Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yuugi. I'm simply borrowing the idea for this story.
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"Oh, leave him alone!" Miaka turned to her friend at Kourin's harsh remark.
"Leave him alone?! I hope you know that you're insane." Miaka turned away, and threw the shirt in her arms over her head.
"All right then. Why won't you leave him alone?"
"Easy. I won't leave him alone and I attack him every chance I get because he started it." With that said, Miaka pushed her hip out, hand on her waist, and stuck her tongue out at Kourin.
"Mature. Now put your pants on." Tossed across the room, the pants flew from Kourin's hands as her mouth shut, and promptly handed in Miaka's arms, which gracefully caught the flung object.
"Am I late?" Miaka asked as she jumped around the room, trying to put on her boots after the pants had been hastily thrown on.
"Nope," Kourin assured her as she peeked out of the window, "I think you'll be fine."
"I missed breakfast. I won't be fine."
"Yes you will! I gave you an apple!" Miaka laughed.
"Whatever... are they lining up yet?" Kourin peeked out of the window for a brief moment, then giggled.
"They're all crowding around Genrou, laughing about something he's doing and saying..." Miaka sighed.
"They always do that. I'm not surprised." Kourin smirked, and turned from the window to her friend.
"Why are you so obsessed with him? We talk about him all the time, and you're always denouncing him, like he's just some thing that takes up space. Why do you do that?" A guilty look crossed Miaka's face as she tied her belt tighter, and she sighed momentarily before opening her mouth.
"Does it matter?"
"Miaka, dear, you're straying from the subject. If you keep avoiding it, I'm going to start assuming things." Kourin looked at Miaka, who was currently halfway under her bed.
"Don't care right now; I need my helmet." She looked up, and saw the dark gray helmet within her eyesight. However, sitting up made her realize that what she needed was dangling on Kourin's hand gently, and she was twirling it on her finger.
"What would you do to get this?" Kourin asked, a smirk upon her lips. Miaka pursed her lips together, and her eyes narrowed. Finally, she let a smile ruin the serene look upon her face, and Kourin's lips fell as she noticed Miaka moving toward her. Until it was too late, she moved, but Miaka had already grabbed the helmet. Silently rejoicing getting her goal, she hadn't noticed the window in front of her, and she didn't have time to stop, as her hands flew out in front of her, hoping the soften the blow upon her head. However, as soon as her hands hit the ground, she let out a lady-like shriek, and her feet crashed into the bushes below the window she had just fallen out of.
"Kourin," she hissed, "Did anyone see that?"
"They heard it, I think," said Kourin as she peered down. "They're looking this way."
"Distract them!" Miaka whispered as she heard Genrou's booming voice called out to Kourin, seeing what the shriek was about. Miaka took advantage of Kourin's frantic excuses to crawl away, hidden in the bushes as she pulled her helmet on.
Gotta get away, gotta get away. Can't let anyone see me... I'm dead!
It wasn't until Miaka had traveled the length of the bushes that she realized someone was near her, watching her every move. She froze, in fear, wondering if she had been caught, if her secret would finally be revealed. Finally, she snuck a brief look at her followed her, and nearly raised her voice when she discovered his identity.
"You!" Her voice, loud and succinct, was louder than she wished, and her hand quickly covered her mouth, eyes wide.
"Watch it," she saw Kishuku mutter under his breath. "If they caught you..."
"I know..." Taking a deep breath, she stood, eyes narrow. "I... heard Kourin scream, and was trying to see what she was yelling about." Voice deeper, standing proud, and eyes narrow, filled with solemn intentions, Miaka nodded, her once distinctly womanly build sudden taking upon masculine features. "Are you ok?"
"Umm, yes. Thank you, sir." Kourin giggled, and Miaka took that as a good sign. Kourin was always giggling and flirting with almost any man that came across her path.
"Alright then..." Miaka stepped from the bushes, and looked at Kishuku. "What were you doing there?"
"Same as you... making sure no one was dead." Kishuku's eyes glared into Miaka's harshly, and she sarcastically opened her eyes wider, trying to get Kishuku off her case.
"Umm, excuse me gentlemen." The two turned toward Kourin, who was leaning over the windowsill, her long sleeves falling into the green pines of the bushes below her. "Everyone is going that way," she stated quietly as she pointed at the other men who were once gathered around the window and Kourin, who were currently walking away. Kishuku swore, then jogged away, yelling for someone to wait. Miaka turned to Kourin, mouthed a few words of thanks to her, and pulled the strap on her helmet tighter as she walked away.
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"What the hell?!" The unspoken rule of silence was broken as everyone turned toward the noise that filled the air. The person who exclaimed received a sharp look, and he promptly shut his mouth.
"You shall do what I say, and who I say you are to do it with. Any complaints will not be heard. Now, listen up, as I will only say this once!" The man spoke loudly, allowing no one to interrupt him as he gave out what the day's assignment was to be. But, as soon as the man finished, and walked away, each man opened his mouth, prepared to complain.
"Shit! I hate going down that hall!"
"I don't think you realize how well he and I DON'T work together..."
"I hate guarding the damn halls..."
"I don't want to do this," Genrou stated as the men walked away, their complains becoming softer by the moment, "but we might as well go and do it." Miaka nodded, and turned, walking away from Genrou as she walked to the same hall she watched every day. Once at the hall, she leaned against the wall, prepared for the day to pass her by. However, she didn't count on her day going the way it did go.
"Hey, why are you staring at me? Don't you have something better to do?" Miaka snapped as she noticed Genrou's eyes, fixated upon her.
"Ya never mentioned that you had a sister. I woulda thought that after eight months, you would have mentioned her once."
"Well... It's not like I needed to mention her..." Genrou's head nodded at Miaka's carefully drawn out words.
I hate talking like this! It's bad enough when I walk down any hall near the harem, and I have to mention myself as if I'm someone else. It feels so weird... I hate doing this...
"It's weird, though. I always though you were an only child," Genrou mused as he watched the highly adorned men- who were obviously government officials, due to their majestic outfits- stroll down the hall. Miaka took in a sharp intake of breath, which the three men missed entirely. "Out of curiosity," Genrou asked in a low voice, "Why's she here?"
"Why do you want to know?" Miaka dared to take a glimpse at the man beside her as her question filled the air, but she instantly regretted looking into his eyes. Genrou seemed to notice the look of shock upon her face, because he quickly turned, and walked away, throwing an arm over his shoulder, as if saying to Miaka to forget about it.
"Screw it, doesn't matter," Genrou muttered as he walked away. Miaka stared at him for a moment before opening her mouth again.
Where is he going? I think I get him to say something, and he walks away!
"Then why did you make it such a big deal before?" Genrou paused for a moment, then flung himself around after Miaka's comment, eyes filled with vexation.
"Why're you making such a big deal out of it?" Miaka stepped back a moment, not expecting Genrou to avoid the subject she had pressed against him so eagerly. She also hadn't expected him to continue with his uproar. "What are you, some overprotective brother, who gives a damn about everything that is going on in his sister's life? Goddamn..."
"Ok, so I admit it: I am concerned, if you will, about her. I'm just wondering why the hell you're talking about her!" Miaka fired back, staring Genrou straight in the eye. Genrou reciprocated by knitting his eyebrows together, then turned, and walked down the hall, ending the arguement. Miaka stared at his back for a moment before turning the other direction, and stalked off, going to the other end of the hall.
Niiiiiiiiiiice going Miaka. You've managed to get him really mad. Now you will never know what he was talking about. But why did he make such a big deal out of everything... I don't get it.
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"Umm, excuse me, sir?" Miaka turned, and saw Kourin standing behind her, her flirtatious smile covered by a pink fan, waving in the air. "Could you do me a favor and help me with something?" Miaka agreed, and followed Kourin to her room, trying to avoid the amorous giggles of the woman they passed along the way.
"So, how was it today?" Kourin asked as the door shut. Miaka sighed, and flopped onto the bed, her gray armor clashing against the pink-colored room.
"I made him mad." Kourin stared at her with a mixed expression on her face.
"I thought you hated him, and you're talking about him with this... regretful... expression in your voice. Why are you so concerned with him? Every other time you've managed to piss him off, you couldn't care less!"
"He looked hurt Kourin. You don't know him, but if his eyes are twisted up, showing any other emotion besides that cocky attitude he's got, something's up." As the masculine armor was slowly replaced by the bright dress, Miaka picked her words slowly, taking her time to try to describe the amount of angst captured in her rival's eyes.
"What's up with that look on your face?"
"What look?" Miaka yelled back automatically, seeing the look of amusement on Kourin's face. "If anything, I didn't mean to hurt his feelings that bad!" Her face softened, and her eyes took on a poignant look. "You know me well enough to know that I didn't mean to take things that far."
"How far is far?"
"He got mad, as you know, and stomped down the hall after I tried to find something out about 'Miaka'," she said fluidly, not taking a moment to stop.
"Wow... normally it's him pushing your buttons. This time, you've managed to push his."
"It was an accident!" Miaka insisted as she tied her hair up, dainty fingers looping a lock of hair around an intricate metal comb.
"And you're making a big deal out of it!" Kourin pointed out.
"I am not!" Miaka said in a huff.
"I very much doubt that, but I'll stop insisting that you're making this seem like it's the worst you can do, when really worst can be done."
"Like what?" Kourin just grinned at Miaka, who's jaw dropped. "Kourin!"
"I didn't say- or do- anything!"
"I find that hard to believe." Miaka said as she turned.
"Whatever you say..." Kourin finished as a light knock filled the emptiness of the room. Kourin stood, then crossed the room, decreasing the distance between her and the door. She gave the shy maid who knocked a kind smile and her full attention as she listened to what she said, then closed the door as soon as she had walked away.
"Apparently, they want me to do something big. Sorry to cut this conversation so short," Kourin said with an apologetic smile on her face.
"Never mind, you just go do what you have to," Miaka said. Kourin nodded, the promptly left the room. Miaka stayed for a moment, then rid the armor out of eye sight, its dull metal shocking compared to the brightly colored room. After one more look around the room, she sighed, then left, walking in circles, not caring for where she went.
I don't get it. Why am I so concerned? I mean, yeah, I do care about people, but I've never given a second thought to him and what he says or does. Why is this bothering me so much? But, actually, I've never seen him that mad before...
Turning, Miaka realized that she had wandered down her favorite hall. One of the reasons she loved to stroll down the hall was that no one ever walked down the hall- it was always barren, always silent, letting her walk and think what she pleased. She also loved it's off-white walls, and ivory pillars, their light coloring giving her the peace she needed in her stressful world of exchanging lives. Miaka paused for a moment, then lifted a hand, letting her fingers gently graze a rough, vine-covered pillar. She smiled, then leaned against it, sighing.
"I really messed up this time," she said regretfully. Miaka leaned back against the pillar, letting it support her, all the while wondering how to fix whatever she managed to damage while fighting Genrou.
Wrapped up in her thoughts, Miaka didn't notice the two people walking toward her until she heard the breathy, bluffing laugh of a familiar, feminine voice. Her eyes opened wide, and she hastily looked around, all the while trying to keep silent. She realized that they were on the other side of the pillar, and she could not be seen by them- yet. Taking that into consideration, she snuck a peek at the two carefully, not wanting to be seen.
Oh my god... It can't be. How is it... I don't get it.
Panicking, Miaka realized that her shock lost her a few precious moments, and soon, if she refused to move, her current fear would be turned into reality. Taking a deep breath, she waited for the two to walk past the pillar, where their line of vision could not see her move around the pillar. Gathering her skirts in one hand, she watched the two intently, wanting to two to hurry. Finally, when she could only see the back of the woman's skirt, it's bright purple fabric trailing on the floor, she took a chance and moved behind the pillar, successfully avoiding being caught in their gaze. A sigh of relief crossed her lips, and took one last look at the two as they walked away.
I don't get it... What's going on here? She's always been like that, always flirting and asking for more than what she needs... But him? I never expected him to be near her... He doesn't seem the type to even tolerate a girl like her... What does he see in her?
Lost in her thoughts, Miaka never noticed the man walking away looking back and missing her, nor the tiny balls of moisture falling down her face and landing on the ground in front of her.
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