Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ White Stones in the Moonlight ❯ Dusk ( Chapter 19 )

Disclaimer: The characters from Fushigi Yuugi are the creations and property of Yuu Watase and related enterprises. I do not own them, and do not make any profit from this fiction except for my own enjoyment in spending time with them.

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Chapter 16. Dusk (Full company)

The mid-morning sun shone brightly on the Imperial Palace in Konan, the rays of sunlight beaming down as if in joyful accord with the high spirits of the inhabitants, whose problems now seemed resolved with their futures shining before them. Yet not all of the inhabitants welcomed the cheerful sunlight. Nuriko faltered in his progress along the balcony, his steps unsteady as he held up a hand before his eyes in a futile attempt to keep the light from burning holes in his brain. He leaned against the doors of the chamber he had been seeking, knocking gently while at the same time wincing at the sharp sound. "Tama-chan?" he called weakly. "Are you alive in there?" A faint groan answered him, prompting him to push open the door and enter the room.

A figure lay on the bed in the darkened room, clad in trousers only, hair still damp from his morning ablutions. He had an arm across his eyes but still cried out at the sunlight which streamed in with Nuriko. "Shut the damn door!" he whimpered. Nuriko complied, then sank gratefully into a chair in the room. He leaned forward and prodded the figure on the bed. "Hey, Tama-chan..."

Tamahome removed the arm from his face and stared at Nuriko with bloodshot eyes, their redness visible even in the dim light. "Poke me one more time, and I'll..." he growled threateningly at his friend.

Nuriko paused from rubbing his temples to fix him with a look. "And you'll what?" he asked silkily.

Tamahome turned his eyes towards his bath chamber, fighting a wave of nausea. "And I'll die," he muttered. The two friends sat quietly for a moment, both trying to determine if their heads were still attached to their bodies and who replaced their stomachs with burning pits of acid.

Finally Nuriko spoke. "That was the absolute last time I'm ever going to drink sake in my life, I swear it!"

Tamahome shot him a baleful stare. "I don't think it was the sake that did me in; I'm pretty sure that it was the goddam 'Nuriko Specials!' What the hell do you put in those, anyway??!!"

Nuriko turned green and guilty at the same time. "I'm not only not going to talk about it," he gasped. "I'm not going to think about it, if you don't mind!!" They each settled back once more, fighting their nausea and trying to regain their bearings.

Nuriko's mind turned back to the events of the night before that had brought them to this sorry state. After their quietly joyous afternoon in the woods, they had finished the day with an equally happy but much louder dinner back at the palace, the cheerful arguments making it seem just like old times…but even better. Everyone seemed giddy, almost drunk on their sense of togetherness, as they talked, laughed and argued with one another. But the high spirits waned and weariness set in as the sun sank below the horizon, and each of the seishi and miko began to drift back to their own chambers. Nuriko had been walking along the balcony, having bid a very warm and affectionate good-night to his emperor, when he caught sight of Chiriko's small figure standing transfixed in the twilight. He had moved up silently and placed a hand on Chiriko's shoulder. The young seishi jumped but didn't make a sound, meeting Nuriko's questioning gaze, then putting his finger to his lips as he turned back to his quiet vigil. Nuriko followed Chiriko's line of sight to see Miaka's chamber across the way, lamplight shining out in a thin line beneath the closed door.

At that moment, a tall figure had materialized in front of the door as if by magic, his seishi speed making it seem as if he had appeared out of thin air. He gave a soft melodic whistle and the door swung open, the figure of their priestess appearing in silhouette. The two figures merged and blended in the lamplight, seeming to become one embodiment of Love. Nuriko stood riveted, guilty at his spying but unable to tear his eyes away from the unexpected beauty of the sight. The door swung shut, granting the couple their privacy once more. Nuriko let out a soft sigh…which was then echoed further along the balcony. And then he saw the figure that Chiriko had been observing all along, his midnight hair and dark clothing making him blend with the shadows.

The figure placed both hands on the balcony rail and bent his head in sorrow. Nuriko saw two glistening drops fall toward the ground, sparkling in the twilight like diamonds. He was paralyzed by a sudden flash of grief, momentarily unable to move. It was then that Chiriko moved swiftly and surely towards the figure, placing a comforting hand on his arm. Tamahome started in surprise, dashing away his tears before looking down at the small figure beside him. Chiriko slipped his arm around Tamahome's waist and leaned his head against his brother. Tamahome placed his hand on Chiriko's shoulder…and the two young seishi stood there in the moonlight, one silently offering comfort and the other silently accepting it. Nuriko stood watching them in wonder, marveling at Chiriko's wisdom and perceptiveness - and at the changes that had occurred in the youngest seishi. Chiriko no longer held back at the edges of the group; he now moved confidently among them, sure of his place and his ability to contribute as one of the Suzaku shichiseishi.

After a while, the evening air grew chill, and the figures shifted. Nuriko moved forward, making his presence known. "Hey, Tama-chan," he called softly. Tamahome started again, registering Nuriko's presence for the first time. "How about we warm up a bottle of sake and catch up with each other? My room's just this way, you know."

Chiriko spoke up. "Actually, Mitsukake sent me to ask the two of you if you would like to join him and Chichiri in the clinic for a few drinks. Chichiri wants to know what went on here during his absence, and Mitsukake thought that since you two weren't present during some of the more interesting events..." Chiriko paused, his eyes sparkling, "maybe you would like to join them."

"What about you, Chiriko?" Tamahome asked softly, speaking up for the first time.

The youngest seishi grinned and puffed himself up. "Oh, I'm coming, too. In fact, I'm the most important person there, since I'm the one who recorded the events!"

Tamahome smiled down at his youngest seishi brother. "Well, then, we really can't afford to miss out on this, can we?"

And that was how they had ended up in the large rooms that Mitsukake designated as his clinic, after first stopping off at Chiriko's room to pick up several scrolls. Mitsukake handed around tiny porcelain cups of warm sake, taking care to bypass Chiriko, who pouted in disappointment. Chichiri, maskless, smiled his catlike smile as he held a cup delicately in his fingers, although none of them actually saw him take a sip. But Nuriko, Tamahome and Mitsukake drank freely, enjoying the taste of the sake and the warmth of the company. Chiriko brought out his scrolls, at which time they decided to re-enact Hotohori's disastrous speech and the equally catastrophic apology, with Chiriko acting as narrator. Nuriko volunteered to play Tasuki's part since he could do near-perfect imitations of his brother warrior, although he was cautioned that the part would require him to attack, threaten and insult his emperor, played by Mitsukake. Nuriko shrugged. "Hey, just because I love the guy doesn't mean that I can't make fun of him from time to time." His brothers laughed and refilled his cup. The read-through was a smashing success, the audience (Tamahome and Chichiri) roaring with laughter at Hotohori's blunders and Tasuki's violent reactions. All five seishi were in stitches at the conclusion of the mini-play, the shadows finally disappearing from Tamahome's eyes. Nuriko laughed just as hard as everyone else at Tasuki's harsh treatment of his emperor, although he made a mental note to knock the bandit into an especially hard wall the next time the opportunity presented itself.

The merriment of the evening led to Nuriko volunteering to make Nuriko Specials for everyone (except Chiriko), and it was just subsequent to that event that things became fuzzy in Nuriko's memory. He couldn't even remember how he had gotten back to his room, although his subconscious mind kept presenting him with the image of Chichiri stuffing him into his hat. He also recalled Chichiri cradling the sleeping Chiriko, and he concluded that the monk had just pretended to drink, maintaining his sobriety so as to look after the rest of them. His next recollection was of waking in his room feeling as if he had been trampled by a herd of cattle. After forcing himself through his morning ablutions, Nuriko had dressed himself with difficulty, then stumbled down to Tamahome's room to see how his fellow sufferer was doing.

At this point in Nuriko's recollections, the door to Tamahome's room slammed open with a sound like the crack of doom, the painful sunlight pouring in behind a tall, shadowed figure. "Hey, guys!" shouted an agonizingly loud and cheerful voice. "Where the fuck were you at breakfast?!"

Nuriko and Tamahome shrieked at the light and the sound, cringing away from the door. "Shut the door!!" they whined.

"What the FUCK?!" demanded their tormentor, striding into the room and flinging open the windows so as to get a better look at them. Peering into each of their faces, Tasuki burst out laughing. "You two look like a couple of night-stalker mononokes caught outside at dawn! Had too much of a good time last night, didja?!" he chortled.

Tamahome dragged himself off the bed, incidentally falling to his knees before his brother warrior. "Listen, Tasuki," he whispered hoarsely. "I have money. I will pay you money if you will just SHUT UP and GO AWAY!!"

Tasuki let out a sharp whistle of surprise, causing Nuriko to wince again and vow to knock Tasuki into two walls...as soon as he could get out of his chair. "Didja hear that, Nuriko?" the bandit exclaimed loudly, failing to notice that his captive audience was now nearly weeping with pain. "Tama just offered me money! The cheapest bastard I ever met in my whole life just offered me some of his precious okane if I go away! Man, you guys are worse off than I thought. Tama must be near death to consider parting with his ooooo-kaaaaa-neeeee…" sang the bandit happily.

Tamahome glared at Tasuki. "Listen, you sadistic asshole..."

"Ah-ah-ahhh!" warned Tasuki, shaking a finger at his brother seishi. "No abusin' the guy who is about to save your lives. You are fortunate to have encountered the one person who knows how to cure what ails you. Dr. Genrou is IN!" he shouted happily.

"I am gonna get him for this if it's the last thing I do," groaned Nuriko.

"Come on, you guys, let's march!" commanded their torturer, hauling them to their feet and forcing them out into the sunlight.

"Where are we going?" wept his captives as they were dragged along.

Tasuki pointed at Mitsukake's clinic. "There's the man who has the cure for the world's worst sake hangovers! Hmmmmm...." Tasuki frowned at the unusually dark and quiet rooms, the doors and windows still closed. Propping his two burdens against the wall, he pounded on the door and shouted, "Mitsukake!! Open up, goddammit! Where the fuck ARE YOUUUUU?!" His captives continued to cringe and sob at his shouts.

The door suddenly swung open to reveal a tall figure hunched in the darkness, looking like the Angel of Death - if the Angel of Death held a wet towel to his head. "This had better be important, Tasuki..." the figure whispered raggedly. "Or as Suzaku is my witness, I will draw and quarter you, and feed the dissected bits to the palace GEESE!!"

"Ohhhhh, FUCK!!" shouted the bandit, turning to the other two sufferers. "Don't tell me that you two assholes were stupid enough to get the goddam DOCTOR drunk?! Now who do you think is gonna help you?!" The three hungover seishi groaned at his shouts. Tasuki pushed Nuriko and Tamahome into the clinic, accidentally shoving Mitsukake aside at the same time. "Well, I guess it really is up to me to save the day, as usual!" He frowned at Mitsukake, who was just picking himself up off the floor. "Hey, Mits, d'ya think you can hold it together long enough to tell me where you keep your hangover recipe? I would mix up some of my own special cure for ya, but I ran out of th' Mt. Reikaku herbs weeks ago. So, c'mon, cough it up…"

The three seishi groaned at his terminology. Mitsukake glared at Tasuki but decided that taking a swing at the obnoxious redhead would probably cause his arm to fall off. He waved weakly at a tattered scroll which lay on the floor where he had dropped it when Tasuki's pounding at the door had caused his head to explode.

Tasuki scooped up the scroll and perused the contents quickly. "Yeah, I think I can do this!" the bandit announced happily, leaving out the fact that he didn't know what half the ingredients were. The three seishi collapsed in convenient chairs and couches, waiting for their brother to finish his task…or waiting for death, not caring which came first. After putting some water on to boil, Tasuki rummaged around Mitsukake's jars of herbs, frowning at the strange characters on the labels. "Oh, well…" he sighed to himself. "Close enough, I guess!" and he grabbed the nearest jars.

One hour later…

Mitsukake was the last to return from the bath chamber, wiping his mouth and cursing the bandit under his breath. "What the hell did that idiot put in this batch?!" he moaned weakly. Nuriko and Tamahome lay sprawled on the floor, unable to do much more than shudder.

Tasuki popped out of the back rooms, cheerfully waving yet another flask of a noxious mixture. "Hey, guys, I'm sure that I got it right this time! C'mon, there's enough here for everybody!"

The seishi just covered their heads and trembled, Tamahome beginning to weep audibly.

"Heyyyy, come onnnnn, you bunch of sissy boys! I just know that this is gonna set you straight! Am I gonna have to force it down your throats, or what?!"

Nuriko raised his head, fixing Tasuki with a red-eyed glare. "I know what you're doing…" he whispered. "You've changed sides. Nakago has sent you here to kill us all…slow deaths by poison. Come on, show me the blue earring now…"

Tasuki looked hurt. "So this is the thanks I get for tryin' to help out my buddies. Just 'cause I messed up a batch of the medicine…"

"Three batches!" shouted the doctor, then grasped his head in agony.

"Alright, three batches. But at least I got you guys to clear the last of the alcohol out of your systems!"

"You got me to clear the last of my major organs out of my system, you asshole…" muttered the crumpled bundle formerly known as Suzaku shichiseishi Tamahome.

"Okay, I can see that I'm gonna have to get tough with you three. Open up like little birdies nowwww…" The amber eyes glowed, and the fangs glistened in the gleeful smile. The three seishi exchanged glances, simultaneously realizing their last hope of rescue.

"Chichiriiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!" they screamed, trying to reach the magician through the combined forces of their ki.

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Nuriko stretched and yawned, finally feeling his strength return now that the world had stopped spinning. He looked over at his two fellow sufferers, who also looked more like their normal selves. The monk moved quietly among them, checking their ki with an upraised hand, then smiling, satisfied at the results. He then took a peek into the bath chamber, starting back in horror before muttering a spell under his breath. Whatever he conjured did the trick, cleaning up the last traces of sickness in the room.

Tasuki sulked with his arms crossed, legs stretched out before him as he sat in a chair across the room from the others. "I coulda fixed 'em up just as good as 'Chiri did," he muttered under his breath. "Jerks can't even give a guy a chance…"

Tamahome leaped up from his chair, finally feeling good enough to brawl. "We gave you THREE chances, you asshole! And you damn near killed us!"

Tasuki leaped up, equally ready to brawl. "Who're you callin' an asshole, you asshole?!"

A shakujou was suddenly thrust between them, cutting off the impending fight. "That's enough now, you two," Chichiri admonished softly. "No lasting harm done, no da…and Tasuki did mean well, Tamahome. He just should have called me in the first place…" The monk winced at the bruise caused by falling out of his chair when the combined ki forces of three of his brother warriors blasted him with desperate cries for help. He had transported instantly to the source of the calls, fully expecting to face Kutou assassins or maybe even Nakago himself…only to see nothing more threatening than Tasuki happily waving a flask of some strange mixture before the terrified gazes of Mitsukake, Nuriko and Tamahome. A quick examination of the ki of the three afflicted seishi, plus a terse explanation from Tasuki, had quickly enlightened him to the nature of the problem. He was able to treat the sufferers with some acupressure manipulations, simultaneously adjusting their ki forces in small increments. And the purging of the toxins from their bodies had helped him in the cure, although he was certain that they were less than grateful to Tasuki for his successful intervention in that matter, judging from the baleful glares directed at the red-haired seishi. Chichiri decided to intervene before Tasuki found himself at the center of a four-way brawl.

"Tasuki's right, no da. I couldn't have cured you so easily without his previous…treatments." Tasuki smirked in triumph as the other three seishi stared at Chichiri in disbelief. Chichiri decided to stretch the truth as far as it would go. "And his last batch of medicine would have made you forget all about your hangovers - although it wouldn't have worked as quickly as my treatment." The monk omitted the part about the concoction making them forget about their headaches and nausea…by replacing them with severe intestinal cramps that would have lasted for several days. Chichiri glanced around to make sure that he had dumped out the formula and was relieved to see the empty flask. He sent a brief prayer to Suzaku to make Tasuki forget the exact ingredients that went into the deadly brew.

Tasuki grinned in triumph. "See, you guys? Toldja that I was gonna look after you!"

Tamahome and Nuriko merely muttered under their breaths as they got to their feet. Mitsukake, once more in possession of his higher faculties, sent a penetrating look in Chichiri's direction, but the monk shrugged and presented his friend with an open, limpid gaze. Mitsukake decided to let the matter drop in favor of emptying his clinic of all extraneous seishi. "All right, you three," he announced to the younger seishi. "My hospitality is at an end. Get out!"

Tasuki put his hands on his hips and frowned at the doctor. "Is that all the thanks I'm gonna get?!" he demanded. "Didn't your mother teach you any manners?"

"OUT!" roared the physician, grabbing the bandit by his collar and tossing him out the door. Tamahome and Nuriko skittered out quickly, not wanting to experience Tasuki 's aerial exit.

Tasuki was getting to his feet outside the door, muttering about ungrateful doctors being the worst patients. He brightened at the sight of his peers, once more returning to his cheerful mode. "Hey, guys, betcha you're hungry now! C'mon, I'll walk with ya to the dining hall and talk the kitchen help into serving up some early lunch. They love me back there, ya know."

"You mean that you've terrorized them into doing whatever you demand," grumbled Tamahome.

"Always one to nitpick, aren't ya, Tama?" complained the bandit. "What's the difference? The important thing is that I can getcha some grub. So are you up for it or what?"

Tamahome shook his head, turning in the opposite direction. "Not right now; I have to finish getting dressed. Maybe I'll join you guys later…" He raised a hand in farewell without turning around.

Nuriko was struck by the sudden sadness in Tasuki's eyes. "Guess he's still mad, huh," the bandit murmured softly. Nuriko grabbed Tasuki's elbow, turning him around. "He's just tired, Gen-chan. It's been a rough morning for him. But I'll take you up on your offer."

Tasuki brightened, smiling at Nuriko. "That's my Nuriko!" he exclaimed. "Always one to forgive and forget!"

Nuriko laughed as they strolled towards the central part of the palace. "I wouldn't be too sure about that, Gen-chan. I swear, the next time I see you with a hangover, you're getting the exact same treatment you dished out to us!"

Tasuki smiled, his eyes suddenly shadowed. "You may hafta wait longer than you think for your revenge, Nuriko."

The violet-haired seishi let out a mocking laugh. "You don't seriously expect me to believe that you intend to give up the delights of fermented beverages?! You, the foremost carouser in all my acquaintance?! Quit trying to yank my chain, Gen-chan!"

Tasuki merely smiled again and shoved his hands into his pockets. Nuriko frowned, thinking about the last few days. "Come to think of it, I haven't seen you take a drink since the Star-Gazing Festival…" he stopped, suddenly realizing what he had said.

"Yeah…" breathed Tasuki, staring at the ground. "Somehow it's not as much fun as it used to be. Don't like it much anymore, that feeling of not being in control…" he trailed off. He shuddered, then smiled into Nuriko's compassionate eyes. "Maybe I've just grown up, that's all. Hey, it could happen…even to me!" he joked.

Nuriko smiled back but was unable to keep the sympathetic pain out of his eyes. He realized that once again, Tasuki's outward cheerfulness masked the pain that he had to deal with on a daily basis. Yes, Tasuki had won the ultimate prize - Miaka's love - but the fact that they had resolved their biggest problems and that the oni itself had been destroyed by Chichiri did not eliminate the struggles that still lay ahead for both Tasuki and Tamahome. Both young seishi would have to deal with the pain of their violation for a long time to come, perhaps for the rest of their lives.

Nuriko couldn't think of anything to say to Tasuki that wouldn't sound trite or stupid, so he just wrapped his arms around his friend and leaned his head against Tasuki's chest, listening to the strong, sure heartbeat within. For once, Tasuki didn't push away or act embarrassed; he hugged Nuriko back, leaning his cheek against the soft, flowing violet hair. They remained like that for a long quiet moment, enjoying the comfortable silence.

But silence was not Tasuki's normal state. "Hey," he finally spoke softly. "Ya know, we don't have to have a funeral here for the death of sake in my life. I'm not becoming a monk, after all! I just said I wasn't gonna drink to the point of idiocy anymore. Is that such a bad thing?"

Nuriko grinned up at him. "I dunno… I guess I just got used to you being an idiot. But I'm sure you won't disappoint me by giving up that role!"

"Baka!" growled Tasuki affectionately. He turned his eyes to look towards the main wing of the palace. "We'd better break up this clinch before Hotohori sees us and decides to skewer me for tryin' ta steal his sweetheart!"

Nuriko stepped back, blushing. "I'm not his sweetheart!" he protested.

"Uh-huh. Well, you'd better let him know that before you break his little Imperial heart. The way he looks at you, the guy is definitely in the throes of true love."

"Does he really look at me that way?" breathed Nuriko in wonder, forgetting to be embarrassed.

Tasuki laughed. "Hell, it's written all over him every time he sees you!" The bandit grew serious for a moment. "I wouldn't lie to you 'bout somethin' like this, Nuriko. I wouldn't play with your feelings…"

Nuriko smiled at Tasuki gratefully. "I know you wouldn't, Gen-chan." He clapped his hands together. "Now what about that food you promised me?! It's your fault that my stomach's completely empty now - so you better pay up!"

"Hey, I wasn't the one that forced the sake down your throat last night!…"

Their argument continued as they disappeared around the next corner.

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Three faces stared sadly at the steady downpour of rain, giant droplets bouncing off the courtyard tiles and drumming insistently on the roof of the palace. The sudden storm had blown up unexpectedly, ruining their plans for another afternoon in the woods, complete with picnic. The two youngest members of the Suzaku family sighed. "I had everything all ready to teach you guys how to play volleyball," Miaka remarked in a disappointed voice. "And this is probably our last chance before we leave on the journey for the Shinzaho."

Chiriko nodded. "And after we went to all the trouble of getting the Imperial fishermen to weave us a short net between two poles, not to mention getting Chichiri's help in making a leather ball that bounces…"

Nuriko sighed, his chin resting in one hand. "I sure could have used this overcast sky this morning, I tell you. But noooooo… it had to come now, just in time to screw up our fun. And His Highness is back in the throne room, working on stupid stuff concerning the future of Konan, instead of playing with us."

Miaka and Chiriko exchanged glances and grinned. Chiriko piped up. "So does the rain always ruin picnics and games in your world as well, Miaka?" It was the youngest seishi's favorite line of questioning. He was endlessly curious about the customs in Miaka's strange world.

Miaka frowned. "Well, it usually ruins picnics and other outdoor fun, that's for sure. But to tell you the truth, I'm really used to playing volleyball indoors, in my school gymnasium."

"What's a gymnasium?" queried Chiriko.

"It's a large open room where people play sports in an enclosed building. My school gym is about the size of, let's see…the throne room. It's about the size of Hotohori's throne room…"

Suddenly three pairs of eyes met each other, and three identical gleeful smiles spread across their faces.

"Do you think he'd allow us to…?"

"We won't know unless we ask, will we?"

"You ask him, Miaka - he can't ever say no to you!"

"No, I think that Nuriko is the one he can't refuse now."

"You guyyyssss! Anyway, Chiriko is the cutest one, with the big puppy-dog eyes…"

"Let's all ask him together!! But first, let's practice the puppy eyes all together… one, two, three…"

Less than an hour later…

The Imperial throne room stood emptied of all its usual courtiers and advisors, its elegant trappings pushed off to the side. The Suzaku shichiseishi and their miko moved busily around the large room, preparing the richly appointed room for its new role as a sports arena. They had all changed into short-sleeved silk shirts similar to the ones they wore yesterday, and everyone, including Tasuki, wore soft-soled shoes. Nuriko had once more tied his hair into a braid and had also braided his emperor's hair. Tasuki and Tamahome carefully placed the poles of the volleyball net into two large planters, stabbing the ends between gently curving stalks of bamboo and pushing the planters apart until the net grew taut. Chichiri studied the roughly drawn map of the boundary lines for their "court", then breathed a spell that traced chalk-like lines across the elegant tiles. Miaka explained the rules of the game to Mitsukake, Nuriko, Hotohori, and Chiriko and also discussed some possible strategies.

"One of the most important things to do is to make sure the teams are balanced, that they both have almost the same level of skill. Height is a real advantage in this game, so short players are considered to be somewhat of a handicap. So Chiriko and I will have to be on opposite teams, since we're the shortest. And since Mitsukake and Chichiri are the oldest, they have to be on opposite teams, too, though Mitsukake is the tallest, so he will be considered an advantage to his team." Chichiri smiled to hear himself written off as an "old guy." Miaka suddenly realized that she was inadvertently insulting each of the older seishi, Chichiri in particular, so she quickly amended her statement. "I mean, they have to be the captains for each team, since they're the, er, wisest…"

Nuriko cocked an eyebrow at Miaka's unusually astute statements. "What about me, Hotohori, Tama, and Tasuki? How do we have to be assigned?"

Miaka gave a quick glance towards the two men she loved, noting that for once they were working together without quarreling. "I think that we'd better put Tamahome and Tasuki on the same team; that way, they're a little less likely to get into a brawl than if they're shouting insults at each other across the net. So that puts you and Hotohori on the same team, Nuriko. And since you're not that tall, either, we'd better put you on the same team as Mitsukake."

Nuriko grinned. "Okay, that means that we only have to decide on our token "short stuff." I choose you, Miaka! You seem to know the most about this game!"

Miaka blushed. "Just because I know the rules of the game doesn't mean that I'm a good player, Nuriko. I think it's only fair to warn you…"

"Oh, no, you don't!" shouted an irascible voice. "You guys got Mitsukake, so me and Tama get Miaka!"

Chichiri smiled again, both at Tasuki's unconscious 'sharing' of Miaka with Tamahome, and to hear himself once again dismissed as less valuable than Mitsukake.

"Okay, then, the teams are settled! Chiriko goes with Nuriko, Hotohori and Mitsukake, and I go with Tamahome, Tasuki and Chichiri. Oh, one last rule - no fair using seishi powers!"

"Damn!" muttered Tasuki under his breath.

"Okay, everybody - first volley to determine who serves!"

Time passed, accompanied by shouts, quarrels and laughter.

"C'mon, Tama!"

"Got it! Oops, just bounced it off Nuriko's head!"

"Bwahahahahahahaha!"

"You're getting it next, Fang-boy!" the violet haired seishi shouted, then punched a particularly hard serve across the net. Tasuki decided that discretion was the better part of valor, and ducked.

Crash! The tinkle of shards of fine porcelain scattering across ceramic tiles.

Silence.

A velvet voice, now slightly hard-edged. "That vase had been in my family for generations."

"Eheheheheheh. Errr, sorry, Hotohori-sama… but it was Tasuki's fault! He wasn't supposed to duck!!"

"Oi, sissy-boy! D'ya mean I'm s'posed to put my head in the path of your fuckin' nutso serves?!"

"That's exactly what I mean, you flaming idiot!"

A calm, soothing voice. "Now, now…" The musical chimes of the rings of the shakujou, accompanied by a muttered spell.

"Hey, look at that! It's like new! Whoa, cool, Chichiri!"

The emperor's velvet tones, now softer. "I am indebted to you, Chichiri."

"Ochanoko saisai, na no da."

A brief intermission to move valuable artifacts further out of the line of fire.

A high-pitched voice. "Point!"

"Dammit! That's the third one in a row, Chiriko! What the hell?!" Tamahome muttered to Tasuki. "We're getting' killed here, Flame-boy."

"I know…" the redhead growled. "Hey, Chiriko, how the fuck do you keep hittin' those killer volleys?"

"Well, it's just a matter of calculating the physics of the ball's motion, Tasuki-kun. I just estimate the desired trajectory of the ball, given the small amount of force I'm able to exert plus my limited height. I also take into account the velocity of the ball as it is hit in my direction and the reflected force off my hands, keeping in mind the acceleration of gravity plus centrifugal force from the ball's rotational movement…"

"Shikuso!" cursed the bandit. "How the fuck are we supposed to defend against that?!" Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. "Hey, isn't Chiriko cheating by using his seishi powers of intelligence?!"

Mitsukake and Chichiri drew together for a conference between team captains.

"Okay, here's our decision." The tall physician announced. "Chiriko is allowed to use his intelligence since we can't exactly remove his head to even things out!"

"No fair!" shouted Tasuki.

Nuriko smirked. "Hey, Gen-chan, you're free to use the same calculations! Though I'll bet you don't even know what centrifugal force is!"

"I do, too! That's what makes you fall out of your saddle if you ride your horse 'round and 'round a tree!"

Silence.

The high-pitched voice piped up again. "Well, he is right, you know…"

Tamahome's exasperated tones. "The question isn't whether he's right or wrong! The question is who would be stupid enough to do a pointless, idiotic thing like that and why?! But I guess we have the answers to both questions… 'Tasuki' and 'I don't wanna know!'"

"Fuck you, Tama!" Sounds of an ensuing brawl.

A very high-pitched female shriek. "Break it up, you two! And I mean NOWWWW!"

The sound of crystal cracking. Followed shortly thereafter by the sound of two bodies hitting the ground, grasping their ears in agony.

The same female voice. "Oops! Sorry, Hotohori… heeheehee."

A weary velvet voice. "Chichiri, if you would?"

"Daaaaaa."

The emperor spoke again, indicating the two bodies lying on the opposite court. "Mitsukake?"

"Nope. Sorry, but they brought that on themselves. They'll just have to recover on their own."

A brief intermission to allow two seishi to regain their hearing, then a return to the game.

The same high-pitched voice. "Point!"

"That's it!" shouted Tasuki. "We're trading right now!" shoving Miaka under the net and grabbing Chiriko.

"Mou, Tasuki!"

"Don't even try it, Fang-boy!" snarled Nuriko, leaping forward and grabbing Chiriko's other arm.

A brief tug-of-war. A high-pitched voice crying "Gackkk!" The eldest seishi moved in swiftly, the shakujou appearing out of nowhere and hitting both Tasuki and Nuriko over the head.

"Itaiiiiii!"

A silky, controlled voice. "Now, if you two are quite finished with trying to tear your youngest brother in half, I suggest that you return to the game. It's time that we finished, anyway."

With those words, the monk stalked back to his position, scooping up the ball on his way. He began serving line drives over the net, making the emperor's team jump all over the court without being able to return a single volley.

"Sugoi!" an admiring whistle. "Why the hell have you been holdin' out on us, 'Chiri?"

Miaka jumped up and down in excitement. "We're all tied up! Just one more point, Chichiri, and we win!"

The monk tossed the ball above his head, giving it a hard look with his one eye… and then spiked it straight into the net.

"Gaaaahhhhhh!" Tamahome and Tasuki fell over in despair.

Chichiri smiled calmly. "Gosh, look at the time. We have to get cleaned up for dinner. Guess this game ended in a tie, huh?"

He received glares from his two male teammates, but Miaka ran up and threw her arms around his neck.

"You're the best!" she whispered… and the magician blushed.

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The storm had departed as suddenly as it had arrived, leaving the skies clear once more. The full moon began its ascent into the night sky, its silvery light once more outshining the golden glow of the palace lamps. The Suzaku seishi and miko had finished their dinner and now lounged around the dining hall, still laughing and arguing about the volleyball game. Suddenly Chichiri stood up and left the room. He returned a short while later.

"Tamahome," he called softly. The young seishi looked up, getting to his feet and walking over to the magician. "It's time for us to go to Mount Taikyoku to retrieve your seishi power."

Tasuki began to whistle and clap, but stopped when he saw the grim expression on the monk's face "What's the matter, 'Chiri?"

Chichiri suddenly changed his expression, smiling at his brother seishi and miko. "Nothing's the matter; it's just that there's been a slight change in plans. Taiitsukun just informed me that she wants all of us at Mount Taikyoku - all of us seishi and Miaka, too. She will be transporting us shortly…"

The room buzzed with quiet murmurs of surprise and speculation. Mitsukake walked over to his friend and drew him aside for a private talk.

"Tell me," he said simply.

Chichiri shrugged. "There's really nothing to tell as yet." He met his friend's gaze steadily, then sighed. "I'll be honest with you - I don't like it. I don't like surprises , especially not from Mount Taikyoku." The monk gave a slight shiver.

Mitsukake placed a hand on Chichiri's shoulder. "Whatever awaits us, Chichiri… we'll face it together. From now on, all of us will face everything together."

Chichiri smiled up at his friend but was unable to conceal the sudden darkness in his eye. "I hope so…" he whispered. "I hope so…"

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Glossary of Japanese Terms:

Ochanoko saisai, na no da - Piece of cake, or No problem, no da! I got this phrase from Purple Mouse, who said that it's part of the title of Chichiri's theme song, "(It's a) Piece of cake to change my appearance…"

Itai! - Ouch! or It hurts!

Sugoi! - Amazing!

Author's note: (11-11-02) Well, I'm going to apologize again for the mistake on the "update," and I hope that this new chapter will make it up to you. This chapter started out as a short intro leading into the Mount Taikyoku scene, but it sort of blew up into full-chapter length (6300 words!) and took on a life of its own. I don't know - it's like this fic doesn't want to end! But end it will, and the last chapter will be the next time for certain, since the Suzaku crew are now on their way to Mount Taikyoku! This story is ending in a three-part arc, with the first part in this chapter and the remaining two parts in the next chapter. Thank you for your patience with my rambling and dawdling…

More rambling: I've tried to research comparative religions to get a handle on Chichiri's beliefs, and I've run into some differing rules for the conduct of Buddhist monks. One major Buddhist sect from India forbids their monks from imbibing any sort of intoxicant - that's why I have Chichiri just holding a drink instead of sipping it. Although some sects of Buddhism urge their monks to abstain from all earthly desires to achieve enlightenment, other sects are rather relaxed about the fine points and just urge rejection of promiscuity and other sinful behaviors. In other words, their monks can marry and raise a family. However, although he dresses the part, Chichiri can't really be a Buddhist monk, since Buddha was unlikely to exist in the alternate Universe of the Four Gods (which has only… get this - four gods!) So Chichiri is a monk of Suzaku instead of Buddha and I guess we can make up any rules of conduct that we want for him! Which I intend to do in my crossover fic. Hah!