A/N: Before I get started on the Book of Cups, I'd like to give a few shout-outs:
To Datura, with whom I share some private jokes, and without whom I wouldn't be writing this fic. If you were wondering about Ban'noh ('Shin) turning the grass into chocolate, you have her to thank. For she says, "Chocolate is the food of the GODS!" So I decided to make that a tad more literal, and…voilá! And, yes, Datura-chan, the "dominant submissive" thing came from you. It was kind of like a signpost, a near-silent homage to you, if you will, in the fic.
To Offcentre, my right-hand woman and introducer to fanfiction. I wouldn't have any of my 39-odd stories and poems up here without her! Not only that, she's one of my best online buddies, and one of the best fanfiction writers I know. I hope you get to read Kaiooshin-kai: A History soon…and, no, although I have a crush on Kaiooshin, I REALLY DON'T think anything *cough * "bad" about him. Like I told you, in my fanfic/otaku world, whatever you can say about or do to Jesus you can say about or do to 'Shin-sama. I know that went in your Book O' Rivka Quotes…LOL
To Jenn-chan, my best campus friend and the first person I showed my art of Ten'ue Hoshiko to. I hope this fic lives up to your "Oh-my-God-she-is-sooo-cool" expectations of her.
To Penniman-sensee, my Japanese teacher, and to Takagi Yuko, the Japanese exchange student, for helping me with the intricacies of nihongo.
To everyone else that has either R-and-Red or will in the future.
Evil Mental Voice: OKAY, RIVKA! Knock it off with the shout-outs already!
Rivka: Okay, on with the story…
Kaiooshin-Kai: A History
Book of Cups, part 1: Reunion
A DBZ fanfiction by LadyRivka
Seven long years (or the Kaiooshin-kai equivalent thereof).
That's how long Hoshiko had to wait to see Ban'noh-kun again. She had decided against visiting him because of the way Dai Kaiooshin would act around her. She was afraid of getting leered at again and being asked to show him her panties. But she had heard he had died and that the Western quadrant held his funeral, placing his spirit into the body of a large, heavy sword by magick. She was surprised that the Western mages could do such a thing; but, she decided, when push came to shove, any mage, no matter how strong they were, could perform any task.
The old East Kaiooshin, cured miraculously of his disease, took over the Dai Kaiooshin's position, and had Hoshiko serve as an honorary god (a job she wasn't very good at) until Ban'noh reached maturity. That's why she hadn't seen the boy in so long. Either too scared or too busy to see him.
But today would be different. Today she was invited to see her young charge again, by order of the Dai Kaiooshin. So she walked from her home in the East to Dai Kaioshin's territory, which, surprisingly, had no line of people clamoring for entry like before.
The comforting, familiar face of her old boss showed up at the door. "Hello, Miss Hoshiko," said he, "we were expecting you."
"Thank you very much," she said with a polite little bow and walked into the plaza area outside. There she saw two figures: a hulking behemoth of a man with red skin, an unusual haircut, and a dour look on his face, and a much shorter fellow, she'd say about five foot or so, with the Ten'ue features and a pristine white mohawk, who looked extremely familiar.
Ban'noh-kun, is that you? she thought to the shorter man.
"Yes, sensee, it is I. I am glad you came, for soon I will take over as the East Kaiooshin. And please do not refer to me as "Ban'noh" or "Ban'noh-kun" any longer. As you know, the work of a god requires the strictest formality, so please call me either Kaiooshin-sama or "Lord" or "Sir"…or in your case, I would be willing to allow "Boss"." He grinned his typical grin, the one Hoshiko had seen many times since he was a child.
Except this time…there was something there that wasn't there before.
The mage glanced over the features of her now thirteen-year-old charge. She gazed into the deep charcoal pools of his eyes, which squinted so when he grinned. Her heart pounded in her ears. She was feeling something towards him she wasn't supposed to feel, partially because he was a god and partially because he was much younger than her.
Great, she thought. He grew up to be absolutely gorgeous…and here I am, staring at him like some idiot, and not tending to my mage duties! Damn it, Hoshiko, get your priorities straight! You don't even want children, remember, and now you're staring at your student like he'd be a perfect father? Damn it, damn it, damn it all! Business first! BUSINESS FIRST!
She took a deep breath, only to find the gargantuan man staring at her, grumbling.
"Ehhh… and your name is, sir?" she asked.
"Kibito," he said.
"What's your family name?" She expected ANYONE who associated with a god to have a family name.
"I never had one."
"You…you mean you're…a Namae-nai?" she gasped. She would have never EVER considered a Namae-nai to associate with gods.
"Yes, that I am," he grumbled, "and I was chosen by Dai Kaiooshin, your old employer, to be the young East Kaiooshin's bodyguard and assistant."
You must be joking, she telepathically communicated to Dai Kaiooshin.
I jest not, came the reply. Although he is a Namae-nai, he possesses gifts of telepathy and telekinesis to rival even yours, Miss Hoshiko. He also has great healing capabilities. And all of these things were self-taught, which I consider extremely amazing for his low social status. And he is very dedicated to Ban'noh- umm- East Kaiooshin-sama's well-being.
"Wow…" muttered the mage.
And then a booming voice, low and deep, came into her brain:
Do not attempt to go near East Kaiooshin-sama. If you do, there will be hell to pay. I do not care if he was once your student; I watch over him now.
"What the…?" she gasped.
She stared at Kibito with disdain, as he did the same to her.
END PART ONE
PART TWO- the resolution of this conflict, and Hoshiko has a nightmare….