"Death Is Always Cruel"

By: Shi-chan

Rating: PG

Warnings: Minor blood, Yui, written by psycho... You're everyday stuff for an anime fan.

Disclaimer: Don't own Fushigi Yuugi, but I would if I were Yuu Watasé! ^^ I do however, own Shirei and all other original henchmen.

Author's Corner!!

Shi-chan: Kon'nichi wa minna-chan! Y'all really like this fanfiction, so here goes chapter five. ^^

Nuriko: People *seriously* enjoy reading crap like this?

Shi-chan: Well it's my most popular fanfic... I had one with more reviews, but fanfiction.net kicked it off even though there was nothing wrong with it... T_T MEANIES!!!

Nuriko: Ha-ha! They probably know how retarded you are!

Shi-chan: You're the one who keeps begging to be beat up by Chichiri, and still pines over a married man!!

Nuriko: ...You failed algebra!!!

Shi-chan: You've never taken it before! It's hard! Besides, it's an advanced course for eighth grade, so ha!

***NOTE*** Someone was getting on my case saying that Hotohori's country is called "Konan" not "Hong-nan" and I just wanted to tell you guys that it's Konan in the anime. Hong-nan is what it's called in the manga, and I much prefer the manga.

***ANOTHER NOTE*** Someone also asked me if I was using the Seiryu Senshi in this story, and the answer is no. All of Yui's henchmen in this story are original characters.

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Shirei reentered the room minutes later with instead of a bucket of water, a soaking wet cloth. Hotohori growled at the two women of Seiryu and muttered, "Do you really think a cloth will wake her up?" Yui smiled and replied, "This is no ordinary water that Shirei fetched for me. It is from the Holy Spring of Seiryu... just a simple drop of the water could freeze a person to death, lest they go through a purification ceremony before touching it. Sadly, Miaka has done no such thing, has she?"--The Seiryu no Miko took a stone from her pocket and said a blessing in Ancient Chinese, obviously performing a small ritual, then took the cloth from Shirei and held it but inches from the forehead of her former best friend--"I did so want to hear her scream in pain, but this will be a fun enough way to kill her." The blonde told them, squeezing the cloth gently, and making several drops fall onto the Empress of Hong-nan.

Hotohori cried out, tears stinging the edges of his eyes, and felt worry consume him. Miaka couldn't die; not yet! She was so young... probably pregnant with their child... and he couldn't live without her. Yui and Shirei began giggling to themselves, obviously prideful that they had destroyed the Suzaku no Miko, but it was not to be for long at all.

The Empress' body had engulfed the room in light, as if forming a protective shield that not even the Holy Water from the Spring of Seiryu could but through. "What in the name of Kami-sama...?!" The Seiryu no Miko demanded, dropping the cloth from her hand in bewilderment, and making the floorboard it landed upon become sheeted with ice. Miaka's eyes suddenly burst open, and the light faded as she hit the floor next to the bed. "What... Where am I?" She stuttered, a bit confused, as her last memory was of Shirei pressing the sword against her throat. She looked up to observe her surroundings and noticed Hotohori's shocked presence. "Oh, Kami-sama... koibito... daijobu?" The Emperor asked her. The Miko scrambled up from the ground and dashed to Hotohori, holding him in a tight embrace.

It was only then that she realized Yui and Shirei's startled attendance at the other side of the room. "How... how did you do that?!" The Seiryu no Miko demanded, anger written all over her face. Miaka was thoroughly confused. "How did I do... what?" She asked, not understanding whatever was going on. Yui walked over to the Empress and grabbed her collar, glaring at the girl all the while. "I poured Holy Water on you, intended to freeze you to your death, and you did something to form a protective shield over yourself!" She screamed.

Miaka drew her eyebrows together in confusion, "When things happen to me while I'm unconscious, I can remember them due to Suzaku's power... So, I didn't do anything..." She muttered. Yui backed up, obviously mad and unable to say anything, so Shirei came to her rescue. "You're lying! You're just trying to make her eminence feel bad, like always!" Miaka pursed her lips and blinked, "No... If I was capable of such great things, I'd be proud of myself and say so. Why would I deny having such power if I did have it?" Shirei was no also without a comeback this time, so the Empress took the opportunity to untie Hotohori. "Quit that! You're not escaping!" Shirei cried, suddenly appearing in front of the door.

The Suzaku no Miko smiled at the woman and told her, "Don't worry. We've no intention of leaving until we get to speak with Yui formally. Monitor us if you like; we're going to pull nothing." Hotohori put his arms around Miaka and nodded, "We give your our words of honor as the rulers of the country Hong-nan." Shirei cast a glance at Yui, mentally asking her whether or not they should just kill them and get it over with, or at least hear what they have to say. The Seiryu no Miko swallowed, debating as to whether or not she should listen, then said, "We... should listen to them. Perhaps our countries can work a truce or something out and we won't have to fight over this..." Shirei's eyes grew wide and she appeared before Yui, shaking her shoulders madly. "Nani?! What's wrong with you, your eminence?! You want to work something out with the shoujo who claimed to be your best friend, then chose some *man* over you?!"

Meanwhile, in the dungeon depths of the Seiryu palace, Tasuki was bored, henceforth his beginning to repeatedly sing annoying songs. After awhile, Yuki, Mitsukake, and Chiriko could no longer take it, and Yuki took it upon herself to attack him. "SHUT UP!!!" She screamed, ready to rip his head off. The man gave her a puppy dog face and whispered, "Just one last song?" The other three rolled their eyes and sighed, but finally agreed, and he began singing "Simple and Clean" (The theme for Kingdom Hearts, which is a wonderful game!)

At the same time, Nuriko and Chichiri had just finished sitting through a mock council meeting with several small countries' leaders. They were both getting on each other's last nerves, and didn't know how much more they could take. Also, despite anything Nuriko said, she did realize that Hotohori and Miaka made a nice couple, more so than she and him did, and she even kind of missed having them around. The bad thing about that was... Chichiri could tell.

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Author's Corner!!

Shi-chan: Well, there's the fifth chapter for you! ^^ More chapters? Tell me, if you want to know what that light shield was, and if they'll negotiate, and what's with Nuriko and stuff! (And if Tasuki really shut up or not! :-D Hee-hee...)

Miaka: What was that light shield?

Yui: Will we negotiate?

Nuriko: What's with me?!

Yuki, Chiriko, and Mitsukake: DID TASUKI SHUT UP?!

Shi-chan: If they want chapter six, you'll find out!

~Shi-chan Meows~

=^o^=