Disclaimer: Standard disclaimers apply. See your local retail outlet for your own copy of Fushigi Yuugi.
This chapter is for Emily who asked me where the murder weapon was. After a mental scolding for forgetting to mention it, I have put it in this chapter! Thanks for the reminder!
Chapter Three: Tasuki
By: omni82
Houki's psychological instincts told her the best way to get Tasuki to talk was not to bully him into it like with Nuriko but to slip into his confidences like a friend. It might be unethical but she was willing to make friends with the ornery man if it meant putting an end to this mystery.
"Please Tasuki-sama, sit down," Houki invited. She gestured to a plush couch across from her. The bandit warily accepted and sat gingerly on the cushions. His expression was one of surly uneasiness.
"I didn't f*&%in' kill Tamahome!" He blurted out belligerently. "And anything Nuriko told you was a damned lie!"
"So Tamahome wasn't cheating on Miaka?" Houki asked gently.
"No! Yes! I dunno. I have no proof. The guy said he was but he was always saying stupid stuff. It didn't make it true." Tasuki scowled at no one in particular, even his good sense told him not to make faces at the empress. But he too became anxious and began pacing the room.
"Me and Tama were supposed to be best buddies, ya know, the closest brothers." Tasuki remarked, his accent getting thicker as he became more and more emotional. Houki was willing to let him go on but for safety's sake, she carefully removed any objects in the vicinity that could serve as missiles.
"But you weren't, were you?" She suggested in a soothing voice. "It seemed that way on the surface but it wasn't."
"Nah." Tasuki replied simply. "Nah."
"Tell me about tonight, Tasuki. Where do you fit in?" Houki tucked her feet under her and rest her head on one hand. She was looking as non-threatening as possible. At this point, Tasuki was the main suspect.
"I was f*&%in' asleep like any sane person would be." He declared self-righteously. Houki just nodded as the bandit continued to pace around the room. Every now and then, he would begin rubbing his hands like they hurt.
"Well, who do you think did it?" She questioned. Tasuki bristled up like an annoyed hedgehog.
"I don't think anyone f*&%in' did it! I think f*&%in' Tamahome did it to his f*&%in' self!" Tasuki shot back hotly. "There was no f*&%in' murder weapon now was there? He could've f*&%in' fell or something f*&%in' stupid like that." Houki's face turned bright red at the language but her mind began to race. By Suzaku, Tasuki was right! There hadn't been a murder weapon! Maybe it had been a horrible accident. Maybe, as Tasuki suggested, Tamahome really had fallen and f*&%in' killed himself.
The flame-haired Suzaku seishi calmed considerably as he saw the lights go on in the empress's eyes. It seemed that he would be in the clear. Houki stretched suddenly, knocking a nearby vase to the floor.
"Oh dear," she murmured, bending to pick up the pieces. Tasuki joined her on the floor, grabbing the flowers that had spilled every which way. The young empress held the vase as the seishi replaced the slightly battered flora. As he was sticking a small lily in the ceramic holder, Houki noticed dark bruises running up the sides of his hands. The markings indicated that he had perhaps hit something with his two hands clasped together like a hammer. Suddenly the room got several degrees colder. If this meant what she thought it did, she could be dead before even having time to scream.
"There ya go, yer majesty." Tasuki stood up and dusted himself off. He offered a helping hand to the empress who could only stare horrified at it. The bandit followed her gaze to the marks on his hands. Comprehension dawned swiftly.
"No! No, yer majesty! Its not what you think!" he cried, stumbling backwards. "I didn't do it."
"But you hated Tamahome," Houki told him as she stood and began advancing on the man.
"No," he protested weakly.
"You hated him for betraying Miaka, for betraying you. He wasn't what you thought he was and that made you angry. Angry enough to kill!" Houki backed him into the chaise where he collapsed heavily. The bandit buried his face in those bruised hands and shook his head.
"No, no," he wept. "It wasn't me."
"Admit it Tasuki. Admit your crimes and we will go easy on you." Houki intoned. She hadn't expected the fierce and bold bandit lord of Mount Reikaku to cave in so easily. It made her feel strangely powerful. "You hated Tamahome and decided that tonight he would pay for his betrayal."
"No!" He roared. The man went from devastated to enraged in less than a minute. "Yeah I hated Tamahome, who didn't?" Tasuki uncrossed his legs and leaned forward intently. "But I didn't fuckin' kill him!!" He leapt out of his seat and grabbed Houki roughly by the arm. "If you're going to point fingers, do it at someone else. There were lots of other people who wanted to see Tamahome dead. Why don't you accuse them?"
"Let go of me, Tasuki-sama, and sit down." Houki's voice was laced with royal authority, the only real protection she had against physical harm. It worked instantly and Tasuki regained his seat. Houki went back to her own and faced him. Next time, she would push just a little bit less. "Now tell me who else wanted Tamahome dead."
He glared at her sullenly. She glared back. Finally, Tasuki gave in. "Fine. Tamahome told Mitsukake a few weeks ago that he thought that Shoka had been a weak little ho. But then he tripped Chiriko who fell into an ornamental pond where Chichiri had been fishing. Monk-boy was really pissed that his chances of catching 'the big one' had been ruined by Tamahome again. He vowed to wiped the smirk off Tamahome's face if it killed him." He let out a gusty sigh. "See? I told you everyone wanted that rat bastard dead."
Houki was at a complete loss. Everyone did want Tamahome dead. How come she had never noticed that when the guy had been alive? It was time to try to get her ducks in a row. Again.
"Did Miaka know about Tamahome's little fidelity problem?" She inquired. Tasuki shook his head vehemently.
"No, the asshole was always a complete gentleman with her. It was his only good point."
Hmm, that let out the priestess. So far, Nuriko had the same motivation as Tasuki and no alibi. The bandit had incriminating marks on his hands, possibly indicating that he was the deliverer of the head trauma that killed Tamahome. Someone had once again suggested Mitsukake's and Chiriko's culpability. Chichiri was a now a suspect. It seemed that as she crossed out one suspect, another two popped up. At least no one had placed Hotohori at the scene of the crime or given any evidence of his guilt. Nevertheless, she was going to need her husband's input into the murder.
"You may go Tasuki-sama." Houki told him. The brigand look relieved. "But remember you are still a suspect." He gave no indication of having heard as he crossed the threshold and shut the door behind him.
Rubbing her temples with icy cold fingers, Houki called out to the guards at the door. "Bring me his majesty, Suzaku no Seishi Hotohori."
TBC…
Preview of Chapter Four:
"Surely you don't suspect me, do you my dear?" Hotohori crossed the short distance between them and knelt before her. Bringing her hand to his lips, his beautiful amber eyes glittered with a dark, primitive emotion that left Houki breathless. "You would never do anything to hurt your beloved husband…"
