I don't own any of the Fushigi Yuugi characters. I just own Kiyomi and Michiko. This is my third Fushigi Yuugi story and if there are spellings mistakes please forgive me. This story is about Hotohori and I started writing about him because I notice Hotohori's character is always forgotten. Anyway I hope you enjoy my simple and short story.
Summary: A simple girl comes along and Hotohori falls for her instead of Miaka. But this girl is nothing but simple and has a great mission. Will she succeed or fail?
Last scene: After spending the night with Hotohori, Michiko felt unclean and ran away from the palace and out into Konan's streets where she hopes to seek refuge.
As Michiko was walking down the streets of Konan, eyes stared at her and she realized her attractiveness is making her a target so she quickly ran into an alley to find something to make her look ugly. She found an eye patch and quickly wore it. When she came back into the streets, her hair was messy and dirty, she had an eye patch and smudges on her face, her clothes was torn and she was limping. No one stared at her anymore and she blended well into the crowd.
As she continued limping down the streets, she heard a lady yelling that she needed a cleaner for her shop and accommodation will be provided. Michiko approached the lady and accepted her offer. There in a food shop, she began a new life, trying to forget her experiences with the emperor of both Kutou and Konan.
In the palace, Hotohori search everywhere but he couldn't find Michiko. He knew she was already out in the city and was worried of her well-being. Will she be in harm's way? How will she support herself? So many questions were in Hotohori's head. He ordered the soldiers to search for her in the city but it was all in vain. It was like trying to search for a needle in a haystack. Hotohori kept thinking of Michiko.
Even when Chichiri reports back through the magic mirror and Hotohori talks with Miaka, he didn't feel nervous nor did his heart race. His whole heart and soul was about Michiko. He didn't even know when or how he fell head over heels in love with her. All he was sure of was he wasn't living if Michiko wasn't by his side.
Country matters worsened for the emperor of Konan couldn't concentrate. The ministers were lost without a leader, the whole country in havoc as well as the palace because their emperor was just not bothered anymore. During the day, Hotohori would just wander around aimlessly or stared blankly into the sky. When night came he retired early into his chambers but he couldn't sleep. It was as though a part of him was missing and without that part he couldn't function as a person.
Michiko realised something must have happened to Hotohori otherwise the city and country would not be in this state. Corrupt officials misusing their power and crime spree everywhere. She even feared for her own safety and life.
After three weeks, Tamahome, Nuriko, Chichiri and Miaka return with Tasuki, Mitsukake and Chiriko. They were surprised to find the country in such a mess and the palace in chaos. Hotohori welcomed them back as well as the new warriors and surprisingly he treated Miaka merely like his sister. Meeting her, Hotohori didn't hug but just simply took her hands in his and congratulated her for a job well done.
Tamahome was shocked by his attitude change but relieved nonetheless because Miaka is all his now. Chichiri asked Hotohori what happened and he relayed everything that happened in the last three months but not in too much detail as he didn't want his private matters and feelings become gossip. Everyone was stunned how three months and one woman could change an emperor drastically.
Chichiri then suggested bringing Michiko back using teleportation. He was worried that Michiko might not last long in a city being filled with crime more and more every day. So in the evening everyone gathered at the Suzaku shrine to concentrate their power on Chichiri because he needed the extra powers to bring Michiko, a non-Suzaku person. After some meditation and spell chanting, Chichiri reappeared in a small room where a girl was sleeping. Chichiri gently picked her up and as she stirred in her sleep, Chichiri saw Michiko's face covered with an eye-patch. He was shocked and worried for her well-being so he quickly concentrated on going back to the Suzaku shrine in the palace so that Michiko could be saved.
After some time Chichiri reappeared in the Suzaku shrine carrying a curled up Michiko. He passed her to Hotohori who cradled her in his arms. Then everyone noticed her eye-patch, her torn clothes, her messy hair and dirty face and was stunned to see that Michiko has suffered so much. Everyone look upset but Hotohori wasn't upset. He was grief-stricken that he had caused all this to happen to his beloved. "I am sorry ... I am sorry ... I caused you so much pain." said Hotohori trembling.
At the sound of a familiar voice Michiko woke up to find herself back at the palace. She was confused as to how she got here and as she scanned the area for that familiar voice, a tear drop landed on her palm. She gazed up to a Hotohori in tears flowing down his cheeks.
Michiko instinctively wiped his tears and Hotohori grab her hand and rested his face in it while he reached out for her waist and hugged her close and so tightly as though she might vanish if he held her loosely. "You must have gone through hell and I will make it up to you." promised Hotohori as he released Michiko from his hug and observe her appearance.
"Oh this?", said Michiko pointing to the eye patch and removed it revealing a perfectly good eye. "When I first reach the streets, I found myself a target by horny men so I found this eye-patch and put it on and made myself look horrible before starting a job as a cleaner to support myself.", explained Michiko in one breath so that nobody could interrupt her and jump to wrong conclusions.
"Oh I see.", everyone exclaimed relieved that she was not harmed. "That's a great tactic, no da" said Chichiri. "But you still had to do rough work as cleaner", said Miaka who felt sad for her. "Oh don't worry, it was worth it because I did quite a good job and the lady I worked for was super nice and she kept me from harm's way, you know" replied Michiko smiling at Miaka who just nodded back.
"I am so proud of you, my loved one, that you were able to survive on your own long enough for me to finally have you in my arms" whispered Hotohori into Michiko's ears. Michiko froze a bit and stopped Hotohori before he hugged her again. "This is too sudden for me. I ... I still can't forget ... what you did to me.", said Michiko.
Hotohori froze and eyes widened in shock realizing that Michiko still didn't know the truth of what happened that night. Hotohori didn't want her to think of him wrongly for one more second so he quickly explained all that has happened before Michiko had to change to interrupt.
She stared at Hotohori's face looking for a sign that he was lying but she could not find any. Even her heart knew if was the truth before her brain could conclude that it wasn't a lie. Somehow she has known that Hotohori wasn't the kind of guy who would take advantage of another person. Hotohori and Michiko stared at each other with Hotohori wanting to feel Michiko in a tight embrace, praying to be forgiven for being tricked by his advisers so easily while Michiko was wondering what to do next and questioning herself whether Hotohori was the one for her. Considering how the couple was oblivious to their surroundings, the others decided to leave them be.
She felt safe, protected and loved in his embrace.
Finally she decided to first accept his explanation and see how things go from there. At that moment she was glad that it was all just a huge misunderstanding. She asked Hotohori if he could give her some time and that they be friends first. She wanted to take it slow with their relationship and so she asked if he could forget about that night. Hotohori was upset at this request but he agreed nonetheless for he didn't want to lose her again.
Everything was normal again in the palace and the country affairs bounced back to its prosperous state as Hotohori now had the spirit to live out his life with Michiko by his side. Michiko was astonished that she alone had so much impact on an emperor. Wherever she went, Hotohori asked if he could accompany her and that made her feel needed and protected. Truth is he didn't want to spend one minute apart from her.
So when it came to meetings and audiences with the ministers and advisers he attended it heavy heartedly. She sensed his low-spiritedness so she always gave him a heart melting smile and words of encouragement and that made him feel better. Soon all he needed was a peck on the cheek and he was all energized again.
The more time she spent with Hotohori, the more she realized how Hotohori is a kind, honest, loving and understanding man. He is brave too. He is nothing like the Kutou emperor.
On the night of the mid-autumn festival, Hotohori wanted to bring Michiko out to enjoy the celebration and his advisers allowed it because the emperor has worked hard these past few weeks and needed some good rest and relax. Hotohori wanted to make up for the other night he couldn't bring her out. When they reached the city, the decorations wowed Michiko.
Hotohori got her a beautiful lantern and they walked along the streets enjoying the sights and sounds of the people celebrating it. Hotohori hesitated to hold Michiko's hand. Always whenever he is about to reach for her hand, she turns to look at him and he stops whatever he was doing, and just pretended to look cool.
Michiko noticed that Hotohori isn't his normal self and wondered why. She assumed that maybe he was just uncomfortable with so many people around so she went back to savoring the sights and sounds of the mid-autumn celebration. Just as she was looking at the biggest and most intricately decorated lantern, she felt a brush of flesh at her hand and then a gentle and warm feeling flowing through her. She looked at her left hand and saw Hotohori's hand holding her and glowing with red aura. She looked up at Hotohori and saw his whole body glowing slightly with a red aura.
Michiko thought to herself, "He must have been so overwhelmed with simply holding my hands that it made his life force grew slightly stronger." Michiko blushed at Hotohori's reaction and asked him why she is feeling this warmth. "I am channeling some of my aura to you because you are important to me and I want to better protect you and with you having some of my life force I can sense if you are in any danger and come to your rescue." explained Hotohori with the most love in his voice.
Michiko felt his love towards her and snuggled closer to him.
Then an announcement was made for a competition to win cash by eating the most moon cakes and a crowd rush past through them. Michiko got separated from Hotohori and in the midst of all the crowd and confusion, she was kidnapped by street thugs who brought her to an alley. It seems they were the same ones that eyed Michiko the last time she was in the street, when she ran out from the palace.
When the crowd has past, Hotohori saw the dropped lantern at where Michiko was last standing and he panicked. He searched everywhere but there was no sign of her and he feared the worse.