Suzaku no Saiai: A New Legend
Part II
Standard disclaimer: All of the Fushigi Yuugi characters are the property of
Watase Yuu, Shogakukan, Studio Pierrot, Bandai Visual, TV Tokyo, and Movic.
Please don't sue me; I'm just a poor college student. Kourin and Jin Feng are my
original characters. Feel free to use them, but please let me know
first(jscaife@austin.rr.com)
"Now that is certainly a handy excuse!" she snapped viciously. "Who did you
think I was? Let's see...Miaka or are men more your style?"
The young man's smile disappeared, and his eyes darkened to a deep purple. He
reached out and grabbed her wrist tightly with one hand. "How do you know
about my feelings for Miaka?"
"You told me yourself," the girl answered angrily. "Don't you remember?"
"I've never seen you in my life, ojousama," the young man stated coolly, "and I
think that I might have been better off if I never had."
"Oh, you liked being dead then?" she spat. "I can arrange that!"
Before she could act upon her threat, a quiet, calm voice spoke. "Nuriko, I think
that you should let go now." Both she and Nuriko turned to see the rest of the
group staring at them in shock. The blue-haired man walked over to her and
gently pulled her to her feet.
"Doomo arigatou gozaimasu for saving Nuriko's life, ojousama, but don't you
think it's time to tell us who, or what, you are, and why you bear this mark on your
neck?"
"I don't have any marks on my neck," the girl replied puzzled.
"Look in this mirror and tell me that you don't have the character for star on your
neck," the blue-haired man pressured her.
She shivered a little at his intense tone and forced herself to look. True to his
words a strange golden character glowed on the left side of her neck. The girl
reached up to touch it, but her fingers encountered nothing but smooth skin. It
was as if a golden light shone through the pattern area of skin. She dropped to
her knees and clutched the side of her neck. In a shaking voice she asked, "What
happened while I was healing your friend?"
"Mitsukake, would you like to tell her or should I?" the blue-haired man asked.
"I was the closest to her, so I suppose I'll have the most accurate account of the
matter," the big man answered. "When you entered Nuriko's mind, your body
began to glow with a pale, yellow chi. It gradually began to glow brighter and
brighter until just before you and Nuriko awoke, both of you were encircled in a
ball of blazing golden light, and the character suddenly appeared on your neck.
After that the light was so blinding that we had to look away. The next thing we
saw was you slapping Nuriko across the face and yelling."
"What is so significant about this character?" the girl asked. She looked up, and
her anxious, pain filled eyes tore and each observer's heart.
Nuriko reached and gently tapped her shoulder. "Didn't you see my character
when you healed me?" He opened his shirt to reveal the character for willow
glowing crimson on his chest. "Each of us except for Miaka has one of these red
characters somewhere on our bodies. It marks us as one of the seven seishi or
protectors of Suzaku no Miko, Miaka."
"So I'm one of the seven Suzaku seishi?" the girl pondered aloud. "That's
impossible! I'm not even from this world!"
"Actually there is already a seishi bearing that symbol," Nuriko answered gravely.
"Since he is Konan's emperor, Hotohori couldn't come with us. However, only
one seishi is supposed to exist for each constellation, but except for the colour of
your chi, you seem to be a second Hotohori!"
"I see." The girl bowed her head, and all the energy seemed to drain from her
body. "Weren't you guys doing something before I showed up? You're not out in
the middle of nowhere for nothing, I hope!"
"We have to get the Shinzaho!" Miaka cried out as if she had just remembered.
She probably had. "What are we going to do about you?" she added lamely.
"Don't worry about me," the older girl said quietly. "I'll just find a way back home
by myself."
"Don't be foolish! You'll never make it back by yourself, Hotohori-chan!" Nuriko
said harshly. "You'd better come with us. Maybe Suzaku can send you home.
Besides you'll just end up getting into trouble on your own."
"Are you implying that I'm too stupid to fend for myself?" the young woman
demanded, outraged.
"Well, you certainly were brainless enough to get stranded here in the first place!"
Nuriko pointed out tactlessly.
"I'll have you know that I was brought here entirely against my free will to save
your mangy hide, so you'd better appreciate it!" she screeched.
Nuriko grabbed her arm and began plowing through the snow. "You're coming
with us until we figure out why you have Hotohori's character, whether you like it
or not!"
The girl struggled with all her strength, but she couldn't break her captor's
superhuman grip. "You fucking bastard, let go of me!"
Tamahome unsuccessfully tried to suppress a grin. "Y'know, Tasuki, is there any
chance that she's related to you?"
Nuriko heaved an immense sigh of relief when Miaka and his fellow seishi
appeared in front of the cave about five minutes later. "Thank Suzaku you're
here. She," with a gesture towards his companion,"is sulking and refuses to
speak to me."
"My name is NOT Hotohori-chan!" she pouted childishly. "I don't want to be here,
and you won't let me leave, ...hentai!"
"I tried to apologize to you, but you're insisting on holding a grudge about the
whole thing," the purple-haired young man retorted. "You just can't admit that you
enjoyed that kiss! Was it your first?"
'Hotohori-chan' turned an interesting shade of red and spat, "I knew I should
have taken Kourin out instead of you!" She lifted her arm and stepped forward
wiht a murderous expression on her face. Nuriko stood frozen waiting for the
blow to fall, only to have her suddenly slump forward against his chest.
"She's fainted!" he exclaimed in surprise.
"That's not so odd," Mitsukake replied evenly. "Bringing you back to life took a lot
out of her. Her chi levels must almost be critically low. She'll need a lot of rest to
recover. Just be glad that she's not verbally or physically abusing you for the time
being, Nuriko."
"What am I supposed to do with her though?" Nuriko queried piteously.
"Hotohori-chan probably won't wake up for a long time."
Tamahome grinned mischievously. "Since it's your fault that she passed out, and
you two already have such a good relationship, I think that you should take care
of her while the rest of us get the Shinzaho."
"TAMAHOME!"Nuriko bellowed. "If I'm staying with her, at least have Miaka wear
my bracelets. That way part of me will help to protect her," he agreed weakly.
'Hotohori-chan' was lost in the world of dreams. She had been here many times
before, but this time it was very different. All of the familiar landmarks were gone,
and she wandered aimlessly with no idea which way she ought to go. She was
standing, lost, in a peaceful meadow when he came.
He was the most beautiful man the girl had ever seen, and he projected an aura
of love and warmth. She longed to reach out to stroke the feathers in his
shimmering red wings, but she was too afraid of offending him.
He smiled down at her, and she felt herself melting under the warmth of his gaze.
His wings enveloped her and pulled her close.
"My dearest one," the beautiful man whispered gently, "you have come at last.
After countless millennia I can once again have you at my side."
"What is my purpose for being in this strange land?" she asked hoarsely. "Why
have I been summoned?"
The man laughed, a warm, golden sound. "You always were full of questions,
little one. I don't think that you will ever acquire sufficient patience for things to
come in their proper time. However, I do have a specific task for you." He made a
great sweeping motion with his hand. "Look, and you will learn your mission
here."
The scene was in a palace somewhere in the strange world. "It is the royal
palace in Konan," the man told her softly. A young man was sitting at a desk,
leaning his head on his hands.
"Miaka, if only I were not the emperor, I could be at your side and protect you!"
The girl's eyes widened in surprise. This melancholy young man was the seventh
seishi, Hotohori, and Konan's emperor! She stepped closer, wanting to ease the
young man's pain. "Miaka is all right, Hotohori-sama. You are Hotohori-sama, are
you not?"
The young man looked up. "Who's there? Show yourself!"
"Can't you see me?" she asked sadly. "I'm right here."
He turned his head, and his sad, dark eyes met hers. The loneliness reflected in
their depths weighed down her own soul. "Who are you?" he asked breathlessly,
and his eyes seemed to brighten just for her.
The girl stepped even closer and spoke the words that would alter the course of
her life. "I am the yin to your yang. You may call me 'Kourin'." She gently
caressed his cheek, and he bent his head...
"You are so beautiful," she murmured and abruptly awoke to find Nuriko's face
about three inches away from her own.
Nuriko grinned devilishly. "Sweetheart, this is all very nice, but don't you think
that we should get to know each other a little better first?"
She screamed and tried to push him away. To her surprise and horror her purple-
haired tormentor only moved a few inches away before settling back into the
intimate embrace. "Get off me now!" she demanded heatedly. "I don't want to get
to know you any beter, thank you!"
Nuriko's face suddenly became very serious "Gomen nasai, but I can't do that. In
fact I'd say that it's completely impossible."
"Do tell me why that would be?" the girl asked acidly. Her brown eyes glittered
dangerously with golden fire, and Nuriko mentally prepared himself for the blow
that would probably soon follow.
"Well, you see, Hotohori-chan, I'd love to get up, not that this isn't nice and all,
but I have a terrible cramp in my back..." he began teasingly.
"Cut to the chase, and give me the main point," she growled menacingly.
"...but one of your hands is tangled in my hair," he ended sheepishly.
The girl blushed a beautiful crimson and removed her left hand from Nuriko's hair
as if it had burned her. She scrambled backwards from the young man, trying to
put as much space between them as possible.
Nuriko's eyes narrowed. "Is it so painful for you to touch me?" he asked
chokingly. "I made one careless mistake, and you're going to hold it against me
forever?"
She looked down in embarrassment and said quaveringly. "It's not you so much
as my past. I was in a bad relationship a little over a year ago. I thought that my
boyfriend, James, really loved me. Through my feelings for him he managed to
isolate me from my family and my few friends, and I didn't discover what he really
wanted until it was almost too late. James was hungry for power, and he wanted
to use a spell he called 'Bochuu magic' to take my chi and become stronger. I
was so hurt and angry about being betrayed that I lost all control and attempted a
chi blast. Somehow he deflected my energy, and my entire family died. Since
then I've sworn never to use my chi in anger ever again."
"What does that have to do with me?" Nuriko asked stupidly. "I'm truly sorry for
your loss, but..."
"Nuriko no baka!" she exclaimed. "I haven't trusted any man since that day, and
despite your effeminate appearance, you are a man!"
"Calm down, Hotohori-chan," he said nervously. "Please don't get mad at me
again, okay?"
"For the last time my name is not, and never will be, 'Hotohori-chan'! she
continued heatedly. "Even if I share his sign, I am my own person, and I refuse to
be seen as an extension of him or any other man!"
"Oops, I messed up there," Nuriko thought resignedly and took a deep breath.
"Gomen, gomen, Hoto-, what do you want us to call you anyway? Without any
given name for you, Hotohori-chan seemed to fit you best."
"As an honourary seishi I feel no compunction to give my real name. Instead I will
have one real name and one symbolic one," she smiled brightly. "You may call
me Kourin."
Her companion started at her chosen name, but recovered with, "What is your
real name then, Kourin-sama?"
She frowned a little. "It's probably best that I don't give my personal name right
now. My past has a bad habit of finding me in the most inconvinient places, and I
don't want to endanger the rest of you. Besides you don't all know each other's
real names, do you? Only Miaka and Tamahome know who you really are, ne,
Ryuuen?"
The shocked look on Nuriko's face made up for the stress of the past few hours
several times over. "How did you know that?" he finally gasped.
Kourin smiled teasingly, and her entire body seemed illuminated. "Don't you
remember at all, Ryuu-chan? You told me yourself, A...NA...TA." She punctuated
the last three syllables by gazing up at him through her long, thick eyelashes.
Nuriko felt his head begin to spin, and he wondered what was wrong with him.
Women had never made him feel like this before. What had she done to him
during the healing process that made him feel liquid and wobbly inside now?
He decided to return to safer topics and nervously queried, "Did you have a good
rest?"
Kourin looked puzzled by the rapid change of topics but civilly replied, "I had a
strange dream about a beautiful man with red wings. He showed me your
seventh seishi, Hotohori, and I think that he wants me to go to Konan."
"You saw Suzaku in your dreams?" Nuriko gasped astonished. "What are you
supposed to do once you get to Konan, Kourin?"
"Well, I don't really know," she sighed. "I think that the beautiful man would have
told me if SOMEONE hadn't woken me up!"
"Hey, you woke up on your own!" Nuriko said defensively. "Why don't you smile
more instead of being sarcastic all of the time? You look so pretty and sweet
when you smile."
Kourin looked up quizzically, and Nuriko began to wish that he'd swallowed those
last words. She'd seemed so depressed and unhappy, and now angry, that he'd
just wanted to cheer her up. However, Nuriko feared that his compliment would
earn him another slap. "Anou..." he began nervously,"I probably shouldn't have
said that, ne?" He dropped his gaze, and his cheeks infused wiht burning heat.
Nuriko waited an eternity for his judgement and jumped at the gentle touch on his
shoulder. He turned slightly to gaze directly into Kourin's brown eyes. Like the
sun coming out from behind a cloud, she smiled, smiled at him, for him alone.
"Arigatou, Ryuuen," Kourin said quietly. "Honto ni arigatou."
Nuriko knew he was trapped the minute that she smiled at him. Her whole face lit
up, and he couldn't tear his eyes away from the golden flame. Like a moth the
young man drew closer and closer to the source of the beckoning fire. He bent
his head towards hers,not caring if he was slapped or not.
Kourin herself had become mesmerized by the heat in Nuriko's gaze. It had been
a long time since someone had looked at her like that. Mentally she berated
herself for her weakness, but her body refused to respond to her brain's
warnings. The uncanny refrain of,"After you save him, why don't you marry
Niichan?" kept running through her head. She knew that she didn't have any real
feelings for this young man; how could she, they had just met, but at the moment
the physical attraction was more than enough.
"Nuriko, we got the Shinzaho!" Miaka's cheerful voice carried from the back of
the cavern.
The spell was broken. Kourin glared up into Nuriko's face. "What the hell do you
think you're doing?" she hissed dangerously.
Nuriko's hands fell limply from her shoulders. A cold, empty space had taken the
place of his heart, but he forced himself to smile wryly. "We should have called
you 'Tasuki-chan' instead, Kourin, because you sure talk like him!"
"I heard that!" Tasuki yelled in mock anger.
Kourin smiled in Tasuki's general direction and stated loudly, "Actually, Nuriko, I
think that your red-headed friend would be a better 'Tasuki-chan'. He's SOOO
kawaii!" She tossed a challenging glance over her shoulder as if daring him to
contradict her.
Tamahome joined in the fun since he absolutely couldn't pass up a chance to rag
on Tasuki. "Ooo, Gen-chan, I think the lady likes you!" he teased. He switched to
an extremely high pitched falsetto. "He's SOOO kawaii!" and he batted his
eyelashes dramatically.
"Tamahome!" Tasuki threatened, pantomiming reaching for his tessen. "You
know that I HATE women!"
Kourin jumped up and ran to meet him. She playfully wrapped herself around him
and began to play with one of her victim's long earrings. "Are you sure that you
don't want to play with me, Tasuki-chan?" she purred sensuously. She stroked
one of her hands down towards his waist and teasingly pulled at his belt buckle.
"A big, strong man like you surely isn't scared of me?"
Tasuki had turned several shades of red and now was rather successfully turning
purple, while his fellow seishi laughed at his obvious discomfort. Nuriko finally
spoke softly but firmly. "Kourin, I think you should leave him alone now. You've
had your fun."
"You're no fun, Nuriko,"she pouted before snapping,"anyway, who are you to tell
me what to do, my keeper?"
"They're already arguing again," Chichiri sighed. "How are we going to survive
long enough to find out why she's here?"
To his immense surprise Kourin answered the rhetorical question. "I need one of
you to take me to Konan to meet Hotohori. Once I arrive there I think that more of
my purpose will be revealed."
"She thinks that she saw Suzaku in her dreams," Nuriko scoffed. "He told her that
she needs to go to Konan to fully understand the reason that she's here."
The short-haired girl spun around and grabbed his collar furiously. "I don't know
what your problem is, but I'm here, and you all clearly don't have the power to
send me home, so we all have to deal with it!" She pulled down her collar to
reveal the entire sign and continued. "This sign marks me as one of Suzaku's
chosen, right? If he had spoken to one of your fellow seishi or Miaka, would you
doubt them now, Nuriko? I think not! I don't know why we are constantly at each
other's throats, but I am willing to make an effort if you are."
"How magnamious of you!" Nuriko sneered. "Neechan, you started this whole
mess by overreacting when I mistakenly kissed you..."
"If you hadn't given in to your testosterone guided impulses and thought before
you acted..." Kourin interrupted furiously.
"...we wouldn't be in this situation right now!" both finished. The two opponents
stared at each in surprise for a moment while the other seishi quietly conferred
among themselves. Tasuki cautiously sidled up to them with one hand
strategically placed on his tessen.
"Anou...," he stuttered, "we declared it a draw, and, Kourin-sama, Nuriko will be
your escort back to Konan."
"I'm not setting one foot out of this cave with him!" the girl answered curtly,
turning her back to Nuriko.
"That's fine by me!" Nuriko retorted. "I don't want to take you anywhere anyway!"
"Nuriko is the most logical choice," Chichiri desperately explained. "Because of
his fatal injuries, he is weaker than he normally would be, and we don't want to
risk his life unnecessarily."
"I don't trust him," she stated flatly. "He's already tried to take advantage of me
three times, and when there's no one but me to stop him, who knows what that
hentai will do!" Kourin turned to Nuriko with golden fire burning in her eyes. "I'll go
with you on one condition. If you even lay one finger on me when it isn't
absolutely necessary, I will drain all the chi from your body, wakatta?"
Nuriko gulped at the girl's fierce words. Her body language alone was a clear
indicator that she was fully capable of carrying out her threat. "Wakatta, Kourin,
but may I add my own condition?"
"It depends on what it is," she returned smartly.
"When we leave here, you will pretend to be my sister. That way no one will find
it odd that a young woman is traveling alone with a man, and I will be better able
to protect you," he answered, his burgandy eyes boring into hers.
"Who the FUCK is going to believe that you two are sibs?" Tasuki interjected
contemptuously. "Kourin doesn't even look like anyone from this world."
"Well, if you're so smart, why don't you suggest something?" Nuriko snapped, his
thin veneer of composure fading.
"Eeto..." Tasuki stammered sheepishly. "I know you're going to hate this, but you
might be able to pass Kourin off as your foreign wife."
"Nani?!" Kourin and Nuriko shrieked in horror. "There's no way we're pretending
to be married!"
"Anou...Kourin-sama looks too much like the Hins of far eastern Kutou to be safe
on her own," Chiriko said quietly. "Even before their extermination by the current
emperor of Kutou, they were hated and feared. Without protection you will face
prejudice and torment wherever you go, Kourin-sama."
"Were the Hin so terrible a people?" the golden brown-haired girl asked sadly.
"Not at all,"the young boy smiled sweetly. "They were just different and,
therefore, misunderstood and shunned."
"Nuriko, it seems that I need you to get me to Konan safely, so I should apologize
for all of the things I've said so far. I jumped to conclusions and was terribly
unfair. Could we start over as friends?" Kourin extended her right hand towards
him and firmly pasted a smile on her face. "Onegaishimasu?"
Nuriko looked down and shuffled his feet. "I really ought to be the one
apologizing. I provoked you without any reason or any thought to the
consequences." His eyes met Kourin's shyly across the gap between them. "I
swear on the memory of my sister that I will protect you even at the cost of my
own life." Nuriko strode forward and grasped the girl's hand firmly. "For now and
forever, I am you devoted protector and friend, Kourin-sama, or I am not worthy
of bearing the title of seishi."
Kourin gifted him with another true smile and clumsily curtsied. "Nuriko-sama, I
would be most honoured to be your friend, and I accept you as my one true
guardian."
Glossary
? ojousama -- lady or miss
? doomo arigatou gozaimasu, arigatou -- thank you
? chi -- life energy
? Suzaku no Miko -- priestess of Suzaku, one of the four animal gods
? seishi -- protector or warrior of any god's Miko
? Bochuu magic -- a spell that raises chi energy by exchanging male and female
energy. From what I have seen in FY it is normally the male who gains increased
power.
? baka -- idiot, stupid
? gomen -- sorry
? -sama, -chan, -san -- three Japanese honourifics
? ne -- a question marker that indicates the expectation of an affirmative response
? anata -- literally 'you', but it is normally only used by a wife for her husband. In
this context it is more like 'darling'.
? anou, eeto -- Japanese equivalents for 'um'
? honto ni -- truly, really
? niichan -- affectionate form of older brother
? kawaii -- cute
? neechan -- the affectionate form of older sister, but in the story it is used more like
"babe" or "chick"
? tessen -- Iron fan. This refers to Tasuki's special fan that shoots fire.
? nani -- what
? onegaishimasu -- a very polite form of please
? Suzaku no Saiai -- beloved of Suzaku
Questions? Comments?
c 1997 jscaife@austin.rr.com
Part II
Standard disclaimer: All of the Fushigi Yuugi characters are the property of
Watase Yuu, Shogakukan, Studio Pierrot, Bandai Visual, TV Tokyo, and Movic.
Please don't sue me; I'm just a poor college student. Kourin and Jin Feng are my
original characters. Feel free to use them, but please let me know
first(jscaife@austin.rr.com)
"Now that is certainly a handy excuse!" she snapped viciously. "Who did you
think I was? Let's see...Miaka or are men more your style?"
The young man's smile disappeared, and his eyes darkened to a deep purple. He
reached out and grabbed her wrist tightly with one hand. "How do you know
about my feelings for Miaka?"
"You told me yourself," the girl answered angrily. "Don't you remember?"
"I've never seen you in my life, ojousama," the young man stated coolly, "and I
think that I might have been better off if I never had."
"Oh, you liked being dead then?" she spat. "I can arrange that!"
Before she could act upon her threat, a quiet, calm voice spoke. "Nuriko, I think
that you should let go now." Both she and Nuriko turned to see the rest of the
group staring at them in shock. The blue-haired man walked over to her and
gently pulled her to her feet.
"Doomo arigatou gozaimasu for saving Nuriko's life, ojousama, but don't you
think it's time to tell us who, or what, you are, and why you bear this mark on your
neck?"
"I don't have any marks on my neck," the girl replied puzzled.
"Look in this mirror and tell me that you don't have the character for star on your
neck," the blue-haired man pressured her.
She shivered a little at his intense tone and forced herself to look. True to his
words a strange golden character glowed on the left side of her neck. The girl
reached up to touch it, but her fingers encountered nothing but smooth skin. It
was as if a golden light shone through the pattern area of skin. She dropped to
her knees and clutched the side of her neck. In a shaking voice she asked, "What
happened while I was healing your friend?"
"Mitsukake, would you like to tell her or should I?" the blue-haired man asked.
"I was the closest to her, so I suppose I'll have the most accurate account of the
matter," the big man answered. "When you entered Nuriko's mind, your body
began to glow with a pale, yellow chi. It gradually began to glow brighter and
brighter until just before you and Nuriko awoke, both of you were encircled in a
ball of blazing golden light, and the character suddenly appeared on your neck.
After that the light was so blinding that we had to look away. The next thing we
saw was you slapping Nuriko across the face and yelling."
"What is so significant about this character?" the girl asked. She looked up, and
her anxious, pain filled eyes tore and each observer's heart.
Nuriko reached and gently tapped her shoulder. "Didn't you see my character
when you healed me?" He opened his shirt to reveal the character for willow
glowing crimson on his chest. "Each of us except for Miaka has one of these red
characters somewhere on our bodies. It marks us as one of the seven seishi or
protectors of Suzaku no Miko, Miaka."
"So I'm one of the seven Suzaku seishi?" the girl pondered aloud. "That's
impossible! I'm not even from this world!"
"Actually there is already a seishi bearing that symbol," Nuriko answered gravely.
"Since he is Konan's emperor, Hotohori couldn't come with us. However, only
one seishi is supposed to exist for each constellation, but except for the colour of
your chi, you seem to be a second Hotohori!"
"I see." The girl bowed her head, and all the energy seemed to drain from her
body. "Weren't you guys doing something before I showed up? You're not out in
the middle of nowhere for nothing, I hope!"
"We have to get the Shinzaho!" Miaka cried out as if she had just remembered.
She probably had. "What are we going to do about you?" she added lamely.
"Don't worry about me," the older girl said quietly. "I'll just find a way back home
by myself."
"Don't be foolish! You'll never make it back by yourself, Hotohori-chan!" Nuriko
said harshly. "You'd better come with us. Maybe Suzaku can send you home.
Besides you'll just end up getting into trouble on your own."
"Are you implying that I'm too stupid to fend for myself?" the young woman
demanded, outraged.
"Well, you certainly were brainless enough to get stranded here in the first place!"
Nuriko pointed out tactlessly.
"I'll have you know that I was brought here entirely against my free will to save
your mangy hide, so you'd better appreciate it!" she screeched.
Nuriko grabbed her arm and began plowing through the snow. "You're coming
with us until we figure out why you have Hotohori's character, whether you like it
or not!"
The girl struggled with all her strength, but she couldn't break her captor's
superhuman grip. "You fucking bastard, let go of me!"
Tamahome unsuccessfully tried to suppress a grin. "Y'know, Tasuki, is there any
chance that she's related to you?"
Nuriko heaved an immense sigh of relief when Miaka and his fellow seishi
appeared in front of the cave about five minutes later. "Thank Suzaku you're
here. She," with a gesture towards his companion,"is sulking and refuses to
speak to me."
"My name is NOT Hotohori-chan!" she pouted childishly. "I don't want to be here,
and you won't let me leave, ...hentai!"
"I tried to apologize to you, but you're insisting on holding a grudge about the
whole thing," the purple-haired young man retorted. "You just can't admit that you
enjoyed that kiss! Was it your first?"
'Hotohori-chan' turned an interesting shade of red and spat, "I knew I should
have taken Kourin out instead of you!" She lifted her arm and stepped forward
wiht a murderous expression on her face. Nuriko stood frozen waiting for the
blow to fall, only to have her suddenly slump forward against his chest.
"She's fainted!" he exclaimed in surprise.
"That's not so odd," Mitsukake replied evenly. "Bringing you back to life took a lot
out of her. Her chi levels must almost be critically low. She'll need a lot of rest to
recover. Just be glad that she's not verbally or physically abusing you for the time
being, Nuriko."
"What am I supposed to do with her though?" Nuriko queried piteously.
"Hotohori-chan probably won't wake up for a long time."
Tamahome grinned mischievously. "Since it's your fault that she passed out, and
you two already have such a good relationship, I think that you should take care
of her while the rest of us get the Shinzaho."
"TAMAHOME!"Nuriko bellowed. "If I'm staying with her, at least have Miaka wear
my bracelets. That way part of me will help to protect her," he agreed weakly.
'Hotohori-chan' was lost in the world of dreams. She had been here many times
before, but this time it was very different. All of the familiar landmarks were gone,
and she wandered aimlessly with no idea which way she ought to go. She was
standing, lost, in a peaceful meadow when he came.
He was the most beautiful man the girl had ever seen, and he projected an aura
of love and warmth. She longed to reach out to stroke the feathers in his
shimmering red wings, but she was too afraid of offending him.
He smiled down at her, and she felt herself melting under the warmth of his gaze.
His wings enveloped her and pulled her close.
"My dearest one," the beautiful man whispered gently, "you have come at last.
After countless millennia I can once again have you at my side."
"What is my purpose for being in this strange land?" she asked hoarsely. "Why
have I been summoned?"
The man laughed, a warm, golden sound. "You always were full of questions,
little one. I don't think that you will ever acquire sufficient patience for things to
come in their proper time. However, I do have a specific task for you." He made a
great sweeping motion with his hand. "Look, and you will learn your mission
here."
The scene was in a palace somewhere in the strange world. "It is the royal
palace in Konan," the man told her softly. A young man was sitting at a desk,
leaning his head on his hands.
"Miaka, if only I were not the emperor, I could be at your side and protect you!"
The girl's eyes widened in surprise. This melancholy young man was the seventh
seishi, Hotohori, and Konan's emperor! She stepped closer, wanting to ease the
young man's pain. "Miaka is all right, Hotohori-sama. You are Hotohori-sama, are
you not?"
The young man looked up. "Who's there? Show yourself!"
"Can't you see me?" she asked sadly. "I'm right here."
He turned his head, and his sad, dark eyes met hers. The loneliness reflected in
their depths weighed down her own soul. "Who are you?" he asked breathlessly,
and his eyes seemed to brighten just for her.
The girl stepped even closer and spoke the words that would alter the course of
her life. "I am the yin to your yang. You may call me 'Kourin'." She gently
caressed his cheek, and he bent his head...
"You are so beautiful," she murmured and abruptly awoke to find Nuriko's face
about three inches away from her own.
Nuriko grinned devilishly. "Sweetheart, this is all very nice, but don't you think
that we should get to know each other a little better first?"
She screamed and tried to push him away. To her surprise and horror her purple-
haired tormentor only moved a few inches away before settling back into the
intimate embrace. "Get off me now!" she demanded heatedly. "I don't want to get
to know you any beter, thank you!"
Nuriko's face suddenly became very serious "Gomen nasai, but I can't do that. In
fact I'd say that it's completely impossible."
"Do tell me why that would be?" the girl asked acidly. Her brown eyes glittered
dangerously with golden fire, and Nuriko mentally prepared himself for the blow
that would probably soon follow.
"Well, you see, Hotohori-chan, I'd love to get up, not that this isn't nice and all,
but I have a terrible cramp in my back..." he began teasingly.
"Cut to the chase, and give me the main point," she growled menacingly.
"...but one of your hands is tangled in my hair," he ended sheepishly.
The girl blushed a beautiful crimson and removed her left hand from Nuriko's hair
as if it had burned her. She scrambled backwards from the young man, trying to
put as much space between them as possible.
Nuriko's eyes narrowed. "Is it so painful for you to touch me?" he asked
chokingly. "I made one careless mistake, and you're going to hold it against me
forever?"
She looked down in embarrassment and said quaveringly. "It's not you so much
as my past. I was in a bad relationship a little over a year ago. I thought that my
boyfriend, James, really loved me. Through my feelings for him he managed to
isolate me from my family and my few friends, and I didn't discover what he really
wanted until it was almost too late. James was hungry for power, and he wanted
to use a spell he called 'Bochuu magic' to take my chi and become stronger. I
was so hurt and angry about being betrayed that I lost all control and attempted a
chi blast. Somehow he deflected my energy, and my entire family died. Since
then I've sworn never to use my chi in anger ever again."
"What does that have to do with me?" Nuriko asked stupidly. "I'm truly sorry for
your loss, but..."
"Nuriko no baka!" she exclaimed. "I haven't trusted any man since that day, and
despite your effeminate appearance, you are a man!"
"Calm down, Hotohori-chan," he said nervously. "Please don't get mad at me
again, okay?"
"For the last time my name is not, and never will be, 'Hotohori-chan'! she
continued heatedly. "Even if I share his sign, I am my own person, and I refuse to
be seen as an extension of him or any other man!"
"Oops, I messed up there," Nuriko thought resignedly and took a deep breath.
"Gomen, gomen, Hoto-, what do you want us to call you anyway? Without any
given name for you, Hotohori-chan seemed to fit you best."
"As an honourary seishi I feel no compunction to give my real name. Instead I will
have one real name and one symbolic one," she smiled brightly. "You may call
me Kourin."
Her companion started at her chosen name, but recovered with, "What is your
real name then, Kourin-sama?"
She frowned a little. "It's probably best that I don't give my personal name right
now. My past has a bad habit of finding me in the most inconvinient places, and I
don't want to endanger the rest of you. Besides you don't all know each other's
real names, do you? Only Miaka and Tamahome know who you really are, ne,
Ryuuen?"
The shocked look on Nuriko's face made up for the stress of the past few hours
several times over. "How did you know that?" he finally gasped.
Kourin smiled teasingly, and her entire body seemed illuminated. "Don't you
remember at all, Ryuu-chan? You told me yourself, A...NA...TA." She punctuated
the last three syllables by gazing up at him through her long, thick eyelashes.
Nuriko felt his head begin to spin, and he wondered what was wrong with him.
Women had never made him feel like this before. What had she done to him
during the healing process that made him feel liquid and wobbly inside now?
He decided to return to safer topics and nervously queried, "Did you have a good
rest?"
Kourin looked puzzled by the rapid change of topics but civilly replied, "I had a
strange dream about a beautiful man with red wings. He showed me your
seventh seishi, Hotohori, and I think that he wants me to go to Konan."
"You saw Suzaku in your dreams?" Nuriko gasped astonished. "What are you
supposed to do once you get to Konan, Kourin?"
"Well, I don't really know," she sighed. "I think that the beautiful man would have
told me if SOMEONE hadn't woken me up!"
"Hey, you woke up on your own!" Nuriko said defensively. "Why don't you smile
more instead of being sarcastic all of the time? You look so pretty and sweet
when you smile."
Kourin looked up quizzically, and Nuriko began to wish that he'd swallowed those
last words. She'd seemed so depressed and unhappy, and now angry, that he'd
just wanted to cheer her up. However, Nuriko feared that his compliment would
earn him another slap. "Anou..." he began nervously,"I probably shouldn't have
said that, ne?" He dropped his gaze, and his cheeks infused wiht burning heat.
Nuriko waited an eternity for his judgement and jumped at the gentle touch on his
shoulder. He turned slightly to gaze directly into Kourin's brown eyes. Like the
sun coming out from behind a cloud, she smiled, smiled at him, for him alone.
"Arigatou, Ryuuen," Kourin said quietly. "Honto ni arigatou."
Nuriko knew he was trapped the minute that she smiled at him. Her whole face lit
up, and he couldn't tear his eyes away from the golden flame. Like a moth the
young man drew closer and closer to the source of the beckoning fire. He bent
his head towards hers,not caring if he was slapped or not.
Kourin herself had become mesmerized by the heat in Nuriko's gaze. It had been
a long time since someone had looked at her like that. Mentally she berated
herself for her weakness, but her body refused to respond to her brain's
warnings. The uncanny refrain of,"After you save him, why don't you marry
Niichan?" kept running through her head. She knew that she didn't have any real
feelings for this young man; how could she, they had just met, but at the moment
the physical attraction was more than enough.
"Nuriko, we got the Shinzaho!" Miaka's cheerful voice carried from the back of
the cavern.
The spell was broken. Kourin glared up into Nuriko's face. "What the hell do you
think you're doing?" she hissed dangerously.
Nuriko's hands fell limply from her shoulders. A cold, empty space had taken the
place of his heart, but he forced himself to smile wryly. "We should have called
you 'Tasuki-chan' instead, Kourin, because you sure talk like him!"
"I heard that!" Tasuki yelled in mock anger.
Kourin smiled in Tasuki's general direction and stated loudly, "Actually, Nuriko, I
think that your red-headed friend would be a better 'Tasuki-chan'. He's SOOO
kawaii!" She tossed a challenging glance over her shoulder as if daring him to
contradict her.
Tamahome joined in the fun since he absolutely couldn't pass up a chance to rag
on Tasuki. "Ooo, Gen-chan, I think the lady likes you!" he teased. He switched to
an extremely high pitched falsetto. "He's SOOO kawaii!" and he batted his
eyelashes dramatically.
"Tamahome!" Tasuki threatened, pantomiming reaching for his tessen. "You
know that I HATE women!"
Kourin jumped up and ran to meet him. She playfully wrapped herself around him
and began to play with one of her victim's long earrings. "Are you sure that you
don't want to play with me, Tasuki-chan?" she purred sensuously. She stroked
one of her hands down towards his waist and teasingly pulled at his belt buckle.
"A big, strong man like you surely isn't scared of me?"
Tasuki had turned several shades of red and now was rather successfully turning
purple, while his fellow seishi laughed at his obvious discomfort. Nuriko finally
spoke softly but firmly. "Kourin, I think you should leave him alone now. You've
had your fun."
"You're no fun, Nuriko,"she pouted before snapping,"anyway, who are you to tell
me what to do, my keeper?"
"They're already arguing again," Chichiri sighed. "How are we going to survive
long enough to find out why she's here?"
To his immense surprise Kourin answered the rhetorical question. "I need one of
you to take me to Konan to meet Hotohori. Once I arrive there I think that more of
my purpose will be revealed."
"She thinks that she saw Suzaku in her dreams," Nuriko scoffed. "He told her that
she needs to go to Konan to fully understand the reason that she's here."
The short-haired girl spun around and grabbed his collar furiously. "I don't know
what your problem is, but I'm here, and you all clearly don't have the power to
send me home, so we all have to deal with it!" She pulled down her collar to
reveal the entire sign and continued. "This sign marks me as one of Suzaku's
chosen, right? If he had spoken to one of your fellow seishi or Miaka, would you
doubt them now, Nuriko? I think not! I don't know why we are constantly at each
other's throats, but I am willing to make an effort if you are."
"How magnamious of you!" Nuriko sneered. "Neechan, you started this whole
mess by overreacting when I mistakenly kissed you..."
"If you hadn't given in to your testosterone guided impulses and thought before
you acted..." Kourin interrupted furiously.
"...we wouldn't be in this situation right now!" both finished. The two opponents
stared at each in surprise for a moment while the other seishi quietly conferred
among themselves. Tasuki cautiously sidled up to them with one hand
strategically placed on his tessen.
"Anou...," he stuttered, "we declared it a draw, and, Kourin-sama, Nuriko will be
your escort back to Konan."
"I'm not setting one foot out of this cave with him!" the girl answered curtly,
turning her back to Nuriko.
"That's fine by me!" Nuriko retorted. "I don't want to take you anywhere anyway!"
"Nuriko is the most logical choice," Chichiri desperately explained. "Because of
his fatal injuries, he is weaker than he normally would be, and we don't want to
risk his life unnecessarily."
"I don't trust him," she stated flatly. "He's already tried to take advantage of me
three times, and when there's no one but me to stop him, who knows what that
hentai will do!" Kourin turned to Nuriko with golden fire burning in her eyes. "I'll go
with you on one condition. If you even lay one finger on me when it isn't
absolutely necessary, I will drain all the chi from your body, wakatta?"
Nuriko gulped at the girl's fierce words. Her body language alone was a clear
indicator that she was fully capable of carrying out her threat. "Wakatta, Kourin,
but may I add my own condition?"
"It depends on what it is," she returned smartly.
"When we leave here, you will pretend to be my sister. That way no one will find
it odd that a young woman is traveling alone with a man, and I will be better able
to protect you," he answered, his burgandy eyes boring into hers.
"Who the FUCK is going to believe that you two are sibs?" Tasuki interjected
contemptuously. "Kourin doesn't even look like anyone from this world."
"Well, if you're so smart, why don't you suggest something?" Nuriko snapped, his
thin veneer of composure fading.
"Eeto..." Tasuki stammered sheepishly. "I know you're going to hate this, but you
might be able to pass Kourin off as your foreign wife."
"Nani?!" Kourin and Nuriko shrieked in horror. "There's no way we're pretending
to be married!"
"Anou...Kourin-sama looks too much like the Hins of far eastern Kutou to be safe
on her own," Chiriko said quietly. "Even before their extermination by the current
emperor of Kutou, they were hated and feared. Without protection you will face
prejudice and torment wherever you go, Kourin-sama."
"Were the Hin so terrible a people?" the golden brown-haired girl asked sadly.
"Not at all,"the young boy smiled sweetly. "They were just different and,
therefore, misunderstood and shunned."
"Nuriko, it seems that I need you to get me to Konan safely, so I should apologize
for all of the things I've said so far. I jumped to conclusions and was terribly
unfair. Could we start over as friends?" Kourin extended her right hand towards
him and firmly pasted a smile on her face. "Onegaishimasu?"
Nuriko looked down and shuffled his feet. "I really ought to be the one
apologizing. I provoked you without any reason or any thought to the
consequences." His eyes met Kourin's shyly across the gap between them. "I
swear on the memory of my sister that I will protect you even at the cost of my
own life." Nuriko strode forward and grasped the girl's hand firmly. "For now and
forever, I am you devoted protector and friend, Kourin-sama, or I am not worthy
of bearing the title of seishi."
Kourin gifted him with another true smile and clumsily curtsied. "Nuriko-sama, I
would be most honoured to be your friend, and I accept you as my one true
guardian."
Glossary
? ojousama -- lady or miss
? doomo arigatou gozaimasu, arigatou -- thank you
? chi -- life energy
? Suzaku no Miko -- priestess of Suzaku, one of the four animal gods
? seishi -- protector or warrior of any god's Miko
? Bochuu magic -- a spell that raises chi energy by exchanging male and female
energy. From what I have seen in FY it is normally the male who gains increased
power.
? baka -- idiot, stupid
? gomen -- sorry
? -sama, -chan, -san -- three Japanese honourifics
? ne -- a question marker that indicates the expectation of an affirmative response
? anata -- literally 'you', but it is normally only used by a wife for her husband. In
this context it is more like 'darling'.
? anou, eeto -- Japanese equivalents for 'um'
? honto ni -- truly, really
? niichan -- affectionate form of older brother
? kawaii -- cute
? neechan -- the affectionate form of older sister, but in the story it is used more like
"babe" or "chick"
? tessen -- Iron fan. This refers to Tasuki's special fan that shoots fire.
? nani -- what
? onegaishimasu -- a very polite form of please
? Suzaku no Saiai -- beloved of Suzaku
Questions? Comments?
c 1997 jscaife@austin.rr.com