Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ Firebird ❯ Two To Go ( Chapter 11 )

Vera-chan: Cake anyone? ::Holds out huge slab of chocolate cake.::

Luna-sama & Avia-san: Yes Please!

Vera-chan: ::Gives a piece of cake to the readers.:: Enjoy! It's my birthday………a time to party!

::All three happily eat cake and chatter as a drunk Tasuki tries to sing "Happy Birthday"::

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"Firebird"

Ch. 11 "Two To Go"

Hotori was surprised by the sheer size of Taiitsukun's mountain. They rode to a stop at the base, and a swarm of tiny blue haired girls came running out excitedly. Everyone dismounted.

"Help a lady down?" Tasuki asked, offering Washi his hand. Washi, however, got off on the other side of the horse.

A few of the blue haired girls led the horses off, as another grabbed Hotori's hand and pulled her towards a door. After pushing the door open, the swarm ushered the visitors inside, down a long hallway, and into a large, mostly empty room with lots of windows.

"What are these?" Hotori asked, as one of the blue haired girls attached herself to her waist.

"Nyan-Nyans" Washi replied smiling at the small group that had attached themselves to her.

A blonde girl about 16 entered and began to try to shoo away some of the Nyan-Nyans.

"Come on now!" She was saying. "Let them have some breathing room!"

"It's okay Koneko." Washi said. "They're not bothering us."

Yori hoisted one up onto her shoulders, and had another in her arms.

Koneko shook her head and then smiled brightly at Hotori.

"You must be the new Suzaku no Miko!" She exclaimed, making her way over. "I'm Koneko, and I'm very pleased to meet you. I think I'm Senshi number………6 to be found………"

"How'd you know what number you are?" Hotori asked, amazed.

"Taiitsukun told me." She replied. "In fact she should be getting here soon………"

A large set of double doors opened, and in floated an old woman………a very familiar looking old woman………

"It's you!" Hotori gasped, pointing. "You're the old woman from the bookstore!"

The old woman nodded.

"Of course I am." She stated, matter-of-factly. "You're so much like your mother, destiny needed a little shove………"

"You knew all of this was going to happen?" Hotori asked, still in shock.

"Of course I did………and I know what's going to happen in the future too………" The old woman got a wise smile. "You've still got a long road ahead of you, but I must say you're fairing a little better then your mother did."

After a moment, and some help from Koneko, Taiitsukun ushered out all of the Nyan-Nyans, and most of the visitors, so she could talk privately with Hotori.

* * * * *

Later that afternoon, Hotori emerged from her private conference, and found a nice place to relax in an outside garden.

"So, Miko-Sama, What did Taiitsukun have to say?" Washi asked, still being followed by a few Nyan-Nyans

"She said that my work is far from over and a great unbalance must be fixed before enemies could be friends………I had a hard time understanding a lot of it, but she made it clear that I've got a lot more to do as Miko." She sighed as a Nyan-Nyan climbed into her lap.

"I wonder what unbalance she's talking about………" Washi pondered aloud.

The two sat there in silence for a while then Hotori chuckled.

"Do you think Hoto-sama would mind if I brought one home?" She asked. "I could say she followed me home………"

Washi laughed and shook her head.

* * * * *

The group started out again the next morning, Koneko now in tow, in search of the last Suzaku Senshi. They rode for a long while, happily chattering and laughing. The group found out that Koneko was an only child, and had left home not too long ago to further develop her swordsmanship.

Hotori noticed a small road side stand selling fresh fruits and vegetables. She gasped when she saw a woman who looked like an older version of Washi, a man about the same age as the woman, and another man about 19 that looked remarkably like Washi. There were also a few younger boys and girls. It hit her suddenly: this was Washi's Family.

"What is it, Miko-Sama?" Washi asked noticing the shocked expression on Hotori's face.

Hotori pointed at the stand, too awestruck for words.

Washi surveyed the stand and all it's inhabitants, and shrugged.

"I think we've got enough food, Miko-Sama." She said simply, speeding her horse up slightly until the entire group was well past the stand. No one spoke for a while after that.

* * * * *

The road to the next town led through a rather dense forest, and after an hour or two of traveling through the trees, the group decided to stop. Hotori sat under a tree with Washi, Yori, Koneko and Okami.

"Say Washi………" Hotori said as the small group watched Nuriko and Sekai under another tree. "Is it just me, or is there something………odd………about Sekai?"

Whatever he was saying, Nuriko was laughing , and smiling, and Hotori was sure Nuku-chan was blushing.

"Oh, good!" Yori smiled, looking a little relieved. "I thought it was just me."

"You couldn't tell, no da?" Okami asked, looking from the happy couple to the Miko.

"Tell what?" Hotori asked. "I think he's a little odd………I'm just not sure why."

"He's odd alright." Washi looked like she was suppressing the urge to laugh. "He's a she."

"What?" Hotori asked, very surprised. "You mean Sekai is a girl………And Nuku-chan's a guy………"

She began laughing so hard everyone looked at her.

"I'll be right back………" She finally managed to sputter. "I need a dink of water, and I saw a spring not to long ago."

The others nodded and she wandered from the clearing towards the small spring. She kneeled by the spring and cupped some water into her hands. She felt something move behind her, but she ignored it, she was in the middle of the forest after all, it was probably just some animal. After getting her drink, she stood slowly and took in a deep breath. She was about to turn and leave when someone grabbed her from behind, slipping a hand over her mouth before she could scream.

"Guess who, Miko………" A familiar voice hissed in her ear. Nakago! "You shouldn't roam off alone. You're in the middle of the forest, after all, no telling what might get you."

Hotori struggled, frantically trying to free herself from him.

"Don't struggle, Miko." He sounded too happy for her to feel any safer. "This will be a lot easier if you come along quietly."

Now officially out of ideas, she did the last thing she could think of. She bit his hand, elbowed him in the ribs, and made a break for it.

"You won't get away this time!" He yelled, running after her. Suddenly, from somewhere behind him, someone swung a large branch and hit him upside the head. He stumbled a little, but wasn't knocked out. He turned on the person who had hit him. It was a girl about 17. She sprinted around him to Hotori's side.

Nakago laughed.

"That's it?" He asked. "If that's all you two can do to defend yourselves, I'll have no problem-"

He was cut off as a spear few past, scratching his arm. A sudden chi blast followed with a direct hit to the stomach. Hotori was overjoyed to see the Senshi come up, she and the stranger were ushered to the back. Washi drew another spear, and sent it flying right at Nakago. He was able to dodge slightly and was hit in the shoulder instead of the heart. He looked down, rather surprised, and Okami fired another chi blast as Sekai uprooted a tree and prepared to squish the blonde parasite for good. Nakago summoned the last of his strength, and disappeared before the tree landed.

"Are you okay, no da?" Okami asked as they all crowded around their Miko.

"Yeah………" Hotori smiled weakly then made a face. "Ugh! I bit him………I think I need more water to wash out the taste!"

* * * * *

The stranger, it turned out, was named Tsuru, and she was the last new Suzaku. After the battle, the travelers were in the small house she shared with her father. She insisted on cooking dinner for them.

"I hate to say this………" She said as she brought in some beautiful cooked fish. "But I think the next time that Nakago guy comes after you, he won't be alone."

"He's figured out we're not a bunch of pushovers, just because we're women." Yori added, and Sekai shot her an odd look.

"I hate to think what the rest of his team is like." Hotori shuddered. "But isn't it too late, I mean, we've got all the Senshi, so there's nothing he can do………right?"

"He'll still try, no da." Chichiri frowned.

"And he'll have help, no da." Okami added.

Hotori sighed, pondering this news, but then her mind wandered off to a happier subject, and she smiled broadly.

"What is it?" Mitsukake asked

"Nothing really………I just realized since we've got all the Senshi, we can go back to the palace………"

Mitsukake nodded, fully understanding. It was quite obvious that she loved Hotohori, and vice versa, so obviously she couldn't wait to return to him.

* * * * *

The next day the finally completed group started back for the palace. After a few hours on the road, they saw someone riding towards them.

"Hey Sakana!" Hotori said, waving. "Hey Chiriko!"

"Well, finding you was easier then we thought it would be." Sakana remarked.

Chiriko was apparently doing a quick head count. "Found them all, I see………"

Hotori nodded.

"Now we can go home." She added, smiling. Chiriko and Sakana turned their horse around, and the group continued on their way, chatting happily.

Upon arriving and dismounting, Hotori wasn't surprised in the least to see Hotohori rushing towards her. He grabbed her in a strong hug, and they kissed sweetly, both overjoyed to be together again. Sekai's family soon came out and pulled Sekai into a round of hugs.

"You wouldn't believe it, Hoto-sama………" Hotori was saying as they started inside. "Taiitsukun was the woman in the bookstore that gave me the book………and she's got these cute little girls called Nyan-Nyans………"

As everyone headed inside, a calm peace settled over them, and although it may not last long, it was welcome.