Author's Note: I am so sorry that it has taken me this long to come up with a third chapter. I just have not had any inspiration for writing lately. On that note, Chichiri may be a bit OOC here since it has been a while since I've seen Fushigi Yuugi plus he is a very complex character to try to write. And so, unto the story.

"Thoughts"

Dreaming

"Speaking"

Screaming

"Dream dialogue"

*Chichiri's Pov *

I am trapped, and unsure as to how long I have been here. Time seem to be rather irrelevant in this place, wherever this is. Ah, but well, perhaps trapped is not the right word to use. I am not really being contained, not physically at least. Everywhere I looked there was black, a dark nothingness that concealed everything. I was alone, which in itself was not so unusual. I often spend time alone in meditation, but I have certainly never been here before. I do not know how long I have been in this place when a thought occurs to me. "Perhaps this is some kind of warning for the future that has come in the form of a dream. Maybe that was it, I must be dreaming. But that still does not explain why I am here, or where here even is." As I sit down, having stood up at this new idea I had thought of, to contemplate what could be going on with my subconscious that had led to . . . this- someone else arrives. Said someone appears to be a young girl, though my perspective of age is probably somewhat off nowadays, with long hair that lends itself to a reddish coppery color, and is wearing strange clothing. I have never seen her before, which makes me wonder what she could be doing here. She seems rather pale in the soft light that emanates from the small lantern that she is holding and appears somewhat confused, "So then perhaps she does not know were we are either." She walks . . . not hesitantly but carefully, though I can sense no fear from her. "It would appear she is merely being cautious, as one should be when placed in an unknown environment. Perhaps she has more insight into our situation than I. It would not hurt to ask I suppose." As I move to approach the girl she stops suddenly, as if she had heard something- her head jerking in my direction and her eyes scanning back and forth as though searching for the source of some small sound. She clutches tightly to the lantern in her hands and backs up a step or two nervously. "She must not be able to see me, but then why is she here and how did she know that I am over here?" I do not want to frighten her off, as she is obviously no danger, and I do not know what else could be hiding in the darkness, so I move to call out to her.

"Hello? Is someone there?" She asks, her voice is even but her face and soul betray her hesitant. I am rather surprised that she spoke even though she remained unable to pinpoint whom, if anyone is watching her. I can feel the waves of uncomfort coming off her soul and am rather startled when a small tendril of it gently, if rather uncontrolledly, probes the surrounding area before it made contact with me, radiating a strange mixture of fear and hope. "What is someone with this amount of raw talent doing untrained? Why has no one picked her up as a student yet, her control is absolutely amazing. It is incredible; she does not even seem to realize what she is doing. I would love to see how her abilities grew with some teaching. Speaking of watching her," I am then reminded I had yet to respond back when she shifted even more nervously, peering into the darkness where she now knew someone was there.

"Ah, I am over here no da." I call out, hoping to calm her now turbulent soul by moving towards her and into the light produced by the lantern. She startles slightly at my sudden appearance and tenses visibly when I call out, but once she can see me she relaxes. She offers me a small smile then, fleeting and slightly embarrassed, before releasing the death grip she had on the handle of the lantern. "I am sorry for not replying early no da, I was fairly surprised to see someone else here and was caught up in my thoughts no da. My name is Chichiri no da."

"Ah, umm hello." She said shyly, scuffling her feet lightly against the ground. "I am, well, I am Abbie I suppose. It is nice to meet you, Chichiri, despite the circumstances." She flashes another smile at me; this one is bigger and lasts longer. "But what does she mean by she supposes that her name is Abbie? It almost sounds like she made it up, but I sense no deceit in her words nor from her soul. It is very odd."

"Well, it is nice to meet you Abbie no da. Though I do wonder at why you seem to have to think about what your own name is no da." She flinches at this -as though I had struck her- and she closes her eyes, bringing her free hand up to cover her face. When she lowered it again, she had on a bitter smile and a far away look in her eyes.

"Yes, sometimes I wonder if it really is anymore." She said very softly- and I get the felling that I was not meant to hear it- before sighing and shacking her head, "Well, the complications of my name aside, I would like to assume that we have more pressing matters to attend to." She glanced around at the surrounding darkness that seemed to be creeping in on us as we spoke, even though that is impossible. "Ah, so then she does not know either." My disappointment must have somehow shown on my face because she then continued," Maa Chichiri, do not worry, ya? I am sure that we will figure this out in no time." " Well she sure is optimistic, I will give her that.

"Of course, you are right- nothing will get done if we start fretting but where should we –"

"No! Hikou!"

A shout ripped through the air as the floor exploded into a bright light that eradicated the all-encasing darkness.