Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yugi, or any ot the characters.
Reviwer Responses:
Tiki-Chan: Haha, confusing. Nuriko's the same as from the original story only now Nuriko's a girl dressing as a boy. Yay for jealousy.
Auron's Fan: Yep! Nuriko's really a girl. Yes, I have to agree it's a little creepy, but funny nonetheless. Don't worry, I like long reviews haha. So here's the update.
Thanks to all the other reviers as well!
A/N: I got this one out quickly because final exams are coming up starting tomorrow so I won't have time to update until next Tuesday. Ok so, here's chapter 5! R&R!
Chapter 5: Pens and Hidden Feelings
"You're majesty?….You're majesty!"
"Hm? Oh, sorry I wasn't listening." Hotohori turned to face one of his advisors.
"Ahem. Yes, so as I was saying, now that have reached eighteen years it is time for you to considering marriage. After all, we have gone to great lengths to bring beautiful suitors to you, so why must you ignore all the women in the Seraglio?"
Hotohori sighed, "I've had it imagined since I was a child, it just can't be changed…."
They'd had this discussion many times before, the advisors knew his reasons like the backs of their hands. Once it was said they really had no choice but to drop the subject and try again later.
"Yes you majesty." They said somewhat flippantly, slightly annoyed at his reluctance to find a bride.
"Yeah, so earlier when we were outside I dropped the only game ball we have into the pond. Ya think you could go get it?"
Tamahome sighed, this was getting old very fast. "Yeah, sure." He replied in a false happy voice.
Outside the chilled wind nipped at Tamahome's face. He could see his breath in little puff's condensating in front of his face. And seeing as there was no electricity he couldn't see a thing either.
"Ah, screw this. I'm going back inside." Tamahome said huffily after straining for the fifth time to look into the dark waters.
As he turned to leave something shot from the water, latching onto his ankle. "What the--" Shit! He thought as he was yanked to the floor and pulled quickly into the murky water. He barely had time to take a breath.
"Hey! I'm home!" clack Yui shut the front door behind her as she entered into her house.
No answer. There rarely was when she first go home. She sighed dejectedly. "Coming home to an empty house after a day like today sucks…." she mumbled to herself, dropping her backpack on the floor in the hallway.
No sooner had her backpack thudded to the floor she was suddenly drenched in salt smelling water. "Ewww! Water? Where's that come from! And WHY is there seaweed all over my uniform?" She cried out, flinging the slimy substance from her clothes.
As she finished throwing the plan from her outfit she felt her throat begin to close up, constricting her breathing. "G-Gods, what is go-ing on?"
As she stumbled into the kitchen she found a note on the table.
Yui,
Tamahome's mother called a little bit ago. She wants to know where Tamahome is. His mother said he ran out earlier and hasn't come back so we were hoping he was with you. Call if you know something.
-Mom.
Yui stifled a gasp. Tamahome…he must have gone back to the book!
Ugh, My leg's caught in the seaweed and it's getting harder to breathe! Gods…what'll I do? Miaka!
Miaka's eyes shot open. "Tamahome?" Uh, since when was I sleeping? She thought, not remembering going to bed. "Where's Tamahome?"
Miaka jogged down the hallway in search of the boy. "Hahahaha! I mean really! How stupid could ya get? He actually went searched for that! I mean a game ball! Psh, yeah right, like we'd only have one. Ha, he's probably freezing in those waters right now. That'll show him, it will…"
Angrily, Miaka rounded the corner, swiftly grabbing onto Nuriko's robes and forcing him to turn towards her. "Are you saying what I think you are!" She spat.
Tamahome fought harder to free himself from the tangled mass of seaweed. Damnit! There is no way I'm gonna let myself drown!
Miaka turned to run out to the pond, "Tamahome!" She started to dart off only to feel herself being held back. "What the-Nuriko! Get off of me! NOW!" Miaka shrieked.
Nuriko's voice hardened. "No. Not so you go running to him!"
"What is wrong with you! Tamahome is trying his best to make peace with you and you keep throwing it back in his face!"
Miaka tried desperately to pull away and even though she was quite strong Nuriko barely had to use effort to keep her in place. "No! He's got you and the emporor doing his every bid! Being the Inner Seraglio for years hasn't even earned me a thing! He comes waltzing in here for what? A few days and everyone's bowing down! He's nothing special, just because he's from another world doesn't make him special if anything it makes him a freak! So I decided to take revenge by stealing you!"
Nuriko's eyes flared at the sound of a quiet voice behind the pair. "That explains it then…You're in love with Hotohori, his majesty?"
Nuriko's face turned from anger to disgust in seconds. "No! What do think I am? Gay? I'm in love with his twin sister. They both rule, although no one other than the Inner Seraglio and the castle members know of her. She's the true Suzaku constellation. Honestly, half the time you thought you were talking to Hotohori, you were probably talking to his sister."
"But-if she's the true constellation then why does Hotohori bear the Suzaku mark?" Miaka interjected, astounded at the revelation.
Nuriko half-shrugged, "Identical twins."
Miaka, shook her head and quickly spun to face Tamahome who as of now had water repelling down his soaked body, "Are you ok?"
He ignored the girl and turned to Nuriko, "There wasn't a game ball but I found this old coin. It's kinda neat."
Nuriko stared incredulously at Tamahome. "Are you serious! I was kidding, there was no ball."
Tamahome shrugged nonchalantly, "I figured. I mean why would you only have one ball? It didn't make much sense."
Nuriko's face reddened, and at a loss for words shoved Tamahome hard into the pillar that lay behind him. Tamahome stumbled from the blow but quickly retaliated by giving Nuriko a forceful shove back, "Tag, you're it."
Bouncing back incredibly fast from the altercation, Tamahome looked at Nuriko, "Heh, it makes sense now. You were just jealous of me. As much as I kinda like your discomfort, I don't like Hotohori, or wait, well his sister….so don't worry. I'll even talk to her for yaw. What's his twin's name anyway?"
Nuriko paused after a pensive moment, "Only Hotohori knows. We have to refer to her as Hotohori or else the secret will get out. So you're just going to have to call her Hotohori."
"That's…Awkward." Miaka interjected.
"So, what about the members of the Inner Seraglio? I mean think of all the men that are probably in love with you." Tamahome had started talking to the feminine Hotohori when she entered his room to bring him a fresh robe, seeing as his only clothes were soaked.
Even though she looked dead on to her twin, 'Hotohori' still carried a feminine air about her, which made it a whole less awkward than Tamahome thought it would be.
She turned, now Tamahome was looking at her profile, "I see. And you? There must be woman that you're in love with."
Tamahome's eyes widened, he sure hadn't seen that coming. "Uh…me? Oh, well I'm not talking about me, actually I wanted to talk to you about someone in particular." He moved from his standing position to sitting on the side of the bed.
At this Hotohori turned and looked Tamahome straight in the eyes, "I already have someone."
Tamahome's heart picked up it's pace at that statement. What does she mean?
"Ever since I can recall, Someone I've loved for all existence. I heard the stories when myself and my brother were little. The stories of a boy from another world, of the Priest of Suzaku. I couldn't help but wonder what he would be like, and now, here you are; exactly as I pictured you to be."
By this point Hotohori had placed her hands on the bed at Tamahome's sides, her face dangerously close to his.
Whoa, hold-it. What about…I mean wait…Even his brain was tongue tied. And for some reason, each time he blinked, Miaka's face popped into view for the briefest of moments.
"Listen to me, no other man has my interest, and no other man ever will." She had pushed Tamahome down onto the bed, hovering over him. With a quick caress of his face, she pulled away and stood.
She gave a small nod to Tamahome as she went to the door and pulled it open quite quickly. There on the outside stood both Nuriko and Tamahome. Uh-oh, they must have been listening in! How much did they hear? Or what did they heard for that matter…
At Hotohori's appearance the pair immediately feigned dancing in a very sad attempt to make it seem like they weren't eavesdropping.
Miaka giggled nervously, "Uh, sorry your Majesty, we just wanted to speak with Tamahome."
Tamahome couldn't help but the see the almost hurt look cross over Miaka's face as she looked between Hotohori and himself.
"Ah yes, well it's uh late and I should be going to my room and so yeah, bye." He turned to dart out of the room but Hotohori caught his arm and said so only he could hear, "I meant what I said."
Tamahome sat on his bed. Oh Gods, what'll I do now? I can't just tell the emperor-wait, empress, whatever, that I don't feel the same way. I mean she basically proposed….
This is what had gone on all night, which would remain the reason as to why Tamahome got no sleep.
He got up and went to find something to do. He couldn't just sit in his restless state all day.
Damnit, Miaka heard all of that last night….
His thoughts would have continued if he hadn't spotted Miaka walking down the hallway towards him at that moment.
Oh shit, what now? What do I do? Or say?
He was freaking out. As Miaka passed him all he could say was "….." in other words, nothing.
Miaka glanced briefly at him before say a curt, "yo." and continuing on her way.
Tamahome stopped. Wait-'yo'? What the hell's up with that? She isn't even going to say anything about last night? Or about Hotohori? Or hell even the weather.
"wait, what are you doing?" He asked quickly to Miaka's back.
"Going to town. I haven't been there since you came, figured it was time to go." She said this curtly, not rude, but no where near the tone Tamahome was used to hearing. "Why don't you look for the remaining constellations? I'm sure Nuriko would help you."
At this, Nuriko stormed out of no where and pined Tamahome to the wall. "What the hell is this 'there nothing between us' shit! Do you think we're that dense?" At that he spun around and ran after Miaka, "Miaka! Hold up, I'm coming with you!" The tone his voice harbored changed from downright malicious to playful in two seconds flat.
Tamahome glared after Miaka's retreating form. Fine if you be that way, giving me the cold shoulder. She could've at least said something! But fine….
Tamahome took this into his own hands at this point, grabbing a cloak and draping it over him, much like Hotohori had when he had first met him. Or had it been her? Gods that confused the hell out of him.
Uhhh, I don't like following people, 'specially with a cloth draped over my body. UHH! he groaned in frustration as he looked at the pair he was following. Look at him! Going on about loving Hotohori and now he's all over Miaka! I wanna be friends with him, or least be able to stand him; and I wanna know how Miaka feels, especially after this morning.
"Haha, Miaka, check out his stupid disguise." Nuriko laughed lightly and gave a jerk of the head in Tamahome's direction.
Miaka sighed, "Just let it go."
Nuriko scowled momentarily but said nothing.
The next second Miaka had jumped up onto a small platform and called for everyone's attention.
Tamahome stopped walking.
"Everyone. I know you have all heard of the Priest of Suzaku's arrival, which means that you know he comes from a different world. Well here, with me I have something I'm sure you'll all be interested in."
With that Miaka fished around in her clothes and whipped out two of Tamahome's pens. "TA-DAH!"
Tamahome blanched, Miaka's excited about a couple of pens?…Well I guess since they write with quills and all…
He was pulled from his thoughts as he heard the shouts of a few angry gatherers.
"How do we know they are really from the Priest?"
"Yeah! You could be lying!"
Tamahome grew angrier as more people began top say that Miaka was lying.
"She's not a liar! I have those to her personally!" Well, actually she took them….
Only after he yelled at the crown did he realize that he had totally blown his cover.
"Oh wow, the Priest of Suzaku!"
After everyone had taken him to be real, they all plowed forward, trying to grab one of the pens that Miaka had accidentally dropped onto the ground in the frenzy.
Tamahome fought his way out of the crowd, popping out right near Miaka, who grabbed his sleeve and took off down an alleyway, ignoring Nuriko's grunt of "Wait for me." As he got crushed by the mob.
Miaka dropped his sleeve and turned to look at him, "What were you thinking? You completely blew your cover. That could have caused some serious problems."
Tamahome got frustrated, "But…Damnit, am I just annoying then? In your way?"
Miaka looked taken aback, "Wait, I never said that…"
"Then tell me how you feel! You can't just blow me off this morning like that and expect to think everything's a.o.k." Tamahome blurted out.
Miaka opened her mouth to respond but was cut off by a husky voice from farther down the ally.
"Heh, sorry to kill the cute little conversation and all but we'd like to discuss something with ya."