Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ The Ties that Bind ❯ The Path to Misfortune is Often Paved With Good Intentions... ( Chapter 1 )

Author's notes: Muah, my first serious story that isn't Escaflowne...please be gentle with me! :D I hope this doesn't turn out to be 'just another one of those dorky ressurection fics' e_e because I try to be creative with my ideas and plots. Um...none of the Fushigi Yuugi characters are mine, though I wish they were (especially Amiboshi *____*) ...and that's about it. Please review and tell me if this is decent...or if I screwed up characterization, because quite frankly I think I did... x___X;. Anyway, enjoy! (Update 2/18/02: LOOK! HTML! :D That's right~! I got it working...well, not working, but I figured out an alternate way of doing this... XD which means I'll get to work soon on my chapters...x__x I was sorta angry because they kinda stupid... :/ and that's one of the reasons I haven't written because I've been hunting like hell for a way to do HTML on my computer. And I found one. ^^;)

"The ending of a story...one of the most crucial parts. In some cases, the end means a new beginning. It was simply a stepping stone to a whole new story entirely...such is the case in..."

Yui Hongo tapped the eraser of the pencil against her notebook mindlessly as the instructor continued his dull lecture. Her chin rested upon her palm and she stared out the window in silence. It was a nice autumn day and colored leaves cascaded one over the next, crisscrossing in a heap on the ground. Such things were mildly interesting when one was bored with the monotony of the classroom. But her attention was pulled away as she felt a light nudge to her uniform blazer.

Glancing to her left, she was faced with a folded up piece of paper. Miaka Yuki was the one behind this; her eyes were closed happily until Yui pursed her lips and snatched up the note. Opening it slowly, she scanned over the Japanese characters with a tilt of her head. One hand lifted to her mouth so as to muffle a laugh. Sure enough, this letter was an invite to go out somewhere to eat with her and Taka. Miaka and her food, something's just never changed. Still, Yui wasn't all that up to playing third wheel. So, she simply shook her head toward her best friend and turned her attention to the teacher once more. An explanation would be offered after class if the girl was curious about the rejected invite.

"And therefore..." The instructor began. "For your assignment, I want you to pick a story that you've read...and expand to it's ending. Tie up the loose ends that were left untouched. Class dismissed."

The rest of the students gathered up their things and filtered through the doorway. Chattering rose up amongst the crowd and Yui shoved her books into her knapsack. As could be expected, Miaka approached her, text book clutched against her breast.

"Yui-chan, why won't you come tonight?"

Blinking, the fifteen year old shrugged, bringing the strap of the bookbag over her shoulder with a forced smile, "I just don't want to intrude on you and Tama--Taka, after all. Not to mention, I have a lot of homework to do."

"You're always doing your homework. Even a genius like you can take a break every once in a while, ne? Besides, we'd really like you to be there...it'd be fun!"

"Ie, I'm really busy, Miaka...maybe some other time."

Miaka furrowed her brows, "Yui...it's been like this ever since--"

"I thought we agreed not to bring that up again...at least not in school," She cut her friend off.

"Yui-chan..."

"We've got a major assignment for this class, Miaka...I want to get a head start on it. You go out with Taka and have a great time. I'll talk to you on the phone later tonight and besides, you can tell me just how far you went on your little date, ne?" Yui grinned playfully, before she hurried the next part of her statement. "Ja ne!"

Miaka stood by as her classmate rushed out of the room. Those brows pressed in concern, before she dropped her gaze to the floor. Things had been better afterward, but lately Yui had just been distant and never wanted to stay around longer than she had to. Especially as far as Taka was concerned. Maybe she still had feelings for him...maybe that was it. But no, Yui and Miaka agreed never to let a guy come between them again, so where was all this distance coming from? Why was Yui acting so strangely lately?

"Yuki-san? Why are you standing around here? Class was over a while ago..." The teacher quirked a brow.

Miaka's eyes widened and she turned to face him with a weak laugh, "G-gomen!"

"Miaka are you feeling okay...?" Taka leaned forward at the cafe table, studying the girl before him.

"H-huh? Oh, hai!" She smiled brightly, but raised her brows in question. "Doushite?"

The teenager reached behind his head, scratching at those blue strands, "You barely touched your food."

Miaka looked down to notice the full plate of food that had been set before her quite a while ago. Of course, it wasn't there for long since once she noticed it, she pretty much devoured the meal in a second. Taka sweatdropped, but cleared his throat nervously, sparing a glance around toward the others who were gawking at his girlfriend's behavior. He shook his head slightly and then glanced back toward Miaka with concern.

"Now, what's really going on?"

"N-nothing. Everything's fine, honestly..." The girl smiled, as always trying to keep a cheerful exterior.

"You can fool anyone but me, Miaka. Now tell me, what's on your mind?"\

Miaka glanced up at him and then sighed with defeat, "It's Yui-chan..."

"Yui? Is she all right?"

"I'm not sure...I invited her along with us and she said no. She just hasn't wanted to do anything outside of school. I mean, we've talked on the phone a lot these days. I know she's not mad at me, but she's just not the same as she used to be..."

"And are you?"

"Nani...?"

"Are you the same as you used to be? If I remember correctly, you were rather immature when we first met," Taka smirked.

Miaka scrunched up her nose with distaste before she sighed, "But this is different. Yui-chan just seems to be so upset."

"Then you should probably talk to her later. Once I drive you home, call her up and talk to her. I'm sure Yui can't stay closed up for long."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right..." The Yotsubadai student offered him a smile. "Arigatou."

Taka returned the smile with a grin before he lowered his head, "Anou...now...about this bill..."

The hours seemed to tick by slowly becoming one muddled blur where thoughts just danced along the surface of the ex-Seiryuu no Miko's mind. They rose up and popped like soap bubbles on water, allowing new ones to follow through and do the same exact thing. Yui rolled over to the side with a sigh. She hadn't meant to come off as so detached to Miaka, but she just couldn't understand why it was Miaka who got everything she wanted. Both herself and Tamahome--her best friend and lover had returned to her life. Why couldn't Yui have been so lucky? Granted, the one she loved was Nakago...or was it really? Nakago had only been someone to comfort her and soothe her loneliness. She never once told him that she loved him in return. But, if that was so, then why had she been wearing his earring still?

Yui frowned and lifted the lengthy sleeve upward slightly to study her arm. A faint trace of a scar lined the surface of her skin--slightly more pink in hue than her normal skin tone. Her eyes closed tightly and she released her sleeve. Even when it had been months since she was there, the events of Kutou still haunted her. Even though she forgave Miaka, she was still hurt by everything that had happened. And every time she saw Taka, she remembered all the horrible things that occurred in that book.

The girl pushed herself upright slowly and dragged her body over to her bureau. Yui plopped down on the seat and looked to her reflection. Everything was basically the same about her face, but her hair was a bit longer. Straw-hued strands fell to the nap of her neck and extended to the very start of her shoulders. Cropped in layers the way she liked, it allowed various hairstyles rather than the way she had it in Middle School. Yui reached forward, taking her comb and running its teeth through silken locks.

"Oh, Miaka...maybe it's just that I'm feeling lonely..."

She set the comb downward, her hand knocking against a box on the stand. It rocked a tad and then tipped, spilling various hair ties on the floor. Yui sighed and then looked down toward the pile, bending down to start picking up the mess. Though one item there caught her eye. Beneath the heap of barrettes, clips, and bands, there was a blue bow; a little button of gold there in the center just for decoration. Slender digits reached forward and curled around it. Her attention lowered to that tie in her hand and those features softened somewhat.

"Suboshi..."

"Yui-sama, how are you feeling?" The door cracked open a tad and the young Seiryuu Seishi slipped inside. "Nakago-sama said something about you feeling very weak after summoning Seiryuu. I needed to see if you were all right for myself."

Yui shifted beneath the covers and winced somewhat. True, she was feeling rather weak after she made the first wish and even since the coupling, but she couldn't let that get to her now that Suzakuu was bound and could never be used again. Still, it was nice of Suboshi to come and check on her. So, despite her own fatigue, she offered him a smile. That was quickly followed up by a nod.

"I'm doing well, Suboshi. I'm just a bit tired. It has been one long and rather strenuous day..."

"Then perhaps you should just rest...I-I didn't mean to disturb you. G-gomen, Yui-sama. I should just head out..." The boy went to leave.

Yui couldn't help but laugh somewhat, "You're always so concerned for my well-being, Suboshi. All of you here seem to be. If it weren't for people like you or Nakago, I might not have even lasted a day here in Kutou. I wanted to thank you for looking out for me all that time."

"It really was no problem, Yui-sama. I was glad to do it. I will protect you no matter what happens..."

"No matter who you would have to protect me from? Like you protected your brother by killing Tomo..."

Suboshi looked away shamefully, "Gomen nasai..."

"Oh no, I'm not mad. I think it was rather sweet of you to do. You're one shining moment as a hero! Though, if you did save Amiboshi, where is he? I never did meet him after all...and I would like to..."

"Yui-sama, onegai. I...I don't wish to talk about that."

"O-oh, of course. Gom--"

Yui's eyes widened once she felt the fifteen year old's arms surround her upper body. She tensed up instantly with surprise and shock, but furrowed her brows at those emotions. If she couldn't stop feeling that way about every subtle surprise touch, would she ever be normal? Suboshi, on the other hand, was oblivious to the reactions and continued to hold onto her until the discomfort forced Yui to retract. Of course, the handsome youth stepped back mumbling apology after apology and the priestess sighed, shaking her head.

"Suboshi, Nakago says that we'll be going off to battle in Konan soon. Are you going to be there as well?" Apparently she decided the best way around the topic of his hug was to avoid it entirely.

"Hai..." Grateful for the change of conversation, he sank on the edge of her bed. "All of the remaining Seiryuu Shichi Seishi will be involved in the front line for attack."

"I see...if that's the case, then I want to give you something," Yui reached over for the uniform blazer that was stretched out on the floor and she unhooked the bow from it, handing that in his direction. "It's not much at all, but I didn't arrive in this world with very many things anyway. Still, I want you to have it...as something you could hold onto forever, just in case we get separated from one another."

"Yui-sama, I don't know what to say. I-I'm honored that you would even give anything to me. I'll treasure this every moment we're apart. Arigatou, Yui-sama...arigatou..."

Yui smiled faintly at the memory, "Suboshi...you really did love me didn't you? I wish you could have survived...I wish you could have led a happy life, just you and your--"

The girl gasped with realization, "Of course!"

She rushed out of the chair and over to her bookbag, digging through the folders until she found the worksheet she was looking for. It was the assignment for class to rewrite an ending. Maybe, just possibly, Yui could change things. If she rewrote it so somehow Suboshi could live happily with his twin brother, then she would have felt as though she somehow redeemed herself. But before she could even start, she needed to find out what exactly happened to Amiboshi. What was it that Suboshi didn't want to talk about?

Throwing all things aside, Yui hurried down the stairs, lifting the phone and quickly punching in the numbers to Miaka's home.

After a few rings, Keisuke paused his video game and reached over to answer, "Yuki residence, Keisuke speaking..."

"Keisuke? Is Miaka home?"

"Oh, Yui. Ie, Miaka is still out at the moment. Do you want me to have her call you back?"

"Oh, no...that won't be necessary. I need to borrow 'The Universe of the Four Gods.' I'll just come by and get it if you don't mind."

"Why do you want that book again? It was dangerous when we opened it the first time. Yui, what's going on?"

"Nothing, Keisuke. I'm not planning on going back there or anything so you don't need to worry. I just need to find out what happened to a few characters in there for my own personal knowledge."

"Hnn...I suppose that's all right. But, promise me one thing..."\

"Nani?"

"That you will be extremely careful when reopening this world. If the book starts to glow or anything weird, you better close it right away."

Yui arched her brows and then laughed, "Hai, hai...don't worry, Keisuke! I already learned my lesson from being in 'The Universe of the Four Gods' the first time. I'll be over to pick up the book in a bit. Ja."

The phone was hung up and afterward, the fifteen year old grabbed a jacket, heading outside. The night air was a bit colder than Yui even expected it to be and she tightened the coat around her body. Heeled footfalls clicked against the pavement and a few leaves drifted in front of her path. Those crystalline spheres followed the encircling colors before they landed on someone's yard. Pretty soon winter would be settling in and they would have their first snowfall in Tokyo. It was always so pretty when everything was covered in sparkling white. And with the first snow marked the traditional snowball fight with Miaka and Keisuke. But, would things change this year since Taka came? Would their plans just end or would Taka join in with them?

Yui sighed and then reached the Yuki home. One hand moved forward to ring the bell, afterward, she stood back and waited. A moment or so passed, and she heard some footsteps move closer and closer until the door was opened. Almost expecting it to be Miaka, she was a bit surprised when Keisuke stood there. Keisuke was one person who hadn't changed. His hair was still parted aside, same length and everything. He still had the same handsome visage and Yui blushed slightly with the realization that she had just thought that about Miaka's brother. The one person who annoyed them to death when they were trying to have a tea party or play with dolls in those early years of life; the one person who always ragged on the both of them for being pathetic teenage girls; and the one person who turned out to be a real hero the year prior.

"Ah, Yui-chan. Miaka's still not back yet. Mom's gonna have to give her a talk about curfew..." The Yuki brother shook his head. "Anyway, come on in. I've got the book in the back."

"Arigatou..." Yui smiled faintly and then stepped inside.

It was strange being there without Miaka around, though it would be fine. She wasn't there to hang out after all. So, she followed along with the elder boy as he led her into the back room. That was just a den with a few chairs pulled up in front of a television and Tetsuya occupied one of them with a video game controller in hand.

"Hey, Yui!" The friend offered her a wave without even looking up.

"Hey..." She replied, looking after Miaka's brother.

Keisuke fished through a few things before he lifted the book and handed it to the young girl, "There ya go...but remember my words from before. Be careful..."

"Aw, you mean you're not sticking around for a bit?" Tetsuya paused his game and spared a glance over his shoulder.

"Ie...I have a lot of homework to do. That's why I needed this," Yui held up the book before turning to Keisuke. "Arigatou, for everything. I'll just let myself out and leave you two to your video game, ja!"

"Ja!" The two responded in unison.

As Yui was leaving, she heard Keisuke start yelling about only having a few lives left on that file and how he couldn't believe Tetsuya used one of them. She smiled to herself with a laugh; the immaturity of those two never ceased to amaze her.

The walk home wasn't really as cold as the first time there and Yui found that it even seemed to take a shorter time coming back rather than going to. Before she knew it, she was in the warmth of the Hongo living room. Her mother glanced up from her seat and offered the daughter a wave before she went back to watching television. Shedding her jacket, Yui returned that greeting the same way. She clutched the book against her chest and moved off to her room, sealing the door behind herself. For some indescribable reason, she felt closer to that world and all the other Seiryuu seven just by holding it close to her heart. Even though, the majority of them were dead, they still felt as though they lived on inside her somehow. As a matter of fact, all of them had 'died' in the story...except of course Amiboshi.

Slender brows pressed together and then the old Chinese book was opened. Those eyes skimmed over the filled pages and she swiftly surpassed the parts where she first arrived in there, and then she made her way past Amiboshi's 'death.' A few things surprised her such as finding out Suboshi was the one who killed Tamahome's family and exactly how Ashitare slaughtered Nuriko of the Suzakuu Shichi Seishi. She read about Nakago's lies and how harshly she treated Miaka (as if she needed a reminder). And when she read of Tomo's first appearance, she knew to slow down. To fill in the pieces, she learned that after Amiboshi had fallen in the river, he came ashore and was found by a nice couple in Sairou. He took on the name of Kai-Ka and lived their missing son's life, not once raising his life force. That was why Suboshi thought he was dead and why none of the others could sense his presence as well.

She read about Miaka and the appearance of the forgetfulness leaves. Seeing the way Amiboshi felt about war and his brother almost made Yui wish she could have met him. His peaceful nature might have been a good influence on her raging, vengeful heart at the time. But, in the very end, Yui saw that in a way...Amiboshi got everything he wanted. Suboshi sacrificed his only happiness with his brother by giving him those very forgetfulness leaves to erase his past memories. Despite Suboshi's cruel and sadistic nature, she could tell that he really loved his twin. That may have been the most heroic thing she had ever known he had done. Actually, it may have been the only heroic thing he had done.

It was a bit unsettling to know that the one who claimed to love her deeply was capable of killing those innocent children and she wasn't even sure that after knowing that little fact if she still wanted to do this. But, if anyone deserved happiness, it was Amiboshi. Unwillingly, her hand moved toward the paper and she reluctantly grasped a writing utensil. Her heart rate seemed to pick up and she paused a moment. Why was she so nervous? It was silly to think that this could actually have any effect on 'The Universe of the Four Gods.' So, Yui forced a smile...it was all for her own satisfaction as well as the grade, right?

"Now, the only thing is coming up with a tasteful way to get Amiboshi and Suboshi together again in each other's lives. How should I go about reviving Suboshi when he died in my world...? And what about Amiboshi's memory..." Yui tapped the eraser thoughtfully upon her lower lip.

Before she even knew it, the first few paragraphs of her short story had already been written...