"Sugee!!" Tasuki exclaimed as he stared at all the food that was on the table. "I haven’t seen this much food since, since,…. I last saw Miaka stuff it all down her throat!" Tasuki finished off with a laugh. "Itadakimasu!" Tasuki said loudly, everyone laughed.
"Miaka.." Taka was lost in thought. He wanted to see her so much, it’s already been a few days since he last saw her. But then again it’s probably only been mere hours seeing how time in their world, and the world of Shijin ten shi-shou were completely different.
"Tamahome-kun, how did you get back here no da? I thought that Yui-sama and Miaka had sealed the door to our world…" Chichiri asked interrupting Taka’s thoughts.
"I wish I knew… and stop calling me Tamahome, Chichiri, my name is Taka." He replied. He was kinda irritated that Chichiri interrupted his thoughts.
"Daa!!" was Chichiri’s reply.
"Tamahome, Tama-chan, Taka, Obake-chan.. what the hell’s the difference, same face, same traits, same person, the name doesn’t matter now does it Obake-chan? " Tasuki said with a smirk.
"TAASSUKII!!" Taka’s was low and horrific.
"eheh.. uhm… Tama-chan, why’s your forehead glowing??" Tasuki said in a quivering voice, he knew he was gonna get it again. Everybody in the room laughed. Especially Houki, she hasn’t seen the palace this lively, since… well she couldn’t remember this palace ever being this happy. She looked at Hotohori and beamed and he smiled at her in return.
"Does Miaka know you are back here Tamahome?" Hotohori asked.
"I don’t know…" Taka sighed. "I don’t know how I got here, or why I’m here… all I remember is a red light, Suzaku’s light, and it took me back here…"
"Sou." Hotohori nodded. Everyone sat quietly and stared at their food. Tasuki trying to lighten things up changed the subject.
"Ne Houki-san. You know you really look a lot like our buddy Nuriko! Almost the same face and everything… but you have breasts and you’re not a fag…" Tasuki said with a grin, Houki blushed and everyone laughed.
"NANIII!!" A shrill voice over powered the laughter. "You guys aren’t having a party without me are you?" Everybody turned to see who it was.
The speaker was dressed in men’s clothes but he had the features of a woman. He was very beautiful with his short purple hair and his bright eyes and warm smile. Lot’s of people used to mistake Nuriko as a female, which was his fault in a way since he used to dress in drag and was a "princess of the realm" taking his deceased sister’s name Korin for his own. Not to mention he was in love with Hotohori-sama and gave Miaka hell for he thought that Miaka and Hotohori had a thing going on. However, Nuriko has changed somewhat from that time…..
"NURIKO!!" Tasuki, Taka, Hotohori, and Chichiri all said. They couldn’t believe their eyes. Nuriko still had short hair, he had cut it the day before Ashitare had killed him. Although he wore men’s clothes and his hair was short, Nuriko still looked like a female, and his form of speech was feminine as well.
"Hissashiburi ne minna-san!" Nuriko said cheerily since everyone was still gawking at him. "Oh you must be Houki-san, Yoroushiku!" Nurkio rushed to where Houki was seated and shook her hand.
Houki smiled and greeted him, "Yoroushiku ne Nuriko-san."
Nuriko looked up at Hotohori and said, "Hotohori-sama, I have to say I approve, even though I have to admit I’m a bit jealous." Nuriko grinned and then winked at Hotohori. Hotohori laughed it didn’t bother him when males make this comment, after all he was the ‘most beautiful man’ in Konan country, it was only natural that even men found him attractive, he thought.
Nuriko walked towards Tasuki who still had his mouth wide open in shock. "Tasuki! You’re still the same I see, you’re mouth’s always open like that, you really should learn to shut it!" Nuriko smirked. " Now what was that you were saying about a fag?"
"ehh…. It was just a joke Nuriko."
"A-hahahaha! Tasuki-kun is sooo funny! He’s gonna kill me with laughter!" Nuriko said sarcastically as he slapped the back of Tasuki’s head. With the impact of the blow that Nuriko dealt Tasuki, Tasuki flew a good 100 feet across the room.
"Damn you Nuriko!!" Tasuki said rubbing his head.
"Tasuki-kun, it was just a small tap." Nuriko smiled innocently.
"How many times to I have to fucken tell you that what you consider "small" isn’t that small you idiot! You have super human strength!!" Tasuki yelled furiously.
"Daa… Someone ought to wash Tasuki’s mouth with soap no da!!" Chichiri remarked and everyone laughed.
"It almost feels like old times." Hotohori remarked with a smile. Everybody nodded in agreement and continued the cheery conversations and laughter.
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The Festivities of the afternoon had faded and the night had slowly crept in. Taka was back in the old room he had occupied as Tamahome. Ever since he woke up in his old broken down home, his memories were so clear, he remembered everything that has happened when he was in the book as Tamahome. All the memories that he and Miaka had shared, all the hardships, the pain, and also all the good times were so clear in his mind, as though he had just finish watching a home movie.
"Taka-chan," Nuriko’s voice called out from outside. "May I come in?"
"Yea.." Taka replied and sat up as Nuriko peered in to scope out the surroundings before he completely came inside.
"Oh good, you’re dressed. I don’t want to see you naked." He said with a grin. "People might get the wrong idea ne?"
Taka chuckled. He was used to Nuriko’s weird sense of humor. Taka also appreciated that Nuriko addressed him as Taka. He was the only one who would call him by Taka out of all the seishi. When Taka first phased into the book, (when Tenco was still alive), everyone called him Tamahome except for Nuriko who acknowledged him as Taka, although once in awhile Chichiri does call him Taka. He grinned and figured that Nuriko was just trying to make amends for calling him Tama-chan back in the days.
"What’s on your mind?" Taka asked his buddy.
"Hmm… I’m more interested in what’s on YOUR mind, then in what’s in mine." Nuriko replied as he sat down on the chair near Taka’s bed. "It has something to do with Miaka ne? Your worried that something bad might happen to her? That’s it isn’t it?"
Taka nodded. Nuriko always knew when something was wrong with him, as Taka or Tamahome. He remembered that night at the bar when they were looking for Genbu’s Shinzaho and he first found out that he was a character from the book. It bugged him a lot that he was, and thought that Miaka would just leave him because of that. Nuriko had helped him think straight, and even confessed to him that he too loved Miaka but for him not to worry because Nuriko wants Miaka to be happy with him. The day after that, they had set of to look for the Shinzaho Taka, as Tamahome suggested to Nuriko that he go with Miaka to find the others, while Tamahome goes to Mt. Black to get the Shinzaho, Nuriko whispered to him, "you idiot, nothing has changed!" and told Tamahome to Take Miaka and go find the others while he goes to the Mountain and retrieve the Shinzaho That day was the day that Nuriko was killed by Ashitare. That was the second time that Tamahome shed tears. The first was when he lost his family, and now he lost his buddy.
Tamahome looked at Nuriko. He still looked the same as the day he met him, except with shorter hair, and he doesn’t dress in drag, and he doesn’t act as gay as he did. "I’m just worried about her," Tamahome finally said. "before I was sucked back into this world I felt a strong Ki…. it was so strong and it seemed evil. I don’t know what it was but I have this feeling that it’ll harm Miaka…"
Nuriko rested his chin on his hands and looked thoughtful. "I figured something must’ve happened for me to be back from the dead… not that I’m complaining or anything, but I know for a fact to trust your seishi instincts, and I hate to say this, but I think you might be right." Taka didn’t say anything he just lay back on his bed and stared at the ceiling. He ran his fingers around the ring that hung on his neck, he had a habit of doing this whenever he missed Miaka. He thought to himself that he’d find a way back to her no matter what, he would never let anyone or anything harm her. The thought reassured him and he smiled.
"Ne Nuriko! Wanna see a pic of Miaka and me at the park?" he asked breaking the silence.
"Un un!!" Nuriko said cheerily and he sat on the bed, Taka sat up as well. "Kawaii! That girl is still as I remembered her, heh heh, her mouth’s still wide open as ever! But where’s her dumpling hair style?"
"Well she doesn’t always wear her hair like that you know, she has a lot of cute hairstyles!" Taka gushed and Nuriko laughed.
Taka was quite found of pictures and kept a few of in his wallet. Nuriko looked through them. He was pleased to see that Taka had kept a picture of the gang. The one Taken on the boat before they ventured to Hokan country. Hokan, that’s where Ashitare… Nuriko thought as he ran his hand where Ashitare had stabbed him through with his claws. He still felt the pain. He shook off the feeling and commented loudly, "Saa, everyone has this picture ne? Even Hotohori-sama does!" Taka nodded.
"Oh it’s Yui! Her hair is long now? Who’s this guy?" he was pointing at Tetsuya’s face.
"Oh that’s Yui’s boyfriend Tetsuya-san. And the other guy is Miaka’s brother Keisuke-san."
"Sokka!" Nodded Nuriko. He put handed Taka back his wallet and stood up. "Jya, Taka-kun, I have to go meet Hotohori-sama in Suzaku’s hall. He said I have to go there." Taka nodded and waved his hand and stared at Miaka’s picture. Nuriko headed out the door when he was suddenly stopped by a voice.
"Taka!! Nuriko!! Can u hear my voice? Taka!" The voice called out.
Nuriko froze and his eyes went wide. "Miaka?" He called out but her voice wasn’t heard again.
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