Disclaimer: Fushigi Yuugi belongs to Yu Watase, therefore I am only borrowing it. I made up Jade Stevens, Tara Robinson, Taran the hawk, and the altered storyline.
Chapter 15: Reunited
Jade woke later to find it raining outside. Taran was sleeping on his stand, and Mitsukake's cat, now known as Tama-Neko, was curled up beside her. She stroked him with her left hand, thinking about Tasuki. He had made her feel so much better, and he had even kissed her. Nuriko wouldn't do that, nor Chichiri. She smiled softly as she daydreamed about the bandit revealing that he loved her, but she frowned when she realized that he probably didn't feel that way about her. He was a woman-hater, after all. There was always room to hope, though, so she continued to daydream. A figure entered her room softly. Stepping out of the shadows, Chiriko pulled out his flute and smiled at her. "Jade-chan, would you like for me to play you a song?" The Celeste Warrior nodded, and the boy launched into a beautiful song, full of love and friendship. She dozed, listening to the music.
**************
Tasuki rolled fitfully in his sleep. He was having strange dreams, and they were starting to scare him. Then, he heard a voice behind him and he turned to see Jade smiling at him. Dressed in silver, she stepped forward and said "You must reveal your feelings soon or I will give up hope..." She started to fade. The bandit tried to grab her, but she disappeared. Then, everything around him went black, and he woke up. Looking around wildly, the meaning of his dream dawned on him. He had to Jade how he felt about her, and fast. Did this mean that she felt the same way? He settled back down and whispered "Wo ai ni, Jade-sama..."
**************
Later, Tasuki came into Jade's room bearing a tray of food. The Celeste Warrior eyed the food hungrily as it was placed down in front of her. As she grabbed the chopsticks she thanked the bandit for the meal. He gave her a fanged grin as he sat down next to her on the bed. While Jade shoveled down the food, he tried to think of a way to tell her how he truely felt. Should he be blunt? Should he draw it out? Should he just grab her and kiss her? Somehow he didn't think the last one would be a good idea. He grinned at the thought of Jade's reaction if he actually did that. Finally, he decided to speak up. "Um, Jade-chan?" She looked up from her meal questioningly. The bandit cleared his throat before continuing. "Well, ya see...I kinda...um..." he sputtered. Jade swollowed and grinned. "Yeah, Tasuki?" The redhead flushed as he looked at this firey haired beauty in front of him. Somehow, he was lost for words. Those green eyes were enchanting... Jade blushed slightly as she noticed Tasuki's gaze, which was fixated on her. Leaning forward, she cocked her head. "Yes, Tasuki-chan?" He leaned toward her until their faces were inches apart. "Nothin'. Don' worry about it." he muttered. Jade couldn't stand staring into those amber eyes any more. She moved even closer and closed her eyes slowly. The bandit got the hint and leaned closer until their lips were almost touching. Suddenly, Chichiri ran in. "Tamahome's outside, no da!" The bandit whirled around. "What th' hell?!? How dare he!" he growled. Helping Jade up, he allowed her to lean on him as they followed the monk outside.
*************
Hotohori was walking down the stairs, two swords in his hands. Jade watched in curious fasination at the emporer's odd actions. Hotohori threw one of the swords to Tamahome and challenged him to a duel. The evil seishi agreed readily. Tasuki's eyes widened as he watched Hotohori attack savagely. "What's with Hotohori? He's not like himself..." Nuriko turned away. "His Majesty is nomally a gentle man, but when someone threatens the Priestess, he's like another person."
The two Suzaku seishi, locked in combat, battled fiercely. Jade pressed closer to Tasuki in fear to what might happen if Hotohori lost. It ment death for all of them, because even though she could easily defeat him, she was on the mend and her sword arm was broken. Miaka came running out of nowhere yelling for the two to stop fighting. Tamahome lept into the air and was about to strike Hotohori when the emporer drove his sword into the attacking seishi. Jade gasped in horror as he fell to the ground, the sword running him through. Miaka screamed and ran to her beloved. Kneeling next to him, she picked up his sword and handed it to him, causing everyone to gasp. She gently kissed him, and he dropped the sword. He whispered something about being late, and Jade just gawked. The other seishi hurried forward and Mitsukake healed Tamahome. Tasuki was the only one who didn't seem too happy. The dude who had almost killed Jade was being welcomed back as if he hadn't done anything! He growled softly as they all helped the seishi to his feet and led him off, laughing. Jade looked up at the annoyed bandit and cocked her head. What was his problem? He helped her to her room and sulked off.
*************
The next morning, the warriors were seated at the table eating breakfast. Jade toyed with her chopsticks as she watched Tamahome take the vacant seat between her and Chichiri. "Jade, what'd you do now? Tangle with someone bigger than you?" Tasuki, who was sitting on the other side of her, growled something inaudible and glared at the surprised seishi. "What's your problem? We just met, and already you're being a jerk to me!" Tamahome asked, annoyed. The redhead flared up. "JUST MET?!? You were the one who almost killed Jade! That's why she's like this!" he growled angrily. Soon, the two seishi got into a fierce arguement, and Jade just laughed. Those two! Finally, she controlled her laughter to say "Hey, you two! Stop fighting here, or I WILL seriously hurt you both once I'm healed, got it?" The two seishi stopped instantly. "Thank you." the girl said before resuming her meal.
*************
Back in her room, Jade watched Mitsukake heal her wounds. Strength flowed into her limbs as she got up and flexed them. "Thanks, Mitsukake! See you at the ceremony!" she cried, grinning. The healer nodded and left in silence as Jade pulled out her armor. Since she was a woman, her armor was lighter and thinner than a regular soldier's. She buckled it on over her plain white tunic, admiring the red and gold decorations. A picture of Suzaku flying gracefully was depicted on her breastplate, and her bracers, gauntlets, and boots were red with gold trim. She fastened her sword around her waist, and wrapped a red cloak around he shoulders. Admiring herself in the mirror, she brushed her hair back from her face and decided to meet everyone at the shrine.
*************
The other seishi had already assembled when Jade arrived at the shrine of Suzaku. "Hey everybody! I'm all better again!" she cried happily. Tasuki turned to look at her, amazed. Was that really Jade under all that armor? He watched as she happily chatted with Chichiri about the ceremony. Tamahome slipped off, looking for Miaka, and Hotohori had the others get into their positions. Jade stood on one side of the sacrificial fire, waiting patiently for Miaka. Tamahome walked back in, blushing slightly, followed by Miaka. The Priestess stepped up to the other side of the fire and pulled out The Universe Of The Four Gods scroll. Closing her eyes, the Miko started the incantation.
Wow, I'm having trouble finding the summoning incantation, but I won't give up!
Chapter 15: Reunited
Jade woke later to find it raining outside. Taran was sleeping on his stand, and Mitsukake's cat, now known as Tama-Neko, was curled up beside her. She stroked him with her left hand, thinking about Tasuki. He had made her feel so much better, and he had even kissed her. Nuriko wouldn't do that, nor Chichiri. She smiled softly as she daydreamed about the bandit revealing that he loved her, but she frowned when she realized that he probably didn't feel that way about her. He was a woman-hater, after all. There was always room to hope, though, so she continued to daydream. A figure entered her room softly. Stepping out of the shadows, Chiriko pulled out his flute and smiled at her. "Jade-chan, would you like for me to play you a song?" The Celeste Warrior nodded, and the boy launched into a beautiful song, full of love and friendship. She dozed, listening to the music.
**************
Tasuki rolled fitfully in his sleep. He was having strange dreams, and they were starting to scare him. Then, he heard a voice behind him and he turned to see Jade smiling at him. Dressed in silver, she stepped forward and said "You must reveal your feelings soon or I will give up hope..." She started to fade. The bandit tried to grab her, but she disappeared. Then, everything around him went black, and he woke up. Looking around wildly, the meaning of his dream dawned on him. He had to Jade how he felt about her, and fast. Did this mean that she felt the same way? He settled back down and whispered "Wo ai ni, Jade-sama..."
**************
Later, Tasuki came into Jade's room bearing a tray of food. The Celeste Warrior eyed the food hungrily as it was placed down in front of her. As she grabbed the chopsticks she thanked the bandit for the meal. He gave her a fanged grin as he sat down next to her on the bed. While Jade shoveled down the food, he tried to think of a way to tell her how he truely felt. Should he be blunt? Should he draw it out? Should he just grab her and kiss her? Somehow he didn't think the last one would be a good idea. He grinned at the thought of Jade's reaction if he actually did that. Finally, he decided to speak up. "Um, Jade-chan?" She looked up from her meal questioningly. The bandit cleared his throat before continuing. "Well, ya see...I kinda...um..." he sputtered. Jade swollowed and grinned. "Yeah, Tasuki?" The redhead flushed as he looked at this firey haired beauty in front of him. Somehow, he was lost for words. Those green eyes were enchanting... Jade blushed slightly as she noticed Tasuki's gaze, which was fixated on her. Leaning forward, she cocked her head. "Yes, Tasuki-chan?" He leaned toward her until their faces were inches apart. "Nothin'. Don' worry about it." he muttered. Jade couldn't stand staring into those amber eyes any more. She moved even closer and closed her eyes slowly. The bandit got the hint and leaned closer until their lips were almost touching. Suddenly, Chichiri ran in. "Tamahome's outside, no da!" The bandit whirled around. "What th' hell?!? How dare he!" he growled. Helping Jade up, he allowed her to lean on him as they followed the monk outside.
*************
Hotohori was walking down the stairs, two swords in his hands. Jade watched in curious fasination at the emporer's odd actions. Hotohori threw one of the swords to Tamahome and challenged him to a duel. The evil seishi agreed readily. Tasuki's eyes widened as he watched Hotohori attack savagely. "What's with Hotohori? He's not like himself..." Nuriko turned away. "His Majesty is nomally a gentle man, but when someone threatens the Priestess, he's like another person."
The two Suzaku seishi, locked in combat, battled fiercely. Jade pressed closer to Tasuki in fear to what might happen if Hotohori lost. It ment death for all of them, because even though she could easily defeat him, she was on the mend and her sword arm was broken. Miaka came running out of nowhere yelling for the two to stop fighting. Tamahome lept into the air and was about to strike Hotohori when the emporer drove his sword into the attacking seishi. Jade gasped in horror as he fell to the ground, the sword running him through. Miaka screamed and ran to her beloved. Kneeling next to him, she picked up his sword and handed it to him, causing everyone to gasp. She gently kissed him, and he dropped the sword. He whispered something about being late, and Jade just gawked. The other seishi hurried forward and Mitsukake healed Tamahome. Tasuki was the only one who didn't seem too happy. The dude who had almost killed Jade was being welcomed back as if he hadn't done anything! He growled softly as they all helped the seishi to his feet and led him off, laughing. Jade looked up at the annoyed bandit and cocked her head. What was his problem? He helped her to her room and sulked off.
*************
The next morning, the warriors were seated at the table eating breakfast. Jade toyed with her chopsticks as she watched Tamahome take the vacant seat between her and Chichiri. "Jade, what'd you do now? Tangle with someone bigger than you?" Tasuki, who was sitting on the other side of her, growled something inaudible and glared at the surprised seishi. "What's your problem? We just met, and already you're being a jerk to me!" Tamahome asked, annoyed. The redhead flared up. "JUST MET?!? You were the one who almost killed Jade! That's why she's like this!" he growled angrily. Soon, the two seishi got into a fierce arguement, and Jade just laughed. Those two! Finally, she controlled her laughter to say "Hey, you two! Stop fighting here, or I WILL seriously hurt you both once I'm healed, got it?" The two seishi stopped instantly. "Thank you." the girl said before resuming her meal.
*************
Back in her room, Jade watched Mitsukake heal her wounds. Strength flowed into her limbs as she got up and flexed them. "Thanks, Mitsukake! See you at the ceremony!" she cried, grinning. The healer nodded and left in silence as Jade pulled out her armor. Since she was a woman, her armor was lighter and thinner than a regular soldier's. She buckled it on over her plain white tunic, admiring the red and gold decorations. A picture of Suzaku flying gracefully was depicted on her breastplate, and her bracers, gauntlets, and boots were red with gold trim. She fastened her sword around her waist, and wrapped a red cloak around he shoulders. Admiring herself in the mirror, she brushed her hair back from her face and decided to meet everyone at the shrine.
*************
The other seishi had already assembled when Jade arrived at the shrine of Suzaku. "Hey everybody! I'm all better again!" she cried happily. Tasuki turned to look at her, amazed. Was that really Jade under all that armor? He watched as she happily chatted with Chichiri about the ceremony. Tamahome slipped off, looking for Miaka, and Hotohori had the others get into their positions. Jade stood on one side of the sacrificial fire, waiting patiently for Miaka. Tamahome walked back in, blushing slightly, followed by Miaka. The Priestess stepped up to the other side of the fire and pulled out The Universe Of The Four Gods scroll. Closing her eyes, the Miko started the incantation.
Wow, I'm having trouble finding the summoning incantation, but I won't give up!