Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ Firebird ❯ Returning Home ( Chapter 8 )

Vera-chan: I'm still amazed at how quickly this story is going………

Luna-sama: Hmph! ::pouting.::

Avia-san: What's wrong?

Luna-sama: ::To Vera-chan:: You were mean to Naka-kun in the last chapter!

Avia-san: Come on, Naka-baka deserved it!

Vera-chan: Besides, Washi was the only one who really did anything to Naka-baka-I mean Nakago. ::She and Avia-san laugh at Nakago's new nickname.::

Luna-sama: Hmph! ::Crosses arms.:: He's not a baka………

Avia-san: He's an ecchi too………

Vera-chan: That one you can't deny. We all know where his powers come from…

Luna-sama: Hmph! Just.........just get on with Ch. 8 already!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Firebird"

Ch. 8 "Returning Home."

The next morning, Hotori, Washi, Okami, Tasuki, Nuriko, and Chichiri had breakfast with Sakana and her rather large family.

"I'm the oldest of 17." She was explaining. "There's me, then there's my 15 year old brothers; they're triplets, my 13 year old brothers; they're twins, my 11 year old sisters; they're quadruplets, my 7 year old brothers and my 5 year old brother; both were sets of triplets, and then there's my little sister; she's 3."

Everyone exchanged awe-struck looks.

"And you're how old?" Hotori asked, still stunned.

"17." She replied, still smiling.

"Don't let her fool you, she's not as nice as she appears." One of the 15 year olds said. "She's got a mean right hook."

"I'm only mean when I have to be." She replied.

"Well, what about you, Okami?" Hotori asked, turning to the other new senshi. "Tell us a little about yourself."

"I would like to tell you about myself, no da." She replied, frowning slightly. "But I don't know much about myself, no da."

"You don't know much, no da?" Chichiri asked, a little confused. "How could you not know much, na no da?"

"I got amnesia when I was little, no da." She explained. "The first thing I remember, no da, is wandering through the forest, no da, and finding my wolf, Yamakaze, no da."

She looked down at the tame wolf lying beside her chair, and it appeared he looked back at her.

"He wants me to tell you to call him Kaze, no da." She said. "He only lets me call him Yama, no da."

"Oh great." Nuriko whispered to Hotori. "Now we've got two weirdos on our hands."

"I be weird, you be gay, no da!" Okami and Chichiri said in unison, then gave each other odd looks. (AN: Sorry, that is my favorite Chichiri quote. I couldn't help but to throw it in!)

"Why are you copying me, no da?" Chichiri asked.

"I'm not, no da. You are copying me, no da!" Okami replied.

The two bickered over the subject the rest of the morning. Sakana bid farewell to her parents, her 16 younger siblings, and to the inn she no longer had to help tend to.

"Oh dear!" She said as they prepared to leave. "We need more horses! I'll get some from the stables."

She returned a moment later with two more horses. Everyone mounted up and was about to go, when they remembered; Tasuki had to ride with someone, again.

He looked hopefully from Chichiri to Okami, but both already had their kasas and staffs behind them. He then looked at Sakana.

"Sorry." She apologized, shaking her head. "This particular horse only lets me ride."

He skipped over Nuriko, and briefly wondered if the beating he would surely receive from Tamahome would be worth riding home with Hotori. Apparently it wasn't because he soon mounted behind Washi.

* * * * *

"How far is it from the palace now, Chichiri?" Tasuki asked, shielding his eyes from the blinding sun just off the horizon.

"How many times are you going to ask when we're going to get there, no da?!"

"You're still back there?" Washi asked. "I thought you stayed at the inn. You need to talk more."

Hotori was expecting Chichiri to say if he asked that one more time, he'd turn the horses around and go back home. But they were already heading back home. It had been a long ride, as she had predicted. Fortunately, they were almost home, or at least she hoped.

All of a sudden the rather large man from the inn erupted from the bushes.

"You jerk!!" Washi yelled, shaking a fist. "I told you to get lost!!"

"I thought there was something strange about you. You work for Suzaku. No matter, your miko will soon be joining my other victims in the netherworld. Nakago-Sama will be pleased."

"Not if I can help it!" yelled an unfamiliar voice as a girl from nowhere came and kicked the guy in the face, sending a few of his teeth askew.

To finish off the job, the newcomer smashed the rest of his wide face in with her elbow. She stood up and everyone stopped to notice the sign of "ogre" on her forehead. "He won't be talking for a while," she said.

"Welcome to the family," Washi said as Tsume unexpectedly landed on her shoulder.

"What is that?!" Tasuki asked.

"This is my bird, Tsume, but you would have known that if you weren't passed out from drinking when we were in the inn!!"

"Right, um, thanks. Who are you?" Hotori asked, rather confused by the sudden rescue. Not that they needed it.

"My name is Yori, and as you can tell," she said, pointing to the mark on her forehead. "I am destined to protect you, my lady."

"That's Tamahome's character, no da!" Chichiri stated.

"Thanks, Chichiri, without that, I would have dwelled in stupidity." Tasuki said sarcastically.

"You can ride with me," Hotori said, patting the remainder of her saddle, offering her a seat. "Komadori won't mind."

"You named your horse, Nee-Chan?" Nuriko asked.

"Yeah, it looks like a robin. Washi, you're good with animals, what do you think?"

"I call animals by what they want to be called, Tsume for example. Your horse seems to like the name Komadori, and she thanks you," Washi explained.

"Does your horse call itself something?" Yori asked as she mounted Komadori.

"So far, Komadori is the only horse that seems to be………dubbed anything."

"Might I ask where we're off to before we start?" Yori asked, her shoulder-length black hair bobbing as she tilted her head.

"The palace of Konan, no da," Okami explained.

* * * * *

As Hotori and Yori FINALLY dismounted Komadori, Mire and Aoi ran up.

"Nee-sama!" Mire hollered as she flung herself into Hotori's arms.

"Are you coming back with us?!" Aoi demanded.

"We'll see," Hotori said, hopefully that would hold them for a while.

Everyone else dismounted and gathered their things. Tasuki tossed a glare to what would have been his horse. If it wasn't for him getting bored and walking away, he wouldn't have had to ride with Washi.

"Hi!" Mire said, getting down to see Yori. "I'm Mire, what's your name?"

Yori began a cheerful conversation with Mire as, for some reason no one could decode but her, Washi was looking at Mire, Aoi, and Hotori with an indefinable expression.

"What?" Tasuki jeered slyly. "You want children of your own?"

"You really enjoy having your head in the ditch, don't you?" (AN: Equivalent to "mind in the gutter") Washi retorted. "I'm just not used to the bond between siblings."

"Ah, you've never had any and you're jealous!"

"No, I don't know if I have any siblings and I really don't care."

"You got off easy, I have five older sisters!" Tasuki was getting his spirits up, he had successfully found something to talk to Washi about without arguing.

"My father left me for dead when I was three and my mother let him," Washi said coldly.

Before he could say anything, Washi turned on her heel and left the stables. Tasuki took off after her mumbling, "Stubborn woman………tryin' to apologize………"

Hotori let out a small gasp as the stable doors opened and Hotohori threw his arms around her. "Thank Suzaku you're safe!"

"I missed you too." She said with a smile.

"Oh, Hotohori………" Tamahome said in the background, his arms crossed across his chest. "I think we need to have a talk."

"About what, Tamahome?" Hotohori said letting go of Hotori and spinning around, his hands innocently behind his back.

Miaka and Hotori giggled.

"Tamahome?" asked Yori's voice. "Oh, hi. I'm Yori. You're youngest is fun. Anyway, I'm supposed to be your………counterpart I guess you could say. I've always been a fan of yours, but you disappeared. An honor to meet you and an honor to serve your daughter and Suzaku I might add."

Tamahome's eyebrows went to his hairline as if wondering whether to be more stunned over the sudden appearance of Yori or the fact that Hotohori was in love with his daughter, and apparently vice versa.

"Um, Tamahome, I think Hotori can handle things quite well on her own, she is sixteen after all. Besides, I think Hotohori has had the talk by now," Miaka said, taking her husband's arm. "Let's let them have some privacy," She added, inching him away. "Yori, perhaps you could explain………?"

"Sure," Yori said cheerfully, Mire still in her arms.

* * * * *

Hotori woke up with a sigh. Her family had to go back to the future today, and she had to decide rather or not she was going with them. She was hoping she cold be left alone long enough to make up her mind, but things didn't work out that way. The door burst open and in ran Mire and Aoi. They jumped on her bed excitedly.

"Are you awake, Nee-sama?" Aoi asked, a huge smile on his face.

"Are you coming?" Mire asked, the same huge smile as her brother.

"Why don't you let me talk to Mom and Dad." Hotori smiled, sitting up. "Then I'll know for sure."

The two children seemed to think this answer suited them for now, and left the room in search of some of the senshi. Mire wanted to fid "Uncle Chichiri" and "Aunt Okami", and Aoi hoped to find Tasuki, who he really looked up to.

Hotori sighed again, and got dressed. She then sat on the side of the bed, and began weighing her options.

`If I go back, I'll be with my family………After so long, I'll get to be with my family………' The thought made her smile. `However, I'll lose all my friends here………and Hoto-sama. Besides, I'm the new Suzaku no Miko, and I've got a job to do………'

There was a knock on the door, and she sighed. A second later, Washi entered.

"Miko-Sama? The other Miko-Sama………I mean………" She wasn't quite sure what to call her. "Um, yeah, your mom wanted me to let you know they were going to be leaving soon."

"Thanks Washi." She smiled.

She stood up and followed Washi out of the room and into the Throne room. Upon entering she saw her parents, Aoi and Mire saying goodbye to the others.

"Bye bye no da!" Mire said, suddenly hugging Chichiri.

"I've got a gift for you, no da!" He smiled wider then usual, and placed his kasa on the small girl's head. "Take good care of it, no da!"

"I will no da!" She smiled, gave him a quick hug, and ran over to show her parents.

"Are you sure you want her to have your kasa?" Miaka asked.

"Sure I'm sure, no da!" He replied. "Besides, I've got a spare no da!"

"Are you coming?" Aoi and Mire repeated over and over as they ran up to Hotori.

Hotori looked from them to her parents, then to all the Suzaku Senshi.

"Not this time," She said, kneeling by the children. "But you can still come and visit me here."

Mire looked sad at first, but then thought it over, and seemed pleased. "Every summer?"

"Every summer." Hotori smiled, and took a sibling in each arm for a long hug.

She stood up, and walked up to her parents.

"You can visit too........." She added, although she had a feeling they may not be able to.

"We'll try." Tamahome smiled. "Be careful."

"I will Dad." She smiled, hugged him, then hugged her mom. "I love you guys."

"We love you too, dear." Miaka added.

Hotori smiled, and walked over to where everyone else was standing.

"By the way Hotohori………" Tamahome added with a serious look on his face. "Break Hotori's heart and I'm coming after you with a rifle."

"Dad!" Hotori rolled her eyes, smiling, then suddenly turned to her mom. "He doesn't own a rifle………does he?"

"No dear………" Miaka smiled.

Hotori's family waved good bye as a bright red light filled the room. Hotori squinted trying to see exactly when they left, but ended up shielding her eyes.

"Nee-chan………" Nuriko said after the light faded. "What's a rifle?"