Chapter 4: A Previous Engagement


Disclaimer: All characters and anything related to Fushigi Yuugi belongs to Watase Yuu. I am not making any money from this so if anybody should decide to sue me for anything in my pages I'm just a poor student and you may just be wasting your money. And so forth and all that good stuff.



Ayanosuke


"Aaaa..." Tamahome and Tasuki stared at the couple before the steps forgetting their practice spar as they continued to stare.

"Are, are." Tasuki was pointing at the two trying to get over the shock at the scene before him.

"Nuriko?" Miaka looked at her still surprised friend. "Daijoubu?"

Nuriko turned to her with a vacant look in his eyes running the moment over and over in his mind.

"Oi, Nuriko." Tamahome called as he and Tasuki approached the two. "I thought you were in love with Hotohori-sama."

"Nuriko's cheating on Hotohori-sama." Tasuki chimed in a sing song voice.

Nuriko finally emerged from his thoughts and scowled at the flying figure of Tasuki.

"Heh." Tamahome grin as Tasuki went flying to another part of the palace grounds. "He shouldn't have said that."

When Tamahome, Miaka and Mitsukake finished following Tasuki's flight plan they turned only to find that Nuriko had left too.

"What just happened?" Miaka inquired her two also dumbstrucked seishi.

Nuriko was incredibly quiet throughout dinner. The emperor was curious about what had happened but the determined look on his friend's face cautioned him against asking. "He'll probably break my arms or something." Hotohori thought Nuriko would never do that to his emperor but a second glance at Nuriko put some doubt in his mind.

Even Tasuki and Tamahome had refrained from their usual dinner squabbles and kept quiet as they looked at their solemn friend waiting patiently for him to explain.

Miaka was worried. She had never seen her friend this off balanced. Even when her mirror impostor annouced his true gender to his beloved emperor, he was able to snap out of it and save them from the doppleganger. "Something's wrong with him," Miaka mumbled worriedly.

"Ayanosuke." Nuriko picked at his food. He was staring intently at his plate trying to find an answer in their contents. "Why is that name so familiar?" He asked himself over and over again.

"Nuriko?" Miaka's worried voice broke through Nuriko's musings.

He looked at Miaka and smiled. "Daijoubu. Daijoubu." He announced and put a morsel in his mouth making sure to show his companions how much he enjoyed it.

"Your Majesty," a reluctant servantmaid came in and bowed before her emperor. "Ayanosuke-san is here to see you."

"Of course. Show him in."

"Hai."

Everyone around the table waited with bated breath as the seconds passed by as Ayanosuke moved into the room.

"Nani?" Miaka was confused as she examined at the sole figure who passed through the dinning room doors.

She bowed gracefully and said, "Gomen, minna-san."

"Ayako," breathed Nuriko. Everyone gasped as they looked closely at the features of the familiar woman.

She was wearing light make up and the traditional Kounankoku garb. However, she wore the same golden brown eyes and dark brown hair, which was now pulled back into a bun with pins and other curious ornaments. She appeared smaller and less bulkier. The feminine quality and inflection in her voice made her meeker and more submissive than Ayanosuke's gruffer and commanding tone.

"Ryuuen-sama," Ayako smiled at Nuriko. She came towards him and again bowed in apology. "I must apologize to you most of all. I shouldn't not have come down on you like before."

Nuriko quickly stood up and offered his chair to Ayako. "No, Ayako-san. Please let's not think about it anymore. Won't you join us?" Everyone was yet again taken aback as Nuriko fussed over Ayako putting a fresh plate in front of her and practically spoon feeding her.

"Nuriko." Hotohori's gentle but firm voice stayed Nuriko from his minstrations. Nuriko and Ayako looked around at their other dinner companions.

"Uhm...." Nuriko didn't quite know how to begin.

Ayako put a hand over Nuriko and a gentle smile played on her face as she looked at him. "Maybe I should explain, Ryuuen-sama." Nuriko blushed and nodded. "I am...or should I say was Ryuuen-sama's fiancee."



Author's Note's: Well. There it is the big annoucement. Hehehehe. I thought it would be kind of a poetic justice if Nuriko's fiancee to be a cross dresser like him. However, unlike him Ayako doesn't actually practice being a guy. She just dresses up like one and orders and taunts people around like one. But I'm getting ahead of myself if you wanna know the rest you have to read the next chapter.


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