Cupids
By: Lady Setsuna
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon or Fushigi Yuugi…live with it.
Author's note: Fushigi Yuugi wise it's set in an alternate universe in the fact that everyone is currently alive and well, in their normal ages, and in the book (including tamahome and miaka.) k?
Rei twirled the Luna P pen that Usagi had lent her lazily around her fingers as she sat bored on the floor next to the living room table. She sighed; summer was so boring. Everyone was either on vacation in a foreign country or in some other remote location that she couldn't even begin to guess. The only other people besides herself who'd stayed in Japan were Haruka and Setsuna; they along with Michiru and Hotaru were doing some research or other on the Silver Millenium. Leaning back, she lay down against the hard wooden floor and stared at the ceiling. "Just 2 years…" she murmured, thinking back to the days when she still fought as a sailor senshi. It'd been 2 years since Galaxia was last beaten and the universe was finally free of evil. In a short time of 2 years everything she'd once called life had changed. Her grandfather had passed away shortly afterwards from a stroke, thus causing her to depend on her 'non-existent' father for money. 2 years since the death of 2 of her closest companions, the remnants of her past, Phobos and Deimos. 2 years since Yuuichirou decided that he didn't want to wait for a girl that would never return his feelings for her and left once again to pursue his career as a rock star. And 2 years since her dream of becoming a priestess had finally come true. But was this what she really wanted? Now that she'd finally reached her destination she felt a strange hollow emptiness eating her from inside. What was she missing? Had she followed down the wrong path, a path she'd mistaken as the one that would lead her to happiness? She was pulled out of her thoughts by an unexpected knock on the door. Who'd come at a time like this, she wondered looking at the clock. It read 9:00 p.m. She slowly slid open the door of the tradition Japanese door. It was Setsuna. "Kon ban wa, Setsuna-kun." Said Rei bowing. Setsuna grinned, "Enough with the formalities, we should know each other well enough by now. I found some interesting things on the Charon castle on Pluto and wondered if you'd like to come along and see what I've found. That is, if you don't have anything else planned for the evening." Rei shook her head, "Sure, I'd love to come along. Let me change into something more comfortable first." She said pointing out her traditional priestess outfit. Setsuna nodded, "I'll for you wait in the car." She said pointing toward the entranceway of the shrine.
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Tasuki rolled the dice in his hands lazily and let them fall on the low table in front of him. A clearly overly drunken sd-Chichiri sat staring anxiously as the dice rolled to a stop. Tasuki grinned, "8, that beats your 5 Chichiri. Sorry about that." Sd-Chichiri wailed as Tasuki poured a large bowl of wine in front of him. "Come on drink up." Slurred Tasuki, for he too was slightly drunk. Fortunately for him he could intake a lot more wine than Chichiri could without getting too drunk. Sd-Chichiri looked at the bowl and promptly plopped his head, face first into it. Tasuki sighed and leaned against the wall of the room, what a sore loser he thought rolling his eyes. Just then little 5-yr old Boushin walked in followed by Hotohori whom was so consumed in his thoughts that he did not witness the peculiar sight in front of him. Tasuki, through his slightly blurred eyesight squinted at the toddler. "Hey Hotohori, when'd Boushin have a twin?" he asked, confused. Hotohori's head snapped up and looked slightly amused though quite exasperated at the scene. Countless wine bottles were scattered throughout the room and a sd-Chichiri was currently sitting with his face buried in a bowl of wine, blowing bubbles into it. Hotohori gingerly pulled sd-Chichiri out of the wine and turned him to face him. "What are you doing?" he asked. Chichiri (I'm too tired of typing Sd... you all get the point right?) had a silly grin on his face, "Me going swimming! No da!" he said as Hotohori put him down and he ran out of the room to cause havoc elsewhere. Hotohori raised an eyebrow at Tasuki, "What are you two doing in here?" Tasuki grinned, "We're just having a bit of fun, ain't nothing to it." He said as he tipped another bottle of wine to his mouth and poured the contents down his throat. Hotohori sighed, "We really need to get you a wife." At the mention of a wife Tasuki suddenly lost all interest in the wine he'd been sampling. "Aw come on! Give me a break Hotohori, I'm not about to get married to some annoying 'ole chickie that you pair me up with." Hotohori looked annoyed, "What was wrong with the others I choose for you?" he narrowed his eyes, "are you saying my taste is not good enough?" Tasuki realizing that disagreeing with a man who had enough skill to kill you instantly and enough power to make you wish you were dead…was definitely not a good idea. He crossed his arms in front of him, "I never said that." He said sulkingly. Hotohori sighed, "How about I hold some kind of festivity and invite all the most beautiful girls in the entire kingdom to a kind of test. You can then go through and see which one you…Tasuki are you even paying attention to me?!" he asked glancing towards Tasuki's direction. To his irritation he found he'd fallen asleep. Picking up little Boushin he left the room. Upon exiting, he heard a yell and then a crash which was undoubtedly the work of a certain drunken monk. Hotohori sighed and rubbed his forehead…he sure hoped little Boushin would not learn too much from his insane 'uncles'. Houki watched with amusement on the palace grounds at her annoyed husband. Despite being the hard serious figure he was to outsiders, he was a loving husband and a wonderful father. She grinned, whatever he had planned for Tasuki would definitely be something she didn't want to miss.
* * *
Setsuna filled Rei in on everything that her and the other 3 outer senshi had been doing for the past couple months while on their way to the laboratories that Setsuna worked. "…Michiru and Hotaru are at the 30th century trying to gather more information while Haruka and I've been scouring the libraries in our respective castles trying to at least get a remote idea on what life was like back in our time." She turned a corner and drove into the parking lot in front of a large white building. They parked and they climbed out of the car. Upon getting out Rei noticed something strangely familiar about the car. "Isn't this Haruka's car?" she asked. Setsuna grinned, "Good observations. I kind of borrowed it from her." "Borrowed?" asked Rei, knowing clearly that Haruka wasn't the type to just 'borrow' her car to others. Setsuna looked slightly sheepish and entered the building. Rei grinned to herself inwardly and followed the dark-haired woman. She led her up 2 flights of stairs and to a set of double doors. Taking out her keys, she unlocked the door and flipped on the light switch. Rei gaped in amazement at what she saw. Resting against the wall on the far side of the room was a magnificent mirror. It looked 10 ft. tall, if not taller and at least 5 ft wide. Setsuna answered her before she had a chance to ask, "This was the mirror I found in one of the old basement rooms in the castle. I used a bit of magic to transport it here." She said as Rei neared it and reached out to touch the surface. "I wouldn't touch it if I were you. I've been studying it for a while and found that it's extremely unstable; meaning you could 'jump' dimensions if you were to fall into the mirror." She cautioned and Rei unwillingly tore her gaze from it. Setsuna motioned her to a shelf that contained more objects.
* * *
Chichiri (no longer in his sd state) groaned as he awoke to a searing headache. He climbed painfully out of bed and yawned, grimacing as he smelled his breath. He went reached the bathroom and blanched, spilling out the contents of his stomach into the 'toilet'. How on earth he'd gotten himself to drink so much wine he could scarcely begin to guess, his mind was too mused up to think straight, whatever it was however, he knew it had something to do with Tasuki. His mind too befuddled to think straight, he left his room without bothering to put on his mask and usual monk clothing. All he has on were his black pants and a white robe. He headed towards the courtyard in hopes of getting some fresh air and possibly clearing his head. On his way there, the residents around the courtyard all looked at him warily and seemed to stay as far as they could from his vicinity. He looked curiously at them but decided not to ask; for some reason he didn't want to know. Upon arriving he sat down on one of the carved stone benches that surrounded the area and rested his head on his hand. Shortly afterwards, a very sober looking Tasuki sat down unceremoniously besides him. He eyed him warily, his head hurt too much for him to be in his regular cheerful disposition. "What's wrong with you?" Chichiri asked turning his head sideways to look at the gloomy Tasuki. Tasuki groaned, "Hotohori's starting with his annoying matchmaking again…I swear, you'd think the emperor of China would have more things to do than annoy me." He said gloomily. Chichiri raised an eyebrow, "What's so bad about that?" he asked, confused. Tasuki looked exasperated, "I'm well…I'm…oh forget it! You're a monk, you don't have to worry about things like this." Chichiri's wine soaked brain still had no idea on what Tasuki was talking about and he looked at Tasuki with continuing bewilderment, "I don't get it." Tasuki sighed and shook his head, "Geez, you're acting like Chiriko when his sign fades." He muttered, and stood up. Chichiri called after him, "Hey! Where're you going?" he asked. "Out for a walk, anywhere to get away from Hotohori." He said annoyed.
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Author's note: Hey! How'd everyone like this first chapter? I got this idea from my best friend Lady Michiru (a.k.a. Faith Akiyama) for a TasukixRei fic^^. Please RxR!