Guardian Prince

By: PecanPie

Chapter Three: The New Student

Disclaimer: I do not own the character Byakko from Fushigi Yuugi but I do own the character PecanPie, a.ka. me, Rika, and Miyu.

When words are in Italic, it means Rika is talking in her head.

PecanPie: Well, this is finally chapter two.

Rika and Miyu: Yup!

Byakko: Is this chapter going to be boring?

PecanPie: What did you say? Are you saying my stories are boring?

Byakko: No, it's just that I'm curious to know what's going to happen next.

PecanPie: Really? Then read the title of this chapter and there's a clue for you Einstein.

Byakko: Sorry.

Rika: Byakko, you need to work on your communicating skills.

Miyu: I agree with you there.

Byakko: Anyway, enjoy the story.

PecanPie: Hey! That's my line.

It was Sunday and Rika was taking Byakko to her school so she could enroll Byakko into her school.

"Where are we going?" whined Byakko, still tired.

"We're going to my school so you can go there," said Rika.

"What do you mean?" asked Byakko.

"Never mind," replied Rika. "Just follow me."

They had finally entered Rika's school and they went straight to the Principle's office.

"Principle Yamazaki?" started Rika, "Is it okay if my friend Byakko enrolls into our school?" When she looked at Byakko, she noticed that he was asleep again!

"Why me? I'm trying to help him but he's acting like such a child."

"Is your friend from around here?" asked Principle Yamazaki. "His clothes don't look like he's from here."

"Oh…I forgot about his clothes."
"Ummm…he's a good friend of mine from china who came to visit me yesterday," said Rika. "And he said he wanted to stay with me and go to the same school as me." "What did I just say?"

"Is that so?" said Principle Yamazaki. "Well, he'll need to sign some papers and get his own I.D. Then he can start coming here. Here's his uniform. Make sure he won't be any trouble and tries to learn his hardest. Is that clear?"

"I can't believe it worked."

"Yes sir," said Rika. She then took the uniform and gave Byakko a nudge on the shoulder. "Say thank you Byakko," whispered Rika.

"Huh?" said Byakko. "Oh, thank you very much sir." He's saying this with a smile again.

When Rika and Byakko reached back home, Rika was preparing lunch for herself and Byakko…until it hit her that she needs to find some clothes for Byakko to wear that's from the present time. She then hurries to her dad's room and took out some of the clothes her dad use to wear.

"Byakko!" yelled Rika. "Come in here for a sec."

"What is it?" asked Byakko walking through the door.

"Look, this is for you," said Rika handing Byakko her father's clothes.

"But this isn't mine," replied Byakko.

"I know," said Rika. "I just though since my father's not using them, you should have it. Besides, you need to wear the clothes we're wearing now or else people will think you're a weirdo walking around."

"Really? T-this is for me?" asked Byakko.

"Yes, it's yours to keep," said Rika. "Now take good care of them."

"I will," said Byakko with a big smile. His smile had made Rika smiled also.

"Do they fit Byakko?" asked Rika.

"I think," replied Byakko.

"Come out here so I can see," said Rika.

After Byakko received the clothes from Rika, she had asked him to go try some on.

"Does it look okay?" asked Byakko.

Rika went silent because she thought Byakko looked very handsome in her dad's old clothes. She blushed and then finally said, "They look very good on you. You can wear any of my dad's clothes whenever you want to okay?"

"But won't your dad need them to wear?" asked Byakko.

This question made Rika's happy face turned into a sad one.

"He's not here anymore," said Rika very quietly.

"Why is tha…" said Byakko, but he was interrupted by the doorbell.

"Oh, Miyu must be here," said Rika.

"That girl from yesterday?" asked Byakko.

"Yeah," said Rika. She ran to the door and opened it up for Miyu.

"Hi," said Miyu. "Don't think you can shut the door on me again today."

"I won't," said Rika. "Come in."

When Miyu entered the house, she noticed that Rika's place had gotten even messier than the last.

"Rika? What happened here?" asked Miyu. "It's even worse than the last time I came."

"I just don't have the time anymore to clean up my house," said Rika.

"Well, since I'm here, why don't I help you?" suggested Miyu rolling her sleeves up.

"No, no," said Rika. "You came over to have a good time. I can't just let you clean up my house."

"How can I have a good time if your house is so messy," said Miyu. "So messy that I can't step anywhere."

"Good point," said Rika.

"Hey new guy?" said Miyu talking to Byakko. "You gonna help?"

"You mean me?" said Byakko pointing to himself.

"Yes you," replied Miyu. "While the new guy and I are cleaning, why don't you go make us some lunch."

"But…" said Rika.

"No 'but's," said Miyu. "Just go."

"Okay?" said Rika.

While Rika was cooking for lunch, Byakko and Miyu were having some trouble cleaning around her house.

"Byakko?" said Miyu.

"Yes," said Byakko with a grin.

"Ya know, while you're living with Rika, you should help her out around the house," said Miyu. "She's had it very hard ever since her parents passed away."

"They what," said Byakko in shock. "Passed away?"

"Yeah," replied Miyu. "They died in a car accident when Rika was 14. After her parents passing ceremony, I asked her to come stay with my family and me, but she refused. She said she would continue living in the house that her parents had built. She then started getting a job that cleans offices to help support herself and to stay in this house. Now that you're going to stay here too, she'll have to work twice as hard…unless you help her."

Byakko started to cry, "That is the saddest story I had ever heard. I never thought she had it this hard. She was always so happy and cheerful. Ever since I got here, she never mentioned anything about her parents, or her life."

"Don't cry Byakko," said Miyu. "These things happen. At least she's not going to be alone around here anymore. She has you to keep her happy…besides me anyway. So all I'm asking is for you to help her out, whenever I can't. Alright?"

Byakko wiped his tears and smiled, "Okay, you got it."

Rika was done cooking and Byakko and Miyu were both done cleaning, but when they all sat at the dinner table, Rika noticed something was wrong with Byakko and Miyu.

"Are you guys okay?" asked Rika. "Was it really that hard to clean around my house?"

Both Byakko and Miyu were tired after their cleaning. Their faces looked like they were going to die.

"Rika, don't you dare go on living without cleaning your house from now on ever again!" yelled Miyu with her last breathe.

"Miyu, are you going to be okay?" asked Rika worried. "What about you Byakko?" When she looked at Byakko, he was out cold.

"I-I killed Miyu and Byakko!"

"Come on you guys, stop scaring me," said Rika. She went over to poke the two if they're really unconscious.

"Now you better clean your house everyday from now on okay Rika?" commanded Miyu.

"Yes Miyu," said Rika. "Have a save trip home." She waves to Miyu as she's leaving.

"Bye Miyu! Hope you come visit soon!" added Byakko.

The three just finished lunch right after Byakko and Miyu woke up. Then Miyu had to go home to help her parents at the bakery. Then Byakko decided to ask more questions.

"Say Rika?" started Byakko. "Were you lonely here all by yourself before I got here?"

"Why would you say that?" replied Rika as they walked into the house.

"I know about your parents," said Byakko.

"Did Miyu tell you?" asked Rika.

"Yeah, she did. It's a good thing too. I thought your parents had abandoned you when you said they weren't around anymore, but now I understand. I'm sorry for misunderstanding you," said Byakko.

"Don't be," said Rika. "Even though they're gone, they're still here in my heart. You see, when the ones you really love and care for are gone, they're never really gone if they're still in your heart. That was what my parents told me when I was young. They're still here with me, even when people think they're not."

Byakko went silent for a moment. Then he went over to Rika again and hugged her once more.

"I know your parents aren't here to help protect you and keep you away from the lonely, but…is it okay if I take their place and protect you, also to help you with the cleaning around the house. Will that be all right? It's the least I can do since you took me in into your home and took so much care for me, even though I'm not form here. Is that okay?"

Rika's eyes started to get all watery…then she cried in Byakko's arms.

"Yes, yes that's okay," replied Rika cheerfully. "Of course."

"Now that that's settled, can I eat the leftovers?" said Byakko interrupting the moment.

Rika laughed and said, "Sure, go ahead." After Byakko finished his leftover lunch, Rika showed him around her house some more. When all of that was done, they both settled for the night and wait for another new day. Tomorrow will be Byakko's first day at Rika's school.

"Wake up Byakko!" yelled Rika. "Today's your first day at school. You don't want to be late do you?"

It was 6 am on a Monday Morning and it was time for Rika and Byakko to wake up to go to school.

"Hmmm…five more minutes," moaned Byakko.

"Come on," said Rika. "I baked some pancakes. You want some?" Rika knew baking pancakes would wake up Byakko.

"What!" cried Byakko. "Pancakes? Where?"

"You'll get some as soon as u get ready for school," said Rika.

"Hold on a sec, doing the things I'm doing now, I sound like his mother."

"Hurry up or you won't get any pancakes," said Rika with a change of heart. "Today is your last of me waking you up. From now on you will have your own clock to wake you up. Understand?" When she looked down at Byakko, he was fast asleep again. Then she decided to say, "WAKE UP!" which worked on Byakko and now he's wide awake.

"Why did you have to go and do that for?" asked Byakko.

"Because you weren't waking up and yelling at you was the first thing that popped into my mind," replied Rika. She handed Byakko his pancakes and he had forgotten everything that had happened in the morning.

"Hmmm…these pancakes are so good," said Byakko.

"Of course they are, my mother taught me how to make them," said Rika. "So they are good, because my mom was the best cook there ever was."

Just then Byakko stopped eating his pancakes.

"What's wrong?" asked Rika.

"I wish your mom was still alive," said Byakko. Rika was shocked to hear this.

"Is he serious?"

"Everything that I've heard about your mother were good things. I wish my mother was like that. She had always ignored me and whenever we have a chance to talk, she'd always say, "Study hard so you can go into a good college", she never has the time to be with me. I wish your mother was still alive so I could ask her if…if she could be a mother to me and let me see how a mother-son relationship is suppose to be like," explained Byakko.

"Don't say that Byakko," said Rika.

"Huh?" said Byakko, "Why not?"

"It's not because your mother doesn't love you," started Rika, "She's trying her best to help keep you in school so you could have a good reputation. You see, she never has time to spend with you because she's always busy with her work so you could see her as a hard working mother. Don't think that way about her Byakko, she truly loves you."

Byakko went silent for a moment because Rika's words touched him.

"When you say it like that, then I do think my mom was just trying to be a great mom," said Byakko. "Thank you." He smiled at Rika and Rika smiled at him.

Byakko and Rika were walking to school and Rika decided to check something.

"Byakko?" said Rika. "Can I see your schedule?"

"Sure," replied Byakko. "Here." He handed Rika his school schedule.

Rika read it and was surprised that he has the same schedule as she does!

"Byakko! This is so weird. You have the same classes as I do," cried Rika. "Even your locker is right next to mine!"

"Really?" asked Byakko. "Good. Then I'll just follow you in order to get to my classes. Right?" He smiled again.

Rika smiled back and said, "Right."

As they enter the school, students were staring at Byakko and Rika. Then they heard some whispering.

"Is that the new kid?" said a girl student.

"Yeah, he seems like he's not from here. Just look at that hair color," said another girl student.

Byakko heard what she had said and said, "I don't think they like me."

"Just ignore them," suggested Rika. "They're always gossiping about other students here."

"Do they gossip about you?" asked Byakko.

"I don't know about that," replied Rika. Then there was more whispering.

"Look who Rika dragged in now," said a girl student.

"Yeah, first it was that street girl, now it's a white haired boy," said a boy student. "I bet she has a lot of fun at home."

Rika heard that and made a sad face. Byakko saw her and talked back to the boy student.

"Who do you think you are?" shouted Byakko.

"I'm the person who rules this school," said the boy student. "Got a problem?"

"Yeah I have a problem," replied Byakko. "You're saying mean things about my friends. She took me in because she was nice enough to give me shelter and a warm house to live in. You don't have the right to make fun of that."

"A tough guy huh?" said the boy. "How about we settle this right now, right here?"

"Fine," agreed Byakko. When Rika heard that, she tried to stop Byakko from fighting.

"Byakko, please don't' do this," said Rika.

"Why not, he deserves it for saying that about you," said Byakko.

"Please, don't' fight here at school," said Rika. "Remember what the principle said? He said don't if you want to go here, don't' cause any trouble here."

"But Rika," said Byakko.

"Don't worry," said Rika. "Their words don't hurt." She quickly then pulled his arm and they began to walk.

"Stopped by a girl. What a sissy. Runny away from a fight!" shouted the boy student.

"Just ignore them Byakko," said Rika.

"O-okay," replied Byakko.

Rika and Byakko finally reached their lockers and began to put their backpacks in there.

"Byakko?" said Rika. "Promise me that you fight with them. Okay?"

"Why? He deserves to get punched in the face," said Byakko.

"Fighting is never an answer!" shouted Rika with a wet face. She was crying.

"Are you okay Rika?" asked Byakko worried.

"I'm fine!" said Rika. "Come on. We need to get to class." She wiped her tears and grabbed her books.

"Rika," said Byakko. "I promise. I won't fight. I'm sorry." He then grabbed his books too.

"Let's go," said Rika. She took Byakko's hand and went straight to their first period class.

When they both reached their first period class, the whole class was staring at them.

"Well, well, well. Look who's here? It's the playa and her protector," said the boy student form before.

"Shut up Takeru!" said Miyu sitting in the seat next to the window. "Hey Miyu, over here." She waved to Miyu to tell her to come to over. The teacher entered and the students took their seats. Byakko and Rika went over to the two empty seats where Miyu was, but then Takeru took one of them.

"I was saving those seats for Rika and Byakko," said Miyu. "Not you."

"So what," said Takeru. "You can't save seats and I can sit where ever I want."

At this point Miyu is very angry. "It's okay Miyu," said Rika. "I'll just go get me another seat. Byakko, you can sit here next to Miyu."

Byakko looked at Rika and said, "No, I'll go get another one, you sit there."

"Takeru if you don't move right now, you're gonna get a black eye after class," commanded Miyu.

"Oooo…scary," said Takeru. "Make me." Now Miyu is very angry.

Rika then started to get very worried. "Byakko, just sit here and Miyu, stop talking to him. I'll go sit over there in the back." She made Byakko sit on the seat and continued her way back to her seat.

"You see, she said I could sit here," said Takeru.

Now Miyu's veins were popping way out and Byakko was getting really annoyed by Takeru.

PecanPie: Hope you enjoyed Chapter 3. I know it was long but I thought all the event would fit better in this chapter than the next one.

Byakko: Aww man, just when it was getting good too.

Rika: Now, now Byakko. Hey, why was I crying before again.

PecanPie: You'll have to wait 'till the next chapter to figure that out.

Miyu: I really wanted to knock that guy's head off.

Byakko: Calm down Miyu.

Rika: I can't wait until the next chapter.

PecanPie: We all can't wait. Now just stay tuned and please, give me some reviews.

Byakko: Yeah, what she said.