Disclaimer: See Chap. 1.
A/N:
Well, here's chapter seven. (sighs)
Now, there's going to be a few quotes from my textbook that you can find within the story, or sometimes in one of these A/Ns; college has gotten into my head.
OH YIKES!! In the second chapter, I made a mistake! Hokkan is ruled by Genbu, while Sairou is ruled by Byakko! (sobs) Sorry!!
NOTE: It's not Shi Jin Ten Cho, but Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho. Once more, sorry! Also, I don't know if I mentioned "Mt. Taikyou" in the previous chapters, but if I have, it's "Mt. Taikyoku." I've been rusty on my FY recently...
If anyone else finds any errors with the FY fandom, then please let me know! (Of course, this is an AU fic, is it not?) Also, some might see the character of Chichiri somewhat the same with Half-Esper Laura's Chichiri in Fushigi Yuugi sorta: Through the Looking Glass, though it's a male and not a female...
Previously on "Reflections Through the Mirror: Reversed Universes:" Soi has joined in with the Sei of Suzaku! And Suzaku's powers have awakened within Yui.
Chapter Seven:
Accepting Truth – Four New Sei To Appear!
"Quid agam?" asked Yui mournfully. "Quo me vertam?"
"Speak in English, Yui," said Keisuke who was plopped on the floor drinking the sake that one of the palace maids brought him.
"'What am I to do? Where am I to turn?'" said Yui. "Terence, Hecyra, 516."
"I don't read as much as you, Yui," said Keisuke playfully. "I mean...who reads books?"
"What are you implying, Keisuke?" asked Hotohori; "of course, you know I can put you in your place...right?"
Keisuke yelped. 'Dear gods,' he thought. 'And it had to be me sucked in the book. Why not Tetsuya instead? Why choose me over him, Suzaku? How can I help?'
Soi stared out the open window in Hotohori's throne room. It was just earlier that she had left the Shrine of Seiryuu to be with the Suzaku no Miko. Of course, she was utterly surprised of the act of kindness that the girl showed her, even though she was a potential enemy, bound to be a rival of Konan, since, of course, she was a Seiryuu Sei. But, nonetheless, Yui still took her in, calling what she did "an act of bravery," telling her that Suzaku was proud of her, even though she had Seiryuu's power rushing through her veins.
Seiryuu: She had now come to furiously cringe when she heard the god's name for no reason. But then she finally found one: Seiryuu was the one that made her like this, the one that stripped her of her sanity, her will, her heart. Seiryuu'd done nothing but cause trouble in her life, always promising to give her power every time she declined his offer to 'rule the world.'
Now she knew that choice was wrong. Everything she chose was wrong—except maybe perhaps 'leaving' the Seiryuu Sei temporarily and joining in with the Suzaku. But...what good did it do, if there were nobody to talk to?
Then she gasped.
"Soi, what's wrong?" asked Tamahome.
"I...I...must've been hallucinating," said the mauve-haired woman. "I just 'saw' a man wearing a...cape and was bearing a wooden, straw hat...and a strange staff."
Yui got out Hotohori's copy of the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho and read the clue about another Sei: "'The strongest, and yet the weakest.'"
"The strongest, and yet the weakest," repeated Tamahome, snorting. "What kinda' clue is that?"
"Eh, it's a very important clue, no da!" said a voice behind them, close to the shadows.
"Aiee!!!" shrieked Yui, jumping into Hotohori's arms, blushing madly.
"I think I should introduce myself, no da," said the voice, and came out.
It was a male, with royal blue hair. He had some sort of mask on, showing a face of a smiling, always smiling, male. He had a high-pitched voice, and his straw hat was slung over his cape, which was slung over his shoulder. He carried some sort of staff with a diamond shaped jewel of some sorts on top.
"I am Houjin Ri, and I am known as Chichiri of the Seven Suzaku Sei," said the man.
"Eh, vicinis bonus esto," said Yui, smiling playfully.
"English translation please," said Keisuke.
"'Be good to your neighbors,'" said Hotohori, laughing fairly.
"Neighbors?" asked Tamahome and Keisuke.
"Ah, it's a funny little phrase I like to say sometimes when I meet new people," explained Yui, "Especially when they scare me like you, Chichiri."
"I like your way of greeting, Suzaku no Miko," said Chichiri, smiling if he wasn't already.
"Chichiri," said Yui, getting the scroll Hotohori had one of the maids fetch, "what's your power?"
"Chi controlling, milady," said he, showing the character, "Sho" ("Well") on his knee.
Chichiri
1) Chi controlling
2) Character is "Sho" for "Well."
3) Location: right knee.
"Perfect!" cried Yui, "already, we've found four out of the Seven Sei. Just three more to go..."
'How perfect,' thought a redhead outside the window. 'They'll be lookin' fer me soon. Guess I gotta' wait for 'em then.'
(NEXT SCENE)
"'The figure outside the window of the throne room,'" read Tetsuya, "'as the four found Sei of Suzaku with the Suzaku no Miko, and the Seiryuu no Miko's brother.'"
Tetsuya sighed. At least they found another Sei, but who was that outside the window?
"'The silver orb hung in the night sky as everyone learned more of Houjin Ri's past.'"
(NEXT SCENE)
"I live in the past, I live in the future. I am the god of life, and I am the god of the harvest. I live for those with the mature heart, and I live for those with the purest courage. The bravery of the soul is within my purest of wings, and at the phoenix's cry, all animals go a-fly. The eyes of darkness that search the realm, the eyes of light that wander off..." Yui's eyes wandered over the book Hotohori lent her, Wattashi Yume. (1)
And she remembered the first line of The Road Less Traveled, "Life is difficult." It was only too true. She'd encountered many things in her life, but none was more difficult and—how shall it be put?—exhausting than becoming the "Suzaku no Miko," fabled to have the power to summon the god of the south, Suzaku, and prevent Kutou's god, Seiryuu, from annihilating the empire of Konan itself.
Depriving herself of Houjin's words, she stood up from the floor and stared at her book, the wind outside ruffling the pages.
"Living through the pain that Fate has set out on me, the course of the world destroying my hopes of happiness and replacing it as a nightmare full of anxiety, pain, and the anguish that one needs to suffer. Wattashi yume.... Wattashi yume.... The bringer of death is clinging on to me, taking me down every moment of my life. Why must it be me that needs to be tortured with this sickness?"
"...Why must it be me that needs to be tortured with this sickness..." repeated Yui, glancing at the night sky, "Suzaku...why have you chosen me to become your Maiden?"
":Because, my Maiden,:" replied Suzaku's voice in her mind, ":as your Sei, Hotohori said, your friend, Miaka, contained my brother's blood. We, Genbu, Byakko, Seiryuu, and myself, were deprived of the chance to be together. Our mother, Taiitskun, separated us. She rules in the middle country, Taikyou, and that is why her residence is Mt. Taikyou.
":Depriving us of our childhood was sad, and often hard, and we had to fend for ourselves. Seiryuu was the most cold-hearted one with the evil intentions. Byakko, Genbu, and I, however, stayed together...:"
'Suzaku, I had no knowledge,' replied Yui. 'Will you help me find my fifth Sei?'
":My clue shall be this: He is the human reincarnation, somehow, of me, wielding the power of the flame. He is a bandit, and he channels his powers through an iron fan,:" said Suzaku. ":Find him, my Maiden...find him...:" Then, the image of Suzaku faded away, and she heard somebody calling her name—more specifically, her title.
"SUAZKU NO MIKO!!" Tamahome was shouting.
"Ow, ow," said Yui, rubbing her ears. "What?"
"It is getting late, My Lady," said Hotohori calmly, "and you must have your rest. We shall search for the next Sei of Suzaku tomorrow."
Yui and the others nodded, and they parted for their chambers. Hotohori stayed behind, whisked Yui in a pleasurable hug, and then kissed her long, the warm sensation taking over Yui. "Good night," said he, and he dropped a scroll into Yui's pocket.
Once in her room, Yui took it out, and the contents surprised her:
Dearest Lady Yui,
My Maiden of Suzaku, you know must know that I love you very much. I am not asking much from you, but then again, maybe I am. Through this, I am showing you the courage that I lacked earlier before. I am seriously in love with you, Suzaku no Miko, and whatever the occasion, whatever the reason, I will love you until the end of the world.
I have heard many tales of the Byakko no Miko, Suzuno Oosugi wishing to stay in the land of Sairou with her beloved Sei, Tatara, but never getting it granted, for as legend says that once the Miko's duty in this world is over, they would have to go back to their own world, and through that, I will still love you, even if I have to wait the eternal moments Suzaku has granted me. Even if I have to wait forever for you, My Lady, I will love you still. Even if I die, I will wait for you in the Realm of the Heavens, waiting, wanting for you, my love. You are the only one that I have ever loved; the only one now, the only one always.
Please accept my proposal, my heavenly goddess, and become my empress once this feud is done...or even better, become my empress as soon as possible. You shall see that a ring has been used to seal this, and the ring itself is within this letter. Call upon the power of Suzaku to let it out.
If ever that you cannot stay in my world, please take the ring as a token of my love, and the remembrance of what feuds and challenges and hardships you have encountered here.
Milady, I am not one who gave up on the love that one has given me, and I hope you will love me in return.
Yui Hongou, Suzaku no Miko, will you take the opportunity to become my wife and empress to rule with me side-by-side?
You know, you don't have to say yes, but I very much want you to...
Sincerely,
Saihitei Seishuku
--Hotohori of the Suzaku Seven--
"Oh Hotohori," said Yui out loud to nobody. "I will..."
":My Maiden, you do know that once your duties as a Miko are over, you will have to be sent back to your own world?:" came Suzaku's voice.
":Yes, I do,:" replied Yui, ":but I will make the most of it. Can you not ask Taiitskun to reincarnate my beloved? Never mind, I will ask her myself if we ever go to Mt. Taikyoku. Thank you, Suzaku, for granting me the opportunity to become your Suzaku no Miko.:"
Yui drew upon Suzaku's power, and out came a golden-band ring with a ruby carved into a shape of a phoenix which glowed brightly in the moonlight's light.
"Yes, Suzaku," repeated Yui. "I will, no matter what."
":I am proud to have chosen you as my Miko, Yui Hongou,:" said Suzaku, laughing warmly. ":You have the true potential to become a Suzaku no Miko.:"
(NEXT SCENE)
Miaka sighed. It was only yesterday that she saw her own Sei, Soi, BETRAY her to go with the Suzaku Sei; but Yui said that it wasn't betrayal at all—but who cared about what Yui said?
'I certainly don't,' Miaka thought venomously.
"Seiryuu no Miko?" asked a very unfamiliar voice outside her door.
"Who is it?" she asked.
"I am one of the Seiryuu Sei, Seiryuu no Miko," said the voice, entering. "I am Kutoku Bu, Your Majesty, known as Amiboshi of the Seiryuu Sei."
Once the boy entered the light, Miaka saw a clear view of Amiboshi. He had short blonde hair and pale blue eyes. A flute was tucked near his blue cotton pants. He wore a pale yellow-blue v-shirt.
"And I am also another of your Sei," said another boy. "My name's Kutoku Shunukaku, known was Suboshi of the Seiryuu Sei."
Suboshi looked very much like Amiboshi, but instead of a flute, he had a yo-yo ("It's called the Ryuuseisui," replied Suboshi when Miaka asked him what it was) tied to the left side of his belt, the same place where Amiboshi's flute was.
The cold breeze flew in through Miaka's open window as Nakago walked in. "Ah, Seiryuu no Miko," he acknowledged. "I believe you've met Amiboshi and Suboshi?"
"Yes," gasped Miaka weakly. The thought of having two new Sei somehow frightened her in some way; she'd already met both Miboshi and Ashitare, and she didn't like them in any way. Miboshi was a little monk, but nobody knew who he really was, as he had the power to take over one other's body. Ashitare was more on the canine side. He was a blue-skinned werewolf that was very loyal to Nakago, and mostly only listened to the Shogun.
Evening out her night-gown, Miaka stood up and sauntered to the window, the breeze brushing her face with her hair.
"What is wrong, Your Eminence?" queried Nakago.
"It's just that—it's just—no, never mind," sighed Miaka heavily. "It's going to be no use anyway."
"You desire that Hotohori, do you not, My Lady?" asked both Suboshi and Amiboshi (Suboshi was twirling his Ryuuseisui around his wrist by now).
Even though she knew that Hotohori was an emperor and could not be out of Konan at all, she nodded.
"Well," answered Nakago, drawing himself up to his full height, "you will get the Suzaku Sei."
With this, he called a guard. "Get the emperor of Konan for your Maiden," he snapped, and the guard teleported into thin air.
(NEXT SCENE)
"Drop the knife!" shouted Tamahome.
"Give us the Emperor!" declared the guard, "and I will set your Miko free!"
"There's only one person this desperate," choked out Yui, the blade of the knife touching her skin.
"Miaka!" gasped Keisuke, Soi, Chichiri, and Hotohori, as Tamahome practically spat out the name.
"If you do not hand over Hotohori of the Suzaku Sei, I will kill your Miko," threatened the black-clad figure.
Hotohori frowned, "Sei" growing brightly on the left side of his neck. 'Yui...' he thought, remembering the letter he'd sent her. "I will go with you!" he stated as if it were nothing.
A chorus of "No's!" and "Hotohori's!" were heard ringing through the room.
"I will try and come back when the last two Sei of Suzaku are found," cried Hotohori walking towards the guard. "Until then, do not bother, please. I do not want any of you killed before the Summoning Ceremony of Suzaku, whenever that happens."
Right before the guard teleported to leave, a cry of, "LEKKA SHIENN!!" rang out.
Ending A/N:
Gods this took too long to write.
Review Responses on mediaminer:
glazwing: :-) You really think this is as promising as you say? Then thanks a lot, Meghanna. I like your honest personality, and I hope you review it once again with your wonderful words of wisdom!
Review Responses on fanfiction:
WaysideGirl: ;-) Why thank you very much. I will try my best to write this Fanfiction as best as I can. (This counts for all of your six reviews.)
Thanks so far to both glazwing and WaysideGirl to their very nice reviews! ;-) Thanks!
Also, I know I didn't make Tasuki appear like I said, but the Lekka Shienn was all I could fit.
(1): This was supposed to mean I Dream somehow. It's not a real book, either.
Preview:
The next Sei, Tasuki, is revealed, as Hotohori goes with the guard of Kutou.
Next:
Illegitimi Non Carborundum – The Flame's Iron Fan