Info

updated 6.2000

Oh, a little foreword...this chapter contains spoilers about something in somewhere between tv episodes 16-30. There is also spoilers from the OAV1 series. That's the best I can do in describing it, sorry.

Fushigi Yuugi is copyrighted to Watase Yuu, Bandai, Tokyo Television, Flower Comics, and others. No infringement is intended!

Chapter 5: The Blue Lance

"You bother me about such insignificant detals?" the young emperor demanded incredulously.

"But...Emperor Lyou, he tried to steal from the royal treasury, what shall we do?" the old counselor asked, backing away from the throne.

The said 'emperor' was none other than the infamous Emperor of Kutou. He brushed back his long loose dark blonde hair, something he only did when he was annoyed, "And you interrupt my dinner because of that?"

Another taller, older young man with silverish hair standing next to the emperor leaned in and whispered something in his ear.

"Interesting..." the emperor smirked. "Servants! Bring a big butcher knife! You, guard! Bring a stool over here!"

The maids scuttled out of sight and the thief was shoved to kneel before the bench, holding his hands on it.

"Since you had the audacity to steal from my treasury, we can't have you running around bragging that your hands are quick, now can we?" The emperor sat back in his throne with a self-content smirk, "Guard! Cut off his hands!"

The pitiful thief's scream filled the spacious throne room. The young emperor watched, acting as if he was pleased by the anguished pleading and shrieking. Inside...nobody could know what he was thinking except for himself.

"By setting an example with him," the young man with silver hair standing beside him said, "Others will know your authority and fear you. Young Nakago, that is the way to control men's heart... With an iron grip of fear..."

"How right you are Tomo," was Nakago's quiet reply, "The people will learn to fear and obey me. My father was finally able to put an end to the civil wars...but he didn't have complete control. That's why he was assassinated..."

"But you've proven a stronger man than him," Tomo fed the young emperor's ears with sweet words, "When your mother tried to take rule after him...we all know where she ended up." Tomo chuckled softly.

"Stupid woman," Nakago sneered, "Trying to dominate me was the worst mistake she ever made."

Blood had formed a pool on the dark marbled floor. The thief was now too tired to do anything. Two hands lay limply in the middle of that pool of blood. A finger still twitched reflexively.

With another suggestion by Tomo, Nakago issued another command, "Hang him in the middle of the market. Let everybody know the fate of those who oppose me!"

The emperors advisor shifted in the shadows behind the young emperor's throne. The dim candlelgiht brought out bluish highlights in his hair and made his eyes glow like infernal flames...

"Kamei..." Hatsui knelt down besides her, "What are you saying?"

"Gomen," she said, her head still down, "I have no right to be here... I have my own life...I can't..."

"Kamei," Hatsui said softly, "You're just tired, that's all... Don't worry, tomorrow we'll get to a village and we'll rest, all right?"

"I'm a real person!" Kamei suddenly stood up. "I have a real life! I can't keep wandering around in some stupid child's book!"

With that, she suddenly started running away from the others. Kamei recognized it now. For the past few days, she had been deluding herself, acting as if she could actually accomplish what everybody had wanted from her. She was only sixteen and she wasn't a god. All those people who had come to pay respects to her as a Miko reappeared in her mind. Their expectations weighed down on her. All those hopes and dreams threatened to suffocate her.

For the last couple of days, all she had thought was... That was just it...she hadn't been thinking. She had enough worries in the real world; she didn't need the ones of a fake world to add to that. She was only a high-school student. If she goofed off now, she'll never amount to anything... Then what will she do?

IF she helped these people, spent a whole year of her life in this world, she'll never be able to catch up. It was all wonderful that they would have peace, but was it all right for her to be a hobo the rest of her life so that they could have a happy one? All that was to say IF she succeeded.

If she didn't, it would be worse because then she would have ruined their life and hers as well.

Shock, stress, confusion, physical, and mental strain all mixed together are the ingredients for an emotional breakdown. It's not surprising that she would be having one now...

By the time her breath ran out, she had arrived at a frozen lake. Kamei collapsed with exhaustion. It was hard work to run through knee deep snow.

Sobbing hysterically, she tried to think of a way she could wake up from this dream. There had to be a way. Maybe she fell and hit her head... You always woke from a dream if you experienced something shocking. Maybe she can scare herself awake. Crawling to the lake's edge, she touched the glassy ice tentatively. On the edges it was thick, but maybe towards the middle, it won't be able to support her weight.

"She can't be thinking about..." Miaka gasped as she read aloud, "The young Miko thought that maybe if she fell through the ice, the coldness would make her awake..."

"That book does strange things to people..." Yui whispered. "Ne, Miaka, do you think this earring is hers?"

"If it is, maybe we can talk to her!" Miaka grabbed the thing and concentrated on the book, "Kamei!" She had to stop the girl before she tried to kill herself. Miaka knew how dangerous such thoughts were. After all, didn't she try to kill herself after Tamahome turned evil and seemed as if he was never coming back?

"Kamei!" she yelled with all her soul.

Kamei snapped straight.

"Nani?" she looked about her, "I thought I heard someone calling me..."

Kamei! You can hear me, ne? Please don't try anything foolish!

"Who are you?" she shakily questioned the unknown voice seeming to come down from the sky itself. "What do you want?"

Kamei! Killing yourself isn't the answer. There are other ways to come back!

"What? Anything, I'll do anything! Get me out of here!" Kamei yelled to her unknown savior.

Just wish really, really hard to come back! Wish with all your heart!

Kamei closed her eyes tight and wished with all her heart and soul. A part of her though, didn't seem to comply. It was her guilt and conscience, but she shoved that aside. For one moment, it seemed as if the green light was going to engulf her again, but then she was suddenly deflected back and she found herself by the lake again.

"Doushite? Why?" she demanded.

I...I don't know... The voice replied sadly.

"Why can't I go back?? How worried my parents must be! My brother!" Kamei was now in a complete breakdown. "How long has it been? Five days, two weeks?"

Kamei-chan, calm down! It's not as bad as you think... Time passes differently between here and there.

"How do you know," Kamei asked.

I was Suzaku no Miko...and my friend here, was Seiryuu no Miko.

"Seiryuu?" Kamei replied, "It's all Seiryuu's fault! It's because of Kutou that Hokkan needs a Miko!"

Kamei's words seemed to traverse the dimensions and Yui heard her.

"Seiryuu? What if they have a new Miko?" Yui stepped back. "What if...what happened to Takiko-san...happens to me? What if I start disappearing? Miaka?!"

"No Yui-chan...don't say that," Miaka gripped her hand, "It won't happen. This time, it's different, I'm sure of it!"

"I'm going to call Testsuya...if Takiko's existence is untouched...then...I won't..." Yui ran out of the room.

"Yui-chan..." Miaka said looking after her friend worriedly and then, turned her attention back to Kamei and the book...

Kamei still knelt by the frozen lake. By now, her bones must be frozen already.

Kamei-chan, don't worry, everything will be all right... It was hard for me, being a Miko...but it was also the most wonderful experience... As for the time difference... My whole adventure in the book took about two days and two nights in the real world...

"Honto?" she asked, desperately hoping that was the truth. Maybe there was some hope let... "But...my brother, he must still be in the library..."

Don't worry, Yui-chan and I will find him. We'll cover for you...

"Arigatou," Kamei thanked her gratefully in a broken voice.

"Miko-sama," someone laid a hand on her shoulder, startling her, "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"Namame..." Kamei breathed out and then turned away. "You must all think I'm acting like a little kid... How childishly stupid I am..."

"That's not true," he sat down beside her, "The others are worried about you... Are you all right?"

Kamei laughed bitterly, "As all right as I'm ever going to be..."

"I know this must be hard for you..." he said, "Having all of this thrust upon you and all."

Kamei shivered. Namame wrapped a blanket around both of them, "For warmth," he said, and she scooted closer to him.

"Ever since...my childhood, I didn't know what I should do in life, and I felt like I had no control. That was until I was taken into the palace. There, I joined the guards at a very young age and devoted my life to this country... In that devotion, I found my path in life and I found a foundation on which to stand on. Long ago, in my childhood, I made a promise...to protect this country and in turn, give my life to the one that would have the power to save it...the Genbu no Miko."

Kamei listened in silence.

"I don't mean to give you even more burden...Kamei, but that is who you are..." he told her, "You possess the power to save Hokkan. The people need you Kamei. Right now, the Kutou forces are already stretching into Hokkan territory, raiding villages and killing innocent men, women, and children. About half a year ago, we made a decisive victory against their forces, but since then, Kutou's army has tripled. We can hold them off…but for how long..."

"How can I do anything?" she asked softly, "I am but one person..."

"Do you believe in destiny, Kamei-sama?" Namame asked her, "Well, this is my destiny…to give my life to Hokkan and Genbu no Miko. It was decided before my birth and the proof is this," he raised his right hand and on the back was shining the character for 'wall'. "Even if one doesn't like one's fate, isn't it better to stand up and fight, then to try and never be able to run away from it?"

"You make me sound like a child throwing a tantrum," Kamei whispered.

"No such thing," Namae chuckled a little, "It's natural to be afraid and to feel weak. Despite all, we're still human..."

"I'll keep your advice in mind..." she said softly, "Thank you..."

"Who am I to talk...?" he went on to himself, "Aren't I running away too? Maybe not from my destiny, but..."

Namame looked down and realized Kamei was asleep. Wrapping the blanket around her, he carried her toward the others.

"All's well for now," Miaka smiled.

Yui came into the room and closed the door softly.

"Takiko-san's records aren't disappearing," Yui said, sounding relieved, "I don't have to worry, unless I start disappearing..." Yui smiled tightly, "What's happening Miaka?"

"Yui-chan," Miaka hugged her best-friend since forever, "I won't let you disappear... We've been through so much...we can overcome anything..."

"Miaka," Yui said, "Sometimes I think you are stronger than all of us..."

Miaka smiled and picked up the book again, "Genbu no Miko made her way back to the others..."

"Gomen, minna..." she said to them, "I guess I lost my head..."

"We're just glad you're all right," Hatsui said.

Soon, they were on their way again and after a while, they arrived at that village Hatsui had promised. As they entered it though, everybody could immediately sense something was wrong.

The streets were deserted and not even a shadow was in sight. An open door creaked in the winter breeze. Where was everybody?

Kamei walked a few steps ahead and suddenly stumbled. "Ow," she said and looked back. All three men turned toward her as they heard her scream. "It's a...dead..."

A frozen head stuck out of the white snow. The eyes were gone and what was left was only two pits of black. Blood covered the thing and the face was twisted into a mask of pain and agony, no longer resembling anything human.

A shadow rose over her and Kamei looked back slowly in dread.

A figure dressed in blue armor was perched on a fence post. He carried a blue spear glowing with energy.

"Genbu no Miko," the icy masculine voice said, but it seemed remotely familiar.

The figure jumped in front of Kamei, spear upraised.

"Shi ne!" he said, his voice full of ill intent.

The early morning sun shone on the white edge of the sharp spear, blinding Kamei with sparks in front of her eyes.

The seishis flew toward their Miko as her scream split the air for the second time.