AN: Sorry it's been so long since I last updated! I have barely had
any time to type at all. Well enjoy!
The Next Page Has Been Turned
By: Neptune Princess
Chapter 9: Chichir's Here!
Miaka uncovered her eyes, looked at him and gasped loudly. Miaka's voice dropped to a whisper, as she said, "No!" Everyone followed her gaze and saw him. "You must be Zakago," Tamahome said calmly, rising to his feet. "Yes. And you… You're Tamahome. Former lover of the Priestess of Suzaku right?" Tamahome clenched his fists and glared at him. "We won't let you come anywhere near our priestess," Nuriko said angrily.
"Your brother was evil, just as you are. We, of the Suzaku Shichiseish, have a duty to protect our priestess from people who wish to destroy her."
"This is very annoying. " Zakago hand began to glow blue as he raised it up, preparing to blast Nuriko, Tamahome, and Hatchery to smithereens. Suddenly, out of nowhere Chichiri appeared. "Let's go!" he yelled, and all of them disappeared just as Zakago fired. 'Damn' he thought. 'I can't let them get anymore of their seishi back.' He chuckled slightly 'No matter, in the end my brother will be avenged.' And with that he vanished in a blaze of blue light.
"Chichiri!" Miaka screamed launching at him as soon as they materialized. "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Slow down Miaka good to see you too."
"How did you find us?" she asked stepping back and looking at him. Chichiri took off his mask and looked at them, "I've been tailing you ever since the festival. I didn't want to reveal myself to you until you needed me, and by the looks of it you need me now."
"Thanks Chichiri. We did need you."
"No problem no da," he said putting his mask back on. "We should continue on. He'll find us soon if we don't" As everyone packed up Miaka, being very observant at this time, noticed a slight problem. "Whom is Chichiri riding with?"
"Don't worry no da. I have a horse," and with that he gave a shrill, high-pitched whistle. A beautiful black mare suddenly appeared out of nowhere and whinnied. Miaka and the rest just stared as the blue haired monk mounted the beautiful beast.
"Where'd you get that?" Hotohori asked feeling a little jealous.
"From Taiistukun. She saw, with her mirror, you all leaving for Sairou and sent me to meet you." (Chichiri went to study more under Taiistukun after Seiryu was sealed.) "We can talk more on the way, so let's go," Tamahome said impatiently. Chichiri looked at him, and all the memories of the past five years came flooding back. 'I hope Miaka's all right.' He thought as he looked at her with sympathetic eyes. Miaka didn't catch this because she was trying to get on the horse, but Hotohori, who was helping her did. 'I'll tell him about her later. After all, so much has changed.'
They continued their journey, stopping every now and then for short rests. During this time Hotohori became very agitated and stayed close to Miaka every second. "Hotohori-sama you don't have to hover over me," Miaka said as they finally stopped to settle down for the night. "Tasuki charged me with protecting you, and I would never break a promise to a friend."
Nuriko, being his usual nosy self, heard the conversation and knew that now was the time for Miaka to tell Hotohori her feelings. "Why don't you two go get some firewood, we need a fire to cook the food after all."
"You sure you don't need help setting up the camp Nuriko?" Miaka asked. "No, we just need that firewood."
"Okay, we'll hurry back." Nuriko only waved. 'No take your time. He needs to know.'
The forest was pitch black except for faint rays of light from the moon. "Miaka, don't go too far ahead, we need to stay together."
"Don't worry so much, I'll be fine," Miaka said as she walked on. She didn't see the tree root right in front of her, sticking out of the ground and tripped. "Whoaa! Uff." She hit the ground with a hard thump that knocked the breath out of her. "Hehe, guess I spoke too soon," she said sitting up.
"Miaka! Are you all right?" he asked as he ran towards her and knelt down. "Yeah, I'm fine. Sheesh it was only a small trip. Why are you worrying about me so much, and don't say because Tasuki told you to."
Hotohori, for a brief moment was startled, and then looked away. "Hotohori, answer me."
'Now is the time!' Hotohori thought as he turned his head to look back at her. "Miaka," he paused, gathering all of his courage and said, "I am still in love with you." He looked into her eyes and wondered, 'What is it about her that makes me, a strong warrior, tremble in fear?' Miaka got to her knees and hugged the kneeling emperor.
Words formed in his mind, but he could only hug her back. After a few moments Miaka spoke. "I love you too, and it hurts. Being here, with you, Tamahome, Nuriko, and Tasuki. Having to choose between you. You know how I felt about Tamahome ne? Well, double it and that's how I feel about Tasuki. I know you care for me, I remember when you proposed to me, but for some reason whenever I'm with Tasuki I know I'll be okay."
Hotohori couldn't take it anymore. The painful memories resurfaced and he pushed Miaka back. "Hotohori, I do love you. Listen I do!" Miaka couldn't think of any other way to show him than to kiss him, so she quickly closed the gap he had created. Hotohori and Miaka forgot everything around them for a few brief moments, but Hotohori, remember Tasuki, pulled away.
"Miaka, I understand. I had a vision from Suzaku and Seiryu and they told me how you felt. I just had to tell you so that you know, if I do anything crazy it's because I love you," Hotohori looked up at the sky and saw his constellation over them. "Please allow me one night of true happiness and stay with me."
"What about the others?" Miaka asked back. "They'd get suspicious about us, and think I didn't love Tasuki." Hotohori thought for a moment and said, "We will go to sleep once everyone else has. Besides, we'll sleep in the tent." Miaka and Hotohori both stood up and continued their search for firewood in silence. Behind the tree to Miaka's right, a strand of purple hair could be seen before it disappeared.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"We're back!" Miaka said in her cheery, bright tone. "Ah. You guys are done with putting up camp." Hotohori and Miaka gave them the branches in their arms and sat down. Nuriko looked at them with a mischievous glint in his eyes. 'At least they know, and at least his Highness can have some happiness before it's truly over.'
"Tamahome and Chichiri should be back any minute with some fish from the nearby river," he said.
"Great! I'm starving," Miaka said sitting next to him. Hotohori followed suit and soon a rustle in the bushes announced Tamahome and Chichiri's arrival.
*A few minutes later
"Yeah! Food!" Miaka grabbed the fish from the fire and munched it happily. Everyone sweat dropped and just picked up their food before the black hole known as Miaka ate it all.
*A few more minutes later
Tamahome, Nuriko, and Chichiri lay sleeping under the open stars while Miaka and Hotohori sat in silence in the pitch black. "Miaka, we should rest now, tomorrow we'll be in Jozenski to get Chiriko and I'm sure he'll be thoroughly excited to see you."
"You're right, I just enjoy this so much." Miaka stood up slowly allowing Hotohori a good look at her underwear. Miaka looked at him and saw a goofy grin on his face. (AN: He may be the emperor, but he is still just a man.) Miaka went ballistic. "Aaack, What are you staring at!"
"N…Noting." Hotohori quickly got up and dashed to the tent to change. As Miaka entered the tent, Hotohori quickly slipped under the covers and motioned for her to do the same.
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The Next Page Has Been Turned
By: Neptune Princess
Chapter 9: Chichir's Here!
Miaka uncovered her eyes, looked at him and gasped loudly. Miaka's voice dropped to a whisper, as she said, "No!" Everyone followed her gaze and saw him. "You must be Zakago," Tamahome said calmly, rising to his feet. "Yes. And you… You're Tamahome. Former lover of the Priestess of Suzaku right?" Tamahome clenched his fists and glared at him. "We won't let you come anywhere near our priestess," Nuriko said angrily.
"Your brother was evil, just as you are. We, of the Suzaku Shichiseish, have a duty to protect our priestess from people who wish to destroy her."
"This is very annoying. " Zakago hand began to glow blue as he raised it up, preparing to blast Nuriko, Tamahome, and Hatchery to smithereens. Suddenly, out of nowhere Chichiri appeared. "Let's go!" he yelled, and all of them disappeared just as Zakago fired. 'Damn' he thought. 'I can't let them get anymore of their seishi back.' He chuckled slightly 'No matter, in the end my brother will be avenged.' And with that he vanished in a blaze of blue light.
"Chichiri!" Miaka screamed launching at him as soon as they materialized. "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Slow down Miaka good to see you too."
"How did you find us?" she asked stepping back and looking at him. Chichiri took off his mask and looked at them, "I've been tailing you ever since the festival. I didn't want to reveal myself to you until you needed me, and by the looks of it you need me now."
"Thanks Chichiri. We did need you."
"No problem no da," he said putting his mask back on. "We should continue on. He'll find us soon if we don't" As everyone packed up Miaka, being very observant at this time, noticed a slight problem. "Whom is Chichiri riding with?"
"Don't worry no da. I have a horse," and with that he gave a shrill, high-pitched whistle. A beautiful black mare suddenly appeared out of nowhere and whinnied. Miaka and the rest just stared as the blue haired monk mounted the beautiful beast.
"Where'd you get that?" Hotohori asked feeling a little jealous.
"From Taiistukun. She saw, with her mirror, you all leaving for Sairou and sent me to meet you." (Chichiri went to study more under Taiistukun after Seiryu was sealed.) "We can talk more on the way, so let's go," Tamahome said impatiently. Chichiri looked at him, and all the memories of the past five years came flooding back. 'I hope Miaka's all right.' He thought as he looked at her with sympathetic eyes. Miaka didn't catch this because she was trying to get on the horse, but Hotohori, who was helping her did. 'I'll tell him about her later. After all, so much has changed.'
They continued their journey, stopping every now and then for short rests. During this time Hotohori became very agitated and stayed close to Miaka every second. "Hotohori-sama you don't have to hover over me," Miaka said as they finally stopped to settle down for the night. "Tasuki charged me with protecting you, and I would never break a promise to a friend."
Nuriko, being his usual nosy self, heard the conversation and knew that now was the time for Miaka to tell Hotohori her feelings. "Why don't you two go get some firewood, we need a fire to cook the food after all."
"You sure you don't need help setting up the camp Nuriko?" Miaka asked. "No, we just need that firewood."
"Okay, we'll hurry back." Nuriko only waved. 'No take your time. He needs to know.'
The forest was pitch black except for faint rays of light from the moon. "Miaka, don't go too far ahead, we need to stay together."
"Don't worry so much, I'll be fine," Miaka said as she walked on. She didn't see the tree root right in front of her, sticking out of the ground and tripped. "Whoaa! Uff." She hit the ground with a hard thump that knocked the breath out of her. "Hehe, guess I spoke too soon," she said sitting up.
"Miaka! Are you all right?" he asked as he ran towards her and knelt down. "Yeah, I'm fine. Sheesh it was only a small trip. Why are you worrying about me so much, and don't say because Tasuki told you to."
Hotohori, for a brief moment was startled, and then looked away. "Hotohori, answer me."
'Now is the time!' Hotohori thought as he turned his head to look back at her. "Miaka," he paused, gathering all of his courage and said, "I am still in love with you." He looked into her eyes and wondered, 'What is it about her that makes me, a strong warrior, tremble in fear?' Miaka got to her knees and hugged the kneeling emperor.
Words formed in his mind, but he could only hug her back. After a few moments Miaka spoke. "I love you too, and it hurts. Being here, with you, Tamahome, Nuriko, and Tasuki. Having to choose between you. You know how I felt about Tamahome ne? Well, double it and that's how I feel about Tasuki. I know you care for me, I remember when you proposed to me, but for some reason whenever I'm with Tasuki I know I'll be okay."
Hotohori couldn't take it anymore. The painful memories resurfaced and he pushed Miaka back. "Hotohori, I do love you. Listen I do!" Miaka couldn't think of any other way to show him than to kiss him, so she quickly closed the gap he had created. Hotohori and Miaka forgot everything around them for a few brief moments, but Hotohori, remember Tasuki, pulled away.
"Miaka, I understand. I had a vision from Suzaku and Seiryu and they told me how you felt. I just had to tell you so that you know, if I do anything crazy it's because I love you," Hotohori looked up at the sky and saw his constellation over them. "Please allow me one night of true happiness and stay with me."
"What about the others?" Miaka asked back. "They'd get suspicious about us, and think I didn't love Tasuki." Hotohori thought for a moment and said, "We will go to sleep once everyone else has. Besides, we'll sleep in the tent." Miaka and Hotohori both stood up and continued their search for firewood in silence. Behind the tree to Miaka's right, a strand of purple hair could be seen before it disappeared.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"We're back!" Miaka said in her cheery, bright tone. "Ah. You guys are done with putting up camp." Hotohori and Miaka gave them the branches in their arms and sat down. Nuriko looked at them with a mischievous glint in his eyes. 'At least they know, and at least his Highness can have some happiness before it's truly over.'
"Tamahome and Chichiri should be back any minute with some fish from the nearby river," he said.
"Great! I'm starving," Miaka said sitting next to him. Hotohori followed suit and soon a rustle in the bushes announced Tamahome and Chichiri's arrival.
*A few minutes later
"Yeah! Food!" Miaka grabbed the fish from the fire and munched it happily. Everyone sweat dropped and just picked up their food before the black hole known as Miaka ate it all.
*A few more minutes later
Tamahome, Nuriko, and Chichiri lay sleeping under the open stars while Miaka and Hotohori sat in silence in the pitch black. "Miaka, we should rest now, tomorrow we'll be in Jozenski to get Chiriko and I'm sure he'll be thoroughly excited to see you."
"You're right, I just enjoy this so much." Miaka stood up slowly allowing Hotohori a good look at her underwear. Miaka looked at him and saw a goofy grin on his face. (AN: He may be the emperor, but he is still just a man.) Miaka went ballistic. "Aaack, What are you staring at!"
"N…Noting." Hotohori quickly got up and dashed to the tent to change. As Miaka entered the tent, Hotohori quickly slipped under the covers and motioned for her to do the same.
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