Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ Kaerimichi ❯ Memoriam ( Chapter 3 )

“I told you!”

 

Tasuki folded his arms across his chest, a wide, triumphant smile on his face. He was positively beaming with victory, even more so when his friends sighed or shook their heads in reluctant acceptance that he had been right.

 

It had been months since he had seen the strange girl he'd thought was Miaka. When she had vanished in a burst of red light, Tasuki had hurried back to the palace to alert the others. After all, it had been about five years since any of them had seen someone from the other world. They'd all made fun of him for it, but now he was the one laughing.

 

Literally.

 

With the orange-haired warrior being far too consumed with his own self-satisfaction, Chiriko turned to the only other witness.

 

“So it's true, Nuriko?” the youngest seishi asked.

 

The former cross-dresser nodded in response. “It wasn't Miaka, but she looks a lot like her. She has the same eyes…”

 

Chiriko looked absolutely intrigued. His features lit up, making him appear like the excitable little boy he once was instead of a young man of eighteen years. “I can't wait to meet her.”

 

At those words, Tasuki stopped his personal victory party, gaping at his younger comrade. “You'll believe the fag when he says it but not me?!” he yelled incredulously.

 

“Tasuki…” Nuriko growled in warning, eyebrows narrowing.

 

The former bandit laughed nervously. “So, where's Mistukake? He could fix that girl up in no time,” he said, eager to distract his super-strong friend.

 

“He's visiting little Shoka, isn't he?” Chiriko asked.

 

“Oh, yeah. Hotohori sent out a messenger for him yesterday, so he should be getting back before the end of the week,” Nuriko mused aloud. “Maybe we can get Chichiri to pick him up on his way from Mount Taikyouku.”

 

“I've already sent a summons for Chichiri.” The three warriors turned at the voice; Hotohori had just entered the meeting hall. “He assured me that both he and Mitsukake should arrive by tomorrow evening.”

 

Chiriko smiled. “It'll be nice to see everyone again, even under such strange circumstances. It's been a long time since we've all been together.”

 

A wave of nostalgia mixed with guilt washed over the others. After their last adventure, everyone settled back into the lived they'd had before coming together as the warriors of Suzaku. They all made meager efforts to stay in touch, but no real concerted attempts were made. Chiriko may have become an adult, but his words still held such child-like innocence that his honesty often made people uncomfortable. But then, no one liked having to face ugly truths, especially about themselves.

 

Always the diplomat, it was Hotohori who stepped forward, his face mirroring Chiriko's smile. “It has, indeed. We will remedy that soon enough.” Giving the boy a reassuring pat on the shoulder, he swept to the head of the table in the center of the room and sat. “So, who is this girl that seems to be the only subject of conversation in the palace?”

 

“Uh…” Tasuki started smartly.

 

“We don't know yet,” Nuriko interjected. “She fainted from a wound shortly after Tasuki and I happened across her. But judging from her clothing alone… I'd definitely say she's from the other world.” He had chosen the most tactful way to say it. After all, Hotohori had been painfully in love with Miaka. Granted, it had been years since the emperor had taken a wife, and almost as long since the last time their priestess was here, but the last thing Nuriko wanted to do was to bring up a potentially sore subject.

 

“And she looks just like Miaka!” Tasuki blurted out. Nuriko smacked his palm against his own forehead. Hotohori, however, sat forward. His features were serious, the mirth they had held moments ago gone without a trace.

 

“She does?”

 

Stepping forward, Nuriko elbowed the former bandit leader none too gently as he passed by. The nudge sent Tasuki flailing to the ground. “There are similarities,” he admitted reluctantly. “But hardly an exact match.” The purple-haired warrior was outwardly calm, but internally furiously wishing that his best friend would learn to keep his Gods-damned mouth shut. Hotohori had enough stress to deal with already.

 

“Do we know anything else about her?” the emperor asked after a moment of contemplation.

 

In spite of himself, the ex-concubine smiled. He remember his days in the royal harem, when he would happen upon Saihitei and hide to eavesdrop. His majesty often said `we' in referral to himself when talking with advisors and other diplomats. It was both amusing and strangely encouraging to see he was beginning to slip back into the habit. The grin faded, though, when Nuriko realized he had no information to give. He glanced helplessly over to Chiriko, who looked just as disappointedly lost.

 

“Yeah,” growled a voice from the floor. Tasuki pulled himself up, frowning in annoyance, but far from angry. “It ain't her first time here.” If he hadn't been sore from Nuriko's love-tap, he surely would have been grinning smugly. For once, he was the only one really in the know. It was a satisfying feeling.

 

`Miaka is my grandmother's name.'

 

The mystery girl's words rang through Tasuki's mind. Should he tell them about that part of their first encounter? It could be important… And it did seem rather coincidental… But then again, he had no idea how popular the name `Miaka' was in her world. And the time difference seemed totally off, if he remembered it correctly. And did he really want Nuriko smacking him again, especially if he was wrong?

 

That cinched it; Tasuki kept quiet. Hotohori's voice brought the bandit out of his reverie.

 

“The same girl you reported to me before? It seems so long ago…” Sun-kissed gray eyes slid shut as Hotohori leaned his head into his hand. What was going on? Was the legend… trying to repeat itself? He had heard rumor months before about and entire village disappearing in Sairou, but Konan seemed fine. Their economy was bustling, morale was high, and relations with the new leadership in Kutou were fantastic. Everything was the way it should be, so why-?

 

A knock at one of the doors jolted Hotohori from his thoughts, his head jerking up as if afraid to be caught in such worry. “Come in,” he commanded.

 

The door opened and a woman the emperor recognized as one of the nurses tentatively stepped in. “Pardon me, your highness, but your guest has woken.”

 

Hotohori stood, the others rising from their seats at the conference table as well. He smiled cordially. “Let us not keep her waiting, then.”

 

 

 

Shortly after the first woman had left, another one made her way into the guest room carrying a tray laden with food and milk. “Eat up,” the maid had said as she fussed with Corey's bedding. “You'll need your strength.”

 

Corey was happy to oblige. She couldn't remember ever having been so hungry before, and everything on the tray tasted so good. There were pork buns and bean cakes and all manner of beef and chicken dishes that blew away any restaurant she'd ever been to during her time in Tokyo. Never having been a heavy eater, it surprised the red-haired girl when she realized that, by the time she was starting to feel full, the tray was nearly empty.

 

Picking gradually at a cake, Corey leaned back against the fluffy pillows, at last feeling clear-headed enough to think. The whole scenario seemed totally surreal, like it wasn't quite happening. She had come to know the feeling well in the past year. “Ah, sweet denial,” she mused aloud. Corey didn't understand what was going on, but on some base level, she acknowledged that it was real. Acceptance was the first step toward solution, wasn't it? Following that train of thought, everything from here on would only get easier. At least, that's how the theory worked.

 

Voices at the door brought Corey's attention back, and she looked up curiously. The sounds were hushed, but hurried, like an argument someone didn't want her to hear.

 

“Would you…”

 

“No, why should…”

 

“…you two, can't you… for a few minutes?”

 

“Stay out of it, kid-“

 

“Don't talk to him that way, you-“

 

“Enough.”

 

The last voice that spoke boomed commandingly, and immediately, silence resettled. The door creaked softly as it was pushed open. A painfully handsome man dressed in the most lavish garments Corey had ever seen swept into the room. Everything about him screamed grace and regality; it was rather humbling to behold. Behind him followed a small entourage including two familiar faces along with a young unknown. Corey was instantly uncomfortable, feeling nervous at being surrounded by so many people she didn't know. The handsome stranger must have sensed it, for he turned to his followers and said, “Perhaps you would grant us a few moments alone.”

 

The three lingering by the doorway all looked disappointed, but nodded and filed out, shutting the door behind them. As soon as they were gone, the raven-haired man smiled.

 

“My apologies,” he spoke with a voice like velvet. “You must be a bit overwhelmed by all of this.”

 

Corey found herself blushing, embarrassed by the situation even though she couldn't figure out why. “Who… are you?” she asked when she finally found her voice.

 

“Forgive me, I should have introduced myself. I am Saihitei, emperor of Konan. You are in my palace and, I assure you, quite safe.”

 

Corey's head reeled. Emperor?! An emperor was sitting at the foot of her bed, talking to her? She wanted to react, but never having been in the presence of royalty, she had no idea how to. Instead, she just smiled, feeling terribly silly and wondering why the name `Konan' sounded so familiar…

 

“What is your name?” Saihitei's voice made the redhead jump. She mentally smacked herself for drifting off like that.

 

“Sorry, I… I guess I am a little out of it. I'm Corey.”

 

“Kou-ri?” Saihitei tried, the foreign name sounding unnatural coming from his mouth. It was at that moment that the girl realized she'd reverted to Japanese and had been speaking it the whole time. She was more out of it than she thought.

 

“Just call me Kou,” she said with a shrug and a small smile. Her nickname… the one her best friend had given her. Where was Alex in all of this? She hoped he was okay. But would she ever see him again to find out? What she wouldn't have given at that instant to be home again, laughing with Alex over Jessica's fantastic cooking…

 

“Kou?” It wasn't until Saihitei's voice spoke her name that the redhead realized she was crying.

 

“I'm sorry,” she choked out, her throat feeling constricted. “It's just- I don't…”

 

A pair of arms pulled Corey into an embrace, and the girl uttered a sob. Saihitei's gentle hands held her and stroked her hair. “It's okay. You cry as much as you want to.”

 

 

 

Hotohori held the trembling girl as she wept against his shoulder. Those eyes… they were Miaka's eyes. It may not have been his priestess nestled in his arms, but as this mysterious stranger sought her comfort in him, he would give what he never could to her predecessor.

 

 

 

“Che… He sure is taking his sweet time in there.”

 

Nuriko shot a glare at his flame-haired friend. “Shh!” he hissed before pressing his ear back against the door.

 

“I don't think they're talking anymore,” Chiriko murmured. “Maybe we should just wait until Hotohori comes out.”

 

“And miss the good stuff?” Nuriko said incredulously. “You're such a novice.”

 

The youngest seishi didn't have time to respond before the door opened, Hotohori's golden-gray eyes completely unsurprised to see the group of them there. “Everyone,” he greeted. A moment passed. “You can stop dancing now.”

 

Nuriko and Tasuki halted their unimpressive (but ever amusing) attempt to look inconspicuous. At least the emperor was smiling ever so slightly. “I wish to ask that none of you disturb our guest. I have invited her to dine with us; if she so chooses to, please refrain from asking her too many questions. We are all curious, but it would be best not to upset her more than she already is.”

 

“Highness?” Chiriko piped up.

 

“Yes?”

 

“May I ask what her name is?”

 

Hotohori's smile grew. Of all the questions that could have been asked, leave it to Chiriko to choose the simplest, least controversial, but most useful one. “Kou,” he answered just before one of his attendants approached and muttered something about a farming petition that required his attention. “Excuse me,” he said to the other warriors as he turned away.

 

The emperor stopped after a few steps, turning his head back toward his friends. “Try not to cause too much trouble.”

 

Chiriko nodded dutifully. Tasuki and Nuriko merely grinned.

 

 

 

Despite their mischievous natures, neither warrior wreaked havoc across the palace grounds. They passed the few hours until dinner with wild theories about the mystery girl, all of which Chiriko denounced with irritating logic, and games. Having the reputation of a total brain without any fun side, Nuriko and Tasuki were pleasantly surprised when their younger friend came up with the best one. They spent a good amount of time with what he called `Bigger or Better,' in which they all started off with a simple coin and had to try to convince people to give them something either larger or more valuable. They each ran about the palace, trading item after item. In the end, Nuriko won when he returned with Hotohori's palanquin, inside of which sat Houki, giggling.

 

“No fair!” Tasuki had pouted. He'd brought back a suit of gold-accented dress armor. “You muscle-head.” Houki had only laughed harder at that.

 

“Maybe next time,” Chiriko said. He had managed to get a hold of Boushin's imperial robes.

 

They all made their way back inside the palace, the empress and the youngest seishi chuckling at Nuriko and Tasuki's good-natured arguing. When they arrived at the dining hall, Houki shared a loving smile with her husband before taking her seat to his right. The others sat after her, all of them noticing the lack of their newcomer as the food was served.

 

Unasked questions hung in the air, the topic of the other-worlder poignantly avoided during the meal. Curiosity ate away at all of them, but Hotohori was right- if they pushed too hard, it would probably make the girl retreat. No one would find anything out that way.

 

At the end of supper, Hotohori and Houki excused themselves to go discuss matters of the kingdom with their advisors, and Chiriko left to go read over a legal journal he'd received a few days ago. Tasuki and Nuriko lingered about after requesting a number of bottles of sake be delivered. What was there better to do when directly ordered to butt-out of the most interesting thing to happen in years than to drink and reminisce?

 

“Hey, Tasuki,” Nuriko started as he broke into the first bottle, “do you remember the trip to Hokkan?”

 

 

 

Kou's stomach growled again as she limped through the deserted corridors. She hadn't eaten in hours, and her body was quite content with reminding her. When the maid had come to get her for dinner, she'd pretended to be asleep. It wasn't as if she weren't lonely, but she still doubted she could have dealt with all those people at once. The problem now was that she was starving, but had no idea where the kitchens were, or if there would be anyone there if she ever found her way.

 

How did people navigate this place without a map?! A smile crossed Kou's face as she imagined Saihitei looking around confusedly and asking directions from his servants. Surely, he knew his way around, but it was still an amusing image. Continuing along, the faint sound of voices began to filter into the silence. At last! Whoever it was would help her out, right? Her stomach rumbled again, urging her onward.

 

The voices grew louder, signaling to Kou that she was on the right track. Boisterous laughter erupted from a room just up ahead, and a light shone through the spaces around the door. Bingo. Corey pushed against the heavy oak cautiously, peeking inside. The purple-haired man and the flame-haired one were doubled over in their chairs, guffawing, and sake bottles littered the table.

 

“You got beat up by your own horse?!” the effeminate one gasped between laughs. “I can't believe I missed that!”

 

“At least I didn't get slapped around by a girl!” A fresh wave of laughter burst forward. The fanged man stopped laughing, however, when he caught sight of the pair of eyes in the doorway. For a split second, Kou thought he looked like he had seen a ghost. But as quickly as the surprise had taken over his features, they melted away to a lopsided smirk. He poked his friend, who looked over to her as well.

 

“You can come in, you know,” the violet-haired one called out. “We don't bite.” He smiled at her so welcomingly that Kou allowed herself to slip the rest of the way into the room. “Well, that's a start. Have a seat- you shouldn't be standing on that injury.”

 

How could a total stranger be so aloof? Kou would have thought that kind of instant familiarity would annoy her, but it was oddly comforting.

 

“Actually, I... um, I was just looking for the kitchen. I'm a little hungry.”

 

“Nonsense. That's what servants are for.” One pink eye winked at the girl as the beautiful man rose from his seat and made his way to another door. He pulled it open and muttered something to the person on the other side. “See?” he asked when he had reclaimed his seat. “Isn't that easier than staggering around on a bad leg?”

 

“Yes,” Kou replied, a little embarrassed. “Thank you.” She moved to the table and sat down opposite the pair. The flame-haired man Kou recognized as her rescuer finally spoke.

 

“We ain't supposed to bug you, but you are from another world, right?”

 

The other man sighed and shook his head. Kou fidgeted in her chair at the question.

 

“I… guess I am. This definitely isn't Tokyo.”

 

The effeminate one chuckled at that. “Thank Suzaku for small favors.” The two men laughed at the little joke, but Kou didn't hear them; that name was setting off klaxons in her head.

 

Suzaku.

 

Suzaku no miko.

 

Suzaku shichiseishi.

 

Realization washed over her in a sickening wave, memory after memory of her childhood and her grandparents bombarding her. “It wasn't a story at all,” she whispered. The laughter stopped almost immediately, the focus now intensely on the redhead. She looked up with wide, startled eyes. Unbeknownst to her, the expression sent chills through her companions. “It was all true…” Finally her eyes focused, glancing between cautiously intrigued pink and amber eyes. Kou drew a slow, shaky breath.

 

“I remember you.”

 

tbc…

 

 

 

Author's Note: I meant to have this one up a few days ago, I completely forgot that I hadn't updated until today. Sorry. ^^;

 

So, yes, the plot thickens. I know that a lot of this still probably seems a little off, but explanations will come. If anyone's reading this, leave reviews and don't give up on me yet!