BTW, since I haven't mentioned it in a while, please let me remind you that I don't own these lovely Fushigi Yuugi characters and that my friend owns the Dove of Suzaku idea and Samantha Marilin Cummings, na no da. That leaves me with.......the story line and a few odds and ends, like Fuji, Yama, Serge, and anyone else I say I own.
Fushigi Akugi
Chapter 7: Bound By Love: A Rekindling of the Flame
Samantha glanced out the window, noticing that the
storm seemed to be gaining strength again. Ignoring it, she returned her
focus to the book.
"'And so, having sealed the demon, Kanki, and freeing
Hikou from Tenkou's control. the Dove of Suzaku fell into a comfortable
sleep, unaware of the conversation between the celestial warrior and mage.
The former bandit leader confided in Hikou his...'" she gasped, feeling
her heart clench as she read the next lines. "'His amorous feelings for
the Dove...'" tears began to blur her vision and she half-heartedly brushed
them away. "'He explained...that they had been lovers...before Tenkou had
slaughtered him; in the time when the Dove had been known as Chichiri of
the Suzaku Seven...Hikou, though his feelings for the Dove were strong,
nodded his head solemnly and vowed to aid Tasuki in protecting the Dove
with his life as well as helping to...reunite the two lov...'" she closed
the book and drew her knees to her chest. "What now," she wondered. True,
she loved Houjun as well, but once he got his memories of that world back,
would he feel the same?
Before she could dwell on the matter any further,
thin, glowing threads had surrounded her, keeping her from moving.
"Well, would Lord Tenkou be pleased," a voice said
from the doorway that had once been her sliding glass door. "It seems
I've accomplished my assignment in record time."
"W-who are-" Samantha began.
"I am call Yousui, on of Tenkou's loyal servants.
Don't worry, girl," he chuckled, stepping forward and relieving her of
the book. "Lord Tenkou has no plans to kill you...yet." He laughed again,
disappearing with both the book and the helpless teen.
Meanwhile, things were moving smoothly for our heroes
and his friends. Tasuki, Hikou, and Houjun met up with their friends by
mid-morning and, while Houjun was adjusting to the added memories that
came from both Hikou's and Hotohori's memory jewels, the others mode plans
for a trip to Mt. Leikaku. They started out early the next day and reached
the mountain on the afternoon of the fourth day. The group was greeted
by the bandits, led by Kouji in Tasuki's absence, and then dispersed to
rest up after the long trip. Miaka and Taka/Tamahome stayed in their assigned
room; Chiriko and the twins, Yama and Fuji, found a game to play; Nuriko
and Hotohori had abducted Hikou, the feminine seishi saying something about
his clothes being out-of-date; Tasuki and Kouji left to catch up on old
times; and Houjun left to take a walk. Once the teen had found a nice patch
of grass to lay in, he stared up at the afternoon sky and sighed heavily.
So much had happened to him and he just wanted to sort everything out.
There had been a time when the teen had thought
his life was meaningless: the scar on his wrist a silent testimony to the
depression that had plagued him two years earlier. This also brought back
the memories of how Samantha had found him and cared for him. He hadn't
lost enough blood for her to be overly worried, but she had watched over
him until she was sure he would live. When he had opened his eyes, she
was there, smiling down at him with tears in her eyes. They never talked
much about that day and, though he wasn't sure exactly why, she had given
him a reason to go on. Something in her eyes and the way she had smiled
at him had broken him out of his depression and helped him to heal faster.
A year later, he had been compelled to ask he out and, since then, he'd
made certain that she was happy.
But now there was something else.
He felt as though something was about to happen
that would change his life: something that would bring him happiness, but
would tear him away from Samantha. Something...
He closed his eyes and sighed. He didn't know what
it was, but he hoped for only one thing: That Samantha would be happy with
the outcome he felt was unavoidable.
Meanwhile, Tasuki and Kouji talked about what they
had been doing; the latter explaining the going ons of Mt. Leikaku and
the former about his most recent journey.
"So he still don't remember ya, Genrou?" Kouji sighed,
swirling the sake in his cup.
"No, not yet," Tasuki sighed, "but I hope he does
soon."
"Don't worry about it, Gen-chan, I'm sure he will.
You two mean too much to each other for it ta end like this."
"But his gir-"
"Don't even think about her right now, 'k. Chichiri'll
think a' somethin' when da time comes."
Tasuki sighed. "I know, demo..."
"OK, I got somethin' ta ask ya now."
"Yeah?"
"What's Hikou gonna do? Ya said he was gonna go
with ya fer only a bit and den leave, right?"
"Yeah, so?"
"Ya think he'd wanna stay here fer a while?" Kouji
asked hopefully. "I mean, Mt. Kaou's been causin' trouble for us an' we
think dey got a mage workin' fer 'em now. He could help us out alot if
dey do."
"You'll have ta ask him, I guess. He's kinda touchy,
but I think he's mellowin' out some. Maybe-" he stopped suddenly, looking
up towards the window.
"Genrou? What is it?"
"I don't know, Kouji," the flame haired seishi said,
rising to his feet. "But Chichiri's out dere an' I better go make sure
he's alright. Go get the others for me, k?"
"Alright, but be careful, Gen-chan." Kouji watched
as the bandit ran off and bit his lip. "Suzaku let it be nothin'" he prayed
as he followed Tasuki out the door.
Hikou sighed in relief as he slipped away from Nuriko
and Hotohori, the two seishi distracted with hair talk. He pulled
his long hair back into a ponytail, too frustrated to bother putting it
in a bun for the moment. He was grateful that he no longer had to
wear the red and white robes Kanki had selected and now wore a red tunic
and black pants; he would worry about locating shoes later. As he
walked, he felt something that was frightfully familiar.
"That life force..." He narrowed his gold eyes and
made his way to a large window. "Damn him, Tenkou must have sent
him to kill Houjun," he growled, stepping up on the ledge. "We'll
just see about that." Nimbly, he leapt from the ledge, using his
shadowy, bat like wings to glide to the ground. He knew that the
intruder would be watching the doorways as well as the skies for resistance.
He started running as soon as his feet touched the ground and prayed that
he wasn't too late.
Houjun yawned, something pulling at the edges of
his consciousness forcing him awake. He was climbing to his feet
when he saw it.
"What the..." his eyes widened at the sight of the
creature. It was unmistakably a griffin like one he had seen in a
book about mythical creatures. Unfortunately, this one was all to
real.
Cautiously, he backed away, praying for an answer
of some sort. It came as an odd feeling that radiated just past the
creature. His eyes scanned until a faint glimmer caught his eye.
'A memory jewel!' he thought. 'But how to
get it with big ugly here blocking the way...' he wondered as the creature
growled at him. He started to form a spell when the griffin lunged
forward, only to be stopped by a wall of fire.
"Chiri, are you all right?" Tasuki called as he
ran towards the teen.
"Tasuki! Yeah, I'm fine," Houjun smiled before
turning his gaze back to the memory jewel. "Distract him for me,
all right!" he shouted as he began running. He had almost reached
it when he heard Tasuki cry out. He stopped and turned to see his
friend on the ground, the creature looming over him. After a moment
of debate, he threw a blast of chi at the creature, drawing his sword.
"I'm over here, ugly!" he cried. The creature
quickly turned towards its attacker, its teeth gleaming as it opened its
massive jaws and charged towards him. He threw another attack, but
it didn't seem to even phase the mammoth monster. It swiped at Houjun
with a blow the knocked the teen back into the cliff's surface. Houjun
cried out as his back met the wall and he collapsed to the ground.
Above him, the creature howled in victory and lowered its jaws, its hot
breath blowing over the teen. Suddenly, a chi blast from somewhere
above them struck the creature, causing it to reel back in pain.
Houjun took that instant to slip away and secure the memory jewel, vaguely
wondering who had saved him.
On a cliff high above where the creature was attacking
Houjun and Genrou, a figure stood, a glowing hand stretched out before
him. He didn't know who the boy was, but he did know the Tasuki was
still dazed from his confrontation with the griffin. He cast a sad,
mahogany gaze down to the red-head and then hurried to make his way down
to where they were.
'It's been too long since I've been here...How could
I have gotten lost like that, no da...'
Houjun clasped the memory jewel to his chest and
closed his eyes, willing the memory jewel to open to him. Slowly,
his mind was filled with clear images and words that had passed between
himself and Tasuki.
'Yes...Tasuki's memory jewel, no da...' he thought.
He gasped at some of the vivid images he saw and instinctly knew he was
blushing brightly. He drew in a sharp breath as memories of their
first night together played themselves before his mind's eye.
Meanwhile, Tasuki was back on his feet and
faced the creature that had *dared* to threaten *his* Chichiri. Gripping
his tessen firmly in his hands, he aimed it at the creature that was advancing
towards Houjun, noting that the teen was absorbed in the jewel he held
in his right fist tightly.
"Rekka Shinen!" he cried. The creature howled
as the fire struck it and turned on the bandit furiously. "Dat's
it, ya stupid cat," he sneered. "Come an' get me, if ya can!"
He nimbly dodged the griffin's attacks, running around it and throwing
another wave of fire at it. He was doing rather well at holding his
own when the creature landed a lucky strike to the fanged-seishi's side,
sending him careening towards a the edge of a cliff(lot's of cliffs on
this side of Mt. Leikaku, aren't there, no da^.^). He landed a few
feet from the drop and climbed back to his feet again, only to feel something,
or some one, push him back over the edge.
At that moment, Houjun's eyes snapped open, sensing
Tasuki was in danger. He charged towards where his lover had vanished
over the edge.
'Lover,' he told himself firmly and he leapt after
Tasuki. He vaguely heard the others calling after him, but he didn't
care. All that matter right now was saving Tasuki.
Yama and Fuji gasped in shock, unsure of what they
should do. They had seen Houjun dive over the edge of the cliff,
but they didn't understand why he had.
They *did* ,however, see the griffin as it leapt
towards them. Fuji turned to face the creature, throwing a hand before
him.
"Holy fire, burn this demon to ash, Fire Storm!"
he shouted. A pillar of red light surrounded the griffon(all those
in favor of naming the griffin Bob, say "I") and tongues of fire began
to rain down on it. Instead of stopping the creature, it merely seemed
to roll off it's back. Behind Fuji, Yama threw his own attack: dozens
of ice shards flew forward and, again, seemed to do no harm to the creature.
"Is now a good time to say I'm scared," Miaka asked
as the twins backed away slightly.
"What is it, immortal or sumthin'?" Kouji snarled,
gripping his scythe. He charged towards it, swinging his weapon downward
when he was practically on top of it. "Those who attack Mt. Leikaku
won't be fergiven!"
Houjun's heart raced as he caught sight of Tasuki.
He narrowed his eyes and flattened his arms to his sides to gain speed.
"Tasuki!" he called. The shocked teen looked
up at Houjun fearfully.
"What the fuck are ya doin', Chiri!" he cried.
"Yer gonna get yerself killed!"
"I don't care!" Houjun cried. He could feel
tear building in his eyes as he thought of how much Tasuki had looked after
him since his return, guilty that he had the gall to think only of Samantha.
He shook his head slightly and smiled. "I'll save you, koi, I swear
I will!" he shouted, catching sight of the ground below. He felt
some of his chi gathering at the area between his shoulder blades as he
formed the spell and stretched his arms down towards Tasuki.
"K-koi?" the bandit stammered. Unconsciously,
he stretched and arm towards Houjun, tears welling up in his own eyes now
as well. "Chi-Chichiri...does that mean..."
"I remember now, Tasuki-chan, no da! I remember
everything about us now, na no da!" he cried as he caught the bandit's
hand. He pulled the teen into a tight embrace as he completed the
spell, two shimmering white wings spreading from his back. He quickly
righted himself and began flying back to the top of the cliff. "I
love you, no da. I'll always love you, na no da!"
"Chiri..." Tasuki exhaled before bringing his lips
up to cover Houjun's.
"Later, no da," the teen whispered seductively,
turning his eyes skyward. He nimbly landed on the edge of the cliff
and set Tasuki down gently.
"Kouji!" the fanged teen cried out as he saw his
friend thrown back a few feet by the griffin. The others were trying
their best to strategically attack the creature without getting hurt.
Tasuki made a move to go to Kouji, but Houjun stopped him with a hand on
his shoulder.
"Let me go first. I'll distract him and you
help Kouji."
".....alright...but be careful."
Houjun nodded and flapped his wings. Once he was
a few feet off the ground, he flew towards the griffin and threw a small
attack to get its attention. The creature turned it's head towards
him and howled in rage.
"That's right, ugly," Houjun muttered, forming another
attack and the creature took flight. "Get mad and come after me,"
he smirked, throwing out a larger attack.
Hikou looked up as a flash of white caught his eyes.
He saw Houjun and he saw the griffin, but he wasn't worried. He knew
what the others didn't: the griffin was an illusion. He leisurely
strolled to where Kouji was trying to get up, obviously believing he was
in a lot of pain. Grabbing the bandit's arm, he dug his thumb into
the pressure point on his elbow; something he'd learned while rough-housing
with Houjun and his older brother years ago. Kouji cried out in pain,
but his other aches faded as soon after. He looked up at Hikou, confusion
mirrored in his jade eyes.
"It's not real, Kouji," the water mage said evenly.
He released his arm and kept walking until he was almost directly under
Houjun. "It's time to end this." He formed a water bomb in
his hand and threw it at a tree.
"Ahh!" a voice cried, followed by the sound of something
falling in the carpet of dead of leaves. Above them, Houjun stopped
as the griffin suddenly vanished(guess we can't name it after all-_-).
He dropped to the ground and looked around for an answer.
"Tomo." Hikou said, glaring at the painted
Seiryuu seishi.
*********************************
I was going to make it longer, but I decided not to because I just did, no da ;p
Anyway, here's chapter 7 and here's where the plot begins to thicken,
no da.
What will the Suzaku Seishi do about Tomo? Who is this guy that
"saved" Houjun from the illusionary griffin? Why do I ask questions
to myself that I don't bother to answer right away?
Stick around, the next chapter will make less sense than this one, no da!
Fushigi Akugi:
Chapter 8: Ganbatte : ....um....I forget the rest of the title, no
da-_-;; Oh well, I'll write it at the top of the next chapter, ok,
no da^_^
"I imagine that there are other things we could undertake together that would be, as you so put it, pretty damn impressive."
-Thomas (a.k.a Hikou)(off of chikki's site, "Hikou and Kouji: Pretty
Damn Impressive")