives her that "for her alone" voice, which sends shivers down her spine.

"Oh, Shimon," she throws her arms around his neck, "You always know what to say to give me some hope for the male species! Unlike others I could mention right now..." She finishes, murmuring under her breath.

"Hey! I heard that, lady! And you just keep your feminine wiles to yourself! I see what you've done to my buddy, Shimon! You walk all over him! Well, that's NOT gonna happen to me for NOBODY!"

Kotengu decides to intervene at this moment with a teasing quip of his own to the red-headed youth.

"Oooh, Big Forehead, you know what they say! 'He who protests too much...'"

Inori takes a swipe at the flying imp with his hand. "Aw, shut up, Kotengu! You're the one that started this whole mess in the first place! And now I've gotta clean it up! It's like you're a woman from the way you cause us men problems!"

"INORI-KUN!" was shrieked by a truly irked Ran at the same time that Kotengu's mouth drops open aghast, "AHHHHHHHH! Big Forehead, when I get big again, I'm gonna kill you!"

"Fine, fine, sheesh...can't you two take a joke?"