Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ The Universe of the Four Gods ❯ The Return ( Chapter 1 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]
“The Universe of the Four Gods. It is the story about a girl who can make her dreams come true by reading the book and gaining Suzaku’s supreme powers as the Priestess of Suzaku. Though there can be only one Priestess of Suzaku, there can be more than one story. This is not the story of a girl who becomes the heroine of a magnificent tale, but it is the story of a girl who finds herself with the help of the Universe of the Four Gods. It is now, after Miaka Yuki has found out about the book of the Universe of the Four Gods, that our story begins.”





One day, Miaka Yuki walks towards the library with a frown upon her features. Her auburn hair is up in two identical buns upon her head as usual, and the afternoon sun sends a splash of color across her pale features, causing them to look youthful in a ruddy light. A light breeze ruffles her short bangs, but she doesn’t notice as she continues to stride towards the National Library. Dismal thoughts cloud her mind.

‘Something isn’t right in Konan…I can feel it.’ Miaka stops in front of the steps leading up to the library, placing a clenched fist to her chest. An unknown breeze plays with the hem of her skirt. ‘I knew I shouldn’t’ve taken that break! I’m the Priestess of Suzaku, after all! I can’t just run away and hide the moment there’s danger! Still, Hotohori and Tamahome were so persistent.’ Miaka’s gaze travels down to the ground before her. ‘And,’ she adds with a sheepish blush, ‘I was and am starving.’ As if to prove this point, her stomach growls. Miaka’s cheeks turn beet red with embarrassment.

“But that’s ok! I packed a lot of snacks this time, so I shouldn’t be as hungry!” she announces cheerfully to no one in particular, raising her clenched hand in the air in triumph. Chuckling at her folly, Miaka brushes away her embarrassment and skips the rest of the way up the steps. It wasn’t very responsible of her to leave her Suzaku warriors alone on the verge of war, but everyone needs a break sometime.

Pushing open the door of the library slowly, Miaka peers in. There weren’t many guests today, considering it was a Saturday. Sighing in relief, Miaka strides right on in and hurries up the stairs to the left of the entrance. For some reason she felt an urgency to get back to Konan. Back to…to Tamahome. A pleasant blush colors her cheeks at the thought of her beloved warrior. ‘Tamahome…’

Day dreaming as she is, Miaka doesn’t notice the closed door in front of her and walks right into it with a ‘thunk’. Stumbling backwards with a dazed look, Miaka falls backwards clumsily, landing on the ground with an ‘oof’. Blinking blankly at the door, Miaka rubs her backside a moment.

Leaping to her feet, Miaka steps towards the door, one hand tapping her chin as she peers at it inquisitively. “Who put that there…” she ponders sheepishly, scratching her head with a nervous giggle. ‘This isn’t the time, Miaka,’ she reprimands herself sharply, placing her arms back at her sides. A determined look crosses her features. ‘I’ve got to get back to them! To Tamahome and Hotohori, Nuriko and Tasuke. Even Chiriko, Mitsukake, and Chichiri. Something is going to happen there, if it hasn’t already. I can just…feel it!”

With a strong new resolve, Miaka fixes the backpack on her shoulders before striding into the reference room of the library. By now she new the exact location of the book of the Universe of the Four Gods. Feeling excited as she hurries down the small hall in the room, Miaka grins and hurries her pace. Why did she feel so giddy? No matter. Soon she would be back with Tamahome! And Yui, of course. A sad frown crosses Miaka’s features as she thinks of her long time friend.

‘Yui…I’ll get you back, somehow…’ she thinks to herself as she absently reaches up for the Universe of the Four Gods. Her hand gasps empty air. Eyes widening, Miaka makes a startled noise and glances up from the wooden stool she was standing on. With a gasp, Miaka realizes the book isn’t where it usually is. There was a large gap in the rows of books where the Universe of the Four Gods was supposed to be.

“Hey?!? Where is it!?!” Miaka cries, stumbling off the stool and letting her backpack fall to the floor. Only one thing was in her head now: find the book of the Four Gods. She trots right by the bundle of clothing wadded up on the floor near the stool.

“Could someone have taken it?” she cries in dismay, glancing around with a hand held near her chin in fright. ‘Oh no! Without the book, I won’t be able to get back to them. I’ve just gotta find it!” Hoping she’d just looked in the wrong place for the book, Miaka turns about and prepares to dash back to the book cabinet. Just then, her foot catches on something and she pitches forward. Squealing, Miaka waves about her arms futilely before crashing to the ground.

Grunting, Miaka lifts herself up onto her elbows, wincing. “Ow! I gotta learn not to be so clumsy.” She sighs, glancing over her shoulder to glare at the object that she’d tripped over. Miaka gasps in delight, as the sight of the Universe of the Four Gods meets her gaze. “There you are!” she says cheerfully, sitting on her knees and reaching down for the book. A clump of clothes had hidden it from her view. Frowning, Miaka brushes them away, looking a bit disgusted as she picks up the book by pinching the binding between her thumb and index finger.

“Gross! Who would change in a library?” A thought dawns on Miaka. Shoulders crawling, Miaka clutches the book close to her chest with a look of startled surprise. “If there are any naked civilians wandering around in the Reference Room, please come out now!” She bellows, eyes squeezed shut. Nothing happens. Peeking one eye open, Miaka sighs before glancing quickly around. Nothing!

“Phew,” she mutters, rising to her feet with the book in her arms. Peering down at the clothes, Miaka frowns. ‘That’s odd…maybe an employee was late for a dinner date and had to change here!’ The image crosses Miaka’s mind. She nods solemnly, eyes closed. “It was for a worthy cause.” She says it like an omen.

“Well! No time to worry about that now!” she says to herself as she picks up her discarded backpack. “I’ve gotta get back there! They must be so worried about me.” Grinning at the thought of her friends, Miaka holds the book to her chest and closes her eyes, envisioning the empire of Konan as well as her Suzaku Warriors. Before a dazzling red light robbed her of her vision and senses, Miaka envisioned her beloved Tamahome.