Zakuro sat at the top of the hill where she had first entered this world, dressed in her school uniform.

It had been three days since the funeral. Zakuro was tired of crying and was simply waiting for the feeling of numbness to disappear.

The birds flew over her head and the dandelions swayed in the breeze. The world seemed to be moving, even though Zakuro was perfectly still.

Zakuro had never seen anybody die before. All her grandparents and relatives were still alive and healthy. The closest she had been to death was when her pet goldfish died. But even then, her parents had simply replaced the fish and Zakuro had found out about it a lot later.

Zakuro shook her head.

These were people she hardly knew. Until the village elder mentioned it at the wake, she didn't even know their names.

They were just Oji-san and Oba-san to her. Then why was she this sad? Was it because of the brutality of it all? Would she have been this sad if they had died peacefully in their sleep?

During the wake, the village elder had told Zakuro about Mayuri, the old couple's grand-daughter. Ten years ago, on a full moon night, the demon dogs had killed Mayuri. The old couple had lost their children to the demons and were unable to cope with the loss of their grand-daughter. The village elder told Zakuro that she infused life into the old couple, who were finally laughing again.

Zakuro didn't know if this made her feel better or worse. Zakuro had given them happiness which they had denied themselves for so long. But if she had never met them, they would have stayed indoors, the way they always did on full moons.

Zakuro hugged her knees.

"How do I get home?" Zakuro mumbled, hoping for the answer to be written in the grass.

"They're looking for you at the village." Zakuro heard a boy's voice call out to her.

Zakuro nodded without looking up.

"Geez!" The boy exclaimed after a while and took a seat next to Zakuro.

Zakuro looked up and saw the red haired boy, Suzahara sitting next to her.

"How long are you planning on moping?" Suzahara asked.

"15 more days." Zakuro answered, hoping Suzahara would get off her back.

"I know what happened was terrible." Suzahara continued, much to Zakuro's annoyance. "But you can't hold on to it forever. You have to think of the happier times you spent with them."

"I had only a week with them." Zakuro replied, putting her forehead on her knees. "That simply wasn't enough."

"But this is the world we live in." Suzahara said, hoping to sound zen. "Life is fickle. Demons roam and humans are hunted. All we can do is live one day at a time."

Zakuro looked up and faced Suzahara. His emerald green eyes twinkled in the sunlight.

"The world where you live in..." Zakuro corrected him. "The world where I come from has no monsters."

Suzahara studied Zakuro.

"The village elder told me about that." Suzahara said, after a while. "About your amnesia."

Zakuro went back to putting her forehead on her knees.

"Will you leave me alone till I get my memories back?" Zakuro said, shooing Suzahara away.

"I have a favour to ask of you." Suzahara said, obviously nowhere close to leaving.

"What is it now?" Zakuro said, exasperated.

"Would you be my general?" Suzahara asked expectantly.

"No." Zakuro refused flat out.

Suzahara looked at her disappointed.

"Wait a minute." Suzahara said. "Do you know what a general is?"

Zakuro was quiet.

"I don't wanna." Zakuro said, after a while.

"Do you even know what that orb was?" Suzahara asked, sounding like he was suppressing a chuckle.

"Amnesia." Zakuro replied, plainly.

"Oh." Suzahara exclaimed. "Well, 3 years ago...Hey!"

Zakuro rose to leave.

"I should get going now." Zakuro said, mentally forming plans on finding a way out of this place.

She didn't want to lose her sanity in all this madness.

"Wait up!" Suzahara said, walking next to her. "Where are you going?"

"Home." Zakuro said, resolutely.

"How?" Suzahara said. "Do you remember the way?"

Zakuro stopped and turned to face Suzahara.

"Listen to me carefully because I'm going to say this only once." Zakuro said, trying to keep her voice even. "I'm not of this world. I'm not even of this time. I don't have amnesia. I must have been sucked through a stupid worm-hole or something. The only reason I know about wormholes is because Tomoko made me watch a dumb documentary."

"Relax." Suzahara said, backing up a little.

"I'm a little tired of people telling me that I'm insane." Zakuro said, a twitch in her eyes. "If I was insane, what is this?"

Zakuro said pulling out her cell phone from her pocket.

Suzahara looked at the cell phone confused.

"What is it?" Suzahara asked, looking at it curiously.

"It's an iPhone." Zakuro said, smiling. "People in my time use it to stay in touch with each other."

She put her phone in her pocket and turned heel.

I need to get to a library. Zakuro thought. There has to be some info there. Maybe in the capital...

"If you help me become a God, I will send you back to your world." Suzahara said.

Zakuro stopped dead on her feet.

For a moment, it seemed like the world had become still.

"Send me back." Zakuro mumbled.

"It's better than fumbling in the dark." Suzahara said, hitting the bulls-eye.

Zakuro sighed and turned around. Suzahara was grinning toothily at her.

"I'm not agreeing to help you." Zakuro said, groaning internally at starting off like that. "But what does it take to become a God?"

"That's what I've been trying to tell you!" Suzahara said. "Gather around for a history lesson."

Suzahara coughed dramatically.

"Years ago, all the lands were peaceful." Suzahara started, pointing at the horizon. "Powerful Gods ruled the lands and there was prosperity and happiness everywhere. But around 10 years ago, the first demons appeared. The people had only heard stories about demons till then, mind you. But the very Gates of Hell had cracked open and demons started leaking out. They wrecked havoc over the lands, killing and pillaging. All the kingdoms were thrown into chaos. All the nations prayed to the heavens but there was no respite. The Gods are fighting and they're losing. Then, 3 years ago, across cities and towns, the messengers of Gods arrive."

Suzahara pretended to flutter in the air. Zakuro wondered if she should take him seriously.

"In their heavenly voice." Suzahara continued. "They announced that the Gods were growing weak. It was because of this that the Gates of Hell had cracked and it was because of this that they couldn't protect innocent mortals like you and me."

Suzahara paused.

"People from your world are mortal, right?" Suzahara asked, confused.

Zakuro nodded. Suzahara looked disappointed for a while.

"Anyway..." Suzahara continued. "They announced that the Gods had decided to raise a mortal to the heavens. Nine Gods would combine their powers and make one mortal into a new God, effectively ending their divinity and giving the new God powers to close hell. To find a worthy candidate, the Gods set Nine challenges. The mortal who completes all of them becomes a God. A mere mortal, Huang Su Zahara, set out six months ago to complete the challenges. And three nights ago, his hard work and dedication paid off."

"Hold on a minute." Zakuro interrupted. "It took you 6 months to complete one challenge?! At this rate, it would take you 4 more years to complete all of them!"

Suzahara calculated on his hands and nodded.

"I'm out!" Zakuro said, turning heel.

"Wait!" Suzahara whined, chasing after her. "There is more."

"I don't care if there is more." Zakuro said angrily, as she continued walking. "I've been here for almost 2 weeks now. I have a family who will be worried. I can't go home after 4 years!"

"Time means nothing to Gods!" Suzahara said, making up wildly. "I can send you back to the moment you traveled here. You wouldn't lose any time in your precious world."

Zakuro stopped walking.

"Can you guarantee that?" Zakuro asked, uncertainly.

"I'm almost sure." Suzahara said, confidently.

"How?" Zakuro asked, sceptically.

"Gods can do all types of fancy stuff." Suzahara said, grinning.

But this was still better than shooting in the dark...

Zakuro sighed.

"Fine." Zakuro said. "I'll help."

Suzahara jumped and punched the air.

"A great God is able to move people's will." Suzahara said, dancing on the spot. "I'm gonna be an awesome God. You will be my Chief Strategist."

Zakuro rolled her eyes.

"Who are Generals?" Zakuro asked.

"Generals are seven people that a God candidate can choose to become minor Gods." Suzahara explained. "They would basically take care of the day-to-day activity of the lands while the God is off to do awesome stuff."

Zakuro was starting to find Suzahara tiresome. But he was the best shot she had.

"So, what's the plan?" Zakuro asked.

"What plan?" Suzahara asked.

"What's the next quest?" Zakuro asked, rubbing her temples.

Suzahara was quiet for a while...

"I have no idea." He announced, smiling.

Zakuro bonked Suzahara on the head.

"How are you going to become a God if you don't even know what the challenges are?" Zakuro asked angrily.

"That sounds like a job for my Chief Strategist." Suzahara said, rubbing his head.

He ducked as Zakuro tried to hit him again. Zakuro took deep breathes trying to calm herself.

"How did you know the demon dogs were a part of the challenges?" Zakuro asked, after a while.

"I didn't." Suzahara said.

Zakuro looked at him, shocked. Was this person randomly going around killing demons? She looked at the money bag jingling on his hip.

"You're a bounty hunter." Zakuro said slowly.

Suzahara shook his head.

"I just do that to keep food on the table." Suzahara said. "I'm actually a God candidate."

"How many times in the past 6 months have you actually tried to complete a challenge?" Zakuro asked, uncertainly. "Three nights ago was obviously a fluke."

Suzahara looked at Zakuro uncomfortably.

"A God candidate doesn't have to look for the challenges." Suzahara countered. "The one who is destined to become a God will be guided by fate."

Zakuro was regretting her decision the longer she talked to Suzahara. She was the type of person who didn't depend on luck or destiny one bit. And here was this boy who just breezed through life, probably flipping coins to see which way to turn. Was she going to be able to control herself from strangling the idiot? Zakuro rubbed her temples again. She then remembered something.

"The orb said the spirits will be your guide." Zakuro said as she marched towards Suzahara.

She got on her tip-toes and pushed up his hair, hoping to see a map on his forehead. Suzahara put his hand on her hips as a reaction to the sudden movement. But his forehead was as clear as his skin.

Zakuro and Suzahara's eyes met.

Suzahara blushed and pushed Zakuro away.

Zakuro looked at him confused, slowly realizing what just happened. She blushed, a little too slowly.

"I-I-I was just looking for a map." Zakuro said, facing away from Suzahara.

"Yes." Suzahara said. "O-O-Of course. My forehead is a good place to start."

Suzahara cleared his throat after a while.

"I don't know if it's because of the spirits." Suzahara said. "But I think we really should go to Ju En. I just have this feeling."

Zakuro nodded.

"How far is it?" Zakuro asked, turning to face Suzahara.

"Three days on foot." Suzahara estimated. "But we will have to get you a weapon first. There is a blacksmith a few hours away."

Suzahara clutched his money bag.

"I don't know how to use any weapons." Zakuro said.

"It's quite simple." Suzahara said, as he started walking downhill. "You poke with the sharp edge."

Yup. Zakuro thought. I'm gonna end up strangling him.

AN:

Suzahara was very relaxing to write. I can use the most pathetic puns I can come up with and it would be in character with him. In the FY series, I found Suzaku to be quite the depressing God. So I want to make him as fun as I can in this.

Let me know what you guys think.

Torublossom- Yup. Suzahara is going to be Suzaku! But in my head, their adventure has just started.

As always, keep reading!