Many years into the future, a girl is born with unimaginable powers. Unknown to anyone, the Universe of the Four Gods is about to erupt into turmoil. War will tear the countries apart, unless certain people can bring the gods Suzaku, Seiryuu, Byakko, and Genbu back to the world. The only ones who can do this are the shichiseishi, long dead warriors of the Four Gods. The only one who can bring them back is the girl. And the book has vanished...
"I can do this," Makiko Yuuki muttered, chewing on the end of her pencil. "C'mon, Maki, think."
"Talking to yourself, Maki?" Masayoshi Yuuki, her twin brother, laughed.
"No, talking to this stupid test," Makiko replied.
"Miss Yuuki! Mr. Yuuki! Do you two want to hand in your papers now?" their teacher snapped.
"No, sir," Makiko and Masayoshi mumbled in unison.
Makiko turned back to her test and tried to figure out the mathematics questions. Sighing in frustration, she glanced up and over towards the door. A movement in the hallway caught her attention; she leaned forward to see better. A handsome young man with flame-red hair and green eyes looked at her and winked cheekily, smirking. He mouthed her name, then vanished. Makiko, startled, fell out of her chair, knocking it to the ground. There was muffled laughter as the teacher stared at her.
"Miss Yuuki, is there a problem?"
"There was a young man outside, sir, and he disappeared!" Makiko stammered, standing up and blushing.
"People do not just disappear, Miss Yuuki," the teacher replied acidly. "There is no one allowed outside the classrooms until testing is over. Perhaps you have been studying too hard."
"But, sir, he really was there! He had really bright red hair and green eyes and-"
"Miss Yuuki, I think you should go home for the day," the teacher said impatiently. "You are excused from classes. Go home and get some sleep."
"Yes, sir," Makiko whispered, picking up her books. Masayoshi smiled at her sympathetically. She sighed and left the classroom, wandering slowly down the hallway and out the front doors.
"I know I saw him," she mumbled, trudging down the sidewalk. "I'm not crazy or tired."
"No doubt you did see him," a cheerful voice interrupted her musings.
Makiko jumped and spun around. A small youth stood behind her, grinning. He looked to be about 13, three years younger than Makiko. His light brown hair stuck up, and his brown eyes were warm.
"W-who are you?" Makiko stammered.
"My name's Chiriko. Well, actually, I'm not really alive; I'm just a spirit sent to guide you." He looked confused for a minute. "I'm not sure why I've been sent, though. I really should know this. I'll have to study some more..." Trailing off, he turned around and walked off, fading away.
Makiko stared after him with her mouth open, then shook her head and ran to her apartment. Letting herself in, she tossed her books on the table and walked into the kitchen to get a drink. As she was turning to sit at the table, she saw a young man sitting there, watching her. With a muffled gasp, she dropped the glass she was holding. It smashed, sending a flying piece of glass across her ankle.
She winced, crouching to look at the cut, momentarily forgetting the visitor. It was a nasty gash, with a small piece of glass embedded. She limped over to the sink and pulled a towel off the stove, wrapping it around her ankle. She looked back at the young man, to see him watching her in concern.
"I'm sorry," he said sincerely, his hazel eyes meeting her green. "I didn't mean to startle you."
"I'm okay," Makiko replied, sitting down at the table and lifting her leg onto the surface. She unwrapped the towel from her ankle and inspected the glass shard.
"Please, allow me," the young man said, leaning forward. He gripped her ankle in one warm hand and took hold of the glass. Makiko was relieved to feel his solidity. "This is probably going to hurt," he warned, then pulled the glass out. Makiko gritted her teeth and re-wrapped the towel around her ankle.
"You are strong," he noted. "That is good." He faded away before Makiko could answer.
"Reikai," Makiko muttered. "I think I'm going to bed."
She stood up and walked slowly to a nearby drawer, rummaging through it until she found a large bandage. She carefully wrapped it around her ankle, threw the bloody towel in the wash and headed to her room.
Once there, she changed quickly into her night clothes and climbed into bed, turning out the bedside table lamp. Her exhaustion from studying up until all hours of the night caught up with her, and she drifted into a deep sleep.
Blinking, Makiko looked around her in confusion. She glanced quickly down at herself, somewhat comforted to see her familiar night clothes in the strange surroundings. Taking a second look around, she squinted up in the direction of a misty building. The ground under her bare feet was rocky and strewn with pebbles, but she didn't feel any discomfort. Everything was in subtly changing shades of grey, white and black-everything except she herself.
Makiko looked down and immediately regretted it; she was standing on a tiny ledge over a long drop. Taking a deep breath, Makiko stepped forward slightly. To her relief, the ledge held; she grabbed the edge of another ledge above her and pulled herself up. The building became slightly clearer, but a mist seemed to hang around her, catching in her long reddish-brown hair. A breeze played around her, tugging playfully at her clothes. It brought with it the faint sound of a flute.
The wind increased, pushing at Makiko's back until she was forced to take a step in the direction of the building. Uncertainly, she took another step towards it and the wind ceased suddenly.
"Okay, I can do this," she said to herself, jumping at the loudness of her voice in the still air.
She squared her shoulders and walked quickly towards the building, squinting to see if it would become clearer. Suddenly, a pair of doors loomed in front of her. Makiko stopped dead, just short of walking straight into the doors, grumbled under her breath and pulled the doors open. They led to a dimly lit hallway; she shrugged and walked down it. The doors closed themselves silently behind her.
Makiko glanced at the walls of the hallway, but the light was too dim for her to see anything. After a few minutes of walking, the hallway led to a large room with a dais at one end. A figure draped in shadow slouched in the single chair on it, not moving. Makiko stepped forward nervously, opening her mouth to call.
"Not a word, girl." The voice was faint and Makiko couldn't tell if it was male or female. "My name is Taiitsu-kun. I am the Creator of this world,"-the figure waved a shadowy arm-"that you are in now. Do not be alarmed; you are not dreaming, despite what your mind tells you. Look to your heart, and listen closely. I can't keep you here much longer. You are Makiko Yuuki, descendant of Miaka Yuuki, the Suzaku no Miko. You need to bring back the shichiseishi. But first, you must find the book..." Taiitsu-kun's voice grew louder. "Find the book titled "The Universe of the Four gods"! Only then will you be able to save this world..."
The room began to fade, blurring into grey nothingness. Taiitsu-kun wavered, then dissolved into smoke. Things began to spin, making Makiko feel dizzy. She closed her eyes, fighting to keep her stomach down, and clenched her fists. Something shook her, calling out her name in a fuzzy voice. She opened her eyes with a start.
Masayoshi stood over her, green eyes worried. His jaw-length, dyed blue hair fell over his face as he shook her again. Makiko pushed him roughly away.
"Quit shaking me, Masa, I'm fine," she snapped.
Masayoshi snorted rudely and stepped back. "You were sleeping like the dead," he informed her cheerfully.
"So nice of you to care," Makiko replied, smiling sweetly. Masa stuck his tongue out at her and left the room. His voice drifted back.
"Mom's gonna be home soon. Get your butt outta bed!"
Yawning, Makiko got out of bed and pulled the covers up halfway. Feeling too lazy to make the bed properly, she quickly changed into black jeans and a white halter-top, then wandered into the kitchen. She sniffed the air and made a face.
"Something reeks in here," she complained, holding her nose.
"Must be you," Masa said, drinking a glass of milk.
"No, I think it's that cheap cologne you wear," Makiko retorted. "All my friends say they can smell you coming a mile away. 'That Masa Yuuki, his cologne is so strong.' Don't believe me? Ask them yourself." She stuck her tongue out at him.
Masa set the glass slowly down, then jumped at her. Makiko laughed and ducked under his outstretched arms, staying just out of his way. He grinned at her and crossed his eyes. Makiko giggled, jumping back as Masa leaped at her again. She ran through the house, laughing, as he chased her and finally tackled her in the living room.
"Get off me, you oaf! What have you been eating lately anyway?" Makiko yelled.
"Cafeteria food," Masa replied, pinning her arms behind her back. "Now, what was that about my cologne?"
"I told you, it reeks," Makiko said cheekily. "Hey, no, don't tickle me, no!" She dissolved into laughter, squirming to get away. "No fair! You cheat! Just because you're older!"
"Only by four minutes!"
"What are you two doing?" Their mother's voice cut in. They both glanced up to see her standing at the door with her purse in ne hand, looking at them with a wry expression. "Get off the floor, I just cleaned it."
"Maki says my cologne reeks!" Masa complained, imitating a child.
"Maybe it does," Mrs. Yuuki replied, winking. "Now, I'm going to make dinner. Oh, Maki, before I forget. I found this in the attic. It's for you; looks like your great-great-aunt's writing. You look so much like her..." She handed Makiko a wrapped parcel and walked into the kitchen, humming.
"What is it?" Masa asked, peering over Makiko's shoulder. "C'mon, open it!"
"Don't get your underwear in a knot," Makiko retorted. "I am."
"That could be painful," Masa smirked.
Makiko made a face at him and tore the wrapping off. A small book lay inside, written in what looked like Chinese and covered by a yellowed sheet of paper with small writing on it. Makiko handed the book to Masa, then read the letter. She turned around as Masa was opening the book.
"Wait, Masa, don't open it!"
Masa slammed the book shut, startled. "Why not?"
"According to this letter, it's a book called "The Universe of the Four Gods". If you open it, you get sucked into ancient China."
"Yeah, right," Masa scoffed. "I don't believe in that stuff."
"No, this letter is from great-great-aunt Miaka. She was pulled into the book and met a young man named Tamahome... She fell in love with him. That's so sweet! Anyway, there's more. Weird, Miaka says that me and you need to go there!"
"Yeah, whatever."
"What have we got to lose by trying it out?" Makiko asked eagerly. "Miaka even included a list of people to find. Look at some of these names... Hotohori, Tasuki, Amiboshi, Mitsukake..."
"I say we open it then," Masa grinned, his eyes shining.
Makiko nodded. Slowly, Masa opened the book. They both frowned when nothing happened. Masa, who knew some Ancient Chinese, began to read the book, his expression becoming interested. He looked up.
"Hey, Maki, this is really cool! It even has our names in it."
"Masa," Makiko whispered. "Masa, look at the book!"
Masa looked down, then dropped the book as the red glow from it grew brighter. He jumped back, but not before the red glow had enveloped both him and Makiko. Seconds later, the book flew shut. Mrs. Yuuki came into the room to call them, and frowned irritably when she saw nothing but the book lying on the floor.
"Here again!" Makiko yelped when her head had cleared enough to allow a look around.
"What are you talking about?" Masa demanded, his voice shaking slightly.
"I was here in a dream," Makiko said softly, looking around at the now-colorful landscape. "I thought that's all it was. But look, that palace over there! There should be someone inside named Taiitsu-kun. We have to find him, I think. Or her."
"Or her?" Masa questioned as he trotted after Makiko towards the palace. "Weren't you paying attention in anatomy?"
"Yes, silly," Makiko replied, making a face at him as they reached the doors painted with a myriad of colors. "I mean, I couldn't tell. They were clothed all in black and real indistinct. And the voice could've been either male or female, I guess."
"You guess," Masa repeated, throwing up his hands as Makiko tried to tug the doors open. "Here, let me."
Makiko stepped back and Masa pulled on the door's golden handles. The doors opened silently. Masa turned around and stuck his tongue out at Makiko, who rolled her eyes. She pushed past him and entered the palace, finding herself in the hallway again, although now many doors branched off it. Gesturing for Masa to follow, she hurried down the hallway towards the faint light at the end.
Stepping into the wide room, she stopped and stared in shock. Masa almost walked into her, grumbled under his breath and shoved her out of the way, then stopped in turn. His mouth fell open. The dais with its single chair was still in place, but now the walls glistened with clean paint of four different colors, red, blue, green and white. The perfume of lilies permeated the air; the walls were covered with tapestries depicting battles and warriors.
Makiko squinted at one of the closest hangings. She could swear that the smiling young man in the picture was the same as the one who had surprised her in the kitchen. She moved to another one, inspecting it closely and felt suspicious when she saw the red-haired young man with the tessen. He was painted with a very familiar smirk on his face.
"What's going on here?" she murmured to herself.
Behind her, Masa moved around the opposite side of the wall, tugging absently on the two gold hoops in his left ear. Makiko looked over, her eyes catching sight of a painting of an imperious young man with blonde hair and blue eyes. She felt herself drawn towards the picture, studying it closely. The young man looked cold and cruel, but there was a wounded anger and fear deep in his eyes. Makiko felt a similar yearning in her heart; she had always felt for people with problems.
The wall they both stood before was painted a deep rich blue with tiny carvings of waves, fish and other sea animals decorating it. The wall opposite them was a bright fiery red, with a large red bird carved into the middle of the wall. The north wall was painted white as snow, catching the light sharply. The south wall, the one with the entrance to the room was a pale green, seeming peaceful. On the west and east walls there was a picture of a young girl set in the exact center; seven other pictures surrounded the two. The other two walls also had hangings of teenage girls, but there was only three other people on the white wall and two on the green.
"Admiring my hangings, are you?" Someone asked, cackling. Makiko and Masa whirled towards the dais, startled to see an ugly old woman seated there and grinning saucily at them. "Well, now, this is quite a surprise. I didn't ask for two of you."
"Taiitsu-kun?" Makiko ventured.
"Maybe you do have some brains after all," Taiitsu-kun snorted. "Not like that ancestor of yours... You aren't a glutton, are you?" She peered at Makiko sharply.
"No, ma'am," Makiko replied. "I'd look like an elephant if I was. Masa's a glutton, though."
"Am not!" Masa protested.
Taiitsu-kun glared at him. "Yes, you're like that Miaka. Now then, Makiko, you're the one I really wanted to see. Do you remember your dream?" When Makiko nodded, she continued. "Then obviously you found the book. Wonder where it was... Makiko, bring back the shichiseishi!"
Makiko jumped as Taiitsu-kun's voice rose sharply. "The who?"
"This shichiseishi," Masa answered. "The star-honored warriors. They each have a symbol somewhere on their bodies. They're supposed to protect a priestess of a god... The Suzaku no Miko was, I believe, great-great-aunt Miaka. And Seiryuu no Miko must have been her best friend, Yui Hongo!"
"Right, right," Taiitsu-kun chuckled. "I must be getting old; I didn't think you had a brain in that head, Masayoshi. Usually only one of a set of twins has a mind."
"Thanks ever so," Masa replied dryly. "Why does Maki have to bring these shichiseishi back? They've been dead for... maybe three hundred years or so. According to the book, a few for even longer than that."
"Because," Taiitsu-kun said seriously, leaning forward, "the Four Gods have vanished."
"Gods don't just vanish!" Makiko exclaimed.
"Neither do people, Makiko," Taiitsu-kun snorted. Makiko blushed.
"And how exactly is Maki supposed to bring these shichiseishi back?" Masa inquired.
Taiitsu-kun looked at him like she was seriously considering taking back her good opinion of him. "She has the power," she said slowly, as though talking to a two-year-old.
"What power?" Makiko asked, irritated. "I don't have any power. I'm just a teenage girl whose teacher thinks she's insane now because she saw him in the middle of class!" Whirling around, she pointed at the red-haired young man in the tapestry at her right. For a second, he seemed to move, to wink at her. Makiko jumped back with an exclamation.
"Makiko!" Masa said, shocked. "Where'd you learn that language?"
"He moved!" Makiko's voice shook as she stared at the now immobile painting. She ignored Masa's outrage. "Taiitsu-kun, he moved!"
"I heard you the first time," Taiitsu-kun commented. "That is your power. You can bring people back from the dead. Now go and find the first person, a young man by the name of Tamahome. The Nyan-Nyans will show you where he is buried."
"The Nyan-Nyans?" Makiko questioned, but Taiitsu-kun had vanished. Then, a troupe of sickeningly cute little girls ran into the room, giggling and bowing. They presented Makiko with a scrap of parchment and ran out again. "Ugh," Makiko said. "Little kids."
"Little goddesses," Masa informed her vaguely. "Let me see that paper."
"Parchment," Makiko replied in the same tone, then handed it to him. "Hope you can read it; I can't."
"It's written in Ancient Chinese. But I think this is the temple." He pointed to a crude drawing of a large building. "And these directions say that this Tamahome is that way."
He pointed. To their surprise, they were no longer in the palace and were now outside. In the direction Masa pointed, there was a great tree with overhanging branches. Beneath it a large silver tombstone was set firmly in the brown earth, overgrown with vines and yellow flowers. Looking at each other and shrugging, the twins walked towards the tree, stopping in front of the tombstone. Makiko stepped forward, drawn by something she couldn't quite describe.
Kneeling in front of the tombstone, she rested one hand on the worn face, closing her eyes. Masa, staying a respectful distance back, blinked as a symbol flared to life on the small of Makiko's back, subtly painted into the tail of the red-and-silver dragon tattoo that stretched over her shoulders and down her back. He took a step forward, but stopped as Makiko rose and backed up, one hand palm up towards the tombstone. A shimmering filled the air above it; slowly, it coalesced into the figure of a tall young man with aqua hair. His eyes were closed and his face peaceful. Strangely, he was still young, about seventeen or eighteen.
Makiko whispered something under her breath and the young man floated down to stand in front of the tombstone. He started to become solid. Makiko clapped her hands together and the young man took a deep breath and opened his eyes to reveal grey irises. At the same instant, the symbol on Makiko's back vanished. The young man, Tamahome, blinked and looked around him, puzzled. Then he spotted Makiko and swept her into a hug.
"Miaka!"
"I'm not Miaka!" Makiko cried, pushing the young man away. Seeing his confusion, she softened her voice. "My name is Makiko. Miaka was my great-great-aunt. Are you Tamahome?"
"Yes, I am," he replied, still looking puzzled. "You look so much like her..."
"I'm sorry, Tamahome," Makiko said softly. "It's been about three hundred years since Miaka's time. I was sent here by Taiitsu-kun. You were-were dead. I brought you back, somehow."
Tamahome smiled warmly at her. "I knew you would come."
A/N: Hey, I'm 'Cuno. ^.^ No duh, ne? I got interested in Fushigi Yuugi when I read the first mange book that my friend had. Then I read the second, and I was totally hooked. I absolutely adore it! ^.^ Now, I just have to put this theory in here; it's been bugging me.
You know how Miboshi takes over the body of a child monk (an ugly one, too) and you don't see what he really looks like? Well, how about this: What if Miboshi is actually some ancestor or other of Amiboshi and Suboshi? I mean, look at their names! So, Miboshi could be somehow related to the twins, and therefore would probably look like them and be a bishounen. After all, Watase Yuu draws hot guys, except for Ashitare. But this is, after all, just a theory. What do you think?
"I can do this," Makiko Yuuki muttered, chewing on the end of her pencil. "C'mon, Maki, think."
"Talking to yourself, Maki?" Masayoshi Yuuki, her twin brother, laughed.
"No, talking to this stupid test," Makiko replied.
"Miss Yuuki! Mr. Yuuki! Do you two want to hand in your papers now?" their teacher snapped.
"No, sir," Makiko and Masayoshi mumbled in unison.
Makiko turned back to her test and tried to figure out the mathematics questions. Sighing in frustration, she glanced up and over towards the door. A movement in the hallway caught her attention; she leaned forward to see better. A handsome young man with flame-red hair and green eyes looked at her and winked cheekily, smirking. He mouthed her name, then vanished. Makiko, startled, fell out of her chair, knocking it to the ground. There was muffled laughter as the teacher stared at her.
"Miss Yuuki, is there a problem?"
"There was a young man outside, sir, and he disappeared!" Makiko stammered, standing up and blushing.
"People do not just disappear, Miss Yuuki," the teacher replied acidly. "There is no one allowed outside the classrooms until testing is over. Perhaps you have been studying too hard."
"But, sir, he really was there! He had really bright red hair and green eyes and-"
"Miss Yuuki, I think you should go home for the day," the teacher said impatiently. "You are excused from classes. Go home and get some sleep."
"Yes, sir," Makiko whispered, picking up her books. Masayoshi smiled at her sympathetically. She sighed and left the classroom, wandering slowly down the hallway and out the front doors.
"I know I saw him," she mumbled, trudging down the sidewalk. "I'm not crazy or tired."
"No doubt you did see him," a cheerful voice interrupted her musings.
Makiko jumped and spun around. A small youth stood behind her, grinning. He looked to be about 13, three years younger than Makiko. His light brown hair stuck up, and his brown eyes were warm.
"W-who are you?" Makiko stammered.
"My name's Chiriko. Well, actually, I'm not really alive; I'm just a spirit sent to guide you." He looked confused for a minute. "I'm not sure why I've been sent, though. I really should know this. I'll have to study some more..." Trailing off, he turned around and walked off, fading away.
Makiko stared after him with her mouth open, then shook her head and ran to her apartment. Letting herself in, she tossed her books on the table and walked into the kitchen to get a drink. As she was turning to sit at the table, she saw a young man sitting there, watching her. With a muffled gasp, she dropped the glass she was holding. It smashed, sending a flying piece of glass across her ankle.
She winced, crouching to look at the cut, momentarily forgetting the visitor. It was a nasty gash, with a small piece of glass embedded. She limped over to the sink and pulled a towel off the stove, wrapping it around her ankle. She looked back at the young man, to see him watching her in concern.
"I'm sorry," he said sincerely, his hazel eyes meeting her green. "I didn't mean to startle you."
"I'm okay," Makiko replied, sitting down at the table and lifting her leg onto the surface. She unwrapped the towel from her ankle and inspected the glass shard.
"Please, allow me," the young man said, leaning forward. He gripped her ankle in one warm hand and took hold of the glass. Makiko was relieved to feel his solidity. "This is probably going to hurt," he warned, then pulled the glass out. Makiko gritted her teeth and re-wrapped the towel around her ankle.
"You are strong," he noted. "That is good." He faded away before Makiko could answer.
"Reikai," Makiko muttered. "I think I'm going to bed."
She stood up and walked slowly to a nearby drawer, rummaging through it until she found a large bandage. She carefully wrapped it around her ankle, threw the bloody towel in the wash and headed to her room.
Once there, she changed quickly into her night clothes and climbed into bed, turning out the bedside table lamp. Her exhaustion from studying up until all hours of the night caught up with her, and she drifted into a deep sleep.
Blinking, Makiko looked around her in confusion. She glanced quickly down at herself, somewhat comforted to see her familiar night clothes in the strange surroundings. Taking a second look around, she squinted up in the direction of a misty building. The ground under her bare feet was rocky and strewn with pebbles, but she didn't feel any discomfort. Everything was in subtly changing shades of grey, white and black-everything except she herself.
Makiko looked down and immediately regretted it; she was standing on a tiny ledge over a long drop. Taking a deep breath, Makiko stepped forward slightly. To her relief, the ledge held; she grabbed the edge of another ledge above her and pulled herself up. The building became slightly clearer, but a mist seemed to hang around her, catching in her long reddish-brown hair. A breeze played around her, tugging playfully at her clothes. It brought with it the faint sound of a flute.
The wind increased, pushing at Makiko's back until she was forced to take a step in the direction of the building. Uncertainly, she took another step towards it and the wind ceased suddenly.
"Okay, I can do this," she said to herself, jumping at the loudness of her voice in the still air.
She squared her shoulders and walked quickly towards the building, squinting to see if it would become clearer. Suddenly, a pair of doors loomed in front of her. Makiko stopped dead, just short of walking straight into the doors, grumbled under her breath and pulled the doors open. They led to a dimly lit hallway; she shrugged and walked down it. The doors closed themselves silently behind her.
Makiko glanced at the walls of the hallway, but the light was too dim for her to see anything. After a few minutes of walking, the hallway led to a large room with a dais at one end. A figure draped in shadow slouched in the single chair on it, not moving. Makiko stepped forward nervously, opening her mouth to call.
"Not a word, girl." The voice was faint and Makiko couldn't tell if it was male or female. "My name is Taiitsu-kun. I am the Creator of this world,"-the figure waved a shadowy arm-"that you are in now. Do not be alarmed; you are not dreaming, despite what your mind tells you. Look to your heart, and listen closely. I can't keep you here much longer. You are Makiko Yuuki, descendant of Miaka Yuuki, the Suzaku no Miko. You need to bring back the shichiseishi. But first, you must find the book..." Taiitsu-kun's voice grew louder. "Find the book titled "The Universe of the Four gods"! Only then will you be able to save this world..."
The room began to fade, blurring into grey nothingness. Taiitsu-kun wavered, then dissolved into smoke. Things began to spin, making Makiko feel dizzy. She closed her eyes, fighting to keep her stomach down, and clenched her fists. Something shook her, calling out her name in a fuzzy voice. She opened her eyes with a start.
Masayoshi stood over her, green eyes worried. His jaw-length, dyed blue hair fell over his face as he shook her again. Makiko pushed him roughly away.
"Quit shaking me, Masa, I'm fine," she snapped.
Masayoshi snorted rudely and stepped back. "You were sleeping like the dead," he informed her cheerfully.
"So nice of you to care," Makiko replied, smiling sweetly. Masa stuck his tongue out at her and left the room. His voice drifted back.
"Mom's gonna be home soon. Get your butt outta bed!"
Yawning, Makiko got out of bed and pulled the covers up halfway. Feeling too lazy to make the bed properly, she quickly changed into black jeans and a white halter-top, then wandered into the kitchen. She sniffed the air and made a face.
"Something reeks in here," she complained, holding her nose.
"Must be you," Masa said, drinking a glass of milk.
"No, I think it's that cheap cologne you wear," Makiko retorted. "All my friends say they can smell you coming a mile away. 'That Masa Yuuki, his cologne is so strong.' Don't believe me? Ask them yourself." She stuck her tongue out at him.
Masa set the glass slowly down, then jumped at her. Makiko laughed and ducked under his outstretched arms, staying just out of his way. He grinned at her and crossed his eyes. Makiko giggled, jumping back as Masa leaped at her again. She ran through the house, laughing, as he chased her and finally tackled her in the living room.
"Get off me, you oaf! What have you been eating lately anyway?" Makiko yelled.
"Cafeteria food," Masa replied, pinning her arms behind her back. "Now, what was that about my cologne?"
"I told you, it reeks," Makiko said cheekily. "Hey, no, don't tickle me, no!" She dissolved into laughter, squirming to get away. "No fair! You cheat! Just because you're older!"
"Only by four minutes!"
"What are you two doing?" Their mother's voice cut in. They both glanced up to see her standing at the door with her purse in ne hand, looking at them with a wry expression. "Get off the floor, I just cleaned it."
"Maki says my cologne reeks!" Masa complained, imitating a child.
"Maybe it does," Mrs. Yuuki replied, winking. "Now, I'm going to make dinner. Oh, Maki, before I forget. I found this in the attic. It's for you; looks like your great-great-aunt's writing. You look so much like her..." She handed Makiko a wrapped parcel and walked into the kitchen, humming.
"What is it?" Masa asked, peering over Makiko's shoulder. "C'mon, open it!"
"Don't get your underwear in a knot," Makiko retorted. "I am."
"That could be painful," Masa smirked.
Makiko made a face at him and tore the wrapping off. A small book lay inside, written in what looked like Chinese and covered by a yellowed sheet of paper with small writing on it. Makiko handed the book to Masa, then read the letter. She turned around as Masa was opening the book.
"Wait, Masa, don't open it!"
Masa slammed the book shut, startled. "Why not?"
"According to this letter, it's a book called "The Universe of the Four Gods". If you open it, you get sucked into ancient China."
"Yeah, right," Masa scoffed. "I don't believe in that stuff."
"No, this letter is from great-great-aunt Miaka. She was pulled into the book and met a young man named Tamahome... She fell in love with him. That's so sweet! Anyway, there's more. Weird, Miaka says that me and you need to go there!"
"Yeah, whatever."
"What have we got to lose by trying it out?" Makiko asked eagerly. "Miaka even included a list of people to find. Look at some of these names... Hotohori, Tasuki, Amiboshi, Mitsukake..."
"I say we open it then," Masa grinned, his eyes shining.
Makiko nodded. Slowly, Masa opened the book. They both frowned when nothing happened. Masa, who knew some Ancient Chinese, began to read the book, his expression becoming interested. He looked up.
"Hey, Maki, this is really cool! It even has our names in it."
"Masa," Makiko whispered. "Masa, look at the book!"
Masa looked down, then dropped the book as the red glow from it grew brighter. He jumped back, but not before the red glow had enveloped both him and Makiko. Seconds later, the book flew shut. Mrs. Yuuki came into the room to call them, and frowned irritably when she saw nothing but the book lying on the floor.
"Here again!" Makiko yelped when her head had cleared enough to allow a look around.
"What are you talking about?" Masa demanded, his voice shaking slightly.
"I was here in a dream," Makiko said softly, looking around at the now-colorful landscape. "I thought that's all it was. But look, that palace over there! There should be someone inside named Taiitsu-kun. We have to find him, I think. Or her."
"Or her?" Masa questioned as he trotted after Makiko towards the palace. "Weren't you paying attention in anatomy?"
"Yes, silly," Makiko replied, making a face at him as they reached the doors painted with a myriad of colors. "I mean, I couldn't tell. They were clothed all in black and real indistinct. And the voice could've been either male or female, I guess."
"You guess," Masa repeated, throwing up his hands as Makiko tried to tug the doors open. "Here, let me."
Makiko stepped back and Masa pulled on the door's golden handles. The doors opened silently. Masa turned around and stuck his tongue out at Makiko, who rolled her eyes. She pushed past him and entered the palace, finding herself in the hallway again, although now many doors branched off it. Gesturing for Masa to follow, she hurried down the hallway towards the faint light at the end.
Stepping into the wide room, she stopped and stared in shock. Masa almost walked into her, grumbled under his breath and shoved her out of the way, then stopped in turn. His mouth fell open. The dais with its single chair was still in place, but now the walls glistened with clean paint of four different colors, red, blue, green and white. The perfume of lilies permeated the air; the walls were covered with tapestries depicting battles and warriors.
Makiko squinted at one of the closest hangings. She could swear that the smiling young man in the picture was the same as the one who had surprised her in the kitchen. She moved to another one, inspecting it closely and felt suspicious when she saw the red-haired young man with the tessen. He was painted with a very familiar smirk on his face.
"What's going on here?" she murmured to herself.
Behind her, Masa moved around the opposite side of the wall, tugging absently on the two gold hoops in his left ear. Makiko looked over, her eyes catching sight of a painting of an imperious young man with blonde hair and blue eyes. She felt herself drawn towards the picture, studying it closely. The young man looked cold and cruel, but there was a wounded anger and fear deep in his eyes. Makiko felt a similar yearning in her heart; she had always felt for people with problems.
The wall they both stood before was painted a deep rich blue with tiny carvings of waves, fish and other sea animals decorating it. The wall opposite them was a bright fiery red, with a large red bird carved into the middle of the wall. The north wall was painted white as snow, catching the light sharply. The south wall, the one with the entrance to the room was a pale green, seeming peaceful. On the west and east walls there was a picture of a young girl set in the exact center; seven other pictures surrounded the two. The other two walls also had hangings of teenage girls, but there was only three other people on the white wall and two on the green.
"Admiring my hangings, are you?" Someone asked, cackling. Makiko and Masa whirled towards the dais, startled to see an ugly old woman seated there and grinning saucily at them. "Well, now, this is quite a surprise. I didn't ask for two of you."
"Taiitsu-kun?" Makiko ventured.
"Maybe you do have some brains after all," Taiitsu-kun snorted. "Not like that ancestor of yours... You aren't a glutton, are you?" She peered at Makiko sharply.
"No, ma'am," Makiko replied. "I'd look like an elephant if I was. Masa's a glutton, though."
"Am not!" Masa protested.
Taiitsu-kun glared at him. "Yes, you're like that Miaka. Now then, Makiko, you're the one I really wanted to see. Do you remember your dream?" When Makiko nodded, she continued. "Then obviously you found the book. Wonder where it was... Makiko, bring back the shichiseishi!"
Makiko jumped as Taiitsu-kun's voice rose sharply. "The who?"
"This shichiseishi," Masa answered. "The star-honored warriors. They each have a symbol somewhere on their bodies. They're supposed to protect a priestess of a god... The Suzaku no Miko was, I believe, great-great-aunt Miaka. And Seiryuu no Miko must have been her best friend, Yui Hongo!"
"Right, right," Taiitsu-kun chuckled. "I must be getting old; I didn't think you had a brain in that head, Masayoshi. Usually only one of a set of twins has a mind."
"Thanks ever so," Masa replied dryly. "Why does Maki have to bring these shichiseishi back? They've been dead for... maybe three hundred years or so. According to the book, a few for even longer than that."
"Because," Taiitsu-kun said seriously, leaning forward, "the Four Gods have vanished."
"Gods don't just vanish!" Makiko exclaimed.
"Neither do people, Makiko," Taiitsu-kun snorted. Makiko blushed.
"And how exactly is Maki supposed to bring these shichiseishi back?" Masa inquired.
Taiitsu-kun looked at him like she was seriously considering taking back her good opinion of him. "She has the power," she said slowly, as though talking to a two-year-old.
"What power?" Makiko asked, irritated. "I don't have any power. I'm just a teenage girl whose teacher thinks she's insane now because she saw him in the middle of class!" Whirling around, she pointed at the red-haired young man in the tapestry at her right. For a second, he seemed to move, to wink at her. Makiko jumped back with an exclamation.
"Makiko!" Masa said, shocked. "Where'd you learn that language?"
"He moved!" Makiko's voice shook as she stared at the now immobile painting. She ignored Masa's outrage. "Taiitsu-kun, he moved!"
"I heard you the first time," Taiitsu-kun commented. "That is your power. You can bring people back from the dead. Now go and find the first person, a young man by the name of Tamahome. The Nyan-Nyans will show you where he is buried."
"The Nyan-Nyans?" Makiko questioned, but Taiitsu-kun had vanished. Then, a troupe of sickeningly cute little girls ran into the room, giggling and bowing. They presented Makiko with a scrap of parchment and ran out again. "Ugh," Makiko said. "Little kids."
"Little goddesses," Masa informed her vaguely. "Let me see that paper."
"Parchment," Makiko replied in the same tone, then handed it to him. "Hope you can read it; I can't."
"It's written in Ancient Chinese. But I think this is the temple." He pointed to a crude drawing of a large building. "And these directions say that this Tamahome is that way."
He pointed. To their surprise, they were no longer in the palace and were now outside. In the direction Masa pointed, there was a great tree with overhanging branches. Beneath it a large silver tombstone was set firmly in the brown earth, overgrown with vines and yellow flowers. Looking at each other and shrugging, the twins walked towards the tree, stopping in front of the tombstone. Makiko stepped forward, drawn by something she couldn't quite describe.
Kneeling in front of the tombstone, she rested one hand on the worn face, closing her eyes. Masa, staying a respectful distance back, blinked as a symbol flared to life on the small of Makiko's back, subtly painted into the tail of the red-and-silver dragon tattoo that stretched over her shoulders and down her back. He took a step forward, but stopped as Makiko rose and backed up, one hand palm up towards the tombstone. A shimmering filled the air above it; slowly, it coalesced into the figure of a tall young man with aqua hair. His eyes were closed and his face peaceful. Strangely, he was still young, about seventeen or eighteen.
Makiko whispered something under her breath and the young man floated down to stand in front of the tombstone. He started to become solid. Makiko clapped her hands together and the young man took a deep breath and opened his eyes to reveal grey irises. At the same instant, the symbol on Makiko's back vanished. The young man, Tamahome, blinked and looked around him, puzzled. Then he spotted Makiko and swept her into a hug.
"Miaka!"
"I'm not Miaka!" Makiko cried, pushing the young man away. Seeing his confusion, she softened her voice. "My name is Makiko. Miaka was my great-great-aunt. Are you Tamahome?"
"Yes, I am," he replied, still looking puzzled. "You look so much like her..."
"I'm sorry, Tamahome," Makiko said softly. "It's been about three hundred years since Miaka's time. I was sent here by Taiitsu-kun. You were-were dead. I brought you back, somehow."
Tamahome smiled warmly at her. "I knew you would come."
A/N: Hey, I'm 'Cuno. ^.^ No duh, ne? I got interested in Fushigi Yuugi when I read the first mange book that my friend had. Then I read the second, and I was totally hooked. I absolutely adore it! ^.^ Now, I just have to put this theory in here; it's been bugging me.
You know how Miboshi takes over the body of a child monk (an ugly one, too) and you don't see what he really looks like? Well, how about this: What if Miboshi is actually some ancestor or other of Amiboshi and Suboshi? I mean, look at their names! So, Miboshi could be somehow related to the twins, and therefore would probably look like them and be a bishounen. After all, Watase Yuu draws hot guys, except for Ashitare. But this is, after all, just a theory. What do you think?