"Nyan-Nyan fix! Nyan-Nyan heal!"

Taitsu-kun studied her new protege-a young man with
 spiked blue bangs and a huge, just healing scar
 sealing his left eye shut. Through various means, she
 had heard about his past. And, seeing the symbol on
 his kneee, she also realized his future.

"Hmm...well, you can stay here. Ill do my best to
 train you untill the mikos come. If you will excuse
 me-" She brushed past the boy, who was too
 overwhelmed with grief to do anything but stand there.

She went out into the hall and glared at the Nyan-
Nyans. "Would you things shut UP!"

One Nyan-Nyan whimpered. "But Nayan-Nyan like fix!
 Nyan-Nyan NEED fix!"

Taitsu-kun shook her head in an almost mothery no.
 "You cant fix this, Nyan-Nyan. This is something..."

She peeked in at her young apprentice, who was
 fingering his leathery facial scar. 

"-this is something Chichiri will have to fix himself."
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Harmonychan productions present
A Fushigi Yuugi OVA
Ripples in the water
Part 11: Aftershock and reprecussions
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"DAMNIT CHICHIRI-SAN, CANT YOU SEE IM FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOU?!?"

Chichiri froze. This was...unexpected, to say the
 least. He knew H-chan was fond of him, but...love?
 How could she love him? He was easly a few years
 older that her, actually made an effort to be overly
 kawaii (to fend off any gils who would try to
 apporach him) and constantly wore a smiling mask. H-
chan had to be tired, yeah that was it, plus that
 attack on her by Tomo-

He turned, slowly, to look at her. He expected to see
 her stammering and blushing, bowing and trying to
 back away. Instead, she just stood there, hands
 curled loosely into fists, flushed, but not blushing.
 Her dark brown tearfilled eyes had stopped shaking,
 were instead strong as they stared into his with a
 question he couldnt answer...

"H-chan..." He shook his head. He had to think about
 this...

He stared into her eyes for a second. She staggered
 forward, and he caught her. 

"No fair, Chichiri-san..." she whispered.

"I know, I know no da..." He held her close untill the
 light fell out of her eyes. He gently closed them.
 (Hypnosis is an advantage no da.) This, however, was
 a special varitey of hypnosis; it could only be used
 once. When she woke up, for exactly five minutes, she
 would only be allowed to tell the truth. It was a old
 trick, taught to him by Taitsu-kun, that he never
 thought he'd have to use.

Still holding her, he laid back against the grass.
 This was familiar...when had he done this-

Memories, like unsummoned ghosts, come speeding back
 to the consious mind at the least provcation. And no
 matter how he tried, he coudlnt wipe his memories
 from his mind...

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"Ne...Houjun-san?"

He lay there on his back,his love in his arms, all
 well with the world. His girlfriend, now fiancee, was
 going to marry him soon. They had picked this spot,
 right by the river...and Hikou was going to be the
 best man! Who could ask for a better best friend then
 Hikou?

And there, lightly in his arms, was Kouran. What could
 be said about Kouran? She was his light, his
 world...everything that made him happy.
The way the sun shone through her long golden hair,
 the blueness of her eyes...if this was fools love, he
 was proud to be a fool.

His parents had opposed the engagement, of course.

"Houjun..." his mother had wrung her hands in dismay.
 "Houjun, I dont think you should do this...she seems
 to be coming in between you and Hikou quite a bit..."


Houjun had just rolled his eyes. "Mom, me and Hikou
 are as close as ever! Hes certainly mature enough to
 accept that I love her! And...she loves me." He had
 cast his eyes away, glaring at the ground as she had
 finnaly consented. "Alright, Hikou...but I cant shake
 this feeling..."

Of course, he had ignored his mother. When it came to
 Kouran, what did she know?

"Yes, Kouran?" He began to stroke her hair. 

"Are you sure about all this? I mean, I love you,
 but...it seems like we're rushing things."

"What do you mean?" 

She sat up to face him. " I dunno...we're just...I
 dunno..."

"Oh, youre just nervous..." He leaned over and kissed
 her on the cheek. "Dont worry, my paretns
 approve...the wedding will be beautiful! And all of
 our friends and family will be there, and then Ill be
 be abe to get that job Shijou promised me at his
 farm, and Ill support you, and we'll have beautiful
 children, and-"

"Stop!" She said, giggling. "Youre such a dreamer,
 Houjun!"

"I only dream of you, Kouran..." He knelt in to kiss
 her again-
and saw Hikou in the forest to the side. Why hadnt he
 said anything? "hey, Hikou! Hikou!"

Hikou didnt smile, just raised a hand in greeting and
 moved on.

"I wonder why he wont come over here..."

"I dont know, Houjun." But she looked a little
 nervous...

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"Masaku!" Chichiri slammed the back of his head into
 the ground to cease the onslaught of painful
 memories. Right now, he had to think about his
 future. "Ri Houjun is dead, and that how it will
 stay!" He sighed. "Right now, I have to think of the
 future..." his voice faltered. Was the future so
 safe, really? The truth of H-chans feelings, he would
 know when she woke up. But the reprecussion of those
 feelings he already knew.

He had been in love, once, and it had ended in an
 utter tragedy that had wiped away everything he cared
 dearly for. As much as he wanted to deny it, it was
 there, a nagging thought that whoever loved him was
 doomed as well...

He held H-chan tight. 'thank you...thank you for your
 kindness.' Why hadnt he been able to feel the emotion
 in her voice? That time he had yelled at her...why
 hadnt he beem able to feel her pain?

The answer to that question was pretty easy-he just
 didnt want to. Houjun was dead, long live Chichiri.
 Chichiri wore a mask, Chichiri was a mask. He
 listened, but didnt speak. Knew wiseness, but kept
 his true mind from veiw. Felt love...but didnt give
 it.

"Masaka..." He whispered. "H-chan, why are you doing
 this? You know I can never really love you in return,
 dont you? So why?"

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"Oh wow, where am I?" H-chan stood up, shakily. She
 seemed to be by a brook on a beautiful spring day. 

"So, youre the one whos interested in Chichiri?"

She turned around to see one of the most beautiful
 girls she had ever seen. Her long golden hair was up
 in buns, her blue eyes sparkled with kindness. She
 smiled at her. "My name is Kouran."

"Ah...Im H-chan." She bowed.

"So..." Kouran gestured around the scenery. "Would you
 care to walk with me?"

"Um, sure...why am I here, anyway?"

Kouran shrugged. "You fell asleep, and I needed to
 talk to you."

"Fell asleep..." H-chan murmured to herself. There
 seemed to be something almost deceptively simple
 about that. She fought to remember, but everything
 after her being gently pushed into her bedroom by
 Chichiri was static. She shook her head. Probaly
 wasnt important anyway...

"H-chan?"

"Gomen." The two began to walk by the flowing river.
 Kouran laughed, a sound like tinkling bells. "So, you
fell for Houjun?"

"Houjun? Oh, you mean Chichiri-san."

"Is that what he goes by theese days?"

H-chan stopped and studied the girl. She
 looked...serene. There just seemed to be absolutely
 no ulterior motive even possible in her innocen
t eyes. But still! That was what she had thought about
 Tomo...

Tomo! That name was important-

"H-chan? Have I startled you?"

She shook her head, mind wiped free of the nagging
 thought. "No, I was just wondering...how do you know
 Chichiri-san?"

Kouran grew a bit uncomfortable. "Were old friends."

"Were you in love with him?"

"Are you?" 

H-chan turned red. "Ano...I dont even know you..."

"Its okay. How could I talk to Houjun?" A pang of
 sadness entered her voice. She sat down by the edge
 of the creek."

H-chan sat by her. "Are you okay?" She tried to put
 her hand on Kouran's shoulder-

and her hand went right through to the ground.

"Aah!" H-chan withdrew her hand and jumped back.
 "Youre a ghost?"

"Well, yes,but I dont really like that term."

"You must be Chichiri-sans lost finacee." H-chan 
looked down to the ground. "You must be pretty mad at
 me."

"Actually, no." Kouran put a hand on H-chans shoulder.
 It felt like a particularly strong sunbeam. H-chan 
turned to look at the girl. Tears were dripping down
 her cheeks, but she was smiling.

"All-all I want-" she said, her voice shaking, "All I
 want is for my Houjun to be happy. I KNOW you can
 make him happy, H-chan."

H-chan tried to give Kouran a hug. Her body managed to
 gain an almost-solidness. Kouran sighed. "I can feel
 it in you...youre one of the ones who could comfort
 him, if he will let you. I can feel darkness inside
 of you, but its darkness taht can be cleaned
 away...by the light thats inside of you too."

"Hai." H-chan nodded. "Ill do anything to take care of
 Chichiri-san."

"I know, I know..."

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Chichiri held H-chan tight. This girl...this one had
 seen beyond his mask. Noone had done that in years.
 She tried hard to please him, was nothing but
 absolute devoiton to him...and he realized, in an
 instant, he was devoted to her too. She was Suzaku no
 Miko, the girl who he was fated to protect. But
 beyond that...she was H-chan.

It was time to wake her up. 

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"Its time for you to go back." 

"Okay." H-chan stood up. "Are you sure youre okay with
 this?"

Kouran nodded. "Yes. H-chan, please take care of him.
 I cant anymore. I threw our love away, and now all
 thats left for him is you. Please...dont throw him
 away like I did."

"I wont. And, Kouran?"

"What?" The small, confused miko started to dissapear. 

"You didnt throw it away...you didnt hurt it at all..."

The girl dissapeared, but her voice echoed:

"Because he still loves you."
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"H-chan?" 

H-chans eyes fluttered to see Chichiri (without a
 mask) staring down at her. She smiled. "Good Morning,
 Chichiri-san...the suns rising already..."


He looked up to the faint reddish glow in the sky. "So
 it is...Haruka..."

"Hai?"

"Was what you said last night...was it true?"

"Of course." 

"H-chan..."

"Hai?" 

"Do you know...do you know there was someone before
 you..."

"Yes, Ive met her."

Chichiris eye shot open. "What?"

"In my dream...she just wanted you to be happy...thats
 what she said..." the fuzziness dropped out of her
 eyes. The spell was gone.
 
"Chichiri-san?"

"Shh..." Chichiri shook his head. (Now is when I think
 of the future. Ri Houjun is dead...)

He leaned in and kissed her.

(But Chichiri was just reborn.)

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"YAAAAAWWWNNN-oi!" Tasuki stared in shock at the scene
 outside of his window. Then he smiled.

"Its about @#$!in' time."

END CHAPTER 11