Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ Sibling Rivalry ❯ Meet the Twins ( Chapter 1 )

Sibling Rivalry

Series: Fushigi Yuugi

Author: The one and only Baka no Miko. Otherwise known as me.

Disclaimer: Guess what? I, as much as I would like to be, am not Watase Yuu! Bet you couldn't figure that one out!

Warnings: Well, as this contains Tomo and Nakago (or at least alternate versions of them) there is obviously going to be some shounen ai, whether one sided or not.

Name notes: I was thinking (not in the mood for `wow, did it hurt?' jokes) about the names for reincarnated seishi. Why do all the authors call them by their "real" names. Understandably, it IS easier for a reader, but Tamahome is called Taka (yes, I know about the whole weirdness of that). So, it seems reasonable they would be called something else. If I'm wrong about this, sorry. You have every right to correct me. Anyway, here is a simple name guide for this story.

Tomo: Tobias Henderson (No, Tobi Henderson IS NOT my real name. I never give Internet sites my real name.)

Soi: Mia Henderson

Nakago: Akira Roberts

They're the only seishi in the story. I know the names are nothing like their real ones, or even their seishi ones, but they're just names I like. Sorry if it annoys you.

"I'm NOOOOOOT SUCH AN INNOCENT GIRL!" Mia sung, crimson hair glinting around her head, juxtaposing with her loud, grating and most of all off-key voice. Seeing as the song was already irritating, this brought it down to the level of `drive any sane person up the wall'

"Shut up!" Tobias yelled at her from his room at the other end of the house, where he had been watching a video, singing along in Chinese, which he didn't even understand and as a result, sounded terrible. "You nearly smashed my glasses."

"Like I care," replied his twin sister rudely. This annoyed Tobias. Forgetting it was above him to get into these arguments, he yelled back at her.

"The song doesn't suit you anyway! Your song would be more like "I'm not such a stupid slut". Mia bristled at this, if she was anything, it was certainly not a slut. She didn't even have a boyfriend.

Nevertheless, the argument continued at a fairly normal rate for the two siblings, culminating with a spectacularly violent fight involving Mia throwing Tobias's Beijing Opera tape collection at his head, smashing his favourite performance of The Peony Pavilion to pieces and Tobias using a few of her pop CDs as throwing weapons, including the one she had been listening to.

No one knew why Mia and Tobias hated each other so much. It was usual for twins, identical or otherwise like Tobias and Mia, to get along quite well. When their parents had researched the problem, they discovered some even became so close they claimed to have a `psychic link' with each other. But the Henderson twins were the opposite. They hated each other so much that they had even forgotten why. They were two opposite forces, black and white or fire and ice, which destroyed each other in contact.

Unfortunately, they were forced into just that far more often than they wished. After all, both Tobias and Mia went to the same school, lived in the same house and shared the same family.

However, they mostly ignored each other, until a strange twist of fate forced them into a battle for a prize neither wished to let go of...

***************

"Tobias Henderson, you have just been selected for the Chinese Opera Troupe, congratulations!" an Asian man said enthusiastically. "Due to your incredible skill and talent, especially in the Ching role, you are to accompany the troupe in their your around the world, and act in all the lead roles!"

"Thank you so much," Tobias said, happiness clearly evident on his face.

"Ah, that's my son!" cried a red-haired woman, presumably Tobias's mother, in the crowd.

"Wow, my brother is so much better than me," Mia was saying to their father in awe.

"Yes, he is," replied Mr. Henderson.

"Tobias!" chanted the crowd. "Tobias, Tobias, Tobias!"

"Tobias Henderson, are you alive?" snapped a voice that seemed to come from another world. "Tobias!"

Tobias blinked, and opened his eyes. Again, it was only a dream. He sighed.

"Ah, good, you've decided to grace us with your presence," drawled the teacher sardonically, causing most of the class to laugh. "Could you perhaps tell me `my head hurts'?"

"My head hurts," Tobias said, confused. This brought on even more laughter.

"No, Henderson-SAN, try Japanese. After all, you are in Japanese class."

Oops.

"Uh, boku no otama ga ita desu?" said Tobias tentatively.

"Iie. `Boku no ATAMA ga ITAI desu'," the teacher corrected. "Tobias, I've been thinking about your bad results lately. You are intelligent, I know. You CAN pass this subject, you just don't seem to really care. Now, as all of you know, we are having a visit from our sister school in a few weeks..." There was an excited murmur from the class, they had been looking forward to the visit for months. The teacher waited for them to be quiet before continuing. "And as you also know, there is such a demand for billets that I have taken it on myself to chose the best, most reliable students to have this responsibility. However, I have made an exception. That exception is you, Mr. Henderson."

"What?" Tobias asked, mystified as to why Thompson-sensei would do such a thing. She continued on as though she hadn't heard him at all.

"I would not normally put such a burden on a student visiting a strange country..." There was more laughter from the class, and Tobias clenched his fists in anger. "...but I think it would be a great learning experience for both of you, especially as a chance to improve your Japanese," she finished.

"T-thank you, sensei," stammered Tobias. He had just got into hating Mrs. Thompson, and now he was being forced to alter his perception of her.

**************

"T-thank you sensei," a girl mocked in a whiny voice. "Mia, I know he's your brother and all, but really...

"Yeah, he's an idiot," Mia said. It came out a little more friendly than she had intended it to. Surely she hated her twin? But Mia herself had never been the most popular girl in school, and she sympathised with anyone who was teased, even Tobias. The girl she was speaking to, had, in fact, teased her ruthlessly when she had arrived at the school because she had been intelligent and tried hard in class. Now Mia had seen the light, and was currently on a straight C average due to chatting and even deliberately failing tests to make herself popular.

**************

"So, Mum, Mrs. Thompson kept me behind and told me all about the guy who we have to billet, his name is Akira Roberts, and his family are American, but they moved to Japan before he was born. His English is really good, because of his background and..." Tobias stopped, because his sister had raised her hand as if at school. "Uh... Mia?"

"Dear brother, don't I get a say here?" she asked.

"Why?"

"This happens to be where I live too. I don't want to be stuck with another boy who uses all the hot water washing his hair and plays annoying opera music."

"Beijing opera isn't annoying," Tobias said, only half-listening to Mia. "Anyway, Mum, Mrs. Thompson says he...."

"Look, TOBIAS, I think I should actually get a say here!" Mia yelled. Tobias passed her a picture of Akira under the table so their mother couldn't see. Her eyes grew big and round. "...and I'd just like to say I'm all for the idea." Tobias grinned.

"Well, it is nice to see you two agreeing on something for once," Mrs. Henderson said grudgingly. Tobias and Mia both saw their chance at once.

"PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE?" they asked in their best little child voices.

"Oh, all right," their mother conceded. "But I'm not going to be the one telling you father."

"I love you mum!" yelled Mia.

A note from Baka no Miko: That was great fun to write! I know Mia may be annoying at first, but bear with me about her. I like Soi, and am a member of a Soi fan-club, so I'm not trying to be horrible to her. It's essential for the story.