Disclaimer: Believe me, things would be different if I owned Fushigi Yuugi. For one thing, I wouldn't be writing this disclaimer, now would I? ^_^ Anyway, another... interesting little fic. Don't try to fit this anywhere into the timeline – it's like trying to shove an octagonal peg in a hole shaped like a scalene triangle. Also worth noting is that this is the first Fushigi Yuugi fic I've ever written that doesn't star Chichiri – actually, he's not in it at all. I miss him already... ^_^()

Closet Support

Chiriko was bored.

Not the kind of bored one gets on a rainy day after one has already read all the decent books, but the serious boredom in which one would welcome a good attack by Seiryuu himself if it would just break the monotony. Chiriko had been studying in the palace library for several hours now from sheer lack of anything better to do. He was beginning to get dangerously bored with that too, however, and was trying to come up with something, anything, to do.

"I wonder if Miaka is with Tamahome," Chiriko mused out loud. After a moment's thought he stopped, shook his head vigorously, and checked to be sure his symbol was raised. Had he really just asked something that stupid? Of course she was. They were probably out in their favorite spot in the gardens, meaning that they weren't in Miaka's room.

Meaning that those fascinating books she brought with her – "manga," they were called – were unguarded.

Chiriko grinned and bounded over to the door. He had just started to pull it open when Hotohori appeared at the end of the corridor. Something in the way he carried himself and the way he kept glancing around suspiciously made Chiriko quickly push the door shut again, leaving only a tiny crack to peek through.

Hotohori meandered slowly down the hallway, stopping to inspect a decoration here and a painting there. He lingered in front of Chiriko's peephole for a long moment, obviously watching to see if anyone had observed him. Chiriko held his breath, hoping he wouldn't be discovered. Something was definitely up.

Eventually, Hotohori seemed satisfied that the coast was clear. He moved to the doorway directly across from the library. If Chiriko remembered correctly, it led to a storage closet for all the furniture that didn't quite measure up to the emperor's impeccable taste. Opening the door carefully so as not to make any noise, Hotohori glanced around once more before darting inside, shutting the door silently behind him.

Chiriko watched hopefully, excited by something out of the ordinary that provided the welcome break in the monotony that he'd been waiting for. Unfortunately, several minutes passed without so much as a sound from the closet. No light was coming from the crack under the door, and it had to be pitch-black in the small closet. Chiriko was beginning to get bored again when Nuriko's voice floated down the corridor.

"Where could that vase be?" Nuriko's voice asked no one in particular as he turned the corner. "Hotohori-sama wanted it in the main hallway, and I just know it's around here somewhere..." Nuriko kept up his monologue in a sing-song voice as he came down the hallway, stopping in front of the same door Hotohori had entered. "I bet the vase is in this closet!" he called out loudly as he entered. The door clicked shut and once again the hallway was left in silence.

Chiriko was, of course, thoroughly fascinated by all of this. When several more minutes had passed, the boy eased open the library door only to hurriedly push it shut again as he caught a glimpse of a cloaked figure at the end of the corridor.

The figure waited a moment before dashing down the hallway to the same door the two seishi had entered. A black hood was pulled down low, covering the figure's hair and shadowing his face, but as he turned to check for observers once more Chiriko caught a glimpse of fiery hair and fangs. He too disappeared into the closet after the others.

By this time, Chiriko's curiosity had reached a fever pitch. Forget the manga. This was exciting! Besides, it wasn't like he couldn't have figured out who the Moon Princess was even without his symbol raised. After waiting a minute or two, the boy was satisfied that no more seishi were on their way to the strange meeting. He crept over to the mysterious door and pressed his ear against it. A loud thunk and a stream of profanity made the boy wince, but he just pressed harder.

"Hotohori-saaaaaamaaaa, can't we light a lantern or something?" Nuriko's voice whined. "It's not as if we don't know who everyone is here anyway."

"This meeting is supposed to be anonymous," the regal voice of the Emperor replied. "Regardless of whether it is or not, the rules must be upheld."

"Well, couldn't you at least tell the guards that I'm allowed in the palace on certain days?" came a disgruntled voice that Chiriko recognized immediately as the Seiryuu who had impersonated him – Amiboshi, wasn't it? What was he doing meeting with the Suzaku seishi?

"Why does he have ta be here anyway?" growled an... interesting voice. Chiriko gave Tasuki points for trying, but talking in falsetto didn't do much to hide his accent. Another thump was heard, and Chiriko winced again. Didn't do much to hide his profanity either, for that matter.

Hotohori's rich voice carried over the scuffling sounds that indicted to Chiriko that Amiboshi had taken offense at Tasuki's remark. "Tasuki, please remember that we are all equals here." A thoughtful pause. "Well, most of us are equals. I, on the other hand, could never –"

"I'm not Tasuki!" Tasuki insisted, pushing his voice higher into falsetto. Chiriko shook his head. The poor guy probably wasn't going to be able to speak properly for a week.

"Erm, that's right, you're... 'Okami.'" Chiriko grinned at the implied quotation marks. "Amiboshi, you understand that it would be a bit awkward for me to give you passage into the palace."

"But I've been stuck in this closet for a day and a half because I didn't know whether I'd have another chance to sneak in before the meeting!" Amiboshi protested.

"Enough!" Nuriko said loudly, prompting a round of "shhh!"s. All was quiet for a moment.

"Yeah, let's get this started," "Okami" complained in a loud whisper. "I promised Chi-er, a friend that I'd help 'im with a spell-er, somethin' before dinner."

"All right." Hotohori cleared his throat and apparently banged on something- either that, or Tasuki was going to be black and blue all over before he got out of the storage closet. "This meeting of the support group 'Miakaholics Anonymous' will come to order. As you know, our cause is dedicated to helping recovering addicts through this troubling ti-"

"Hush!" Amiboshi whispered. A pause. "Do you hear laughter?"

~Owari