Disclaimer: Fushigi Yuugi doesn't belong to me, but to the talented Yu Watase.
Chapter 5
"It was nice of the emperor to take in Tamahome's family while we we're gone," Mei told Tasuki as they walked down the hall below the ship's deck.
Tasuki's only reply was a grunt as he shifted Mei's pack on his shoulder. It was a few minutes after Miaka and Tamahome had gone to fetch his family. And Hotohori had asked Tasuki to help Mei to her room. The red-head was surprised when Mei had grinned at the suggestion. He had expected the quiet girl to be more wary of him after his harsh treatment toward her. 'Girls,' he told himself. 'Who knows how their mind works.'
"So, how about you Tasuki? Do you have any family?"
"Yeah," he answered brusquely.
"And you're not worried about them? I mean, what with the war and all, they might be in danger."
"Ha! Are you kidding me? My mom and sisters can take care of themselves. Heck, they could smother and nag anyone to death."
Mei wanted to ask more about him and his family, but Tasuki had stopped walking and opened a door to his right.
"Well, here it is," said Tasuki. "I think this is the room his Highness was talking about. It should be right next to Miaka's." With that he held out her pack towards her.
"Thank you," she said, taking her stuff from him.
Tasuki grunted and walked away. Mei quickly racked her brain for something to say so as to make him stay longer.
"Tasuki, wait!"
The seishi stopped and turned around, his eyebrows raised in a question. "Yeah, what?"
'Okay genius,' Mei thought. 'Now that you got his attention say something, ask something, just do something for crying out loud!'
Tasuki's expression took on an annoyed look. "Well, what is it? I haven't got all day!"
He guiltily cringed inside when he saw the wariness leap into her eyes. He opened his mouth, the apology on the tip of his tongue when Mei quickly put on a radiant smile and said, " I was just thinking that maybe you should give me a tour of the capital. It's my first time here and we got time until Miaka and Tamahome return with his family."
The red-haired seishi stood there in utter confusion. 'She did it again,' he thought, trying to adjust to the girl's abrupt shift in mood. He was also shock to realized that for a minute there he even considered giving out an apology, something he rarely, if ever, does. Before he can say something, Mei grabbed his arm and made him run along with her.
"Come on, what are you waiting for?"
"But … I …"
"Chichiri," Mei called out when the two reached the upper deck. "We'll be right back. Tasuki's just gonna give me a tour of the city."
"Hey, hold on a minute! I never agreed to any tour!" wailed Tasuki as they disappeared from view.
"Do you think maybe we should have warned her first about Tasuki being a bandit?" Chiriko asked the monk.
"It'll be alright, no da," he replied with confidence. "Tasuki's a gentleman whether he admits it or not and Mei can take care of herself, no da. Besides I'm more worried about what might happen to him."
"Huh?" said the boy, totally confused.
******
"I don't see why I have to baby-sit you while you go around gawking at everything. Jeez, you act like you've never been out in the open before."
"Well, you could say that," Mei told her red-haired companion a bit distractedly. She was watching some Chinese acrobats perform on the street and at the same time observe the bustling life around the market place.
"Anyway," she continued without thinking. "I thought it'd be safer to walk around if I had someone with me. When I came into the city by myself last night, I was assaulted by thugs."
"What?!" Tasuki shouted. For some reason it disturbed him to know that she was harmed in any way. "Are you alright? Did those scums hurt you?"
Mei quickly looked at the man beside her and was surprised, not to mention slightly pleased, at the genuine concern she saw in his eyes. "I'm fine. I … um … Chichiri came by not long after and we were able to run away."
"Oh."
After a few seconds he asked, "So, that's how you met smiley face, huh?" He'd been wondering how a monk like Chichiri could have been social enough to have met and known someone, much less a girl. As far as he knew the blue-haired seishi never mentioned having any friends.
"Um … yeah," Mei quickly pulled Tasuki to explore a different part of the city. The young demi-goddess wanted to get him off the subject since she was very uncomfortable about having to lie about her life.
Just before noon, Mei asked Tasuki if he knew where Tamahome's village was. When he said yes, Mei was able to convince the seishi to also show her around the quaint village.
On their way there, Tasuki remembered the girl's off-handed comment about hardly being outside. "Hey Mei, what exactly did you mean when you said you hardly went out? Exactly what kind of a freaky childhood did you have?"
Mei gave the seishi a side glance and sighed. 'I guess he hadn't forgotten after all,' she told herself. Out loud Mei said, "I grew up with my sister. She practically raised me by herself. I guess you could say she was kind of protective of me so I didn't get to do much."
This comment resulted in Tasuki telling her about the horrors of having to live with five women. Mei listened to the boy's stories with a smile on her face. Once in a while she would find herself just staring at him, but would quickly avert her gaze before he could catch her in the act.
Mei was thinking for the millionth time how cute the red-head was when she sensed something. Her steps faltered as she tried to identify what she felt. The girl's eyes widened when the sensation came again.
'That's Tamahome's power!' she cried out silently. 'He's activated Taiitsukun's gift. Something must have happened!'
Up ahead Tasuki noticed that Mei was no longer beside him. He stopped and turned to see the girl just standing there.
"Hey, what's the matter with you?"
Mei snapped out of her reverie. "Oh nothing," she said, putting on an innocent look. "I was just wondering how much farther the village is."
"It shouldn't be that far once we turn the curb ahead." Tasuki's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What's the big hurry anyway?"
Mei tried to laugh nonchalantly. "Ah, I just realized that I was hungry and couldn't wait to get some food, that's all."
An idea flashed into Mei's head and she started running. "Come on fang boy, I'll race you. Last one there gets to pay for the food!" To herself she said, 'That should get us moving faster.'
Author's notes: Sorry if nothing much has happened. I'm trying to build on the relationship between Tasuki and Mei. I promise more action on the following chapters. Unfortunately if I don't receive more feedback I may have to stop writing. So please, if you're reading this, send a review so that I know if I have to continue or not. But many thanks for those who did review my story!
