Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ Return of Evil ❯ Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Only in my dreams does Hotohori belong to me. But the rest of the cast of Fushigi Yuugi belongs to Yuu Watase. Enjoy!!

Chapter 2

Looking around for a way out of the mirror, Miaka realized that the mirror was shaped in a kind of box shape. She felt like a mime inside the infernal imaginary box, except her box was real. To her sides, the mirrors showed her the royal courtyard, where the wedding is taking place. The mirror in front of her gave her a full view of her room from the vanity mirror. The mirror behind her showed her what the evil Miaka is doing.

She turned to the mirror at her sides and watched the evil Miaka show up and walk over to Tamahome. She screamed at Tamahome to stop looking at her reflection with eyes so full of love that were meant only for her. But Tamahome broke out into a huge smile and took a deep breath out of nervousness. The tears wouldn't stop as she watched her evil twin take Tamahome's hand and walk down the aisle. Her screams had no effect on any of the other seishi, as they sat on the side and watched the false couple in front the priest.

She cried, "Why don't they notice me? Every one of MY seishi is just sitting there and allowing this to happen! Why can't they hear me? Why doesn't their symbol blaze? Don't they know I'm in trouble? Chichiri, Nuriko, Tasuki, Mitsukake, Chiriko are just sitting there! Wait a minute. Where's Hotohori? Why isn't he there?"

Confusion set in and she pushed the thought aside to watch the evil Miaka walk up to Tamahome to allow the ceremony to begin. From the mirror, she screamed at Tamahome once more, hoping he would realize that he was not marrying her, but the evil Miaka. But Tamahome never heard her. His eyes were filled, almost brimming over with love watching who he thought to be Miaka walk to him be his bride. Soon the ceremony was completed. Tamahome and the evil Miaka were married. Speechless, the real Miaka in the mirror felt her heart shatter into pieces, as a sob broke through. Falling to her knees, she cried long and hard.

Why didn't anyone realize who the real Miaka was?! No one knew her as well as she thought they did. They couldn't tell the real her from the evil one! They're supposed to be her seishi! She pounded her fists on the mirror and cried harder, only to hear a voice shouting her name. She turned in the direction of the mirror showing her room, where the shouting was coming from. She saw someone in her room, going through her closet and calling her name. She wiped her tears and stood up to get a better look. Hotohori!

Entranced by the look of determination and concern on his face, she dried her tears. She watched as he walked up to the vanity mirror and sat down in front of it. Mesmerized, she watched as he stared at the mirror and put his hand up to touch it. He ran his fingers down the sides of the mirror and looked thoughtfully into it. Miaka saw how close he was to her, but he didn't know it. He sighed and traced his fingers on something on the mirror. Miaka saw his golden eyes up close and lost herself in them. He took off his red hat and let his hair fall down. Miaka's senses became aroused at the seductive display of his hair. Her heart raced as Hotohori brought his face closer to the mirror.

He whispered, "I'm so beautiful, it's scary."

Miaka fell to the floor in disappointment.

Quickly, she regained her composure and pounded on the mirror, screaming at him to realize that she was in the mirror. Hotohori's symbol fired up again.

He stood up and cried, "Miaka!"

Miaka called to him to save her, but a red light engulfed her. A scene flashed before her. She saw Tamahome with the evil Miaka. She watched Tamahome pick the evil Miaka up into his arms. He carried her over to the marriage bed and gently laid her down, all the while smiling like a young boy who just got a treasure vault filled with candy. The evil Miaka sighed, unsmiling. The real Miaka watched Tamahome kiss her and turned her face when he consummated the marriage with her evil twin. She fell to her knees, sick with disgust. Wrapping her arms around her stomach, she screamed and let her tears flow. She didn't regain control of herself until suddenly when she felt a soft fabric underneath her.

She opened her eyes and wiped at them to see where she was this time. Looking around, she recognized her room. Everything was just the way she left it. Nothing had been touched. She wondered how long she had been gone. The last time she came, she came to tell her family good-bye and that she was marrying Tamahome, even though she couldn't figure out how to bring him with her. She had gone to Mt. Taikyoku to see Taiitsukun but she wasn't there. No one was. The place was deserted. It seemed that she and her Nyan Nyan's were out on vacation, so she went home by herself. Her family was surprised to see her after a week announcing that she was going to wed someone they had never met, nor would meet. At first they thought she has lost her memory and gone someplace where she thought was real but was in fact imaginary. Who would believe that she went to ancient China? So, they tried to set up an appointment with the doctor for her, but before they knew it, she had disappeared again.

In her room, Miaka gave a cry of happiness. She was back home! She couldn't go back to Konan or else she would have to face Tamahome. Right now, she hated the man she loved with all her heart. Flinging herself on the bed, she wondered how she got back. But the thought lingered for a second only before Tamahome's betrayal filled her head. She felt like throwing up, thinking about how her evil reflection took him away from her. Beating her fists against the pillow, she realized that she hadn't checked if anyone was home. Still in her wedding gown, Miaka walked out of her room and into the hallway to call out for her family. No one answered. She walked downstairs to the living room, and upon finding no one there, she followed her favourite smell into the kitchen. A bowl of fresh fruit called out to her. Grabbing a banana, she peeled it and began eating, while raiding the refrigerator. Spaghetti and hamburgers adorned the inside, as Miaka grabbed both plates and put them on top of the other in the microwave. Unconsciously, the tears began to flow when she thought about how at this moment, she was supposed to be with her love, her husband, Tamahome. Small fists met with the countertop, but only bruised knuckles resulted. The house echoed with the name of Tamahome, as she cried out his name loudly. There was no way she could go back and explain his betrayal to him. He would never understand the pain it was causing her. She wondered if there was a way to even reconcile after something like this. She never heard the microwave beeping, indicating that her food was done. Instead, she was on the floor, her legs tucked under her chin, with her arms wrapped around herself, rocking back and forth, like a mental patient. She felt like committing suicide, never wanting to see any character of The Universe of the Four Gods again. Where was her family anyway? What time was it now? How much time had past? Her mind raced past the words her evil reflection flaunted at her.

"Don't get too close to Hotohori. I'm going to kill him!"

Hotohori was still danger! Instantly, Miaka left her empty home and headed to the library to find a way to get to Konan and save her seishi. Outside at the entrance to the library, she saw a very confused man, startled by his surroundings. Hotohori! How did he get here when she couldn't even figure out how to bring Tamahome to her world?

She ran to him and threw her arms around him crying, "Hotohori! You're alive!"

Crystalline tears spilled again, and she felt his body tense. Hotohori, instinctively, wrapped his arms around her small frame. Miaka backed away at his resistance.

"What's wrong, Hotohori?"

Hotohori was surprised by the torn and weeping priestess standing before him.

His voice was husky, "Why are you crying?"

She paused for a moment. She had never heard Hotohori speak in that voice before. Her head spun, in effect. Miaka trembled as she spoke; a torrent of uncontrollable tears gushed.

"Tamahome betrayed me! He married my evil reflection! She trapped me in her mirror, before you found me and I was home again! She wanted to kill you and make Tamahome emperor so she could be queen!"

Hotohori interrupted, "Miaka, I cannot make sense of what you are saying. Please calm down."

Miaka fell to her knees after the painful recounts. Hotohori bent down beside her and tried to help her gain composure.

"Miaka, people are beginning to look. We should go somewhere more concealed and talk."

She shouted, "I don't care! My fiancé married my mirror reflection!"

Sobs racked her small body, as Hotohori began ignoring the questions people began to ask aloud.

"Sir, is she alright?"

"What's wrong with her?"

"Is she an insane asylum escapee?"

"Are you making a movie?"

"Are you getting married?"

Regally and with all the patience he could muster, he picked up the crying girl and looked around.

"This is not of your concern."

The people laughed and cursed at him for ignoring them. Miaka blushed at the crowd's anger. She was the cause of it. Refusing Hotohori's help, she tried to stand up on her own. Hotohori sensed her wounded pride and gently let go. The crowd dispersed, leaving the priestess and her seishi to walk alone together.

Temporarily, her lamenting was halted, and she spoke.

"This is my home. I think the first thing I need to do is get us both into normal clothes. If anyone saw us in those clothes, I would have to explain you and Konan. No one has time for that!"

Noting the pleasant change, Hotohori realized that the reason those people were so curious was because of his kingdom's clothes. Both of them were still dressed for the wedding. He smiled back wondering where she was taking him to get these new clothes. But, his heart sighed in relief that she was able to stop her tears and go back to her old jubilant manner.

As if reading his mind, Miaka answered, "Let's go to my house. No one is home. I hope you can fit into my brother's clothes. You should be his size."

Hotohori held back a gasp. He explained to himself that she was the Priestess of Suzaku, so she would obviously be able to read minds, especially the minds of her own seishi. Miaka watched Hotohori's face reveal all of its fascination with her world. He was doing a bad job holding his curiosity in., Miaka thought to herself. So she acted as a tour guide and explained as much of the sights and sounds as she possibly could. But when she reached her neighbourhood, her acting stopped and the questions became more serious.

"Hotohori, how did everyone act at the ceremony back in Konan? Did they notice anything out of place?"

Hotohori breathed in, savouring the moment of her saying "back in Konan." He realized something was bothering the Priestess of Suzaku. As her seishi, he would try to make her feel better.

Shaking his head, he answered, "I was not paying attention. I apologize. We were waiting for you to arrive for your wedding to Tamahome. But the evil version of you showed up,, instead."

She gasped as a realization hits her.

Hotohori panicked wondering if he said something to upset the Priestess even more, "What is it, Miaka?"

She blushed, "You…you knew that the evil me was marrying Tamahome, didn't you? That's why you weren't at the wedding and searching my room. You were looking for me, weren't you? When did you realize she wasn't me?"

Hotohori confirmed, "Yes, I knew. I knew the moment I held her, thinking it was you, and my symbol blazed. You were calling for me. Then I knew the one in my arms wasn't you."

"If you knew, and your symbol blazed, then surely the others realized it? But why didn't Tamahome see it? I don't understand."

Hotohori sighed, "I don't know. The only one who knows how to bring your reflection to life is Taiitsukun."