Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ Firebird ❯ Reunion ( Chapter 18 )

Vera-chan: Here's a cute little chapter I just had to write!

Avia-san: You're avoiding the last battle!

Vera-chan: No…this idea's been wandering around in the back of my mind forever………I just now decided to do it………

Luna-sama: Yeah right………

Vera-chan: It's true!

Avia & Luna: Prove it!

Vera-chan: If I'm laying…may lightning strike me now and may Luna have all my bishies!

::Thunder clap.::

Vera-chan: On second though…on with the fic…

Luna-sama: Hand over Quatre now!

Vera-chan: Not so fast…lightning didn't strike me down…you don't get my bishies…

Luna-sama: Poo!

Puu: Puu?

Avia-san: How did he get here?

Puu: Puu! ::Jumps up onto Vera's head.:: Puu!

Avia-san: What is that ridiculous appendage growing out of your head?

Luna & Vera: ::Sweatdrop::

Puu: Puu! (Translation: On with the story!!!!!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Firebird"

Ch. 18 "Reunion"

Hotori sat in the throne room, impatiently waiting for her parents. Her father had wanted to take her somewhere today, but they were running late.

`I bet Okaa-san overslept or something.' She thought.

When they finally did arrive, both were smiling broadly.

"Where are we going?" She asked, waddling over to them.

"You'll see." Tamahome smiled.

They got two horses out of the stables and started off in a direction Hotori realized she's never gone before. She filled her parent in on all the last minute preparations for the new baby along the way.

"We're here!" Tamahome announced as they stopped outside a small house.

"Where are we Otou-san?"

Before he could answer, four small children ran out.

"Onii-sama!" They all hollered, crowding around Tamahome.

He picked up the two smallest and walked inside.

"I never knew Otou-san had family so close by………"

Miaka smiled and motioned Hotori in. There was an old man sitting up on the bed.

"Son! It's been so long!" He said as Tamahome sat down the small children and turned to face him.

"I know, Otou-san, it's been way too long." He sat beside his father. "I wanted you to meet someone. Hotori, come here."

Hotori did as she was told and walked over to the bed.

"This is my oldest daughter, Hotori. My other two children………couldn't be here today………" Tamahome took Hotori's hand. "Hotori, this is your grandfather and your aunts and uncles; Shunkei, Chuei, Gyokuran and Yuiren."

"It's nice to meet you, Jii-san, Oba-san, Oji-san." Hotori smiled. The small children ran up to her, and pulled her off towards a small play area.

"Don't you want sit with us dear?" Miaka asked.

"No Okaa-san, I'm fine here." Hotori replied, sitting down on the ground among them.

"Jus be careful." Her mother warned before turning and talking with her father-in-law.

* * *

"Otou-san, we're going to pick some flowers to put on the table for lunch." Hotori said before starting outside after her young aunts and uncles.

"Where do you like Hotori-chan?" Yuiren asked, bringing her a yellow flower.

"I live in the palace. I'm married to the emperor." Hotori replied.

"Wow!" Gyokuran replied. "I bet that would be fun."

"It is, but it can be a lot of hard work too. Maybe you can visit me there sometime."

"We can't do that………" Shunkei frowned.

"We have to stay with Otou-san here." Chuei added.

"Do we have enough flowers, Hotori-chan?" Yuiren asked.

"Hai, I think we do. Let's help Otou-san with lunch."

* * *

After a quick lunch, Hotori helped settle the children down for a nap.

"Rest well, Oba-san, Oji-san." She smiled, kissing each on the forehead.

"We should be going, Hotori." Miaka said, placing a hand on her daughter's arm.

"Can't we wait until they wake up?"

"Iie." Tamahome replied. "We'll be too late getting back if we do."

"Hai." She sighed, hugged her grandfather goodbye and they mounted their horses to leave.

"Can we go back again soon?" Hotori asked as they approached the stable.

"I don't think it will be possible." Tamahome replied.

* * *

Hotori's eyes shot open as she stared at the ceiling of her room. She sat up in bed, hardly able to believe it had been a dream.

"What are you doing up?" Hotohori's voice drifted over to her as he emerged from the shadows around the closed door.

"I had a strange dream." She replied. "It felt so real though."

"That's all it was though." He sat on the bed beside her. "It's nothing to worry about."

"I'm not worried, but………" She then narrowed her eyes at him. "Say, what are you doing up?"

"To be honest, Hotori-chan, you kicked me out of the bed again."

"Sorry………That's, what, third time this week?"

"Third time tonight."

"Sorry………"

He just smiled and kissed her forehead.

"Let's go back to sleep." He suggested. "You need your rest."

"If it's ok, Hoto-sama, I'm going to find Otou-san." She stood up and pulled on a robe. "I need to talk to him."

"Don't be too long."

"I won't." she promised.

`I swear, if they get much more protective, I'll turn into an invalid!' she thought to herself before knocking on her parent's door.

A drowsy Tamahome answered the door, and looked confused fo a moment.

"What's wrong Hotori?"

"I had a dream………"

"I know we missed out on this sort of thing when you were little, but you're married now………"

"No! I had a dream about………about your family."

Tamahome suddenly looked wide awake.

"My family?"

She nodded. "There's two little boys, two little girls, and an old man, ne?"

"My father and siblings." Tamahome shook his head.

"What's wrong Otou-san?"

"They died a very long time ago." Tamahome sighed. "But there's no way you could've known that."

"In my dream you took me there." She then frowned. "I'm not upsetting you, am I?"

"Iie." He gave a small smile. "I miss them, but that was many, many years ago."

Hotori looked at her father for a moment, then grabbed him in the tightest hug she could manage.

"It's ok Hotori. Go back to bed, we can talk about this more in the morning."

"Hai. Goodnight Otou-san."

"Goodnight Hotori."

Hotori went back to her room and Tamahome got back into bed.

"What's wrong dear?" Miaka asked, barely opening her eyes.

"Hotori had a dream she wanted to tell me about."

"At her age?"

"Goodnight dear."

Miaka nodded and both went back to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vera-chan: Well, that was my short cute chapter. The next chapter will be the last battle………and the last chapter! I am planning on doing an multi-chapter epilogue, let me know what you think of that idea. Sorry for not updating sooner, school's starting to get the best of me. I'll try to get the next chapter up sooner, but I can't promise becase midterms are quickly approaching. Ja Minna-sama!