Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ How I fell in love with your silence ❯ 1. And so it begins... ( Chapter 1 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

1.And so it begins…

“Ne, Yui-chan... do we really have to go to the National Library today?” Miaka asked bored to death.
“Yes, we have to. I mean you two wanna pass math, right?” Yui replied over her shoulder. They're so hopeless, she smiled.
“Of course we do but it's such a nice day outside... it just seems like such a waste to spend it cooped up in the library.” Miaka whined loudly. “You agree with me, don’t you Sakura?” Her sister nodded eagerly, but both girls could tell she wasn't really paying attention. Sakura was always up in her own little world, and that might’ve been the reason why she was nearly failing math.
Surprisingly, though, she was the smart one.
Sakura and Miaka were identical twins, even if no one who'd look at them would say so, some might take them as related but twins? – highly unlikely. While they both shared the same soft burgundy hair, Sakura had big and wide lavender eyes and Miaka bright dark green. Sakura, the youngest, was also nearly a head shorter, she was thinner even in her face, delicate and dainty, and she couldn’t speak.
Their mother had gone to every doctor in Japan, none of them could come up with a diagnose for Sakura, why she couldn’t speak. They had her do all kinds of exams, Sakura had so many tubes shoved down her throat that she was scared to use straws in her drinks, and in the end they all came up blank. Apparently, there was nothing wrong with her anatomy, her voice was there, she just couldn’t use it. Her mother eventually gave up but Sakura was all but relieved, she hated hospitals.  
No one in her family cared over her inability, for the most part at least. Her mother never could fully hide her disappointment. She had wanted, after Keisuke, a daughter who would become a beautiful lady and waltz her way into society to catch herself a diplomat. It was unfortunate and ironic that fate had decided to trick her by bestowing her with two daughters, yet one could barely walk a mile without stumbling over her feet and the other was a mute. And in the middle of her dissatisfaction, her shattered hopes and bitterness she was blind to see what a wonderful person Sakura was, someone who’s heart almost bursts to the seams with kindness.
Miaka and Keisuke were there for her, though. Her sister might've been clumsy, loud and too obnoxious for her own good but she knew just how to get her to smile every time. And Keisuke was her best friend, there was nothing she’d keep from him.
They were her world.
“Wow, it is true! The National Library looks very... national,” Miaka joked, obviously uninterested. Yui, who was already up the front steps, ignored her and stepped into the enormous building. “Oi! That was a joke, say something!”
Sakura tugged on her sleeve and gestured with her hands. “I thought it was funny, onee-chan.”
Miaka smiled. “Arigatou, imotto-chan.” She took her hand and hurried Sakura up the stairs. “Come on; let’s catch Yui-chan.”
They went into the National Library, but they couldn’t find Yui anywhere.
“I think we lost her.”
“Well, I suppose we can find her on our own, right?” Miaka heaved a sigh, taking a look around. To her right she spotted a vending machine. “Oh, look Sakura! You want one? I’ve got enough for both of us.” Sakura thought for a second before nodding.
They walked to the vending machine and Miaka took out the money. Clumsy as she was, the coin slipped from her hand, clinking when it hit the hardness of the floor. They both crouched down to pick it up when a strange noise stopped them. It sounded like the whistle of a bird and when they straightened back up, Sakura caught the glimpse of a feather and a red glow.
“Did you see that?” She asked but Miaka ignored her. She started up the stairs, as if in a haze. There was a door at the top with a sign reading Restricted Section hanging from it. Miaka ignored it as well, pushing the door open and going in. They heard the rustling of feathers again and stopped, looking around to find the source of the sound.
“What are you doing in here, guys?” Yui's voice startled them.
Sakura jumped and gestured franticly. “A bird! We saw a bird!”
“A bird?” Yui laughed, clearly not buying it. “In here?”
“It’s true! It flew up here! We heard it flapping his wings,” Miaka said.
A book fell to the floor from one of the shelves and the girls kneeled down to pick it up. It looked old and dusty, and it was obvious that it hadn't been opened in a long time. The front cover was engraved with Chinese characters, neither Sakura nor Miaka could understand them.
“Shijin Tenchisho,” Yui read out loud. “The Universe of the Four Gods?”
“What is it?”
“Well, it says it's an ancient Chinese tale..." Yui's face was crunched up as she tried to read the characters. “Hum… And so, the girl from the legend opened the door to the other world...”
When Yui flipped the intro, the next page had the drawing of a beautiful magnificent bird. Miaka gasped. “That's the one! The bird I saw earlier!”
“This is the story of a girl who gathered the eight Warriors of Suzaku and accomplished the power to fulfill all of her wishes. The story itself is a spell and those who read it win the power of the girl to have their own wishes come true. This happens because when the first page is turned over, the story comes to life and it begins.” Yui stopped and looked at her friends, confused. “What does this mean?”
“If Yui-chan doesn't understand, how can we?” Miaka replied just as puzzled, her sister nodding in agreement.
Then, a red light poured out from the book and a familiar whistle filled the room. The light engulfed all tree girls, swallowing them into the book.
Miaka, Sakura and Yui held each other hands as they traveled downwards a seemingly endless darkness when a fantastic fiery bird took a firm grip on Sakura's arm and yanked her away from them. Miaka screamed her name, but she disappeared with the bird through a crack in the darkness. Soon she and Yui too were gone.

In the middle of a luscious forest, a young man with bright green eyes was storming through the trees in a hurry to meet a friend. It was night already and the path was barely lit, the only light being that of the moon casting a silver glow over the grass that his feet pounded on quietly but strongly.
“Jeez! Why did that baka had t' be so far 'way from the lair?” Koji mused to no one in particular. As he stomped, arms lazily crossed behind his head, something caught his eye; a dark silhouette limp on the ground, not far ahead. “What the hell...”
Koji approached it cautiously, thinking it might be some sort of trap. When he got close enough, he realized that the it was actually a girl – a breathtakingly beautiful girl, who seemed to be passed out cold. She was dressed in strange clothing; a really short brown skirt and a jacket, with a little bow laced around her neck.
Maybe I should just leave 'er here..., he considered. One look at her, though, and he knew he couldn't. He swept her up in his arms, vaguely impressed by her lightness, and resumed his way at even a quicker pace.
A small shack came into view after climbing up the stairs. It had a slanted old roof and a large front door. He knocked three times. “Konbawa. Who is it? It's Genrou's best friend, Koji, who came t' see 'im. Welcome, please come in. Arigato.”
When he opened the door, Koji was welcomed by a smiling Genrou, sitting on top of a table, legs casually crossed. His smile was quick to die once he spotted the knocked out girl in his arms.
“What the hell’s that?” He asked heatedly.
Koji rolled his eyes. “What d’ya think it is? A girl, you moron.”
“Yeah, well... go put 'er right back where ya found 'er.”
“Don’t be crazy, Genrou. Can'tcha see she's injured? Just let 'er stay here ‘till she gets 'er strength back.” Koji laid the girl down on the old mattress.
Genrou stepped closer to take a better look at her. He was taken aback at first; she was surprisingly striking with long flowing red curls and a sweet heart shaped face. Her clothes, however, were what really got his attention. He had never seen anything like it.
“Why she dressed like that?” He asked puzzled. “She from a foreign country or somethin'?”
“If she is, I don't know which one. Those sorts o' clothes ain't from any place I ever been t'," Koji answered. "I just found 'er like that in the forest, passed out n' everything...”
Genrou shoke his head, his tongue clicking in annoyance. “Ya shouldn't have brought 'er here. I hate women! They’re nothin’ but trouble!”
“Where was I gonna bring 'er instead, huh? Oh I know; maybe I should just take 'er back to the lair fer that pathetic excuse ova leader t’ rape her. Ain't that a better idea!” Koji argued back sarcastically.
“Ugh alright, alright!” Genrou sighed. “Why am I gettin’ the feelin' I’m gonna regret this?”

It's cold... Why am I so cold?
Am I dead?
Wait; how can I be dead when I was only reading a book at the library with onee-chan and Yui-chan?
Sakura slowly fluttered her eyes open, blinking uncomfortably when sunlight struck her.
Where am I? Her back was flushed against something cushy and she was wrapped in a warmth that unfortunately didn’t seem enough to keep her up entirely from the slight coolness she felt. Her body was sore all over, but she forced herself to sit up, smoothing down her disheveled curls. A bed; she was in a bed. In a strange room...
Fear suddenly crept into her mind as she took notice of her surroundings and realized she was currently at a man’s house.
“Hey, yer finally up!” Someone spoke from a chair in a near corner, startling her. Sakura looked up to find a handsome boy with green eyes and blue hair, a bandana tied around his forehead. He was smiling, and seemed to be regarding her with curiosity. “You been out fer almost four days, we were beginnin’ to think ya died. Want somethin' t'eat? I bet yer real hungry.”
Sakura nodded timidly, unconsciously bringing the covers closer to her body. He left the room through a door, coming back seconds later with a bowl of rice and a pair of chopsticks. He handed them to her, smiling the whole time.
“Here ya go,” he said. Sakura hesitated but began eating, afraid to go against him or to offend his feelings. “So... wanna tell me yer name?” Sakura's lips pressed together into a thin line as she shifted her gaze elsewhere. “Okay... how 'bout how ya got to the forest?” There was still no answer. Koji was getting exasperated. “Hey I’m the one who savedya, can't trust me enough t answer me? I promise I won't hurt ya. I won't even touch ya if it's not whatcha want.”
So he had saved her. He could've just left her where she was, but he had chosen to save her instead. Maybe he wasn't so bad...
Sakura gestured to her throat and opened and closed her mouth a couple times. “I can't speak”, she tried to tell him.
Koji, surprised, looked at her. “Ya can't speak?” She shook her head. “Why? Are ya sick or somethin'?” Koji watched as Sakura shrugged and rocked her arms, as if cradling a baby. “Oh, you were born like that… that’s horrible… but can ya tell me how ya got 'ere? And why yer wearin' those strange clothes?”
It wasn't easy, but Sakura came up with some sort of weird signs and imitations to tell her story. Unfortunately it didn't work quite as she had planned to.
“So, lemme see if I got that straight… ya were readin' some book... right?" Sakura nodded frantically. “N' then got sucked into it by a big bird an’ showed up here?" She nodded one more time, only to have him openly laughing at her. “That's the craziest thing I ever heard. I think ya bumped yer head a little too hard, girl.”
Sakura sighed dejectedly. There was no way to make him believe. Even she had trouble and she was living it. She finished her rice instead. When she was done, she handed him back the empty bowl and bowed in a silent thanks.
Koji was still in the kitchen – at least Sakura supposed it was the kitchen – when the front door opened to let in another boy. This one had blazing orange hair, slightly disheveled from the wind. He had a black jacket draped over an arm and both eyes closed. He only noticed her awake when Koji made a noisy return to the living room.
Their eyes met and Sakura was taken aback over their golden color. Genrou too was surprised; she had very enticing eyes – lavender with silver hues. It took him a minute to get himself straight.
“Ehh... she's finally up, huh?” Genrou said, casually making his way to the table to put down his jacket. “Great! Now get 'er outta here.”
“What?!” Koji stared in disbelief at his cold demeanor. “Yer not serious! She's been 'ere all this time an' now ya wanna just throw 'er out? That's too mean, even fer you.”
Sakura was already thankful enough they had saved her and let her get her strength back. She didn't want them to fight over her.
She stepped out of bed, stumbling a little because of the numbness of her legs, and bowed to them. Both men stared at her in surprise.
What in Suzaku's name is she doin'?, Genrou thought.
As she went for the door, Koji's hand bolted to her arm to stop her. “No, wait! Ya can't go,” he told her. “Genrou, the girl can't speak... n' she's all alone... how'll she get by like that? In no time she'll get caught by another bandit – a worst one.”
“She don't speak?” Sakura shook her head. It was Genrou's turn to heave a sigh. “Well, I suppose she can stay fer a while... but only a few weeks! Then she's off on 'er way.”
Koji seemed content with that.
Sakura smiled but it wasn’t heartfelt. She knew she had to find Yui and Miaka... but there was no way she could do it alone. Maybe if she befriended them, they could help her out.
“Alright, now that’s all settled,” Koji started, heading out, “ya should go an’ buy 'er new clothes. With those she draws too much attention, we don’t need that.”
Genrou glared at him. “Why me? Yer goin' there right now, aren'tcha? Just take 'er with ya,” he replied.
“I would, but I can't. Sorry but if anyone sees me with 'er they'll snitch it t’ the boss an' then he'll want me to hand 'er over.” Koji bolted through the door and down the stairs fast.
“KOJI!” Genrou shouted but he was already gone.
Damn that guy!
Nervously, he glanced down at the girl standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. Well, if it really was necessary, he'd just have to suck it up and do it, wouldn’t he? Genrou sighed; he knew she’d bring him nothing but trouble.
“I give up…. just... wait here 'till I come back 'kay? Do not touch anyhin' or move it outta place," he warned sternly before leaving.
Sakura went back to the bed, furrowing her eyebrows, worried about Miaka and Yui. She hoped they had been as fortunate as her and had found someone to help them out in that strange place.

When Genrou came back from the village, Sakura was still sitting on the bed, her legs were curling against her chest and her head was resting on her knees. Just like he had told her to, she didn't touch anything – or barely moved, for that matter.
To say he was surprised was not enough.
“Here,” Genrou tossed over to her a medium-sized package, still not looking her in the eye. “Ya can dress there-” He pointed to another door and Sakura quickly went in.
It was a small room, faintly lit by the scarce light leaking through an only and small window, with no furniture. Sakura supposed he hadn't been living there long. The entire house seemed to be empty.
She tore the package open and pulled out whatever it was inside. It was a sleeveless white kimono-like dress, with a hint of Asian style. It had pretty cherry blossoms scattered along the skirt and a thin lavender bow around the waist tying in the back.
She loved it.
Sakura put it on quickly, pleased to find it fitted her well. She let the half of her hair that was usually pulled up down, letting it loose, fawning around her. When she finally stepped out of the room, Genrou, who had been leaning against the wall, waiting impatiently, could only stare.
Wow! – there’s a thought that didn't cross his mind very frequently, and yet it seemed appropriate in that case. She was quite a vision, but, he realized, even if not dressed differently, she would still draw to much attention – from men.
Genrou cleared his throat uncomfortably.
“Uh... I see it fits...” Sakura nodded, blushing under his gaze. They stood where in place for a few moments, silent, not knowing where exactly to go from there onwards. In the end, it was Genrou to break the tense silence. “Can you... huh... tell me yer name or somethin'?”
Sakura grinned, gesturing to one of the cherry blossoms on the dress and then to herself. Genrou got it.
“Sakura eh?” She nodded. “That's kinda pretty... I guess...”
He flushed from his own words. On the other hand, Sakura's smile didn't wave. She gestured funnily with her hands, confusing him. Was she trying to tell him something?
Understanding his difficulty, Sakura took a couple steps closer to him, amused by how nervous Genrou seemed to get, and gently mouthed what she was saying.
“Oh! Yeah, my name's Genrou. An' I'm the rightful leader o' Mt. Leikaku's thieves!” Sakura chuckled, then mentioned for the other boy. “Koji? He'll be back in a few days – he always does, so don' worry 'bout him.”
Silence crept over them again.
Sakura had a feeling Genrou wasn't particularly comfortable with girls, which would prove to be problem because she wasn't exactly good with boys either. Boys from her world never even bothered to spare her a second look. Well, they did, but once they found out she was mute, they would either run away or try to take advantage of her.
Genrou scratched the back of his head.
“Okay... I'm uh... goin' t'... go… See ya later...” He left the shed quickly, feeling  embarrassed.
Sakura chuckled silently. Oh, this is going to be one crazy adventure.