Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ Return of Evil ❯ Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I'm not getting a single dime out of this fic. Yuu Watase is getting the money as Fushigi Yuugi belongs to her, not me.

Chapter 3

Miaka stood outside her house. Taking a deep breath, she took out the house key and opened the door. Bringing Hotohori inside, she took him up to her room. As she opened her door, she blushed, and stopped midway. She wanted Tamahome to be the first one in her room, but fate didn't want that. Instead, she seemed to want Hotohori. But Miaka was very shy. She didn't know what to do once he was in her room. Hotohori sensed her fear, but didn't understand it.

"Miaka, is there something wrong?"

She turned around, her concentration broken.

"Huh? What? Oh. I mean, I've never had a man in my room…"

He winced at the rejection, "I'll wait out here then."

Miaka touched his arm, and felt a strange sensation. A red colour flushed her face. She lowered her gaze to the floor.

"No. Hotohori, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that I didn't want you to come in. It's just that I'm worried about what you said. Why would Taiitsukun put me through such a test on such an important day? Even she wouldn't be so cruel, right?"

Hotohori wanted nothing more than to pull her to him and hold her tightly, promising her that he would take care of everything. But, he was in another world, where he didn't have his army to help him turn over every rock and stone. Worse still, he was in love with this Priestess who needed him, right now, even though she loved another man. His heart lead his actions, as he pulled her to him and held her close to him.

"The only way we can help Tamahome and the others is to go back. Do you think you can handle going back right now?"

Miaka wrapped her arms around him.

"Hotohori, how could you want to help Tamahome? How could you think of being so selfless right now?"

He raised an eyebrow and looked in her eyes.

"Why shouldn't I want to help the others? Is there something I will gain by being selfish and staying in your world with you?"

He was surprised by her question and felt an immediate reaction. His heartbeat quickened and he realized that if he held her any longer, he would compromise her honour. Letting go of her, he turned his back to her and walked away. He loved her too much to hurt her and watch her get hurt. Facing Tamahome and presenting him with the new threat of two Preistesses of Suzaku was the only thing that would allow Miaka to forgive Tamahome and stop another battle of evil. Miaka felt tears in her eyes as Hotohori backed away from her, finally turning his back to her. In retaliation, she turned her back to him and crossed her arms to cover the gap of loneliness created when Hotohori broke the embrace. She cursed herself for feeling like this when her fiancé, Tamahome, had no idea that the one he married was her evil twin. She had to go back and get Tamahome back. The wall of silence between them was only getting taller and thicker with each passing second. Hotohori knew that if this kept up, he wouldn't be able to help Miaka. He turned around, only to find her back racking with sobs. His heart stopped.

"Miaka!"

She turned around too fast and tripped on a bump in the carpet. Her fall was broken by Hotohori's arms, which caught her before she touched the floor.

His deep, powerful and so sexy voice filled with concern, "Are you alright?"

Miaka blushed furiously. Why was this happening?

She managed to stammer out, "I…I'm fine."

When the dark green eyes of the Priestess met the golden honey eyes of her seishi, a flash of lightning outside reflected in the other's eyes. The clap of thunder forced their eyes apart. The window to the outside world, to reality, invited them to look at the storm outside.

Hotohori broke the awkward moment with, "It seems you are still in your wedding gown."

A grin broke out on Miaka's face, "You are too, Hotohori!"

Hotohori wondered if this time her smile was real.

"Miaka, it's good to see you laugh again."

She stopped smiling, and looked in his eyes.

"I didn't think I would be able to considering the situtation…"

Laughter broke out as Hotohori looked around for a mirror. Miaka knew they needed to change clothes before her family came home. Avoiding his gaze, she took his hand in hers and led him to her brother's room.

Throwing open the closet door, she announced, "Change into anything you like. My brother won't be home for some time."

Hotohori nodded his head, wondering why her brother didn't have a vanity mirror. Miaka left the room to give Hotohori time to change. But, it wasn't to be as distant as she thought. Within seconds, Hotohori called Miaka for assistance with the clothes, forgetting that he was not in the palace anymore. Miaka shook her head and went in. After Hotohori got into her brother's clothes, she took him to the kitchen to show him her world. Hotohori entered the kitchen and marvelled at the rectangular shapes and was amazed by how much similarities and differences their worlds had to each other. Touching the smooth surface of the appliances, he was in awe at the cleanliness and the brightness of the room. Miaka opened one of the rectangular shapes by a handle and pulled out a plate of food.

That moment Hotohori winced in pain. She looked like a young wife, with dinner in her hand. All he ever wanted to be was a normal man, coming home from work to Miaka. That has been his whole life's dream. It was all that kept him alive and kept him from running away from his responsibilities as emperor. But, now that he had met Miaka, he didn't know how long he could keep up this lie. When Miaka entered his life, he thought his loneliness had ended for sure. Instead, his life shattered in front of his eyes when Miaka chose Tamahome for her husband, instead of him. He wanted to commit suicide, but he had promised Miaka that he would show up for the wedding. He had decided that he would commit suicide after the wedding and since Miaka was the Priestess of Suzaku, she would take over as the Empress of Konan, since he had no heirs. This was the only way he could see Miaka becoming his empress, by becoming an empress of Konan, even though Tamahome would be the new emperor. He didn't mind as long as Miaka was happy. It didn't matter to him that Miaka had not interest in ruling, unlike the rest of the women after him. She was free to dissolve it, if she wished. It had never brought him happiness.

He watched Miaka put the plate of food in another rectangle and press some buttons. Some beeping sounds filled the air, like a siren. He looked around the room to find out where the noise was coming from. The beeping stopped suddenly and Hotohori watched Miaka sit down at the table.

Seeing his confusion, Miaka explained, "That beeping noise was coming from the microwave. It heats food very quickly."

He nodded his understanding. Suddenly, another sound filled the air, the sound of a key turning in the front door.

Miaka whispered harshly, "Someone's home!"

Hearing the key turn, she grabbed Hotohori's hand and pulled him upstairs to her room, before the person could open the door to see him. In her room, she stopped to catch her breath and told Hotohori to hide in her closet.

"I need you to wait in here for me until I come back. Okay?"

Hotohori nodded his head. In the kitchen, Miaka walked in to find her mother staring at the plate of food in the microwave that she had just warmed. She muttered something about Keisuke leaving food out, and shook her head. Miaka wanted to talk to her mother so desperately and tell her everything that had happened, but she couldn't risk involving her. This was her problem. She didn't want her mother to face Kutou for her. Kutou's wrath was something she had to face on her own with her seishi, and the only outcome she saw was Konan's victory. Before leaving the kitchen, Miaka looked at her mother for what she thought will be the last time she will see her in a long time. Wiping the stray tear, she ran up to her room.

Pulling open the door to her room, she grabbed Hotohori and announced, "We're going to the library and I need you to be very quiet if I'm going to sneak you out of my room without my mother finding out we were ever here."

Again, Hotohori nodded his understanding. Before they left, Hotohori grabbed his sword and sheath and hung it on the belt of his jeans that Miaka showed him how to use. He was glad he decided not to follow the "no sword" policy at the wedding. He had explained to the council that Kutou could still attack and they needed to be prepared. So, he got the council to approve each man carrying a sword to the wedding, though unwillingly. Miaka poked her head out of her doorway to see if anyone was in the hall. It was empty! She grabbed Hotohori's hand and led him to her front door. Opening the front door, they slipped out. Outside, Miaka released Hotohori's hand and they both headed back to the library to find the book and go back to Konan. But to their dismay, the library had closed for the day.

Heading back to Miaka's house, she cheerfully announced that they would go back tomorrow first thing in the morning. Hotohori nodded his head in acknowledgement. It seemed that Hotohori couldn't be a good seishi to Miaka. He wondered why he was destined to protect the woman he loved when he couldn't do a decent job. If she wasn't there to protect him, it was his army. He needed to become stronger so he could protect Miaka. Suddenly, his will to live beat strong in his heart. He had to protect Miaka, even if it cost him his life. He would protect her. Miaka's stomach growling brought him out of his thoughts. She decided to take a shortcut to get home faster to eat. The darkness fell quickly, mocking them to get home before it turned pitch-black night. Trying to fill the awkward quietness, Miaka began a conversation.

"You're very quiet, Hotohori."

"Forgive me, Miaka. I was thinking about my being absent from my throne. I hope no one is trying to claim it thinking I am dead or missing."

Miaka wondered about his words.

"Do you think that Tamahome knew about my reflection coming to life? Why didn't he notice the difference?"

"I don't know, Miaka. Don't worry. Everything will be alright."

He would make everything all right, with his bare hands, if he had to. There was no way he would watch Miaka cry again. A voice interrupted them.

"Nice sword!"

They turned around to face a man holding a chain, flaunting it. Behind him were more men with small knives and chains. Hotohori stood in front of Miaka, shielding her with his heart and pulled out his sword. The men laughed at Hotohori's odds. Several men against one man with a terrified girl behind him.

The leader with the chain teased, "A man with a sword must not be from around here. Don't you know swords are dangerous and can kill people?"

Regally, Hotohori raised his voice, "What do you want?"

"The girl and to teach you to walk around with a sword!"

Hotohori took a fighting stance. The leader whirled his chain around and attacked Hotohori. Hotohori just sliced off the hand whirling the chain and prepared for the other men behind the screaming form to avenge him. As Hotohori expected, the men attacked at once. He disarmed most of them with his sword, leaving them in agony over lost limbs. But he missed the man who got too close to Miaka and caught him when he was about to strike her. Hotohori disarmed the man quickly, but not before the man cut Miaka on the leg. Miaka grabbed her cut leg and figured that it was not a serious wound. She stood and looked around. All the men were on the ground writhing in pain. Hotohori saw blood on her leg and tried to tear the sleeve off of his shirt to dress it. After a hard time, he finally tore it off, as Miaka tried to save his pride.

"The material for cloth here is much sturdier."

Hotohori tried to hide his surprise by changing the subject.

"I'm sorry. I should have been able to stop that man from getting too close to you. Please forgive me, Miaka. I'm worthless as your seishi."

"It's okay. The wound isn't as bad as it looks."

"I still need to stop the bleeding or it might become infected."

Then, he took the strip of cloth and wrapped it around Miaka's wound to keep it from bleeding further. Without a second thought, he picked her up and carried her in his arms.

Blushing, Miaka answered, "You are NOT a worthless man in anything! Just because I got a little scratch that's not your fault, doesn't make you bad! I didn't see the man either. I was too busy watching you to make sure you didn't get hurt!"

Quickly, she covered her mouth, "…I mean…ummm, could you please put me down? I'm fine, really. I can walk."

In a stern voice, he ordered, "Direct me to your home. I'll tend to your wound there."

Sighing, she directed, "Turn right at the next street."

Turning, he found a house he recognized.

But, Miaka continued, "Make a left after passing four streets."

Hotohori noticed many people giving him strange looks. Ignoring them, he followed her directions.

"Make another left at the next street."

"Turn left here."

Hotohori quickly realized Miaka's intentions.

"Miaka, you're taking me around in circles!"

She lowered her head.

Hotohori demanded, "Where is your house, Miaka? Tell me the truth! I've got to explain this to your parents."

Miaka wondered aloud, "Hotohori, I…"

He cut in, "Let's get you home first. Give me the CORRECT directions. I can't let you walk on a wounded leg."

Letting out a long held breath, she put on a serious face, as her stomach growled louder. Leading him to her home with the right directions, she came home for the second time.