OK, it THIS chapter, there is lemon up until the
first row of stars and should be considered R(maybe NC-17). Not
needed, but my first attempt (even though it was basically my friends
idea (ie, I plagiarized, yet take no credit since it would go as an AU
to her story in which that would take place.)
Disclaimer: Skip the citrus if you don't want to read it (not too
necessary, no da). After that, it's safe. Sorry for the wait, but
here it is, so enjoy, no da!

Fushigi Akugi
Chapter 4: Blaze of Crimson: Suzaku's Messger Shall Rise

||The moon was just rising as Chichiri lightly knocked on the
bandit leader's door. The younger seishi had promised a surprise for
him after the two had confessed their feelings for eachother.
"Come in," the teen's voice called, both alluring and playful
to the monk's ears. The elder seishi had left his usual gear (1)
behind in favor of a simple evening with Tasuki. Likewise, the bandit
greeted him sans trenchcoat, tessen, and boots.
Chichiri gaped at the elaborate candle-lit dinner the usually
irresponsible and unorganized teen had set up in his brief absence to
bathe and change. The delicate spread was eaten slowly to preserve
the moment, though the time seemed to pass quickly as the two talked
about the past six months since the summoning. Palace life didn't
seem to suit Tasuki, but the bandit was just happy to be near
Chichiri. It was nearing midnight when the monk rose to leave.
"It's getting late, no da. I should get going to bed, na no
da," he smiled gently at the bandit.
"So soon?" the teen growled softly and seductively. "But I
got more planned fer ya. Now get your sweet little ass over here," he
grinned, crossing the space between them and encircling the elder
seishi in a warm embrace.
"N-nan-" was all the mage could say before Tasuki's mouth
covered his in a soft, sweet kiss. Cautiously, he raised a hand to
the back of his neck and sought to deepen the kiss; his tongue licking
lightly at Chichiri's lips. The monk obliged, allowing his slender
arms to warp around Tasuki.
'Gods...he smells so good...an' he's so warm...' Tasuki
thought as he swiftly lifted his beloved in his arms and delicately
spread him out on the prepared pillows on his bed. Their lips met
again as his large hands roamed restlessly over the mages slim form.
He soon found himself untying the dark belt at his waist and unlacing
his tunic. Soft reassurances were whispered as he slid open the
bothersome clothing and allowed his callused hands to come in contact
with the smooth skin they found there. He lightly nosed at Chichiri's
throat and began to bathe his throat in small licks, allowing his
fangs to graze the sensitive flesh.
"Tasuki," the man below him half moaned, half sighed. He
gasped as the brigand's fingers found and began to pinch his right
nipple. His mouth trailed down to the unattended nipple and began to
lavish it in sucks and nips. He switched to the other after a moment;
his fingers moving to the one he'd just finished with.
Nimble hands slid down to remove his own belt and began
unlacing his tunic with trembling fingers. A sly grin spread across
his face and he rose to assist him in the removal of both tunic and
pants before returning the favor. He sat for a moment on the knees,
his eyes raking appraisingly over the paler man's slender body before
he sprawled atop him again, their lips meeting in another fiery kiss.
He could sense, however, the apprehension the smaller man felt.
"Don't worry, Chiri, I won't do anything ya don't want me to,
k?" he soothed. His lips moved to lavish attention now on the scar
that sealed his lover's left eye; slowly bathing it in kisses and
licks. Chichiri wimpered softly at first, unused to anyone else
touching his scar, however, he was soon sighing softly at the warm
affection.
Discreetly, Tasuki produced a bottle of clove lotion he'd
received from Nuriko upon request. He wanted this night to be perfect
and didn't want to harm the angel below him too much. Carefully, he
dipped three fingers into the cool cream and again pressed his mouth
to Chichiri's. As his tongue sought for entrance to Chichiri's mouth,
his nimble fingers sought it elsewhere.
Upon the intrusion, Chichiri gasped and moaned deeply into
Tasuki's mouth, trembling with the mix of emotions it caused.
"Daijoubu, aka-chan(2). Just relax and I promise you'll enjoy
it." He carefully stretched the mage before adding a second and then
a third finger. He waited patiently until he felt the elder man was
ready and then generously coated his arousal with the lotion. He knew
it would be painful for the mage at first, but hoped that his efforts
to make his first time more enjoyable would help. Carefully, he eased
himself into the smaller man, laying kisses on his soft lips
comfortingly. He pressed his cheek against Chichiri's as his entire
length was engulfed by him, sighing softly into the mage's ear. He
waited again until he felt Chichiri was ready to continue before
smiling slyly.
"I'm honored...ta be the one ta take yer virginity,
tenshi(3)," he whispered. He began to move, slowly adjusting to the
feel of the older seishi before opting for a faster pace. Chichiri
responded to this by wrapping his long, slender legs around the
bandit's waist. Both of the symbols glowed in the dim light of the
room and Tasuki felt as if he and his lover were one.
'Gods, he feels so good...I love him so much...so close...'||
Suddenly, he was no longer in bed atop the mage, but frozen
before Tenkou. The demon lord smirked as a ball of dark energy flew
towards the bandit.
'No...not again...please...' he pleaded voicelessly.
"IYA!" Chichiri cried, appearing between Tasuki and the deadly
blast. The energy tore through his slender frame, destroying him in an
instant.

*******************************************************

"Iya!" Tasuki sat up quickly, shaking violently. His body and hair
were damp with sweat and his vision was blurred in the dim light of
the full moon that filtered through the high windows of his room. He
gasped for air, wiping tears from his eyes and cursing blindly.
'Where am I again?' he wondered vaguely.
"Tasuki-sama, daijoubu-ka?" a gentle voice asked from the now
open door-way.
"Hai, hai," he muttered. 'That's right, we're at the Mt. Cyan
bandits' stronghold,' he recalled wearily. They had met them on the
road towards the Suzaku no Hato no Doukutsu(4) and the next Jewel of
Memory, which happened to be in the possession of Serge(5), the
bandits' leader.
Though, to call them 'bandits' was wrong. They were actually
the protectors of the Doukutsu and punished anyone who tried to enter
it.
"What's troubling you, Tasuki-sama?" the young attendant
asked. He was fifteen and had shoulder-length chestnut hair and
ice blue eyes. The soft candlelight made his eyes as well as the
medallion he wore around his neck of the same color glitter like ice.
The medallion bore on it an emblazed image of a dove flying upwards
that was only slightly darker in color. Even at this late hour, the
youth wore a royal blue tunic and black pants tucked into his ebony
boots. A long knife was tucked into his lavender belt as if he was
expecting to use the weapon, although it was highly unlikely.
"Just worried 'bout this whole trial thing Ch- I mean,
Houjun's goin' through in the mornin', that's all," the fanged seishi
replied.
"There's nothing to worry about," the boy smiled. He reached
into his pocket and produced a small white envelope (6), offering it to
the bandit. "Here, this'll help you relax some."
"Nah, forget it, Yama. I'll be ok."
Shrugging, the teen replaced the offered drug and looked into
Tasuki's amber eyes confidently.
"Then it's not the trial that is worrying you, but the fact
that you are in love with Houjun-sama, ne?"
"Na-nani?" Tasuki stammered.
"Well, my brother and I noticed that you seemed upset when it
was not your memory stone that Serge had and then again when he
mentioned having a girl-friend in his home world, so we just assumed
that was why." The youth smiled at Tasuki, eyes bright. "But you
shouldn't worry about that either because I'm sure that, if you two
are truly soul-mates, then everything will work out in the end."
"How can you be so damned sure? He's get someone else waitin'
fer him back in his wo-"
"Because he was originally from this world and it is this
world that is his true home," Yama interrupted.
"And if you believe that the love you have for him and he had
for you was genuine, then it was Suzaku's doing and he will find his
way to your arms again; especially after you recover your Jewel of
Memory." If Tasuki hadn't met Yama's older twin, Fuji(7), earlier, he
would have sworn the teen before him was a ventriloquist. The two
brothers, like Amiboshi and Suboshi, were indistinguishable aside from
their eye and medallion color. Fuji's eyes were the color of fire as
was his medallion, which also bore the symbol of a dove on it.
Fuji sighed softly and placed a hand on Yama's shoulder.
"Time for bed, oni-chan."
"Yeah, I know," the younger of the two smiled and turned to
leave.
"Don't worry about the trial or the Hato's feelings for you,
Tasuki-sama. Suzaku-seikun is the God of Love, right? Things'll work
out if you believe they will. Oyasumi."
Tasuki smiled, baring his fangs. "Alright. Yer right. I
just gotta trust Chiri, that's all..." he sighed, lying back. He
pulled the sheets over him and hugged his pillow. "I just gotta
believe..."

The morning was bright and warm as Serge, Yama, and Fuji led
the Suzaku no Miko and her seishi to the entrance of the Doukutsu.
The entrance was actually a testing area for the one who aspired to
become the Dove of Suzaku and was somehow concealed within a stony
hill with a flat, grassy area atop it. the entrance was sealed with
two, large stone doors that no one save a mage could open as they were
too heavy to be opened by even someone with Nuriko's strength.
"In here, Houjun, you will find your trails," Serge began. He
was a tall man who stood only an inch shorter that Mitsukake with
short, dark blue hair and clear, gold eyes. He, as many of his men,
wore black pants tucked into black boots and donned a soft white tunic
cinched at the waist with a red belt; a dagger at each hip. Though he
was nearly thirty-seven, he looked and sounded as young as Tamahome
and was clean-shaven.
"You'll be tested in three ways for the attribute necessary of
the Suzaku no Hato. It won't be easy in the least, but, if you have
what it takes, you can do it.
"First, you'll be tested for you speed, agility, and reflexes
with a test of judgement and intuition. Next will be a test of
determination and faith in yourself as well as you cause that will
also measure your physical prowess. Your final test is one of power
and potential that will force you to call on your innate skills and
powers that Suzaku has granted you. All three tests will allow your
over-seer to judge you and deem whether or not you are worthy of the
title you seek." He sighed softly and listened to the mutterings of
the seishi behind him. He was worried that perhaps the boy was not
the one and that he would have to wait until another sought the title.
He glanced back; realizing that Houjun was silent and froze. He had
been expecting the youth to be frightened if not in awe of the task
before him, but instead saw a calm strength within his mahogany eyes.
'No, his entire being seems to be radiating this power. Could this
boy truly be the one?' Surge wondered.
Houjun smiled after a moment and moved forward towards the
massive doorway. Towards his destiny.
"Alright, then, I guess there's no turning back." He raised
his right hand to the doors and focused briefly. With almost no
effort, the twin doors opened towards him. He looked back at his
friends and grinned. "Wish me luck!"
"Go fer it Chiri!" Tasuki shouted, flashing his famed fanged
grin.
"Good luck, Hato-sama!" the twins chimed in unison while Serge
could only stare in mild disbelief. The doors slid closed behind
Houjun and the trials began.

In an instant, the cavern was plunged into a solid darkness
only to flash brilliently again as lightening streaked through the
darkness. Houjun lept to one side, dodging the attack only to be
forced to dive out of the way as another followed it. Getting the
idea, he charged blindly forward. He honed his senses on what he saw
between the flashes of light that followed him closely and predicting
where the next strike would land. After having absorbed Mistake's
Jewel of Memory, he had become aware of his innate abilities that he
had glimpsed during his fight against the chimera four days earlier
after finding Miaka's Jewel of Memory.
Finally, he spotted the exit to the first trial; a dark portal
that was hidden within the deepest shadows. He lept through it,
barely managing to catch the edge of the floor as he discovered there
was no floor beyond the door.
"Great, a cliff, no da," he muttered. He looked up, gritting
his teeth as laughter echoed through the dark cavern.
"Very well done, Chichiri of the Suzaku, however, it is a two-
mile high cliff and you are in the center of it. Your odds of
climbing up here are far less that reasonable. Give up and perhaps you
will be spared," a voice called down to him.
"Ha, you think you can scare me?" Houjun called back,
beginning to climb upwards. "Sure, it might be hard, but if there's
even a miniscule chance of me making it, then I will. My friends, no,
everyone is counting on me to become the Dove of Suzaku and stop
Tenkou. I will-no-I must become the Dove." Hand and foot holds were
difficult to find as he ascended the cliff slowly. He quickly learned
that the cliff wall was also roughly textured as he pulled himself
higher as the jagged surface cut his arms and legs painfully but not
enough to cause major bloodloss.
After climbing for an unknown amount of time, he paused,
hugging the wall as he caught his breath. His entire body ached with
fatigue and he felt almost too weak to continue.
'Makenai...that's right,' he thought, feeling sweat trickle
down his back and chest. 'That's one of the first Japanese words I
learned...and the one I use whenever I feeling like giving up...ever
since ninth grade...' he sighed and forced his body to respond. "I
won't give up...not now," he growled, his fingers aching in protest.
"Not then...not ever...makenai!"
After another eternity of struggling, his hand found a ledge
instead of wall. A small, weary smile crossed the teens face as he
pulled himself onto it; the smooth, cool stone ground a blessing to
his sore body.
'So tired,' he thought as his eyes drifted closed. 'I could
just fall asleep right here, no da...demo,' he forced himself to his
feet and made his way forward. The darkness seemed to give way slowly
as he did; no longer as dark as a tomb. A slight breeze caressed his
sweat-soaked body as he went towards the glow the promised to let him
escape. His eyes re-adjusted slowly and he soon found himself atop
the moonlit hill in a garden that would have put Hotohori's palace
gardens to shame. Flowers of every possible color, shape, size, and
fragrance blooming on everything from trees to bushes. The grass was
ankle deep and soft, but also seemed to vary in colors. Beyond the
garden, there was rubble. Looking to his left, Houjun saw sand and,
beside that, snow.
"Where on earth..." he began, studying the landscape in awe.
Suddenly, it struck him. "Everything here represents something from
each of the four lands!"
"Correct." The voice behind him startled him and he spun
around to face his tester. He resembled Serge in every aspect and
donned a short, white robe cinched at the waist with a crimson belt.
Beneath it he wore black pants tucked into black boots. In his slender
hands, he held a staff that was as tall as he was, the top in the
shape of a crescent moon with an iridescent star-shaped crystal within
it resting directly where the moon met the staff. "You have done
well, so far, however, time was slowed in the trial cave and, now that
you have escaped the darkness, the mere hours you were inside have
become twenty hours that you have gone without rest, food, or water.
You now must face me in combat, however, you can not win, boy." As he
spoke, Houjun began to feel even more exhausted and hungry. He
focused on the mage before him, desperately trying to stay awake.
"I won't give up that easily, no da," he informed the other.
"Hm hm hm, well, then, prepare to die at the hands of Magus
Rimald(8)!" The mage cried, a blast of lightning striking Houjun and
sending him sprawling to the edge of the hill.
'Shimatta, he's right...' Houjun thought bleakly, his eyes
sliding closed. 'Minna, gomen...I'm just not strong enough...'
Please, Houjun, Samantha's voice came to him. His blue,
tear-drop shaped pendent(9) began to glow faintly as her words
unknowingly crossed the barriers of the book.
"Samantha?" he whispered weakly.
Houjun, I know you're tired, but please...please don't let
him beat you... Samantha pleaded. Look down at your friends.
They're fighting Nakago and they aren't giving up. He's a lot
stronger than they are and he guy, Serge, is already hurt bad. I know
it seems like I'm asking a lot of you, but please, Houjun...Please get
up... A trickle of water hit his face from above and he looked up.
'Samantha...that's right, we're connected by out
necklaces...just like Miaka and Yui were connected through there
school uniforms...' he recalled, forcing himself up. He glanced down
at his friends.
'That's right...my friends...they're fighting Nakago...for
me...' He rose to his feet painfully and turned towards the advancing
mage, a red energy surrounding his hand as he began to cast a spell.
'Then I must fight for them.' The red light streaked towards Magus,
who deflected it with ease.
"It will take more than that to stop me," he chuckled, firing
another blast of energy at Houjun. Again the Teen hit the ground and
again he stumbled to his feet. "Give it up, you can't win in your
condition, boy."
"Your right," Houjun rasped, clutching his side. "I probably
don't stand much of a chance against you, demo," he held his left hand
towards the mage, calling a spell to mind. "If I lose, I die and if I
give up, I die. I know that giving up would be less painful, but I
have to fight. My friends are counting on me, as is this world.
Sammy's praying for me not to die and my friends are fighting Nakago
because they believe in me. Makenai, no da!" He sent out another
attack and Magus could only marvel at what he felt as the blast hit
him. It wasn't enough to kill him, but he could sense a pure, raw
power within it. He watched as Houjun dropped to one knee, barely
able to keep his balance yet seeming willing to throw out another
attack if needed.
"Houjun," Magus spoke softly. The teen's eyes met his own and
he smiled. "Even though your power is not even at half strength, I'm
very impressed. I can sense a pure energy from you that bares neither
anger nor hatred. You truly are Suzaku's Dove, Houjun Akia Ri." A
pillar of golden light engulfed Houjun, healing his wounds and
refreshing his body. For a brief moment, Mahogany eyes met gold one
and an understanding crossed between the two mages. Magus held out
his hand, offering the scroll Houjun had come for.
"With that, Hato, you can unlock all of your powers, but for
now, I can only grant you an increase of power and strength. Once you
are whole again, then read the scroll." The pillar of light began to
fade and, with it, so did Magus. "Good luck, Houjun. May all your
wishes be dreams and may all your dreams come true."
"Houjun stared at the spot where the mage had stood only
moments before and suddenly realized the change in the atmosphere. No
longer was it a clear, cloudless night, but dark clouds choked the
sky, thunder crashing all around him and lightening flashing as bright
as day. He clenched his fist and looked back to his friends. With a
firm nod and stretching his renewed body, he lept over the edge and
towards his friends.

Nakago was becoming tired of the feebly attempts to delay his
entry into the Doukutsu. He was finally preparing to just fry them
all when a burst of white light nearly hit his feet. He looked up
disbelieving as Houjun glided towards the ground on elegant white
wings the shimmered with an iridescent light. He landed lightly
between Nakago and his friends.
"That's far enough, Nakago," the teen stated, drawing his
sword as thunder crashed above them and a flash of lightening threw
shadows around them. It had yet begun to rain, but the storm was now
fully under way.

*****************************************

YEA! Four down, eight to go, no da! OK. I know alot of the lines
sound familiar and I must admit that all the sex stuff wasn't my idea,
but I put it together for your enjoyment, despite the risk of
plagiarism, no da^-^;; I think I've said too much, no da...

**To reiterate, the stuff between the "||" marks is not my works(I'm
saying this for my health for when/if Nuri-chan ever reads this so she
doesn't kill me, no da-_-;;)

(1) Beads, kesa, kasa, staff
(2) meaning: It's alright, baby^_~
(3) meaning: angel
(4) meaning: Den of the Dove of Suzaku, for those of you not paying
attention to chapter three, no da.
(5) eh...I have a fetish for Chrono Cross(and Chrono Trigger, no da)
(6) No, it's not kodoku(sp?), no da
(7) Um, they needed names, and, well, it just seemed to work, being
they're from a mountain. More about them in coming chapters, no
da^_~*
(8) Magus, as in the Magus from Chrono Trigger. Rimald is a name that
I pulled out of somewhere while listening to the Fushigi Yuugi TV
Original Soundtrack at around 2:30am
(9) Quiz: What color is Samantha's pendant? Just seeing if you guys
are paying attention, no da^_~*

Wow, that's a lot of footnotes, no da. E-mail me with questions and
comments, no da. I need the encouragement, na no da.
Anyways, so Houjun has acquired the scroll and some nifty new
abilities, but can he defeat Nakago in combat? Why do I refer to
Chichiri as Houjun? Why did the weather suddenly turn bad?

Next up:
Fushigi Akugi
Chapter 5: Eyes Blinded By Evil: Confronting Nakago

"I will go...I will..."
-Chichiri: OVA II Episode 5: The Transience of a Water Mirror