Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ The Phoenix Generation ❯ A Senshi Dreams ( Chapter 2 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: jailaheyn 
Genrou learns more about Tombiki Clinic, including the strange Dr. Ryoji. What is it about Kourin that just trips him up?
Anime/Manga: Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 09.24.2003 | Pages: 6 | Words: 7.9K | Visits: 368 | Status: Completed
Genrou learns more about Tombiki Clinic, including the strange Dr. Ryoji. What is it about Kourin that just trips him up?
Anime/Manga: Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 09.24.2003 | Pages: 6 | Words: 7.9K | Visits: 368 | Status: Completed
Title:The Phoenix Generation
Series: Fushigi Yuugi
Rating: R for language
Pairing: Tas/Nuri
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Hi again! I'm sorry it took so long, but here's chapter 2. A few reminders, all of the senshi are referred to by their "real" names (with the exception of Tasuki and Nuriko, for obvious reasons) Hope you enjoy! Please read and review!
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The Phoenix Generation
Chapter 2
A Senshi Dreams
Dinner was nothing like Genrou had ever experienced before. Other institutions have huge cavernous dining halls, echoing the voices and laughter of the up to 100 other patients. Dinner at home involved a smaller group, but also involved a fight to keep his food on his own plate safe from 6 greedy and spoiled older sisters. This group was tiny, so the dining room itself was small, with three round tables set up around one long buffet table. The table had various dishes, from steamed dumplings to spaghetti. The residents clamored around, eagerly filling their plates.
"Wow, this stuff looks really good!" Genrou commented, pilling up his plate with an eclectic mix of East and West cuisine.
Kourin nodded, delicately taking samples of everything. "It all tastes good, too. Dr. Ryoji has local chefs come by everyday to cook for us. They cater to everyone's taste."
"That's really awesome. I can't wait to meet the doc."
He, Koji and Kourin sat at the table closest to the buffet. Doukun agree to give Daisho and Yuuki Warcraft pointers and sat with them. Saiheti and Chuin occupied the last table, furthest away from the rest of the group. Saiheti gave Kourin a look for great lounging before sitting down.
"Ugh, if I wasn't so hungry, that would have made me lose my appetite." Kourin shuddered before stabbing a dumpling with his chopstick. "I'd love to go through a day without his harassment."
"I don't get it, Kourin," Genrou replied. "He's a stuck up asshole, that I know, but he doesn't look too hideous. Why not go for him?"
Koji finally looked up from his bowl of soba to respond before Kourin could. "That's because Miss Kourin's got peculiar taste in men."
"Koji!" Kourin bopped the errant teen on the head with the end of his chopsticks. "That's not it at all. I'm just not interested in guys who come on too strong. It's me rejecting him that keeps him coming. He's gotten everything he wanted all his life, so hearing me say no to him intrigues him. I'd be tossed aside if I fell for him, like Chuin will be the moment I said yes."
Genrou turned to look at the far table. Chuin looked enthralled as Saiheti regaled him with some random story. He sat inches away, occasionally closing the gap to whisper something into Saiheti's ear. Saiheti spun his tale with words and grand gestures, gracing his listener with his flashing smile and stroking his long gray hair every so often. He must have noticed Genrou's gaze, because he looked up into his eyes. His chin rose in a regal pose. Chuin followed the expression to it target. The hateful glare Genrou received could have melted the paint off the walls. The table grew silent.
"Geesh, Fang-Boy, what'd you do to piss Chuin off?" Koji put his hands to his temples, grimacing in pain. "He's projecting all kinds of hate."
"Koji, are you all right? What do you mean by projecting?"
Kourin put a steadying hand on Koji's shoulder. "Don't worry, Genrou. Koji feels these things much harder than everyone else here. He'll be okay in a minute."
As Koji's normally tan face paled, Genrou began to panic. "Feel what? Holy shit, Koji, I'm sorry." He was confused, and could not figure out why Chuin being angry with him could cause Koji pain.
After a moment, Koji put his hands down and breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm cool now, thanks." He patted the hand on his shoulder. "It's okay. Part of my 'major malfunction' is that I'm an empath. And Chuin's the exact opposite. He can project his own emotions to anyone he wants. It's a pain sometimes, he likes to project stuff so only I can feel it to 'punish' me for my 'insolence'. And right now, he feels like doing something really painful to you, Fang-Boy."
"Why were you looking over there anyway?" Kourin sat back down in his chair. "Do you go for tall, vain pretty boys?" He playfully leaned on Genrou's arm.
"Nah, it's obvious he likes 'em vain, pretty and much shorter." Koji leered at them both.
Both faces burned hotly as two voices protested at once. "Koji!" They both looked at each other, and then quickly turned away.
Genrou sputtered for a moment, then added sheepishly, "Don't get me wrong, he's gorgeous. You both are, it's just that Saiheti's a jerk and you don't seem all that vain."
"Hey, it's okay, Genrou," Kourin's face returned to its normal tone for only a second before flushing again as he patted the redhead on the head. "Do you-do you really think I'm cute?"
Honestly had always been Genrou's strongest suit, almost to the point of bluntness at times. It got him in trouble more times than out of it. He hoped that this time would not get him on Kourin's bad side.
"Well, hell yeah." Their eyes met once again, Kourin's hand remaining on his head. Genrou slowly smiled. It just felt right to sit there, basking in Kourin's warm expression. The rose colored eyes reflected the same emotion as Kourin's hand slid down to his cheek. Genrou fought the urge to nuzzle into his lightly calloused palm.
"Dearest Kourin, you shouldn't soil your hands touching...that. His ruggedness might rub off." Saiheti's voice was a bucket of cold water, killing the moment. He stood behind a glowering Koji, the ever-present Chuin at his side. Kourin's face hardened into a glare as he turned to Saiheti.
"I think who I chose to touch is my own concern. I don't need your help." he hissed. "Do I even have to guess why you're here yet again?
Saiheti motioned to the two plates Chuin was carrying. "Chuin and I were just getting a second helping, and I would be honored if you would dine with us. I'm sure it would be a welcome change to break bread with those with more class. We could speak more of our possible courtship."
Kourin's folded his arms across his chest. "What 'possible courtship'? You give the same damn offer every damn day, since you first got here, and every damn time, I say no. I'm saying 'no' now, and I'll keep saying no. Go away and take your lapdog with you. I have much classier company right here."
Chuin bristled, but remained silent as Saiheti growled, his voice growing lower. "I am losing patience with you, my lovely. You've foolishly scorned my affections for long enough, and now you attempt to replace me with an inferior substitute? If it wasn't so beneath me, I'd be jealous. Come, Chuin."
As the two departed, Kourin's face softened. "Ladies and Gentlemen, that was another installment of Stuck Up Asshole Theatre. Stay tuned tomorrow night when we do it all over again." His voice sounded tired, and Genrou fought the urge to reach out and comfort him.
He's going through enough with Saiheti. The last thing he needs is me trying to put the moves on him, he thought.
"What's the staff doing about this?" Genrou asked.
"I've told them, but as long as he doesn't get violent, they can't do anything about it. Why can't he and Chuin be happy leeching off each other?"
"That's easy, Kourin." Koji replied, "You belong to him, plain and simple. Everyone else is lower than he is, and should worship him like a prince. That's what he's thinking with that fucked up, sociopathic brain of his. You should be his Number One, I'm sorry, I meant fucktoy and lackey. It makes sense to him. Chuin needs him to keep his powers in check, not to mention Chuin has an excuse to put on airs. But it's only temporary until you see the light." He grabbed his bowl and stood up. "I'm going for more soup. Anybody want something while I'm up?"
Kourin shook his head and Genrou shrugged. "Nah, I'm not done yet."
Once they were alone at the table, Genrou looked over at the purple-haired crossdresser. Kourin was moving his chow mein around his plate absently. He looked worried and tense.
Genrou wanted to get rid of the tension. "Hey, Kourin? How does this place run? I mean, when are meals and stuff."
Kourin smiled gratefully. "Ah, changing the subject, are we? Okay then. Meals are at 9, 1, and 7:30. Wake up call is at 8, though if you want to wake up earlier, feel free. You'll get in and out the showers faster. Be in your room by nine at night, and lights out is at 10. What am I forgetting? Oh yeah, they check on us a lot during the day, so if some random nurse is following you around, don't freak. They're just security, doing their job."
"Why do we need security? We're so far off from anyone else..."
"Wackos, from both inside and out. People try to spy, and the random violent psuedo-PC. Security is everywhere, and they're well-trained."
Genrou looked around nervously. He did not notice when he first came in the number of extra people in the room. Dressed as nurses, they talked amongst themselves or grabbed a bite from the buffet.
"It's a shame this round of psuedo-PCs aren't nearly as interesting. They'll be gone soon." Koji reappeared with a full bowl of soba.
"Yeah, poor Yuuki and Daisho," Kourin snapped sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "Hey, at least they get to go home. I wish I could. Before you ask, Genrou, occasionally Dr. Ryoji takes in patients who have some of the Phoenix Children symptoms, but who aren't really PCs. A few months of hypnotherapy, some pills if needed, and they're good as new. They're sent home, 'cured', and Tombiki Clinic gets all kinds of good press. Because, of course, the real PCs are beyond help, and who would keep funding lost causes?"
Koji drained his bowl and rose from his seat. "Dinner's almost over, and I don't want to rush to the showers before bedtime. Let's scram."
The trio placed their plates on a nearby cart and left the dining room.
"Hey Kourin, should we tell him of the biggest secret of Tombiki Clinic?" Koji grinned at his co-compatriot.
"Koji, should we? Don't you think it's a little soon to spring on a newbie?" whispered Kourin.
At this point, Genrou had to know what they were talking about. His sense of curiosity was fully piqued. "Okay, what's the big secret? Does a dead patient haunt the place? Is Dr. Ryoji actually a slobbering demon monster? Does it have anything to do with the locked 3rd floor?"
Koji and Kourin stopped in their tracks, turning at the same time to look at Genrou with wide-eyed stares.
"You noticed that too, didn't you?" Kourin's voice was still at a whisper. "Whatever you do, don't ask any of the staff about it. That goes double for Kishuku, who you'll probably see tomorrow. No one knows anything."
"Which is complete bullshit, of course." Koji added. "Some nights we can sort of hear screams that don't come from this hallway. Well, 'we' as in myself, Kourin and Doukun. It has to be coming from the third floor, or at least that's what we're thinking."
"Do you know who it could be?" Genrou asked.
Koji nudged the group into walking again. This time he kept his voice low. "Of course we do. Everybody does. That's Miaka, the first Phoenix Child. Supposedly, she's a little too wacked out to join us down here. I'd sure like to meet her, though."
"Me too. It would be nice to meet the only real female Phoenix Child we've heard of." Kourin stopped in front of a mint green door decorated with black and white photos. "Here's my room, guys. It's time for me to get some sleep. Goodnight, and it was a pleasure to meet you," he placed a hand on Genrou's upper arm, "Gen-chan."
It was all Genrou could do to not melt at Kourin's mesmerizing gaze. Instead, he simply grinned idiotically and nodded as Kourin disappeared into his room.
"Way to go, Romeo," Koji mumbled as they walked into their room across the hall. "Got any other smooth moves? You'll never compete with Tasuki this way."
A brief flash of recognition hit Genrou at the name, but was quickly engulfed by the larger flare of jealousy. "What? Who? He's involved with someone?"
"Easy there, Fangy. I'm only telling you this because he's my best bud now, you had to my best bud in some other life, and it's plain to me that you two are hitting it off great. Besides, this way I get to prove my past life theory if you two were close in the same past life that we were buddies, and...never mind. Anyway, Kourin roomed with me when he first got to the Clinic. At night, he would have these dreams, different from the Phoenix ones. He'd toss and turn and mutter and moan and talk to this person named Tasuki. From sensing him at night, I could tell that they were dreams of an...interesting variety, if you know what I mean. When I mentioned it in the morning, he at first denied it, and then after a few nights he revealed that he really didn't know who this mystery lover named Tasuki is. That person could be you, I think, cause I've never seem him flirt with anyone until you showed up. You lucky dog, Saiheti's got to be burning up with jealousy of you."
Genrou had been rummaging through his neglected duffle during Koji's little speech, only listening with one ear. Today was very eventful, and his mind was racing trying to sort it all out. To make matters more difficult, he also had to sort out his feelings for a guy he'd just met. Kourin was nice and easy to talk to, and Genrou couldn't help but grin like an idiot when he saw those eyes. It was strange and familiar and confusing and obvious all at once.
It took a few moments to unpack his meager belongings and change into a baggy pair of sweatpants for bed. After Koji returned from the shower, he kept Genrou entertained with more tales of his antics at the Clinic until lights out.
Red, swirling visions haunted Genrou's dreams that night, bearing the mark of a Phoenix Dream. Flames framed scenes of other people, most of them people he just met. He saw Kourin cut his hair short with a quick swipe of a knife, and an oddly dressed Houjun disappearing into a large straw hat. He and Koji stood back-to-back, fighting unknown adversaries. The images flickered under the even growing red flames, which began to overcome the scenes. A bird's cry pierced his ears and the fire began to surround him...
"Hey, Fang Boy! Snap out of it, will ya?" Genrou quickly opened his eyes. Koji was standing over him, shaking him by the shoulders. Once he was assured that Genrou was really awake, Koji rolled off the bed, sighing in relief. "Whew! You were really far gone, buddy."
"Oh." Genrou was still trying to fully wake up and make sense of his dream. This time around, the people in the dream had faces and connections to him. Everything was felt more sharply, from the battle cries of a thousand men to the cold winter breeze. "I'm okay. Thanks for waking me."
"No problem, man. And by the way, don't worry if people ask you if you're okay today."
"Geez, did I scream that loud?" Genrou rolled over and tried to hide his face under his pillow.
Koji grabbed the pillow and yanked it away. "No, not at all. You didn't even mumble"
"Wait. Then how did you know I was dreaming?" Genrou stopped his attempt to retrieve his pillow to wait for an answer.
"Easy. I felt you dreaming. Don't look at me like that, you've haven't been around other PC's enough to know that we can feel each other have a Phoenix dream. Freaky, huh?"
"Yeah! What happens when you feel someone else's dream? I can't even handle my own, never mind feeling someone else's."
"It depends on you and the person dreaming, you know. Well, unless it's one of Chuin's dreams, and you'll know that from the sick feeling in your stomach and the urge to puke. I almost feel sorry for him. Almost. Usually for everyone else, your own dreams look even hazier, like your looking at them through a red screen or something. Sometimes, you just wake up and you just know. That's what happened to me this morning with you." Koji gave the pillow back. "Anyway, you look fine to me, but I'm pretty sure Houjun is on his way up here to make sure you're really okay. And you certainly can't blame the food for the dream. You ate like a horse."
Genrou grinned, "It's different from normal clinic food. It's actually edible."
"When was the last time they fed you, man? The only time your mouth wasn't full was when you were talking to Kourin. You two were so bonding last night." Koji glanced over at his desk clock. "You know, if you hurry, you might just catch him coming out of the shower..."
Whatever else Koji had to say was left unheard as Genrou hopped out of bed, looking frantically for a towel. Koji laughed at his new friend. "Towels and soap and stuff are already in the bathroom, doofus."
"Oh, thanks!" Genrou sped out the door, stopped, then turned around and headed back into the room.
"The bathrooms are two doors up, the other way. You can't miss the showers."
"Thanks!" Genrou once again took off, now going in the correct direction.
Just as Koji predicted , Kourin stepped out of the girl's bathroom the moment Genrou got to the door. Slick purple hair clung to his face and shoulders and several water droplets slid down his chest, which was partly covered by the towel he'd wrapped around himself. One hand held it secure while the other carried a small bucket of various bath supplies. Kourin was quite literally a walking wet dream. Genrou found himself once again at a loss for words, and frantically thinking of the most unsexiest things he could muster. It was barely working.
"Good morning, Genrou." Kourin leaned against the wall, brushing a wet lock that had fallen in front of his face. "How are you?"
"I'm fine. And you?" Sparkling repertoire it wasn't, but it was all he could think of at the moment.
He causally leaned against the wall. "I slept like a baby, well, until you had your dream. Don't worry; I only woke up. I beat my alarm by 45 minutes, so I took an extra long shower."
Genrou fished for something to say as he copied the lean. "Do you normally use the girl's bathroom?"
Kourin shrugged. "Force of habit. And it's less crowded, with all these guys here. Yuuki and I have a deal where she showers at night, and I do it in the mornings." He stepped aside, playfully smiling. "You can use it now, if you want. You were in such a hurry to get here."
"Well, ah, um.." Genrou could feel his own face warming.
"I'll let you off the hook, for now." Kourin's smile widened, "Any other questions?"
"Well, I've been really curious...it's none of my business, but..." Genrou dropped his gaze, afraid to even finish the sentence. "You can smack me if you want, but what's with the gender bending?"
To Genrou's surprise, Kourin's smile turned into a laugh. "You're the first patient here to ever ask me that to my face. Usually Koji's already filled the newbies in on all the dirt by their first evening. He's a great friend, but a mite on the talkative side sometimes. And they say that only girls gossip. Very well, I'll answer your question, but you'll have to come with me to my room. I have to dry my hair before I catch a cold or something."
Genrou simply nodded, and followed the violet-haired boy to his bedroom. He got a better look at the pictures as Kourin unlocked the door. Most of the photos were of Kourin in different poses and places: cheerleading, horseback riding, sitting at a piano, and hugging a gigantic white stuffed bear. As Kourin pushed the door open and entered the room, Genrou noticed another picture right in the middle of the door. It was a color Polaroid of Kourin in a white graduation gown being hugged by her slightly taller twin brother. The label underneath it said "Kourin and Ryuuen. Kourin's 5th grade graduation." He then noticed a little difference in the other pictures. None of black and white photos of Kourin has the distinctive beauty mark, but the boy in the color picture did.
"Do you like them? I did all the black and white ones. Mom did the graduation photo." Kourin had crossed the room while Genrou was observing the pictures and was drying his hair with a towel. "That's my little sister. They all are."
"So you are...?"
"Kourin.," he answered quickly, interrupting Genrou. "I'm Kourin for now. Until she wakes up from her coma, I'm Kourin. She had an accident years ago. I got my first Phoenix Dream shortly after it," Kourin shrugged. "It's no big deal, really. Mom and Dad and big brother are really confident that she'll wake up soon. Even Houjun thinks so, that's why he's making sure I start doing the things I used to do, like playing the guitar and basketball and stuff."
"And after your sister wakes up, then who you will be?" Genrou pressed. Kourin smirked at the boy's persistence before slipping behind a shoji screen with a handful of clothes.
"Cute...Once my sister is awake, I'll be Ryuuen again. Now that I've answered a question of yours, it's your turn."
Genrou started to get a little nervous. It was fair for Kourin to ask him for information, but his past was so dark compared to what those happy pictures revealed of Kourin's home life. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he waited for Kourin to ask his question. Apparently, the other boy was going to make him wait until he got dressed.
Kourin came from behind the screen, clad in a pair of jeans and a white poet's shirt that draped off his shoulders.
"Okay, I've decided what I wanted to know right now. Do you have any siblings?"
"Yeah...well, no...well...I did. I still do, technically."
Kourin's right eyebrow arched in confusion. "What happened?"
"I'm disowned. My folks couldn't handle the whole Phoenix Child thing. Not that it would have made much of a difference anyway. I'm the youngest and the only boy, kind of an afterthought." He looked away, ashamed.
"I'm sorry, Gen-chan. That was probably the wrong thing to ask..."
"No, not at all. You didn't know." Genrou continued to stare at the carpet until Kourin's foot blocked his view. He looked up and noticed that Kourin was standing inches away from him, close enough to feel his warm breath on his chest and smell the herbal shampoo in his hair. It felt rather awkward to be rooted to the spot by someone so much shorter than he, but rooted he was.
"I don't know why I'm saying this, but it feels right, and I've learned to follow my instincts when I'm dealing with others like me. If it's okay with you, I want to hear more about you." The smaller boy looked just as affected by their closeness as he was, though his words were sure. A telltale blush darkened his cheeks. "Maybe I can figure out why you interest me so much."
Genrou blinked a few times, letting the words sink in until he replied, "I'd like that."
"Genrou," Houjun interrupted the moment by walking in. "I knew I heard your voice. Can I talk to you for a moment?"
"Sure, Houjun. See you at breakfast, then, Kourin?" Genrou waved and followed Houjun out.
Kourin grinned back. "Sure, till then Gen-chan."
Once they were in the hallway, Houjun softly elbowed the redhead in the ribs. "So it's 'Gen-chan' now, huh? I thought only Koji gave nicknames, but I'm glad you're settling in all right."
"Yeah, Koji and Kourin are pretty cool. I like them." Genrou replied.
"I'm not going to take a lot of your time this morning. I wanted to check up on you, see how you slept on your first night. As I'm pretty sure Koji told you, we all felt your dream."
Genrou's lost a bit of his grin, wishing that people would stop worrying about his harmless dreams. "Thanks, but I'm fine. It was nothing."
"I'm glad it was nothing. If it does become something, though, this place is full of listening ears." Genrou nodded. "After breakfast, Juan and Nurse Ami will give you a physical, just to make sure that you're healthy, and after that the good Dr. Ryoji will talk to you. By the time that's over, you'll have just enough time to make to group therapy with me."
Jeez, thought Genrou, that's pretty regimented. "Do we get any time for ourselves at all?"
Houjun stopped for a moment, then laughed. "Of course you do. I try to keep things as open-ended as possible during the therapy sessions. No one's really required to go to them. All we ask you to do is show up for physicals. And between sessions and meals, there's the gym and the pond outside. The rec room is always unlocked. Take it from me, you'd do a lot better to show up to the sessions. You'll find that you have a lot more free time than you think. Anyway, breakfast awaits." Houjun patted Genrou's shoulder. "You'd better hop to it if you want a hot shower before Saiheti and Chuin get there."
Genrou was startled for a moment. Did Houjun hear about the altercation last night? "Really? Why?"
"Those two regularly suck up all the hot water on this floor. It's all that hair, and I thought mine was trouble. It's a good thing Saiheti's willing to help poor Chuin out. Then again, we've had to get on them about their 'displays of affection' in the shower, so it could also be a bad thing. We don't want to make any of the other patients uncomfortable. See you later." Houjun headed down the hall with a wave.
*
"Turn your head and cough"
The gloved hand holding Genrou's scrotum withdrew as he did what he was asked. The first thing he noticed about "Dr." Juan when he met him was his height. Dr. Juan was a very young tall man. The second thing he noticed was how quickly, efficiently, and silently he when through the procedure. Dr. Juan was also a very quiet young man.
Nurse Ami had left him downstairs to the exam room right after breakfast and instructed Dr. Juan to do the examination. The doctor in training said no more than a dozen words since.
"You can get dressed now," Juan turned his back to Genrou, peeling his gloves from his hands.
"So, what's up, doc? Am I all in one piece?" Genrou asked while quickly shedding the paper gown.
Juan kept this back turned. "Yes, you're fine."
After a few moments of uncomfortable silence passed, Genrou tried to spark up another exchange by being blunt. "You don't talk much, don't you?"
"Are you dressed?"
Shuddering slightly at the chill tone, Genrou had his jeans and t-shirt on in no time flat. "Okay, fine, I'm dressed."
Still not turning around, Juan went to the door and opened it slightly.
"Okay, Kishuku, he's ready."
The door opened further and another young man of Genrou's age stepped in. The gray-blue haired youth wore a blue work suit mottled with dark spots.
"Hey, you must be Genrou. Come on, Dr. Ryoji's waiting." Kishuku led Genrou out of the exam room and down the hall. "I have to hurry, though. The climate control is on the fritz, and I gotta fix it before everyone else notices."
"I hear you. By the way, what's eating Juan?" Genrou muttered as soon as the door was closed.
"Don't worry about him too much. He's always been distant. All he wanted to do after Dr. Ryoji got his condition stabilized was leave, go back to med school, and lead a 'normal' life. It took offering a lot of money to keep him here."
"Is he ashamed of being a Phoenix Child?"
"Who knows? Dr. Ryoji wanted to keep Juan, Houjun and me together after we got our shit together, so he offered us all jobs. I like it here, being around people who understand. I miss home, but it's safer for me to be here. So I work and send the money there."
The boys stopped in front of another door. The brass sign read "Dr. Jyon Ryoji." Kishuku rapped on the door.
"Come in," a voice on the other side answered. Kishuku opened the door and motioned for Genrou to enter.
"Don't worry, he's doesn't bite. I'll see you around."
Genrou stepped into the office. Sitting at a desk across from him was a middle-aged man clad in white, including white gloves and a bandana around his forehead. The man took in Genrou's surprised look and laughed.
"Good morning, Shun'u, or should I say, Genrou? I take it that I'm not what you expected?"
"You don't look like any head-shrinker I've met before."
"And hopefully, I will be unlike any other 'head-shrinker' you've met before. I intend to help you. Have a seat," he pointed to a pair of stuffed chairs sitting in a corner of the room in front of a window. Genrou took the one closest to the window and the doctor took the one across from him. Perched on the arm of Dr. Ryoji's chair was a small monitor that was turned to face him.
"I have no intention of diving into your head right now. One examination today was enough, don't you think? I apologize for not greeting you when you came in. I like for my patients to get comfortable in their new enviroment before we start any treatment plan. So, how do you like it here so far?"
Genrou leaned back in the chair, "It's different from the other places. I like it here a lot. Thanks for bringing me." He didn't want to get into too much detail about why he liked Tombiki so much, but a pair of rose-colored eyes had a lot to do with it.
"It's not a problem, Genrou. I couldn't bear to think that you would have been put to death when you really needed help. If we work together, I promise that we'll get to the bottom of what's wrong." He pulled out a small pad and pen from his robe. "Now, let's get started. I hear from Houjun that you had a dream last night. Tell me about it, in as much detail as you're willing to give. This will give me some insight into how you tick."
As Genrou went into the details, Dr. Ryoji scribbled notes and occasionally glanced at the monitor. Genrou's curiosity kicked in after the fourth glance.
"What's with the TV?" he asked.
"Oh, don't worry about this. I like to keep an eye on my patients as much as possible. This monitor shows me the rec room and dining hall. Now, this question may sound odd, Genrou, but have you seen any of the other patients in your dreams?"
"Well, yeah. It's weird. I couldn't figure out who these people were until I met them yesterday. They were doing strange stuff, too, like throwing boulders and casting spells and having wild blue hair-wait. The blue-haired thing was only Houjun."
Dr. Ryoji smiled and nodded. "That's a surprisingly common similarity among the dreams of your fellow patients. Houjun and I had a long talk last April Fool's Day when he planned to come to work to blue hair. I was afraid that it would upset some of our more sensitive patients." Dr. Ryoji took one more look at the monitor, and rose from his seat. "Alright, Genrou, that will be all for today. We'll have sessions like this ever other day for starters, then we'll lessen them according to how you are doing. The other session will, of course, be longer than this one." He extended his hand to the rising boy.
"Sounds good." Genrou took the offered hand in a firm shake.
"If you hurry, you'll have an hour of free time before Houjun's group, and I believe most of the patients are in the gym."
After getting directions to the gym, Genrou dashed to the door. While the doctor's appearance was weird, by the end of the session, Genrou felt comforted by the doctor's intent. The monitor was still a point of curiosity, but he pushed it in the back of his mind for the time being. It was time to make the most of the free hour he had.
*
As soon as the door closed behind Genrou, the smile on Dr. Ryoji's face widened. He got exactly what he wanted.
He sat back down at the monitor and pressed a hidden button located under the left arm of the chair. The picture on the monitor rewound itself until he left go of the button. He watched intently as Miaka, still strapped to the bed, stir, then begin to thrash and scream. Dr. Ryoji pressed another button to raise the volume.
"Ta-Tasuki? Can you hear me? Please help!!! I know you're there, I can feel you. Please..."
The clock in Miaka's room showed that the tape was recorded at the same time that Genrou was retelling his Dream. The doctor scribbled down his findings in his little book.
"Also," he wrote, "Subject Genrou, known as 'Tasuki' by Miaka, rubbed his right forearm as he described his visions. Whether it was in response to the Dream or to Miaka is currently unknown. It does, however confirm my other experiments. According to Miaka, Genrou is the last Phoenix child. The final phase can begin."
He pressed a button under right arm.
"Ami, get me Yuuki and Daisho's release papers. We have who we are looking for."
"Hai, Ryoji-sama. What will we do with Chuin and Koji? They technically aren't..."
"I am aware of that, Ami. Chuin stays, if only to appease 'His Majesty'. There is power with him, and I want to keep a close eye on that. Koji was my first patient here and my best detector. Removing him now would upset the others, and we don't want that right now."
"As you wish, Ryoji-sama."
*
The gym sounded busy when Genrou shoved the double doors open. Kishuku, Koji, Houjun, and Kourin were on the basketball court. All but Kourin were topless, and from the amount of sweat pouring from their chests, they had been playing hard for a while.
Koji was the first to see Genrou. "Hey, Fang-Boy! How was the brain shrinkage?"
"My brain's still intact, if that's what you're asking," Genrou replied. "Where's everyone else?"
"Yuuki, Daisho, and Doukun were here earlier, but when Cyclops here showed up and got topless, Yuuki suddenly couldn't concentrate on the tetherball game they were playing. Gee, I wonder why." He smirked and wiggled his eyebrows at Houjun.
"Now, Koji, be nice. Don't tease Yuuki." Houjun's look was admonishing, but his tone was light.
"Ha! It's not me that's teasing Yuuki. That poor, poor girl can't handle you when you're fully clothed, and here you go showing off your chest. I pity her." Koji quickly stopped his tirade just in time to catch the ball Houjun threw at him. "Alright, I'll quit. Anyway, Saiheti and Chuin never appear at the gym."
"They're obviously allergic to the scent of other people's sweat," Kourin interjected. "So Genrou, do you play basketball?"
"Yeah, sometimes." After years of gym class, his skills on the court were passable. He wanted to join in, if just to do something else besides trying not to stare at Kourin's sweat-soaked t-shirt cling to his chest. It amazed Genrou that even in a shirt and gym shorts, his hair pulled back in a high ponytail, Kourin carried a delicate air. "Can I play, or do I have to wait for this game to end?"
Houjun nodded, walking towards the sidelines to find his shirt. "No problem. I have to set up for the next session anyway, so you can take my place. I'm Kishuku's partner and the score's 5 to 8 in our favor. Good luck."
Genrou stepped on the court, caught the ball Koji tossed to him, and the game started anew. He was greatly surprised by the skill of his teammate and opponents. They were not NBA material, but they played well. Genrou was especially surprised by Kourin mere presence. Guarding him was quite difficult due to his speed, and Kourin's team kept scoring.
"Come on, Genrou," Kishuku chided after Kourin scored another 3 pointer. "Are you guarding or dancing?"
"You know, you can play a little rough with me, Gen-chan. I won't break." Kourin winked at the taller boy, which threw Genrou off enough for him to break through and score another jump shot. The score was 12 to 18 in Koji and Kourin's favor.
Kourin is just playing dirty, Genrou thought to himself. It was obvious that Kourin was using the attraction between them to trip Genrou up. An idea popped into his head.
"Time out, guys. It's getting a little warm with this shirt on." Genrou ran to the sidelines to peel it off. Behind him, he heard a soft little gasp of surprise.
"Careful, Kourin, you're starting to look like Yuuki when Houjun was here.."
"Shut up, Koji," Kourin growled. Genrou smiled, marveling at the beauty of his plan. Retaliation was the name the game now.
The game quickly started again, this time with Genrou successfully stealing the ball several times using his patented "look cute and trusting" trick he used on the streets. He would smirk, flashing a bit of fang, run his fingers through his flame red hair, and just wait for Kourin's eyes to stare a little too hard. Then he would take the opportunity to speed by to either pass the ball to Kishuku or score himself. Soon the score was tied at 18.
"For fuck's sake, Kourin, what happened?" Koji scolded.
"Sorry, I got distracted." Genrou couldn't help be chuckle slightly as he noticed Kourin peeking over Koji's shoulder. Their next exchange was too quiet for Genrou to hear, but when they walked back to their side of the court, he couldn't help but notice a faint blush on Kourin's face.
"So, you guys done talking?" Kishuku asked. "We're down to the last two points."
"Sure, let's go." Kourin replied.
The game began again, with Kishuku handling the ball first. He took no time in passing it to Genrou. Kourin tracked Genrou step for step, trying to block his advances. The two locked eyes and they wouldn't give up. It took Kishuku's yell to snap Genrou out of his revere long enough to pass the ball to him. He then scored a perfect 2 pointer, ending the game.
"Next time," Kishuku said, picking up his shirt as the boys heading out of the gym. "Genrou and Kourin are on the same team. At least I wouldn't have to keep Koji's attention on the game."
"I wouldn't be so sure, Kishuku," Koji replied, "You're quite a sight when you play. How could I possibly pay attention to the game when I can't stare at your gorgeous chest?" His grin threatened to split his head in half.
Kishuku rolled his eyes. "I'm flattered, but you're not my type. We'll deal the whole team thing later. I gotta run, guys. Shower and work calls."
"Same time, same place then?" Kourin waved at the departing boy. "I like his idea of a shower. Let's go."
*
Dr. Ryoji's face was the last thing Miaka wanted to see upon waking up from her last drug-induced nap. But there he was, staring down at her face with a smile that was too smug to be friendly.
"Good afternoon, Miaka-chan. I trust you slept well?"
Miaka glared at him. "What do you think?" she replied in a slurred voice. "You keep me doped up all the time."
"My dear Miaka, keeping you sedated is necessary, given your delicate condition. We wouldn't want to upset you..."
"That's bull, and you know it!" Miaka's voice grew stronger as the sedative wore off. "Just you wait. You've got all of us gathered here. My senshi will regain their memories, and then, THEN, you'll going to be sorry."
Dr. Ryoji covered her mouth with a hand. "That's precisely what I'm counting on, silly girl. As they are right now, they are powerless. But once they realize who they are, then, THEN, my plans will reach fruition," He pressed his hand down over her thrashing face. "Oh there you go again, getting all upset. Let's take care of that."
Her eyes widened and her muffled cries increased as he revealed as syringe in his other hand. "Now, please don't scream too loudly when I let go, you'll only exhaust yourself."
Miaka took a deep breath, and as Dr. Ryoji released her mouth, she let out a loud scream. Sighing, the doctor calmly injected the syringe into her IV, turned, and walked away. Her screams died down just in time for the door of her room to close.
"Rest now, my little Miko. I will have need of you soon."
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I like comments! jailaheyn@yahoo.com
Series: Fushigi Yuugi
Rating: R for language
Pairing: Tas/Nuri
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Hi again! I'm sorry it took so long, but here's chapter 2. A few reminders, all of the senshi are referred to by their "real" names (with the exception of Tasuki and Nuriko, for obvious reasons) Hope you enjoy! Please read and review!
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The Phoenix Generation
Chapter 2
A Senshi Dreams
Dinner was nothing like Genrou had ever experienced before. Other institutions have huge cavernous dining halls, echoing the voices and laughter of the up to 100 other patients. Dinner at home involved a smaller group, but also involved a fight to keep his food on his own plate safe from 6 greedy and spoiled older sisters. This group was tiny, so the dining room itself was small, with three round tables set up around one long buffet table. The table had various dishes, from steamed dumplings to spaghetti. The residents clamored around, eagerly filling their plates.
"Wow, this stuff looks really good!" Genrou commented, pilling up his plate with an eclectic mix of East and West cuisine.
Kourin nodded, delicately taking samples of everything. "It all tastes good, too. Dr. Ryoji has local chefs come by everyday to cook for us. They cater to everyone's taste."
"That's really awesome. I can't wait to meet the doc."
He, Koji and Kourin sat at the table closest to the buffet. Doukun agree to give Daisho and Yuuki Warcraft pointers and sat with them. Saiheti and Chuin occupied the last table, furthest away from the rest of the group. Saiheti gave Kourin a look for great lounging before sitting down.
"Ugh, if I wasn't so hungry, that would have made me lose my appetite." Kourin shuddered before stabbing a dumpling with his chopstick. "I'd love to go through a day without his harassment."
"I don't get it, Kourin," Genrou replied. "He's a stuck up asshole, that I know, but he doesn't look too hideous. Why not go for him?"
Koji finally looked up from his bowl of soba to respond before Kourin could. "That's because Miss Kourin's got peculiar taste in men."
"Koji!" Kourin bopped the errant teen on the head with the end of his chopsticks. "That's not it at all. I'm just not interested in guys who come on too strong. It's me rejecting him that keeps him coming. He's gotten everything he wanted all his life, so hearing me say no to him intrigues him. I'd be tossed aside if I fell for him, like Chuin will be the moment I said yes."
Genrou turned to look at the far table. Chuin looked enthralled as Saiheti regaled him with some random story. He sat inches away, occasionally closing the gap to whisper something into Saiheti's ear. Saiheti spun his tale with words and grand gestures, gracing his listener with his flashing smile and stroking his long gray hair every so often. He must have noticed Genrou's gaze, because he looked up into his eyes. His chin rose in a regal pose. Chuin followed the expression to it target. The hateful glare Genrou received could have melted the paint off the walls. The table grew silent.
"Geesh, Fang-Boy, what'd you do to piss Chuin off?" Koji put his hands to his temples, grimacing in pain. "He's projecting all kinds of hate."
"Koji, are you all right? What do you mean by projecting?"
Kourin put a steadying hand on Koji's shoulder. "Don't worry, Genrou. Koji feels these things much harder than everyone else here. He'll be okay in a minute."
As Koji's normally tan face paled, Genrou began to panic. "Feel what? Holy shit, Koji, I'm sorry." He was confused, and could not figure out why Chuin being angry with him could cause Koji pain.
After a moment, Koji put his hands down and breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm cool now, thanks." He patted the hand on his shoulder. "It's okay. Part of my 'major malfunction' is that I'm an empath. And Chuin's the exact opposite. He can project his own emotions to anyone he wants. It's a pain sometimes, he likes to project stuff so only I can feel it to 'punish' me for my 'insolence'. And right now, he feels like doing something really painful to you, Fang-Boy."
"Why were you looking over there anyway?" Kourin sat back down in his chair. "Do you go for tall, vain pretty boys?" He playfully leaned on Genrou's arm.
"Nah, it's obvious he likes 'em vain, pretty and much shorter." Koji leered at them both.
Both faces burned hotly as two voices protested at once. "Koji!" They both looked at each other, and then quickly turned away.
Genrou sputtered for a moment, then added sheepishly, "Don't get me wrong, he's gorgeous. You both are, it's just that Saiheti's a jerk and you don't seem all that vain."
"Hey, it's okay, Genrou," Kourin's face returned to its normal tone for only a second before flushing again as he patted the redhead on the head. "Do you-do you really think I'm cute?"
Honestly had always been Genrou's strongest suit, almost to the point of bluntness at times. It got him in trouble more times than out of it. He hoped that this time would not get him on Kourin's bad side.
"Well, hell yeah." Their eyes met once again, Kourin's hand remaining on his head. Genrou slowly smiled. It just felt right to sit there, basking in Kourin's warm expression. The rose colored eyes reflected the same emotion as Kourin's hand slid down to his cheek. Genrou fought the urge to nuzzle into his lightly calloused palm.
"Dearest Kourin, you shouldn't soil your hands touching...that. His ruggedness might rub off." Saiheti's voice was a bucket of cold water, killing the moment. He stood behind a glowering Koji, the ever-present Chuin at his side. Kourin's face hardened into a glare as he turned to Saiheti.
"I think who I chose to touch is my own concern. I don't need your help." he hissed. "Do I even have to guess why you're here yet again?
Saiheti motioned to the two plates Chuin was carrying. "Chuin and I were just getting a second helping, and I would be honored if you would dine with us. I'm sure it would be a welcome change to break bread with those with more class. We could speak more of our possible courtship."
Kourin's folded his arms across his chest. "What 'possible courtship'? You give the same damn offer every damn day, since you first got here, and every damn time, I say no. I'm saying 'no' now, and I'll keep saying no. Go away and take your lapdog with you. I have much classier company right here."
Chuin bristled, but remained silent as Saiheti growled, his voice growing lower. "I am losing patience with you, my lovely. You've foolishly scorned my affections for long enough, and now you attempt to replace me with an inferior substitute? If it wasn't so beneath me, I'd be jealous. Come, Chuin."
As the two departed, Kourin's face softened. "Ladies and Gentlemen, that was another installment of Stuck Up Asshole Theatre. Stay tuned tomorrow night when we do it all over again." His voice sounded tired, and Genrou fought the urge to reach out and comfort him.
He's going through enough with Saiheti. The last thing he needs is me trying to put the moves on him, he thought.
"What's the staff doing about this?" Genrou asked.
"I've told them, but as long as he doesn't get violent, they can't do anything about it. Why can't he and Chuin be happy leeching off each other?"
"That's easy, Kourin." Koji replied, "You belong to him, plain and simple. Everyone else is lower than he is, and should worship him like a prince. That's what he's thinking with that fucked up, sociopathic brain of his. You should be his Number One, I'm sorry, I meant fucktoy and lackey. It makes sense to him. Chuin needs him to keep his powers in check, not to mention Chuin has an excuse to put on airs. But it's only temporary until you see the light." He grabbed his bowl and stood up. "I'm going for more soup. Anybody want something while I'm up?"
Kourin shook his head and Genrou shrugged. "Nah, I'm not done yet."
Once they were alone at the table, Genrou looked over at the purple-haired crossdresser. Kourin was moving his chow mein around his plate absently. He looked worried and tense.
Genrou wanted to get rid of the tension. "Hey, Kourin? How does this place run? I mean, when are meals and stuff."
Kourin smiled gratefully. "Ah, changing the subject, are we? Okay then. Meals are at 9, 1, and 7:30. Wake up call is at 8, though if you want to wake up earlier, feel free. You'll get in and out the showers faster. Be in your room by nine at night, and lights out is at 10. What am I forgetting? Oh yeah, they check on us a lot during the day, so if some random nurse is following you around, don't freak. They're just security, doing their job."
"Why do we need security? We're so far off from anyone else..."
"Wackos, from both inside and out. People try to spy, and the random violent psuedo-PC. Security is everywhere, and they're well-trained."
Genrou looked around nervously. He did not notice when he first came in the number of extra people in the room. Dressed as nurses, they talked amongst themselves or grabbed a bite from the buffet.
"It's a shame this round of psuedo-PCs aren't nearly as interesting. They'll be gone soon." Koji reappeared with a full bowl of soba.
"Yeah, poor Yuuki and Daisho," Kourin snapped sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "Hey, at least they get to go home. I wish I could. Before you ask, Genrou, occasionally Dr. Ryoji takes in patients who have some of the Phoenix Children symptoms, but who aren't really PCs. A few months of hypnotherapy, some pills if needed, and they're good as new. They're sent home, 'cured', and Tombiki Clinic gets all kinds of good press. Because, of course, the real PCs are beyond help, and who would keep funding lost causes?"
Koji drained his bowl and rose from his seat. "Dinner's almost over, and I don't want to rush to the showers before bedtime. Let's scram."
The trio placed their plates on a nearby cart and left the dining room.
"Hey Kourin, should we tell him of the biggest secret of Tombiki Clinic?" Koji grinned at his co-compatriot.
"Koji, should we? Don't you think it's a little soon to spring on a newbie?" whispered Kourin.
At this point, Genrou had to know what they were talking about. His sense of curiosity was fully piqued. "Okay, what's the big secret? Does a dead patient haunt the place? Is Dr. Ryoji actually a slobbering demon monster? Does it have anything to do with the locked 3rd floor?"
Koji and Kourin stopped in their tracks, turning at the same time to look at Genrou with wide-eyed stares.
"You noticed that too, didn't you?" Kourin's voice was still at a whisper. "Whatever you do, don't ask any of the staff about it. That goes double for Kishuku, who you'll probably see tomorrow. No one knows anything."
"Which is complete bullshit, of course." Koji added. "Some nights we can sort of hear screams that don't come from this hallway. Well, 'we' as in myself, Kourin and Doukun. It has to be coming from the third floor, or at least that's what we're thinking."
"Do you know who it could be?" Genrou asked.
Koji nudged the group into walking again. This time he kept his voice low. "Of course we do. Everybody does. That's Miaka, the first Phoenix Child. Supposedly, she's a little too wacked out to join us down here. I'd sure like to meet her, though."
"Me too. It would be nice to meet the only real female Phoenix Child we've heard of." Kourin stopped in front of a mint green door decorated with black and white photos. "Here's my room, guys. It's time for me to get some sleep. Goodnight, and it was a pleasure to meet you," he placed a hand on Genrou's upper arm, "Gen-chan."
It was all Genrou could do to not melt at Kourin's mesmerizing gaze. Instead, he simply grinned idiotically and nodded as Kourin disappeared into his room.
"Way to go, Romeo," Koji mumbled as they walked into their room across the hall. "Got any other smooth moves? You'll never compete with Tasuki this way."
A brief flash of recognition hit Genrou at the name, but was quickly engulfed by the larger flare of jealousy. "What? Who? He's involved with someone?"
"Easy there, Fangy. I'm only telling you this because he's my best bud now, you had to my best bud in some other life, and it's plain to me that you two are hitting it off great. Besides, this way I get to prove my past life theory if you two were close in the same past life that we were buddies, and...never mind. Anyway, Kourin roomed with me when he first got to the Clinic. At night, he would have these dreams, different from the Phoenix ones. He'd toss and turn and mutter and moan and talk to this person named Tasuki. From sensing him at night, I could tell that they were dreams of an...interesting variety, if you know what I mean. When I mentioned it in the morning, he at first denied it, and then after a few nights he revealed that he really didn't know who this mystery lover named Tasuki is. That person could be you, I think, cause I've never seem him flirt with anyone until you showed up. You lucky dog, Saiheti's got to be burning up with jealousy of you."
Genrou had been rummaging through his neglected duffle during Koji's little speech, only listening with one ear. Today was very eventful, and his mind was racing trying to sort it all out. To make matters more difficult, he also had to sort out his feelings for a guy he'd just met. Kourin was nice and easy to talk to, and Genrou couldn't help but grin like an idiot when he saw those eyes. It was strange and familiar and confusing and obvious all at once.
It took a few moments to unpack his meager belongings and change into a baggy pair of sweatpants for bed. After Koji returned from the shower, he kept Genrou entertained with more tales of his antics at the Clinic until lights out.
Red, swirling visions haunted Genrou's dreams that night, bearing the mark of a Phoenix Dream. Flames framed scenes of other people, most of them people he just met. He saw Kourin cut his hair short with a quick swipe of a knife, and an oddly dressed Houjun disappearing into a large straw hat. He and Koji stood back-to-back, fighting unknown adversaries. The images flickered under the even growing red flames, which began to overcome the scenes. A bird's cry pierced his ears and the fire began to surround him...
"Hey, Fang Boy! Snap out of it, will ya?" Genrou quickly opened his eyes. Koji was standing over him, shaking him by the shoulders. Once he was assured that Genrou was really awake, Koji rolled off the bed, sighing in relief. "Whew! You were really far gone, buddy."
"Oh." Genrou was still trying to fully wake up and make sense of his dream. This time around, the people in the dream had faces and connections to him. Everything was felt more sharply, from the battle cries of a thousand men to the cold winter breeze. "I'm okay. Thanks for waking me."
"No problem, man. And by the way, don't worry if people ask you if you're okay today."
"Geez, did I scream that loud?" Genrou rolled over and tried to hide his face under his pillow.
Koji grabbed the pillow and yanked it away. "No, not at all. You didn't even mumble"
"Wait. Then how did you know I was dreaming?" Genrou stopped his attempt to retrieve his pillow to wait for an answer.
"Easy. I felt you dreaming. Don't look at me like that, you've haven't been around other PC's enough to know that we can feel each other have a Phoenix dream. Freaky, huh?"
"Yeah! What happens when you feel someone else's dream? I can't even handle my own, never mind feeling someone else's."
"It depends on you and the person dreaming, you know. Well, unless it's one of Chuin's dreams, and you'll know that from the sick feeling in your stomach and the urge to puke. I almost feel sorry for him. Almost. Usually for everyone else, your own dreams look even hazier, like your looking at them through a red screen or something. Sometimes, you just wake up and you just know. That's what happened to me this morning with you." Koji gave the pillow back. "Anyway, you look fine to me, but I'm pretty sure Houjun is on his way up here to make sure you're really okay. And you certainly can't blame the food for the dream. You ate like a horse."
Genrou grinned, "It's different from normal clinic food. It's actually edible."
"When was the last time they fed you, man? The only time your mouth wasn't full was when you were talking to Kourin. You two were so bonding last night." Koji glanced over at his desk clock. "You know, if you hurry, you might just catch him coming out of the shower..."
Whatever else Koji had to say was left unheard as Genrou hopped out of bed, looking frantically for a towel. Koji laughed at his new friend. "Towels and soap and stuff are already in the bathroom, doofus."
"Oh, thanks!" Genrou sped out the door, stopped, then turned around and headed back into the room.
"The bathrooms are two doors up, the other way. You can't miss the showers."
"Thanks!" Genrou once again took off, now going in the correct direction.
Just as Koji predicted , Kourin stepped out of the girl's bathroom the moment Genrou got to the door. Slick purple hair clung to his face and shoulders and several water droplets slid down his chest, which was partly covered by the towel he'd wrapped around himself. One hand held it secure while the other carried a small bucket of various bath supplies. Kourin was quite literally a walking wet dream. Genrou found himself once again at a loss for words, and frantically thinking of the most unsexiest things he could muster. It was barely working.
"Good morning, Genrou." Kourin leaned against the wall, brushing a wet lock that had fallen in front of his face. "How are you?"
"I'm fine. And you?" Sparkling repertoire it wasn't, but it was all he could think of at the moment.
He causally leaned against the wall. "I slept like a baby, well, until you had your dream. Don't worry; I only woke up. I beat my alarm by 45 minutes, so I took an extra long shower."
Genrou fished for something to say as he copied the lean. "Do you normally use the girl's bathroom?"
Kourin shrugged. "Force of habit. And it's less crowded, with all these guys here. Yuuki and I have a deal where she showers at night, and I do it in the mornings." He stepped aside, playfully smiling. "You can use it now, if you want. You were in such a hurry to get here."
"Well, ah, um.." Genrou could feel his own face warming.
"I'll let you off the hook, for now." Kourin's smile widened, "Any other questions?"
"Well, I've been really curious...it's none of my business, but..." Genrou dropped his gaze, afraid to even finish the sentence. "You can smack me if you want, but what's with the gender bending?"
To Genrou's surprise, Kourin's smile turned into a laugh. "You're the first patient here to ever ask me that to my face. Usually Koji's already filled the newbies in on all the dirt by their first evening. He's a great friend, but a mite on the talkative side sometimes. And they say that only girls gossip. Very well, I'll answer your question, but you'll have to come with me to my room. I have to dry my hair before I catch a cold or something."
Genrou simply nodded, and followed the violet-haired boy to his bedroom. He got a better look at the pictures as Kourin unlocked the door. Most of the photos were of Kourin in different poses and places: cheerleading, horseback riding, sitting at a piano, and hugging a gigantic white stuffed bear. As Kourin pushed the door open and entered the room, Genrou noticed another picture right in the middle of the door. It was a color Polaroid of Kourin in a white graduation gown being hugged by her slightly taller twin brother. The label underneath it said "Kourin and Ryuuen. Kourin's 5th grade graduation." He then noticed a little difference in the other pictures. None of black and white photos of Kourin has the distinctive beauty mark, but the boy in the color picture did.
"Do you like them? I did all the black and white ones. Mom did the graduation photo." Kourin had crossed the room while Genrou was observing the pictures and was drying his hair with a towel. "That's my little sister. They all are."
"So you are...?"
"Kourin.," he answered quickly, interrupting Genrou. "I'm Kourin for now. Until she wakes up from her coma, I'm Kourin. She had an accident years ago. I got my first Phoenix Dream shortly after it," Kourin shrugged. "It's no big deal, really. Mom and Dad and big brother are really confident that she'll wake up soon. Even Houjun thinks so, that's why he's making sure I start doing the things I used to do, like playing the guitar and basketball and stuff."
"And after your sister wakes up, then who you will be?" Genrou pressed. Kourin smirked at the boy's persistence before slipping behind a shoji screen with a handful of clothes.
"Cute...Once my sister is awake, I'll be Ryuuen again. Now that I've answered a question of yours, it's your turn."
Genrou started to get a little nervous. It was fair for Kourin to ask him for information, but his past was so dark compared to what those happy pictures revealed of Kourin's home life. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he waited for Kourin to ask his question. Apparently, the other boy was going to make him wait until he got dressed.
Kourin came from behind the screen, clad in a pair of jeans and a white poet's shirt that draped off his shoulders.
"Okay, I've decided what I wanted to know right now. Do you have any siblings?"
"Yeah...well, no...well...I did. I still do, technically."
Kourin's right eyebrow arched in confusion. "What happened?"
"I'm disowned. My folks couldn't handle the whole Phoenix Child thing. Not that it would have made much of a difference anyway. I'm the youngest and the only boy, kind of an afterthought." He looked away, ashamed.
"I'm sorry, Gen-chan. That was probably the wrong thing to ask..."
"No, not at all. You didn't know." Genrou continued to stare at the carpet until Kourin's foot blocked his view. He looked up and noticed that Kourin was standing inches away from him, close enough to feel his warm breath on his chest and smell the herbal shampoo in his hair. It felt rather awkward to be rooted to the spot by someone so much shorter than he, but rooted he was.
"I don't know why I'm saying this, but it feels right, and I've learned to follow my instincts when I'm dealing with others like me. If it's okay with you, I want to hear more about you." The smaller boy looked just as affected by their closeness as he was, though his words were sure. A telltale blush darkened his cheeks. "Maybe I can figure out why you interest me so much."
Genrou blinked a few times, letting the words sink in until he replied, "I'd like that."
"Genrou," Houjun interrupted the moment by walking in. "I knew I heard your voice. Can I talk to you for a moment?"
"Sure, Houjun. See you at breakfast, then, Kourin?" Genrou waved and followed Houjun out.
Kourin grinned back. "Sure, till then Gen-chan."
Once they were in the hallway, Houjun softly elbowed the redhead in the ribs. "So it's 'Gen-chan' now, huh? I thought only Koji gave nicknames, but I'm glad you're settling in all right."
"Yeah, Koji and Kourin are pretty cool. I like them." Genrou replied.
"I'm not going to take a lot of your time this morning. I wanted to check up on you, see how you slept on your first night. As I'm pretty sure Koji told you, we all felt your dream."
Genrou's lost a bit of his grin, wishing that people would stop worrying about his harmless dreams. "Thanks, but I'm fine. It was nothing."
"I'm glad it was nothing. If it does become something, though, this place is full of listening ears." Genrou nodded. "After breakfast, Juan and Nurse Ami will give you a physical, just to make sure that you're healthy, and after that the good Dr. Ryoji will talk to you. By the time that's over, you'll have just enough time to make to group therapy with me."
Jeez, thought Genrou, that's pretty regimented. "Do we get any time for ourselves at all?"
Houjun stopped for a moment, then laughed. "Of course you do. I try to keep things as open-ended as possible during the therapy sessions. No one's really required to go to them. All we ask you to do is show up for physicals. And between sessions and meals, there's the gym and the pond outside. The rec room is always unlocked. Take it from me, you'd do a lot better to show up to the sessions. You'll find that you have a lot more free time than you think. Anyway, breakfast awaits." Houjun patted Genrou's shoulder. "You'd better hop to it if you want a hot shower before Saiheti and Chuin get there."
Genrou was startled for a moment. Did Houjun hear about the altercation last night? "Really? Why?"
"Those two regularly suck up all the hot water on this floor. It's all that hair, and I thought mine was trouble. It's a good thing Saiheti's willing to help poor Chuin out. Then again, we've had to get on them about their 'displays of affection' in the shower, so it could also be a bad thing. We don't want to make any of the other patients uncomfortable. See you later." Houjun headed down the hall with a wave.
*
"Turn your head and cough"
The gloved hand holding Genrou's scrotum withdrew as he did what he was asked. The first thing he noticed about "Dr." Juan when he met him was his height. Dr. Juan was a very young tall man. The second thing he noticed was how quickly, efficiently, and silently he when through the procedure. Dr. Juan was also a very quiet young man.
Nurse Ami had left him downstairs to the exam room right after breakfast and instructed Dr. Juan to do the examination. The doctor in training said no more than a dozen words since.
"You can get dressed now," Juan turned his back to Genrou, peeling his gloves from his hands.
"So, what's up, doc? Am I all in one piece?" Genrou asked while quickly shedding the paper gown.
Juan kept this back turned. "Yes, you're fine."
After a few moments of uncomfortable silence passed, Genrou tried to spark up another exchange by being blunt. "You don't talk much, don't you?"
"Are you dressed?"
Shuddering slightly at the chill tone, Genrou had his jeans and t-shirt on in no time flat. "Okay, fine, I'm dressed."
Still not turning around, Juan went to the door and opened it slightly.
"Okay, Kishuku, he's ready."
The door opened further and another young man of Genrou's age stepped in. The gray-blue haired youth wore a blue work suit mottled with dark spots.
"Hey, you must be Genrou. Come on, Dr. Ryoji's waiting." Kishuku led Genrou out of the exam room and down the hall. "I have to hurry, though. The climate control is on the fritz, and I gotta fix it before everyone else notices."
"I hear you. By the way, what's eating Juan?" Genrou muttered as soon as the door was closed.
"Don't worry about him too much. He's always been distant. All he wanted to do after Dr. Ryoji got his condition stabilized was leave, go back to med school, and lead a 'normal' life. It took offering a lot of money to keep him here."
"Is he ashamed of being a Phoenix Child?"
"Who knows? Dr. Ryoji wanted to keep Juan, Houjun and me together after we got our shit together, so he offered us all jobs. I like it here, being around people who understand. I miss home, but it's safer for me to be here. So I work and send the money there."
The boys stopped in front of another door. The brass sign read "Dr. Jyon Ryoji." Kishuku rapped on the door.
"Come in," a voice on the other side answered. Kishuku opened the door and motioned for Genrou to enter.
"Don't worry, he's doesn't bite. I'll see you around."
Genrou stepped into the office. Sitting at a desk across from him was a middle-aged man clad in white, including white gloves and a bandana around his forehead. The man took in Genrou's surprised look and laughed.
"Good morning, Shun'u, or should I say, Genrou? I take it that I'm not what you expected?"
"You don't look like any head-shrinker I've met before."
"And hopefully, I will be unlike any other 'head-shrinker' you've met before. I intend to help you. Have a seat," he pointed to a pair of stuffed chairs sitting in a corner of the room in front of a window. Genrou took the one closest to the window and the doctor took the one across from him. Perched on the arm of Dr. Ryoji's chair was a small monitor that was turned to face him.
"I have no intention of diving into your head right now. One examination today was enough, don't you think? I apologize for not greeting you when you came in. I like for my patients to get comfortable in their new enviroment before we start any treatment plan. So, how do you like it here so far?"
Genrou leaned back in the chair, "It's different from the other places. I like it here a lot. Thanks for bringing me." He didn't want to get into too much detail about why he liked Tombiki so much, but a pair of rose-colored eyes had a lot to do with it.
"It's not a problem, Genrou. I couldn't bear to think that you would have been put to death when you really needed help. If we work together, I promise that we'll get to the bottom of what's wrong." He pulled out a small pad and pen from his robe. "Now, let's get started. I hear from Houjun that you had a dream last night. Tell me about it, in as much detail as you're willing to give. This will give me some insight into how you tick."
As Genrou went into the details, Dr. Ryoji scribbled notes and occasionally glanced at the monitor. Genrou's curiosity kicked in after the fourth glance.
"What's with the TV?" he asked.
"Oh, don't worry about this. I like to keep an eye on my patients as much as possible. This monitor shows me the rec room and dining hall. Now, this question may sound odd, Genrou, but have you seen any of the other patients in your dreams?"
"Well, yeah. It's weird. I couldn't figure out who these people were until I met them yesterday. They were doing strange stuff, too, like throwing boulders and casting spells and having wild blue hair-wait. The blue-haired thing was only Houjun."
Dr. Ryoji smiled and nodded. "That's a surprisingly common similarity among the dreams of your fellow patients. Houjun and I had a long talk last April Fool's Day when he planned to come to work to blue hair. I was afraid that it would upset some of our more sensitive patients." Dr. Ryoji took one more look at the monitor, and rose from his seat. "Alright, Genrou, that will be all for today. We'll have sessions like this ever other day for starters, then we'll lessen them according to how you are doing. The other session will, of course, be longer than this one." He extended his hand to the rising boy.
"Sounds good." Genrou took the offered hand in a firm shake.
"If you hurry, you'll have an hour of free time before Houjun's group, and I believe most of the patients are in the gym."
After getting directions to the gym, Genrou dashed to the door. While the doctor's appearance was weird, by the end of the session, Genrou felt comforted by the doctor's intent. The monitor was still a point of curiosity, but he pushed it in the back of his mind for the time being. It was time to make the most of the free hour he had.
*
As soon as the door closed behind Genrou, the smile on Dr. Ryoji's face widened. He got exactly what he wanted.
He sat back down at the monitor and pressed a hidden button located under the left arm of the chair. The picture on the monitor rewound itself until he left go of the button. He watched intently as Miaka, still strapped to the bed, stir, then begin to thrash and scream. Dr. Ryoji pressed another button to raise the volume.
"Ta-Tasuki? Can you hear me? Please help!!! I know you're there, I can feel you. Please..."
The clock in Miaka's room showed that the tape was recorded at the same time that Genrou was retelling his Dream. The doctor scribbled down his findings in his little book.
"Also," he wrote, "Subject Genrou, known as 'Tasuki' by Miaka, rubbed his right forearm as he described his visions. Whether it was in response to the Dream or to Miaka is currently unknown. It does, however confirm my other experiments. According to Miaka, Genrou is the last Phoenix child. The final phase can begin."
He pressed a button under right arm.
"Ami, get me Yuuki and Daisho's release papers. We have who we are looking for."
"Hai, Ryoji-sama. What will we do with Chuin and Koji? They technically aren't..."
"I am aware of that, Ami. Chuin stays, if only to appease 'His Majesty'. There is power with him, and I want to keep a close eye on that. Koji was my first patient here and my best detector. Removing him now would upset the others, and we don't want that right now."
"As you wish, Ryoji-sama."
*
The gym sounded busy when Genrou shoved the double doors open. Kishuku, Koji, Houjun, and Kourin were on the basketball court. All but Kourin were topless, and from the amount of sweat pouring from their chests, they had been playing hard for a while.
Koji was the first to see Genrou. "Hey, Fang-Boy! How was the brain shrinkage?"
"My brain's still intact, if that's what you're asking," Genrou replied. "Where's everyone else?"
"Yuuki, Daisho, and Doukun were here earlier, but when Cyclops here showed up and got topless, Yuuki suddenly couldn't concentrate on the tetherball game they were playing. Gee, I wonder why." He smirked and wiggled his eyebrows at Houjun.
"Now, Koji, be nice. Don't tease Yuuki." Houjun's look was admonishing, but his tone was light.
"Ha! It's not me that's teasing Yuuki. That poor, poor girl can't handle you when you're fully clothed, and here you go showing off your chest. I pity her." Koji quickly stopped his tirade just in time to catch the ball Houjun threw at him. "Alright, I'll quit. Anyway, Saiheti and Chuin never appear at the gym."
"They're obviously allergic to the scent of other people's sweat," Kourin interjected. "So Genrou, do you play basketball?"
"Yeah, sometimes." After years of gym class, his skills on the court were passable. He wanted to join in, if just to do something else besides trying not to stare at Kourin's sweat-soaked t-shirt cling to his chest. It amazed Genrou that even in a shirt and gym shorts, his hair pulled back in a high ponytail, Kourin carried a delicate air. "Can I play, or do I have to wait for this game to end?"
Houjun nodded, walking towards the sidelines to find his shirt. "No problem. I have to set up for the next session anyway, so you can take my place. I'm Kishuku's partner and the score's 5 to 8 in our favor. Good luck."
Genrou stepped on the court, caught the ball Koji tossed to him, and the game started anew. He was greatly surprised by the skill of his teammate and opponents. They were not NBA material, but they played well. Genrou was especially surprised by Kourin mere presence. Guarding him was quite difficult due to his speed, and Kourin's team kept scoring.
"Come on, Genrou," Kishuku chided after Kourin scored another 3 pointer. "Are you guarding or dancing?"
"You know, you can play a little rough with me, Gen-chan. I won't break." Kourin winked at the taller boy, which threw Genrou off enough for him to break through and score another jump shot. The score was 12 to 18 in Koji and Kourin's favor.
Kourin is just playing dirty, Genrou thought to himself. It was obvious that Kourin was using the attraction between them to trip Genrou up. An idea popped into his head.
"Time out, guys. It's getting a little warm with this shirt on." Genrou ran to the sidelines to peel it off. Behind him, he heard a soft little gasp of surprise.
"Careful, Kourin, you're starting to look like Yuuki when Houjun was here.."
"Shut up, Koji," Kourin growled. Genrou smiled, marveling at the beauty of his plan. Retaliation was the name the game now.
The game quickly started again, this time with Genrou successfully stealing the ball several times using his patented "look cute and trusting" trick he used on the streets. He would smirk, flashing a bit of fang, run his fingers through his flame red hair, and just wait for Kourin's eyes to stare a little too hard. Then he would take the opportunity to speed by to either pass the ball to Kishuku or score himself. Soon the score was tied at 18.
"For fuck's sake, Kourin, what happened?" Koji scolded.
"Sorry, I got distracted." Genrou couldn't help be chuckle slightly as he noticed Kourin peeking over Koji's shoulder. Their next exchange was too quiet for Genrou to hear, but when they walked back to their side of the court, he couldn't help but notice a faint blush on Kourin's face.
"So, you guys done talking?" Kishuku asked. "We're down to the last two points."
"Sure, let's go." Kourin replied.
The game began again, with Kishuku handling the ball first. He took no time in passing it to Genrou. Kourin tracked Genrou step for step, trying to block his advances. The two locked eyes and they wouldn't give up. It took Kishuku's yell to snap Genrou out of his revere long enough to pass the ball to him. He then scored a perfect 2 pointer, ending the game.
"Next time," Kishuku said, picking up his shirt as the boys heading out of the gym. "Genrou and Kourin are on the same team. At least I wouldn't have to keep Koji's attention on the game."
"I wouldn't be so sure, Kishuku," Koji replied, "You're quite a sight when you play. How could I possibly pay attention to the game when I can't stare at your gorgeous chest?" His grin threatened to split his head in half.
Kishuku rolled his eyes. "I'm flattered, but you're not my type. We'll deal the whole team thing later. I gotta run, guys. Shower and work calls."
"Same time, same place then?" Kourin waved at the departing boy. "I like his idea of a shower. Let's go."
*
Dr. Ryoji's face was the last thing Miaka wanted to see upon waking up from her last drug-induced nap. But there he was, staring down at her face with a smile that was too smug to be friendly.
"Good afternoon, Miaka-chan. I trust you slept well?"
Miaka glared at him. "What do you think?" she replied in a slurred voice. "You keep me doped up all the time."
"My dear Miaka, keeping you sedated is necessary, given your delicate condition. We wouldn't want to upset you..."
"That's bull, and you know it!" Miaka's voice grew stronger as the sedative wore off. "Just you wait. You've got all of us gathered here. My senshi will regain their memories, and then, THEN, you'll going to be sorry."
Dr. Ryoji covered her mouth with a hand. "That's precisely what I'm counting on, silly girl. As they are right now, they are powerless. But once they realize who they are, then, THEN, my plans will reach fruition," He pressed his hand down over her thrashing face. "Oh there you go again, getting all upset. Let's take care of that."
Her eyes widened and her muffled cries increased as he revealed as syringe in his other hand. "Now, please don't scream too loudly when I let go, you'll only exhaust yourself."
Miaka took a deep breath, and as Dr. Ryoji released her mouth, she let out a loud scream. Sighing, the doctor calmly injected the syringe into her IV, turned, and walked away. Her screams died down just in time for the door of her room to close.
"Rest now, my little Miko. I will have need of you soon."
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