Chapter Two-

We snuck, almost on tiptoes, down the stairs. It was rather humorous, the one behind bumping into the one in front: “Oh!” “Oh!” “Shhh!” “You shhh!” “Shhh!” Finally, we made it down the stairs and slowly, very slowly, opened the door to the guest room.
We were greeted by the loudest snoring I’ve ever heard in my life. It floated towards the door, around us and out of the room, we rushed in and quickly shut the door behind us.
The moonlight was bright enough so we could see our surroundings. Amiboshi was curled up on the floor with one pillow, while Tasuki, on the other hand, was sprawled out all over the bed himself, tangled in blankets and such, emmiting a loud snore.
“Jesus, he snores loud!” I whispered to Akai, “he’s louder than you’re parents!”
She began to walk towards Tasuki, “How can Amiboshi sleep through this?”
“Good question,” I agreed, watching Amiboshi. Sure, in some odd way, he looked peaceful--maybe he was just glad Tasuki hadn’t killed him yet as far as he knew--but I could see him shaking a bit.
“Aw, he’s cold,” I said softly, and turned to attempt to yank a blanket away from Tasuki. In his sleep, he grasped it greedily.
“Tasuki!” I cried, giving it one last tug and getting it finally. He whimpered softly, but just hugged the blankets he still had closer to him, as if in fear that they, too, were in danger.
I took it over to Amiboshi and laid it gently over him, “There.”
“Oh, he’s so cute when he sleeps,” I heard Akai say, but knelt down next to Amiboshi. His hair fell loosely around his eyes and glistened beautifully in the moonlight. I watched him, how peaceful he looked, and how steady his breathing was, his chest rising and falling slowly. This is truly a man I could love, I thought wistfully, smiling slightly as I watched him. But I caught myself, shaking my head. No, I could, but I won’t. For one, he’s got to go back to his world, for two...I hesitated in my thinking. I don’t want to fall in love again.
Ah, again. Why again? Yeah, sure, love is wonderful and gooshy and happy, but mine hadn’t been all that happy. I wasn’t sure whether it was because he hadn’t loved me back, or whether I had just been too sensitive. I had decided love was only a good thing when you’re loved back. Otherwise, it was a hurtful, mean, cruel game in which I would only be hurt. Akio hadn’t meant to hurt me, I’m not sure anyone every does, but it had scarred me with my first broken heart, and I’d basically swore to myself I’d never fall in love again unless that person loved me back. And why would Amiboshi ever love me back? There was nothing to love about me.
I shook myself out of self-pity. Suddenly, the snoring stopped. I looked towards Tasuki, and I assumed Akai was near him. Why had he stopped snoring? We he and Akai kissing?
“Nishiko?”
I jumped a bit, my name coming from Amiboshi. I saw him awake, watching me. He sat up slowly, “what’s wrong? Are you okay?”
“Uh...yeah...I...” I had no idea what the hell I was going to do. I could hear Akai and Tasuki talking quietly from the bed.
“What are you doing down here?” Amiboshi asked me softly. Oh crap. I’m just watching you sleep! Oh, that sounds good, I thought moodily.
“I...we...came to...check on you guys,” I spilled out, making up something quick, “we wanted to make sure Tasuki didn’t really kill you in your sleep.”
“Oh.” he said quietly, then asked, “are you cold? You’re shaking.”
I suddenly noticed that I was. Whether it was actually from temperature or something else, I wouldn’t know. I chuckled softly, “Yeah, then vents down here blow cold air.”
“Vents?”
“Uh, never mind.”
He slowly took off the blanket I’d laid on top of him and wrapped it around me. “There,” he smiled softly at me. It was one of the sweetest guestures a guy had ever done for me and I stared at him in shock and bewilderment, and if it had been possible, my eyes would have quivered.
“Are you okay, Nishiko?” Amiboshi asked, looking at me strangely.
“Uh, yeah...” I replied, looking away so he might not see my expression. I was afraid my expression might give away how I really felt, and if he saw it--I stopped myself. How did I really feel? Did I even know?
“Hey, how’re you guys doing up there?” Amiboshi called quietly up to Tasuki and Akai.
“All right.” they answered in unison, and Amiboshi and I smiled at each other.
“How did we all get awake?” Amiboshi asked suddenly.
“Uh, Nishiko and I couldn’t sleep, so we came downstairs to...check on you guys. Then I woke Tasuki up,” Akai said sheepishly.
“I think I woke up because there was no snoring,” Amiboshi laughed.
“How are you guys sleeping anyway?” I asked, leaning back on my hands, “actually, I’m assuming Tasuki was sleeping pretty damn good.”
I heard Akai snort and Tasuki, sounding rather insulted, asked, “What’s that suppose to mean?”
I laughed softly, “Oh, I don’t know. You kicked poor little Amiboshi off the bed and had the whole thing to yourself.”
“Yeah, you shouldn’t take that, Amiboshi.” Akai grinned. Amiboshi looked as if he wanted to say he had to take that or Tasuki’d kick his ass.
“Well, since we’re awake, we might as well try to figure out why you’re here.” I suggested, “did you see any red or blue lights or anything?”
Akai snicked, “The Suzaku sparkles!”
She and I chuckled a moment, then saw Tasuki and Amiboshi looked very confused.
“Sorry, inside joke,” I snickered.
“The sparkles let her in!” Akai went on and I had to add in, “First the door was unlocked...”
“...and then it opened by itself...”
“...and there’s the book on the floor...”
“...and it’s glowing.” we finished in unison.
“No, this wasn’t planned for Miaka at all!” I said sarcastically, and we burst out laughing. We were referring to the part in Fushigi Yuugi where Miaka goes into the book the second time and the little red sparkles let her in.
Again, Tasuki and Amiboshi exchanged confused glances.
“Now what the hell are you talking about?” Tasuki demanded crossly.
“Uh, Fushigi Yuugi? Your lives?” I answered shrugging. How do you really tell someone about inside jokes about the show they’rein ? “but we’d better get back on the subject of how you got here.”
“Well, all I remember was we were jumping from roof top to roof top and we were suddenly in your house,” Amiboshi explained as best as he could.
“That’s it? No sparkles or anything?” Akai asked disappointedly.
“I guess it wasn’t by the power of Suzaku,” I said thoughtfully.
Akai furrowed her brow and said, “No, it wouldn’t be, would it? And Sukaku wouldn’t just send them here for,” she glanced at Amiboshi and Tasuki, “for no reason, and screw up time like that.”
“Uh huh,” I nodded, “because, as we speak, time is flying in Ancient China and millions of things have already been changed because you two aren’t there.”
“You guys know what’s going to, or was going to happen, don’t you?” Amiboshi asked quietly.
Akai and I glanced at each other nervously. “Well, yeah...” Akai answered uneasily.
“I don’t think it would be too good if you knew,” I bit my lip uncomfortably.
“Why the hell not?” Tasuki demanded.
“Because screwing with the future is a bad thing, especially if that future had already happened,” Akai explained.
“Oooh. Deep,” I nodded.
Akai sighed, putting a hand on her forehead, “No, seriously.”
“I know, I’m serious too,” I told her rather hottly, frowing, “I just don’t know what to say. What can any of us say? Even if we figure everything out, what can we do then?”
Akai brushed her bangs off her forehead, “I suppose you’re right. Maybe we should talk about this when it’s not two o’ clock in the morning.”
“What should we talk about then?” Amiboshi asked, “that is, if we talk at all.”
All three of us gave him a surprised, perhaps appalled look.
“No! No!” he cried, “I meant go back to sleep, you perverts.”
“So, what do you do for fun in this world?” Tasuki asked, settling back against the pillows.
I looked to Akai, “Well, in this world, it depends on where you live. Since we’re in a pretty small city, not much. But in the summer, there’s Silverwood, go karting, swimming--”
Tasuki sat up suddenly, “Swimming?”
“Yeah, we live by a lake...” I answered, trailing off, “oh that’s right! You’re a hammer!”
Akai grinned, “Ah, is the big, buff guy afraid of water?” she teased.
Tasuki glared heavily at Akai, but was blushing heavily, “How the hell would you know?!”
She stuck out her tounge at him, “I’m a woman. I know things.”
Tasuki snorted, “Woman? You’re just a kid.”
I let out a low whistle. Ouch. That was below the belt. I could tell it hurt Akai more than she’d let on. She suddenly raised a pillow and smacked him with it hard. Really hard. She turned away, and I couldn’t tell whether she was crying or not.
“Ow! What the hell was that for?!” Tasuki cried, clutching the back of his head. I got up from the floor and sat next to Akai, putting my arm around her.
“Tasuki, just leave her alone,” I said coldly.
“What did I do?!” Tasuki exclaimed outraged.
“Don’t...ever call me a kid,” she said, rather quiet, balling her fists in her lap. The room was silent for a moment, then Tasuki said very softly, “Akai, I’m sorry...”
Akai seemed to loosen up and I released my arms from her, “It’s okay,” she said lightly, turning back, “you didn’t know.”
I could tell she was still hurt, but, as always, she was covering it up. Also, having Tasuki apologize to you is kind of like a mini-miracle. I smiled to myself. I can see the bonding already.
“Are you two sisters?” Amiboshi asked suddenly, and we turned to him.
“No, why? Do we look like it?” I grinned. I said this because Akai and I look basically nothing alike. Akai has long, almost waist length light brown hair that’s wvay curlish and bangs that she absolutely hates. She has bright blue eyes, a widish nose and full lips. Her skin is fairly light and burns easily, and she’s fairly tall. I, on the other hand, have straight, dark brown hair that’s just a little below my chin (I get told I look like Hotaru/Sailor Saturn a lot) and hazel eyes that can sometimes annoyingly change to a yellowish color (Akai says I have yokai¹ eyes). I’m pretty short, which I absolutely hate, because everyone teases me about it. I have a a fairly good figure, which I also absolutely hate, because I feel like some sort of freak, being different from everyone else at a young age.
“I don’t know. I just had no way of knowing otherwise,” Amiboshi shrugged.
“No, we’re just best buddies,” I grinned, putting my arm back around Akai’s shoulders.
“Even though we practically live together anyway,” Akai laughed.
I felt my face pale suddenly, “Oh shit! I forgot to call my parents about staying the night!” I whirled around to glance at the nearest clock, “and it’s two o’ clock in the morning!”

“Two thirty-two, actually,” Akai spoke up quietly.
I glared at her, “What the hell does it matter?! My parents are gonna fuckin’ kill me!”
“Sorry, automatic reflex,” Akai apologized, “there’s not much you can do now.”
I sat down on the bed sullenly. What the hell was I going to do? Although, it seemed really weird to me that they hadn’t called yet. I was through being outraged, now I was discouraged and worried, “What am I going to do?” I murmured softly.
Akai shook her head, “Go into hiding with these two?” she suggested wryly.
I had to snicker at this, “Oh yeah, a pacifest stuck in here with two guys who want to kill each other.”
“Pacifest my ass!” Tasuki yelled, “ya punched me!”
“I said I was sorry,” I said bashfully.
I suddenly saw a mischievous grin grow on Akai’s face, “Hmmm...one girl alone with two very bored guys for hour on end and no one knows they’re down here...”
“Akai!” I cried, smacking her upside the head.
“WHAT?!” Tasuki exclaimed, turning bright red, “what the hell’s that suppose to mean?!”
“Oh, nothing,” Akai gave him a smile that was both innocent and smug at the same time, if that’s possible.
“Uh, I don’t get it,” Amiboshi spoke up quietly, still on the floor, “what are you guys yelling at Akai about?”
I gave him a baffled stared, “You don’t know what this twirp just implied?”
He shook his head innocently.
“You don’t know about that?” Akai asked disbelievingly.
Tasuki snorted, “Shit, and I thought Seiryuu seishi were weird before.”
Amiboshi furrowed his brow, “You aren’t talking about what I think you’re talking about, are you?”
“She is,” I replied flattly.
“Akai!” he cried, seemingly now getting it, “jeez, this world sure takes things to a point of being vulgar, doesn’t it?”
“Pretty much,” I told him.
Akai smirked, “Tasuki should be used to it. He is a bandit, after all.”
Tasuki colored once again, “Now what are you gettin’ at? Fuck!”
“Watch your mouth,” I warned softly, resting my chin on my hands. I was, of course, joking. I don’t care whether people cuss or not. I just say this seriously enough that I get a really interesting reaction.
Tasuki stared at me uncomprehendingly, “What?! Why?!” he looked down and muttered, “that’s what I hate about women...always bossin’ ya around.”
I turned to him, smiling, “Tasuki. I was kidding. You can say whatever the fuck you want around me.” I added the ‘fuck’ in there just to prove I didn’t care.
Tasuki blinked, “Oh.”
Akai perked up suddenly, “Oh, I just remembered...we’re suppose to be telling you about our world, aren’t we?”
“Oh yeah,” I agreed, “well, what do you want to know?” I asked the guys.
“Well...what do you do all day?” Amiboshi asked.
“Uh, school, I guess,” I replied, glancing at Akai.
“Pretty much,” Akai agreed, “oh, you don’t have a public education system in Ancient China, do you?”
“Pub-lick ed-jew-kay-shun?” Tasuki asked, sounding out the words.
“Yeah, they force us to go to a large building everyday for six hours to memorize--not learn--memorize stuff we’re never going to learn in life, and be repressed by kid-hating adults who can give us grades, which give our parents the opportunity to beat us,” I explained bitterly.
“Oh, hush you, you’ve never been beaten in your life,” Akai rolled her eyes.
“Says you! How do you know what really goes on in my house?” I grinned, giving it away that I was lying.
Akai looked at Tasuki, who was looking bewildered, “It’s not as bad as she makes it sound. It’s just a place we have to go to learn stuff. We go to classes that teach us things they think we’ll need when we grow up.”
Tasuki furrowed his brow, “How old are ya two anyway?”
“14.” I smiled.
“15.” Akai put in, “in this world, teenagers are considered kids, unfortunatly,” she wrinkled her nose, “back in your world, we’d be legal, wouldn’t we?”
She sighed wistfully and had almost a wicked gleam in her eyes. I’m not quite sure what legal things she was looking forward to (sweatdrop).
“Legal ta do what?” Tasuki asked suspiously. Akai and I looked at each other and burst out laughing.
“Oh, all I can say is one word: jello,” Akai said and she burst out laughing again. We looked over to see Tasuki giving us a look that said we were the most insane people he’d ever met--either that, or the stupidest.
“Jeez, and I have to be stuck up on the bed with you two,” I said, “Amiboshi, get up here so I’m not alone.”
Silence.
“Amiboshi?”
Silence.
We peered over the edge ot the bed to see Amiboshi, fast asleep.
“Aw! He’s asleep!” I cooed softly, smiling.
“Oh, he’s so cute!” Akai added.
“He’s just adorable!”
I heard a low, annoyed scowl from the other side of the bed behind us, and I smiled, knowing it was Tasuki. I decided to egg him on further.
“He’s so much cuter than any guy I’ve ever seen!” I grinned.
“Yeah, isn’t he just darling with his hair in his eyes like that?” Akai picked up on what I was doing, adding in. A derisive snort came from Tasuki. I glanced over at him, him sitting with his arms crossed over his chest stubbornly, his face set in an angry pout. I snickered softly and had trouble resisting the urge to shout, ‘you’re jealous, aren’t you!’
“So, what kinda booze d’ya got here?” Tasuki asked, obviously anxious to change the subject.
“Uh, Tasuki...” Akai started nervously, “I hate to tell ya this, but you’re sort of...under age here.”
Tasuki stared at her, “What’s that suppose to mean?”
“Well, our legal drinking age here is twenty-one, and you’re only seventeen, so...you’renotaloudtodrink.” she flinched as if she thought he was going to punch her. I held my breath and waited for his reaction.
He was just silent. The kind of silent that’s so unbelievably unpredictable, you’re scared that person is going to shoot their arm out and knock you off the face of the planet, and you don’t hardly know what hit you it was so sudden. He just stared blankly at Akai.
“Ta-Tasuki? Are you all right?” Akai ventured nervously. Tasuki stared abstractly as she waved a hand in front of his face, “hey, can you hear me?”
He seemed to snap out of it and laughed uneasily, rubbing the back of his neck, “Oh, yeah, I’m all right. I just thought ya said I’m not aloud ta drink,” he laughed nervously again, “must be gettin’ deaf.”
“Um, I did just say you’re not aloud to drink...” Akai repeated uncomfortably. His eyes grew to the size of saucers and he began to shout loudly, “WHAT?!!? FU--”
But Akai pounced on him, clapping a hand over his mouth. He continued a muffled stream of swear words against her hand over his mouth.
“Are you gonna be quiet if I take my hand away?” she whispered fiercly. He glared at her, but nodded, “promise?”
He nodded again.
She lifted her hand slowly.
“WHAT KIND OF--”
She slammed her hand back over his mouth, “Shut up!” she cried softly. He narrowed his eyes at her, “all right, if you promise that you’ll be quiet and not to yell, I’ll let you up. If you’re loud, you’ll wake up my parents, and then we’ll all be screwed. Deal?” Akai said and I smiled to myself. She must not hate shutting him up that much, she as she was on top of him and her face was about two inches away from his.
She took her hand away and--low and behold! He was silent. “Thank you,” she sighed, relieved. She seemed to blush as she scrambled off of him. He sat up, rubbing his wrist.
“I...uh..sorry,” she murmured, looking down.
“Er...it’s all right,” he replied softly.
They seemed to talk more, but it seemed to float past me. I realized that I was falling asleep. No! I cried to myself, I gotta stay awake and make sure Akai and Tasuki don’t do anything bad! But it was no use. I felt the world drift away from me and I was asleep.

¹ If you don’t know what yokai is, it’s basically demon. To learn more about what yokai are and how cute they can be, read some Inu Yasha manga.

² Yes, GREEN. Ha, to Yoku-Chan, Kitsune, and whoever else dares to argue with me about the color of his hair.

Prolouge	Chapter One	Chapter Two
Chapter Three	Chapter Four	Chapter Five
Chapter Six	Chapter Seven	Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine	Chapter Ten	Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve