Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ Yui's Christmas Wish ❯ Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yugi. The original story and characters belong to Yu Watase. Any characters that did not appear in the original story are my own creation.

Rating: G

Notes: The story picks up shortly after the end of my last fanfic, "A Story Retold. If you haven't read "A Story Retold," you can still enjoy this one-shot fic, but make sure you read the info below first. (Warning: contains spoilers from the first story.)

Info to know: Yuiren is Yui's daughter. Like Tamahome, she has two selves, one who was born in the Universe of the Four Gods and one in the real world who has yet to be born. When Yui and Miaka left the book, Yui and her daughter had to be separated. Even though Yui knows she will see Yuiren again, she became very attached to her child while in the book and found it hard to leave her. Now all Yui wants for the holidays is to see her daughter again. Can Miaka make her best friend's dream come true? When you make your wish on a Christmas star, anything is possible.

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Christmas Wishes: Chapter 1
By Katrina Kadabra

Yui walked quietly through the ever-rushing corridors. Those rows of bustle and busyness known only as the city shopping mall during the last week before Christmas. There were so many children around the mall this time of year. Their innocent laughter echoed down the hallway from every store and right into Yui's ears and heart. The girl let out a longing sigh. After she had left the book, she had tried so hard to go back to her life the way it was before everything happened. But how could she just forget...?

"Mama!" Yui heard a small girl's voice call from behind her and she stopped in her tracks. Yuiren... she thought. No, it couldn't be. And of course it wasn't. A little girl ran around Yui's legs and into the waiting arms of her mother, a tall woman with curly black hair.

"There I go again," Yui thought to herself. "When will I get it through my head? Yuiren's not coming back. No matter how much I wish for it."

"Hey Yui!" rang out a familiar voice above the murmur of the passing crowd. Yui smiled. She knew that friendly and energetic call anywhere. Miaka.

"Yui!" The girl turned around to see Miaka rushing up with two big department store bags adorned with green and red print clutched in her arms.

"I got all my shopping done for my mom, my dad, and even Keisuke," she announced proudly. "How about you, Yui? Did you find something for everyone on your list?"

Yui shook her head.

"No. I still need something for Tetsuya. But I got a tie for my dad and a purse for my mom in that last store." Yui pointed to the clothing and gifts shop she had just come out of. "Even though my parents aren't going to be around for Christmas this year..." she added sadly.

"What!" Miaka exclaimed, almost dropping her bags. "Yui, are you serious? Your folks are leaving you all alone on Christmas?"

"I won't be all alone, Tetsuya's coming over," Yui said. "And they can't really help it. They had a business trip to go on. Trust me, they did everything in their power to avoid leaving on the holiday. But there was that big snowstorm a few days ago, so their meeting got postponed. I think they feel really lousy about it. My mom was almost in tears when she left."

"So you're not upset at all?" Miaka asked. Yui shook her head. Miaka sighed and re-gathered her stuff as the two girls headed towards the exit.

"Well, if that's not what's bothering you, then what is?" Miaka wanted to know.

"Huh?"

"Yui, we've been best friends since kindergarten. I can tell when something's up. And for the past week you've been so sad, like something terrible happened and you're not telling me."

"Nothing happened," said Yui. "Really. It's just this time of year... it, well... it makes me think of things, that's all."

"You still miss Yuiren, don't you?" Miaka asked.

Yui gasped. Miaka always seemed so spaced out, yet often she was very insightful, often seeing into parts of Yui's heart that the girl herself wasn't even aware of.

"Yes, I do miss her. I can't help it. Every time I see a mother and her child, I think of her."

"You will see her again," said Miaka, trying her best to cheer Yui up. The blonde-haired girl nodded.

"Yes, I know that. But I still wonder if she's doing okay, you know? Just a moment to see her again and know she's doing alright. That would be enough for me. That's what I would want for Christmas." The girls finally reached the exit and headed outside towards the bus stop. The sky was just starting to darken and a couple lonely snow flurries were drifting gently to the ground.

* * * * *

Miaka thought all night about what Yui had said. She couldn't help it. Of course, it only made sense that Yui missed her daughter. Miaka couldn't even dream of what her world would be like if Tamahome really had left her, if he had not been reborn as Taka. But Yuiren was going to be reborn too. Just... not yet. And in the meantime, it was making Yui terribly lonely. Miaka hated to see her best friend so sad.

"If only there were some way..." Miaka mused. "Some way for Yuiren to visit Yui for Christmas. Just for one day." She looked out her window into the frigid night. The snow was falling silently on the ground, yet one star was still peering out through a hole in the clouds. Its brilliant flicker shone in the sky like a diamond lost in the sea. "I wish..." Miaka whispered. "I wish with all my heart and strength that somehow, someway, Yui can be with Yuiren again this Christmas."

As she sat stared, the sky answered back to her with a soft moan of the wind. Satisfied, Miaka crawled under her bedcovers and drifted off to sleep.

* * * * *

Classes let out early the next day for the winter break. Students rushed madly down the steps of the old building, some tripping and sliding on patches of ice along the way. In the center of it all Yui walked quietly clutching her schoolbag to her side as her best friend walk alongside her.

"Listen, Yui," Miaka said. "I was thinking, why don't you come over to our house for Christmas this year?" Yui looked up perplexed.

"Miaka, are you sure?"

"Sure I'm sure!" Miaka answered with a smile. "I asked my mom about it this morning, and she thought it would be a great idea. Tetsuya can come too. He and Keisuke are such good friends anyway." Yui still seemed a bit hesitant so Miaka added, "Come on Yui. No one should be alone on Christmas."

"Okay," said Yui as she at last relented. "I guess I can't argue with you. Just let me stop by my house and pick up some clothes and stuff, okay?"

"Yah!" shouted Miaka, jumping into the air like a little cheerleader. "Oh, thanks Yui! It'll be great, I promise! The best Christmas you've ever had."

Yui nodded a bit with a smile at Miaka childish joy. It would definitely be more enjoyable to spend the time with Miaka's family. But the best Christmas she ever had? It was hard to comprehend that with both her parents and Yuiren so far away from her. But Miaka always worked so hard to cheer Yui up. She felt somewhat guilty and not responding more kindly to it.

The girls soon arrived at Yui's house. As they approached the front porch, Yui went over in her mind everything she thought she would need for her stay. Sleeping bag, clothes, toothbrush, hairbrush, extra shoes... should she bring snacks with her? Yui was so locked in her thoughts that as she turned the doorknob, she hardly noticed the person standing behind the door waiting for her. A small girl with light brown hair done up in two pigtails with bright purple ribbon.

"Hello!" the small child exclaimed. Yui and Miaka both jumped back in shock, each one falling backwards into the snow. Yui abruptly sat up to stare in disbelief. The little girl looked back her with a large smile and expressive blue eyes.

"Y-yuiren?" Yui gasped out. The girl held up a peace sign.

"Yup," she answered. "Merry Christmas, Mama!"

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To be continued... ^_^