From: Night Mare Reply-To: fyfanfiction@egroups.com To: fyfanfiction@egroups.com Save Address Subject: [fyfanfiction] Chance Encounters Date: Sun, 11 Jun 2000 09:59:53 -0700 (PDT) --A very minor spoiler...I think. It's a past spoiler...but if I told you who that wouldn't be any fun...now would it?-- Chance Encounters He looked over his family one last time and sighed. His siblings were gathered at the door, peering out at him, and his mother stood amongst them. ' Good bye mother,' he said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. ' Do you have to leave?' the youngest female asked, looking at him solemly with big brown eyes. ' Hai. Mother can't take care of all of you and me too. I'll be back from time to time.' ' Don't forget to say goodbye to you're pet, Mi,' his mother said. ' I wish I could take her with me,' Mi said softly. He went up to the young animal and nuzzled her head. Then he took one last look at his family and walked away. It was so strange. Starting out in this big wide world. Him, one male, all by himself. He lifted his head a little higher. Yes, male, adult now. He could take on the world. An excitement was buried deep in his chest, like something was going to happen soon. He didn't know where he was going, it was like something was pulling him...pulling him toward the moutains. Where if that was where he was being pulled, that's were he must go. He set off with fresh feet and a happy heart. A day passed and a night and when Mi woke up he found his feet were no longer fresh and his heart wasn't so happy. He had never walked so far in his life. He pulled himself up, muscles aching and went to search for some breakfast. He hadn't reached a town yet and the only thing surrounding him was a forest, a bountiful forest. He was a bit rusty in the hunting department, but he knew what to do. He would probably catch at least rabbit. Maybe deer if he was lucky. Mi ended up moths and butterflies. It was just that he was so sore, he reasoned with himself. Tomorrow will be better. He stopped to get a quick drink from a pond and set off again. The mountains loomed in his vision. Tall, thickly forested and more then a little intimidating to one so small as himself. He wondered why he was being called there, all he knew it was the gods will. Gods were tricky beings and it was best, Mi decided, to obey them. They knew what they were doing, at least he hoped they did. Perhaps it was something to do with the legend. He had heard about it many times growing up. Overhearing conversations and the like. His mother had been unconcerned when he'd told her. She'd said it hadn't really applied to them. Mi couldn't accept that, he knew he wasn't a shichi seishi, that was a fact, but there seemed to be another way he was involved. He just wasn't sure. He walked until the night was beginning to fall fast around him. He curled up under a large tree and fell asleep. The night passed, dreamless and dark. The next morning he felt energized. After another meal of bugs, he walked with renewed vigor. He was approaching a village. It was big, at least to him, but then he came from a farm well away from the village. There had to be some good food here. No one paied much attention to him as he entered. Just went about doing whatever they had to do. Mi found himself overwhelmed at all the people. There were so many! But where people were, so were free meals. All one needed was a quick mind, and faster feet. A delicious smell drifted from somewhere. Mi followed it, eyes closed, nose twitching. Whatever it was, it wasn't moths. It was...fish! He approached the vendor. ' Um...excuse me,' he said. " Go away pest. I know you got any money to buy! So just shoo." Ok. Asking nicely didn't help. Time to put on the 'pity me' face. Mi cocked his head to the side and blinked up at the man forlornly. " I said shoo! Go on!" the vendor said, flapping his big hands. Mi sighed, on to plan B. He disappeared in the crowd, keeping an eye on the fish. He twisted his way trough the people and circled back. This would take stealth..., He crept up to the stand carefully, eyes darting to the vendor and back. He slowly grabbed one of the fish. " Hey!" the man scowled. ...And speed! Mi dashed away from the yelling vendor, holding his prize firmly. People stopped to laugh at him and at the man chasing him. Mi ignored them and pressed on. He skid into an alley and hid behind a pile of broken crates. The vendor passed him, yelling curses to the wind. Mi chuckled to himself and proudly stepped out behind the crates with his dinner. A large male sauntered into veiw and the entrance to the alley. ' Well well well. It looks like we have a country boy fella's.' Mi gulped, he didn't like the sound of this. Other males joined the first one. All were ragged, and thickly muscled, most had scars. The leader had only half an ear and a long scar going across the bridge of his nose. ' Where ya from?' the leader asked. Mi put down his fish. ' A few days walk out at the edge of the forest.' ' You've been walkin' for a while huh? You must be tired.' ' To tired maybe...to eat that fish?' a second male offered. Mi could see where this was going. Well he was not going to be bullied. ' No, I'm not to tired to eat this.' ' I think he's too tired. What do you think?' the leader asked the second. ' I think so too. What about you guys?' The others gave their agreement. ' This is my fish!' Mi hissed. Getting into a defensive posture. The leader watched him arrogantly. ' He doesn't seem tired,' the leader said. ' That, can be arranged.' ' Hai, it can.' In a blur of black, the leader charged Mi. The smaller male found himself under pounds of muscle, trying to get at his face and stomach. Mi tried to kick him off but the leader wouldn't budge. Tiny knives slashed across his face as the leader thwacked him. Mi yowled in anger and pain and tried to squirm away. ' Are you tired now country kitten?' the leader asked. Mi gathered up all his strength and struck out at the leader. The leader growled furiously. ' You're dead!' he hissed. " Hey! What's going on here?!" a voice cried. The leader took one more swat at him, and Mi remembered no more. It was so warm, he was laying next to a fire, the heat bathing his skin. He stretched languidly and winced at the pain that action caused. Where...where was he? He opened his eyes and looked around. A girl was sitting in a chair next to his bed. She was stitching something. Her dark brownish/blond hair fell over her shoulders and caught the glow of the firelight. He watched her with half closed eyes. She turned to him and gasped. " Oh! You're awake. That's good. Those herbs really worked then. Those street ones can be such bullys!" Mi carefully tried to sit up, it ached a little, but nothing he couldn't deal with. ' Thank you,' he told her. She smiled and stuck the needle in the cloth. " You have to leave soon," she said, a frown creasing her face, " Mama says you can stay only until you get better, but while you're here I brought you some dinner." She smiled cheerfully and handed him some milk and fish. He ate happily while she watched over him, talking about things that he didn't understand. He listened anyway. When he was done he stared at her gratefully. ' That was good, again, thank you.' " What's you're name?" she asked. He was about to speak it when she shook her head, " No, it won't matter will it? Mama won't let you stay. Child, she says, this is the last one. No more, she says." She smiled. " I can tell you my name though. I'm Shoka." She held out her hand. Mi looked at it, confused for a second, then gave it a little nuzzle. Shoka laughed. " You're a sweet one, aren't you?" " Shoka!" came a voice from another part of the house, " Shoka, stop talking to that pest and come and help you're Papa." " What's he done this time?" " He's gotten himself a broken arm again." " Coming Mama." " And put the pest outside." " He has a name Mama." " I don't care. Put him out!" " Sorry, you have to go," Shoka said. She ushered him outside. He stared back at her one silent moment as she stood at the doorway. The light fell out of the house and all he could see of her was a dark shape. " Maybe we'll meet again, ne?" " Shoka!" " Hai Mama! I'm coming!" The door shut, blocking Mi out. He stared at the door once more, then turned towards the mountains. He would be back one day. Just to see her again. She was a beautiful woman, her voice was gentle and her hands were soft. Also she could make a pretty decent meal. Mi didn't like the mountains. They were dark and cold. Shadows lurked behind every tree's and the frost bitten ground numbed his feet. The sky was clear, what he could see of it, and the moon was big and, it seemed, colder as it gazed down at him. A feeling of loneliness pulled at his heart. He wanted to cry for his Mother, but she wouldn't come. He could go back to Shoka's house, but he wasn't welcome there. Besides, he doubted he could find it again now. The urgency still tugged, deep within his chest, and he felt he was getting closer. The feeling pulled his legs foreward, faster and faster until he was bounding through the thick forest. His breath rasped in his lungs as he ran and his heart beat furiously in his chest, but yet he did not stop, he couldn't stop. Not until.... A fire suddenly popped up into his line of vision. Seeing no way to stop in time he jumped. He sailed through the air and landed against something with a breath taking thud. The something yelped in surprise. Mi scrambled back, sat on his haunches, and stared at the something. It was an animal, a boy animal, he looked a little frightened. He had a white coat but was still shivering in the cold wind. This was the one, that he was supposed to find. He knew it, his heart told him so. This was to be...his pet. His companion. Now what to call him. The pet reached out tentatively and stroked his head. " Where did you come from?" the pet murmured. Mi purred and rubbed up against the pet's hand. " Come to keep me company have you? What's you're name?" 'Mi.' The pet smiled. " I'm sorry, I don't understand meow very well." Mi sweat dropped, if only he'd learned to speak human as well as understand it! " What about...Rei." " Mrow!" Mi said in human. Rei was a female name! Mi's human pet laughed. " Oh I see, yes, you are male aren't you? Mayurishodo then? He was a great healer, known well throughout this region. Although...he wasn't a very kind man. Taishri? He was a gentle hermit that lived...near my village. He's gone now. His medicenes were always so ancient though and never worked." Mi cocked his head. The human sounded sad when he mentioned his village. He rubbed up against his pets hand again and purred louder, hoping that would comfort him. " What about Tama, gentle healer. What do you think about that?" That wasn't his name...but...with pet's one had to make sacrifices. Tama jumped into his pets lap and curled up into a ball. " Tama-neko," the man said softly. The fire started to die and the wind came through Tama's fur. The human pet reached over and fed the fire with some wood so it was bright and warm again. Yes, for all thier failings, humans were useful at times. They stared into the fire, united, cat and pet. Everything was right with the world. The fire was dying again soon, but the human was asleep. Tama yawned and nosed open the folds of his pets white coat. He climbed in and snuggled close to the warm body, and slept. Strong fingers grabbed the back of his neck and jerked Tama out of his warm bed. Morning sun light hurt Tama's eyes. His pet was holding him up by the scruff of his neck. It was a long way down. He stared into his pet's blue eyes and meowed pitifully. " Oh. I forgot about you. I thought you were a racoon." Tama sweat dropped. A racoon...how complementory. The human set him down and Tama stared up at his new companion. He seemed about sixteen human years, jet black hair tied neatly behind him, with a few tendrils falling in his face. He was tall! More then one cat leap anyway and Tama's sixth sense told him the human was still growing. The tall one would be his name, Tama decided. Not a very origional one...but Tama wasn't much on origionality. " Meow," Tama said. The human picked him up. The cat smiled to himself, who said humans were hard to train? He squirmed out of the man's grip and climbed back inside the man's coat. He adjusted himself, then poked his head out in order to see. The boy began to descend into the valley. " I'm glad you're still with me," the boy said, " There was a flood, because the dam broke and my family...." he trailed off and Tama meowed comfortingly. " I guess you're my family now." Yes, he was, he realized that now. His old family was still his family, but this pet needed him more. They came into the village in the valley. A scent blew on the wind. Tama sniffed. It was a scent too delicate for humans to understand. The scent of impending death. It was coming from a familiar house. Shoka's house! Tama lept from his pets coat and bounded to the door. He scratched at it frantically. Big hands came around him and lifted him up. " Tama, what are you doing? Is this where you live?" the tall one asked. Before the cat could answer, the door swung open and Shoka stood there. Her face was stained with tears. She looked at Tama and gave a wavery smile. " Is he yours?" she asked the tall one. " H...Hai, I believe he is." " Are you a doctor?" Shoka asked hopefully. " I know how to make medicenes..." " Oh, please help us. My father broke his arm and a fever set in. The doctors here say there's no hope.... Please help." " I'll do what I can." Tama's sixth sense kicked in as they entered the sick man's room. Something was going to happen here. The tall one set Tama on the bed and looked over the man. After a minute he shook his head. " Sorry, I can't help him." Shoka burst into fresh tears. " Sorry," the tall one whispered again. What? That wasn't right! The tall one *could* help! Tama *knew* he could. He jumped up and down trying to get the tall one's attention. Then he imitated the tall one putting a hand over the sick man and held up a sign saying 'Healing Forces!', then he imitated the sick man jumping up held up a sign saying 'I'm cured!', then he imitated Shoka putting a hand to her heart and held up a sign saying ' How can I ever thank you?!'. The tall one sweat dropped. " Come Tama, we should leave." Tama face faulted. There had to be a way to make him understand. Tama reached out and nipped the tall one's left hand. " Tama!" he said. What had gotten into that cat? He lifted his hand where the cat had bit him. Two tiny indentions were there, but no blood. He continued to stare at it. Absorbed in thought. The man was dying and there was nothing he could do. So why did there seem like there was something he could do? He would find a way to cure this man! He refused to let him die. He held his hand out over the man and said the first words that came to his mind: " Healing Forces!" Energy tingled down his arm and into the palm of his hand. He closed his eyes. The fever! He could see the fever! Not in the normal sense, but he knew it was there. He concentrated on pulling it out of the man. The fever was like a thick green snake, wrapped around the man's arm and traveling into his brain. It slowly began to become unraveled. It came down from the brain and as it left the mans arm, the bones mended themselves. The fever was gone. He closed his hand and opened his eyes. The mans eyes fluttered open. Then the man laughed and proceeded to wave his arms up and down. " I'm cured!" The girl put a hand to her heart and smiled gratefully up at him. " How can I ever thank you?!" He smiled, then fell from exhausiton. Something cool was being pressed to his forehead. He opened his eyes. His head was pounding. His heart stopped at what he saw. Beautiful dark brown eyes, a pretty pale face, still streaked with tears, and masses of dark gold hair spilling down her shoulders. He was stricken dumb. The girl...no...woman smiled. " You're awake. Thank you for helping my father." He was silent. He knew he was staring. He couldn't help it. How could he talk to her? What could he say that wouldn't sound stupid? His mind was a blank. He felt a pressure on his chest and saw Tama sitting there, staring at him. " What's you're name?" the woman asked, " I'm called Shoka." He gulped and foucused on Tama, if he looked at her he would lose his nerve. " M...Myojuan." " Are you telling that to me or the cat?" Shoka asked, but there was laughter in her voice. Myojuan got up courage to look at her. " You," he whispered. Her smile faded as thier eyes met. Something sparked in his chest, scaring him a little. It was a feeling, so warm...so gentle. She turned her eyes away and he did to. His heart pounding now. What...was that? Shoka took his left hand and traced an invisible pattern there. " After you fainted...I saw something there. A symbol...a red symbol. Are you a Suzaku shichi seishi?" Myojuan sat up. " Does it matter?" " N...no." Thier eyes met again. Almost without thinking he leaned forward. Tama stretched. Was he good or what? He watched the two humans kissing. Such an effective form of communication that was. It almost made him wish he had lips. Oh well. All in a days work. Tama curled himself up in front of the fire and took a well needed, and much deserved, cat nap. --- Disclaimer: Don't own 'em and I ain't making any money. I think mebbe I messed up some on Shoka's eye color and I heard somewhere that Mitsukake's family was killed the same way Chichiri's was...but I dunno if that's true or not.