AN: Sorry, it took way to long to update. Here's the next chapter. ENJOY!!!
Keisuke's heart raced as he opened the door to his sisters house. The first thing he saw made his chest tighten, Taka slumped against the wall, his head held in his hands, the Universe of the Four Gods on the floor next to him.
Taka lifted his head as Keisuke crouch down and collected the book. Keisuke glanced up long enough to see the worry in his eyes. He held the book tight in hands, not even in his wildest dreams would he have thought that he would read from the pages of this book again. This book has brought so much pain to so many people, and now, yet again Miaka has returned.
"What about Mayo?" Taka whispered.
Keisuke cracked a half smile. "She wouldn't here of me staying there once I told her." He muttered back. With a deep breath and shaky hands he turned to the first page, with a slight chance of hope that he was wrong, that this was just some bad dream. His heart sank as he read.
The priestess of Susaku answered the God's call and returned to the land of Konan. She found herself at the palace in the shrine of Susaku.
Still shocked and confused the priestess fell to her knees trying to comprehend any reason for her return.
"It's true then." Keisuke closed his eyes for moment taking another deep breath before reading on.
"Why?" The priestess's voice was pleading. "What it is you want from me?" With tears clinging to her eyes she stared at the Golden Statue.
"You do not know?" The God's voice echoed through the shrine.. "Your heart called to me Priestess of Susaku."
"What?" The priestess growing more confused.
"You, Priestess of Susaku will have to find the answer." The God's voice fading with every word.
The sound of a cell phone drew Keisuke's attention. He watched as Taka lifted his cell phone checking the caller ID. He took a breath then answered. "Hello"
Keisuke frowned as he could make out a woman's voice on the other end of the phone.
"I'm ok, sorry I didn't call, but something's come up." Taka glanced at Keisuke but he quickly averted his eyes. "I'll be home a little later. Please can you take care of Hikari for me."
Keisuke's grip tightened on the book, his frown deepening.
"Thanks Mia, I'll see you later okay?"
Keisuke pulled out his own cell phone and flipped it open, beginning to dial.
"I love you too." Taka whisper, as if hoping Keisuke wouldn't hear.
Keisuke jammed the last few numbers in his phone and turned away from the man as he put it to his ear. "Go home Taka" He said as it started to ring.
"What are you talking about?" Taka argued as he got to his feet.
"Hello?" As the voice came through the phone Keisuke avoided answering Taka's question.
"Tetsuya, it's me Keisuke." He answered walking away from Taka towards the door.
"What happened?" Tetsuya asked. "Did she really go back into the book?"
"Yeah" He closed his eyes still trying to grasp the fact. "I'm gonna head back home, if you can why don't you and Yui come over and we can try to figure out what's........"
His words came to a halt as Taka grabbed his shoulder and forced him to look at him. "I'm going with." Taka growled.
Keisuke shrugged his hand away. "Haven't you done enough?" He scowled. "Right now Hikari is the one you need to worry about. So go home." He turned and walked out the door turning his attention back to Tetsuya. "Sorry about that."
"Taka huh?"
"Yeah" He dug for his car keys, trying to calm his anger.
"Maybe you should let him come Keisuke. He might be able to help. He could go in and get her you know?"
"Not a chance" He countered as he unlocked his car. "First, he has no right." He climbed in. "Second, he needs to take care of Hikari." He slammed the door.
"And the third reason?" Tetsuya asked knowing his long time friend wasn't finished yet
Keisuke growled under his breath. "Third, it's probably his damn fault she went back into that cursed book!"
Taka hesitated with his hand on the doorknob to his home. The hateful look and the venom in Keisuke's voice ate away at him. Sure he can understand him being upset. He also understood the logic behind him having to take care of Hikari. But dammit he didn't have to treat him like a complete outcast.
The doorknob turned in his hand and the door flung open. An upset Hikari stood in the doorway, her bag slung over her shoulder. When she saw him, her frown turned to a scowl.
Taka looked from his daughter to Mia standing in the hallway on the brink of tears. "What's going on?" He addressed his daughter.
"I'm going home." Hikari brushed passed him.
"What?" He quickly followed her. "You can't."
"Yes I can"
He caught up to her and grabbed her arm spinning her around to face him. He was ready to argue with her until he saw the tears streaming from her eyes. A lump formed in his throat and a pain struck his chest.
"Let me go." Hikari sniffed. "I didn't come here to visit her while you disappear for hours." She wiped at the tears. "I might as well go home and help mom." Taka let her arm go and she turned away from him. "She needs me. She doesn't have anyone but me." She sobbed covering her face with her hands.
The lump in his throat grew as he watched his daughter's trembling shoulders. He closed his eyes and lowered his head. All the pain that she must be going through......and the pain Miaka's been suffering. Why didn't he notice? And now that Miaka returned to the book......How can he explain that one?
He opened his eyes and took a deep breath. He reached out with a shaky hand and pulled his crying daughter into his chest. "I'm sorry" He whispered. "I'm so sorry Hikari."
"Mayo do you know where that box of mine from college is?" Keisuke asked flipping the light on in his study.
"You mean the one with all the papers in it?" She called from the living room. One hand currently resting on her stomach, the other holding the Universe of the Four Gods. "I think I saw it in the bedroom closet." She watched her husband jog down the hallway to the bedroom before turning her attention back to the book. In a whispered voice she read the words.
"I don't understand." The priestess called. "What am I suppose to do?" She heard no answer only silence.....The priestess
....stood, wiping away any evidence of her tears.
Miaka gaze again fell on the statue. "It's not gonna do me any good sitting here then is?" She whispered.
"Miaka?!" A voice sounded from behind the closed doors of the shrine. She spun around to see the doors fly open, the sun light pouring in blinded her and she held her hand up to shield her eyes.
"Is that you Miaka?" The voice sounded.
She slowly lowered her hand only able to make out a black silhouette against the bright background. But she knew that silhouette anywhere. "Chichiri?" She breathed, as he stepped closer. Emotions swept over her as he came to stand in front of her.
"It is you Miaka." He removed his mask and smiled, looking as he did the last time she saw him. "I never thought I'd see you again you know."
A lump formed in her throat as she wasted no time to embrace her long time friend her once dry cheeks streaming with fresh tears.
"Miaka?" He questioned as her grip tightened.
A thud sounded as a box dropped to the floor, papers quickly spilling out. Mayo looked up to her husband standing in the hallway. "What?" Keisuke breathed a look of shock on his face. He made quick steps towards his wife and retrieved the book from her hands. "That can't be?" He quickly skimmed over the page.
Filled with heavy heartache the priestess clung tight to her warrior. "I never thought I'd see you again either." She whispered into his chest.
"This can't be right." He mumbled slumping onto the couch.
"What's wrong?" Mayo asked resting her hand on his shoulder. "Keisuke?" She called when he didn't answer.
"It's all wrong, some....something's not right here...." He closed the book as he hung his head. "I just.....I don't understand."
"What? What don't you understand?" Mayo was growing more worried and confused.
"I don't understand how he could be alive. Time passes faster in the book." He lifted his head and stared at the book. "It's as if.....as if she never left since the last time she's been there. As if...time stopped in the book."
AN: So what you think?? Not much exciting here yet...But the next in is in the works and a few more familiar faces show up. :) Please leave a review if you get a chance! Thank you!