I was seriously feeling the love so you know…I just had to post up a new chapter! Okay you fans are the greatest though, seriously, you guys like totally rock! I like opening my mailbox and seeing like twenty reviews in there! It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy and then I'm like "I should put up another chapter!!!" See so reviews equals more Fanfiction.
Tenshineko: I love your reviews! You rock! But unfortunately Makiko is going to remain a bit of a mystery! Heehee, glad you do enjoy those little questions because they are soooooo much fun to write.
DuB: Yes we all agree with him. Kaede IS a bitch.
Ruth: Five times? Do you quote it too? I've started a cult!!! Actually me and Teresa must quote this like five times a day. (BASIC ANIMAL INSTINCTSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!) So yeah we're freaks.
Disclaimer: I don't own Hana Yori Dango. I wish I did but I don't. Yeah it's hard. Hard like my life without the pillowcase....
Warning: Bitchass moms, foul language, and inneundos....
Boys Before..............The High Seas???
Chapter Nine
Tsukushi felt very self-conscious as she walked down the staircase. Shigeru looked a little grumpy for once because apparently she did not want to wear a dress. Tsubaki looked so elegant that even though Tsukushi was wearing the nicest dress she ever had, she felt like she must look really stupid. She'd probably stick out like a sore thumb. They had put up her hair again in a different style. She resisted the urge to reach up and touch it.
As Tsubaki lead them to tall doors that were opened by servants Tsukushi wasn't sure she really wanted to go to the ball. It's all good and well in fairy tales but this is just embarrassing! After looking at the myriads of elegant people, she decided that she did not belong at all.
"Tsukasa!" Tsubaki waved a little and Tsukushi swallowed before looking up to Doumyouji walking towards them. His hair lay perfectly flat like it did when it was wet. He was wearing a very nice suit and Tsukushi thought that he looked really nice that night. Um, wow.
"Good evening Tsukushi." Doumyouji was totally ignoring the other two who didn't seem to mind that much. Shigeru nudged her with her elbow and gave her a wink before disappearing into the crowd. Tsukushi watched as a man asked Tsubaki to dance and they started to walk off towards the other couples who were gliding along. Soujirou and Akira had around five girls each tagging along with them. Rui and Shizuka were out on the floor dancing.
Tsukushi's eyes went back to Doumyouji who was standing right in front of her. She went a little pink. "Good evening." She finally got out. "You look really....nice." She could feel her face flushing and really wished it wasn't doing that.
"You look wonderful." Doumyouji told her and Tsukushi's eyes widened in surprise. He's just being nice. Right? Doumyouji gestured towards the dancers. "Do you want to dance?"
"I don't really know how...." Tsukushi trailed off as she looked at the graceful figures who seemed to be gliding.
"Please?" Tsukushi was so surprised by that word that she couldn't do anything but gape. I probably look like THE biggest idiot.
"Okay." Tsukushi answered before smiling at him. He offered her his arm. "Why did you fix your hair like that?"
"Didn't you say once that you liked it?" Doumyouji asked as they stepped onto the dance floor. They began to dance. At first Tsukushi felt a little clumsy but soon she got the hang of the steps. It wasn't that difficult.
"Oh." Tsukushi thought that someone might have set fire to her face. "Doumyouji, why are you being so..." She trailed off, unable to think of a good word for it. Doumyouji spun her around before ending it in a dip. The look in his intense dark eyes made her breath catch. Then she was back up and the musicians finished the song. Everyone stopped and clapped. They started up again with a very slow song. They glided by Rui and Shizuka who were dancing so close that Tsukushi didn't think a piece of paper could get through. She saw some girls glaring at her as if she was doing something wrong and she gave them quite the look right back. Then she spotted a woman, with reddish hair giving her such an even, flat stare that said she thought Tsukushi was a piece of dirt. Tsukushi turned her head so Doumyouji couldn't see her and stuck her tongue out at the woman. The woman looked completely outraged and Tsukushi laughed.
"What's so funny?" Doumyouji asked curiously.
"Oh nothing. Hey Doumyouji?" Tsukushi decided to ask him the question, after all he would know best wouldn't he?
"What?" Doumyouji leaned down a little.
"Why does everyone keep talking about my neck?" Tsukushi asked him and Doumyouji's face went a little red.
"Um...well....s-sometimes...." Doumyouji was actually stuttering. He looked kind of nervous but suddenly the musicians stopped their music. Everyone looked up to see a woman walking up on the platform. Tsukushi recognized her as the woman she had stuck her tongue out at.
"Who's that?" Tsukushi questioned.
"My mother." When the words left Doumyouji's mouth, Tsukushi thought she was going to die. The dreaded and infamous mother of Doumyouji was the person she had childishly stuck her tongue out at. She wasn't sure why it felt like she had just made a huge mistake but it felt that way just the same.
"Ladies and Gentlemen." Doumyouji's mother began her speech. "I would like to welcome home my son and daughter. The Lady Tsubaki went on a journey to the west, to see the many other courts. The Young Lord Doumyouji went sailing across the sea." Tsukushi turned to see Tsubaki whose face had tightened considerably. "They went with some of their noble companions. "Will you come up and say a few words?" The audience clapped encouragingly. Tsubaki went onto the stage with a look of determination on her face. Doumyouji's face twisted then he pulled a little on Tsukushi's arm as him and the rest of the F4 went towards the stage.
"Why do I have to go up?" Tsukushi asked him.
"Trust me." Doumyouji told her before they all went up. Rui looked a little like he was asleep now that he had been separated from Shizuka. Tsubaki spoke first.
"I would just like to say a few things." Tsubaki paused as their were several shouts of marriage requests and a few other things. "One, I was not as my mother, the Lady Kaede told you, on a journey through the west. I went on my own adventure as the Captain Tsubaki aboard the pirate ship The Fury." Doumyouji's mother's face tightened considerably. Right before she started to laugh. The laugh sounded fake in Tsukushi's ears.
"Oh Tsubaki, you sure know how to make a wonderful jest." Kaede's tone though light and humorous, held a definite undertone of danger. Tsubaki stuck out her chin defiantly and Kaede turned to her, whispering fiercely. "You do not talk about those nasty things you do like that! Do you want to shame our whole family?"
"Your the one who brings shame with your lies!" Tsubaki said loud enough for the audience to hear. Kaede snapped her fingers and guards appeared.
"Escort Lady Tsubaki to her room. She's obviously had enough." Kaede's eyes looked very dangerous and Tsukushi wondered if it was only Doumyouji's dad who had the berserker blood in him.
"Oh no you don't!" Shigeru made a flying leap onto the platform. Everyone looked at her weird, she had somehow gotten into pants. Tsukushi wasn't sure if this could go anymore wrong for Kaede. "Come Captain Tsubaki!" Shigeru stole one of the guard's swords. "I will escort you to your room. Only if you are ready to go."
"Lady Shigeru, if you do not desist this instant..." Kaede hissed at the for once not grinning Shigeru.
"Let's go Shigeru." Tsubaki said, with an air of reluctance. Shigeru took Tsubaki's arm and they almost looked like a knight and lady, walking out of the room.
"I apologize for the Lady Tsubaki, she hasn't been feeling that well. However, I'm sure my son still has a few words to say before we can go on enjoying our evening." Kaede looked at her son and did a double-take when she saw Tsukushi. Doumyouji made a gesture for Tsukushi to stay there as he went on to the podium. From the look that Kaede was giving Tsukushi, she wouldn't be surprised if Kaede came over there and tried to eat her.
"Good evening." Doumyouji said as he stared straight ahead and sounded as if he were speaking rehearsed lines. "I hope your all having a wonderful evening." He was definitely speaking in a monotone and Kaede looked like she was going to have his head brought to her on a platter if he didn't stop. "Good night." Doumyouji walked back towards Tsukushi. Kaede said a few words before the musicians started up again. Doumyouji began to lead her back onto the dance floor. It had taken Rui about five seconds to be reunited with Shizuka.
"Tsukasa." The cold and dark voice of Kaede should have made the floor a skating pond. Doumyouji and Tsukushi turned around to look at her. The cold calculating glare was making Tsukushi a little nervous. "Why don't you introduce me to your friend? I don't believe I've had the pleasure of talking to the lady...?"
"My name is Makino Tsukushi." Tsukushi answered. After seeing Tsubaki and Shigeru's interesting display of rebellion, she felt pretty brave.
"My, how charming all your companions are." Kaede's tone held a slight hint of sarcasm. "Tsukasa-"
"Mother, if you do not stop calling me by that name..." Doumyouji trailed off in an unspoken threat. Tsukushi was surprised. So far the only person he did not object to calling him by his first name was Tsubaki. She wondered if that was the only person who got to. Although Rui had said it once and Doumyouji hadn't protested to it.
"I may call you whatever I want!" Kaede snapped. "Who is this little girl that seems to have captured your interest?"
"I just said my name is Makino Tsukushi!" Tsukushi told her, putting her hands on her hips. "If you can't hear, then I suggest seeing a doctor about it!" Tsukushi was just a little sick of Kaede talking over her instead of acknowledging her.
"What? No house?" Kaede asked sharply. "Don't tell me your a commoner or I will laugh! Tsukasa, you know your position in life. You may have your fun with this dirty little peasant but you will be quite mistaken if you think you can bring her to such functions." Tsukushi could practically feel the tension in the air.
"Don't you ever insult her like that in front of me again!" Doumyouji yelled at his mother, taking a step forward. Tsukushi thought he might actually hit her.
"Why not?" Kaede asked, walking right past Doumyouji towards Tsukushi. "Why is she so important?" Kaede narrowed her eyes suddenly as if she had spotted something she didn't like at all about Tsukushi. Suddenly Tsukushi yelped in pain as Kaede grabbed her head and pulled it to one side to examine her neck. Doumyouji sprang in and shoved Kaede away.
"Are you okay?" Doumyouji asked her, his hands softly holding her shoulders.
"Tsukasa, your father will be hearing about this." Kaede said before smiling in a rather scary fashion at Tsukushi. Then she turned and walked away.
"I'm sorry I caused trouble." Tsukushi told him. Doumyouji turned back towards her. He shook his head.
"Between you, Tsubaki, Shigeru, and me, I think this will be a very small amount of the trouble that happens only when my mother is around." Doumyouji commented smiling a little. "I really wanted this to be nice for you."
"What?" Tsukushi inquired.
"The ball, tonight, and...oh everything." Doumyouji's hair was beginning to curl a little. Tsukushi reached up and tried to flatten it with her hand.
"It was nice. I enjoyed the whole time night up until your mother nearly yanked my head off." Tsukushi joked. "Thanks for dancing with me."
"The ball isn't over." A smile played at Doumyouji's lips.
"Hey you two! Shigeru sent word that Tsubaki wants to talk to us." Soujirou said. "We're all leaving to go to her room. Me and Akira will be providing refreshments." Doumyouji looked a little peeved.
"I guess it is now." Doumyouji sounded a little exasperated. He turned to her and studied her face for a little bit. "Did you really like dancing with me?" Tsukushi gave him a weird look. Why is he asking that? Tsukushi thought back to when their village had a celebration, they would usually have dancing and when a song ended it was a custom to... Tsukushi wasn't sure what she was thinking but she gulped and bravely looked up at him.
"Yes, I really did." Tsukushi got up on her tip toes and pecked Doumyouji on the cheek. His face was a brilliant shade of red. I hope none of the F4 saw that or I'll never hear the end of it...
"You guys are still lame." Rui's voice broke in. The entire rest of the F4 had been witness to that little spectacle it seemed. Tsukushi decided there was no justice in the world. They lead the way to Tsubaki's room. If Tsukushi's room was grand, then Tsubaki's was divine. It was about two times as big and had a sitting room off to the side. Akira and Soujirou ran off and then came back with several large platters of food. Everyone was sitting in the sitting room. It was full of small couches and chairs. It was a compromising situation to get everyone seated. Rui and Shizuka had to be on the same couch or they might die or so it would seem. Shigeru insisted on sitting by Tsubaki who both wanted to sit by Tsukushi but so did Doumyouji. To solve that problem Shigeru and Tsubaki sat on a couch while Doumyouji and Tsukushi sat on the couch opposite of them. They moved two more couches so that Rui and Shizuka could sit on one and opposite of them were Soujirou and Akira.
"Now that were all settled..." Tsubaki said before taking a bite out of cake that had come up on the platters Akira and Soujirou had brought. "I hear that Tsukushi met mother."
"I hate her." Doumyouji muttered.
"Yes but if she decides that Tsukushi is a threat..." Tsubaki trailed off. "We will have to protect her."
"From what?" Tsukushi asked them. The others suddenly seemed very interested in their food. "From what?" She repeated.
"The Lady Kaede has some of the best assassins in the world." Shigeru stated. "She doesn't like you, you won't be around long. If Tsukasa wasn't heir she probably would have tried to bump him off. And I fear for my captain's life."
"Oh, she won't kill me yet. I could still be auctioned off to the highest bidder." Tsubaki spat out.
"She hasn't..." Shigeru turned towards Tsubaki with a serious face.
"No, but I suspect she'll try." Tsubaki told her.
"Oh." Shigeru's voice sounded a little small right then.
"You think she'll try to kill me?" Tsukushi was really regretting her moment of fun back on the dance floor now. Ever since I left my village I've been wanted dead twice. The world really is dangerous.
"If she even dares..." Doumyouji trailed off dangerously. "I'll kill her."
"Did it occur to anyone that she might have spies listening in? You know how she works." Soujirou looked around nervously as if half expecting to see some figure looking over his shoulder.
"No chance of that!" Shigeru exclaimed. "I secured around here, plus I think they'll have a hard time figuring out what were saying. These walls are thick." Everyone glanced around though. Tsukushi was a little scared that suddenly there might be a knife in her back. Doumyouji put a reassuring hand over hers. She looked at him in surprise. Why does he look at me like that? It makes my head a little dizzy....
"Well I suspect that anyone trying to kill Tsukushi will have to get through Tsukasa, so there shouldn't be too much of a problem." Tsubaki laughed a little. They spent the rest of the time making jokes and then Soujirou and Akira demonstrated their best imitations of Kaede, which made everyone laugh a lot more. It was good to laugh, so that they wouldn't worry about the danger.
* * *
They had gone to bed late but Tsukushi still couldn't sleep. It felt weird in a big bed all by herself. It made her think of those few nights in the single little bedroom down below on the ship. Except that she didn't have to sleep here, but it really wasn't proper to sleep with Doumyouji. After all it wasn't like they were married or anything. Why did I just think of marriage?
The door opened and Tsukushi held her breath, half expecting to see an enraged Kaede come at her with a knife. It seemed all too possible. Then she realized who it was and starting laughing.
"Doumyouji! You almost scared me to death!" Tsukushi told him. Doumyouji smiled a little. "What are you doing in here anyway?"
"Um, I couldn't sleep." Doumyouji's face looked as if it were hiding something.
"Neither could I! It's so strange, you get use to sharing a bed and then you're by yourself!" Tsukushi remarked.
"Yeah it is strange." Doumyouji sat on her bed. "I just....I'm worried."
"About what Tsubaki said?" Tsukushi tried to laugh bravely. "Like I use to tell my friend Yuuki, I'm a weed! It's not easy to get rid of me."
"A weed? You?" Doumyouji blinked at her.
"That's what this one girl use to call me." Tsukushi shrugged a little. Doumyouji looked straight into her eyes.
"You don't look like a weed to me." Doumyouji told her, he wasn't smiling, he looked so serious at that moment. Tsukushi wondered why. "Do you think..."
"What?" Tsukushi asked him with wide eyes.
"Do you think it would be alright if I slept in here?" Doumyouji asked her.
"Um...I guess..." Tsukushi hoped that the others never caught wind of this. Doumyouji smiled and got under the covers with her.
"Good night Tsukushi." Doumyouji told her.
"Good night Doumyouji." Tsukushi replied. It was much better to sleep this way.
* * *
Shameless Plug: Me and Teresa are like going to do a HYD AU collaboration!!! I hope all goes well. We should probably finish off that Fushigi Yugi one though. Gee, so this AU is going to be in edition to like the other three I thought of? Sheesh this anime is just too much fun to AU.
On a weird-o note the other day in P.E. I almost fell asleep in the middle of the basketball court during a game. I felt so Rui. Then later my friend said epileptic when she meant narcoleptic. At first I didn't catch it and then I was like "Wait, Rui doesn't have any seizures in Never Quite As It Seems…" So maybe I just find too many connections to HYD in my real life.
Will Doumyouji and Tsukushi just give up and live in one room? Will Tsukushi figure out that she's been acting really clueless lately? Will Doumyouji reveal something soon? Or will Kaede kill off Tsukushi? If she does, will Doumyouji kill her off? Will Tsukushi get to call Doumyouji Tsukasa? Or will she be put in the crowd of Doumyouji people? Will Rui and Shizuka stay out of each other's rooms? Did they even bother to get separate ones? Will Shigeru and Tsubaki save the day somehow? Will Tsukushi ever take Shigeru's advice about Doumyouji's ears? Will their be any other balls? Will Kaede really tell on Doumyouji to his dad? Will Doumyouji's dad care? Will Soujirou and Akira have bets on just about every question I've asked? Will Soujirou win all of them? Will they ever go back to their ship? Will Tsubaki get auctioned off to the highest bidder? Not to mention Makiko! Stay tuned!