fushigi satsujin
By Ryuuen

Warnings: Shounen-ai, Tamahome isn't the dead guy, language, possible spoilers.

A/N: This being my murder mystery. Who dun it? Do you know? *imitating annoying puppet-things from Utena* Do you know, do you know? *stops* Anyway, kudos to anyone who can decifer the title! ^_^ Anyway, this whole thing is from Nuriko's POV, just so's ya know.


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FUSHIGI SATSUJIN
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I couldn't help but smile at the irony of the situation. I had just been sitting there, with a book open on my lap, when Tasuki ran in, looking like he had just had to outrun a herd of buffalo.
"Tasuki, what's wrong?" I asked finally, frowning because just by the look on his face I knew that something bad had happened.
Oh gods oh gods oh GODS don't let something have happened to Hotohori-sama, onegai??
Finally Tasuki swallowed, trying to gather breath to speak.
"Chichiri..." He managed to gasp out. I stared for a moment, unable to utter even a single sound. Tasuki turned and I jumped up to follow him, my book landing, forgotten, on the soft carpet of the floor.

~*~

He led me to Chichiri's room. There, on the floor, was the monk himself. I wondered dimly what had happened, how come Tasuki had come to ME, of all people? We needed Mitsukake or something or.. oh, Mitsukake was there already. Then why is Chichiri still all bloody? Why isn't he healed? Or did Mitsukake use up his healing powers for the day already? What was going ON here?
I ran to my blue-haired friend's side, going to grab his hand, tell him it was alright, but I recoiled as our flesh met. He was.. cold. Cold in a way the living couldn't be... cold.. cold like Kourin had been cold..
I held on to Chichiri's hand, thinking maybe, maybe if I kept at least his hand warm, he would come back. It was foolish, but.. I didn't want to lose anyone else, you know? Chichiri was a very good friend of mine. To lose him, now...
I lost it. He looked so weak, so broken..
Why now, gods, why do you do this now!? NOW, of all possible times?? Who did this?? Who DID this!?! I demanded of myself, my thoughts loud, outraged.
I didn't realize that I was speaking my thoughts aloud, until I felt a silencing hand on my shoulder, the warmth I recognized from anywhere, but strangely it didn't seem to matter. The world around me was... irrelevent. I couldn't feel, couldn't hear. Not really. It was all distant. Hotohori's hand on my shoulder, the hot tears on my cheeks, the sound of Miaka wailing in the background.. it couldn't touch me. Even when I could hear, distantly, the quiet, raspy sobs that were Tasuki's, nothing seemed to register in my mind. I couldn't even cry. Couldn't, because I didn't want to believe that he was dead. He couldn't be dead.. no..
I knew what Tasuki wanted to say to me. Why aren't you sad? Don't you feel anything? Truth be told, I think I was in shock. No one had access to Chichiri's private chambers except.. except..
I stood slowly, backing a step away from the others, even Hotohori, who looked surprised through tears, his hand falling limply to his side. In the back of my mind, I was surprised to see Hotohori cry, but..
"Who did this?" I asked suddenly, and I didn't recognize my own voice. Was that really me, with the deeper, quiet rage-voice? Me, with those ice-eyes? "Which one of you did this?"
The others looked about as surprised at this sudden change in me as I felt. But as much as I wanted to tell them it would be alright, and couldn't Tai Yi-Jun bring him back, I couldn't. Because as much as I hated to admit it.. I knew.
I knew... the truth...
One of the Suzaku no Seishi had..
One of the Suzaku no Seishi had killed... Chichiri...

*OWARI*

A/N: Starting next chaper: interrogations and more fun stuff! Whee! ^_^ Hope you liked this chapter. It sort of wrote itself, so I don't have much control over it.
Nuriko: You do to! You're the author! Why are you torturing me like this!?!
Ryuuen: Because I love you! *glomp*
Nuriko: Get... OFF! *toss*
Ryuuen: Owww... That HURT..
Nuriko: --;;;;


FUSHIGI SATSUJIN AKUGI 1:

Nuriko: *narrating* He was cold.. cold in the way that the living couldn't be... cold in the way that the living COULD be if one was stuck in a person-sized freezer for too long..

Ryuuen: *offstage, in director's chair* Would ya quit foolin' around already?!


FUSHIGI SATSUJIN AKUGI 2:

Nuriko: Tasuki, what's wrong?

Tasuki: RYUUEN STOLE MY TESSEN!!!

Nuriko: --;;;;