"Death is Always Cruel"

By: Shi-chan

Rating: PG

Warnings: Fluffiness and junk... maybe blood

Disclaimer: Dun own Fushigi Yuugi, only several original characters!!

Author's Corner!!

Shi-chan: Gomen nasai it took me so long to get this part up. I've been having trouble at school lately (relationship wise, not grades ^^;; ) so I haven't been able to type as much as I've been wanting to.

Tasuki: Baka!

Shi-chan: Oh, shut up... Oh, yeah, before I forget! Someone mentioned that at first the story was proceeding a bit too quickly, and now it's a lot better as far as the time frames are going. :) Thankies a lot. I've been needing to hear happy things like that! *hugglez*

Tasuki: ... Did you, like, forget about me?

Shi-chan: Oh, and be sure to leave me a good review, okies?

Tasuki: I hate you...

Shi-chan: *snickers evilly*

***NOTE*** Should I even say it? I guess... NURIKO IS STILL FEMALE!! -_-'' Hopefully you all knew that by now however... I'm not the kind of person who'd generally make a character switch genders in the middle of a fanfiction.... O_o''

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The Celestial Senshi managed to escape the palace and flee from the country with little effort. The main thing that they were stopped for was for people to ask why they were carrying Tasuki and Yuki. (AN: Hehehe... drunk people! LOL)

Once the group was safely back in Hong-nan, they began to make their way back to Hotohori and Miaka's palace. Luckily, Tasuki and Yuki finally got over the sake and woke up, much to everyone's enjoyment. They were just about to approach the capital city when they suddenly spied a familiar face amongst the crowd. The woman was intently looking at the ground, so it was an unclear picture as to who it was. She was dressed in a beautiful kimono, but had an oversized cloak on so no one would recognize her, obviously. "Hey... isn't that... Nuriko?" The youngest of the Suzaku Seven, Chiriko, suddenly piped up. Tasuki squinted a minute, then grinned and ran to the woman who was viciously proceeding forward. "Nuriko-chan! How have ya been, dude," The orange-haired man yelled, throwing an arm around the woman.

The cloak fell to the ground when the lady jumped from the shock of finding Tasuki's arm over hers, and sure enough, it revealed Nuriko. "Nuriko! What are you doing outside the palace walls, as instructed?!" Hotohori looked a little more than agitated, and had his arm fastened protectively around his Empress' waist.

The violet-haired woman looked up, hurt written on her face. Before she could reply to her fellow senshi's question however, Chichiri's voice suddenly spoke up from behind her, "Don't be hard on her, your majesty. We've both missed you all and she got so worried that she upped and left, no da..." Tai Yi-Jun's apprentice explained, his hand on Nuriko's shoulder. The group across from them looked thoroughly shocked, unknowing to the woman's change of heart toward Miaka and Hotohori's relationship. Everyone stayed silent for a moment, when Yuki suddenly piped up. "So who are those two," She asked, blinking confusedly.

After everything was explained to the Suzaku no miko's mother, the clique made their way back to the palace. They were all glad to be able to change clothes, get freshened up, get some sleep, and of course, eat (Miaka especially -_-;; ). Yui was made a secondary priestess should anything ever happen to Miaka, Nuriko apologized to the Emperor and Empress sincerely, and everyone was happy again. The only thing left to accomplish was... to summon Suzaku.

After several weeks of doing nothing around the palace but making sure no enemy troops were infiltrating the country's boundaries, excitement began to bustle. There were rumors that the Empress of Hong-nan was having strange craving for sour things and was getting slightly larger around the stomach. She was pregnant!

"Miaka, are you well?" Hotohori asked his wife as she lay in her bed, holding her stomach and groaning. "You... men are SO lucky they don't get pregnant. If the childbirth is more painful than this, I want an abortion..." The Miko said, halfway teasing. The Emperor sat next to his beloved wife and kissed her gingerly on the lips. "Don't worry, my dear. In merely a month all that will end, and we'll have a beautiful heir to our throne, a wonderful child, and a brand new Celestial Senshi," he reassured her, smiling joyously. The girl forced a slight chuckle and nuzzled her lover's neck. "Ah, I suppose."

The month passed, and the child was finally born. It was a baby girl with hair the color of her father's, and shining hazel eyes. She loved to smile and eat and was named Tamahome.

"MIAKA! COME GET YOUR DAUGHTER, *NOW*!!!!" Nuriko screamed from inside her room. Tamahome was contently yanking on the Senshi's violet locks, and giggling all the while. "Aw, sweetheart, please don't do that to Nuriko, okay? That's bad," she informed the princess, trying not to laugh at the mad expression displayed on Nuriko's face. "I'm sorry Nuriko... she's only a few months old so she doesn't yet know what she can and can't do." The Empress apologized, now fully chuckling. The woman rolled her eyes and retorted, "She's gonna be just like you."

After Miaka left the room with little Tamahome, Nuriko smiled and whispered, "Turning out to be like you will earn her the best possible life anyone can ever earn... She'll be respected, wealthy, loved, prestigious, and get the love of the most wonderful man in the world. Those two lucky girls..."

Yuki had left back for present-day Japan, and promised to come visit at a later time to see her baby granddaughter. Miaka and Hotohori were happily raising the Princess Tamahome, whilst all the other Celestial Senshi were busily preparing for the following year when they would meet with Tai Yi-Jun and finally summon Suzaku. Yui was making sure she did her share of keeping Tamahome and helping the Senshi, as she felt she owed them all big time for the trouble she caused being the Seiryu no Miko. All was well for them all.

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Author's Corner!!

Shi-chan: Yay! It's finally drawing to the end, and they're all friends again!! XD Not to mention the little version of Tamahome has finally graced the world.

Tamahome: I guess that's good... in a very evil sort of way.

Shi-chan: ^^ Well I don't hate you so it's not like I'm bashing you! I just like Hotohori a bit better. :^P

Tamahome: e.e

Hotohori: ...works for me... *cough* *cough*

~Shi-chan Meows~

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