An Unusual Turn of Events

Rated PG-13 for inference.

Heh, I'm new to the Fushigi Yuugi fandom, and this is my first FY fanfic. It came to me in the shower funnily enough, and took me a whole half hour to write. Just a quick ficlet, really. Enjoy!

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The clang of the cutlery upon bowls was all that could be heard in the Imperial Dining room. Otherwise, a thick silence hung over the people eating there. The tension in the air was palpable and painfully obvious. Except, it seemed to the Emperor and his bride to be. They sat, smiling at each other happily, not even bothering to hide the loving glances they exchanged.

Out of the corner of her eye, Miaka glanced at Houki, the woman who looked so much like Nuriko and felt tears well up for the hundredth time that evening. They just looked so alike, she thought despairingly to herself. The same slender, petite figure, the same deep purple hair, the same beautiful, girlish face. The only difference between the two was their eyes; whereas Nuriko's had been a rosy violet, Houki's were a sparkling blue.

Even their mannerisms are the same, the priestess thought sadly to herself. Houki carries herself with the same grace Nuriko does… or used to. Swallowing hard around the lump in her throat, she put her chopsticks down.

"I'm not really very hungry anymore, Hotohori – sama. May I be excused?" she asked the Emperor, her gaze downcast.

"Of course Miaka." Her friend said with a kind smile. Miaka almost felt bad about the thoughts she'd been having about him all evening, but still…How could he do this? Marrying someone like Houki, so similar to the recently deceased seishi. It was almost as if he'd forgotten that Nuriko ever existed, ever loved him…

Sighing inwardly, she reminded herself that Hotohori hadn't known that Nuriko had loved him, she left the room, ignoring the incredulous glances Tasuki and Tamahome were giving her. Contrary to popular belief, she wasn't always hungry…just 99 percentof the time.

Making her way to her room, she sat on the edge of her bed, reflecting sadly. 'Oh, Nuriko…I miss you.' She thought, a singly tear trickling down her cheek.

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Hotohori sat in front of his dressing table mirror, moving his he face this way and that, surveing himself from different angles. A smug smile curled the edges of his lips, as he contemplated his incomparable beauty.

A knock on the door didn't draw his attention away from the mirror. He called out "Come in!" already knowing who it would be. The slender, girlish figure of his wife to be entered, and she came to stand behind in, looking at them both in the mirror.

"You're so vain…" she teased him gently, giving him an impish grin. "Will you come away from the mirror if I tell you that you are the most gorgeous, stunning, desirable, attractive man that has ever graced the face of this world, and that I'm the luckiest girl in the world to be betrothed to you?"

"Yes." Hotohori said smugly, turning and drawing her into his arms. "And despite the fact that you were being sarcastic, I'll accept the compliment, because it's true." He leaned and gave the woman in his arms a passionate kiss, pulling away and nuzzling her nose.

Looking deeply into his bride's eyes, Hotohori frowned. There was sadness in their normally ever sparkling depths, and the smile on her beautiful face wasn't quite as bright as it usually was.

"What's wrong, love?" he asked, concerned. He received ah heavy sigh in return.

"Nothing…" The purple headed woman gave her emperor a wan smile. "I just wish that we could everyone, especially Miaka, the truth. They miss Nuriko so much…"

"I know you want to tell them darling, but really, they wouldn't believe us, and if they did, don't you think they'd have something to say about it?" Hotohori asked his beloved one, raising an enquiring eyebrow.

"Yes, you're right, as always." The beautiful woman heaved another sigh. "And you're right, they probably wouldn't believe us. After all, when you die, you're supposed to go to heaven...Not go wandering around the earth in search of a suitable female body that looks enough like you that your beloved will recognise you, and then possess said body." She said, her tone slightly wry, as she rolled her eyes.

Smiling, Hotohori leaned in and kissed her passionately once more. When the kiss finally broke, her smiled radiantly at her, and the girl in his arms inhaled sharply at his beauty.

"I'm so glad we can finally be together Nuriko…" he said, gathering her in a tight hug.

"Yes, well, you're lucky I loved you enough to come back, aren't you? Without any assurance of my feelings being reciprocated, I might add."

"I've told you darling, I thought it best to deny my feelings for you, because you were a man. I am the emperor after all, such a relationship would have been impossible."

Nuriko gave an irritated "hmph…" but still leaned in to kiss her lover once more.

Much later, as they lay contentedly in bed, Nuriko idly tracing patterns on Hotohori's bare chest, she asked her beloved a question.

"Sweetheart, do you ever feel guilty to what we're doing to Houki?" she asked, biting her lip.

There was a pregnant pause, and then Hotohori replied.

"No, not really. I am the emperor, and as such I would have denied my feelings for you for the sake of my country. I think that just this once, I deserve to put my happiness first. And more importantly, your happiness…" he said, leaning over and kissing her neck.

Smiling happily, Nuriko rolled them both over so that she was beneath her lover and began to kiss him passionately. Conversation was forgotten as they dissolved into each other. Nothing else was heard that night, except for moans and whispered declarations of love.

But deep inside Nuriko's mind, Houki fought inside the cage that held her dormant, and screamed…