Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Fushigi Yuugi characters, but I greatly enjoyed the series and the OVA's. This takes place after both. (M/T) (H/H) (T/OC)

The Cross-dresser and the Warriors of the Beast Gods

Nicknames and Gropings

"Arashi dear," a high-pitched male voice called.

A young soldier turned to face the approaching man with a slight wince and then a bright smile. "Lord Nuriko, how are you today?"

"Oh, I'm fine," he replied. "And Emperor Saihite wants to speak with you."

"Really? Why?"

"I'm not sure, but he wants to see you right away."

"All right, I'll go right now. Thank you, Lord Nuriko," the soldier said, heading toward the throne room.

"You're welcome, Arashi dear," Nuriko sung.

Arashi dashed down the hall in an attempt to get to the emperor. While she was running she recalled some of the events that had brought her here.

She grew up in a small village on the outskirts of Konan with her father and her two older brothers, but her life there was anything but joyful. Her mother had died in Arashi's birth. Her brothers always blamed her for their mother's death, and to top it all off, a secret destroyed her relationship with her father. Apparently, Arashi's mother had been a sorceress, and Arashi had inherited her powers. Her mother also cast a final spell to inform her husband of this knowledge, but her father didn't accept it. He accepted none of it; that included Arashi.

Later in her life, she decided to put her skills to better use. So, she left her old life behind and joined the emperor's army as a man in disguise. She then worked her way up the ranks until she was a very important soldier. All through this, she had kept her true nature a secret.

She made a sharp turn around the corner.

She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't notice the redheaded figure in front of her until she crashed into him sending them both onto the ground.

"What the hell?" a man's voice asked in an annoyed tone. "Get off me!"

"Sorry," Arashi apologized as she lifted her head a bit to look into the man's fiery-colored eyes.

They stayed like that for a few seconds, emerald meeting red-orange, until he decided to push her off of him. Unfortunately, the place where he put his hands just happened to be her breasts.

Her eyes narrowed as she swiftly moved one of her arms to send her elbow crashing into the side of his head.

"OW!" he moaned "What'cha do that for?"

"Sorry, again. I lost my balance," Arashi stated tightly while she moved herself off of him finally. She stood up and held out a hand to him to allow him up. He grasped her hand, and she pulled him up as soon as he regained his senses.

"I apoligize for running into you, sir. I am in a hurry, and I wasn't looking where I was going," Arashi said sincerely.

"Ah, that's okay. Besides, Miaka's a lot heavier than you," the man stated.

"Miaka? Do you mean Miaka Yuki, the Suzaku no miko?" she asked.

"Yeah, she's a personal friend of mine."

"Personal friend? Are you a Suzaku seishi?"

"Yep, I'm Tasuki."

"Are you telling me that I just ran over a Suzaku seishi!?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, great," Arashi breathed as she suddenly bowed her head very low. "I'm so sorry Lord Tasuki. Please forgive me for doing that."

"It's alright. Calm down," Tasuki pleaded as he tried to pacify the strange man.

"Thank you, Lord Tasuki."

"Just Tasuki."

"As you wish, Tasuki," she consented, trying out the name. "Oh no, I have to go! The emperor's expecting me!"

"Don't worry about it. I'm going there too. Let's just go," Tasuki reassured as he and Arashi quickly went around the corner and into the throne room. Arashi swiftly moved to bow to her emperor as she spoke.

"You wished to speak with me, Emperor Hotohori?" Arashi questioned in a very polite tone.

"Yo! Hotohori, how you do'in?" Tasuki asked casually as the soldier turned to glare at him. "Your Highness."

"Hello, Tasuki," Hotohori greeted. "Since when have you started calling me 'your Highness'?"

`Since that guy glared at me like that, ` he thought. "Ah, just did it this once for fun."

"Well, Chichiri and Nuriko should be here soon," Hotohori stated.

As if on cue, Chichiri and Nuriko came through the door in the next moment.

"Hello, Emperor, how have you been, no da?" Chichiri inquired kindly as he walked forward to stand next to his fiery-haired friend. "Long time, no see, Tasuki, no da."

"Yep, nice to see you again, Chichiri," Tasuki replied.

"Good morning, sire," Nuriko called out as he, too, joined the small, detached group of Suzaku seishi. "Hello, Tasuki dear."

"It's nice to see you too, Nuriko."

"I've been fine, Chichiri, good morning to you also, Nuriko, and yes, I did want to speak with you, Arashi," Hotohori answered, causing everyone else to be silent.

`So that's his name, ` Tasuki thought as the conversation commenced.

"As I am sure you know by now, there has been a very severe attack by an unknown being that has destroyed one of the villages," Hotohori announced democratically. "But, what you may not know is that a message was left by that evil presence. It states, 'come forth and face me, warriors of the beast gods, for this time I will not lose'. I believe that this means that this thing want to fight with the Suzaku seishi. It could very well be a trap, but we cannot take the risk that it will destroy more of Konan if we do not comply with its wishes. This is why we must gather the Suzaku seishi once again. Chichiri? Nuriko? Tasuki?"

The emperor gestured toward his friends from his perch as they stepped forward. "Will you help collect the Suzaku warriors once more?" Hotohori questioned.

"Of course we will, Emperor, no da," Chichiri answered.

"Yeah, Hotohori," Tasuki replied in normal fashion.

"When have we ever let you down sire?" Nuriko asked.

"Thank you, my friends, and as for you, Arashi," the soldier perked up at the sound of her name, "I would like you to accompany them in my stay."

"Huh? Me?" Arashi inquire with an astounded look on her face as she blinked at her ruler.

"Do you not wish to go?"

"No, no, I didn't mean that. I'm just surprised that you chose me, but I would very much like to go on a quest with the Suzaku seishi, your Highness. It would be a great honor."

"Thank you, Arashi," Hotohori said as she stood to join the warriors. "Then you must set off immediately, tomorrow morning. I hope you are successful."

Author's Note: Well, thank you for reading my fic. I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, here's a teaser for the next chapter.

-Arashi stared at the men in the hot spring before her, trying not to blush, as she stood stock still on the bank.

"Aren't you coming in, Arashi, no da?" Chichiri asked as he looked at the soldier.-

You'll just have to wait and see how Arashi gets herself out of this one. Ja ne minna-san.