Disclaimer: Fushigi Yuugi is the copyright of Yuu Watase. The Prince and The Pauper goes to its original author and Disney. ^^;;
A/N: I am writing this at 4 am. 4 BLOODY AM, GOT IT??!!! So NO complaints about typos of any sort. *red-eyed glare*
Kagura: You know, you reaaaaaally should get some sleep.
*clears throat* Anyway, I have decided to make a Fushigi Yuugi version of "The Prince and the Pauper, using 2 identical people from FY as the main characters.
Nuriko and Houki: *step up on stage*
Nope, sorry. You two are in another upcoming fic. *nods*
Nuriko and Houki: Awwwwwwwww. ^_~.
So. Due to the fact that I think there're too many Suzaku-ish fics nowadays, I will use the Seiryuu twins. *waves Mighty Spear of Doom and Boshi twins appear*
Amiboshi: *blinkblink*
Suboshi: You're not gonna be one of those crazy authors, are you? *glare*
No, of course not. Humor isn't my strong point. This will be a serious fic.
Suboshi: Do I get to be with Yui-sama?
Hmm…we'll see. ^_^ If you behave, I'll do my best to accommodate ya.
The Prince and The Pauper
Chapter 1: Two Worlds Apart
Long ago, there was a great kingdom that lay by the sea. The kingdom of Kutou, as it was called, had been experiencing dire problems as of late. The King, a kind, wise and compassionate man named Tamahome, had taken ill with a mysterious disease, and thus had lost contact with the realm outside the castle walls of stone. The Shogun Nakago, a ruthless, cruel and power-hungry beast, took advantage of this unfortunate situation. He confiscated from the poor and needy what little they had to add to his own riches, though times were hard due to the famine that had swept across the realm. Worst of all, he committed his atrocities in the name of the King.
It is on one day during such times that our story begins…
~*~
"Come one, come all! Get your top quality firewood here! Keep those hearths burning!!" Suboshi called out to the passersby. Much to his disappointment, nobody stopped. He continued his yells for a few more moments before sighing and leaning against the castle wall where his little stall was located.
"This is hopeless," he grumbled, folding his arms. "No one wants to buy firewood when there's nothing to cook. No chicken to roast, no soup to boil, no flour to bake…"
His stomach growled, complaining to its master about the lack of food the past few days. The youth groaned and sat on the dirt floor, trying not to think about food. He absent-mindedly rested his face in his hand, gazing at the cloudless blue sky. He could feel the bones jutting out of his face like a scarecrow. He pulled his ragged clothes tighter around him, trying to defend himself from the chilly wind. Winter was coming, and with it, even less food. Brushing unruly golden-brown bangs out of his eyes, he rested his aching arms and legs.
I wonder if I can even survive the winter. At this rate, the three of us'll be little more than corpses in the street. Stupid bloody famine. Why couldn't you have gone after some other kingdom, like Hokkan or Sairo?
Suboshi was one of the numerous hungry and homeless people in the city of Kutou. They had fared the worst during the famine, for they were deprived to begin with. Many had resorted to thievery and begging. Suboshi, however, always felt that he could never sink that low. He would rather work for his food than risk getting caught by the Shogun's soldiers.
He shuddered. A week ago, as he had been heading for the hideout he shared with his friends, he had seen the Shogun himself, a contemptuous smirk on his face, as he easily gripped a petty thief by the neck, strangling him. Miboshi had been a sneaky character, and Suboshi always made sure that he stayed clear of him. Nakago had spotted him trying to pick his pocket, and Suboshi knew that the thief was in very big trouble.
He had turned away and ignored the screams of pain and the sound of cracking bones as Nakago punished him 'in the name of King Tamahome'.
Miboshi had never been seen again. Presumably taken to the dungeon.
"These scum have to be taught their place in society," the blond Shogun had announced out loud for the people to hear. "Remember, my word is that of the King's. Any who oppose that word shall be dealt with accordingly."
Suboshi gritted his teeth. How he wished that he could just take that annoying smirk and shove it up that damned bastard's—
"Hey! Suboshi!"
"Huh?" he immediately jumped up. The girl in front of him folded her arms and frowned.
"You know, we're not exactly gonna fill our stomachs if we daydream all the time," Soi rebuked him lightly. Suboshi sighed and looked at his auburn-haired friend.
"What else can I do? Business is as slow as sludge, and it doesn't make a difference whether I work or not," he mumbled. Soi glared at him.
"Well, instead of just sitting there, you could at least give Tomo and I a hand. We're not having much luck either with our performance, especially since there's no music."
"And what would you have me do, sing? If I recall correctly, a certain someone said that my voice was 'nasally'," he replied with an overly innocent tone in his voice.
"Don't give me that crap, Suboshi-chan. You know what I'm talking about." The girl pointed at the reed poking out of Suboshi's rags. He pulled it out and raised an eyebrow.
"You sure about this? I don't know a great deal of tunes, you know."
"That's what you say every day, and I think you've proven yourself wrong more than a million times. Just get up, pack your firewood and hustle. We'll be at the usual spot." With that, Soi turned away and walked off. Suboshi pocketed the reed, picked up his bundle of wood and headed for the hideout.
Fifteen minutes later, he was in the town square with his two friends, gripping the reed.
And then he began to play.
The tune was cheerful, happy, speaking of warmth and security and comfort. The music wrapped itself around the listener's heart, awakening a sense of delight uncommon during these darks days. The dancers served to accompany the melody with their graceful movements, and it attracted the attention of bystanders. They watched, enraptured, and they listened as the music slowly intensified. Some tossed a few coins into the hat set on the floor for that purpose.
Occasionally, there were fumbles in the music as fingers clumsily slipped along the reed, but they were immediately rectified. The tune changed from time to time. It told of sadness; it sang of joy; it trilled with desperation; it warbled with languor. Gently calming, gradually encouraging, heightening spirits and restoring vitality. Like the rhythmic thump of the mother's heart as she cradles her child, like the sunrise on a new morning, like the welcome warmth of the fire at the end of the day, like the first drops of water as it begins to rain.
In between harsh trials, let the quiet town
Fall into a fleeting rest.
To you who dreams under distant stars
I send a sweet melody with a prayer.
The song of the heart carried across the town square, floating on the wind, subconsciously soothing tired bodies and souls. It traveled beyond stone walls, to the rooftops of the castle, where a young man lay on his back and listened.
And as he listened, Prince Koutoku took out a reed and played.
Come here; I embrace your sadness for you
Until your sorrow you do forget.
~*~
"Koutoku-sama! Where are you?!"
The Royal Tutor, Chiriko, sighed in frustration. The prince was skipping his lessons yet again! The diminutive man rubbed his temples and thought for a while, ignoring the pounding headache. Where could His Highness have gone?
"Having problems, Chiriko-san?" a rich bass voice asked with amusement. Chiriko turned and noticed the man standing in the shadows of the great corridor.
"The same, Hotohori-sama. Forgive me for speaking freely, but your younger cousin seems to be rather reluctant to study."
Hotohori smiled and resisted the urge to chuckle at the tutor's annoyance. A handsome youth of nineteen, Hotohori was well known for his beauty, compassion and kindness. Many princesses had vied for the chance to be his wife, but he had refused them all. His advisors were dissatisfied with his behavior, but they acknowledged that Hotohori was wise, and knew what he was doing.
He tucked a few stray strands of sepia hair behind his ear and glanced at the tutor, who was looking at him expectantly. Hotohori sighed.
"Indeed, I will search for him. It won't do for the future ruler to lack an education, especially with Uncle Tamahome's condition." He turned, his cloak billowing behind him, and strode down the halls of Kutou Castle. The servants in the hallways bowed in respect when they noticed his resplendent scarlet tunic, a symbol of his title as reigning Lord Prince of Konan, a neighboring kingdom in the south.
Unknown to him, a particular violet-haired servant was watching him from behind a pillar as he walked past. She didn't say a word, content to gaze at his gentle features. As far as he was concerned, she was just another admirer, appreciating his looks.
Nuriko sighed, wishing that she were a princess, able to win Hotohori-sama's heart.
~*~
Hotohori found Koutoku on the roof of the north tower after some searching. Climbing up with ease, he sat beside the future King, who was lost in his thoughts. His slender fingers held a reed flute, and he twirled it idly, not paying attention to his cousin. The boy of fifteen gazed blankly at the gray walls surrounding the castle. Hotohori merely remained silent, until the calm was broken by a voice.
"Chiriko sent you, didn't he." It was a statement, not a question. Hotohori nodded, and Koutoku sighed. The silence reigned again.
"It's oppressive and stuffy in the castle. I like coming here; it's peaceful. It's the only place where you can glimpse the town." He gestured with his hands, indicating the tiled roofs of the townspeople, seemingly glowing in the light of the setting sun. "I envy you, you know. You have the freedom to venture outside your domain. Here, it seems as though they think that I'll be assassinated the moment I step outside these walls."
Hotohori said nothing.
"I wonder what it would be like, to live as a commoner. No restrictions, no one bowing to you like you're a god, no need to study dreary books…" Koutoku sighed again, and Hotohori turned to look at him.
"I have often thought about it myself. But then again, dreams are only that; dreams. Reality demands that we attend to our duties, as rulers of our realms. We have a responsibility to fulfill."
"But I don't WANT that responsibility!" Koutoku snapped uncharacteristically. "Ever since Father was ill, it's been nothing but responsibility, duty and obligation to the kingdom! I want my life to be my own, and not have the fate of Kutou hang upon my every decision!"
He realized what he had just done, and was immediately contrite. "I'm sorry I yelled. It's just that…I wish I hadn't been born a prince. I wish that Father had never fallen ill."
Hotohori understood all too well how his cousin felt.
The melody of a flute drifted through the air, and Koutoku smiled as he heard it.
"Listen to that, Hotohori. The sound of freedom, of a life without bonds. I hear the music each day, calling to me; so often, in fact, that I know it by heart. It brings a measure of comfort to me, and a taste of what could be beyond this life. I cherish it, knowing that things such as these are rare."
"Things? What do you mean?"
"Things that make me happy. That make me smile. Such things are, as I said, scarce, these dark days."
And as Hotohori leaned back on the roof, careless of his immaculate clothes, Koutoku lifted the flute to his lips and played.
The two tunes intertwined with one another, reaching across to form a bridge across all barriers, joining two worlds far apart.
Much to Chiriko's consternation, the lessons were cancelled that day.
-to be continued…
A/N: Whoo! That was long. There isn't much in this chapter, but it's just to set the mood of the story, and the general idea of what's going on. This story will not be following the original Disney version. There will be extra characters, plot branches, a bit of violence and some romance.
On the personality of the characters: They may seem rather out of character to you, but my reason is this. Since the cast was not brought up in the exact same conditions as the original Fushigi Yuugi, there are bound to be a few differences in their behavior. You will find Suboshi less rash, Koutoku more outgoing, Soi and Tomo not-so evil, etc. Nakago, however, is still a bastard. ^_^
Suboshi: Actually, the REAL reason is because Sagara's a lousy author.
*punches Suboshi into wall* Ahem. As always, constructive reviews are greatly appreciated.
And oh, the lyric I used up there *points* for the song is a modified version of Amiboshi's song, 'Nocturne'.
