"Death is Always Cruel"

By: Shi-chan

Warnings: Evilness Nuriko, Chichiri ticked off, Yuki-san gone loco, and some fluffiness between Hotohori and Miaka

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: So I don't own Fushigi Yuugi, SUE ME! SHEESH!

Author's Corner!!

Shi-Chan: Hiya everyone! You guys liked my fanfiction overall, so I'm continuing it further. ^_^

Nuriko: I hope this crappy story ends soon. You sick people gag over everything, if you like this bunch of rubbish!

Shi-chan: . . . Hmph . . .

Hotohori: It's actually not as bad as some fanfictions are. . . *mutters: Like some where I'm paired with Nuriko. . .*

Nuriko: I HEARD THAT! *jumps on Hotohori and they roll off*

Shi-chan: O.o;;;

***NOTE*** Nuriko's still female!!

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Etaka ran through the forest, heading straight for Tai-Yi Jun's lair. All that he wished for in the world was for Yui to praise him, if not love him, and he would make her do just that by succeeding in capturing the Emperor and Empress of Hong-nan. "Here I come Miss Suzaku no Miko!" He yelled, taking off even faster, with more determination. Nothing would keep him from the Seiryu no Miko.

"This is stupid," Nuriko muttered, rolling her eyes impatiently. "There's no way that Hotohori and Miaka would make a Celestial Senshi. It would be a pig in a royal gown like it's mother." Chichiri turned to Nuriko and narrowed his eyes at her.

Tasuki laughed at the blushing royal family before him. "Just to let you guys know, I'm not good with kids, and I *don't* do diapers." He teased, making the pair giggle a little. Chiriko and Mitsukake smiled, happy to see the couple together again. Hotohori was absolutely devastated when Miaka left for her time. He even said that next time he was going to go with her to get over the loneliness. Chichiri on the other hand, paid no attention to the happy group, because he was keeping an eye on Nuriko. She acted as though she would murder someone any second, and he didn't know if she was to be trusted any longer.

Yuki-san's eyes grew wide with fear as she read about Etaka approaching the lair, and the thoughts going through Nuriko's mind. Her baby was in danger! "No, no, Miaka!" She screamed, tears falling down her face. Suddenly, a little bracelet on her arms began glowing. It was a bracelet from a set that she and Miaka shared.

Meanwhile, Miaka's bracelet began glowing and going haywire as well.

Before Yuki-san could even cry out, she found herself in an odd looking forest from Ancient China. . . the place where Hong-nan and the other three countries existed. She gasped and looked around, seeing a man in the distance, running over a hill and her direction from the right, and from the left she saw a strange looking lair with laughter coming from inside. As if on instinct, Miaka's mother knew where she was. The man was Etaka and the lair was that of Tai-Yi Jun.

"Miaka, Miaka! I'm here!! Let me in!" She demanded, knocking on the opening to the shrine. A few seconds later, an annoyed man with orange hair opened the door. "What do you-" Before he could finish asking who she was and what she wanted, she had shoved him out of the way and dashed into the room where Miaka, Tai-Yi Jun, Chiriko, Hotohori, Nuriko, Mitsukake, Tasuki, and Chichiri resided.

"Miaka!" She cried, coming up to her daughter, panting. The Empress of Hong- nan turned around and yelped, seeing her mother standing before her. "M- mother. . . What are you doing here. . .?" She stuttered, astounded. Hotohori's eyes grew wide and he took Miaka's hand in his. "That's your mother?" He asked her. Miaka nodded silently as Yuki-san walked closer to her, pulling her into a hug. "So this is where you were talking about. . . But I need to warn you of something. One-the entrance exams are coming up for high school. YOU NEED TO STUDY. Two-there's an assassin coming to this shrine to abduct you and his majesty and bring you to Yui to be executed." The woman finally stopped and caught her breath.

Tasuki ran next to Yuki-san and grabbed her collar. "AN ASSASSIN?! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US-" The hyperactive man was cut off by the sound of the door slamming open. An odd-looking man wearing an all black kimono with lavender hair, cold, violet eyes, and a sword came into the room, slowly approaching the Empress of Hong-nan. "She's coming with me, now." He commanded, grabbing Miaka and holding his sword at her throat. She cried out as he barely pressed the sword, making a thin line of blood trickle down her neck. "Hotohori. . ." She whispered, trying not to press her throat more against the sword than it was already.

Hotohori walked up to the man and pulled out his sword. "Release her now! You've got to get me, too, right?"-Etaka looked up slightly, barely allowing the Emperor of Hong-nan to know he was paying him any mind-"Well, I've got a proposal for you. Should you beat me at a duel with our swords, you may have Miaka and I. Otherwise, you've only got Miaka there, don't you?" The man stared dimly at the floor, trying to think of a way to get Hotohori without having to let go of the Empress and duel with him. Once he came upon no other conclusion, he decided he would go along with Hotohori and his duel proposal.

"Very well then, your highness. Should you win, I leave in peace. Should *I* win, which I will, you and your empre-" Etaka's voice was cut off by a cry of pain, and blood spattering on the floor. Yui's assassin fell over onto the ground with a sickening sound, and Tasuki stood where he once was, shaking his head. "He was getting kind of annoying. . . Threatening to hurt our Miaka!"

Hotohori let his guard down and put his sword back in it's sheath, chuckling to himself. "Very amusing, Tasuki. Nice tactics. . . Did you plan that or were you really just annoyed?" Tasuki blushed somewhat and stuck his tongue out at the Emperor. "Hn!"

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Several days later, Yui had become aware of Etaka's death. "I call upon you, Shirei. Etaka has failed us, and I want Miaka and her Emperor here, now!" She commanded. Shirei nodded and pulled her light blue hair behind her ears. "I'll return in no time, your eminence." She replied, disappearing.

Yui smiled to herself. "Shirei has never failed at anything before. . . As though the Suzaku no Miko and her friends could ever beat that. This time for sure I'll have Miaka and her lover here begging for their lives at my feet." With that she slammed her fist into the mirror on her vanity, and watched as it shattered into the puddle of blood being created from her slit hands. She looked down at the scars on her wrists and winced angrily, licking the blood from her knuckles. "I'll get you Miaka! I'll kill you before these scars *ever* get a chance to heal!"

"Yuki-san, please! We *must* get to this meeting!" Hotohori told Miaka's mother, trying to be polite. The Emperor and Empress of Hong-nan and the Celestial Senshi were required to attend this meeting in which they were to observe the tactics that Seiryu warriors could be using to get them, and Yuki-san wanted to go. Hotohori and Miaka had told her no, as it was not allowed, but she insisted she be there should something happen. Finally, Miaka managed to get it through her mind that the Celestial Senshi could protect her.

"We have reason to believe that some of Seiryu's troops are coming from the West Passage and are going to head around Hong-nan. There is also reason to believe that they are disguising themselves as people from our country, and then they are going to attempt the abduction of his majesty and her highness." The highest Priest of the Royal Council told everyone attending the meeting. Hotohori nodded and took Miaka's hand beneath the table. "I've got an idea." Miaka suddenly said, standing up. Everyone in the room looked up, shocked at the Empress' outburst. "Yes, your highness?" Another one of the Priests asked. The Suzaku no Miko looked at the wall and announced her idea.

"Perhaps if someone were to stay here and pretend to be Hotohori and I, and then we and the Celestial Senshi and some others could go to Seiryu and do something to stop their soldiers or try to reason with Yui. . ." The Priests of the Council stared at the Empress for a moment and then looked amongst each other. "Well, your highness, first we should see what other ideas we come up with.-" The head Priest was cut off by Chichiri's voice. "That's a good idea, Miaka. You were once friends with Yui so you know most about how her mind works, giving us an advantage. Despite what she says about hating you, you were best friends for so long. . . She wouldn't possibly be able to kill you so easily. We'll carry out Miaka's plan!"

The Priests turned to Chichiri, obvious looks of anger on their face. Hotohori smirked, as he rarely got chances to irritate them, and nodded. "Alright, it's settled! We'll carry out Miaka's plan! Now who to temporarily place on the throne. . .?" The head Priest looked at Hotohori and was about to protest, but he held his hand up and shook his head. "It's decided." Chiriko suddenly piped up. "Perhaps Chichiri could take your form, your majesty, and Nuriko could pretend to be Miaka-sama?"

Chichiri nodded at the thought, and so did the rest of the Celestial Senshi. "So it's settled! We'll set out right away." Hotohori said, taking Miaka's hand and standing up to leave. "Wait a second! I never agreed to pretend to be that idiotic, moronic, little. . ." Nuriko's voice was overpowered by Chichiri's. "Nuriko, quit insulting the Suzaku no Miko, and also, you *will* pretend to be her, or I will personally help Hotohori carry out his threat to you."

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Author's Corner!!

Shi-chan: Finally, I've completed chapter three. I've been getting a lot of compliments on this fanfiction for the *extreme* originality. ^^;; Are Miaka and Hotohori really that much of a never-gonna-happen couple? It's such a shame. . .

Hotohori: I think if Tamahome truly died, it would be very possible!

Tamahome: Guess what, Hotohori? I'M NOT REALLY DEAD!

Hotohori: Ehehehe. . . ^^;;;;;;;;

Shi-chan: . . .freaks. . .

~Shi-Chan Meows~

=^o^=