Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ Illusions and Allusions ❯ Chapter 3

Part 3! Woohoo!

 

Disclaimer: I never claimed to own Fushigi Yuugi…

 

Note: Yeah, there might be few other changes made. Like Ashitare and Miboshi. Just warning you!

 

Part 3

 

Yui stared listlessly at her bed. Tomo was sleeping in the room across from hers, in case she needed something, but Yui felt that she was beyond help. * I'm so dirty! I can't believe those men… Miaka, why didn't you come? Why didn't anybody come? Why? Could I not have been Suzaku no miko, landing in a swirl of rosy petals and drifting into Tamahome's arms? What's so special about Miaka? She's a glutton, a crybaby, useless, dumb, and yet… *

 

Yui shook her head. * It's not fair! Stop thinking about her! She doesn't deserve it! * But as much as she tried to block out the thoughts, they kept coming, drowning her in misery.

 

Finally, Yui couldn't cry any more. The tears just refused to come. She shook her head distractedly, as her eyes caught sight of a small dagger lying on the table. Tomo had explained that Court ladies carried them around to protect their virtue, when she had asked about it. But Tomo had looked really strange when she had said that.

 

Wryly, Yui picked it up and stared at it. * Well, I've already lost mine, so what difference does it make? * Remembering that slitting one's wrists was the most convenient way to die, Yui made a decision. * I'm sorry, Tomo, but I just can't be Seiryu no miko. I'm not pure enough! My heart is dark, and there's nothing I can do about it. Find someone who deserves the position. * With those thoughts, Yui brought the dagger up to each of her wrists in turn, biting back a gasp as the metal bit sharply into her flesh. Her last thought before the darkness consumed her was a sigh of regret.

 

Tomo jerked awake. He could feel the fading chi coming from Yui's room. He barely paused to tie the sash on his sleeping robe around his waist before slipping silently into her room. He saw Yui lying on her bed, one arm hanging off the side, red blood dripping from her wrists.

 

Tomo immediately went into action. First, he produced a jar of healing salve and spread a generous amount over her wounds, before wrapping them neatly with some clean white linen. Then, he left one of his clones with her while he teleported down to the kitchen and retrieved some berries and herbs. When he returned, Yui was still out, so Tomo quickly brewed the ingredients together in the teapot they kept in her room. He paused to make sure that the robe was fully covering his chest and the padding was in place before lifting a bowl of the soup to Yui's lips.

 

Yui felt something warm and slightly bitter trickling down her throat when she regained consciousness. Tomo was leaning over her, with reproachful eyes, while holding something to her mouth. Yui finally identified it as soup after a few minutes. It tasted a bit like medicine.

“Are you all right now, Yui?” Tomo asked without preamble.

Yui began to cry. “Why did you stop me?”

“You are the Seiryu no miko, sworn to save this country. As your seishi I cannot allow you to die.” Tomo said impassively. Yui swallowed the lump in her throat. Did Tomo only care for her as one of her warriors?

“However.” Tomo continued, her eyes softening. “I am also your friend. Therefore, it would be highly against my principles, and our friendship, brief as it is, to allow you to commit such an act.”

 

Yui wiped away her tears roughly with a hand. All her pent up emotions were finally getting the best of her, and she started to talk at supersonic speed. Tomo noticed that must were accusations against Miaka and instances of injustice. This girl really had a very comprehensive memory! She remembered everything; from the time Miaka had stolen her lunch in first grade, to the time when they had opened the book for the first time.

 

Tomo simply held Yui and rubbed her back soothingly. Tomo remembered how this had helped him, as a child, when he was recovering from the damages inflicted by the higher ranked opera performers.

 

Yui finally stopped, and sniffed apologetically. “I'm sorry. I got your dress all wet.” She said.

“It's all right.” Tomo said. “Here, drink this.” He handed her a bowl of clear liquid. Yui looked at it suspiciously.

“No, its not poisoned.” Tomo said as he took a sip, just to prove it. “It will help you sleep well tonight. It also has healing properties.”

Yui nodded and sipped the broth slowly and meditatively. Soon, the effects of the sleeping drug began to take place and Yui dozed off.

 

Tomo put Yui to bed and decided to stay in her room for the night, since she might wake up. With that thought in mind, he teleported his bed into her room, climbed in, bid Yui good night, and fell asleep.

 

The next day…

 

“Good morning.” Tomo said. He put a tray of soft foods down in front of Yui. “Are you feeling better?”

Yui nodded. “Yes. Thanks for your help, Tomo-chan. I understand that it must be very difficult for you to deal with me.”
“Well, that's what friends are for, ne?” Tomo asked.

Yui sighed and nodded. * Fine. I might as well accept the fact that Miaka won't come back and start my duties as Seiryu no miko. After all, once this is over, I can go home, right? *

“Tomo, do you know how I can get back to my own world?”

Tomo thought hard. “Hmm… I believe that once you summon Seiryu, than it will be possible.”

“In that case, I'll do it.” Yui said. * What's there left for me? Miaka is gone, I have to think for myself now. *

Tomo nodded. “But first, you should eat your breakfast.”

“Oh. Right.”

 

Yui finished the rice porridge, soft bread, meats, and green tea. After she was finished, she decided to get dressed in something other than her school uniform. She didn't want to look at it anymore. Too much pain…

“Tomo? What should I wear?” Yui asked, indicating the closets full of elegantly tailored clothes. How had they gotten her measurements anyways? And why were most of them dresses?
“Well, you probably want to wear pants, right?”

“Hmm… What about this?” Yui held up a dark blue coat trimmed with gold and matching pants.

“I think that would look very nice, Yui-sama. And I can put ribbons in your hair to go with it.” Tomo said.

“Okay.” Yui said. She dressed and then had Tomo do her hair. When they were done, Yui asked to see the library. Tomo complied.

 

The Imperial Library was pretty empty, the Emperor not being fond of the intellectual arts. Yui and Tomo stayed in there for a pleasant few hours, reading, looking at scrolls, and generally enjoying one another's company. Soon, though, a servant came and announced that dinner was being served.

“It's impolite not to go.” Yui said.

“Yes, but…” Tomo lowered her voice to a whisper. “The Emperor is a sick, twisted man. If he saw you his first action would be to take you to bed.”
Yui turned pale. “So should I say no?” She whispered back.

“I'll make your excuse.” Tomo stood up and faced the maid. “I am terribly sorry, but please convey to his Majesty that the Maiden will be unable to attend, due to problems beyond her control. Her health is failing.”

The maid turned pale. “B-but Tomo-sama…”

“Tell him that.” Tomo said, as her eyes turned shiny gold for a split second. “Or face the consequences.”
The maid practically bolted down the hall. Yui turned to Tomo, who shrugged.

“Should I order lunch from the kitchens?”

“Yes, I'm feeling a bit hungry.” Yui said as she and Tomo left the library, Yui with her arms full of scrolls. * All that reading actually made me pretty hungry. Weird. *

Tomo nodded. By the time they arrived back in Yui's room, the table was already set with steaming food.

 

“Thank you, Tomo.” Yui said as she seated herself. Tomo did the same. They ate and chatted at the same time, just having fun.

“So, what does being Seiryu no miko entitle, anyways?”

“To summon Seiryu, the miko must gather the seven seishi, who are identified by a character on their bodies.” Tomo said. “It sounds simple, but it isn't.”

“What's your symbol?”

“The root.” Tomo said.

“Oh.” Yui said. “Are any of the other seishi here in the palace?”
“Hmm… Nakago, he's the shogun, Soi, and Ashitare the werewolf.”

Yui blinked. * There's a werewolf? Miaka gets Tamahome and I get a werewolf? Argh! Stop thinking about Miaka! *

“Can we go see them?”

“Not yet.” Tomo said. “Nakago is literally unapproachable, Soi keeps to herself, and Ashitare would probably try to eat you.”
“An interesting group. You seem to be the only normal one.” Yui muttered.

Tomo hid a smile. She didn't know how wrong - and right - she was.

 

End part 3!

Thanx to the two that reviewed the last chapter… *Smile* Winter and Kitty!

 

Completed 3/22/03