Part two: Palace life
Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yugi cause if I did Tasuki would marry ME!

Author's note: Yay! I hope you like the story so far! I like it and I have a lot of awesome ideas for a plot and stuff, why you'll even get to meet Miaka and Taka's kids next chapter. Thank you for the reviews also; I really appreciate you guys taking the time to let me know what you think. (They make me feel warm and fuzzy inside) Yay! On with the story! Oh, I hope I don't make Boshin out to be a total brat.... I don't mean it! Really! Oh well...And I forgot to add last time that this was inspired by the great authors The Rabid Fan Girls. They are the coolest and their fics rock!

Jielain awoke early the next day to get ready to leave her mountain home. She knew it wouldn't be forever, but it was still sad. The bandit girl dressed normally and gathered up her belongings; a small velvet bag of jewelry, her mirror from by her bed, some extra clothes, and a small picture of her parents. How the picture was so realistic was a mystery to her. Chichiri had told her that it was a relic, one of the belongings the priestess had left for her warriors. It had the magical ability to capture a moment in time on a piece of paper. He and her father both had a picture each from back when they were celestial warriors, but only showed her once. In her photo, her father looked pretty much the same, only younger, with a wide, goofy grin on his face. In his arms was a beautiful young woman, smiling just as happily. Her light brown hair was done in two thick brown braids, curly at the ends. The woman had bright blue eyes that sparkled, overflowing with love. Jielain touched the picture briefly before storing it in her velvet bag. She added it to the pile and shoved the mess into a canvas bag. Done, she took one last look around her room and headed down the hall to breakfast.

Chichiri and her father were both up and waiting for her. Jielain wasn't going to eat anything, but Tasuki watched her like a hawk until every bite was gone.

Finally, the time had come. Tasuki was chibi and crying madly. Chichiri watched his friend fall to pieces, but he knew that even his miniature tears couldn't convey the pain of losing the most important person in his life for the third time. When the priestess had left Jielain's mother had consoled him, and when she had died he had been preoccupied with raising a daughter, but now... Jielain was the last remaining piece of his heart. Chichiri doubted that the fiery bandit would keep his one-week without liquor bet, not at a time like this. Jielain hugged her dad briefly, then Kouji, before stepping into the kesa and disappearing from her father's life for a while. Chichiri went next, and they were gone. All that was left was a slight glimmer in the air, then nothing

...Chichiri landed on top of Jielain awkwardly. His landings never were really great. At least they were in the right place. The place was the palace audience chamber of the emperor Boshin. Being early morning, and Boshin being quite lazy, no one was up and about in the palace but a few servants. Jielain pushed the monk off of her and got to her feet. She had only been to the actual palace a few times, with her dad, but that was about 10 years ago and she didn't remember it. What she saw was a big maze of corridors, buildings, and hiding places. Just like the bandit hideout, only without the bandits. She sighed, missing home already. Chichiri had readjusted his Kesa and noticed Jielain's expression. Echoing the girl's sigh, he took her hand and led her like he used to when she was small. He led her to the emperor's chambers. Jielain, having no idea where they were going, was surprised to see that her mentor had led her to a large, richly furnished bedchamber, and even more surprised to see a very handsome young man sleeping in the luxurious bed. Chichiri marched over to the bed and flung the blankets off the sleeping person, obviously trying to wake him up.

Unfortunately, Chichiri forgot that Boshin slept naked, and turned away to give the emperor his privacy when he noticed. Boshin snapped awake immediately. "Where are we?" he asked, then noticing Jielain looking at him curiously.
"Intruders!" he yelled, trying to get up in a most dignified manner, but to no avail. Then noticing Chichiri,
"What the HECK!?" Chichiri tossed the young man some clothes nervously and motioned for Jielain to turn around while Boshin dressed. Jielain paid no attention to the monk and continued to watch Boshin.
"Have you no courtesy sir?" the emperor asked Jielain, annoyed. She shrugged.
"Do I need any?" Chichiri sweat-dropped.
"He is the emperor ya'know." Jielain stared.
"This little twerp?" she asked. Boshin, pulling a shirt over his head, faced Jielain and stood up to his full height...still a good 3 inches shorter than the younger girl.
"We are NOT a twerp." He said, livid. "Who is this anyway Chichiri?" Chichiri scratched his head.
"Well...remember how I said I was going to get my friend's daughter? This is her ya'know."
Boshin's face drained of color. "This is a GIRL?" Jielain blushed. "She saw me NAKED? CHICHIRI?!" Boshin was nearly fainted with redness of the face.
"I thought you'd at least be dressed ya'know!"
"You know I don't wear clothes when I sleep!"
"You knew she was coming this morning ya'know?"
The yelling match interrupted by a soft knock at the door. Jielain opened it to see a pretty lady of about thirty-five. Her dark hair was braided and hung over one shoulder, and her dress fitted her gracefully.
"Mother!" Boshin said, running to her. "Look at all the crazy people!" Jielain sneered. "Whose crazy ya' shrimp!"
Chichiri broke up the fight. "Stop it ya' know! Jielain say hello to the emperor and the lady Houki ya'know." Jielain bowed to the lady, looking at her nervously. Houki ignored the bow and hugged the bandit girl.
"You needn't be so formal my dear. Welcome to the palace." Boshin frowned, but bowed to her anyway.
"Yes we welcome you...daughter...of Suzaku." Jielain held back her fist. It wouldn't due to knock out the emperor, even if he did deserve it. Boshin smiled his imperial smile and brushed some hair out of his eyes. He was 17, three years older than Jielain, but quite perceptive to her fierce emotions. Diplomatically, he turned to his mother.
"It would be kind of you to inform the chief royal supervisor that there shall be a royal feast tonight in honor of our guest. If you'll excuse me?" He directed the last part at Jielain, who was giving him a death glare.
Houki led Jielain around the corner and down a corridor.
"This will be your room while you're here. Feel free to make yourself at home, if you need anything please ask me or Boshin or Chichiri, and we'll help you. Would you like to change your clothes?" Jielain smiled.
"No, thank you. I'm fine. I brought my own clothes." Houki eyed the bag suspiciously. Judging by Jielain's current state of garment, she wouldn't have anything really formal for a feast. That was part of the reason she was here after all. The other reason wasn't for sure yet...
Jielain sat in her new room. It was a nice room, but it certainly didn't feel like hers. She sighed and placed her bag on the dresser. It was obviously there for her to store her clothes in, but they say old habits die hard, and old bandit habits die harder. Jielain removed her extra clothes from the bag and shoved them under the bed. Then she took the little velvet bag that contained jewelry and the picture, and carefully placed it under the mattress of the soft lavish bed. Sure that her personal belongings would be safe; she sought the company of her mentor.
Later that day a young girl came up to her while she was staring into space. She was trying to talk some the silly girl who wanted to be her friend. "I don't like you." Jielain said bluntly. The girl giggled.
"I just knew you'd say that! Guess what? I saw a guy down in the kitchen and he was soooo cute! All the palace servants are talking about him, they say he's a new chef. Imagine that, a guy chef!" Jielain rolled her eyes.
"I really don't care." The girl didn't seem to hear her though.
"Do you want to go meet him? I'm sure you would think he's cute to, what do you say?"
"I say no. Go away." The girl paid no attention.
"Oh, don't be so disagreeable! I'm sure you won't trip or anything." Jielain was about to punch the girl when a smug Boshin walked up.
"New girlfriend Jielain?" Jielain decided to take out her anger on Boshin instead of the clueless girl.
"Shut the hell up!" she yelled, taking a swing at the emperor. Unsuspecting the sudden assault, Boshin got the air knocked out of him, and fell to the ground in a huff. The girl bent over him, worriedly.
"Boy Jielain, what did you knock out the emperor for? That wasn't a very nice thing to do you know." Boshin just groaned and rolled over on his side. "Your majesty, do you need any help getting up?" Jielain smiled.
"Why don't you kiss him to make him feel better." The girl's face turned bright red.
"Oh, but he's the emperor and he might not want me to and..."she trailed off looking into the young man's face. She suddenly noticed how handsome he was. "Your majesty, my name is Hinako. May I kiss you?" Boshin didn't answer. "I guess it's ok then." Jielain watched with interest as the young woman leaned over Boshin and touched her lips to his for a moment, then pulled away, blushing furiously. "Oh, my, thank you your majesty!" she got up and hurried away. After a minute, Boshin regained his feet and confronted Jielain. "I hate you!" he said to her, the hurried after Hinako.
That wasn't the last time they met either. That night at the feast, Boshin was seated next to Hinako, and they whispered to each other about the palace gossip. Jielain slightly regretted the fact that aside from them, she really didn't have any friends her age, and even her friendship with Boshin was slightly grudging. Hinako and her got along but were still a bit distant, from their dissimilarities. Jielain missed the brotherly company of the bandits and the protective comfort of her father.

After the night of her arrival, life at the palace was actually pretty boring. She attended lessons with Boshin and was taught the basics of language, literature, history, and math. They had fighting arts lessons, which usually ended in a rough tussle between them, and dinner in the great hall. From there Boshin usually went on for more formal imperial training and Jielain was free to spend her time as she would. Sometimes she would help the lady Houki pick out dresses for dinner, while refusing to wear one herself, and sometimes she would sit and talk with Chichiri while he fished.
It was late afternoon and the two were sitting on a rock by the pond. The monk was fishing and had removed his mask, and Jielain sat beside him, fingering the necklace she wore, a replica of her fathers.
"Chichiri, I know that I should be more agreeable, but I just can's seem to bring myself to be nice." Chichiri nodded for her to continue. "It's like I'm all depressed for nothing in particular...and I'm really worried, about my dad. Kouji wrote me that he drinks a lot more than is healthy, even for him. What if something is the matter and I'm not there to help?" Chichiri had known all of this was worrying the young bandit girl, and that she had been suppressing her feelings of anger and sorrow, but it was up to her to let him know it. "And also," she continued softly, "I really am lonely here." Chichiri paused his concentration on fishing to look into her bright blue eyes.
"You are a strong one. I know that. Something will happen, soon. That is part of the reason you are here, but I can't tell you anymore ya'know." Jielain snapped up.
"What's gonna happen?" she asked sharply. Chichiri went back to fishing.
"I can't say ya'know." Jielain grabbed the fishing pole.
"You sure as hell gotta tell me now." Chichiri ignored the threat and tried to get the fishing pole back. Jielain stood up and held it above her head, and, being a good 3 inches taller than the monk, it was out of his reach. Chichiri jumped up and down.
"That's not nice ya'know!" finally he resorted to going chibi and climbing up the bandit girl. He grabbed his fishing pole and jumped down. They fell into a heap, laughing. Jielain brushed an orange curl out of her face and sat cross-legged next to her mentor seriously.
"You have to tell me." The seriousness in her voice cracked at the monk's heart like a whip. She was much more mature than she let on, the opposite of her father. Chichiri sighed.
"Jielain, you won't like what you are about to hear ya'know." She nodded solemnly and stared out at the pond. "You were brought here in order to further your education, both as a woman and as a member of the Hong-nan nation, and partly because you need the formal training of a celestial warrior. Things aren't looking too good for Suzaku, with only two remaining warriors in this world. When we die, he will die also." Jielain gasped.
"But I don't have the mark of Suzaku." She said.
"That is because Tasuki is still alive. When Genrou is no longer a warrior, you will be Tasuki." Chichiri said this softly.
"How do you know?"
"I can feel it in your chi. Boshin has the mark already ya'know."
"I know. When we sword fight, I can see it glow..." she trailed off, not knowing how she knew that Boshin was of the Suzaku seven from the mark. "And what about you Chichiri? Who will carry on your mark?" the monk smiled. "That is where you come in. Because a warrior was wished into being born in the world of the priestess, some of the other warriors were reborn there as well. They may not be reborn as warrior if they were old enough to bear children, but it is possible ya'know."
"So how does that affect me?" she asked. The old monk was silent for a moment. "You must retrieve the warriors and bring them here for a ceremony to honor Suzaku, so that our country is safe. If you don't, everyone who knew the priestess will cease to exist. Including your father and Boshin's father ya'know." Now it was Jielain's turn to sit in silence. None of that seemed to make sense, and yet...it was as if she knew that she had been waiting for a mission to fulfill the mark of Suzaku that burned within her, even if it wasn't visible on the outside yet. The task was of an enormous volume, but not impossible. She still had a ton of questions, but none of them seemed important at that second. Chichiri sensed her unease and tried explaining further.
"Taiitsukun has the means of transporting you on your journey. We were going to send Boshin but the country cannot be without an emperor. Tasuki knows what is going on as well as he can comprehend, and is prepared to send the tessen when you are ready to leave ya'know." When the girl remained silent, he put an arm on her shoulder. "You are stronger than you know, and you will survive." Jielain was so overwhelmed; she put her head on the monk's shoulder and let her tears fall.
It was just like the time when he had tried to explain why she had no mother, when Jielain was only 5, and she couldn't understand what death was. That time, the little girl had wrapped her arms around Chichiri and bawled, before asking if Chichiri could be her mommy instead.
The 14 year old Jielain smiled, remembering how naive she had been, and closed her eyes, breathing in the soft smell of Chichiri and wishing that she could be back at the mountain with him and her father.
"The kids of the ex-warriors, or their siblings, or even themselves may have the mark. You must bring them here ya'know." Jielain nodded and pulled out of his comforting embrace.
"Now that you know though, I suppose you could begin your journey. I was supposed to wait a while but I felt guilty not telling you ya'know." Jielain smiled and nodded.
"That's just like you Chichiri."

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