Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ The Girl Who Didn't Believe ❯ Another New Adventure Begins ( Chapter 16 )

The Girl Who Didn't Believe

Hiya!! Happy Chinese New Year!! OH MY GOD…do you know what happened to me on the second day of the Chinese New Year?!! It was after 8pm that day and we were about to go to visit some relatives. As we kinda traveled in a big group, the lift was very crowded as everybody jostled to get into the lift. Midway through the ride, my stupid brother vomited without any warning. The idiot didn't even bend to direct his puke to the floor but just stood there and opened his mouth. What did he think he is, the Singapore Merlion? I'm not done yet. The worse is yet to come. And because I was standing right next to him, guess what happened. He vomited all over me!! And in my new clothes, my shoes, my bag, my discman, my beloved laptop…Ewwww…I WAS VERY PISSED OFF. I spent the remainder of the night stomping around and looking thunderous. My mother said that I have attitude problem, but what did she expect? That I'd thank him? Jeez…

Well, I am very rushed here, writing stories in between visits and sometimes even when we are visiting!! Yeah…yeah…I'm such nerd…but then, who cares? Okay onward with the usual!! Gomen nasai for the usual spelling, tenses and grammar mistakes that I might make. Arrigato gozaimasu!! ^__^

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the FY characters. They belong to Yuu Watase. I do own Kitten and Sable though.

`…' = thoughts

//…// = telepathic conversation

########## = at another place

^^^^^^^^^^ = recall

********** = dream sequence

That's all, minna!! Enjoy!!

Chapter 16-Another New Adventure Begins

The next morning dawned bright and early. The group loaded all their stuff onto the backs of the mules and prepared to set off towards Kutou.

Kouji and the bandits of Mt. Reikaku were also there to see the foursome off.

"At last, you people are finally leaving, and Mt. Reikaku can go back to normal again. OW!! What was that for?!!"

Kouji glowered at all the stones that were chucked at him.

"You were being plain rude, Kouji." Sable said.

Kitten agreed.

"Yeah, you were. Demo never mind." The blue-haired girl ran up to the scarred bandit and gave the bandit a hug. "I forgive you; you have been like an oniichan to me. Arrigato for that, Kouji."

Kouji looked awkwardly at the girl hanging on to him. Then he relaxed and hugged the girl back. Sable and Chichiri was smiling whereas Tasuki looked thunderous.

"Oi, Kouji!! Are you gonna let go of Kit now, or do you need some persuasion from me?!!"

The blue-haired man ignored his best friend and looked down a Kitten.

"Hai, and you were like the imotochan I never had." The man said gruffly before yelling to Tasuki. "Genrou!! You will look after Kit here, won't ya? If you hurt her, I will come after you, hear?"

Tasuki shot back. "As if she will let me!! Now put her down before I `Rekka Shi'en' you!"

Kouji shook his head and released the girl.

"Kit, one advice to ya: be patient with Genrou. The man can be as dense as a block of wood when it comes to emotions. Don't mind him."

"Hai, and you take care too, Kouji." Kitten ran back to the group.

Their farewell said, the foursome waved and started their journey.

##########

At Taitsukun's palace…

"TAITSUKUN!!"

The said creator winced. What is it now?

She turned just in time to see her youngest child barreling into the room.

"My seishi are heading towards Kutou now; and I think that Seiryu is up to some mischief!! He will torture the mortals!!"

Seiryu glided in then, and he flicked his brother an irritated look.

"Come on, Suzaku, I told you that Byakko, Genbu and I would not do much to hurt your beloved mortals."

Taitsukun looked from Seiryu to Suzaku before speaking.

"Suzaku, kindly repeat the rules you promised to abide to."

"Demo…demo…" Suzaku sputtered.

Seiryu smiled, showing teeth.

"Allow me to help, little brother. Rule Number One: Both your seishi will have only half a year to persuade the girls to stay in our world. Rule Number Two: Other than transporting the girls here, you are not allowed to interfere during the six months that the girls are here. Rule Number Three and the most important one of all: Genbu, Byakko and me would be allowed to mete out any challenge we deem fit and that you, Suzaku, cannot do anything, not even to move a feather to help. Do I stand correct, Taitsukun?"

The creator nodded.

"Hai. And Suzaku, you must learn to keep your promise."

Knowing that he had lost this argument, the phoenix god nodded curtly and prepared to teleport back to Konan, where he can observe the traveling group in peace.

Seiryu and Taitsukun watched the god of the south disappear from sight.

"Seiryu, I don't know what you are up to, but Suzaku is right, they are mortals and it would be unfair to use them against your brother."

Seiryu stared at the old woman in surprise.

"Demo…don't you know? Suzaku and I had already made up!!"

Now it was the creator's turn to look surprised.

"NANI?!! I didn't know. This is good, then. I am getting slightly weary of your squabbling."

Seiryu sweatdropped.

"Anou…Taitsukun, I have to go back to Kutou…there are some affairs that I need to see to." The dragon god disappeared.

Taitsukun shook her head with bemusement. Had she known that those two girls from the mikos' world could mend the rift between the two younger gods, she would have brought them in a long time ago.

##########

It was mid afternoon and the foursome was walking through a forest. Chichiri and Tasuki were in front whereas Kitten and Sable had trailed slightly behind, enjoying the scenery.

"How long before we reach Kutou?" Kitten asked Tasuki inquisitively.

"Maybe tomorrow morning." Tasuki said vaguely.

"Oh I see, arrigato, Tasuki."

"Whatever."

Kitten decided to ignore the bandit. She looked at Sable instead, who was at the moment walking with her head down, deep in thoughts.

//Oi, Sab, what are you doing?//

Sable started and looked up.

//Oh, iie. I was just thinking.//

//I know, thinking about what?// the genki girl asked.

Sable smiled.

//I was thinking about Kutou.//

Kitten arched an eyebrow.

//Is that right.//

The brunette shook her head.

//I'm over Chichiri. Really.//

//Uh-huh.//

`Are you really?' A voice whispered. `If you were, then why do thoughts of him still appear so frequently on your mind?'

Disconcerted by that stray thought, Sable changed the topic.

//What is with Tasuki? Did you two quarrel again?//

Kitten looked incredulous.

//Quarrel? Iie, iie, we didn't. Tasuki just has a weird habit of being curt whenever we are traveling around. I don't know why. It is just part of him, I think. But he better be back to normal when we reach Kutou, or there will really be a reckoning.//

Sable grinned at that image.

//Poor Tasuki. I pity him for having a girlfriend like you.//

//WHAT?!!//

But Sable had already hurried forward to walk beside the seishis. Kitten was about to follow suit when she noticed something peculiar. Whenever Chichiri and Sable got too near each other, one of them would kind of retreat.

`Interesting,' she thought to herself. Suddenly, an idea struck her. `I hope this works.'

Kitten concentrated briefly and called out:

//Chichiri!! Can you hear me?//

No reply.

Kitten was about to try again when the blue-haired seishi detached himself from the front and slowly wandered to the back.

"You called, Kitten, no da?"

//Hai, and do you mind if we communicate telepathically? I don't want Tasuki and Sable to hear.//

//As you wish, no da.//

Kitten stared awkwardly at the man.

//Firstly, I'd like to apologize for that slap I had given you. Gomen nasai.//

Chichiri waved away the apology with his hands.

//It is alright, no da. I understand that you were doing it for Sable because Sable would never do anything like that for herself. Believe it or not, your slap actually made me feel less guilty, no da. So you are forgiven.//

Kitten looked gratefully at the seishi.

//Arrigato gozaimasu.//

The pair walked on in companionable silence for a while before Kitten spoke again.

//Anou…what is wrong between you and Sable? I mean,// the girl rushed on. //you both claim to forgive each other and that you are still good friends but I have noticed that the two of you seem to try to avoid as much of each other as possible. What is going on?//

Chichiri walked sedately beside Kitten, giving no indication whether if he had heard any of her queries. However, inside him, his mind was racing for answers.

`What do I say? That I could not bear to see Sable hurt by me? That I'm afraid that I'd really fall in love with her if I get to close? What do I say?'

//Anou…// he said at last. //it is very awkward for the both of us. Maybe things will go back to normal in a few days time.//

Of which Kitten looked disbelieving but she kept it to herself.

//If you think so, Chichiri. So you have decided that Sable and you can only be friends, huh?//

`Is that what you have decided, Chichiri mine?' a voice whispered softly.

Chichiri shook away the voice.

//Hai.//

`You will regret this, Chichiri.' the voice was now sad, resigned.

Kitten was about to say more when suddenly, Chichiri tensed and quickly shoved the girl behind him.

//Something is near. Their ki is very strong.// Chichiri told everyone telepathically.

Up front, Tasuki moved forward to put Sable behind him.

"Be alert, Sable."

"Hai."

The group did not have time to do anything else because at that moment, three tigers sprang out of the bushes then. The huge beasts split up; two went over to Tasuki and Sable whereas the other approached Kitten and Chichiri.

"Stay back!!" The blue-haired man yelled as he moved forward, hands raised as a ball of ki gathered there. He threw it at the animal but missed; the tiger was too quick and agile. It jumped at Chichiri instead. Chichiri raised his staff just in time and managed to fend off the attack. Kitten watched with horrified fascination as man and beast continued their life and death battle.

Suddenly, she heard a vicious curse on the other side of the clearing. Turning, Kitten gasped in horror as one of the tigers swiped at Tasuki and he flew backwards in a painful sprawl. Sable, on the other hand, was picking random pieces of stones from the ground and throwing them at the other tiger that was stalking her.

`Shimatta.' Kitten thought. `this is not good. Chichiri, Tasuki and Sable would not be able to keep this up for long; they will tire soon, and then…' Kitten shook her head.

`IIE!! I must not think like that!! This fight is not yet done and already you are thinking of defeat…think, Kit, THINK. What can you do?' The girl asked herself desperately.

Unexpectedly, she heard a roar. It was one of triumph.

Kitten looked across the clearing just in time to see the tiger that Tasuki was battling earlier on pounce on top of the redhead.

There and then, hot, molten rage ran through the girl.

There was no more thinking, only pure instincts.

Blood sang through her veins.

She had never felt so alive, so alert.

Kitten dashed across the clearing, not heeding the Chichiri's call.

`Please,' she thought, `please, let me have all the strength I need.'

She leapt across the last distance that separated Tasuki from her and landed.

As a bear.

A polar bear, to be exact. The largest land predator in the world.

This particular polar bear was not happy. She roared her rage at the tiger, startling the beast into letting go of an equally surprised Tasuki.

Kitten moved forward at that exact moment then, picked up the astonished beast with relative ease, and threw it viciously against a tree. The animal hit the tree with a painful yelp and took off into the safety of the forest.

`One down,' Kitten thought grimly as she turned her attention to the tiger that was stalking Sable.

However, it turned out that Kitten the polar bear need not do anything more. Alarmed by that amazing show of strength that Kitten had displayed earlier, the remaining two tigers had decided to beat a hasty retreat.

With the danger gone, Kitten lumbered towards Tasuki, who squeaked and back peddled rapidly.

Frowning, she stopped. What was wrong with Tasuki now?

Ignoring him, she turned towards Sable.

//What is Tasuki's problem? Didn't he know that I had just saved him?//

Sable's eyebrows shot up then.

"Kitten?"

Kitten opened her mouth to answer, but to her surprise, a rumble came out instead. What was wrong with her?

"NANI?!! How could THAT be Kit?" Tasuki asked.

"Demo she is Kitten, no da!!" Chichiri confirmed as he stood up from the ground, dusting his robes in the process. "I saw her transform into the bear."

Kitten nodded. Then she froze.

//A BEAR?!!// She yelled telepathically into everyone's mind.

Kitten looked down then, and saw fur; her whole body was covered with a profusion of white fur. She stared at her hands, or rather, paws and saw long dangerous claws.

//My god…I have fur...and claws!!//

Thus said, the bewildered polar bear rolled her eyes up and hit the ground in dead faint.

##########

In the realm of the gods…

Seiryu had teleported back to the realm of the gods just in time to see Suzaku frowning something fierce and Genbu and Byakko rolling around in the clouds laughing their heads off.

With both eyebrows arched, he walked towards Suzaku.

"Why are they laughing?"

Agitated, Suzaku shoved a mirror at his brother's face.

"See for yourself."

So Seiryu watched what had happened to the group just moments before.

At first, his eyes widened with interest; five minutes later, he smirked sardonically. At the end of the mirror's recall, Seiryu was laughing along with his two older brothers, much to Suzaku's chagrin.

"Stop laughing!!" Suzaku muttered. "It is not funny."

Byakko grinned.

"I don't think that your Kitten like her magical abilities very much, Suzie."

"Yeah, I have to agree. Damn, but this is very entertaining. The four of us should do this often." The god of Hokkan replied.

"Do what often? Laugh at me?"

"That too." Genbu said.

Seiryu laughed some more.

"I wonder if she knows how to change back."

##########

//My god!!// Kitten wailed into everyone's heads. //how do I change back from this form?!! I'm not gonna have to spend the rest of my life as a polar bear, am I?//

At that thought, Tasuki turned a little green. Sable could sympathize with the poor man. He must no doubt be imagining spending the rest of his life as a bear lover. But that did not prevent her from smiling at the thought.

After Kitten had fainted, Tasuki, Sable and Chichiri had gathered cautiously around her prone form. Seeing that Kitten was not going to wake up anytime soon, they took inventories of their own injuries and found to their relief that none of them were hurt too seriously, just superficial wounds.

After which, they went about the task of awakening Kitten. It took them two buckets of cool river water to revive Kitten. The girl was disorientated at first, but soon remembered what had happened.

Which of course resulted in the past two hours of whining that the group had to endure as they continued on with their journey. At that thought, Sable smiled again.

Kitten the polar bear glared at her best friend then.

//What is so funny, Sab?!!//

Sable shook her head rapidly. Not wanting to hurt her friend's delicate feelings, she lied.

//Anou…I was thinking that at least you know some of your magical abilities now.//

Kitten merely harrumphed.

Suddenly, Chichiri spoke up.

"Anou…Kitten, no da, I do not know if this might work or not, no da, but you did say that before you transformed, you were thinking along the lines of having as much strength as possible right, no da?"

//Hai.//

"So, why don't you try thinking about being a human again, no da? I think that might be how your magic works."

//Honto ne?//

"Wakarinai…but there is no harm trying…//

Kitten nodded and closed her eyes in concentration.

`I want to be human, to be normal again…'

Sure enough, she felt fur retracting back into her body; the claws sheathed it selves into nails and the paws lengthened to form fingers; her bones fluidly rearranged themselves to form a slight human figure.

The transformation was complete.

Staggering slightly, she opened her eyes and brought her hands to eye level.

"I did it!! Minna, I did it!!" She jumped up and down with glee. "Haha!! I can control my powers now!!"

Kitten looked around then, only to see that Chichiri was adverting his eyes discreetly away from her and that Tasuki was staring at her with a slightly glazed expression. Sable, on the other hand, was approaching her with something in her hands.

"Nani? Why would I need a towel…" Kitten stiffened slightly with comprehension.

Looking down cautiously, she finally realized that she was naked.

Bare-assed naked.

With a squeal of embarrassment, Kitten leapt into the towel that Sable held open for her. After wrapping herself securely, and blushing furiously in the process, Kitten stormed over to Tasuki and started whacking him on the head.

"Itai!! What was that for?!!" Tasuki hollered. "Stop hitting me, onna!!"

"You deserved it!! You were looking at me!!" Kitten yelled back, renewing her bopping efforts.

"How the fuck was I supposed to know that you were going to be naked?!! It was a fucking accident!! And quit hitting me!!"

"Even then, you should have averted your eyes like Chichiri had done, you hentai-pervert!!"

Tasuki stiffened then.

"Chichiri had better be adverting his damn eyes or he is going to taste my holy fire!! With the exception of me, nobody should see you naked!!"

"Oh yeah?!! What makes you so special?!!"

"We are together; that's why, and you will listen to me!!"

"Is that right?!! I won't listen to you; I will walk around naked for the whole world to see if I want to. So there!!"

Chichiri and Sable sweatdropped. The argument was getting out of hand.

"Anou…" Sable ventured cautiously.

"What?!!" both glared at the peacemaker.

"Uh…I do not think that the conversation that the both of you are having right now is suitable for me and Chichiri to hear, right, Chichiri?"

"Anou…hai, no da!!"

The couple finally realized that their entire argument had been overheard and both flushed brightly. They walked away in opposite directions, with Tasuki going to the stream and Kitten heading towards the mules where her clothes were.

"I will help Kitten get dressed and then we will continue on with our journey, ne?" Sable asked Chichiri.

"Iie, no da. It is getting late, no da, and everyone is tired from today's attack, no da. I think that we better set camp here, no da."

Sable nodded.

"Hai, good idea."

Chichiri and Sable looked awkwardly at each other.

"Are we still friends or what?" Sable asked hesitatingly.

Chichiri took off his mask and smiled.

"Hai. Friends."

Sable smiled, the first genuine one in days as she walked to where Kitten was currently struggling to get into her clothes.

The brunette had finally decided today that if she could not have Chichiri's love, she would settle for his friendship. Anyway, four and a half months was a very long time to be acting distant to the one you will always love.

Kitten turned and saw Sable's contented smile then. Hopping awkwardly over to her friend she asked, "So you and Chichiri are alright again?"

"Hai, we are friends."

Sable helped shield Kitten as she quickly dressed. When she was done, she thanked Sable.

"Arrigato, Sable, let's go!!"

Kitten pulled Sable along.

"Matte!! Matte, Kitten!! We are camping here for the night. It is getting dark, so Chichiri says that it is safer to stay put then to walk around blindly in the dark."

"Oh…" Kitten said. "Where are Chichiri and the baka hentai?"

Sable sweatdropped.

"Kit…they are by the stream, I think. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, nothing." Kitten smiled. "I was being curious, that's all. Come on," Kitten grabbed Sable's hand. "Let's go see what they are doing!!"

##########

Chichiri went to the stream to see Tasuki sitting on top of a protruding rock by the gently flowing water. Gathering his fishing rod in one hand, Chichiri climbed the rock and settled himself beside Tasuki. He fixed the rod, tied the hook to the string, and lowered it into the stream.

"Why do you always fish when you never catch anything?" Tasuki asked at last, breaking the peaceful silence that always accompanies the onset of dusk.

"It relaxes me, no da, and furthermore, there is always a chance that I might catch a fish, no da."

"Sou ka…"

Chichiri sensed the ki of two familiar individuals then.

Casually, he mentioned, "I think that your koibito is here."

"I know," Tasuki answered. "the two of them were making a lot of noise in the background." Without turning, he called out to Kitten and Sable, "Come on out, you two, we know that you are hiding behind the bushes.

Muted whisperings and more rustling were heard before a bright-eyed Kitten and a disheveled Sable squeezed their way out.

"Hi!!" Kitten waved at the men. "Chichiri, I see that you are fishing again. Why do you always fish when you never catch anything?"

Tasuki and Chichiri stared at each other and grinned.

"What?!! What did I say that is so funny?" Kitten demanded.

The seishi merely shook their heads and got up.

"Come on, no da, it is getting dark. Let's prepare the bedrolls and the food that the Mt. Reikaku bandits had prepared for us, no da."

"Hai!! I'm hungry!!" Kitten said.

"Me too." Sable agreed. "Why don't us girls prepare the food and you guys set the camp?"

"Works for me." Tasuki nodded.

"Hai, no da!!" Chichiri turned chibi and flashed his trademark victory sign. "Let's go, no da!!"

The foursome split into and did everything in record time. They gathered at last for a quick dinner. Everyone had been exhausted by the day's events and thus had decided to turn in after dinner.

However, one thought was in everyone's mind.

`What more will happen tomorrow?'

Chapter 16 completed!! Nothing much to say except gomen nasai to all Tasuki fans for Tasuki being too OOC. I do not know if he will be so possessive of the person he loves, but in my fic, I have decided to portray him like that. And as for Kitten's powers, well, what can I say? She loves animals, right? So her powers will be animal-based. As for Sable's power, you will know later!! ^__^ Okay, nothing else except to please review!! Arrigato gozaimasu!!