COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER: All rights and privileges to Houshin Engi belong to Ryu Fujisaki, JUMP Comics; Shueisha Inc., and TV Tokyo. Characters from HE are used without permission for the purpose of entertainment only. This work of fanfiction is not meant for commercial use. No infringements of rights are intended. In other words - please don't sue me, I need my allowance to buy HE merchandise and make you guys rich! **************************************************************** Smiling Tears Part II By Shioru Sutherlands (aka. Kotoshin) **************************************************************** What is love? If love is defined, what would be that definition? What lines can be drawn to decide where love begins and ends? What rules can be set to predict the course love takes? What laws can be used to calculate the width, the breadth, the very depth of the emotion that is love? What, is love? If love is defined, is it defined by time? Does the length of time I have known you affect my judgement, distort what I see of the person before me? If love is defined, is it defined by space? Does the distance between us affect my longing for you, increasing proportionally, as you come closer to me? If love is defined, is it defined by the number of times I think of you, speak of you by name? If love is defined, is it defined by the number of times you reach for me, call for me by name? What, is love? What is this feeling, this need? What is this need - to have you hear only me? What is this need - to have your eyes only on me? What is this need - to have you speak only to me? What is this need - to have you only with me? And yet ... It is not so simple, this need. Possession of you is not what I need. Love is not only this feeling, this need. Love is free. I cannot possess that which is free. I cannot hold it captive, against its will. I cannot trap it within my hands, cannot touch it with force. What is love? If I can define love, can I define what I feel for you? - "Defining Equation: Love = ?" -- Fuugen Shinjin ================================================================ PRESENT (before Taikoubou begun the Houshin Project)[1] "Mokutaku, perfect timing." Smiling, Fuugen Shinjin pried Taikoubou's pants from fingers loosened by surprise and consternation. "You can help me get your Taikoubou-susuu into the bath." "... the bath?" Taikoubou repeated, dumbly. "... the bath?" Mokutaku echoed. "Yes, the bath." Fuugen answered both questions as he began folding his 'prizes of war' away. "Bou-chan, you're dripping all over my nice clean bedsheets -" "Hai, shishou -" Mokutaku was about to assist his teacher when a shout from Taikoubou stopped him. "AND WHOSE BLOODY FAULT WAS THAT?" "Now, now, Bou-chan," With his voice taking on a chiding tone as he turned to Taikoubou, Fuugen pushed the disheveled doushi off the bed. "I wouldn't have used ice to wake you up, if you would wake up more promptly when I call you." "Well, you should have tried harder!" A wide-eyed Mokutaku watched the two friends spar verbally in silence. "But I did, Bou-chan." Tsking in disapproval as he examined the sorry-looking sheets, Fuugen replied easily. "First, I dressed you [2] as best as I could, considering how violently you lash out whenever someone lays a finger on you in sleep. [3]" Taikoubou opened his mouth as if to say something, then thought better of it, and closed his mouth on whatever he was going to say. One could practically see the steam fuming above the doushi's head. Smiling, Fuugen blithely continued his 'explanation,' as he removed the sheets from the bed. "Then I called and shook you several times, but you only mumbled and rolled over. When I tried to physically remove you from the bed, you refused to budge. In fact, you clung to the bed like a drowning man to a piece of driftwood. I couldn't pry you off. The ice was only the last resort when all else failed." Taikoubou could only slump on the floor, clutch his head and groan in defeat. "... so /that's/ why ..." Used to his susuu overnighting at his shishou's residence [4] (as well as their bickering habits and various eccentricities), Mokutaku nodded. Meanwhile, Fuugen had walked over to Taikoubou. "What the-!?!" The doushi attempted to pull loose from the grip the sennin had on his arms. "Fuugen, if you think I'm just going to do what you order me to, you're dead wrong!" "Mokutaku, if you will help, please?" "Hai, shishou!" "Mokutaku, don't listen to him!" Unfortunately, Mokutaku was Fuugen's student, not his. Carrying Taikoubou by arms and legs, Fuugen and Mokutaku somehow managed to get the half-naked and wildly thrashing doushi into the bathing chamber. "$#%@$% %#%$#%@^$ YOU $!$%&^## FUUGEN!!!! I'll GET you for this one, I SWEAR!!!" Mokutaku's face turned beet red, but Fuugen only smiled at the use of profane language. *SPLASH* Taikoubou looked like a landed fish as his eyes went round, mouth flapping open and shut several times as he went under the surface again. "Bglubblublublub...!!!..." "Thank you, Mokutaku, you may have the morning off." While the doushi was busy spluttering water and unintelligible profanity, Fuugen spoke. "I would suggest you to practice those sword stroke counters I taught you yesterday, as I will be quizzing you on practical defense in the afternoon." "Hai, shishou," The obvious question could be seen clearly on Mokutaku's face. "Oh, I shall be busy here ..." A faint hint of malice crept into Fuugen's voice. "... since Bou-chan /never/ washes behind his ears." In the background, unnoticed by Mokutaku, Taikoubou made gagging noises. "Hai, shishou!" Mokutaku left. [5] ================================================================ BATHING CHAMBER (30 minutes later) [6] Nervously, Taikoubou waited alone in silence. After making him surrender his last piece of clothing [7], Fuugen had left to 'do laundry.' /Where the bloody hell is that idiot?/ Taikoubou leaned back, head resting against the edge of the bathing pool, listening to the irregular sound of liquid dripping from the stalactites overhead. Worn smooth by centuries of falling water, it fit perfectly to his neck. /Breathe in./ The doushi gritted his teeth and recalled what he knew of meditation into service. /Breathe out. Stop. Don't think of him. Think about something else. Anything else. You know he's only doing this to annoy you. So, if you are annoyed, you're playing right into his hands. Breathe in. Breathe out./ Eyes half-closed, Taikoubou began dozing in the warmth of the heated pool. /Breathe in. Breathe out. Don't think ... breathe in .... breathe out .../ Gradually, the tension in his muscles dissipated away, and he was set adrift in thought. /I want my clothes back. DRY clothing, thank you very much, Fuugen-I'm-Doing-This-For-Your-Own-Good. I want to get out of here -/ His stomach grumbled. /- and I want my breakfast, DAMMIT!/ As if on cue, the sound of footsteps broke the pitter-patter of water droplets. "Bou-chan, would you like to have some breakfast?" Still smiling, from the sound of his voice. Doesn't that moron's face ever get tired of doing that? "YES." The scent of porridge reached his nostrils. "I'm /starving/." Even if Fuugen did get on his nerves, the sennin was one of the best cooks he knew. Which was why, despite Fuugen's other faults[8], he kept on coming back here for more. [9] "It's Shinsen porridge[10], one of your favorites." Fuugen chuckled at the plaintive tone. "And there's also peaches for dessert." /... maybe it's not so bad at all .../ "Feed me." Taikoubou's laziness bug kicked in. ".... it will be my pleasure, Bou-chan." "Aaah." Someone never seems to learn from past mistakes ... "Mmmmm." Eyes closed, Taikoubou wondered why Fuugen hadn't put the spoon to his open mouth yet. "Aah...?!!" Lips closed over his, deft tongue slipping between his teeth. Familiar taste, sweetened by the added scent of water lilies. Resisting the urge to bite down (because he knew that vengeance would be swift and merciless), Taikoubou was mouth-fed by Fuugen. [11] He took a long time to swallow that first mouthful. [12] ================================================================ 3 MINUTES & 48 SECONDS LATER ... Gasping, Taikoubou glared at the ever-smiling Fuugen Shinjin with sheer ... sheer ... sheer ... oh it! He didn't know what noun to use for the emotion he felt, but it sure as hell was more than mere indignation! "More porridge?" "Fuugen, gimme that bowl." Taikoubou didn't bother wasting time arguing with the sennin. He grabbed both bowl and spoon from the hands which held them loosely, as if expecting such a move. And the Shinsen porridge quickly disappeared. Wordlessly, Fuugen took away the spoon and the empty bowl, setting them onto the tray he brought them in. Wordlessly, Fuugen then passed Taikoubou the basket of peaches. Wordlessly, Taikoubou took them one by one and ate in silence. He began to worry after the fifth peach. Fuugen was too quiet. Fuugen wasn't moving closer. Fuugen did not seem to have any interest in what he was doing except to take each peach pit away and to pass him another peach. In other words, Fuugen wasn't happy with him. And an unhappy Fuugen was definitely NOT a good thing. Sneaking a look at his surroundings, Taikoubou caught sight of the clean clothing Fuugen had brought along with his breakfast. He started doing mental calculations of the amount of time needed get to the pile, grab the clothing, and run out of the bathing chamber before Fuugen could grab /him/. /Yeah ... I think I can just make it .../ A soft rustling sound interrupted his thoughts, and Taikoubou nearly choked on his eighth peach when he looked toward the source of the sound. Fuugen was disrobing. "Fuugen, if you /dare/ come into the bath I'll ..." "... you'll do what?" The sennin did not look at him, having undressed down to pants only. "... try to drown me? I'm the better swimmer of the two of us, Bou-chan." "I'll - I'll jam this peach pit down your throat!" "No need for violence, Bou-chan." Fuugen slid smoothly into the water. "I don't intend to do anything to you." "Don't come any closer!" Taikoubou moved away as fast as he could, movement hindered by the water. "Bou-chan..." Fuugen made no move to follow. "Do you hate the thought of me touching you that much?" Uncertainty cracked the sennin's usually confident voice. "... well ...." Taikoubou tried glare back at Fuugen, expecting a ruse. Only to find Fuugen with an expression he'd never have thought to see on the sennin's face. Fuugen did not look at him nor turn away, as the sennin often did when maneuvering him into a position he did not particularly care for. Instead, Fuugen Shinjin merely looked away to the side, leaving the desolate longing naked on the handsome face. /chained I am chained held down bound and trapped and restrained chained to this pain this pain... / Mechanically, he let the water fall from his hands... /cannot break these chains I wear cannot ease this pain I bear cannot wash the bloodstains clear -/ ... before dipping them back into the water. /can't forget I swear .../ He repeated this action over ... /it eats at me even in sleep it gnaws at me the wounds bone deep it tears at me I cannot weep -/ ...and over again ... /in chains in pain in bloodstains on my hands blood ... stains .../ ... knowing that the water could not take the blood away the blood that only he could see on his hands the blood that he could feel no matter what he did but could not help but try to - /blood... stains... wash away the bloodstains .../ "... Fuugen?" Startled out of his thoughts, he looked up. "Yes, Bou-chan?" The smile had become a reflex, his automatic defense. "... nothing." Taikoubou knew that smile far too well. It was the smile Fuugen used whenever he did not want to answer a question. "I ... I wouldn't mind your hands on me so much... touching me ... if they /don't/ lead to anything else." "Oh?" The smile was genuine this time. "How would you like me to touch you, then, Bou-chan?" "ARRRRGGGGH." Taikoubou wondered why he bothered worrying about this idiot at all. "Just kidding, Bou-chan." Fuugen laughed. "You can set out the rules while we're in here." [13] "... no kidding?" At Fuugen's nod, Taikoubou breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay, as far as /bathing/ goes, you're allowed to do my back and wash my hair, but nothing else, got that?" "Certainly, Bou-chan." "Promise." "I'll do your back, wash your hair - /and/ behind your ears - and I won't touch you anywhere else. I promise." "Alright." Pondering Fuugen's words, Taikoubou could not find any loopholes which the smiling sennin could exploit. "Go on." "Will you do my back for me, too, Bou-chan?" Fuugen asked as he began soaping down Taikoubou's back. "After you're done with me, yeah." "You don't mind me talking while doing this, do you?" "... you're asking a lot of questions today, Fuugen." Taikoubou felt uneasy. "What's with you?" "Perhaps I feel like taking your opinions into consideration today, Bou-chan." ".... so, you do know that you've been /abusing/ me?!" "Bou-chan ... I promise not to do anything you say 'no' to, and I apologize for my behavior." "... Fuugen?" The sennin's arms were about his neck, and he could feel the weight of Fuugen's head resting against his own, as well as warm breaths on his bared throat. "I'm sorry .. Bou-chan." "Fuugen, what are you talking about?" This was not usual. This was not something Fuugen usually did. This ... wasn't like Fuugen at all. "For taking advantage of you so often these days." The sennin sounded sincere - and for once, Taikoubou believed him. Fuugen didn't even try to 'accidentally' brush against Taikoubou... that was worrying, because the sennin usually enjoyed getting a rise out of Taikoubou in any way he can. /... what's going on?/ But still ... "Does that mean you'll stop?" He couldn't help but ask in a hopeful tone. "No." Fuugen nuzzled his neck, half-sighing. "After all, you asked me for it in the first place." "... I thought I told you not to mention /that/ again." Taikoubou was answered by a throaty chuckle. "I /did/ have other suggestions, but you never bothered asking for them ..." It had been an ... interesting afternoon, thirty years ago. ================================================================ FLASHBACK TIME (about 30 years ago) [14] Taikoubou was on his usual rock perch, deeply "meditating". Sitting upright in the "lotus-seat" position, his eyes were closed, his breathing was even, his expression utterly at peace with the world. Taikoubou was sound asleep. "Bou-chan, you're slacking off again." A shadow fell across the doushi's face as a hand took him by the shoulder, shaking him awake. "Genshitenson-sama isn't very pleased with you." "... *grumble* ... whatever, Fuugen." Taikoubou was as grouchy as every time his 'beauty sleep' was interrupted. "Bou-chan, why do you do this?" Fuugen sat down beside him. Given a softer prospect than the outcrop of rock, Taikoubou immediately used Fuugen's lap as a pillow. "Because I'm bored." Opening his eyes to mere slits, the doushi replied. "I mean, what's the point of learning all this stuff if I'm not gonna actually use it?" "... are you hoping to be exiled from the Senninkai, Bou-chan?" "Nah." Taikoubou chewed on his lower lip. "I'm hoping that this would make the old man give me something more interesting to do. Something I actually care shit about instead of those stupid rules and regulations we've had to memorize lately. Something like actually helping the people down there. I mean, I've learned a lot since I came here, grown stronger, but ..." He couldn't quite put it into words, the restlessness he felt, the need to be actually /doing/ something for the mortals in Ningenkai, rather than devoting himself to his studies and advance to the next level of immortality. "... it's something you can't forget, what happened to bring you here, isn't it?" Taikoubou made a non-committal sound, which Fuugen interpreted roughly to mean "isn't it the same for you, too?" /I know, Bou-chan./ Fuugen could feel it, too, the restlessness. The feeling as if there was something else that should be done, the feeling as if he should do something ... the feeling of a dark and deadly storm - a hurricane - hovering just out of sight at the horizon. A building windstorm ready to loose all hell across the sky. /I know ... / Strange winds of fate which would change the very course of history. Terrible winds of change which would blow away those unprepared for its coming. Rising, winds of fury which would break ... soon. /I remember .../ He had became a pupil under Genshitenson-sama at the same time as Taikoubou, for the same reason. The same reason that made them both orphans. /... the blood .../ There were Immortals in the world. Those who had reached a certain degree of understanding of the universe and its mysteries were the sennin. Those who were still learning the mysteries were the doushi. Immortal, with abilities beyond that of mere mortals. /... the screams .../ Immortals, who can be either good or evil. /... the pain .../ At the whim of an Immortal sennyo, many villages were razed to the ground. /... the loss./ Because of that whim, two children who would not have otherwise met were brought together. Both children were the sole survivors of the attack on their respective villages. Both children were born with sennin bones, the potential to become one of the sennin. /I cannot forget .../ Both children were taken to Mount Koron by Genshitenson, the leader of the many sennin residing there. "... Fuugen." Close in age and circumstance, the two had become friends. Friends, and perhaps something more ... "Yo, Fuugen!" "... hm ...? Sorry, Bou-chan. I wasn't listening." Taikoubou had sat up, and was glaring at him irritately under unruly brown locks of hair. "For the last time, you gonna help me do this or what?" "You know what my answer is, Bou-chan." Fuugen smiled, and ruffled those messy forelocks, exposing the green eyes. "Great!" "I have only one question." "And that is ...?" "What did you want me to help you with?" At that, Taikoubou nearly fell off the rock. Fortunately, Fuugen had expected that, and had caught ahold of Bou-chan's hand before the doushi fell all the way to the Ningenkai. "Help me with my plan to get Genshitenson's sanction in acting on the behalf of the people in Ningenkai, of course!" /What happened to us should never happen again. NEVER./ "... how would you plan to do that?" "Weren't you listening to me?" Taikoubou had a headache. "Sorry, but I wasn't, Bou-chan." Fuugen smiled down at him angelically. "That's why I'm asking." "Okay. It's like this - I want to be a slacker." "... that shouldn't be too hard for you." "...#... shut up and listen to me. But I still want to keep up with my studies, it's just that I don't want the old man to know I am. That's where you come in." "Gotcha. And?" "And then, because I appear to be such a sorry credit to his teaching methods, Genshi-ol'man would send me down to the Ninkai with his blessings. He won't want to have me up here again." "... sounds like it should work, but what does this part have to do with me?" "Fuugen, while I /like/ to sleep, it gets awfully boring after twelve hours of 'meditation'." Taikoubou folded his arms under the back of his head. "Since that's taken care of, I might as well be doing something interesting at nights." "... so, you're saying ..." "BINGO." Taikoubou leaned in, grinning widely at Fuugen. "Think you can manage with a little less sleep? This way, I wouldn't be so bored when I'm faking it." [15] "Bou-chan, you know I wouldn't mind at all." Fuugen had to make an effort to keep his smile guileless. It wouldn't do at all to let Bou-chan know that he'd been reading the Sujyokyo [16] lately. ================================================================ PRESENT "...#... if you had other suggestions, why didn't you tell me?" Taikoubou was not happy, remembering how Fuugen had insisted on doing things "by the book." "I told you, Bou-chan." Fuugen smiled as Taikoubou took his arms in hand, and turned to face him. "You didn't ask." "... and I suppose you didn't feel like telling me because you liked my suggestion better?" "Bou-chan is so smart." Just before Taikoubou gave in to the urge to sock Fuugen a good one in the eye, two words stopped him. "... Houshin Keikaku." "... Hou-what?" "Houshin Keikaku, the Houshin Project." Taikoubou could not read the expression in blue-violet eyes. "We don't have much time left ... together." /I don't want to let go. Don't want to let you go. So I cling fast to you. As often as I can. So I hold fast to you. As often as I am capable. So I love you. But ..../ "Fuugen, do you know something that I don't?" Arms retightening about Taikoubou's neck, face delving into the hollow between throat and collarbone. /If you love something, let it go. If it comes back to you, it is yours. If it doesn't ... then it was never meant to be./ [17] "Mmmhmm." He breathes in the scent of wind, the scent that was uniquely Taikoubou's. "Well, tell me!" "The Houshin Project." Fuugen's voice was monotonous, as if reciting directly from memory. "The Project proposed by the Three Great Sennin to eliminate negative sendou [18] presence from the Ningenkai sphere. Specifically, remove the influence of one kosen[19], currently possessing the name and body of one 'So Dakki.'" /So... Dakki .../ Taikoubou's eyes narrowed at the mention of the kosen. /... the vixen who ORDERED my people's deaths .../ "It's starting." Fuugen said calmly. "What you have been waiting for." "... Fuugen, you hacked into Genshitenson's terminal again, didn't you?" Green eyes bright with anticipation, Taikoubou said admiringly. "Tell me everything you know! Tell me now!" "Bend your head over so I can wash your hair while I talk." "... (mou~) ... fine. Watch it with the soapsuds." "Under this identity, she has upsurped the place of the rightful Empress Kyohi, of the Ningenkai Dynasty 'In'. Chou Ou, the current Emperor, is nothing but her cat's-paw, speaking her words. The high tax increase among the peasantry lately is also her doing.She has gathered a lot of like-minded sendou (numbering roughly 300~400, mostly comprised of youkai-sennin), as her subordinates. "Elimination of Dakki and her cohorts from Ninkai is the objective. However, they are not to be permitted re-entry into the Senninkai. Since it is against the Senninkai laws (section 128:2.7) to take the lives of other sendou, a safe and humane disposal method must be taken into consideration. "Therefore, a place of containment (codename: Shinkai) will be arranged. Once construction of 'Houshin Dai,' a prison designed to capture the souls of defeated sendou, is completed, Houshin Kenkaku will be initiated with its activation. "Current proposed 'Houshin Keikaku' executor: Taikoubou. Current 'Houshin Keikaku' status: TBA tomorrow." "That all you've got?" Taikoubou was mildly disappointed, "Hey, not behind the ears! It itches!" "I'm done." Fuugen rinsed the last bit of soap away. "I could not penetrate the system further without alerting Genshitenson-sama of what I was up to. He will most likely summon you today ... to entrust you with the project. "This information is current as of last night, after you fell asleep." "... this fast?" "Yes. I knew you'll be leaving soon, so -" Fuugen held him, reburying face into the junction between chin and chest. "I ... I wanted to hold you while I still can." "So that's what all the recent -" Taikoubou shut up. It really would hurt his case (among other things) with Fuugen if he dared accuse the sennin of nymphomanical activities. "I'll make it up to you tonight," the voice beside his ear said. "Bou-chan." "Oh no you don't -" "I'll let you do anything you want to me," the voice cajoled, "And I won't deny you anything - just for tonight." "What's the catch?" Taikoubou was still suspicious of Fuugen's motives. "Just ... let me rest like this, for a while ..." the voice, Fuugen's voice, sounding ... tired? Nah, it couldn't be. Could it? "I /am/ tired, Bou-chan. I'm not as full of boundless energy as you seem to think I am." Fuugen's chin was resting on his shoulder, arms wound about his neck, body tucked snugly onto his. "After ... you fell asleep, I couldn't. So I ran a check on the status of the Houshin Project." [20] "... Fuugen, thank you." "Don't thank me." His eyes were growing heavy. "I would have done it even if not for you, Bou-chan ... (yawn) ... but you're welcome, nevertheless." "Hey - wait a sec!" Taikoubou did not foresee this turn of events. "Don't fall asleep on - oh, great." Fuugen was fast asleep. The sennin was breathing evenly against his shoulder, arms still firmly wound about his neck. /He looks like an angel .../ Sighing, Taikoubou ran his hands through the tousled blue hair. Still, being used as a body pillow in exchange to doing ANYTHING he pleased to that wicked angel - even just for one night ... Taikoubou began plotting his revenge. [21] ================================================================ ~tbc~ ================================================================ [1] Shi's decided. It is now the dawn of the first day in the manga, chapter 1. ^_^ [2] Mystery solved. Fuugen dressed Taikoubou to get him up and ready in time. [3] Taikoubou: *sarcastically* Gee, I wonder why? [4] Fuugen Shinjin's residence on Mount Konron is at Kukyusan's Hakkushiru Dou. Roughly translating the place name into English would be "Nine-Palace-Peak's White-Crane-Cave." [5] And the poor lad /still/ has no inkling of Taikoubou-susuu and Fuugen-shishou's true relationship ... *sweatdrop* [6] Shi has set Fuugen's residence as a large natural cave complex. Limestone caves often have natural springs, given the limestone's permeability to water. The bathing chamber is a part of this limestone cave complex. Rig in a heating source and you've got hot water. (And the water is quite rich in minerals, so it's healthy to drink! It's also great for brewing Chinese tea. ^_^) [7] Which would be the dark long-sleeved shirt Taikoubou has under the robe with the Ying-Yang symbol. Fuugen had acquired the jacket, the headscarf, the waist-sash, the robe AND the gloves when Mukutaku walked in on them fighting over the pants. [8] Such as charging the 'fee' of staying the night ... ^_^; [9] Fuugen: *sniffle* I'm hurt. So you're only here to freeload the food? [10] Shinsen porridge is basically white rice porridge made from white-fruit and fuu-juh (another name for bean-curd. it's very nutritious). When it just reaches the boiling point, one'd put a freshly plucked water lily pad over it and close the lid. Ten minutes later the porridge turns a gorgeous emerald color (which happens to be the shade of susuu's eyes ...) and fills one's mouth with the scent of water lilies when eaten. Susuu likes a little sugar w/ his, but shi prefers it the way it is. MMMMmm-good. ^_^ [11] O.O Shi wanna too! Feed shi, Fuugen-sama! [12] ... 3 minutes and 48 seconds, to be exact. [13] Susuu, would you please note Fuugen's choice of words carefully? Sheesh ... but ... FIC IDEA BORN! See "senseless babble" below. [14] This happens several months after Taikoubou 'accepts' Fuugen. See "smiling tears, pt. i" for details. And YES, there is room enough for the two of them on that rock outcropping - it wasn't that /small/ (as seen in vol. 1 of the manga) until Genshitenson-sama blasted susuu for being lazy, roughly 25 years before Houshin Keikaku. [15] Susuu, you /REALLY/ asked for it. It really is his fault for /asking/ Fuugen to keep him up at nights. Guess someone thought he was going to be 'top' ... Credit for this idea goes to Ruby-chan, who commented on the fact that susuu started slacking off at about the same time he went on that fishing trip with Fuugen. [16] According to legend, Sujyokyo was a book written by Koutai Nokien (one of the first emperors of China) and one of his concubines. It's basically the Chinese equivalent of the Kama Sutra. [17] From a novel shi read. "Snowbird". Forgot who the author was. Help, anyone? [18] sendou = a collective term for Immortals, be they sennin or be they doushi. [19] kosen = fox sennin. A youkai-sennin who was originally a fox. [20] Poor Fuugen. He slept less than 3 hours last night. [21] *snicker* Does anyone actually believe he'll succeed? ================================================================ Shin no Freetalk: MWAHAHAHAHHAHAHA. More evilness ensues. ^o^v Ouji-sama? Oh, you mean what happened to his appearance? *twiddles fingers* ... well ... see, it's like this ... (a) once susuu got into hot water, he liked it too well to leave (b) Fuugen was sent to get susuu out of hot water (c) Fuugen /kept/ susuu there (d) Shi ran out of room for ouji-sama (e) ouji-sama starts BITCHING at shi for turning his poem into a Fuugen POV one + changing his appearance to token cameo, and later to none. -_-; ... so, this chapter took a while to do. Urr ... no comment on the weird free style semi-non-rhyming poem that appears at the beginning of this part. And the first person who asks if a poem will always open off the later part as a "formulae" gets a cyber smack in the face. mail shi-chan at kichin@doushi.org with any comments! ^o^ ================================================================ Sneak previews of what's going to happen next: Fuugen Shinjin pays a fellow sennin a visit. Ouji-sama appears ... ... and promptly gets into an argument with Fuugen. Taikoubou's revenge. ================================================================ First Edition: September 15th, 2000 at 1:37 PM Last Revised: September 17th, 2000 at 8:19 PM ================================================================ senseless babble: once upon a time, while writing this part of the fic, shi got into a talk via ICQ with one of the proof-readers, the lovely ruby-chan .... SHI It has just occured to Shi that, together, Taikoubou and Fuugen would make an invincible lawyer team. And if you add Youzen to the equation ... ^_^; ... scary thought. RUBY HEHE lawyers....sheesh.......... they wouldn't have to worry about $$ for peaches or...err... other stuff o.O;;; SHI *nodnod* think about it. ^^; It would be soooo easy for Fuugen to win sympathy from the judges/jury members (& present cases logically/concisely), Bou-chan's the strategist & brains of the team, and Youzen can turn into ANY evidence they need .... RUBY *falls over* YES that's quite true >< [as half of the jury (male and female) stares at the beautiful man in the witness stand, the other half sheds tears at one of the defense lawyers...while the other defense lawyer inputs commands into their passive brains] SHI *nodnodnod* I wonder why no one has thought of it yet ... (fic idea! ^^;;;;) RUBY oooooooh yes! wahahahahaha!!!! SHI You want shi to start? ^^; But then we'd need Hime-sama to do the reporting to start it off, and to decide the persecutor's side ... etc etc. Would be fun if they're defending Dakki or sth. ^O^ Bunchuu as the persecutor and - and G-sama as the judge! *mwahahahah* RUBY HAHA definately!!! hmmmmm.... SHI Chou-oh-san can be the poor "victim" ... maybe Dakki set him up for insurance money, attempted to kill him or sth. ^_^ RUBY yeah that'll do...hehehe.... but what would susuu and team get outta defending Dakki???? o.O SHI .... urm, they get certain incriminating "tapes" back? ^^; (envisions Dakki-sama as co-landlord of one of those high-class condos w/ Shinkouhyou & set cameras into every nook & cranny~~~) RUBY *falls over* goodness that's a good one (reminds me of the Utena movie... "and then the ouji-sama JUMPED OFF THE BUILDING!!!!") SHI *mwahahahhahahahah* ^_^; we're soooo evil it's fun. funny. whatever. ^^;;;;; Oi. That means Outenkun would be sth like building security manager ... *sweatdrop* RUBY wahahahahaha >< .... thus a new fic idea was born. ================================================================