IRRESISTIBLE FORCE
by Haruka

Nuriko hummed softly to himself as he strolled by the fish pond near the Konan emperor's palace. It was a lovely evening, just the right temperature with a gentle hint of breeze. Pausing to lean over the water, Nuriko assured himself that his appearance was as impeccable as always. He'd chosen to wear womens' clothing that day, a gorgeous new dress with an elaborate maroon sash that matched his eyes. In contrast, he'd kept his hair in the tidy long braid that he usually wore when dressing like a boy. A subtle hint of makeup made his lips shine and his eyes appear even wider.
Nuriko knew he was beautiful, and he took pains to make sure everyone else knew it as well. Not that he needed to wear makeup or do anything special; he'd been complimented on his looks ever since he was a child. He enjoyed dressing up and finding new ways to style his long thick hair. Essentially, there were no females among the Suzaku seishi, but he was the closest representative.
The sound of footsteps approaching made him turn and he smiled. "Ah, Tasuki. It's a nice night for a walk, isn't it? Or were you just trying to get away from Tamahome for a while?"
The moonlight on Tasuki's fire-coloured hair made it as vibrant as any sunset. He gave Nuriko a fang-toothed grin. "Actually, I was looking for you, Nuri-chan."
"Nuri-chan is it?" Nuriko laughed lightly. "You must want something!"
Tasuki ran a hand through his hair. "Well, yeah, I guess I sort of do."
"All right, out with it then. What is it you want?"
"This." Tasuki suddenly pulled Nuriko against him and covered his lips with his own.
What the hell?! Nuriko thought in the initial moment of shock. That moment passed quickly and he began to struggle. Tasuki finally broke off the kiss, but didn't loosen his hold.
"Don't fight it, Nuri-chan," he said gently. "It's bigger than both of us."
"What is, your ego?!" Nuriko managed to squirm free and glared at Tasuki indignantly. "How dare you assault me in such a way! If I thought you had sincere feelings for me, I might forgive you, but I know better than that!"
"Who says I don't have feelings for you?!" Tasuki snapped back. "You think I go around kissing people for no reason?!"
"Oh, I'm sure you have a reason! Tamahome probably dared you, so of course you had to prove you weren't afraid! Well, congratulations, you won, now leave me alone!" Nuriko spun on his heel to leave, but Tasuki grabbed his arm.
"Don't go, Nuri-chan! I love you!"
"Now I know you're putting me on!" Nuriko yelled back at him. "Let me go before I hurt you!"
Tasuki yanked him against his chest and kissed him even more urgently than before. Nuriko managed to slide his hands between their bodies and use his strength to shove Tasuki away. The ex- bandit fell into the fish pond while Nuriko escaped to the palace.
Tasuki was lucky he'd held most of his super-human strength in check, Nuriko thought furiously as he ran. He didn't know what kind of game the seventeen-year-old was playing, but he didn't like it.
"Nuriko, what's wrong?"
He stopped at the sound of Tamahome's voice and spotted him sitting on the railing nearby. His maroon eyes glinting with sparks, Nuriko stomped over to him.
"You and Tasuki have some nerve using me for your childish antics!"
Tamahome put up his hands in surrender. "Hey, don't yell at me! I didn't do anything!"
"Then you and Tasuki weren't in on it together?" Nuriko asked suspiciously.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Tamahome jumped off the railing and stood in front of him. "All I know is that you seemed upset and I was worried about you."
Nuriko's shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry, Tamahome. I should have known you'd have more common sense than that idiot Tasuki, but I thought--"
"What did Tasuki do to you, anyway?" Tamahome frowned.
Nuriko's face burned. "Oh, he grabbed me and kissed me. Twice!" He shook his head. "He had the nerve to say he loved me, when I know it isn't true--"
"Doesn't matter if it's true or not," Tamahome interrupted. "A real man doesn't just force himself on someone like that."
Nuriko smiled faintly. "You've always been the honorable one, haven't you?"
"The way to win another's heart is to prove your love." Tamahome took Nuriko's hand in his and looked straight into his eyes. "Which is what I intend to do, my darling."
Nuriko stared at him for a moment before yanking his hand away angrily. "I knew it! You and Tasuki have decided to tease me just to pass the time, haven't you? Well, you can find another patsy!" He started stalking away, but Tamahome jogged after him.
"This has nothing to do with Tasuki, Nuriko! It's you and I that's important!"
"There is no 'you and I'!" Nuriko retorted.
"But there could be if you'd just listen to me!" Tamahome insisted. "I'll treat you right, not like Tasuki would. He's got no class and wouldn't know what to do with a lady if he fell over one."
Nuriko gave a short laugh. "And you would, I suppose!"
Tamahome touched Nuriko's shoulder to stop him. "Yes, I would," he said earnestly. "I'd treat you like gold. I'd protect you--"
"I'm quite capable of protecting myself, thank you," Nuriko said icily. "I must say, you and Tasuki engineered this put-on very well, you almost sound sincere. But I'm not stupid, and I don't want to hear anymore of it!" He left Tamahome behind, heading for the throne room. Hotohori-sama had said at dinner that he'd be working late that night, but Nuriko didn't think he'd mind some company. He hoped not, anyway. He really needed to talk to someone who made sense.
Sure enough, the emperor was so hard at work writing on a scroll that he didn't notice Nuriko's entrance. Nuriko cleared his throat, and Hotohori looked up. "Oh, good evening, Nuriko."
"I'm sorry to disturb you, Hotohori-sama," Nuriko said as he walked over to the desk, dropping to one knee in reflex.
"Not at all," Hotohori told him. "Is anything wrong? You seem a little on edge."
Nuriko stood up and played with the end of his braid. Now that he was there, he wasn't sure he could talk to Hotohori about this. It would probably seem as though he had no sense of humour. "It's nothing, I guess ... but ... have you noticed Tasuki and Tamahome acting strangely at all?"
Hotohori smiled gently. "More strangely than usual?"
"Well, they're probably just playing a silly joke on me." Nuriko shrugged. "They both tried to convince me that they're in love with me."
"That doesn't sound amusing at all." Hotohori frowned. "Love is a serious thing, and a person's feelings are precious. It isn't right to make light of them."
"I'm glad you feel that way," Nuriko said, bowing his head in gratitude.
"Be assured that I do."
Nuriko didn't respond. When he'd lowered his gaze, he'd seen what Hotohori had been writing on the scroll. A bunch of doodles, featuring Nuriko's name in an assortment of heart sizes.
"After all," Hotohori continued, "I want you to know that when I say I love you, I mean it."
"Hotohori-sama ...." Nuriko was dumfounded. This man, whom he had pined for during most of the last year of his life, was telling him now that he loved him? Where were those words when he ached to hear them?
The emperor stood up and touched Nuriko's pale cheek. "So beautiful," he murmured. "Only one with such beauty as matches my own would make a suitable empress."
"WHAAAA????" Nuriko leapt away from him. "No disrespect intended, Hotohori-sama, but are you out of your mind?!"
"What makes you think that?" Hotohori asked in confusion. "If you feel your looks are that inferior to mine, don't let it trouble you. I assure you that you are as lovely an empress as anyone could want."
"I'm not your empress!" Nuriko exclaimed. "I can't be! Maybe at one time, before everyone found out I was male, I might have tried to bluff my way through, but even if I still wanted to, we'd never get away with it!"
"Why even try?" Hotohori asked. "I'm the emperor. What's the point of being the head of an entire country if I can't decide for myself whom I want to marry?"
"If you really wanted to marry me you would have said so months ago!" Nuriko snapped. "Now I don't know what's going on tonight, but this is taking it too far! And even if I'm flogged for saying so, I think you should be ashamed of yourself for behaving as childishly as Tamahome and Tasuki!"
Hotohori stared at him. "Are you saying that you refuse my proposal?"
Nuriko burst into tears. "How can all of you be so cruel?!" He turned and fled from the throne room.
Why were they doing this to him? Nuriko thought as he ran blindly. The two younger boys he could understand, but he thought Hotohori was above such behaviour. It just didn't make any sense.
Rounding a corner, Nuriko crashed into someone coming the other way, nearly toppling them both.
"Nuriko, no da!"
Chichiri! Nuriko looked up into the face of the one man he knew he could count on. Chichiri was the eldest, everyone respected him. Even the twit twins, Tasuki and Tamahome. Nuriko sobbed into the monk's chest in relief.
"I've never been so glad to see anyone in my life!" he cried. "I don't understand what's going on, but they all seem to want to hurt me--"
Chichiri patted his back soothingly. "Calm down, no da. Whatever it is, I'm sure we can figure it out, no da."
"I wish I could believe that." Nuriko sniffled. "It was bad enough when it was just Tamahome and Tasuki doing it, but when Hotohori-sama started, I couldn't take it anymore."
"What is it they're doing?" Chichiri asked seriously.
"Telling me they love me!" Nuriko exclaimed. "And not just as a friend! Tasuki actually kissed me and Hotohori-sama proposed marriage! He says he wants me for his empress!"
Chichiri shook his head. "He should not have done that, no da. You cannot give him an heir, how can you be empress?"
"Try and tell him that!" Nuriko laughed bitterly. "The irony is that a year ago I'd have killed to have him ask me to marry him. Now that he has, all I can think is that it's some kind of horrible joke."
"Hotohori-sama is not the kind to make such jokes, no da," Chichiri told him. "You must know that."
"What other explanation is there?" Nuriko asked.
"I don't know, but he must be set straight, no da," Chichiri said. "As one of his advisors, I'll take it upon myself to do so."
"Oh, thank you, Chichiri!" Nuriko hugged him gratefully. "I knew I could depend on you!"
Chichiri rocked him gently. "Don't cry anymore, no da. I'll talk to the emperor, and to Tasuki and Tamahome as well. No one will interfere with us again."
Nuriko froze. "With ... us?" he said in a small voice.
Chichiri smoothed back Nuriko's hair tenderly. "You can't entirely blame them, no da. After all, you are an exquisite beauty, and more mature than any of them. You're more suited to an older man who can appreciate you."
"Let me guess," Nuriko said weakly. "You want to volunteer?"
"You said it yourself, no da." Chichiri grinned at him. "You can depend on me."
"To what?!" Nuriko wriggled out of his arms. "Betray my trust?!"
"Nuriko, I mean what I say, no da," Chichiri insisted. "I love you."
"You're a monk!" Nuriko yelled. "Or did you forget that?!"
"You're worth quitting for, no da."
"AAAAAUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!" Nuriko turned and fled down the hallway.
"Nuri-chan!"
Nuriko didn't even slow down when Tasuki leapt in front of him. He socked him in the jaw as hard as he could and kept going. Since it would take Tasuki at least half an hour to walk back from wherever he'd landed, Nuriko figured he'd be safe from that nut for a while.
It was with great relief that Nuriko ran into his room and shut the door, leaning back against it. At least here he would have some respite and be able to think things over.
"Nuriko."
"AAAAAAHHHHHH!" Nuriko jumped straight into the air, clinging to one of the wall hangings in terror. He relaxed when he saw Mitsukake standing below him, then remembered what kind of evening he'd been having. His maroon eyes narrowed at the big doctor. "What are you doing in my room, Mitsukake?"
"I wanted to speak with you privately," he answered in his deep, rumbling voice. "Something odd is going on around here, and I don't want Chiriko to overhear and be frightened."
"Oh." Nuriko climbed down from the wall hanging and brushed off his dress. "I'm sorry to be so paranoid, but if you knew what I've been through--" he paused. "Did you say something odd is going on? Could it be that you've noticed it, too?"
"I'm afraid so," Mitsukake said grimly. "Tasuki, Chichiri, Tamahome, even the emperor ... I think they've all succumbed to some evil spell."
"Really?" Nuriko asked happily. "I'm not going crazy after all?"
"Of course not. Is that what you were thinking?" Mitsukake looked at him in surprise. "Nuriko, if I didn't think you were sensible enough to handle this, I would never have brought it to your attention."
"Not that you needed to tell me, since I'm the one being hounded by all of them."
"Yes, that kind of delusional spell is a terrible thing," Mitsukake told him gravely. "It makes one believe all manner of ridiculous things as if they were truth."
Nuriko gave him a wry look. "You know, I could be insulted that you'd think falling in love with me is a ridiculous idea."
"Not that," Mitsukake hastened to correct him. "It's their belief that you could somehow love them back that's ridiculous."
"Well," Nuriko said thoughtfully, "I do love them, but as friends."
Mitsukake nodded. "That's as it should be. Spell or no spell, they should realize that your heart is already spoken for."
"My ...?" Nuriko's voice trailed off. Mitsukake took his slender hand in his large ones.
"I'm only a humble doctor, Nuriko, but I will strive to make you happy," he said. "I can't promise you prosperity, but my talent for healing will ensure a long, healthy life for you."
Nuriko didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He returned Mitsukake's sincere gaze with a sweet smile.
"Get out of my room or I'll kill you."
"I understand," the big man said. "You're overwrought. I'll give you some time to calm down before speaking with you again."
Nuriko yanked his door open and shoved Mitsukake into the hall. "If I see you back here tonight, you'll need more healing power than you possess to fix what I'll do to you!" Slamming the door shut, Nuriko began to change into his nightgown for bed. His theory that his friends were playing a joke on him no longer held true. Mitsukake would never go along with such an idea. Maybe there was a full moon that night. In any case, he was going to sleep, and if they hadn't come to their senses by morning, he'd have to start cracking skulls.
No sooner had Nuriko extinguished the light and begun to settle down when a soft knock came at the door.
"Go away!" he commanded.
"Nuriko-san?" ventured a timid voice.
Nuriko's tense muscles gradually calmed. It was Chiriko, and he sounded nervous. Nuriko got out of bed and went to stand by his door. "What is it, Chiriko?" he asked.
"I had a bad dream. May I please sleep with you?"
Nuriko hesitated. Normally, he wouldn't think twice about letting the youngster in, but this was far from a normal evening. "Why don't you go sleep with Chichiri or Tasuki?"
"I don't know where they are. No one else is in bed yet. Please, Nuriko-san?"
It would take a harder heart than Nuriko's to refuse the plea in Chiriko's voice. It was silly anyway, he told himself in silent rebuke. Chiriko was thirteen years old! A brilliant child, but a somewhat immature one. Besides, Nuriko reasoned, with the boy in the room with him, it was less likely that any of their fellow seishi would bother him again that night. He opened the door. "Come in," he said.
Chiriko had taken his pink hair down for bed, making him look even more feminine and waifish than usual. Big green eyes gazed up at Nuriko gratefully as he walked in, dressed in his nightclothes. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but I didn't know where else to go."
"It's all right." Nuriko shut the door again and escorted Chiriko to the bed, pulling down the covers for him. The boy climbed in and snuggled down. Nuriko went around to the other side and got in himself, covering them both with the blankets.
"I really appreciate this," Chiriko said softly.
"Don't worry about it," Nuriko told him. "What was your dream about?"
"I dreamt that Seiryuu and Suzaku got in a fight but Suzaku lost and Seiryuu plucked him."
Nuriko stifled a laugh. "I'm sure it was very frightening."
"Well, I know that we've made peace with Kutou and Seiryuu's seishi, so such a fight would never take place, but it seemed real at the time." Chiriko shivered, and Nuriko drew him close.
"Don't worry. Everything's all right now."
Chiriko tipped his face up to look at him, then gave him a quick kiss on the lips.
Nuriko blinked. "Chiriko?!"
"I know I'm young, Nuriko-san, but I'm a fast learner. Give me a chance."
Nuriko scrambled out of the bed, then reached down and pulled Chiriko out as well. "Leave!" he ordered, giving him a little push toward the door.
"Don't send me away, Nuriko-san!" Chiriko pleaded. "Let me stay and you can make me a man!"
"I'll make you an invalid if you don't get out of here!" Nuriko opened the door and sent Chiriko through it with a firm swat to the backside. Chiriko looked back at him, pouting as he massaged his rear.
"Tasuki-san said you were probably kinky."
Nuriko slammed the door shut and began tossing heavy furniture against it. He should have known the little genius could concoct a plan to get in his bed. But who would have known he'd want to? Nuriko wondered if the whole world had gone crazy or if it was just him.
"Nuriko! Hey, Nuriko, over here!"
NOW what?! Nuriko followed the voice to his open window and looked out. Tamahome stood down below holding a stringed instrument and grinning like an idiot.
"I'm here to serenade you, my love!"
Nuriko paled. "No, Tamahome!" he cried. "Whatever you do, DON'T SING!"
Tamahome strummed the instrument and opened his mouth. Nuriko threw himself against the window, closing it just in time.
"Da!"
"YAAAAHH!" Nuriko spun around, one hand to his chest. Chichiri was standing behind him. "I barred the door!" Nuriko exclaimed. "How'd you get in here?!"
"You forget I'm a magician, no da!" Chichiri said.
Nuriko slowly pushed up his sleeves. His bracelets began to shimmer, then lengthened to cover the top of his arms from hand to elbow. The red glow of his seishi symbol shone through his nightgown. "And you forget, Chichiri, what my power is."
Chichiri sweatdropped. "Da?"
A moment later, Nuriko was alone with a Chichiri-sized hole in his window. The nasal strains of Tamahome's serenade wafted through it.
"AUUUUGGGGGHHHHHH!" Nuriko frantically tore his furniture barrier apart and ran screaming from the room.
He didn't stop until he ran out of breath and had to lean against the railing. What else could possibly happen tonight?!
"There you are, Nuriko-sama!"
Nuriko turned his head and watched the approach of a guard. "Is something wrong?" he asked.
"This has come for you from Kutou," the guard said, handing him a scroll.
"For me?" Nuriko accepted the scroll in confusion. "Thank you."
The guard bowed and walked away. Nuriko unrolled the scroll and read it, his eyes widening.
"Nakago enjoyed meeting me at the treaty dinner and wants to get to know me better?!" He hurled the scroll over the railing. "I can't take anymore of this!"
"Mmrowr?"
Nuriko looked down to see Tama, Mitsukake's cat, gazing up at him.
"Well, what do you want?" he snapped.
Tama rubbed up against his leg and purred.
Nuriko stared at him for a moment, then began to laugh and cry at the same time, grabbing the railing for support. It gave way under his crushing grip and he lost his balance.

Nuriko sat up with a cry. He was in his bedroom. The curtains were closed, but a slight breeze ruffled them and Nuriko could see daylight. Brushing damp tendrils of hair off his face, he realized he was drenched with sweat.
"A dream?" he whispered. "It was all ... a dream?" A smile slowly spread across his face and he jumped out of bed, tightening the belt on his robe. He couldn't wait to tell the others about it. Sure, they'd laugh at him, but at least he'd be able to laugh along with them. Nuriko opened his door and danced down the hall.
Back in his room, the draught created by the open door and window lifted something off Nuriko's pillow. It settled on the floor.
A single pink hair.

Story contents (C) 1997 Tenou Haruka
Fushigi Yuugi characters (C) Watase Yuu
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