| Second Chances Part 1 by Keiko |
| Standard Disclaimers apply: The Fushigi Yuugi characters don't belong to me, blah, blah, and I'm just having fun with them. Other minor characters are of my own creation. Don't take them without permission. Um... Some characters are OOC, but that can't be helped. I'm trying to write everyone in character, but sometimes it's hard. Anyway, there's shonen ai content in this fic, or there will be. I'm not quite there yet. Enjoy! Gimme your opinions. Email me. Basics: ~ ~ indicates thought, everything else is pretty basic. |
| Nuriko was the first to go, or rather, the first to return. Mere moments before, he had just defeated Ashitare and removed the heavy boulder from the cave entrance. He was very tired, and he thought irritably that at least he should get to see Kourin for all his troubles. ~Where is that girl? And where am I anyway?~ He was floating in the gentle darkness that was the afterlife when Suzaku appeared. The phoenix god regarded him solemnly. Nuriko's eyes widened with awe, ��Suzaku-sama...�� He shuddered and shut his eyes, battered body racked with pain. Suddenly, a warm red light enveloped him. Slowly, he felt the pain ease, and he opened his eyes to find all his wounds healed, and his clothes restored. He looked quickly around to establish his surroundings. They were in a large elaborately furnished room with silk covered divans scattered here and there. There was a table of the most sumptuous food you can imagine, and porcelain vases lined up against the wall. And in the corner there was a... Nuriko gasped. There was a dartboard with Seiryuu's picture in the center, with three red-feathered darts right on target. Nuriko blinked. Just then, he heard a soft curse. He turned around to find Suzaku, in his human form, standing in front of a large mirror. The mirror was showing exactly what was happening to the other seishi as they fought Hikitsu and Tomite in the ice cave. Suzaku muttered another curse, ��Damn Genbuu... Damn him and his stupid seishi guardians and his stupid shinzaho...�� ��Er... Suzaku-sama...�� Nuriko didn't know how to begin. He eeped as the phoenix god turned a furious eye on him. ��What?�� Suzaku snapped. Nuriko swallowed hard. ��Um,�� he began tentatively, ��Suzaku-sama, where am I?�� Suzaku glanced back at the mirror to see Miaka succeed in getting the Shinzaho. He relaxed slightly and turned back to his seishi. He observed Nuriko for a moment, then said, ��You��re dead, but then you already know that. You were brought here instead of going to the underworld because you��re one of the seven warriors of Suzaku, so you have a different destiny than everyone else.�� He glanced back to the mirror again. ��From the way things are going, I have a feeling you won't be alone for long.�� ��You mean, another one of the Suzaku seishi might die?�� Nuriko gulped. He looked down at his hands and whispered, ��Miaka'll be so sad...�� ��Don't worry, that girl's stronger than she looks,�� Suzaku remarked, eyes still on the mirror, ��I just hope she's as strong as that Seiryuu girl.�� Nuriko cleared his throat. He desperately wanted to see Kourin. He had hoped that when he died, he and sister would be able to be together again, but from the way things looked, that wasn't about to happen. He decided to risk a chance. ��Suzaku-sama, is it okay if I see my little sister?�� The god looked slightly startled, ��But, your sister's with you, right now!�� Nuriko blinked. The god tried again, ��I mean, her spirit and yours have merged a long time ago, ever since the day she died. That's why you fell in love with Hotohori, not because you were trying to live her life, but because of her feminine spirit in you. I guess, you just never realized.�� Nuriko looked shocked. The god sighed, ��Why don't we watch the other seishi for now...�� Chiriko joined them a while later. He popped into sight above a divan, bleeding heavily and in pain. Soon, he was healed as well and hugging Nuriko as tightly as he could. ��Oh Nuriko-san, I thought I'd never see you again. I can't tell you how much everyone has missed you, especially Miaka-san. Ack! Suzaku-sama, I didn't see you.�� Nuriko looked at Chiriko with respect in his eyes, ��Chiriko-chan, what you did was really brave! I never could have done something like that. You were so cool!�� ��Shh,�� Suzaku snapped, ��They're about to summon Seiryuu.�� He turned and glared daggers at the picture of Seiryuu. Out of nowhere, three more feathered darts shot towards the picture. Right on target. ��Do something, dammit, you weren't chosen as seishi for nothing!�� Suzaku raged at the mirror. Nuriko and Chiriko cowered in fright as many feathered darts appeared out of nowhere and went flying towards the dartboard. After a while, the god calmed himself and returned to the gazing of events in the mirror. His eyes glittered, ~Brother, you may have won this battle, but we��ll see who wins the war...~ Yui made her first wish, and all the Suzaku seishi felt their powers leave them. Even Nuriko and Chiriko felt the shock as it passed through them. Nuriko turned to Chiriko,��Quick, Chiriko-chan, what's 34563 plus 29853?�� ��Er...�� ��I knew it! Here, let me punch you...�� ��Ahh, no! Nuriko-san, even I'm not that dumb!�� A string of curses made the two seishi pause. They looked towards their god. Suzaku was encases in a blue orb, looking spitting mad and just as panicked. ��Damn that idiotic dragon! He's ruining everything! Oooh, when I get my hands on him!�� Suzaku slammed both fists against the insides of the orb. Nuriko looked at Chiriko, Chiriko looked at Nuriko, Nuriko opened his mouth, ��Does this mean Seiryuu's going to win?�� Chiriko nodded solemnly, ��It would appear so, Nuriko-san.�� |