Fushigi Yuugi: Tsuriawaseru

By: Maeleana

Disclaimer: Do I have to do this every chapter?

Author's notes: There is swearing, chaos, abuse, manipulation and all sorts of other stuff incoming.

Lupa: No kidding.

Mae: I thought I kicked you out?

Lupa(shrug): I followed the vamps.

Mae(blinkblink): Damnit! That's it no one else is allowed in my author's note room! (walks off ranting and yelling)

Lupa(watches her gathering lumber and building supplies, shrugs again): This may take a while...

Chapter 10: Truth be Told

Tesa was about ready to attack someone. Things had been going too smoothly and it was making her jumpier than hell. Her warrior instincts were screaming 'Danger! Danger!' So far they'd only been in three towns and found four Seishi. That brought the total to six of the seven seishi. Things like this weren't supposed to be easy so what the hell was going on?

According to Toroki and Tokaki the only one missing was Tatara. Subaru seemed to think that he would be the hardest to find, but she couldn't remember why.

Tesa's eye began to twitch as Toroki began teasing Tokaki…again.

"So you don't remember grabbing Subaru's breasts when you met her last lifetime?" Toroki had been the first of the six to start remembering things from the past but slowly they were all remembering their last lives.

"I am not like that! Besides at least I didn't try to molest the Miko!" Tokaki was turning as red as a tomato.

Toroki flushed and stammered a bit as the other four glared at him.

"You know Toroki if you wouldn't tease Tokaki he wouldn't keep bringing that up." Tesa pinched the bridge of her nose. "I know I'm sick of hearing about it. I'm also sick of not explaining what really happened because you're afraid of how the others will react. I said it before Byakko-sama seems to be okay with it."

Subaru tilted her head, "Okay with what Artesa-sama?"

Tesa looked around the table. They'd been at this particular inn for two days while trying to decide what to do next. Tesa opened her mouth, closed it rethinking her words then opened it again. "Traditionally speaking; describe the qualifications for being Byakko no Miko."

It was Karasuki who answered. "The Miko is a girl from another world; she will be pure of heart, mind and body. She will arrive to save our kingdom and summon the God she serves."

Amefuri rolled her eyes. "Quoting from scriptures? What did you do memorize the legend?"

"Anyway," Tesa began. "I'm technically not qualified to be Miko."

Kokie blinked. "But Artesa-sama we've all seen how pure of heart you are. Toroki-san says you're pure of mind, and you admit to being from another world. So how are you not qualified to be Miko?"

Bracing for reaction Tesa slowly began. "Well, see…" She thought about mumbling it but that would be a cowardly move, so taking a breath she just said it. "I'm not entirely pure of body."

Toroki blinked, Tesa-sama actually knew how to use tact. He looked around at his fellow seishi taking in their reactions as it sank in.

Subaru blinked repeatedly, as if she couldn't believe what she'd heard.

Amefuri gaped, opening and closing her mouth like a fish.

Kokie's eyes were glazed over. The only way he could have been more shocked was if someone had said that Byakko-sama wasn't real.

Karasuki was frowning. Toroki could see his mind trying to figure it all out. 'If Tesa-sama wasn't Miko then why were they all drawn to her?'

Tokaki's reaction was the best one. Toroki coughed to cover his laugh as Tokaki's eyes rolled back in his head and he passed out.

Amefuri sprang to action and began slapping Tokaki's face to wake him.

"Artesa-sama?" Karasuki began hesitantly.

Tesa looked at him. "Yes?"

"What do you mean you're not pure of body? And if you mean what I think you mean then how are you Miko?" Karasuki looked bewildered.

"Well to be truthful, I'm not a virgin."

Toroki dropped his head to the table. So much for Tesa-sama being tactful.

"But…I mean…How can you be Miko and not be a virgin?" Subaru yelled.

Toroki clapped a hand over her mouth and glanced around. Thankfully she wasn't heard. "Please allow Tesa-sama to explain before you begin yelling things for all of Sairou to hear."

"Thank you." Tesa gave him a light smile of thanks. Subaru had the grace to blush at the reprimand. Tesa glanced over and noted that Tokaki had come to and was avoiding eye contact with her. "Okay, now here's what happened…"

Looking out over the garden Tera smiled. Everything was so peaceful here. The only thing she could think was missing was her computer. She frowned slightly, everytime she thought about her computer she would get a headache. Shaking her head she let it go for now. Urumiya had proven to be a good man. He was graciously taking care of her and Inami-chan, without asking anything in return.

Inami waved to Tera, then went back to trying to catch a fish from the pond. It turned out Inami was only thirteen. Urumiya-san had explained it as her body aging itself to better serve the Miko. After all a child couldn't be expected to defend the Miko if there was a fight could he?

That made sense, hadn't Eve said something like that once? Tera frowned again, the headache was back. But she hadn't been thinking about her computer so why was her head hurting? She'd only thought of Eve. Tera blinked. How did she know Eve? She couldn't remember. She caught a mental glimpse of someone, but when she tried to focus on it her brain felt like it was going to explode.

Inami looked up when her Miko screamed in pain. Dropping the fish she had caught she ran to her yelling for someone to get Urumiya-san. "Teran-sama? What is it Teran-sama?" She stood almost afraid to touch Tera as she kneeled clutching her head and screaming in pain.

Urumiya came running over. "What happened?"

"I don't know one moment she was fine then she suddenly screamed and grabbed her head." Inami fidgeted not certain what to do.

Urumiya knelt by Tera and pulled out a small bottle.

"What's that?" Inami asked.

Urumiya smiled to him. "It's something that will help the Miko to rest for now until we can figure out what happened and how to make it better." Urumiya uncorked the bottle and waved it under Tera's nose.

Inami watched as Tera-sama first recoiled from the smell then started to relax and finally passed out. She sat down on a rock as Urumiya-san ordered some servants to take Tera-sama to her rooms to rest.

Urumiya gave a small smile to Inami before going back inside.

Inami rubbed her stomach, for some reason it was hurting again. Something about Urumiya-san always made her stomach ache.

After two days in the village Tai was beginning to wonder why they were still there. "Chichiri-san?"

The monk looked up from his map. "Hai Tai-san?"

"No offense or anything but why are we still hanging around in this village?"

Chichiri blinked. "I didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Now Tai was getting annoyed.

"Ehheh." Chichiri chuckled. "Gomen. We're still here because I sense a seishi in this town no da."

Tai dropped her head to the desk they were using. "Chichiri-san….."

"Gomen, gomen no da. I thought I had already told you na no da."

Tai was about to reprimand him when screaming erupted from outside. Exchanging a look the two of them jumped up and ran outside to a scene of pandemonium. Villagers were running and screaming, and coming out of the forest were several monsters.

The first thing Tai did was locate Mitsukake and Chiriko, they were near the edge of town staring at An Li. Tai and Chichiri ran over to them.

"You four should get to safety no da." Chichiri raised his staff in defense.

"We can't." Chiriko began, pointing at An Li.

Tai looked at the girl and blinked. An Li was staring blankly as if she were sleep walking. Slowly An Li turned her head to look at Chiriko.

"Hisashiburi desu, ne?" An Li asked her voice different.

Chiriko tensed and began to shake slightly.

Tai was going to ask what was wrong when he whispered the one name he never wanted to even think about.

"Miboshi."

Hotohori sighed. Nuriko had gone overboard trying to be nice to Eve-san to hide their suspicions. Thankfully Eve-san was taking Nuriko's attentions well. Currently Nuriko was brushing Eve-san's hair and trying to put it up in a style Hotohori was certain hair wasn't meant to be in. Tasuki had gone to buy some more supplies.

It was odd to remember the brash, hot-headed Tasuki and then see calm, planning Tasuki.

"And then he fell into the mud puddle. I mean honestly who knows what he was thinking." Nuriko was finishing another story.

After getting to a safer location Eve-san and Tasuki explained what was going on, including the visit from Taiitsukun. It had been a lot to take in but being a seishi meant you got used to strange things happening. Accepting that Eve-san was a Miko was fairly simple, the difficult part was not knowing whose Miko she was.

Nuriko had said it best though, "She's a Miko. Should we treat her with any less respect just because she may not be our Miko?"

Once Eve-san had healed and rested, they had begun traveling again. They had stopped just five miles from the next town at Tasuki's insistence. Nuriko and Hotohori hadn't noticed but apparently Eve-san kept frowning and rubbing her head.

Tasuki had stopped his horse, dismounted and stalked over to Eve-san. Then he plucked her off her own mount and set her down under a tree.

When she opened her mouth to protest he glared at her.

"Stop acting like you don't feel anything. And stop acting so tough. If you need the rest then rest." Then he began tethering the two horses muttering. "Damn stubborn woman."

Ten minutes later Tasuki offered to get more supplies. Which had led to now.

Hotohori had to admit that Eve-san did look lovely once Nuriko finished. Eve-san was fair enough, but something about the hairstyles that Nuriko did managed to add to a woman's beauty. Some in their village even suggested Nuriko charge women to style their hair, but Nuriko had shaken her head and responded that she did it because it was fun.

Hotohori looked at Eve-san again before it registered that something was wrong. "Eve-san, what is it?"

Nuriko looked at the Miko, then waved a hand in front of her. "Eve-san?"

Eve put her head in her hands and started shaking. Nuriko was about to ask what was wrong again, when Eve jumped up and began running.

Hotohori and Nuriko took off after her, but it didn't take long before they lost her.

"Hotohori-sama what do we do?" Nuriko asked gasping.

Hotohori shook his head also trying to catch his breath. "I don't know…" He was going to continue but they were interrupted.

"What the hell are you two doing? And where the hell is Eve-san?" Tasuki walked over carrying a few packages.

The two exchanged a look before Hotohori spoke. "Eve-san took off and we couldn't keep up."

Tasuki began swearing. "What happened?"

"She kind of zoned out." Nuriko started. "Then she grabbed her head and started shaking, Next thing we knew she jumped up and started running. We tried to follow but…"

Sighing Tasuki walked back to the camp and set the supplies down. "Where's the nearest pond or river?"

"What? Why do you need to know that?" Nuriko was annoyed.

"Cause that's where she'll be." Tasuki shrugged off his jacket. "I'm gonna go fish her out before she drowns herself." He sighed wearily.

"Tasuki…" Nuriko was confused.

Hotohori placed a hand on her arm and shook his head. "There's a pond two clearings that way." He pointed. Tasuki nodded and took off.

After he was gone Nuriko turned to her fiancée. "Hotohori-sama?"

"Tasuki-san knows something he hasn't shared yet. All we can do is wait for him to be ready to tell." He continued staring in the direction Tasuki had gone. What in the four kingdoms was going on?

Mae: Yay! Chapter ten done.

Yusuke: How many more to go?

Mae(groaning): No flippin' clue.

Lupa(growling): Will you take this thing off me?

Yusuke(looking at the collar and chain): Why is she wearing that Mae?

Mae: Cause she's been a bad Lycanthrope. She attacked me for 40 points while I had no creatures on the field and was at 5 life points and she was at 85 life points.

Yusuke: What?

Mae: Nevermind. So I hope everyone enjoyed, and I'll start the next chapter as soon as I can. As always please review.