Disclaimers: I now own a Fushigi Yuugi pencil board, and it’s reeeeeeally cool!!!! YAYYY!!! But still, I do not own FY, even though I wanna. Then I could fool around with the characters, and it’d all be legitimate!!! Woohoo!! ^_~

Warnings: ? dunno. Frogs? (don’t even say it, Lisa.)

Notes: Again, again, horrendously long time between chaps of this ficcie…and I’m sorrrryyyy!!! **cries** Really, really, I am. But it’s here now, right? ~.~() Ehehe. Anyhoo. I already gave a chapter to Schwencky, but I have to do it again, because she’s the one who eeeeevilly urged me to write fanfic instead of working on my thesis. --;; Thanks a lot, Distracter. (Holy Ghost, this is not an episode of Scooby Doo. ^_~) Anyhoo, again, sorry this took so long, and I hope it’s okay. ^___^

It was awful.

The news was coming daily of trouble brewing in Kutou, and Shunshuu… Shunshuu was out there for some reason, his best friend, his brother… He would have ordered his men to go in and put a stop to whatever was going on, but his advisors were resolute. Kutou’s problem was Kutou’s problem, they said, and reminded him that not only was Konan’s army small, but it had suffered its own detriments during the war his father had fought.

Boushin sat in the Imperial Gardens and stared at the pond, and wished he were a frog. He felt that frogs did not have half the problems that he did, and even if they did, they’d probably forget them almost as soon as they arose. Shunshuu had told him once that most smaller animals had awfully short memory spans. Yes. Being a frog would be preferable. He wouldn’t even have to get married.

They’d already started talking about him getting married, how having a wife and children would be important, and had told him about something called a Harem, where his future wife would live before he married her. He’d seen the Harem, and it was gross. All it was was a bunch of girls who sat around and played with stupid toys all day, and he didn’t have time for that. He was the emperor. If he got married, it wouldn’t be to someone who played with stupid toys. That was girly and boring.

"I wish Shunshuu were here!" he called sternly to the sky, frowning, hoping that somehow, his Imperial Wish would be granted. Ah, but who was he kidding? As his mother always said, just because he was the emperor, it didn’t mean he was better than everyone else. So why should his wishes be granted, and not some other boy’s? It was only fair, he supposed, that everyone’s wishes should be treated the same w…

"AAAHHHH!!!!" came a hideous cry from above, and before he could look up, something fell right on top of his head.

Blinking at the sky from his prone position on the ground, he suddenly was faced with a pair of anxious green eyes. "Boushin-sama! Are you all right?"

"Aaaaaahhh!!!" he yelled, scrambling into a sitting position.

"Boushin-sama!" exclaimed Shunshuu in delight.

"I…you…It worked!!!!" The wish! It worked!…Oh, no…I hope the one about being a frog doesn’t come true, too…

His friend was confused. "What worked, Boushin-sama? Did you…hit the ground at an odd angle?"

"Never mind," he said quickly. "How…how did you do that??"

"I traveled by monk!" Shunshuu grinned, gesturing over to the side. Boushin followed his gaze to a peasant boy with dark hair, and a blue-haired man with a kesa, who was crumpled awkwardly on the ground and moaning, "Itai, no daaaa…."

"By monk?"

"Magic," said Shunshuu, and his face grew suddenly serious. "Heika-sama, we have to speak to you about what’s occurring in Kutou…"

~*~

There was blood in his eyes, masking the world in red, trailing down his cheeks like tears. He had long since lost his horse, and several of his friends…his men, his family…

"REKKA SHINEN!!!!"

He didn’t know how his voice could be so strong, but it didn’t matter much; he could barely hear himself over the battle. Three of the Kutou in front of him were caught in the flames his tessen had set free, but it wasn’t enough…it wasn’t enough…

Far from making him despair, the thought actually served to anger him. With a roar, he lashed out again and again with his weapon…he saw Kouji over a ways, fighting off blue-clad, armored soldiers from his horse; saw Kai struggling with two men who used to be his companions, each of them nearly twice as big as the wiry bandit; saw blood, smelled it, felt it on his face, its warmth trickling thickly down his neck…

But it was too late for that now, and he wasn’t one to gripe about "should have done." So he continued to fight, focused on nothing but the blades coming at him, the men he led…until he heard it.

A scream. A terrified, high-pitched scream…

A child’s scream.

Heart catching in his throat, he faltered, almost catching a second blow to the head for his carelessness.

No. Not again. Not again!!!!!

They could kill him. He had pretty much resigned himself to that. But he had let Hotohori and Nuriko die once already, and there was no way in Hell he was going to let that happen again.

He beat and burned his way toward the forest, where he had told the kids to hide…and saw them…at least, three of them, being dragged from the trees by a pair of shirking, heartless, dragon-loving bastards who were laughing at their fear. One had Gen’ei and Horyuu around the waist, with the latter trying valiantly to fight back, in a futile attempt to claw through the armor. The other was dragging Kentoku roughly by the hair, so that the boy stumbled while trying to keep up. And a surge of pure rage coursed through Tasuki’s body, swelled through his chest, made his fists clench painfully hard onto his weapon as he ran blindly at his enemies…

…Something collided heavily with the back of his skull, and he felt himself falling…

……

…No…

~*~

The Empress Dowager Houki raised serious, sea-green eyes to her old friend’s face. She had greeted Chichiri heartily, and a few tears had been shed; she had gently scolded her surrogate son for rushing off so quickly. But now, she sat at the long, wooden table by the side of her son, and set her mouth firmly.

Since Boushin was still in his minority, the regency would have gone to Hotohori’s—or, more formally, Emperor Saihitei’s—old advisors. But Houki-sama had fought for the title of regent, and the old men had respected her too much to deny her her wish. So it was that she was now the Emperor of Konan, in all but name: the fragile, stout-hearted little woman who looked so much like Nuriko, now nearing her thirtieth year, held the affairs of the nation in her dainty hands. And she would continue to do so until Boushin came of age, which would fall in a year or two.

"Kutou," she now said, her voice quiet. "Kutou, again… And here, I had thought all our troubles were over, now that Seiryuu and Suzaku had both been summoned. I suppose it was not a very wise thought."

"Forgive the haste of our request, no da," said Chichiri, who, while trying to keep his calm, was clutching his hands together much more tightly than he should have. "But the Kutou Army has already moved, no da, and is heading here as we speak."

Houki looked at her son, whose golden eyes—so much like Heika’s—were laden with worry and uncertainty. She allowed herself to smile at him, to assuage his fears, but only for an instant; after, she rose slowly from her seat, on her face a determined, set expression.

"The Army of Konan will depart for the border as soon as possible," she promised, with a nod to one of the advisors, who bowed in return and hurried out of the room. "We’ll catch them by surprise. Chichiri-sama…you will come with us?"

The monk stood quickly, uncharacteristically lost for words. "Ahhhh…with… ‘us,’ no da?…"

She gave him a grin that mirrored the one she had given to Boushin, sweet and cocky all at once. "In the last war, my husband led the army against Kutou when he was only eighteen years old," she said. "Don’t you think that I can do the same in this one?"

Chichiri blinked beneath his mask.

"H…Houki-sama!" exclaimed one of the old men who flanked her. "You…You can’t…"

"I am the wife of Emperor Seishuku Saihitei," she responded, not unkindly. "I most certainly can. And I don’t see why you’re so worried, anyway; after all, if I’m killed, it’s you who will take over the regency, is it not?" The men had the decency to look embarrassed.

"I’m going with you, then!" announced Boushin, jumping up. "I’m the son of Emperor Seishuku Saihitei! I can…"

"No, Boushin-sama," said Shunshuu, pulling on his friend’s sleeve. "No. You can’t go." The boy looked about to protest, but a shake of his mother’s head was enough to send him back to his seat, looking helpless and defeated.

"Neither should you, no da," Chichiri told Shunshuu and Chiyu. "You two should stay here, no da…"

But Shunshuu just raised his chin, and Chiyu said, "No. We have to be there. The two of us…we were sent for. You’ll need us there, somehow."

As much as he didn’t want to admit it, Chichiri knew they were right. Even if they were not aware of it, the fact that the children were reborn Suzaku no Shichiseishi practically condemned them to any fate the gods had in store. He caught Houki’s eye, expecting her to protest…but was surprised when she gave him a tiny nod.

He tilted his head the slightest bit, to show that he understood that she understood…when one of the guards, of whom he’d not even really been aware, approached one of the advisors. The advisor, in turn, approached another advisor, who finally cleared his throat and relayed the message to the Empress.

"Houki-sama…it seems there is a group of peasants awaiting an audience with you. An old couple, and two young boys."

Houki frowned. "Old couple? I wonder what they want…"

"Shall I send word for them to be sent away, Houki-sama?" the man offered. "It’s not exactly the best of times to deal with the worries of the poor…"

She looked down her nose at him. "I think we will see them, if you please. They’ve traveled far, I’m sure, and it won’t take long. The soldiers are still not even in their armor yet." With a charming grin, she strode regally out of the meeting room, with her friends and servants tagging close behind her.

The visitors were in the great hall: an old man with a white beard, a plump old woman with long, flowing hair, and two boys, almost identical in appearance, gripping each other’s hands as if one or both of them was afraid. They bowed as she approached, and she greeted them gently, preparing her ordinary speech for such occasions…but then, she heard Chichiri give a little gasp beside her, so faint that she almost missed it. And when she turned to him, questioning, she saw that he had removed his mask, now held it gently cupped in his left hand. The single, deep-brown eye moved from visitor to visitor, flashing recognition.

The old man raised his head, gave a lop-sided grin and a nod to the blue-haired monk. "Chiri-san," he said, waggling his eyebrows. "Been one hell of a long time, ne?"

The old woman swatted him. "Will you mind your tongue when we’re in the presence of the Empress Dowager?? You never did have any manners…"

"What, as if you’re any better, hitting me like that," the man growled.

"Houki-sama, no da," Chichiri chuckled, and she saw that his mask had somehow been replaced, in an unseen flash of a gesture. "May I present Subaru-san and Tokaki-san…Byakko no Shichiseishi."

Notes: Lalala…must do homework. Damn. --;; Homework is dumb. **sigh** Anyhoo…..yyyyyyyeah. This story is winding down to its last few chapters, I think…but, since I have certain things planned but not everything planned, no one really knows for sure how long it’s really gonna be. Heehee. Well, thanks for reading, everyone!! Have fun! Ja! ^___^

PS: Aahhh, and I’m sorry for leaving poor Tasuki with a conk on the head like that!!! Gomen gomen gomen! Don’t kill me, Kaze-chan…or Schwenckster, either, come to think of it. ~.~() Ehehehe… **backs away sloooowly as Tasuki fans come after her with tar and feathers**

PPS: Neee, Kaze-chan…you gotta tell me if Tokaki and Suba-chan are IC, okie dokie? ^___^ Sorry we haven’t been catching each other recently, but I hope to talk to ya sooooon!! **glomp**

Bizarre Question of the Day: If both parties involved are dead, does it count as necrophilia? ^_~ Bahahaha.

Nuriko: Mouse-chan, that’s not even funny. You’re sick.

Me: Oh, and I suppose weird and random thoughts like that have never entered your mind on the way to the Foreign Language Building from the Armory???

Nuriko: …I guess I’m just not that "special."

Me: Shut up.

(Schwenck: Heyyyy, what a cool orange bandana!!…

Seymour: Ouch! My kidneys…)

:Þ