Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ Firebird ❯ Koneko ( Chapter 14 )

Vera-Chan: Hello everyone………Sorry for not updating sooner. ::Dodges rotten fruit from unhappy, annoyed readers.:: Sorry I was late, darn writer's block!

Avia-San: I think you were procrastinating………

Luna-Sama: You can't blame writer's block this time………

Vera-Chan: I can too! I had writer's block!

Avia-San: Oh yeah, I could've sworn you said you were "Just too lazy"………

Luna-Sama: Lazy butt!

Vera-Chan: It's not my fault………

::They continue arguing as the reader moves on to chapter 14.::

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"Firebird"

Ch. 14 "Koneko."

Washi was on her way to find Hotori when Tasuki appeared in the hallway in front of her.

"Can I talk to you?" he asked.

"You already are." Washi replied.

"Was I interrupting something important?" He asked. "Because if I was-"

"No, no , nothing, I was just bored." She replied. "I was going to go bother Miko-Sama for a little bit."

They stood there for a minute.

"How was your trip?" He asked. "Did you have fun?"

"Yeah, it was fun." She replied. "Anything exciting happen around here?"

"Not really………" He sighed. "Washi, look, I-"

"Hi guys!" Koneko called, bounding down the hall towards them. "What are you up to?"

"We were talking." Tasuki said, a little annoyed.

"Oh really?" Koneko replied, blissfully unaware. "About?"

"Nothing, Koneko." Washi said quickly. "Nothing at all."

She pushed past them and headed for Hotori's room.

"Washi, wait." Tasuki called, but she kept going.

"So Tasuki………" Koneko smiled, seizing his arm. "Shall we go for a walk?"

"Koneko, I really don't-" He started, but was cut off. Not by Koneko, but by Washi who had turned around and walked back.

"He can't go for a walk with you." She said.

"Why not?" Koneko asked.

"Because………" Washi started.

"Because………?" Koneko replied.

"Because………because he's mine, so there!" Washi took his arm, and pulled him towards her. "And we're going for a walk."

Koneko looked a little hurt. "I didn't know………oh well, have a nice walk………"

She turned and headed off down one of the other hallways.

Tasuki threw his arms around Washi.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"I'm so relieved." He smiled. "That's been bothering since you left."

"Oh, that." Washi pulled herself free. "I still haven't decided I just thought you could use some help. I know how Koneko can be."

Tasuki made a face that closely resembled a sad puppy.

"You haven't decided………?" He repeated. "So you didn't mean………?"

"Well, maybe I could decide over that conversation we were about to have."

The sad puppy look worsened.

"That was going to be the conversation." He admitted.

"Then let's change the conversation."

"But what should we talk about?"

"Let's decide while we're walking." She replied, taking his arm, and starting off.

* * *

Koneko walked from one hallway to the next, looking for someone. Who? Well, she wasn't sure yet………but she'd know when she saw him. She headed outside, and nearly tripped over a sad looking Chichiri. Score…she'd found the someone she'd been looking for!

"What's the matter, Chichiri-kun?" She cooed, latching onto his arm to prevent his escape.

He hardly seemed to notice.

"I want to plat Frisbee, no da." He sighed. "But I can't find Okami, no da! I can't even find Yamakaze, no da!"

"I'll play with you, Chichiri-kun." She smiled, pulling him to his feet.

"No, Th-that's okay, no da………" He said with a nervous smile.

"Why?" She asked, pouting slightly.

"Because………" He was at a loss for words.

"Because he's my Frisbee partner, no da!" Okami finished, coming up, kasa in hand. "Right, Chi-chan, no da?"

"Right Mi-chan, no da!" Chichiri smiled, Pulling away from Koneko, and starting off towards the open area where they played Frisbee.

Koneko frowned and headed inside. Somewhere in this stupid palace, there had to be an unattached male. She passed Nuriko and Sekai, and shook her head. Even she wasn't that desperate………

* * *

Chiriko and Sakana were sitting in a small room, discussing everything from Suzaku to what they thought Hotori's time might be like when Koneko entered.

"Hi Chiriko." She smiled cheerfully. "What are you up to?"

"We were discussing Suzaku, actually." He replied.

Koneko sat there for a second, trying to think of what tactic to use.

`He's smart………' She reasoned. `So I'll show him how smart I am.'

"………I think the coming of a new miko simply represents-." Sakana had started, but didn't get to finish.

"Did you know a phoenix bursts into flames when it's time for them to die?" Koneko smiled triumphantly at her bit of wisdom. "And are then reborn from their own ashes."

Chiriko gave a small chuckle, although it was hard to tell what had caused it: The simplicity of Koneko's outburst, or the fact that Sakana was actually able to glare. He'd never seen her do that before.

"As I was saying………" She tried again, but to no avail.

"Did you know there are many types of dragons," Koneko started. "But blue dragons are usually associated with water."

Another grin, another glare, and another chuckle.

Sakana tried yet again, but barely got one word out.

"Turtles and tortoises move slow on land," Koneko looked overjoyed. "But are really fast swimmers!"

Grin, glare, chuckle.

"And tigers Move extremely fast on land and in water." More wisdom from the blonde. "And have retractable claws, just like any other cat!"

Grin, glare, chuckle.

"Chiriko, Hotori brought me a book back from the future." Sakana said, standing up. "Why don't you come, and I'll show it to you."

"Okay, sounds fun." He smiled, following her out the door.

Koneko scratched Chiriko off her mental list. Apparently he was taken too.

* * *

Koneko was considering going into town to find an unattached male when she ran, head first, into Hotohori. An evil grin settled on her face.

`True, he's engaged to Hotori………' She thought. `But I can still try to have a little fun.'

"Good afternoon, your highness!" She smiled brightly.

"Good afternoon." He replied.

"I noticed something kind of funny………" She smiled. "All of the new Suzaku Senshi are………paired with their counterparts………except for Yori and myself."

"Yes, I suppose that is true………" He replied, continuing walking down the hall.

"Well, it's obvious why Yori isn't paired up with hers, but………" She smiled sweetly.

"I'm not sure I follow you………" was his reply.

"Not to interfere, but………" She elaborated, smiling. "Are you sure Suzaku-sama is happy?"

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"How can you be so sure Suzaku-sama approves of your relationship with Hotori?" She tried, imaginary devil horns sprouting. "I mean, she is his Miko after all………he may well love her………"

"I'm not very concerned." Hotohori smiled. "If Suzaku had not willed it, it would not be so!"

Koneko thought for a way around that last statement for a moment, but gave up.

"Hi Koneko!" Hotori called, coming up. "Hi Hoto-sama."

"Hello dear." He smiled at her.

"I've got to go." Koneko said, turning and bolting towards the nearest exit.

`Oh great, now what?' she wondered.

* * *

Fortunately for Koneko, the exit she took was occupied with what she hoped was a potential candidate.

"Konnichiwa, Mitsukake-kun," she said cheerfully.

Mitsukake was slumped over in a chair, Tama curled up in his lap, and his hand over his face. "Konnichiwa, Koneko-san," he said without looking up after a slight twitch.

"What's the matter, Mitsukake-kun?"

"I have a cold, Koneko-san………" he said with forced patience.

"Koneko strikes again," Tasuki said from the still open door.

"Tasuki, you need to learn to whisper," Washi said, still at his side. She shook her head and closed the door.

"What did he mean by that?" Mitsukake asked.

"Oh, nothing………what can I do you for? You need soup!" she shouted, nearly skipping out of the room.

"Here's your soup, Mitsukake-kun!" she said with a wide smile about an hour later, holding out a bowl of………random unidentified………things.

"Arigatou," he said a little nervously taking the bowl, fully equipped with its spoon.

Mitsukake took the spoon and tried to take it out of the bowl. With the spoon came the soup, all of it, in the shape of the bowl.

"What are the green specks in the soup, Koneko-san?"

"Oh, they were the herb-looking leaves on the ivy by the lake," she explained, scratching her arm slightly.

"That's poison ivy."

"Are you sure?" she asked, scratching harder. "Well, I'm sure it'll help you feel better!"

"I think that's a snail………" The spoon in his hand slowly bent over with the weight of the spoon until the soup finally fell, taking half the spoon with it. Not only did the soup fall to the floor, but broke some of the tile, and broke itself it many pieces.

"Gomen ne sai, Mitsukake-kun," Koneko said as a small snail crawled away.

Trying to cover up her enormous mistake, she took the bowl out of his hands and tried to clean the mess in a hurry. But, she stepped on one of the pieces of soup, slipped, landed next to Mitsukake's chair, and her arm landed on Tama, who shrieked, and after her arm was moved, he jumped up and attached himself to Mitsukake's face with his claws.

"Here, let me help with that," Mitsukake offered, leaning over to help.

"B-but………you have a cat on your face!"

"It's okay, it's just Tama."

"You know, Koneko-san, you should get………a servant to clean this mess, you shouldn't have to do it."

"Uh, right," Koneko said, standing up. She started to run to the other side of the room when Tsuru came to the door. Koneko was almost out of the room when she slipped and fell on her rear end. "Who was the idiot that waxed the floor?!" She finally stood up and walked out.

"Here's some edible soup, Mitsukake-san," she said walking in holding a new bowl. "Let me get that for you," she said as she somehow made Tama let go and put him on her shoulder, handing him the bowl of soup.

"Meow," said a new voice from the door.

"Ame-chan, how are you, sweetie?" she asked as the small cat curled up in her lap as she sat next to Mitsukake.

"Where is the spill, Koneko-sama?" another new voice asked from the door.

"In here," Koneko said, poking her head in, upon seeing Tsuru sitting next to Mitsukake with her cat, and his cat, she put on a death glare.

The young girl started to growl and violently scratch her arm as the servant began to clean the mess and Mitsukake began to enjoy the newly cooked soup.

"Guess I'm heading into town, then," She said, walking away.

* * *

Everyone was seated and enjoying dinner, each small cluster having their own conversations, when Tasuki turned to Koneko.

"So, who's next on the hit list?" he asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She blinked innocently.

"Poor Mitsukake." Washi said under her breath.

"I still don't know what you mean." She replied, still trying to look innocent.

"Oh, let's see………" Tasuki trailed off in mock thought. "You've chased after almost every male in the castle."

Koneko looked mad, but kept her innocent tone. "I still don't understand………"

"Okay, Mitsukake for example. You tried to feed him-I'm not sure what you'd call it, but it included poison ivy and a still living snail." Tasuki had a mean grin. "Then you made his own cat attack him, not to mention the destruction of a perfectly good spoon and several floor tiles."

Everyone found this funny. Some tried to hide their giggles, while others didn't bother. Koneko's face grew red with anger, she stood up, and seized a handful of food from her plate. She had been aiming for Tasuki, but he ducked, and she instead hit an unsuspecting Hotori.

Hotori wiped some of the food off her face and looked slightly offended, then aimed at Koneko. Koneko ducked, and before long everyone (but Tasuki) was covered in food. A fistful was headed for Okami when Chichiri held out his kasa, blocking it from hitting her. Tasuki had slipped under the table to laugh at everyone's stupidity.

"Hey!" Koneko said suddenly. "Where's Tasuki?"

Tasuki hadn't noticed that they'd stopped and also didn't notice everyone had found him, and taken aim. Soon there was no Tasuki, instead, just a pile of food glaring at everyone else.

"Thank you Chi-chan, no da!" Okami said as they exited the dinning room. "You tried to protect me from the food, no da!"

"I didn't do a very good job, no da………" He replied, looking at her, covered in food. "I could've done better, no da."

"You did your best, no da!" Okami smiled, taking his arm. "And that's good enough for me, no da!"

He smiled in response as the two of them headed off to change clothes.

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Vera-Chan: I would like to say this chapter is dedicated to my very loving, forgiving, understanding, heart-of-gold, nee-chan, Kitty-chan. I know Koneko is your character, Kitty-chan, and I know she did a lot of things you would never do in a million years. But I hope you understand that this was purely for humor's sake, and I hope you'll be the loving, understanding, forgiving, heart-of-gold, reasonable, nee-chan I've known since 7th grade. Aishiteru Kitty-chan……::Goes off preying to Suzaku that was enough of an apology, and that Kitty-chan doesn't go Battousai on her the next time they see each other.::