((Hey there everyone, this is Kyoko, I know you all already know this but I do NOT own Fushigi Yuugi characters. HOWEVER I do own Matsuri. I have been given permission to use Kea by akkichan1, she is my sissy~. Well, I was really inspired by my sissy's story Firey Play of Love (you may find that in my faves) and I decided to write Matsuri's part in it! Please leave me helpful reviews~))

Chapter 1

Matsuri sat by the river with her friend Chichiri. The blue haired monk was currently helping her through her meditation. Ever since her sister, Kea, had been found out to be the Priestess of Suzaku the girls lives had gotten so busy. They were constantly meeting new people...'warriors' who had been pledged at birth under the constellations to protect and serve the Priestess. Matsuri, being the younger sister, was in awe of being related to a Priestess. But...she was a tad jealous as well.

It wasn't that she was jealous of Kea. Honestly she had nothing but love for her sister (as it should be) but she did not love the distance that had grown between them. Kea was now either occupied by his highness Hotohori at the palace, Tasuki and the other warriors, or the town's official that was 'determining Kea's suitability of being Matsuri's guardian. This left Matsuri usually alone at night eating dinner and crying. However she would never admit the latter to her sister. Matsuri was ashamed of these ugly feelings because she knew her sister was only trying to have her own life in between fostering Matsuri.

"Matsuri, no da? You have a very scrunched up look on your face are you okay, no da?" Chichiri asked poking her cheek. Matsuri opened her eyes to meet the closed fox eyes of her friend. She sighed and rubbed her cheeks, her muscles feeling strained from the odd expression that had been frozen on her young face.

"I am fine, thank you Chichiri~" she brushed off his worry with a sweet smile and singsong tone. "Are we done for the day?" she asked looked up at the sky. It's sky blue quality was slowly fading to purple, then pink, orange, and so on.

"I suppose you should be on your way, your sister would kill me if you didn't get home before dark, no da~ I think she actually made up a nice dinner for you two~" he replied ruffling his hand through Matsuri's mass of ink colored hair. She laughed softly, her cerulean eyes glittering with happiness.

"Goodbye Chichiri~!" she said ruffling his oddly styled, long powder blue hair. He smiled and chuckled, one eye opening slightly to look down at the splint on her left hand. It was poorly done, and he wouldn't have noticed had her long emerald sleeve not slipped past her knuckles.

"Wait, no da! What happened no da?!" he gasped and grasped her arm gently, pulling her sleeve back. Matsuri's smile fell and she looked to the dirt below her slipper covered feet. She pulled away, small tears pricking her eyes no matter how hard she smiled.

"It is nothing..." she struggled to keep an even voice as her mind flashed back to the event. Tamahome had been out of control. Something was...changing his temperament slowly out of character. He had grasped her arm hard and almost broken the bone clear throughout, Mitsukake the medical warrior had said. Looking back up to Chichiri, Matsuri saw disappointment in his features but chose to leave her conversation closed. He released her begrudgingly and sighed, rubbing her back as she passed by him.

"Get...get home safe no da." he said. It sounded more like a plea than a simple comment. Matsuri was gone from sight within seconds, setting her course for home. On the way, she slipped back into her inner thoughts. She thought of Chichiri's gentleness towards her...how it was one of the only times she had felt comfortable around a man. It made her smile, but also grimace knowing that she had lied to him about her situation. She was lying to everyone. She had a secret so shameful...

"No. That is enough." she interrupted her own thoughts, rubbing angrily at her long lashed eyes and groaning. "I am such a mess today...all these stupid salty tears...I hate the taste of salt." she whined. A small giggle bubbled up in her chest and she shook her head as she listened to herself. "I sound...like Kea-chan did once." she mused. A shiver slithered through her as the wind picked up strength. She looked up to see her once beautiful sunset all blocked with dark, heavy gray clouds. Matsuri bit her lip and ran for home.

...

"Are you kidding...?" Matsuri walked in barefoot and looked around. The whole house was dark and vacant. "You did it to me again...?" Matsuri kicked over the table, cursing loudly as a shock of pain bursted from her toes. She set the table upright and walked into the kitchen, lighting candles to illuminate the room and give it some warmth. There was nothing left on the stove which was a pretty obvious indicator that Kea had forgotten to come back, and dinner would be in Matsuri's hands again. Just like every other night this week. Matsuri shook her head and walked out of the room determining that for now cooking was way too much work.

"Well...I guess I should go-" The front door swung open and Kea walked into the main hall, her hair swishing like a silky black curtain behind her. Her ice blue eyes were intent with frustration and conflicted feeling. Turning into the family room, she met eyes with Matsuri and rushed over to her, embracing the smaller sister tightly. Matsuri stood there rigid with confusion.

"Sissy?" she asked in a small voice. Kea pulled her into her chest closer and placed a kiss on the top of her head. Matsuri noted that Kea was obviously overwhelmed; she happened to be trembling and she was actually letting Matsuri witness her cry. Matsuri sighed and wrapped her arms around her big sister's torso and rubbed her back.

"I screwed up today...I am so sorry Matsuri!" Kea stumbled and sputtered her words. Loud sobs wracked her body and she clenched her hands around the back of Matsuri's head and the small of her back. The two stood there, looking like a painting of a forlorn woman and her innocent younger self. "I forgot everything...the lady came back...I...I screwed up! I only got one more chance to show her I can take care of you..." Kea cried loudly, dropping to her knees and hugging Matsuri's hips, resting her head on Matsuri's stomach. Matsuri couldn't even articulate at the moment due to her state of shock.

"Sissy...Kea look at me." she said tilting Kea's chin up. Matsuri's face was warmed with compassion and a gentle existence that Kea seemed to live off of. "It is not a big stress. Please just calm down. Everything is sure to go better tomorrow; one last chance is better than no chance at all." she assured rubbing her sister's upper arms to calm her. Kea watched her, those ice cold eyes melting into watery pools. Her lower lip quivered and she returned her head to her sister's stomach so that she could cry more. Matsuri 'tsked' and shook her head, picking Kea up to her feet and brushed her martial arts pants off.

"Matsuri...damn me...I am sorry you had to see me like that. It...it wasn't planned. I thought you were out still..." Kea muttered and pinched the bridge of her nose making a sound of disappointment. Matsuri let out a soft laugh and took her sister's hand, leading her over to the low set table and brought out the personalized pillows for them to sit on. Kea smiled and brushed her fingertips over the fabric and remembering the nights Matsuri had stayed up at the table with her back hunched over, working on those pillows because Kea had said she wanted one on a trip to the market.

"It is nothing to be ashamed of, you were acting on your raw feeling. I would never blame you for such a thing." Matsuri explained. She set a kettle of water on an iron hook above the low crackling fire. "What kind of tea would you like?" she asked returning to sit by her sister at the table.

"Ah...I guess that vanilla stuff that Hotohori gave us." Kea replied. She had never been very partial to tea, but she would never refuse if her sister made it. Matsuri always wondered why this was, but was too shy to hear her sister's opinion on her cooking and such.

"If that is what you wish." Matsuri smiled and hugged Kea around the shoulders, resting her head in the crook of her neck. "Hey...may I sleep in your room tonight?" Matsuri asked blushing softly. Kea tried to hide the relieved smile creeping up on her face.

"Of course, baby~" she teased with a hearty laugh. Matsuri made a whine of embarrassment and punched Kea's arm lightly.

"You are so mean!" she shouted with a pout on her lips. Kea stifled her laugh and suppressed it until giggles faded.

"You know I love you~" A grin spread across Kea's face. Matsuri turned her back for a moment, and returned with two hand crafted, hand painted clay cups done by Matsuri herself. Kea's was dark purple, with her kanji in white. Matsuri's was the same concept, but with blue and white.

"Yes yes, I know." she replied. Feeling tired she laid on her side, using Kea's legs as a pillow. "Today was long...I wanna rest a moment..." she whispered gripping the fabric of Kea's pants, afraid somehow her sister would disappear if she so much as closed an eye.

"Hey, rest as much as you need kiddo." Kea whispered in reply, resting a cool hand on her head and stroking through the long sea of blue-black hair. "I love you, ya' know."

"Love you too, of course sissy..." Matsuri's voice was far away it seemed. Like she was drifting. Suddenly her body released all tensity and sign of consciousness. She could sleep peacefully almost anywhere if she had the slight flowery smell of her sister and that hand running through her hair close to her.

'My treasure.' They thought in unison.