Edge 3: Rejection and Memories

There are two people standing and facing each other in the midst of the heavy rain. A girl is dressed in school uniform while the boy is wearing casual clothes. The umbrella stayed in place on the grounds, after being toppled down when the guy suddenly embraced the girl. Long silence occurred and time stopped for a while.

"I'm sorry…" The guy slowly uttered as he broke the embrace. The girl looked at him with confusion. He just smiled as tears soon fall down on his cheeks. "I'm sorry; I must to do this for my benefit… to be with you for the second time, permanently. I promise… I'll be back… Goodbye."

He hurriedly turned back and ran as fast as he could. The girl tries to move her and stretched her hand. As she opened her mouth, probably she would say the word 'wait', everything went black unexpectedly.

Hikarou opened her eyes and stared. Her arm, still outstretched, was seemingly reaching for the nothing. "Another… vision… again?" she sighed, but a female voice interrupted her quiet musings.

"Trying to reach the ceiling?" Hikarou turned her attention to the lady, dressed in ancient female imperial clothes. Her physical looks doesn't tell her that she has aged. The imperial woman gently placed her hand on Hikarou's resting one. "You have been sleeping for hours. My worries disappeared when the antidote worked on you. The cure for the poison that flowed in your body is a very rare.

"Where am I?"

"You're inside of the palace of the Golden Gardens. You fell down from the heavens which means you came from another dimension"

"How about the others? My brother? I remember… three of us arrived here." Her expression of worry is seen.

"My child, you arrived alone in our imperial garden. We didn't see anyone accompanied you. May I humbly ask for your name?"

Ah Rou's mind was filled with confusion. "Sukunami Hikarou, but you could call me Hikarou. Are…you the Empress of this country?" The lady nodded. "Indeed, I am. How are you feeling now?"

"I'm better now, Your Grace. I thank for your concern." Hikarou replied as she slightly bowed her head, showing her respect to the noble. Then, a man dressed also in imperial robes, entered the room.

"Empress, is the foreigner already awake?" The Empress stands and bows before him. "Yes Majesty."

"This man must be the Emperor of this country where I landed to." Hikarou thought, with her head slightly bowed "but why they are so worried about me? How can they treat a stranger so kindly when there's a chance that something bad might happen to them?"

The Empress approaches the Emperor and whispers something to him. The Emperor just nodded. Both of them faced Hikarou and bowed down before her. She was shocked by the sudden turn of events.

"Ummm…" she utters and gulps. "There's a mistake. I shouldn't be treated as royalty, your Excellencies; I am just a foreigner coming from another dimension." She breathed heavily. "I don't understand why this is happening"

The empress approached, tapping her shoulder. "Child, do you have a birthmark on the back of your shoulder?"

She shakes her head. "I don't remember having any." She tries to slip her sleeve (don't worry, her chest was bandaged) as the empress, helps her by holding the mirror in front of her shoulder's back and her eyes widened. She saw a birthmark that is as same as the shape of Omega with small-petal-like rays on it. She tries to rub it off with her hands but the mark stayed. She tried it again but she was left with no avail.

"I never had this mark ever since I could remember. Why do I have this NOW?!" She annoyingly replied and looked at the imperial couple, again, with a questioned expression seen on her face. "What is really going on? I beg you… please tell me."

The imperial couple looked at each other and the emperor speaks,

"A horrid epidemic is destroying the four kingdoms of the four corners of the earth. Our country is blessed from not being attacked by plagues and other misfortunes. We've done out best to help them, but it's not enough. Our only hope is to wait for a savior sent by the heavens and take out the divine sword of Nu Kwa from the sealed rock that has been attached for almost three generations. After the long wait, it seems that our prayers have finally been answered. The oracle told us that the "chosen one" has a mark of greatness with tiny rays that symbolizes light."

With the spoken words of the emperor, Hikarou's body trembled and her heart pounds fast, "You are the maiden destined to fulfill that task."

As she hears those words, she slowly gets dizzy and faints on her bed. The empress attends to her fast. "Majesty, you made her faint!"

The emperor sweatdropped, "I was trying to explain everything to her…"

"But you mustn't tell her so suddenly. Look, you gave her an instant trauma!" His wife scolded him. The emperor just only sighed.

Meanwhile at Shanghai, China…

A certain middle-aged young man is reading a book when he feels a sudden strange presence coming inside him. He stands up and looks in the direction of the sea.

"Keisuke is there something wrong?" Mayo asked him.

"Nothing..." He replied back. Mayo just smiled and went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

"I hope Miaka and her family are okay back there." Keisuke thought, who's now a successful archaeologist, specializing on researching for ancient scriptures and temporarily living in China with his family.

Hikarou regained consciousness again for the second time. She rose up and looked around. "I'm not dreaming after all..." She recalls what the emperor had told her a while ago.

"You are the maiden destined to fulfill that task."

Hikarou ruffles her hair, murmuring with frustration. She sighs and lies down again. "Buddha, please tell me this isn't happening… I'm just only an ordinary 12th grade school kid wanting to get a scholarship yet you transported me against my will in this place that I'm not familiar with! What's wrong with you?!" she shouted, as she raises her forefinger to "curse" Him. She hears a knock suddenly.

"I've heard something weird, Lady Hikarou. Is everything alright?" One of the imperial maids asked.

She quickly hides her hands on her back as she sweatdropped, pretending nothing happened. "Yes, everything's fine! I just had a very bad dream… that's all." She chuckled, and paused for a while… then approached the maid.

"Say, what did you call me a while ago?"

She bowed down "Lady Hikarou… it's a sign of respect for a noble woman like you. The empress told us that you're the maiden of this country."

"Oh… I see." Hikarou went back smiling, but then looks back at the maid, and points to herself, "Me? A priestess?" Her eyes widened as big as saucers. "You mean like the priestesses in legends that are ordered to summon a god from the heavens?!"

The maid is still bowing, "Yes, priestess." Hikarou touches her forehead and kindly orders the maid to leave her chamber for awhile. "I must be dreaming all along. If I would just slap my face with one straight blow, I'm sure I'll get away from this stupid delusion!" Determined, she forcefully slapped her right cheek and fell onto the bed.

"OUCH!"

She opened her eyes and still sees the same ancient Chinese surroundings, and buries her head on the pillow.

"This is not good… I'm in a real nightmare."

Taka looks at their wall clock. "Hmm… that's odd. They should be home by now." With arms folded, he leans on the wall standing still, watching the rain fall.

Miaka fixes the dinner table. "Have you forgotten about it? Those two are might be eating at an expensive restaurant, so they're not going to eat dinner here. Besides, Hikarou needs some quality time. She buries herself too much in studying…."

"But Miaka, Hikarou is alright. She doesn't show any bad feelings at all."

"She might show others her happy side. But, I could still feel her heart is still bleeding and weeping…" Miaka uttered as she places the last plate on the table. "… I wonder when she'll stop lying from us… and to her own heart." She sighs and looks in the mirror… then she feels an odd presence.

"This presence?!"

Miaka stands still. Taka approaches her and touches his wife's shoulders.

"Miaka…?" He calls looking at the direction where his wife is staring. "What are you looking at?"

Taka found himself looking at a mirror where a reflection of a weeping woman suddenly appeared. She is holding a mirror. "What the?!" He exclaimed.

"Help...her… my…myna… please…" the mysterious woman cried as she stretched the mirror she was holding.

Then a bright light came out from the mirror. Before they could scream, Taka and Miaka were absorbed by the yellow light.

"MA! PA!" a loud voiced echoed on the whole chamber. Hikarou wakes up and rises from the bed. She touches her forehead… "Woah… that was a bad dream. I dreamt that mom and dad got absorbed by that freaky light, the same way that I did. Hmmm.."

"You are the maiden destined to fulfill that task." Hikarou recalls these words again in her mind.

"Being a maiden to save this empire? Are they nuts to trust a complete stranger like me?!" She stood up. "I have made my decision and nothing would make my mind change about it!"

Later, she goes to the imperial chamber to talk privately to the imperial couple. Outside the palace door, she takes a deep breath. "Hikarou Sukunami, you know what're going to say okay?" She raises her hand to knock on the door when the palace maids opened them. She sees the emperor and the empress seated on their respective thrones.

"Hikarou, why are you here? We haven't summoned you."

Hikarou puts her hand on her back and slowly walks over. She bows down and pays respects. "I came here because I want to tell you, your Majesties…" The emperor rose up from his throne.

"Dear subjects, hear me! This maiden that came from the heavens has already accepted her duty to be the miko of this country!" All of people in the throne room applauded and bowed before her. A bit uneasy on what's happening, she stood up, with a serious look on her face.

"With all do respect, your Majesty, it's not what you think. I refuse to be the priestess of this country."

All of them were shocked at Hikarou's uttered words. The emperor sat back on his throne.

"But please, hear my reasons why I refuse. First, I'm a complete stranger that came from another dimension who just arrived in this odd place; Second, you don't know me at all; Third, I'm an ordinary being with no powers, and; lastly, I'm not the one you're looking for since I may not be able to fulfill the task that you've given me."

Hikarou sighed and fell on her knees, sobbing.

"I just want to find my brother and go back to the place where I came from. But if you find my reasons insulting because I turned down the duty to be a savior of this country, then, you could punish me. I'll accept any punishment. Besides, I'm afraid that if I make a wrong move as being the priestess, innocent people will suffer on my account. I don't want to hear their cries… I don't want to be blamed…" and she sobbed more. As she sobs, the empress stands up and approaches Hikarou to comfort her.

"Silly child, how can we punish a strong lady like you, who spoke for her rights and bravely refused an emperor's offer? Come, rise."

Both of them stood up and the empress wiped her tears. "Is it your final decision?" Hikarou nods and softly apologizes. She pays her respect once again and suddenly faints.

"Hikarou!!"

It was raining very hard and everybody was asleep… except Miaka. She feels uneasy.

"Why I can't sleep?"

Thunder roared. Miaka rose up from the bed, while Taka is peacefully dozing off. "I'll leave you for a while, dear. Better to check the kids if there're sleeping peacefully just as you are," she thought and gives her sleeping husband a peck on the forehead and goes out from their room.

She first checked Hikari's room. A typical boy's room where her seven year old son is sleeping just like his dad. Miaka just smiled. She tucks her son in the covers and gives him a kiss on the forehead before going out of the room.

When Miaka arrives in her daughter's room, she hears someone sobbing as the thunder roared. She explored the whole room and found the 5-year-old Hikarou, seated in a corner, crying. Miaka rushed to her quickly and comforts her by enveloping her daughter in her arms.

"What's the matter dear?" She asked as she gently caresses her daughter's brownish, ebony hair.

"It's the thunder… mommy. I'm too scared…" she sniffed. "I can't sleep. It's like they're going to strike me…I'm afraid. Mommy!" The thunder roared again, but this time, it's louder and Hikarou clings tightly to her. Miaka gently smiled as she hugs her.

"Hikarou, it's good to be afraid sometimes, but you must need to face your fears in order to be strong. Thunder only roars. It can't hurt you but it can't make you really, really scared. Prove to me that Hikarou is a brave child. You're brave, right?" Miaka looks at her daughter's face. "Mommy would sleep with you tonight, okay? But next time, be sure you could face your fears with thunder okay?"

Hikarou wiped her tears and with spirits high she smiled and nods. "I AM HIKAROU SUKUNAMI AND I AM A BRAVE KID! NO THUNDER CAN SCARE ME!" She points at the window and the thunder roared again. She hurriedly clings to her mother and slowly dozes off. Miaka just smiled as she gently strokes her daughter's hair.

"I know someday, you'll be a very brave person. You can face anything, even this thunder roar."

"Mom…" Hikarou uttered. She realized she has been lying on her bed. She turns her head sideways and sees a girl with pale yellow hair, seated beside her. She was wearing a dark violet coat and her hood is down.

"Hi. You sleep so long, priestess." A teenage girl calmly said. "The empress instructed me to keep an eye on you until you are awake. You've been sleeping for hours. Say, I hear you said the word 'Mom'?"

Hikarou rises up and remembers it. "Yeah. I left my family back there. It's kind of weird that I haven't seen my brother at all since he came together with me here."

"You sure do miss her?"

Hikarou nods. "Terribly, even if we're only apart for a second." A tear fell down on her cheek. The cute stranger tries to cheer her up by one trick.

"Priestess, behold!"

A burning flame appears floating on the open right palm of the girl. The hooded girl lets the yellow flame disappear by a quick, pulling upward position done by her left hand. The flame then became into a yellow rose. She gives it to Hikarou and smiles.

"Here's something to cheer you up."

Hikarou accepted the flower, looked at her and was astonished. "How… how… did you do that?"

"Every person in this empire knows sorcery. You can add also the emperor and the empress. But, if you become the priestess of this country, I'm sure your magic and power is much more powerful than anyone of us." She, then, gives a slight touch on Hikarou's sword.

"But I can't be…" The stranger interrupted her.

"Too scared to face your fears, priestess? I thought you're a brave one. Looks like I've mistaken …" She sighed and stood up.

"They want you to be the miko, not because you are the said girl in the legends. It is because they believe in you, that it is you, who can save their empire. They don't care if you're a stranger or not. Just give them the chance to believe in hope once more..." the stranger whispers something to her ear. "Besides, I know… you are destined to fulfill the task. My cards have said it so." The stranger stood up and takes a few steps backwards. She waves goodbye and disappears in a flash.

"See you in the next travels, Houseki Miko." That's the stranger's last words. Then the maid entered.

"Sorry to disturb you, Lady Hikarou, but the empress ordered me to come here to bring you clothes. She also instructed me to tour you to the capital."

Hikarou smiled to ease the worried maid. "It's alright. Thank you very much. Say, Is there a girl here inside my room keeping an eye on me while I was sleeping?"

The maid gives her a wondered look. "I don't think so, Lady. I just left you for a while because the empress called me. I was the one who was keeping an eye on you. Why do you ask?"

Hikarou is a bit shocked, but she doesn't let the maid know it. "Oh nothing, just asking." She looked at the flower once more as she puts it to the vase.

"I wonder who that mysterious woman could be…"

Somewhere in the cave ruins of Ancient China…

"My Lord, Bad news. The imperial couple has found the mystical girl from the heavens that will surely destroy our plans. But don't worry, lord, the girl has bewildered thoughts if she could be their priestess or not… for now, we shouldn't worry about them." The handsome spy reported to his master.

"I… see." The handsome general rose up on his throne. "But we must be sure that maiden will be erased, whether if she's the priestess or not, together with those other pests who worshipped Nu Kwa. Summon the other assassins and send them to the Land of the Golden Gardens. I order…. TO KILL EVERY LAST PERSON IN THAT EMPIRE INCLUDING THEIR SO-CALLED PRIESTESS."

"YES, SIR!"

"The reign of my destruction and terror to this world is only the beginning… Let me test… your so-called 'saviors-of-the-land'…" the evil general thought as he lets out his evil laugh.

Guidelines for Edge 3:

Houseiki – Japanese word for "gem"

Giving of yellow rose – sign of making friends with someone (credits for Yaz :D)