Chapter 4 Unfolding

"Hail Genbu no Miko!" the crowd chanted as one, "The one who will possess the power of the almighty Genbu, savior of Hokkan!"

Kamei gaped at the sea of people gathered outside the gates of the palace. She had thought that there would be a small group, not expecting the whole city and some last-minuet travelers to show up. Realization hit her with a slap and she became completely aware of what she was doing. The past few days have been like a fantasy, now especially, with all the people who counted on her, it felt like she was living in some fairytale. All their hopes, dreams, and wishes counted on her to deliver their country to safety. She had become the heroine in the book.

Suddenly, she thought of her own family. Her mother and brother must be worried out of their minds by now, but what could she do? If this was really happening, she couldn't go back, because she didn't know how to, and she had already made a promise.

A little girl climbed up the stairs and brought her some flowers. "Good luck Miko-sama!" She said with the sweetest smile and hopeful eyes full of innocent trust.

Before her purpose in life was to get into her dream high school, into her dream university, into her dream job, and make everybody proud. Now she had a new mission, a new expectation she had to meet. Would she let these people down? As she looked over the crowd, other responsibilities kept coming back to her mind. What of her life, what of her family, what of her dreams, what will happen when she returns to her world? Choosing this would be the same as throwing away her life. These thoughts were abruptly pushed aside as the congregation gave a deafening cheer. In their voices, Kamei heard all of their hopes and dreams. She had to go through with this, it seems since she's here. Maybe it won't be so hard... Afterall, all she needed to do was find four people. How hard could that possibly be...?

"Easy now," Hatsui supported Kamei as she swung onto the horse. He let go too soon and she fell off the other side.

"Ow!" Kamei cried, "You said you wouldn't let go!"

"Sorry," Hatsui grinned despite himself, "I just thought you were ready."

"I'll tell you when I'm ready!" she snapped.

She had bruises all over her body. They had been at this all morning. Namame leaned on a fence post with Urumiya next to him.

"At the pace she's going, we'll never get out of here," Namame sighed.

Urumiya grinned. Kamei had insisted that she learn how to ride by herself.

"Yooshi!" Kamei stalked toward the beast, "You will stay!"

With one giant unnatural leap, Kamei jumped onto the horse and sat stock still.

"Kamei?" Hatsui asked. Her eyes were blank and she stared off into space, "Are you ok? Hey!" he grabbed her hand and pulled her down from the horse, into his arms.

"What's going on?" Namame leapt over the fence and trotted toward them.

Urumiya, although short in stature, leapt over the fence in one bound.

"Miko-sama!" Hatusi yelled at Kamei, who seemed unable to hear anything.

Kamei realized that what she sat on was not a horse's saddle and it was green all about her.

"Wah!" she screamed when she looked down to see that she was sitting on the shell of a turtle. They were cruising at the surface of green waters at an impossible speed. "Wah!" she yelped again as a snake head appeared to her right and stuck its tongue out at her.

The turtle-snake, whatever it was, stopped at a mountain that rose out of the waters. Cold air blew at her and she shivered despite her warm clothing. A man on a green cloud descended till he stood on the same level with her.

Kamei stared at this dark-haired man, whose hair was pulled back into a bun. He was very strict looking and his dark eyes bore int hers.

"I am Genbu no Seikun," the man said in an incomprehensible voice, "I do not have much time so please listen carefully. You already know of your mission, but you will need guidance. Find Initsu-kun at the top of Mount Shinjin... You must hurry or all will be lost..."

After he said that, Genbu no Seikun disappeared.

"She's not breathing!" Hatsui cried in alarm.

"Resuscitation, hurry!" Urumiya urged.

Hatsui leaned down towards the girl to breathe some life back into her.

Kamei was suddenly back from limbo and stared at Hatsui. Hatsui stopped short a few inches from her mouth and blinked at her in surprise.

"You're all right," he breathed out.

Their faces flushing, Kamei and Hatsui scuttled a little away from their close proximity.

"What was that all about?" Namame asked.

"What happened Miko-sama?" Urumiya questioned.

"I'm not sure..." she said, looking at the three, "But I think I met Genbu no Seikun."

"Genbu no Seikun!" all three exclaimed, for usually a Miko didn't see the Seikun until she summoned him.

"He told me that I must go seek the guidance of Initsu-kun on Mount Shinjin," Kamei told them.

The three men looked at each other. Mount Shinjin was the forbidden mountain.

"Nani? What's with the faces?" Kamei asked.

"Mount Shinjin is protected by powerful magic," Urumiya said.

"So no one has gone there before?" Kamei asked, disappointed. She thought that all they needed to do was get a guide or something.

"People have gone..." Namame said.

"But none have come back..." Hatsui finished.

"Oh..." It wasn't going to be as easy as she thought.

"Initsu-kun, on Mount Shinjin??" Seika was standing up. "Can you go to a place more dangerous?"

"Well, if you get an instruction from Genbu no Seikun, it would be a good idea to listen," Urumiya replied matter-of-factly.

"But Mount Shinjin..." Seika furrowed her brows.

"But nothing!" Hatsui stood up suddenly with a confident smile for everyone. "We are Genbu no Shichi Seishi! They can't throw anything at us that we can't handle! What do you say Kamei? Do you believe in us?"

"Of-of course," Kamei smiled hesitantly, but Hatsui's confidence was infectious and soon, she was feeling less apprehensive about the 'Death Mountain' as well.

"Everything will be prepared by tomorrow," Namame told them, "That is if the Miko-sama is done learning how to ride."

Kamei blushed, "I'll give that up for now, since we have to do this as fast as possible..."

"Don't worry Kamei," Hatsui told her, "You'll ride with me. I'll take care of ya."

"Arigatou," Kamei said thankfully.

"I wish you a safe trip," Seika embraced the young Miko.

"Don't worry, we'll be back before you know it!" Hatsui leapt up on the horse and the others followed suit, each proving to be as capable an horseman as the other. Hatsui offered Kamei a hand to help her up.

"Dewa, till next time we meet," Kamei bowed a little to the Empress and Hatsui urged the horse into a slow canter.

"Be careful...minna..." Seika whispered at the retreating figures, "Come back, safely..."

The horses picked their way in the knee deep snow. It was hard work and soon, they were exhausted.

"Ne, Hatsui," Kamei sat in a fur blanket by the young man making the fire. "How long will it take to reach Mount Shinjin?"

"I would guess about two or three days at the pace we are going..." he replied.

"Two...three days...?" Kamei repeated, shocked. Suddenly, fear gripped her, "Ne, Hatsui...?" she asked shakily, "How long will it take to find all of the other seishis?"

"Oh, I would guess about a month to two months, maybe longer. Hokkan is a big country..." Hatsui replied.

"Two...months...even longer...?" Kamei repeated. What am I going to do...? Kamei thought, feeling as if she had been slapped awake from a dream. By the time I return to my world, they'll probably think I'm dead or something. Everyone will be so mad at me... I'll flunk out of school, and end up as an outcast of society.

"Hey, look what we caught!" Urumiya cried happily, holding two snow-shoe hares in his grip, coming back with Namame. "Hatsui, what did you do?"

"Nani, I didn't do anything," Hatsui replied defensively.

"What's wrong with Miko-sama?" Urumiya pointed.

Hatsui looked at the girl wrapped in fur kneeling next to him. Her head was down, but it was unmistakable. She was crying!

"Kamei, what happened?" Hatsui gently gripped her shoulders.

"What am I doing here?" she sobbed out, "I want to go back...!"

The three seishis looked at each other and then at their Miko speechlessly as the snowy landscape about them darkened into night.

A girl with shoulder-length blond hair walked around the Tokyo library. Her name was Hongo Yui.

"Miaka!" Yui searched that library in Tokyo for her friend, "Do ko?"

"I'm here Yui-chan. I found the books! Let's find a room," her friend, Yuuki Miaka waved to Yui from a half-open door.

This was the same room where a moment before had been filled in turn with green and blue light.

"Come on, Miaka, let's get this finished. We have to meet Taka and Tetsuya for lunch," Yui said as they walked into the room and closed the door.

The next sound in the silent room was the sound of heavy books crashing to the floor.

"Yui..." Miaka stared unbelievably at what was on top of the only desk in the room.

"Miaka..." Yui said in turn, speechless.

"Tell me I'm not seeing this..." Miaka turned to Yui.

"You're not seeing this," Yui told her, "That's not the Shijin Tenchi Sho on there." It was said to comfort herself as much as Miaka, "Hora, ne? It's not Shijin Tenchi..." the words died on her lips.

Miaka covered her mouth in horror. "No..."

"Maybe nothing happened Miaka," Yui tried to make her voice sound light, "You always worry too much."

"It's not possible Yui!" Miaka protested, "We sealed the book!"

"Yeah..." Yui said, "Somebody probably just misplaced this book..."

On the desk where the book was, laid a shining piece of jewelry. It was an earring made of emerald. Miaka picked it up and stared at Yui.

Yui looked at the magical book to where it laid open and read aloud, "The Genbu no Miko, Okuda Kamei, knelt in the snow surrounded by her Shichi Seishis..."

Who is it?

It's fuuiin, may I say a few words?

Go ahead.

Arigatou!

Ok, um, now that i'm finished saying all that...what to say?

Ok, I've gotten no comments yet! Of course, it's only been what four days? So, I'm saying again, when you read this, please tell me what you think, ok? fuuiin@hotmail.com!!

Well, Kamei is having a nervous breakdown...it's about time, isn't it? And...this was a last minuet thing. When I started writing this fic, I didn't plan to use Miaka and Yui in it...but I did since...who else is gonna read the book? (Toka's off somewhere? Where?) All right, I'll stop taking up space ^.^ minna sweet dreams! fuuiin-chan ~.^