Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ Wheel Of Destiny ❯ The Other Reality ( Chapter 4 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Having wounded by Gakathei and the shock of losing everyone she hold dear makes Kyouka loses her memories. Will she regain her memories back before it's too late?

Anime/Manga: Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Drama / Fantasy / Romance / Angst | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 04.02.2006 | Updated On: 04.08.2006 | Pages: 13 | Words: 10.5K | Visits: 213 | Status: Completed

Wheel Of Destiny

Disclaimer: Suzaku Seven and Seiryuu Seven are not mine. Though the new mikos are mine.

Chapter 09

Konan Palace, AU

Kyouka lay weakly on the bed in one of the room in the palace. She had fainted and hasn't regains consciousness after they had found her and put her in medical attention as soon as possible.

Mitsukake put his hand over her wound, trying to heal her with his power.

“What took you so long to heal her?” Nuriko asked.

“It's a fatal wound. It's a miracle she even survive these long with such wound…” Mitsukake explained. “My power seems unable to completely heal her wound. It's like there is something prevent me from healing her.”

Chichiri who standing leaning against wall looks lost in thought.

“Oi, are you sure it's alright for we heal her?” Tasuki asked. “I mean for all we know she could be our enemy…”

“Either way we can't let her die just like that, can we?” Nuriko said.

“How did she get into the Suzaku shrine anyway?” Miaka asked.

“Nobody seems to know. They said she just suddenly appeared…” Chiriko/Amiboshi said.

“I wonder who had wounded her… Could it be Nakago did this?” Tamahome asked.

“But who is she?” Chiriko/Amiboshi asked. “I mean if it is really Nakago who did this, she must be someone special for him to attempt to kill her.”

“We don't know for sure it is Nakago who had wounded her…” Chichiri finally said.

“Well, we could ask her after she regain consciousness…” Hotohori said.

“If she ever wakes up…” Nuriko added.

“She will…” Chichiri said. “I could sense her life force. She is struggling to live.”

After a few minutes, Mitsukake sighs. He had finally succeeded in closing her wound and heals the girl but somehow it still leaves an ugly scar on her skin.

“Is she alright now?” Nuriko asked.

“Yes. Your Highness, could you order the servant to boil these medicines as soon as possible? They need to feed her with it for her to regain her health.” Mitsukake asked after finishing writing the receipt.

“Of course.” Hotohori said and order his servants to get right on it.

“What now?” Tasuki asked.

“For now we should leave her to rest. I will stay here in case she wakes up.” Mitsukake said.

“No, let me stay here. You should rest, Mitsukake. You looks tired after using your power on her.” Chichiri said.

“Alright. If she wakes up…”

“I will ask a servant to inform you…”

Everyone left the room but Chichiri.

Chichiri observed the sleeping girl. `Who are you really, little miss? Why do I feel drawn to you?' He sat near the bed as he took off his mask. Gently he strokes her hair.

Suddenly Kyouka's eyes snaps open. She gasp for breath, it is almost look like she had a difficulty of breathing. She grabs Chichiri's hand and said in a weak voice, “Something is wrong! Something is wrong…”

“W-what?”

The girl gasps some more as she let go Chichiri's hand. She screams like she is in some kind of pain. Tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Calm down. You need to calm down!” Chichiri said.

Kyouka looks at Chichiri desperately. “Please help me…”

“Just breathe. Breath is good.” Chichiri said. “Relax and breathe slowly…”

The girl follows the monk's instruction and calm down.

At the time, Mitsukake and the others come back after hearing her scream.

Chichiri quickly put on his mask. “She had regain consciousness…”

Mitsukake rushed to her and check her condition. “She is alright…”

Kyouka looks at Mitsukake and the others weakly. “Who…who are you people?”

“Just calm down. We're not going to harm you.” Mitsukake said.

“W-where am I?” The girl looks around.

“You don't know?” Nuriko asked.

The girl shook her head.

“We found you in the Suzaku shrine. You're wounded badly. Do you remember that?” Nuriko asked.

Kyouka looks confuse. “Wounded? I'm not hurt…”

“That because Mitsukake here heal you, stupid…” Tasuki said rudely.

“Tasuki!” Miaka glare. She then smiles down to the girl. “It's ok. My name is Miaka, what's your?”

The girl looks at Miaka then shook her head. “I don't know. I can't remember…”

Miaka and the others look surprise.

“You don't remember anything?” Hotohori asked. “Like what is your name and where you live…”

Kyouka closes her eyes, trying to remember but it is only giving her headache. “I can't remember anything but I think I live in Tokyo. Though I can't remember the address. Where am I anyway? Why are you guys dresses weirdly?”

Miaka gasps. “You are from my world!”

“What?” Suzaku Seishi looks surprise at the sudden turn of events.

“Your world?” The girl looks confuse. “W-what is going on?” She is freaking out. “What are you talking about?”

Miaka and the others exchanged a look.

“Did you happen to find a book called Shijin Tenchi Sho?” Miaka asked.

“Shijin Tenchi Sho?” Kyouka's forehead wrinkled. “Somehow it seem familiar like I have heard about it before…”

“Well, you see, it's a book. We're in the world inside of the book.” Miaka said.

“What? You're kidding right?”

Miaka looks serious.

“You're not kidding. How am I ended up here anyway and why can't I remember who I am?”

“That is a good question. Unfortunately we don't know the answer. Only you know.” Miaka said.

The girl looks troubled.

“Don't worry. Been given time I am sure your memory will be back to you…” Mitsukake said. “Now you should just rest. Don't get yourself under stress.”

His words comforted Kyouka. She nodded and get back to her bed.

Miaka smile. “We'll talk again later. There's so much I want to talk about…”

Kyouka smiles.

Everyone left the room. The last to leave is Chichiri. He gave one last look at the now sleeping girl and closes the door.

&&&

A few days later, Kyouka had regained her health. Miaka and Nuriko entertain her by giving her a tour inside the palace. Eerily, Kyouka felt already familiar with the palace but she shrugged that feeling off.

Miaka likes Kyouka's presence. It's good to have someone from her world with her here in this fushigi world. Kyouka felt the same about Miaka.

Nuriko also starts to like Kyouka but he had been given a duty by Hotohori to keep an eye on Kyouka just in case that she turns out to be enemy. Hotohori doesn't wants anything bad happen to their miko.

The three of them are always manage to find some fun to do like dressing themselves in traditional clothes of the country, getting a cooking lesson from Nuriko or teasing Tamahome by hiding his money.

Today, the three of them are sitting inside a gazebo.

“I have been thinking…” Miaka said.

“Wow, you actually thinking? That's new…” teased Nuriko.

Miaka glares at Nuriko.

Kyouka giggles.

Miaka looks at Kyouka and said, “You seem still unable to recover your memories which is why none of us know your name. I was thinking that maybe we should get you a name.”

“For God sake, Miaka, she is not a dog or cat…” Nuriko rolled his eyes.

“Well we can't keep calling her with `hey' or `miss' right? It's weird.” Miaka said.

Kyouka sighs. “You're right. I feel weird myself not knowing my name…”

Miaka grins. “Want me to name you?”

Kyouka sweatdrop. “Err, ok, I guess…”

Miaka looks pleased. “Good. I will named you… Alice! What do you think?”

“As in Alice in the wonderland?” Kyouka asked and laughs. “Just because we're in other world doesn't mean you should name me with such a corny name.”

“I know! What about Kotori?” Nuriko suggested.

“No,no,no! What about Aoi?”

“Blue is bad luck! What about Sayo?”

“Chisa?”

“Tooru?”

“Rin?”

For a few minutes, they keep arguing over which name best suits Kyouka.

Suddenly they heard Chiriko/Amiboshi played his flute.

Kyouka suddenly feel a chill.

“What?” Nuriko who notice Kyouka's condition asked. “Are you alright?”

“I don't know. I just feel a chill.” Kyouka said as she crossed her arms, as a gesture of she felt cold.

“Maybe we should get you back to your room.” Nuriko said.

Kyouka shook her head. “No, I'm fine. That strange feeling is gone now…” She listens to the sound of the flute. “It's pretty…”

“Isn't it? It is Chiriko who play the flute…” Miaka explained.

“Chiriko?” Kyouka looks troubled. `Again. The name… Why those it feel so familiar? Like I have known it before. And the legend…the Suzaku warriors that are supposedly to protect Suzaku no miko… why does it so scarily familiar? But that's impossible. Nuriko and the others had never meet me before today so…'

“How about Kikyou-chan?” Miaka suddenly asks.

“What?” Kyouka and Nuriko asked in confusion.

“Kikyou.” Miaka said proudly. “It's a good name for you…”

“Hmm… Kikyou-chan…sounded good…” Nuriko said.

Kyouka smile. “Well, by any mean, just call me Kikyou then…”

“Yess!! I'm good!!” Miaka said.

Kikyou aka Kyouka laughs. Nuriko follows suit.

They walk together, chatting and laughing. Kyouka stops walking when they pass a garden in which Chichiri sat alone with his fishing rod.

“What is it, Kikyou-chan?” Miaka asks.

Kyouka doesn't answer.

“Kikyou-chan?” Miaka repeats as she pats the girl shoulder.

Kyouka snaps back to reality. “Ah, gomen ne, Miaka-san. What did you just say?”

“Mou, please answer me when I call out your name…” Miaka pouts.

“Miaka, she probably hasn't gotten use with the new name just yet…” Nuriko steps in to defend Kyouka.

Kyouka gave a small smile. She looks at Chichiri with (somehow) a longing look.

Nuriko grins. “See something you like, little one?”

Kyouka blush. “Eh?”

“What?” Miaka asks. “What's wrong?”

“No, nothing at all…” Kyouka said as her face continue to redden.

Nuriko gave Kyouka devilish smile. “Really?”

Kyouka sweatdrop.

Miaka has just caught up of what is going on. “I see…” She smirks.

More sweatdrop covered Kyouka's head.

Miaka grabs Kyouka and take her toward the monk. “Chichiri!”

“Miaka-san, what do you think you're doing?” Kyouka asks in panic.

Chichiri turns to see his miko and the other foreign girl. “Ah, Miaka-chan, what is it?”

“Have you caught some fish?” Miaka asks as she caught up with her breath.

“No, not really…” Chichiri quietly answers as he studied Kyouka's features.

“Kikyou-chan here and I wants to learn fishing, can you be a doll and teach us?” Miaka asks.

“Kikyou?” Chichiri repeats the name.

“It's her temporary name!” Miaka cheerfully said. She proudly told Chichiri how she had gotten the idea herself.

Chichiri gave a small smile. “I see. It's a good name…” he said as he looks straight at Kyouka.

Kyouka's heart thumps madly. She blushes some more.

Chichiri found that rather weird but amusing. He doesn't say a thing though.

Nuriko, who watches the trio from faraway, grins. `She doesn't seem to be a bad person. Maybe we are too paranoid huh?' He continue to watch as Chichiri lecture the young girls how to use a fishing rod that the monk has somehow produce some more for the girls.

Nuriko notice the gentle yet solemn look on Kyouka's face as she listens to Chichiri's instruction. `If I don't know any better, it's almost as if she has known Chichiri for quite sometime… But Chichiri himself had said that he doesn't know her…'

Chapter 10

A/N: At these points, I'm going to write Kyouka as Kikyou at least until she regain her memories back.

It was another day in Konan Palace.

Kyouka had just finished eating her meal later today. She walks past the garden in the palace. She is a bit bored today because nobody is here to accompany her.

Miaka had gone with her lover, Tamahome. Hotohori summons Nuriko to his chamber to discuss something. Chiriko is playing his flute again somewhere down the palace. Mitsukake is off in the palace clinic. That left Tasuki and Chichiri…

Kyouka doesn't want to get in Tasuki's way for she senses that the bandit dislikes her somehow. As for the monks, he is hardly to be seen in the palace. Mostly he spends his time with Hotohori, reading books in the gazebo or fishing in the pond.

Somehow today Kyouka feel the urge to go to the pond to see the monk but she is disappointed when she saw that Chichiri is not there. She sighs as she sat down on the rock near the pond. Her fingertip gently plays on the water.

Suddenly Kyouka looks up and to her surprise she saw Chichiri standing in front of her. It is like he is standing over the pool. He's somehow glowing in red and white.

“Chichiri-san?” Kyouka whispers.

Chichiri looks at her and smile sadly. He opens his mouth to say something but somehow Kyouka couldn't understand him.

“W-what? I can't hear… What are…you…?” Kyouka yells. She suddenly notice that the surrounding has turn into complete black…

“Kikyou-san? Kikyou-san!”

Kyouka's eyes fluttered open. She saw Chichiri's face hover over her. She yelps and tries to wake up only to hit Chichiri in the jaw with her own head.

“Ouuch…” Chichiri grabs his jaw in pain.

Kyouka shook her head and noticed that she is still in the pond. She must have fallen asleep somehow… She rushed to the monk. “Are you ok? I'm really sorry…”

Chichiri grins cutely. “I'm alright no da… What about you? What are you doing here sleeping outside like this? You could have gotten a cold you know?”

“I didn't realize that I have fallen asleep…” Kyouka admit sheepishly.

“Well, I can't blame you. I usually took a nap here myself. The wind make it much more easier to fall a sleep no da. Like a lullaby no da.”

Kyouka smile.

“But it's dangerous that you sleep near the pond, what if you get drown inside the pond? Can you even swim?”

“Well, I guess I'm not really good at swimming. In fact I never had been really good with sports…” Kyouka said and suddenly stops. “OMG…”

Chichiri smiles. “Look like your memories has return small piece by piece…”

“Yeah…” Kyouka sounded unsure whether she likes the idea of having her memories back. Somehow she gets terrified like something bad is going to happen if she did remember but on the other hand a part of her wants desperately to remember because she felt like she has something to do and it has to be soon…

“Kikyou-san?”

Kyouka winced.

“What is it?” Chichiri asked when he noticed her grimace.

“No, it just the name. Kikyou… I haven't gotten used of the idea that it is my temporary name…” Kyouka admits. “I don't want to hurt Miaka-san's feeling for she has gotten much trouble of thinking the names for me… It just that…” She sighs.

“Chichiri-san!” Chiriko called out. “Hotohori-sama requested our presences into the chamber…”

Chichiri and Kyouka look at Chiriko and then at each other.

Kyouka sighs. “Go…”

“I'm sorry, Kikyou-san. If you wish, we can talk again later… You can tell me anything no da.” Chichiri apologized as he stands up.

Kyouka smiles a little. “It's alright. Just go. It must be something important…”

Chichiri return her smile then left with Chiriko.

&&&

It was night. Kyouka is in her bedroom. She walked back and forth as she eyeing the red robes placed neatly on the table in front of her.

Kyouka sighs as she looks over the robes she had worn when she supposedly first appeared in the palace. She sighs again when she realized that she has nothing on the robes that will gave her a clue of who she really is.

`Am I really from Japan? I mean I can't be wrong right? But then if what Miaka said is true that I had somehow open the Shijin Tenchi Sho, shouldn't I have wear something of our world like say uniform or whatever? Instead I wear these foreign clothes…' Kyouka thought.

Kyouka sat down and touches the robes and suddenly her heart thumps madly. `What the…?'

Suddenly she saw a various vision-like inside her mind. A vision of Suzaku warriors, Kyouka's warriors, they are all dead.

Kyouka pull her hand away from the robes as she gasp for breath. Tears streaming down her cheeks. She felt her heart hurt so much. She falls to the floor.

“No…” She starts to sobs. “Oh God…”

Kyouka clutches her head as she doubled over in pain.

&&&

Chiriko is passing by Kyouka's room on the way to his own room when he heard soft cries inside the room. Curious and concern, he knock on the door.

“Err, Kikyou-san?”

No answer, only the sound of Kyouka's cries.

Made up his mind, Chiriko opens the door and saw Kyouka on the floor. He rushes to her. “Kikyou-san? Daijobu ka?”

Kyouka looks up at Chiriko. Her face contorted in pain. She begs, “Please make it stop! Make it stop!”

Chiriko doesn't know what to do for a split second but seeing how in pain the girl is, he quickly plays his flute to sooth her soul. And he succeeds somehow.

Kyouka calms down but she still cries.

Chiriko stops playing his flute and helps her on her feet and gets her into the bed. He kneels in front of her. “What is it? Does it still hurt?”

Kyouka sobs. “I don't know what is happening to me…”

“Do you want me to call Mitsukake-san here?”

“No, no! I'm alright…” Kyouka forces a smile as she wipes her tears away.

“Do you want me to stay here and play a melody for you?” Chiriko offered.

“Please, if it's not too much trouble…” Kyouka said. `Make me forget the pain and whatever blurry vision I have before…'

Chiriko nods and starts to play a melody for her.

&&&

Meanwhile in a faraway place, in a distant time and space, Gakathei watched from a magical mirror the sight of the Suzaku no miko who had loses her memories and forgotten her mission. He smirked evilly.

“Kanna! Kagehoshi!!” He summoned his minions.

A young woman dressed in black and a little girl who is holding a mirror shimmered inside Gakathei's chamber.

“You ring?” Kagehoshi asked.

Gakathei smile. “I have an assignment for you two…”

&&&

Back into the AU…

Kyouka dreamed.

In her dream she saw a girl whose face we can't see wept in a distant, she also saw a giant red bird engulfed its wings around the girl as if comforting her. Then something dark attacks the bird and snatches it away from the girl.

Kyouka moves to help the bird but somehow she can't move. The girl slowly steps out of the shadow to reveal that it is herself. Her other self opens her mouth to say something but Kyouka couldn't make out of what she say. Kyouka desperately trying to move her legs forward so that she can hear what her other self is trying to say but to no avail. She felt frustrated and sad.

When she wakes up, tears already filled her eyes. She slowly sat up on the bed and notices that Chiriko is not there anymore.

Two maids come in and said that Hotohori had requested her to join him and the others for breakfast.

Kyouka quickly get in the bath that had already been prepared by the maids in the back of the room. After bathing herself, Kyouka wear the new clothes that had been prepared by the maids. She makes her hair into two ponytails tied with purple ribbons.

She then went to join the others in dine room.

&&&

“Hey, Kikyou-chan!” Miaka called. “Here sit with me!”

Kyouka smiles and sit next to Miaka. “Good morning, everyone.” She greeted everyone.

Everyone but Tasuki greets her back.

When Kyouka's eyes meet Chiriko's, she blush and looks away.

Nuriko who notices this wonder what happen between the two.

After finishing her breakfast, Kyouka excused herself and went to the pond again. It has become her favorite place somehow. She plopped down on the grass just a few feet away from the pond.

Kyouka sighs as she thinks about the dream she had last night. `What was that all about?' she thought.

“A penny for your thought no da…”

Kyouka blinks and realizes that Chichiri has been sitting with her for at least 10 minutes. “Gosh, Chichiri-san, you scare me…”

“I scare you? I'm sorry. It just that you looks so serious na no da.” Chichiri grins.

Kyouka's smile fades away.

“Did I say something wrong?” Chichiri asks when he saw her look sad.

“No, it just last night I have the weirdest dream…” Kyouka said.

“About what? If you don't mind to tell me…”

“Strangely it is about…” Kyouka trailed as she also remember the vision she had last night. “Ugh…” She clutches her head.

“What?”

“I can't…” Kyouka shook her head firmly.

“Kikyou-san?”

“I think I might have a vision too…”

“You have a vision and a weird dream?”

“Yeah. I know that sound, well yeah, weird, but it is…” Kyouka said. “It just that I can't seem to remember the details but it seem important…”

“It could be that what you dreamed about is your memory of the past…” Chichiri said. “…or it could be a warning for the future…”

“You make it sound even more weird…”

Chichiri laughs. “Sorry…”

“What about the vision?”

“The same rules applied for the vision. It is either of the past or the future.” Chichiri said. “I'm curious, what is it that you dreamed about? Maybe it could be a clue to discover your identity…”

“That just it. It's blurring, it slipping away from my mind. I don't know if this is a good thing or not…” Kyouka sighs.

“Don't push yourself too hard. It will come back to you eventually…”

“But what if when it did, it would be too late?”

“Too late? Too late for what?”

“I'm…I'm not sure…”

Chichiri looks thoughtful. `I should try once again to contact Taiitsukun. What is she doing anyway? Why doesn't she return my message?'

“Say, Chichiri-san, I have been wondering the reason why you wear that mask…?” Kyouka asks almost dreamily.

Chichiri didn't answer.

Kyouka quickly apologized. “I'm sorry if I'm butting in your business. I can't explain it but I… I feel like there is this sharp pain in my heart whenever I saw you wear that mask. I know it's corny words because…I barely know you… I'm sure you've good reason of why you wear that smiling mask, probably a sad one at that…” she said.

“Why do you think that?”

“Well, for someone to use a mask, I think they are hiding something painful that he/she doesn't want anyone to know about.” Kyouka said solemnly as she looks at the sky above. “I think everyone wear mask too, to protect themselves from the pain or to hide the ugliness in them…afraid of what other people will see in them…”

Chichiri observed the girl next to him.

“I wonder about me myself… What kind of person I am before I suffered memory loss…” Kyouka said. “I must have been through something in my life for me to have loss all my memory… It makes me wonder then if losing my memory would be a gift or a curse… Then again what I am now is just a façade, a mask for the real me…”

Chichiri looks away sadly. He can relate what she's feeling.

Kyouka looks at Chichiri suddenly looks panic and said, “It doesn't mean that I accuse you of anything, ok? I'm just saying…” She groaned. “God, I mess up…”

Chichiri shook his head. “No, you're right about these mask…” He took off his mask to reveal the scar on his handsome face. “I use this mask to hide my scar because people usually scare of it… I received these scar as punishment of my past mistake…” He proceeds to tell about his past.

Kyouka's heart races as she saw the monk's real face. The uncanny sadness returns again, filling her heart with pain. Somehow she felt like she has heard his story before. `A déjà vu?'