Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ The Universe of the Four Gods ❯ Friend ( Chapter 9 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Kneeling down, Zoku allows herself a chuckle as she watches Tasuke. “What’s so funny?” the boy snaps, glowering up at Zoku. A wicked grin appears on her face.

“You, of course!” she announces with a sharp laugh. Tasuke’s features droop. “I just think it’s so funny, that a big tough guy like you would get owned by a couple of girls.” Zoku giggles, eyes closing in mirth. Features returning to normal, Tasuke rises up into a kneeling position, peering up at Zoku. Noticing the odd look, Zoku cuts off her laughter with a frown. “What?”

“You do know….that Nuriko is a guy, right?” Tasuke asks in a monotone voice. Zoku’s features go blank in shock. The shock soon turns into scornful curiosity, as she taps her two forefingers together. “Is she…he…it…a hermaphakite?” Zoku asks in a soft voice. Silence settles over the two of them, as Tasuke tries silently to figure out what the hell Zoku just asked him. After a moment Zoku leans close to Tasuke, gaze darting around the room. “You know…it’s got erm…thingies up here,” she gestures towards her own chest, “and thingers down there…” she trails off, gesturing down below while clearing her throat.

Another silent moment. Then suddenly Tasuke launches to his feet, drawing back from Zoku with a disgusted look. “You mean a hermaphadite, you dork!” He shakes his head vigorously. “Christ no!” he cries, eyes wide in terror. Relief floods her features as Zoku rises to her feet, eyes closing with a scowl as her eyebrows gently twitch.

“You don’t have to be so mean about it,” she mutters. When Tasuke doesn’t respond, Zoku peers up at him. He continues to stand there, with his shoulders stiff and his arms shaking. His eyes are distant. He was obviously very disturbed by the thought of Nuriko as a hermaphadite.

Arching a brow at his expression, Zoku rises to her feet once more, clasping her hands at her waist. An apprehensive feeling creeps over Zoku, as she turns and walks slowly back to the bed. Clenching her hands into small fists, Zoku turns and plops down onto the mattress.

“Tasuke…” Zoku calls. The young boy snaps out of his trauma and glances over at Zoku curiously. Zoku’s head hangs against her chest, staring absently at the ground. “I-…I’m afraid,” she says reluctantly. A frown marring his features, Tasuke strides over to join Zoku on the bed, sitting down criss cross next to her.

“Why?” he asks, voice gruff. After a moment, Zoku shakes her head, eyes sliding closed.

“I don’t know.” Her eyes fly open, and she plants a firm gaze on him. “Don’t even think about calling it stupid! Stupid to be afraid of something that isn’t even real…” her voice grows distant as the last word hangs eerily in the air. Frowning, Tasuke leans forward.

“What do you mean, something that isn’t even real?” Tasuke asks, voice slightly urgent. Snapping out of a day dream, Zoku glances up at Tasuke, studying him. Brushing aside a stray bang, Zoku tucks one leg beneath her as she shifts around to fully face Tasuke.

“Never mind. Let’s not talk about me. What about you?” Tasuke blinks absently at the open ended question. Tapping her chin thoughtfully, Zoku makes a thoughtful noise before grinning. “Well, being a Suzaku warrior…is it fun?” she tries. Tasuke’s sudden laugh startles her. He turns his head away from her, closing his eyes slowly.

“I guess it’s fun,” he replies with a shrug. “But above all else it’s dangerous. At any given moment any one of us could be killed by Kouto assassins, most especially Miaka.” As he tells Zoku this, his voice remains pleasantly casual. A shiver runs down Zoku’s spine, indignation rising within her. How awful that must be! Features suddenly thoughtful, Zoku crawls up further onto the bed. Drawing her knees up to her chest, Zoku leans against Tasuke’s back. A glower replaces her content look.

“Don’t get any ideas,” she snaps.

Surprised at Zoku’s weight against his back, Tasuke at first shifts as if to move, but decides against it. He merely sits there, waiting for her to speak. After a moment she does. “That sounds awful,” she replies unsteadily, anger ebbing from her voice. She opens them once more with a toothy grin, glancing sidelong at Tasuke. “If I can, I promise to protect you!” A stubborn look flashes across her features as her hands clench into fists. “I swear, if those creeps even get anywhere near you, I’ll pound their brains out!” Tasuke tips forward slightly with an exasperated sigh, causing Zoku to slip backwards with a squeak. “Hey, don’t move like that!” she snorts indignantly.

Tasuke chuckles, returning to his original position. Zoku frowns, glancing over her shoulder at him with a glower. “What’s so funny?” she asks him skeptically. Shaking his head, Tasuke glances up towards the roof of the canopy above their heads.

“Nothing…just that, well…isn’t that supposed to be my line?” he says sarcastically. Zoku shifts around, folding her legs comfortably beneath her. A slow smile spreads across her features.

“Yeah, I guess it is…” she laughs suddenly. Tasuke joins in with her silvery chortle. Suddenly, she pokes him in the chest, hard. “But that doesn’t mean you’re gonna have to act all heroic on me, ok? If something happens…just don’t get yourself killed. Because I made a promise, and I intend to keep It, damnit!” Tasuki closes his eyes gently at the firm command, holding back a laugh.

“You don’t need to,” he replies, folding his arms behind his back. Zoku tips her head to the side with pursed lips, and Tasuke flashes her a sly grin. “I am a Mountain bandit.” Zoku starts up, placing both hands at her chest with a frown.

“Are you joshing me?” she asks skeptically, eying him. He responds to the statement with a bland look. What the hell was a joshing? Brushing aside his confusion with a curt chuckle, Zoku runs a hand through her bang, studying her long robes. “That sounds cool. So you must be pretty tough, huh?” As she says this, Zoku reaches up a hand to ruffle Tasuke’s hair with a snort. Muttering in indignation, Tasuke swats away her hand with a grumble. Zoku merely grins.

“I guess you could say that.” A proud grin slides into place on his features. “I was supposed to be the leader of the group,” he closes his eyes with a haughty look, placing a finger to his chin in a thoughtful pause. “…but then Miaka came. Since I’m one of Suzaku’s warriors, I had to go with her. So, I left the group and made my friend there the new leader. His names Koji.” Zoku perks up.

“Koji, huh?” she asks. Tasuke nods his head with a pleased sound. Zoku grins sweetly. “He sounds hot.” Tasuke’s eyes fly open as he peers at Zoku with a bland expression. Laughing, Zoku brushes away his expression. “I’m just kidding,” she says with a roll of her eyes. Her features grow sullen. “That must be awful, though. To have to abandon everything for one person…one quest thingy.” Tasuke shrugs at Zoku’s soft words.

“I didn’t mind. It’s a lot more exciting than sitting around as boss of a group of bandits, I can tell you that,” he flashes her a lop sided grin. She merely nods, so he continues. “After we summon Suzaku, I’ll probably go back with them.” A frown appears suddenly on Zoku’s features.

“And rob people?” Her voice rises with intensity. Tasuke shrugs indifferently.

“It’s what bandits do!” he snaps in self defense. Zoku’s eyes narrow. In one fluid motion, she moves forward and gets up in his face, a few mere inches separating their noses. “Hey!” Tasuke mutters in surprise, fighting the urge to lean away from her hard glare. Zoku continues to sit there, and even goes as far as to lean a little bit closer.

“Say you won’t steal from people!” she demands of him. Tasuke waves his arms around in an attempt to get her off. He glowers at her.

“Never!” he retorts. Zoku’s eyes narrow as she sighs tediously, in the tone a mother would use for a disobedient child.

“Then I guess I’ll just have to punch you.” Her voice is dead serious as she shoots Tasuke a disapproving look. He gives a yelp, arms flailing around. Suddenly Zoku’s features soften as she grins broadly, a light laugh parting her lips. Tasuke continues to glower balefully. “Some tough guy you are!”

“It’s not funny,” he mutters, tapping his forefingers together sheepishly. Zoku continues to laugh.

“Oh, but it is. You look so cute when you’re angry,” she says, settling back on her knees. Tasuke goes beet red, brushing off her gaze. Zoku merely chuckles. The silvery voice is cut off abruptly, as Zoku leans away from him and turns towards the table in the center of the room. Her features grow as cold as a stone.

“What is it?” he asks, turning to gaze at the table. Tasuke feels it then. Apprehension clinging to the air like mist. Is this what Zoku had feared? Could she somehow sense the feelings of everything around her? No, wait. Not everything around her. Someone around her.

Tasuke rises instantly to his feet, alarming Zoku. Momentarily forgetting the reason for her naked fear, Zoku gazes up at Tasuke. She frowns.

“What are you doing?” she hisses softly. Tasuke raises a finger to his lips to silence her. Grudgingly, she lapses into silence with a glower, gaze traveling around the room. Taking a few steps forward, Tasuke glances towards the door. As he does, a light fog shimmers in the corner opposite him. Zoku’s gaze trains instantly on that spot. “There!” she cries, pointing to that area. Tasuke whirls around, just as the figure of Nakago ripples into view. A loud chortle floats around the room, as Nakago glances first at Tasuke then towards Zoku.