"Wings of Fate"
Chapter Three: Mysterious Happenings
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Written Friday, October 16, 2004
Finished Sunday, October 17, 2004
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Legend
"Talking"
Thinking
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Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yuugi, but I do own Sakura, my character. Let me make something clear right now. This story has no relation to my other story with Sakura called Secrets. This is an AU (Alternate Universe) story, where Sakura is the same person with the past; only she doesn't dwell on it too much like in my other story. I do not own Kai, who belongs to Kalyn, a RP friend of mine. An RP is making up a story online through i/ms on aim when each person writes a paragraph of the story and it continues on. Kalyn and I wrote this story today, and half the credit of this story belongs to her too because it is her writing along with mine.
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The next day ...
Kai aimlessly wondered the halls, not bothering to go to breakfast. She wasn't hungry, she was to busy looking for out, come out where ever you are..." She said sarcastically.
Like on cue, Nuriko was turning a corner and Kai bumped into 'her', sending them both flying backwards onto the cold floor.
"Ouch! Oh! Nuriko! Hey! Sorry, didnt see you there!' Kai laughed, standing and helping Nuriko up. "You ok?"
Nuriko dusted herself off lightly and got up from the ground. "Fine, arigatou. How about you?"
"Eh. I've been through worse." Kai brushed off the sleeves of her shirt and looked at 'her.'
"Nuriko...I gotta talk to you about something. It's really important..." She looked around, as if to see if anyone was watching them.
"Honto? What is it?" Nuriko asked curiously. 'She' had no apparent idea what was going to hit 'her' next of Kai was going to say.
Kai took a deep breath. "Nuriko...I know you're a guy...and that you're, more or less, gay..." She winced, as if waiting for an explosion to happen.
"Excuse me? What are you talking about? You're joking, right?" Nuriko was denying it all without looking the slightest bit of 'her' hiding anything.
Kai smirked.
"Nuriko...you don't have to hide it or anything...it's...kinda obvious. I promise I won't tell anyone, alright?"
Nuriko sighed. Loudly. "How do you even know these things? What are you? Psychic?"
Kai grinned. "You could say that."
She bit he lip, wondering what to say next.
"That's all I really wanted you to know...Sakura knows too...but we won't tell anyone. Promise." She smiled reassuringly before turning and starting to walk off.
"Plus, you don't have any breasts." With a giggle she ran off to go find...anyone to bother.
Sakura trotted down the halls, doing nothing in particular.
I wonder how things are with Kai and Nuriko?
She was still adjusting to the palace. With a right and left path before her, she randomly picked the left one. No sooner did she run into Kai.
"So? How'd it go?"
"Better then I thought it would..." Kai admitted with a shrug.
"He took it pretty well...so long as we don't tell anyone..." There was a pause. "...Lets go bother Hotohori!"
"That's good," Sakura commented. "But what would we do with Hotohori? He's probably busy anyway..." She thought up something else. "And besides, don't you think he'll do that speech thing with proclaiming his love for you and everything? I can already tell you're going to reject him."
"Well..." Kai bit her lip, a nervous habit of hers.
"I doubt Nuriko could ever love me...maybe...maybe i should..." She leaned against a near-by pillar.
"Then again...I don't have a heart...I can't love..." She shook her head.
"I'll be by the pond if anyone needs me...k?" Kai turned and began to walk away, towards the garden.
"Why did Suzaku drag me in here...? Only a virgin can summon Suzaku...I'm not a virgin...not since..." She trailed off, looking angry. She grabbed a rock and threw it into the and with all her might, once she got there.
"DAMMIT!!! THOSE BASTERDS HOW DARE THEY!!!" She shrieked, her voice echoing through out the palace. She sank down onto the bank, tears silently streaming down her face. "Dammit..."
"Are alright, Kai?" A masculine voice asked. It was Hotohori. "You seem upset."
Kai jumped slightly, and looked toward Hotohroi, a wary look on her face.
"...I'm fine." She looked back to the water, swiping away tears.
"Just peachy..." she muttered.
Hotohori walked a little closer, and glanced into the pond water that reflected both their mirror images. "You don't have to hide your feelings from anyone. I can see you're suffering over a past trauma."
Kai was silent for a moment.
"They didn't once think of how it affected me...or my sister..." Her hand clenched into a fist.
"Those basterds raped me and my sister...and they killed her while I escaped...if I'd stayed behind...If I'd helped her...she might still be alive..." Kai grabbed another rock and threw it into the pond, getting herself soaked.
"I'm such a coward..."
"The past is the past. You didn't know what would've happened if you weren't there. You would've died along side with her, and you probably wouldn't be here today. You don't need to close your heart because of it."
"You have no idea all I've been through. I don't want to waste my time trying to explain it to someone who could have no idea." Kai said, eyes narrowing angrily.
"I'm afraid you'll find I'm wary and scared around men. For more reasons then one." She stood.
"I'm going to go find Nuriko again." She twirled on heel and began to walk off.
Kai stomped down the empty halls, half angry for letting anyone hear her venting about her past, and half mad at herself for being rude to Hotohori. It wasn't that she hated him, but whenever someone tried to get close to her or talk to her, she just pushed them all away.
Is that what I'm really afraid of? Opening up to people and letting myself be happy...?
She had a hard past though, and it was difficult to turn back the hands of time to not be so insecure and not hold up the walls to her heart all the time.
Kai shook her head. No. It wasn't that. She was afraid of rejection, and of pain. She looked up at the sound of footsteps, only to see the guards from before.
"See? I told you I was the Suzaku no miko."
The guards glared at her. "Just because Saihitei-sama believes you, doesn't mean we will."
"Whatever...outta my way."
One of the guards slammed her against the wall, the other laughing behind him.
"Obviously you don't know how things work around here. Women listen to the men. Now you be a good little girl and listen to us!" One hand snaked up Kais shirt, as flashes of her rape came back. She saw red, and then blacked out.
When she woke up, the bodies of the two guards lay in front of her, mangled, nearly torn to shreds. Kai glanced down at herself, seeing that she was covered in blood. She panicked and ran to the pond again, relieved that she didn't see Hotohori there, and ran in waist deep, furiously scrubbing the blood of her clothes and skin.
Someone's bound to notice the bodies by now...
The pond water was then contaminated with swirls of red blood. This would look suspicious.
Kai shook violently, both in fear and disgust. What had she done!? She sank low into the water, so that it came up to her chin.
"Dammit..."
Meanwhile ...
A scholar raced through the halls, trying to find the Emperor.
"Emperor Saihitei!" He cried, racing into the throne room.
"Emperor Saihitei! Forgive me sire, but this is dreadfully important! Two guards for found mangled in one of the main corridors sir!"
"Search the entire palace immediately,and send for help," Hotohori automatically commanded. "Be cautious of any strangers. Report back to me."
The scholar bowed. "Hai, your Highness. I'll get on it right away!" He raced out of the room.
Out in the halls, Sakura closed the door behind her as she left her room.
Wow, I never knew how boring it could get in this palace. No offense, but seriously, there's absolutely nothing to do here.
Sakura continued to walk down the halls, bored and having nothing to do. But she never expected what would come next when she turned another corner.
Her face went stark pale and took a step back at the gruesome scene before her. Fresh blood spilled over the unconscious and motionless guards.
What in the world happened here?
She felt sick just looking over them, and the smell of metallic liquid filled her nostrils. She was just about ready to vomit.
"You heard what happened? Two guards were slaughtered out in one of these halls," a rough voice said nearby.
"And we have to find them?" The other guard sounded disgusted. "Who'd want to see a sight like that?"
Damn! Just my luck, now two guards are approaching me! What if they think I killed them? Oh my God!
Surely enough, the two guards reached there before Sakura could hide.
"What the-?" The guard stared warily at Sakura. "What are you doing here?"
"And with those guards!" The other said, pointing at the limp figures. He walked closer and bent down to examine them vaguely. "Doesn't look like they're alive. Probably dead already."
"I didn't touch them!" Sakura stated. "They were like that when I got here!"
The guard narrowed his eyes at her. "No matter what, you're a suspect. We should take you to the dungeon room."
"Nani?!" Sakura yelled out, but her protests were cut off, as they both led her along and away.
Great ... now I'm a criminal?