DISCLAIMER: Everything of Fushigi Yuugi; the characters and the story line are copyrighted to Yuu Watase and Megumi Nishizaki (the author of the light novels). However, OCs are mine! If any of you DARE to steal them, I'll haunt you down and make you suffer! (Just kidding~! But I'm serious...) ^^

A/N: This is my first time publishing a fan fiction. So I'll accept any criticism :)

I first started watching Fushigi Yuugi around 2006 or 2007, somewhere in between there. I was flipping through the channels until I encountered an anime channel and they were showing Fushigi Yuugi, of course. The art style of the anime really caught my attention because it was somewhat familiar and yeah, I fell head over heels for the anime in first sight~! I still remember clearly. My first episode was when Tamahome and Hotohori were sword-fighting under the rain and Miaka running towards them, shouting them to stop and stuff. When my sister and I got to found out that the mangaka ( A cartoonist in Japanese) is Yuu Watase, ( The same creator of Ayashi no Ceres~! We love that show! ) we immediately fell in love with Fushigi Yuugi even more. Back then I was still a kid so I didn't really understood the story at all. (I just know that Tamahome and Miaka are madly in love with each other!) 7 years later, (Wow, has it been that long?!) I decided to re-watch the whole series all over again during my school holiday. Including the three OVAs and their light novels. And I'm like, "Ah! I finally understand what the heck was going on!" (Sorry, I'm talking too much, aren't I?)

That's all for now!

Happy reading~!

And please, please review~! Thank you very much!*bows*

PART 1: Finding my true self...

CHAPTER 1

Hakko Village, Juso prefecture, Konan.

Two young children, a brother and a sister, were running beside a quiet rice field.

"Miho, hurry up!" The dark aqua haired boy urged his little sister as he ran ahead of her.

"Big brother! Wait for me, Big brother!" The little hazelnut haired girl shrieked, trying her best to catch up with him.

The young boy slowed his pace and turned around to her, walking backwards."Oh, Miho. You're such a slow poke!" He teased.

His little sister scowled and pouted, "Big brother, you're so mean!" She whined.

He grinned mischievously and took off running again.

"Eh!? Big brother!" She whined.

The young boy guffawed. He loves teasing his little sister, though he knew his mother would punish him for that- But hey, he does it out of love!

"Kyaaa!" Miho screamed.

She must have trip over again, that clumsy girl! He thought. The young boy stopped and turned to his heels at the sound of her scream. His whole body froze in shock and fear. A gang of man was standing not so far from him and one of them had his arm around little Miho's neck.

"Big brother, help me..." She whimpered, the tears rolled down her cheek.

Her brother swallowed hard.

"So, little girl. This is your big brother." A man steps out with a wooden stick in his hand and smirked, "Not as big as I see..."

Her brother swallowed again to clear the knot in his throat and gathered all his courage. "L-Let Miho go..." He said in a shaky voice.

"So your name is Miho." The man smirked and his hand locked under her chin, lifting it. "She's a real beauty in such a young age. She can be really good for sale."

In an instance, the boy knew whom the people in front of him were. Slave traders! "Let Miho go!" The boy snapped, clenching his fist.

"Shut it, boy!" The man yelled. "You don't know who you're messing with."

The boy clenched his fists tighter, glaring daggers at the man. "Let her go or-" He began.

"Or what, kid? What are you going to do? Look, you're just wasting my time." He said impatiently. He turned to his men behind him and nodded at the boy. "Get him. Hit him until he can't walk." He ordered them.

"No...No! Brother, run!" Miho shouted, struggling from the grip around her neck.

"Come on, let's get out of here before someone sees us." The man said to his friend as they sprinted off as the men began to beat the young boy up to the ground.

The boy narrowed his eyes open and saw the two men running away with his dear little sister. "No...No...Miho...MIHO!" A red character glowed on his forehead, releasing strong chi force and the men all fell back. "MIHOOO!" The voice echoed.

"Brother!" The young maiden screamed as she woke up with a start, sweating and shivering at once. Breathing heavily. She place a hand to her chest and her head started to throbbed hard like a nail is driven through her skull.

The door banged open as a beautiful young man, dressed in rich imperial clothing from head to toe, dashed across the room. "Shuuei!" He threw his arms around the young lady to his embrace. "Shuuei..." He lets go and cupped his hands between her face. "Are you alright?" He asked,"You were calling for me, weren't you? What happened?"

The young maiden caught her breath and regained her senses and looked up at the young man's face. She pressed her lips together and fell her whole body against him. "I-I had a bad dream..." She mumbled, tucking her face to his chest.

The beautiful man heaved out a relief sigh and stroked her long hazelnut hair. "Everything's alright now, Shuuei. I'm here...You're safe... You don't have worry anymore..." He said softly. The gentleness of his voice soothed her.

"Brother..."

He kept her in his embrace until she finally calms down. The young man then ordered her servants to tidy her up. "I'll be waiting for you at the dinning room, okay?" He told her with a warm charming smile. The light outside the door shined down on him, creating an angel.

The maids Shuuei, gasped softly and lets out long dreamy sighs. For Shuuei, she just nodded to the young man. He patted her head softly once more and tossed his brown hair behind his back before he left her room.

"Princess Shuuei, get up now." Her servant said, pulling out the blanket from her body. Shuuei shivered at the cold morning air and turns to the edge of the bed and stretches long to get rid of the stiffness in her limbs and relaxed.

Saihitei, the fourth emperor of Konan, patiently sat at the end of the long rectangle dining table, filled with varieties mouth-watering food. Even with a waiting face, Saihitei's beauty and elegance still stood out strongly. He inherited most of his beautiful looks from his mother, Moutaiko, the passed Empress. Many mistaken him as a woman.

The double door opened and Shuuei entered.

"Good morning, Shuuei." Saihitei greeted Shuuei with a heart warming smile.

A servant pulls out a chair next at Saihitei's right for Shuuei to sit. "Good morning, brother." She greeted back.

"Feeling better now?" He asked.

"Not really. I just woke up from a bad dream so my mood is still processing." Shuuei said and her stern face immediately changed into a swooning face as she grinned happily at the amount of food prepared on the table, taking the chopsticks, she gobbled up every food there is on the table. She stopped to swallow, "Whoa~! The food is so delicious~!" She said with glittering eyes.

"I'm glad you love it. I personally told the cooks to make today's breakfast extra delicious." Saihitei says as he eats his own proportion of food.

"Really~? Thank you~!" Her mood brightened as she continued to fill her stomach up. It's rare to have an extraordinary meal in the morning. Usually, these kind of meals are for parties, event, celebrations and-. Shuuei paused with the chopstick in her mouth as if she had eaten something wrong.

"Shuuei, what's wrong? Did you eat too fast again?" Saihitei asked.

Shuuei sets her bowl and chopstick down, sighing. Her grey eyes looked up to her brother and glared daggers at him. "Where are you going this time?" She asked sternly.

Sahitei's expression changes at Shuuei's question. "What do you mea-"

"Don't lie to me!" Shuuei snapped. "You always ask the cooks to make breakfast extra delicious everytime you're going somewhere. How could you take advantage of my gluttony again!? Do you have any idea how much I hate you doing that?! If you're going somewhere today, you better tell me now straight to my face."

Saihitei sighed in defeat, "I have a meeting outside of Eiyoh today." He says softly.

Shuuei looked away, "When will you come back?" She asked in a calmer voice.

He hesitated to answer at first but seeing his sister's disappointed face, he answered her quietly, "Around a week..."

She swallowed to suppress the tears from coming out and held a straight voice. "What time are you leaving?"

"After we finish breakfast..." He replied quietly.

"Oh..." was her respond. She pushed the table back and stood up.

"Shuuei?" Saihitei reached his hand to her but she jerked her arms away.

"Excuse me, Your Majesty." Shuuei says with a deep bow before she leaves the room, with her two servant following behind her and the door closes...

It has always been like that since their mother's sudden death. Shuuei would sulk when Saihitei told her that he had to travel out from the palace to do his royal duties. He thought it would be a great idea to give her a delicious meal to satisfy her gluttony appetite before telling her. It worked for a few times before she learned his tricks and became well aware.

Saihitei shut his eyes tight and buried his face in his hand, heaving countless of sighs. "Oh, Shuuei... What can I do to make you understand?"

An attendant leaned forward beside Saihitei and softly announced, "Your Majesty, everything is ready now. It's time to go."

Saihitei raise his head, dropping his hand down as he stands. "Yes..."

Shuuei stopped walking and raise her hand. "I need to be alone." She said to her servants behind her.

"But Princess Shuuei-" One of them began.

"I said I need to be alone." She repeated firmly.

Her servants exchange glances and bow deeply to her, "Yes, Princess Shuuei. As you wish."

Shuuei took off walking fast through the palace corridors. After a few minutes of mindlessly walking, her body slumped against the wall. "Oh, brother... Why do you always have leave me alone?" Shuuei stayed there for a moment and she pushed herself up from the wall and slowly shuffled to an isolated garden near the harem. Despite all countless the danger she had face there, she still goes to the garden occasionally. In the gazebo, she sat on a marbled bench as she gazed blankly at the shimmering pond surface, releasing a slow sigh.

Deep down inside of Shuuei, she was desperated to scream hysterically, punch a wall and bawl in both pain and anger but she was somewhat immune to this feeling.

I hate you, brother... But even though she kept saying that, she can't hate him. Shuuei loves her narcissist brother all so dearly, she was just tired of being alone in the palace. "Oh, Mama... I wish you were here..." She murmured as her mind begins to drift off to memory...

One night, Moutaiko, the previous Empress of Konan, sat on the side of young Shuuei's bed and gently stroked her hazelnut hair, "Shuuei, do you want me to tell you a folk tale?" She asked her daughter.

Little Shuuei nodded, ebulliently.

Moutaiko smiled warmly at the excited respond, "This is a very well-known tale that has been passed down for generations. It's about a tale of a girl from another world." She began.

Little Shuuei tilted her head, confused as she continues to listen.

" 'When the country is on the brink of destruction, a girl from another world will throw open the door between her world and ours. She will be the priestess of our country's guardian god, she will gather the seven celestial warriors born from stars to protect her and summon the god to save our country' "

"A girl from another world?" Shuuei repeats in an astonish tone.

"Yes, she'll be very different from us." Moutaiko said.

"How different?"

Moutaiko chuckled at her question, "I don't know, She hasn't come yet."

"When will she come?" Shuuei asked.

"None of us know until the time comes, Shuuei." Moutaiko told her.

Little Shuuei pouted and asked, "Then what about the seven celestial warriors? Who are they?"

"Ah, that. In our country, our God is Suzaku. We have seven Suzaku warriors. And they are; Chichiri, Tamahome, Nuriko, Hotohori, Chiriko, Tasuki and Mitsukake. And your brother is one of them." Moutaiko says.

"Ah?! Really?! Which one?" Shuuei asks.

Moutaiko nodded. "Your brother's Hotohori, the Prince Swordsman."

Shuuei gaped her mouth open, "Prince Swordsman? No wonder brother is so good in sword fighting." Shuuei muttered with a serious face. "He always beat me in sword fighting, Mama!" She told Moutaiko bluntly.

"He did?"

Shuuei nodded.

"I'm sure one day you'll be good at it too." Moutaiko said with a warm smile, folding Shuuei's hair behind her ear.

Everyday, before she sleeps, Shuuei would always asked her mother to tell her the tale over and over until she memorized the whole story herself. Every time she hears the name Tamahome, her chest tightens. She admitted to her mother that she likes the name very much.

Moutaiko thought for a quick moment and smiled to her daughter, "What about the name Tamao? Do you like it?" She suggested.

"Tamao?" Shuuei thought about the name and thought that it was really cute one. "I like it!" She said, nodding.

Moutaiko hugged Shuuei her in arms. "Well, Shuuei. From now on, you will be also known as Tamao." She whispered to her ear.

Shuuei looked up to her mother. "Really, mama?"

Moutaiko tilted her forehead down to rest against Shuuei, "Yes, Tamao my dear..."

She wanted that day to last forever. Inside of her mother's embrace. But...

On the winter before Saihitei's seventeenth birthday, Saihitei and Shuuei rushed to their mother's bedside after hearing the sudden news that their mother had collasped after clutching her chest.

Their mother could barely breathe. "Seishuku... Tamao..." She took her children's hands.

"The time has come at last for me to face the wrath of God... Seishuku... You're now sixteen. I suppose you can be a great Emperor even without my aid... Please take care of your sister..." Moutaiko said to Saihitei. She then smiled meekly to Shuuei. "Tamao, my dear... I know you'll be alright... You're my strong and brave little girl..."

Tears spilled out from her eyes. "Mama..."

"Tamao... Seishuku... Please forgive me... All the evil I have done until today was to protect my two beloved children... That is all..."

"Mama!" Shuuei cried.

"Mother!" Saihitei tightly squeezed her hand. "Please don't leave us ... Please... Don't leave us... Please, mother..."

Moutaiko lightly shook her head. "Seishuku...You are... not alone..."

"What?!..."

"You must search..."

"Search...? Search for what?" Saihitei asked.

"For... The mark of... Suzaku..."

Saying barely this much, Moutaiko released her strength and closed her eyes.

"Mama...?"

"M-Mother?"

Shuuei and Saihitei exchanged quick stunned glances then back at their mother...

There was nothing but silence filled in the room.

"MAMA!/ MOTHER!"

The two siblings hugged their mother and bawled...

All of those moments flashes through Shuuei's mind. Shuuei never knew what evil her mother had done and she didn't believe all those rumors about her mother doing evil things. She only knew that her mother and brother were her only company through out her life. Neither did she seen her father before. Maybe just a glimpse but her mother was the one who showed her enough love. "Mama..."

"Hey, Tamao~!" A bright and cheerful voice called as a hand slaps Shuuei's back. The impact of the slap made her fell forward to her hands and knees. The beautiful violet haired maiden paused for a second and straightened her back and recovered with a force laugh, "Oh, Tamao. You're such a weakling. Did you even eat breakfast today?" She mocked.

Shuuei grabbed the marble bench and pushed herself up as she tried to hold her headpiece back in to place, glaring at her friend. "Korin..." She growled.

"What?" Korin asked all too innocently, looking at Shuuei who's slowly standing up with a crooked headpiece.

"So much for having inhuman strength!" Shuuei said sarcastically.

"What do you mean by that?" Korin snapped.

"You know what I mean!" She shouted back.

"Don't start a fight again you two." Another young lady, who's an exact splitting image of Korin, warned. You could mistaken them as twins, but they're not related, they just look alike but the only difference is the mole underneath Korin's left eye. You Houki is her name.

"Houki." The two said simultaneously.

Houki walked up to Shuuei and adjusted her headpiece properly. "There you go."

"Thanks."

Korin crossed her arms together and leaned against the marbled pillar. "Tamao, I heard from Peipei that you threw a tantrum at His Majesty again this morning. What happened this time?" She asked

Wow, that's pretty fast. Rumors spreads fast in the palace with thousands of workers and some of them has lose lips. She leaned beside Korin, heaving a sigh. "His Majesty said that he has a meeting outside of Eiyoh again..."

"Eh?! He's going off again? When will he come back?" Korin questioned furiously.

"In a week." Shuuei answered flatly.

"A week?! You have got to be kidding me, a week." Korin lets out a huff, rolling her eyes. "Hmpf! We should be the ones throwing the tantrums at His Majesty. Not you. I can't believe him! Houki and I had been in the harem for almost a year now and yet His Majesty has barely set a foot in the harem. And his dear beloved sister is also no use to help us! Spring is coming soon and there'll be a new bunch of young beautiful girls to be add in the harem! Argh! If His Majesty doesn't come soon, I won't be as young and beautiful as I am now!" Korin whined, dramatically biting on her handkerchief.

"Even if His Majesty were to choose you as his Empress, he'll be terrified to see what lays underneath these rich clothes." Shuuei said, patting on Korin's flat chest.

"Hey!" Korin tossed Shuuei's hand and attempted to 'playfully' straggle her but Shuuei was fast. "Come here, you little-"

Shuuei quickly dodged back and ran behind Houki for safety. "Houki, help! Save me!"

Houki sighed in frustration. "You two are too old to have these kind of fights. Just give it up already."

Korin looked away, "Fine, you're off the hook this time." Korin straightened her back and smooths her collar with her head held up high. "Even though I'm a man, I'm still way beautiful than you." Korin boasted. Yes, Korin is a man and he's a pretty one too. His name isn't Korin, either but he hasn't told his real name to neither Shuuei or Houki, who are the only ones that knew his true gender. But like many others, they were easily deceived by his beautiful feminine features and slim body at first. And the way they found out was unbelievable. It's just a true miracle that he managed to survive in the palace for almost a year with the help of Houki being his double most of the time (well, all the time actually.) and Shuuei's princess power to deal with all the palace's workers.

Shuuei smiled at his boastful words. "I know." She said.

Korin now looked at Shuuei, confuse. He was expecting her to burst out in flames, yet she didn't.

"But I personally think Houki is much beautiful." Shuuei said to Houki.

Houki blushed at Shuuei's compliment. "Tamao, you don't have to say that." She shyly said.

Korin doesn't protest because he knows that Houki is beautiful as he is and she reminded him a lot of his deceased sister. So he gave a straight forward comment instead, "Yeah, you really don't have to say that. You're just being bias right now."

"I'm not being bias. I'm being... utterly frank." Shuuei said, hesitated a little.

"Yeah, right." Korin wrapped an arm around Shuuei. "Oh, Tamao. You're the most annoying person I've ever met so far yet I can't bring myself to hate you." He pouted, thinking. "I sometimes wonder why though..." Korin pulled his arm back and began complaining something to Houki.

Without her knowledge, Shuuei looked at Korin longingly. She could look at him forever too, if she has a chance to.

"Don't you think, Tamao?" Korin asked as he looked at Tamao and realized she has been staring at him for a while now. "Tamao?" He waved his hand in front of her face. "Hello? What's wrong? Is there something on my face?" He asks, touching his face.

Shuuei quickly looked away. "N-nothing's on your face. I was dazing off..." She said nervously with pinkish cheeks.

Houki walked up to Shuuei and held her hands. "Tamao, you don't have to worry about His Majesty going out a lot. Let him do his royal duties, right we'll be here for you." She told gently to Shuuei.

A corner of Korin's lip lifted into a smile. "Yeah, Houki's right, Even though we're tired of waiting for your beautiful brother to come but we'll always be here for you." He added.

"Houki... Korin..."Shuuei sniffed. She was so touched of what they said to her. She couldn't hold her tears back and threw her arms around her two bestest friends. "Oh, I love you guys so much~!" She wailed.

"Tamao. You don't have to over-react like that." Korin said, patting her back.

"Just let her be for a while." Houki said softly and Korin just heaved a sigh.

How can I can forget about Houki and Korin... They've always been there for me every time brother's away... Talking, laughing, crying, even fighting together here in this isolated garden...Maybe I'm not alone after all...