autumnleaf16

Yes…university has started and I just did two tests in one week. I…definitely does not want to know what I will get. I really don’t, I should be concentrating in getting my scary essay completed- I’m doing the final cheek now, but I thought I’ll take a break by updating my blog…with my fan fiction. I will update a daily life entry soon. But it seems that right now my blog is dominated by fan fictions, well…that’s not really a bad thing.

I read Watase-sensei’s other work the other day and although I do not like it as much as I love her Fushigi Yugi it is still a really great story! She really is amazing. I can now say, without any hesistation, that Watase-Sensei is my favourite manga artist (and she is also such a nice person too, especially to her fans!!!)

I must also mention this first: my story contains a lot of spoilers. So read at your own risk!!!

What happened last time: After many difficulty Yuri managed to find Tasuki, who will join Miaka as soon as he meets Miaka. Yuri is now on her way to find the last celestial warrior of Suzaku…




The town became completely isolated due to the appearance of a swift and deadly fever that was affecting almost every second person. News had spread quickly, and the town ended up being quarantined, people were prevented from leaving the town. That was why the guard on duty that day was very shocked when a young woman arrived and wanted to enter.
“Lady,” the guard at the gate said bluntly, “If you enter here you will risk being affected with the fever and die. You will not able to get out until at least two weeks later, after we shut you in a cottage to make sure that you are not affected with the fever.”
“I know that, but I must go in.” Yuri said with equal determination. “I must find the legendary healer who is in this town.”
“There is no such a man!” the man said bitterly. “There is no such a man in this town, for our dead are accumulating each day, and no man possesses the power to heal them.”
“I know he is in here somewhere.” Yuri said firmly. “I will go in.”
“Then you walk to your own death.”
Yuri spent the entire day visiting every doctor in the town, hoping to find Mitsukake, the last celestial warrior left. By this time she already heard about how Chichiri had been found by Miaka.
“I will find Mitsukake, and then Suzaku will be summoned and I will be able to go back to Hotohori.” She whispered fiercely after another disappointing visit. She used the excuse of having a loved one sick with the fever to speak to these doctors. According to the scroll Mitsukake was able to heal the ill with his special powers.
“Lady, I do not have the power to heal this fever, but perhaps you can try to go to Ju-An, he used to be a doctor of quite some repute until he stopped his practises a year ago. I think if any man can cure a person with the fever, then it will be him.”
Yuri nodded. By this time it was already night time but she wanted to find Mitsukake as soon as possible. When she stepped out onto the streets she felt her vision blurred slightly but dismissed it as tiredness, after all, she had been travelling a lot.
If that man was Mitsukake then…
By the time she reached Ju-An’s cottage her whole body seemed to be so weak, as she could barely stand. Yuri frowned as she knocked on the door eagerly, was she really that tired? More then ever she missed Hotohori, despite being the ruler of a vast kingdom he still had time to look after her.
Yuri smiled as she recollected an incident that happened at the very beginning of their marriage, when she was still unadjusted to her royal status. She had been waiting for Hotohori in her garden with only an underdress on, although it resembled one of the finer outer dress that she had in her old world. Upon seeing her wearing only that, Hotohori had immediately took off his own robe to put it on her, chiding her for risking being ill as he did so.
“What will I do if you die due a chill from the wind?” he had muttered, holding her tightly against him. “Do not disappear after I finally found you.”
Her smile was lost as she recollected his words, no doubt she was making him undergoing a deep pain due to her absence, especially after she promised him that she would not leave him.
“I am so sorry, Hotohori, but I cannot face you right now.” She whispered.
The door opened…was the door opened? Every thing seemed so dark, this darkness was getting too unnatural.
“I am not a doctor anymore.” Mitsukake said rather coldly, “So…”
As he made a move to close the door, Yuri suddenly saw the red word flashing. It was only for an instant and due to her failing eye sight, she could not see the word clearly. But for that short amount of time a word had appeared on his left hand, and even though she did not have time to read it, she knew what the word must be.
It was the last thing she saw.
“You are Mitsukake.” She grabbed the man’s left hand even though her body started to shake. She suddenly understood why her body reacted like this: she had caught the fever. “Please, go to Eiyo and find the Suzaku priestess in the palace. For Konan’s sake…for Hotohori’s sake…Suzaku must be called out.”
Her words stunned Mitsukake, it was because she was not asking for him to save her even though she must know that she was going to die. He bent down and picked up her unconscious form to gently carry her inside.
She reminded him of Shoka, his dead lover, the cause of why he stopped being a doctor. Even though Shoka was dying from the fever, she still made him leave her side in order to save others. She was so selfless. (1)
This woman seemed selfless as well. Even though she was affected by this so called incurable fever, she did not beg him to help her with her last strength. Instead, she was begging him to help Hotohori, who must be her lover.
“I will save you, so you can be with him again,” he whispered as he touched her face with his left hand, summoning his healing powers. Maybe she was a redemption sent by Suzaku. He could not forgive himself for failing to be with Shoka when she first started to get ill, if he had then he would have been able to save her, and she would still be here.
But he would save this stranger who knew of his identity as the celestial warrior, and by saving her he would feel as if he did some act of repentance, as this woman would be with her lover. Somehow, by uniting her with the one she love he would feel less guilty.

He wasn’t the type of man to secretly fiddle with other people’s belongings, but when he moved her bag the knot accidentally loosened and all her luggage fell out. As he tried to repack them he saw her opened fan.
The fan with its fine material betrayed her identity as being very wealthy, and likely of noble birth, or at the very least have some connection with them. Because only these type of people would spend their money on such a fancy trinket.
It had a painting of Suzaku on it, and Mitsukake could not help but to admire the beautiful illustration. Not meaning to, his eyes rested on the poem. The poem itself did not shock him, as it was not uncommon for a well educated man or woman to write a poem onto a fan and give the fan to another out of friendship or love. (2)
It was the seal beside the signature of Hotohori.
Mitsukake was like most of the people in Konan who lived away from the capital, they lived their whole life hearing many things about their emperor, but never expected to personally see the emperor.
That was why it was such a shock for him when he recognized the seal as the emperor’s seal, and being an educated man, he could understand the words: Saihitei.
“This woman is Houkigou?” he chocked out.

Opening her eyes Yuri automatically reached for Hotohori, only to find that he was no longer lying beside her due to her own actions. Every morning she would still wake up as if she did not leave the palace, she would always do the very same thing when she wake up. These memories continued to haunt her: waking up with Hotohori beside her, he would be holding her if he woke up first. Then the farewell as he prepared to go to court, it always ended with his promise of being back as soon as he could, and a kiss…
Sighing deeply she sat up, trying to recollect what had happened.
“I arrived in this town and I went to talk with almost every doctor in order to find Mitsukake…” she pondered. “Then I was sick…”
It was day time and she could actually see her surroundings clearly due to the light. Then it must mean that she was cured…
“Mitsukake?” she cried out softly.
The celestial warrior had been dozing on a chair as she was sleeping on the sole mattress in this cottage. Upon hearing her calling him he quickly knelt down in front her.
“Kougou…Kougouheika, I beg you to excuse my early rudeness…” (3)
“Please get up, you saved my life!” Yuri implored. “You are Mitsukake then.” At the nod she continued. “Will you…will you go to the capital and find the priestess?”
“Kougouheika…”
“My name is Yuri,” she interrupted. “If Hotohori, the emperor, wishes his comrades to call him by his name instead of his title, then his empress must be treated in the same way as well. Beside, before I married Hotohori, I was a peasant too.”
“Very well then…Yuri-sama, I cannot go to the capital just yet because I feel that I must help all the others who are currently affected with fever. Because of my own selfishness I let so many innocents die…” (4)
The two of them shared their stories to one another because both were tormented with a similar guilt. (5)
“We all have a different form of redemption and repentance.” Yuri said quietly. “Mine was to leave Hotohori and find the celestial warriors.”
“Now that you found the last one, will you be going back to the palace, Yuri-sama?”
“No,” she stated, “I cannot go back until Suzaku is summoned, as I will only stop feeling guilty then. But I am feeling less guilty now that I found the last celestial warrior, and know that Suzaku would soon be called out.”
“I understand, even though we cannot undo our actions we are finding comfort in doing what is the next best thing.” Mitsukake agreed, “I cannot resurrect those whom I neglected in my grief, just as you cannot travel back in time and be the priestess of Suzaku. Yet by healing others now, and helping the priestess of Suzaku, our guilt is erased.”
“So perhaps it is really just in our mind. No one but our self blames us for what we did.” Yuri remarked out darkly, she closed her fan and then handed it to Mitsukake. “I want you to give this to Hotohori when you see him.
“Tell him that what is on this fan is what I feel in my heart, and nothing will ever change that.”
Not even, she added inside her head, if you no longer love me, Hotohori. I will still love you.
She raised her hand to stroke the hair ribbon she tied into her hair rather lovingly, because it was Hotohori’s.

Hotohori untied the ribbon in his hair very carefully to hold the long red band in a rather reverend fashion. Balancing it in his hand, he began to stare at it.
“What is he doing?” Tasuki whispered to Miaka. “He was doing that this morning too. Whenever he retied his hair he would always be gazing at that ribbon for such a long time!”
“Maybe it was Yuri’s.” Miaka shrugged absently. “Otherwise why would he be so careful with it?”
“Why don’t I grab it and make him tell me?” Tasuki was naturally completely unaware that Hotohori was also the emperor.
“He’ll probably kill you if you do that- if the ribbon is Yuri’s.” Tamahome whispered.
“Most likely it is.” Nuriko remarked out rather sourly. Even though he knew that his love for Hotohori would never be requited he still couldn’t help but to feel envy whenever he saw Hotohori thinking about Yuri.
Miaka had a point by reminding him that Hotohori would probably not be able to accept his view on love if he ever find out, but nonetheless, Nuriko was still in love. (6)
“Hotohori-sama, are you alright?” he asked gently.
“Yes, I’m fine.” The emperor replied with a sad smile. “I was just thinking of Yuri.”
He was holding her precious hair ribbon in his hand, the same ribbon that had decorated her lovely hair when they first met. This ribbon also represented her past, the barrier that had prevented them from marrying immediately. It was strange but so many memories were contained in this simple ribbon.
There were only two celestial warriors left to find. Hotohori’s only hope was that she would come back to him when this all ended. He needed her to be with him so much.
“The mirror is glowing!” Miaka yelled out.
Someone was in this town then…had Yuri been here before? Hotohori wander as they entered the town. He paled considerably when he heard about how the town had been affected with a deadly fever.
“Has a young woman come into this town?” he questioned the guard rapidly. “She is about twenty and she is very beautiful with long curly hair that reaches up to about here, and she…” (7)
“Hotohori-sama, that type of description applies to a lot of woman.” Tamahome whispered to him.
Initially there was a friction between the two men as Tamahome was a bit angry that Hotohori was so obsessed with Yuri, instead of focusing on Miaka’s protection. But the two men reached a slight understanding when Tamahome realized that he was actually falling in love with Miaka.
“She will be carrying a sword.” Hotohori added.
“Yes, I remember.” The guard at the gate nodded. “I remember thinking how strange it was for a woman to carry a sword, especially when she was wearing a dress with her hair down.”
“So she did enter?” Hotohori was forcing his voice to be calm, even though his mind was almost bursting due to worries of whether Yuri caught the fever or not. He wouldn’t be that surprised if she did though, as she could be rather careless sometimes. She would often walk in her garden with only a thin dress on.
“Yes, but she left the town very soon,” the guard continued, unaware of the agitation in his listener. “She was very lucky as she was unaffected by the fever.”
“Or maybe she was affected but got cured,” Nuriko put in carefully. “We have heard about how there is a legendary healer in this town.”
“You mean Ju-An. Yes it is truly amazing, he suddenly appeared and cured almost all those who were sick with the fever.” the guard said happily, then frowned slightly as he began to count his fingers. “Now that I think about it, Ju-An appeared the day after that strange woman’s arrival. Maybe she is the priestess of Suzaku.”
“THAT IS NOT TRUE! THE…” Miaka began but she found her mouth quickly covered by Tamahome.
“Do you want to cause another riot by announcing your true identity?” he hissed to her, reminding her of the incident in the town.
At this Miaka sobered considerably, not just because of his warning, but mainly because she was thinking about what had happened after that incident, she had told Tamahome she liked him, and yet his answer was so cold…
He apologised but she was still rather uncertain of his feelings for her. He said that he liked her, missed her so much when she was gone, and wanted to stay beside her to protect her. But was that love? Was what he felt for her the same thing as what Hotohori had towards her half-sister?
She was still thinking about this when they began to walk to Ju-An’s cottage, although the rest of her group was rather occupied as well. Hotohori was too busy thinking about Yuri, while Nuriko was focusing all his attention on him, and Tamahome was arguing with Tauki again.
Walking up to Hotohori she tugged at the end of his hair.
“What is it, Miaka?” Hotohori asked patiently, although he almost added the following line: “Is there something you want that no one else can give you?”
Despite what the rest of his comrade believed, he did take Tai Yi-Jun’s word into heart, but it was simply so difficult for him to obey them fully.
“How did you know that you love my sister?” Miaka asked.
Hotohori sighed slightly before he answered, this made him think of the vows he and Yuri had made to each other once more.
“As I told you before, Miaka, I did not, and still do not, understand why I fall in love with Yuri the moment I saw her. I was meant to choose an empress from a hundred women but I didn’t want any one. Then your sister came and she was just the most beautiful woman I ever saw in my whole life.
“But I did not fall in love with her just because she is beautiful, I think I love her just because I simply do. Love is a strange feeling. I took one glance at her and I knew that I want her to be my empress and be at my side for the rest of my life.
“Does that help?”
Miaka shook her head, “Maybe I should ask you how you know whether someone love you.”
“I cannot help you much with this question either. Yuri knows that I love her because I told her that at our first meeting, the difficult part was for me to convince her that I really love her, and will always love her. And I know that she loves me as she told me that when she agreed to marry me. That day is truly one of the happiest days of my life.” Hotohori’s rather dreamy eyes turned rather sharp as they suddenly gazed past Miaka to rest on Tamahome. “But somehow I think your situation is a bit different from ours. I do not think that you will require much convincing when he finally tells you that he actually loves you.”
Blushing, she nodded. She was also quite shocked that Hotohori had noticed the amount of time she would gaze at Tamahome, she had truly thought that he was fully occupied with Yuri.
“Miaka, an emperor can never be fully occupied with only one thing.” Hotohori said gently, reading her mind. (8)

Mitsukake immediately recognized the Suzaku priestess, not because she was the only female, as he thought that Nuriko was a woman too. It was due to the strange clothing that the girl was wearing, as well as dressing in an unusually short skirt that was almost immodest.
“You must be Miaka.” He said softly. “I have been waiting for you ever since Yuri-sama told me about you.”
“Yuri-sama?” Tasuki repeated this automatically.
“Are you suggesting that she is not worthy of being called a Lady?” Hotohori muttered darkly, he was still angry whenever he thought of what the bandits had wanted to do to Yuri.
“That had nothing to do with me!” Tasuki protested. “Miaka, will you do something about this? He gets so unreasonable whenever Yuri is concerned.”
“That is because he loves her, you will only understand, Tasuki, when you fall in love with someone. I can understand his feelings as I too, am in love.” Nuriko declared passionately, pressing a hand on his heart.
“Shouldn’t you give up? Nuriko, Hotohori loves my sister and I mean you being a man as well is not going to help.”
Realizing what she just said Miaka quickly hide behind Tamahome, as Nuriko let out a wail and raised his fists. Hotohori, Tamahome and Tasuki were both staring at Nuriko with pure shock.
“I was kissed by a man?!” Tamahome spluttered.
Tasuki stretched his hand forward, and with his eyes half closed he began to try and touch Nuriko’s chest. (9)
A slap from Nuriko sent him flying up.
“Don’t think that you can touch me in such a shameful fashion just because I am a man!” Nuriko screeched.
“Yuri always laughed and tells me that one day I’ll meet another man who is as beautiful as me in the eyes of the rest of the world,” Hotohori said, “I guess she was right again although I did not believe her at that time.”
“Your wife must be quite beautiful then.” Tasuki muttered dryly.
“Yuri is my wife.” Hotohori replied back rather sardonically, “And as I recall your brothers did find her very beautiful.”
Mitsukake was initially shocked too at this discovery, but he then noticed a more important thing. Hotohori was here…his emperor was standing right beside him.
“Are you Hotohori-sama?” at the nod Mitsukake continued. “I have something from Yuri-sama to give you.”
The two of them left the rest to wait outside and as soon as they were alone, Mitsukake knelt down with the fan lying on the palms of his hands.
“You know that I am the emperor?” Hotohori asked.
Mitsukake nodded. “When I saw the writings on this fan, I knew that Yuri-sama must be the empress and Hotohori is the emperor’s name.”
“Yes,” taking the fan Hotohori held it against his heart. “Please rise. You and I are both one of the seven celestial warriors so we are comrades. Comrades do not kneel to one another.”
“But you are the emperor!”
“Is not the emperor a man like everyone else? I will not have you kneel to me- let that be an imperial command if you will not grant it as a plea.”
Quickly, Mitsukake began to tell him about what had happened to Yuri, upon hearing that she was actually sick Hotohori clenched his hands tightly together, cursing himself for not being able to be beside her in that painful progress.
He smiled slightly when the other informed him that Yuri departed almost happily, as she believed they would soon be reunited.
“It is obvious that she loves you very much.” Mitsukake commented.
“And I love her that much too.” Hotohori whispered.
Opening the fan he read the poems he had wrote for her, recalling her happiness when he gave the fan to her, and how she never failed to smile slightly whenever she read the poem later on.
“That is what I feel in my heart as well.”
Only one more, and then Suzaku would be summoned, and all would be over. His country would be safe, and Yuri would be beside him once more. They would be able to live the rest of their life in happiness because Suzaku would grant their wish.
He could already picture everything. She would soon be pregnant with a child whom they both longed for, and since the country would be in peace he could probably devote more time to his family.
“I heard someone playing the flute!” when the two of them rejoined everyone else, they heard Miaka protesting about something very strongly. “I think it is over there.”
“Someone playing the flute?” Mitsukake remarked out. “That wouldn’t be that strange a thing, there are many street entertainers…”
“It’s from outside the city.”
As she began to run outside, the rest could do nothing but to follow her. The celestial warriors only heard the music of the flute when they saw the young boy leaning against the tree with his flute.
The words of a song that he had heard when he was only a young boy suddenly formed inside his mind. Absently, he quoted them out so softly that it was barely audible. It was rather suitable as the words reflected his current mood perfectly.
“And then it will all be over, and then it can all be put aside: the self-accusations, worrying about the country, and the days of regret and sorrow…” (10)
“Who are you people?” the young boy began, as he moved they saw the word on his abdomen due to the ragged shirt on him.
“CHIRIKO!!!” Miaka screamed out, hugging him happily.
“What…who…”
“That is the Priestess of Suzaku, and we are all celestial warriors too.” Tamahome quickly explained.
“Finally, Suzaku can be summoned.” Hotohori said, smiling happily. He touched the strand of pearls that he always carried and smiled once again.
Everything will soon be well.
Like many other men, Hotohori made the mistake of conjuring up images of happiness before he was sure that it would happen. (11)

1 I do find the story of Shoka and Mitsukake rather touching but I changed it for the sake of this story’s plot, because I don’t know how to fit Yuri in if what happens is the same as the book. So I’m changing it to this: Mitsukake could only cure a person affected with the fever only before a certain amount of time lapsed. In Shoka’s case it was too late as she had been sick for too long, but even though she was sick, she still made him leave her in order to save more people. When she died he couldn’t take it, so that’s why he stopped healing people. I do know that in the real story she was very resentful at Mitsukake for not being with her as she died.
2 Yeah, this is quite common in the old time. A pity that we don’t have such things any more. But then that’s when people write with these calligraphy pens. My sister used to be able to write Chinese calligraphy, don’t think she still remember though.
3 I was watching Fushigi Yugi (anime) when I wrote the following bit and the reaction of Mitsukake, Tasuke and Amiboshi/aka the fake Chiriko when they discovered that Hotohori was the emperor was so funny! The dramatic background music and the three completely stunned faces. That is why I added this little bit in.
Kougouheika means her/your majesty the empress. Kougou means empress, while heika means majesty. Kouteiheika is his/your majesty the emperor
4 Mitsukake is calling her Yuri-sama, because it would be quite hard to adjust to the idea of calling your ruler by their first name directly, it is in the same way that every one calls Hotohori Hotohori-sama which is a way of respect, I guess the English equivalent is lord/lady.
5 I was really tempted to let Hotohori meet up with Yuri right now because it would have been quite nice to twist the Hotohori offering to kill Miaka scene with Yuri in it as the central character, I would have like to write that. But unfortunately I couldn’t, so this is what happened instead. In the same way I really want to write about the drowning incident in volume 6.
6 In my story right now, only Miaka knows that Nuriko is a man.
7 I kind of like making Hotohori lose his control when Yuri is concerned, I guess I want to show that he really love her so much that she truly make him feel as a ordinary person instead of the emperor, so therefore he would act rather irrational when she is concerned.
8 I really like this idea. As he is the ruler, an emperor would always be occupied with the business of his state in his daily life, and as he is human, he could not just only think about the state, he would be thinking about other stuff: such as those whom he love.
9 I can see Taisuki doing this as he seems such an impulsive character.
10 This is taken from another one of Hotohori’s character songs: Sadame no hoshi (Star of destiny) once more, translation obtained from Anime lyrics.com. Out of the three Hotohori character songs I have this one is my favourite. I really love this song so that is why I just had to find a way to fit part of the song in my fan fiction somehow, as a result I’m changing even more of the story. I want the words to be said by someone but I don’t want to make Hotohori into a person who goes around quoting poem, cause I don’t think he is like that. As he already kind of randomly quoted a poem, I ended up doing this. He only quoted out the poem due to hearing music that reminded him of the song.
11 Now that Miaka and the rest believed all ‘seven’ celestial warriors had been find they will go back to the palace and summon Suzaku, I wouldn’t be showing this though. Next chapter will be Yuri finding out about the failure, and her purpose for entering the universe of the four gods will finally be revealed!!!

Gosh…university start tomorrow. I am almost glad to go due to a family incident. Got yelled by my parents for walking in our house too loud- is it fully my fault when my floor tends to creek in the first place? And note- my dad, who would scream at me, is not exactly walking very lightly either. But anyway…my weekly fan fiction uploading…


What happened last time: Upon returning to Tokyo, Miaka discovered Yuri’s identity from her brother. When she returned to Konan, she was told that Yuri has left, having decided to find the rest of the seishi. Yuri is not traveling alone, and she will soon find Tasuki…





The clue was like the last one, there were only two characters: the first was “mountain” while the next one was “leader”. Yuri was sure that it meant the person was a leader of a gang of mountain bandits. (1)
“What do I do about that?” she had muttered, looking at the mountain that housed the most infamous bandit gang of Konan. “I know a bit of fencing but I am not good enough to face an entire gang of mountain bandits on my own.”
She already found one other celestial warrior: Chiriko. Following the instruction on the scroll she found the young boy in Eiyo very easily. She hoped that he really did go to the palace immediately. (2)
The next celestial warrior, however, was not going to be found in such a trouble-free way.
Unfortunately for Yuri, she was not careful enough as the inn she went in, which seemed rather far from the mountain the bandits were rumour to reside in. She thought it was safe.
Being both young and beautiful, she naturally ended up as a target for the bandits who ran the inn, and even better- she was alone.
She was broken free from her reveries when the harsh feeling of steel touched her flesh from the back of her neck.
“You are very careful, I will admit that, but you still walked into our den, leaving this pretty body at our mercy.” The owner of the sword whispered suggestively to her, as he edged closer.
Having no other choice but to cooperate she watched them taking her sword away, and then binding her arms together. Her only consol was that she had a dagger tucked in the very dept of her bodice.
Her sole hope was that she was at the right place, because if the leader was a celestial warrior, then he could not be a bad man. Perhaps he would forbid his men from doing anything to her. (3)
“The more I see you the more beautiful you become.” One of the bandits remarked out, placing his hand on her shoulder. “Seems such a waste to let our leader ruin you.”
“And you wouldn’t?” she said coolly. Having spent a week working in a tavern that was occasionally mistaken for a brothel, she learnt a little of how to handle these type of men.
“We’ll treat you nicely, unlike that man.” Another spat out, but his anger was not directed at her, but their current leader. “We are not rapists. Although if you do desire any one of us…we will be very happy to oblige. I do agree though,” he went back to talk with his two other companions. “Why don’t we keep her to our self? It is not as he would find out, since he’s always at his own quarters…” (4)
“Waiting for us to bring back what we gained through our own hard work. Yes, let us keep her for a while.”
Yuri was more confused about what she just heard then to worry about herself now, such a man as they described, did not sound like a Celestial warrior who was chosen by Suzaku.
Much to her surprise the three mountain bandits who caught her did not take her to their leader, but to their own gathering room. They were even rather kind as they warned her to be careful.
“Never ever venture out of here. Hide in this cabin whenever anyone enters,” they warned her severely, but not harshly. “We cannot help you if you are discovered, so make sure that no one else sees you here.”
They were giving advice to their captive? Yuri thought in sheer disbelieve, if they didn’t take her sword away then she would actually start to question whether she really was in the base of a bunch of bandits.
Looking at them she smiled very softly and sweetly, keeping her smile as innocent as she could.
“Thank you all for protecting me.”
“Well you can reward us by serving us.”
With a careless shrug Yuri picked up the jug of wine and went to pour wine for them. The task itself did not bother her at all, as that was what she used to do before she was selected go into the palace. Her only worry was when these men would eventually get tired of this, or when she would be discovered.
Right now she detected desire and lust in some of them, but she did see not any hint of great malice in their eyes.
Above all there was the most important question of whether she was at the right place.
“You really are quite beautiful.” One of the man remarked out, his hands ‘accidentally’ resting on her leg.
Automatically she slapped him hard.
“I am already married.” She said, although she strongly doubted that this particular piece information could protect her. Even if she announced herself as their empress, they probably wouldn’t believe her anyway.
“So where is your husband then? They said you were travelling alone.”
“That is not your business.” She changed her voice so that it sounded as angelical as it could possible become, she could not afford to anger them right now.
“Running away from your husband then? We can look after you much better then any men from the city. Such a pity,” another mountain bandit grabbed her hands. “For such a flower to be planted into a marriage with a worthless man.”
Yuri jerked her hands out of his grip and went to pour the glass of the next man, forcing herself to not spring into Hotohori’s defence or striking them again for this insult.
Taking a deep breath she asked: “Do you people only have one leader?”
“Just one, although he shouldn’t even be the leader.” the man she was serving muttered.
At this she quickly crouched beside him, her eyes large and pleading.
“What happened? Can you tell me, it sounds interesting!” secretly, she was cursing the fact that she had to flatter and even flirt with these bandits in order to obtain the information. If only Hotohori was here…
The though made her smiled slightly, his first instinct would probably be to order their execution for daring to touch her like that.
The story of the past leader and the one he choose to be his heir made her frown, could it be that the man who was meant to be the leader, was the one she was seeking?
She could ask more directly but the sentence: “Is there a man among you with a word on any part of his body?” was not exactly the most normal method of starting a conversation.
For now she would play along, and plans what to do during the process.
“Does any of you…” she began but was interrupted by the loud sound of the door being thrown open. She made a quick move to hide in the cabin but it was too late.
“You lot are certainly brave.” One of the ‘intruders’ said, his voice mocking. “To keep such a price to yourself, our leader will not be pleased at this.” (5)
“She is only a local whore that we hired!” one of them said in what Yuri could only describe as a valiant attempt of rescue.
“Then if she is foolish enough to perform her trade here, she must pay the price by providing us all with additional services.” The same man said coldly, jerking Yuri up. “I think he will enjoy you, you are a bit old but I think your face will still please him.”
She would have spat into his face if it wasn’t for the fear of him doing something to her right now, as this group of men would not hesitate in harming her.
But unknown to Yuri, the day she came, was also the night that Tasuki returned. (6)

Tasuki glanced at his surroundings carefully before he snorted, so that was what happened during his absence. Well, that man was certainly brave in the foolish way to think that he would just watch and let him tramp over him. No, Tasuki was going to take back the position of their leader.
He’d have to think of a way to get the fan back though, then he could work out punishments for the rest leisurely.
He peered into the window in the vain attempt of spotting the fan, he really preferred to do this without bloodshed if he could as most of these men were like his brothers.
As usual ‘he’ was just sitting there, waiting for gifts to be placed on his lap, that man was really shameless. Tasuki had always been surprised that the formal leader actually kept him in the group.
Koji was at the room as well, being told to do something. After knowing his friend for such a long time Tasuki could see the great disgust present on Koji’s face.
A young woman was brought in to the room, surprisingly her hand were unbound, although they were tightly held by the two beside her. At the sight of these two men, Tasuki frowned again, it shouldn’t surprise him that they would support that usurper instead.
Every one quickly left, so that the young woman was alone in the room with the current leader…

At the sight of the current leader of the bandits, Yuri felt nothing but disgust. Great as her eagerness to find the celestial warriors as it was, she still deeply hoped that this man was not one of them.
As he approached her, she carefully began to raise her hand until it rested on her bodice.
She pulled out the hidden dagger and slashed it as the bandit’s hand almost touched her breasts.
Outside, Tasuki sighed, he was convinced that he was jinxed, as every woman he met would turn out to be like one of his maniacal sisters.
Still, she could be of use to him.
“Do not think of touching me,” Yuri hissed, spelling out every word, brandishing the dagger in front of her. “If you dare to touch me then I will make sure that you get executed.”
As soon as she said this Yuri laughed at herself, she was acting as if she was still the empress in the palace of Konan. She must forget all about that, as she had left Hotohori.
At this threat Tasuki snorted again, just who did this woman think she was? The empress? At any rate it was time for him to interfere. (7)
“Well, a lot of things certainly happened during my trip.” Tasuki laughed out as he jumped in from the window, “You actually think that you can become the leader?”
“Are you the man who is meant to be the leader?” Yuri asked, even though her gaze was still focused on the current bandit leader.
“I am.” Tasuki said proudly.
“Are you the one with the word on you? Because I do not believe it will be on him,” the mere fact that she referred to the other man with such distaste raised Tasuki’s liking of her greatly.
He would have answered her if it wasn’t for the fact that the other was reaching for the iron fan.
“DUCK!” he yelled at her.
Even with that warning, Yuri barely managed to dodge the flame that appeared from the fan.
“What is that?” she yelled in shock.
Her eyes lit up slightly as she saw a sword lying on the table, carefully crawling beneath the fire, she grabbed it.
Meanwhile Tasuki threw out his offudas, summoning wolves to his aid, and by this time a large group of other bandits had come as well, and Koji was there too. Tasuki and Yuri took a glance at the other and nodded simultaneously, even though they were complete strangers they would work together due a mutual goal.
This was the first time Yuri actually really fought with someone. It was naturally harder then the practises she did in the comfort of the palace, but still, she managed to defend herself tolerably well.
Soon she had the man at the tip of her sword, having no another choice but to kill him as she knew what he would willingly do to her if he had the opportunity. Her hands started to shake at the mere thought of her committing the deed but she still forced them to thrust the sword in. (8)
She should not be shaking as she was not safe yet, there were others who would attack her for the killing of that man, even if he was the usurper. But what she just done was too much for her, she slid onto the ground, her sword clattering down.
“Why do you follow that man just because he had the fan?” Koji was yelling loudly, hoping the death that just occurred would be the only death tonight. “You all know that Genro was meant to be the leader! He would have been a good leader too. Like our last leader, he would be fair!”
Some murmured in agreement and many actually purposely stepped back, but there was still that group of loyal supporters who wanted revenge. As one of them approached, Tasuki, who was trying to take hold of the fan, accidentally slid and the stack of offudas fell out.
“Write something on it!” he yelled to Yuri, who managed to grab them despite her shocked state. “Then throw it and that object will appear.”
At the moment Yuri’s mind went completely blank, what should she write on it? Sensing that someone was approaching her she wrote the first two characters that came into her mind, the two characters that she first wrote in Konan.
Hotohori’s name.
Chuckling, the bandit raised his sword at Yuri, who was barely focused due to what she just done, she felt as if her hands were stained forever.
Yet someone met the attack with her sword for her.
“Hotohori?” she chocked out.
Her beloved husband smiled gently at her and caressed her fingers lovingly as he always did whenever they practised swordplay together. Then he turned to the rest, his eyes hard.
“I will not forgive any one that dares to hurt her!” he announced coldly before he launched his attack.
She watched him fight for her in wander, and marvelled at the magic in the offudas. Even though it was only an illusion it seemed like the real Hotohori who taught her how to use a sword. Whenever he do so, his hair would always be down and tied with a ribbon, and he would put on very plain clothing.
Like the illusionary figure in front of her.
“Hotohori,” she whispered again.
Turning to him after he finished, he held out his hand, still smiling at her. With her tears falling she grabbed it tightly.
It did not last long though…soon her hand closed over the empty air, and the piece of paper fell down. Kneeling down she clutched the paper to her, because she could no longer hold him. (9)
For a long time she simply cling onto that piece of paper, unaware of the arrangements behind her.
“Hey,” the weight of a hand on her shoulder made her grab her sword and whirl around to face the man.
“Hey, I only want to thank you.” Tasuki said, raising his hands in the air innocently along with the metal fan. “I probably wouldn’t have got this back without your help.”
“Tasuki…” Yuri whispered, pointing to the word on his arm, visible as his sleeves had slid down when he raised his hands. “So you are Tasuki.”
“Are you the priestess?” he asked sharply, as who else would be searching for the seven celestial warriors?
Yuri shook her head. “I am merely searching for the warriors on behalf of the priestess, as she will not be able to come here until sometime later. I am…” she was sure that these people would not know the real name of their emperor. “I am the wife of one of the seven celestial warriors: the one named Hotohori, whom you just saw.”
“What do you want then?”
“I wish to find the warriors so Suzaku would be summoned faster. Then I might be able to be with Hotohori again. If you want to thank me,” Yuri said firmly, “Then go to the capital and find the priestess.”
Looking into her eyes Tasuki saw a mixture of wild, strong and contradictory emotions. There was despair and yet there also happiness, her emotions were so strong that he felt it impossible to refuse, yet he could not agree either, now that he was with all of his brothers in arms again.
“I cannot just leave yet.” He finally decided, “But I will go with the priestess when she comes here.”
In front of him Yuri chuckled, but there were no mirth in her laughter. “It seems that it is not possible for me to do this after all. The celestial warriors are meant to be gathered by the priestess herself.”
But surely I did something that helped Miaka. Yuri thought, she was almost forcing herself to come up with evidence.
“If you wish to leave and continue your search then Koji will escort you to the next town.” Tasuki said.
“I will leave now.” Yuri stated without any hesitation. “I have done all that I can. I only beg you, go to the Suzaku priestess as soon as you can.”
“Wait, what is your name?” Tasuki demanded. “When I see her I want to…”
“My name?” Yuri paused a bit as she debated whether she should tell them her last name, in the ended she decided against it, as it had become her title. “My name is Yuri.”
She then collected her luggage but she did not even bother to cheek whether everything was still in there, although they all were, as her gaze still rested on the piece of offuda with Hotohori’s name on it. (10)

Hotohori was looking at the strand of pearls again. He knew it was very unreasonable but he had ordered his advisors to give him a whole day of freedom.
Then he would be tangled with all these problems again. Konan would be at war soon from Kotou, it was inevitable. There was really nothing more to discuss as all the preparations were undergone, but he would still have to sit through these meetings.
Even worse, the sacred book of the four universes was stolen. Hotohori knew that it was not really Miaka’s fault but he couldn’t help but to blame her a little. If only she had held onto it before she ran away.
Last night was the eve of Miaka’s departure with Nuriko, Tamahome and Chichiri, as Miaka was packing the sacred book into her bag she was attacked by an assassin sent from Kotou.
As he charged at her with a sword she ran out of the room screaming, after a brief fight with the remaining celestial warriors in the room, the assassin decided to take the book instead. (11)
“How will Suzaku be called without the book?” Hotohori sighed deeply. “And how dare I blame her? It is not even her fault. Maybe that is why Yuri left.”
“You certainly look as if you are in pain, your majesty.”
“Chichiri, are you not with Miaka?”
“I rather have my question answered first, your majesty, if that is not too rude a request.”
“Very well, I am in pain. Yuri is gone and I don’t know how to carry on without her. Most importantly, who knows what danger she might be in? And the worse bit is that she is doing this all because of me.”
“If you could…you would travel with Miaka, as you believe that you might be able to find the Empress Houki during the journey.”
The young emperor nodded rather sadly, “I should not even be thinking about Yuri in such a time but I am a human being as well. I love her, so I cannot help but to worry about her. Because I am only a human, I cling onto that vain hope of finding Yuri if I leave the palace and travel with Miaka.”
“Then let me be in your majesty’s place while you travel with Miaka.” Hotohori didn’t even have time to react when he was suddenly faced with a clone of himself.
“You know that there wouldn’t be any major event that would happen that hasn’t already happened, so it will be alright for you to travel with Miaka if you have a replacement who can do the basic stuff.” Chichiri continued, only he was now speaking with Hotohori’s voice.
“Chi…Chichiri…” Hotohori was truly at a loss for words. He was shocked at the power of Chichiri’s magic as it allowed him to transform completely, and he was also suddenly so happy as there was a possibility of him finding Yuri.
Faint as the hope was, he would cling onto it tightly.
Just as he was about to leave he suddenly noticed something.
“Chichiri…maybe you should adjust your transformation slightly as I don’t think you got every aspect accurate.”
At this comment Chichiri laughed, it was not due to the almost childish nature of the comment, but because it was a sign that Hotohori’s mood was improving slightly, as the younger man was noticing his appearance again. (12)

Meanwhile, Tamahome and Nuriko were both fighting in order to protect Miaka, who was crouching on the ground, clearly in pain. (13)
“Tamahome, take her and get out of here!” Nuriko yelled, chucking a table to one of the bandits.
“I was just going to suggest that to you!” Tamahome snapped.
“Why do I have to be the one that runs away?” Nuriko protested but stopped as he saw another bandit approaching Miaka with a raising axe.
“MIAKA!” the two men yelled.
Stunned and frightened, Miaka found herself rooted to the ground although she knew she should try to run away.
A body fell down, covered by blood, but it was not Miaka…it was that bandit.
“Hotohori-sama?” the three all chocked out at the sight of Hotohori, who was at the doorway, panting slightly with his sword drawn, the tip stained with blood.
“Yes, I am here instead of Chichiri.” Hotohori said, still holding his sword, as the fight was not over yet. There was still at least two other men.
“Stop!” the wounded man commanded to his two companions, pointing to Hotohori. “I think he is that man!” (14)
“That man?” Hotohori said as calmly as he could, surely it was not possible for these bandits to recognize him.
“He does look a bit like him, maybe we should bring them to Genro…” he had barely finished his sentence before Hotohori’s sword appeared right in front of him.
“You will tell me everything that you know if you wish to live,” Hotohori said chillingly. During the discussion, Nuriko had quickly knocked out the other unwounded man with a single punch, while Tamahome tied the wounded man up.
“A month or so ago a young woman named Yuri arrived here, since she was rather pretty we decided to take her to our head quarters…”
At this Hotohori thrust his sword even further, almost piercing it into the other’s throat.
“If you hurt her in anyway, I will kill you myself.” He hissed. Even though he wasn’t even sure that the mysterious young woman was Yuri, the mere thought of her being harmed made him angry.
“We didn’t harm her at all! I swear!” the bandit screamed, on the verge of kneeling down and grovelling for mercy.
Half stuttering, he told them what had happened.
“So that is why you recognize me.” Hotohori nodded slowly, finally sheathing his sword. “Will you take us to your leader then?”
“Hotohori-sama can’t go yet.” Nuriko whispered, tapping on Hotohori’s shoulder in what he hoped to be a rather discreet fashion. “Miaka is…”
“Miaka? Miaka!” Hotohori quickly crouched down beside the Suzaku priestess as he finally noticed her situation. “What happened to her?”
“She ate their poisoned food!”
“You lot…” Hotohori turned to the bandits again angrily, but it was clear that his anger right now was not the same fury he felt when he heard about Yuri’s capture.
“‘He must not forget his duty as a celestial warrior. It is to protect the Suzaku priestess, not his empress.’” Tamahome suddenly quoted Tai Yi-Jun’s words. None of them could bear to tell him these words when they arrived back at the palace of Konan, as Hotohori had been in a deep depression due to Yuri’s departure. Although he still was obviously sad at Yuri’s absence, Tamahome felt that he must tell that to the emperor now.
“And would you be able to do the same if Yuri was the priestess instead of Miaka?” Hotohori snapped back. At this the other man had to lower his gaze first, because the emperor was right: he could not.
“We didn’t put anything in the food!” the bandits protested.
“Really?” Nuriko snorted, raising his fist threateningly. “Explain Miaka’s condition then…”
“My stomach hurt…I know I shouldn’t have ate that much. Tamahome…can you give me a glass of water?” Miaka whispered weakly.
Both Nuriko and Tamahome had to restrain themselves from punching or slapping Miaka while Hotohori marvelled at the difference of the two half-sisters once again. (15)


1 I figured that if they still had the scroll then it would probably say mountain as that was the word that appeared in the orb/mirror. As for the leader bit I just made it up myself.
2 Eiyo is the capital of Konan. Although Yuri found Chiriko now, he actually didn’t go to the palace immediately, so that bit is not going to be changed that much.
3 Seems that this theory is not really applicable to all the Kotou warriors, but all the Konan celestial warriors are really good men, so Yuri’s theory is pretty accurate.
4 I really don’t think that these mountain bandits are bad men, with the exception of their leader, who was going to rape Miaka. Considering that all the other bandits only made Nuriko and Hotohori drink with them, and even expressed sympathy for Miaka, I think they are actually quite good people. So I hope I didn’t make their actions in regard to Yuri a bit too ‘idealistic’.
5 This is one of the men who really supported their new leader, not Koji. I just can’t find what the name of their leader is (my version of the manga is in Chinese) so I’ll just be referring to the usurper as him, that man etc.
6 I know Tasuki is also called Genro but I’ll be calling him Tasuki most of the time, in the same way that I’m calling every one else by their name as a warrior, with the exception of the bandits who would call him by his original name of Genro.
7 I couldn’t help but to add that ironic remark. 
8 Yes, Yuri actually killed a man. As I said in the beginning, this story is going for the more serious path, it is not comical. I have to admit though, I didn’t like the mountain bandit part that much in regard to Miaka, as what she did was truly stupid. Just charging up to grab the fan.
9 Kind of different from what I had originally planned. Tasuki was to have taken Yuri as hostage and once he arrived at his secret hideout, he attempted to do what he did with Miaka (let us not think about whether he really would have done what he appeared to want to do). Yuri would then threaten to have him executed if he dared to touch her. (Which caused some humorous scenes when he found out that Yuri is the empress.) But I like the result, I don’t want to do a fan fiction that is from the book word by word. And I have to admit, I thoroughly enjoyed making Yuri and Hotohori the central characters with the offuda incident instead of Miaka and Tamahome. I really love what Hotohori said, and did in the whole bandit bit, especially in the anime as Koyasu Takehito voiced Hotohori and he is my favourite voice actor. The way he put all these emotions in as he voiced Hotohori was just so good!
10 I hope it make sense now. Tasuke would only join the rest when he sees Miaka, but Yuri made it easier for Miaka as Miaka would not have to deal with the leader.
11 Since Yui is not in this world how else am I going to make the sacred book be lost/gone? It has to be lost, because the first attempt of calling Suzaku won’t and can’t work, so this is the best explanation I can come up with.
12 I have to say, I agree with what Miaka said in volume two: If Hotohori was not such a narcissist then he would be rather perfect.
13 Since Yui isn’t here, Tamahome will be traveling with Miaka and co although I still won’t be focusing on them much.
14 I am sure in the original story Hotohori actually killed them, but I am changing that to seriously wounded as otherwise they would have some problems with Tasuki later on.
15 This chapter mainly consists of Yuri so I hope everyone still like it. Hotohori and the rest went to see Tasuki and he left with them after making arrangements etc etc. In the next chapter Mitsukake will be coming out.

I thought I’ll continue my computer game reviews corner, well…it is not really a corner, and not really a proper review I guess, but it is fun too do. I had an absolutely shitty day at work so I thought I’ll do something fun right now.  So, here it is. Neverwinter Nights’s have two expansion packs, ie. You need the original game (which is the one I’ve already talked about it) in order to play the extra games. But it is really weird, because for the other games that I have played with expansion packs, their expansion pack relates to the same character/s. But in the case of Neverwinter Nights, the expansion actually relates with each other, but not with the original campaign. I’ve only got the second expansion but apparently what happens is that the PC goes on this quest, and then they stumble onto a second quest (which is the events in the second expansion). Funnily enough, you get to hear about the PC of the original game (the hero who found the plague cure and all that), but you are not her. In Baldur’s Gate- the expansion for the first one is just the pc going to do this extra quest before the last chapter, while the Baldur’s gate 2 expansion is after the whole event, you go to this other place. So same pc, same NPC. That’s why the Neverwinter Night expansion is so weird for me…but I still like it. The good thing about the expansion is that their graphics become so much better. I think there also a lot of new classes but I didn’t get to play them as somehow I couldn’t play since I just imported my character from the original campaign and she didn’t have the required criteria. Once again, due to the promise of a romance I charged through this game.

So anyway…here it is…a review for the game! Maybe I should call it a summary of the game, as that seems more accurate.

Prologue/Chapter One
Depending on whether you start the game straight away, or import a previous character, you might need to adjust your levels- ie.level up to the minimum experience. Once you finish this you will be required to go sleep, (note- if you import a character with their level higher then the minimum you just start with your dream.) You are in this inn at the city of Waterdeep.

You dream of a room of drow (those who haven’t read forgotten realm novels might be confused about the drow- who are also known as the dark elves. Basically they are elves with black skin and white hair, and they live in the underdark- underneath the surface. Their world is matriarchal and they are absolutely pshcyo, they basically backstab everyone, and as long as you don’t get caught, every thing is acceptable. An evil race- kind of like an evil version of the Spartans. The whole rule of ‘don’t get caught, and the devotion to being good warriors/mags/clerics etc.) So you sees this drow woman who is called the ‘Valsharess’ and she orders her mages to show her the person she hears would destroy her. Since this is a RPG, it is naturally normal that you pop out! You are the one in the prophecy, the one destined to destroy her.

You wake up, and see this drow transporting all your staff away. I was really gutted at that, because I had some really good equipment since I imported my character from the original campaign. (Which is a bit weird in the story sense I guess) (But don’t worry, you get to find most of your equipment by the end of the chapter, which is really good. I mean, the armour my pc wore at the end up the original campaign, I actually wore to the end of my expansion game!) But anyway, you kill the drow and then go down to meet the innkeeper. Interestingly enough you have one item in your possession that was not stolen from you. It is this artefact that can transform you to this realm, with this reaper guy in it. The thing is called ‘the relic of the reaper’ but I never used it. I think because my PC’s level was really high level the game was really easy. But anyway, you talk to the innkeeper who tells you that his inn is actually built over this underground dungeon known as the Undermountain. The dungeon is ruled by this wizard known as Halaster, and it connects to the Underdark. (where the scary drow live!!!) But Halaster had prevented drow from using the undermountain, but yet drow are somehow arriving on the surface and creating havoc in Waterdeep. So it is up to the hero to investigate what is happening.

In the inn you also meet some…old friends, possible henchman from the original campaign. You get to meet the bard, the cleric, the thief and the half orc fighter (which is bizarre, cause apparently he could get together with the PC, so it is kind of a ‘what the heck are you doing here by yourself’ feeling. But I suppose they just don’t take that into account). But you get to talk to them about what happened to Neverwinter and it is quite interesting. Eventually the drow attack and these four just charge into undermountain while you are unconscious. Once you wake up you are greeted by Deekin- this kobold bard, (your acquaintance from the previous expansion packl)

So you go through Undermountain, and you can get through quite fast, so it’s not that hard. But it can get a bit annoying at parts, as you often have to find four something in order to get a door open, four keys or four rods or four chains. (an important advise- when you get to the last level, level 3, don’t forget to loot the goblin right infront of you, as he have this key for a door that can only either be opened by the key, or by a pretty good thief. I didn’t have either so I had to go back and find the thief after bashing at it for about ten thousands time in vain. So yeah…don’t forget to loot for that key.) Unlike the previous game, you can actually have two henchmen, instead of just one. This makes the game more interesting, and the henchmen will actually talk to each other.

Once you reach to the last level, you get to meet Halaster- who is imprisoned by the drow. During this you also meet this drow who follows the goddess Eilistraee (note- the majority of drow, who are evil, follows Lloth, while the good ones follow Eilistraee). She gave you some hints but does not help you until the final battle- freeing Halaster. Now…Halaster is crazy. Not only does he not thank you for helping him, he tells you that you disrupted his plan, and then he get into this argument with his own clone. Apparently he let the Valsharess captures him in order for his plan to work. But somehow he decides to send you to attack the Valsharess. He binds you with a geas- which basically means that you have to do the task he orders you to, as you will die if you don’t. (which shows that he is a very powerful wizard as a geas usually requires consent from both side). With the exception of Deekin, he will actually send your henchmen to some other place while you are sent to the underdark, with Nathyrra.

Chapter Two
To be honest I like chapter two much better, but then it could be because the henchman you could romance come out. As I mentioned before, you get a selection of five henchmen in your group but only one will be able to go to chapter two with you (Deekin is the only one who can stay with the pc throughout out the whole game). Nathyrra doesn’t really count as she is not really a henchman in the first chapter. The second chapter is set in the underdark, in the drow city of Lith My'Athar. So basically you should end up arriving with Nathyrra, who introduces everyone, including the Seer- who is their leader. They tell you that the Valsharess has bound a demon to her, making it her ‘servant’, and she also made alliances with beholders (giant eye balls), mindflayers/illithids (a type of monster, but don’t ask me to explain), and a bunch of necromancers with vampircal creatures). The Seer asks you to do something about this- investigate, negotiate or kill depending on your mood. You have to do this anyway, because you are ‘ordered’ to stop the Valsharess- whom you learn intend for world domination (don’t they always?) Basically, hint hint, you should stop such a person regardless of the Geas. The seer also asks you to see if you can get some alliances.

Now…you get two new henchmen in chapter two, who will stick with you to chapter three. If you didn’t take Deekin with you then you don’t have much of a choice. You can have Nathyrra, a drow elf as mentioned, an assassin/mage. If you are playing a guy then you can have a romance with her. Your other henchman is Valen, a tiefling (part demon) weapon master, you get to have a romance with Valen if your PC is a female.

There are five main quests in chapter two, and I am pretty gutted that I didn’t get to do of them. I’ll just list them out.
1= golem island quest.
2= winged elf quest
3= mindflayer quest
4= beholder quest
5= necromancer/vampire quest
Quest 1 and 2 are in area A, which is at the right of the drow city (I think), while quest 3, 4, and 5 is at the left of the drow city. The main point is that there is no way that you can travel from Area A to Area B without passing the drow city, and if you return to the drow city too often, you don’t get to do all the quest, because the city would be under attack. What I did was doing 5 first, then 2, then 3, then 1 and then on my way to doing quest 4, I got told that the Valsharess is attacking, so I didn’t get to do the last quest. So…when I returned to the drow city for the fourth time. I think you are meant to go to area A and do quest 1 and 2, then go to area B and do the rest. But I’ll just talk about the quests slightly.

1= golem island quest (pretty straightforward and easy apart from one point.) The only reason it was hard was because I ran out of healing potions…this was the last quest I did and I was so gutted to know that I had to face the Valsharess’ army with no potions.

2= winged elf quest (very easy, but this one is quite fun. There is a small mystery which you have to work out. And I kind of did!!!! Yeah!!! I’ll say that this is the easiest one.)

3= mindflayer’s quest (I kind of cheated on this one. You can either attack and kill everyone in sight, but the Valsharess will still have mind flayer allies from their other… ‘home’. Or you can do it diplomatically by giving them this mirror you get from quest 2, and the mind flayers would break their alliance with the Valsharess and remain neutral. I negotiated)

4= beholder’s quest (I didn’t get to do this one. Sob…so right now I don’t know what happens).

5= necromancer/vampire quest. (I did this one first, which is really stupid, as this is the hardest one for me. I didn’t read the cheatguild properly and I thought ‘small area, easy!!!’ then I had a closer look and realized that I only looked at the area of the first level, when there are at least six or seven levels. But by that time I was half way there, so I just decided to bear it through. And it was so hard!!! You have to fight an undead dragon!!! A dragon who is also a vampire? It’s made from skeletons but it’s alive. Qutie ewww really.

But after you get these quests done (or if you returned to the drow city too many times) you get informed that the city is being attacked and the next bit of the game actually becomes a bit strategic. You have to allocate the entire force. I just followed the cheatguild’s advice, which made every thing easy. (note- the cheatguide at game banshee is the best). Interestingly enough, the Valsharess will offer you a chance to double-cross the seer in a dream before the day of the attack, and I think you can actually kill the seer if you agree, although you will still end up killing the Valsharess, and everything will be the same. Well, I didn’t betray the seer so once this battle is over, she drags me to confront the Valsharess for a final time.

You have a final battle with the Valsharess, where the demon who serves her double crosses her by killing most of her forces. Once you killed her, the demon will give you an update of what is happening. (The actual fight with the Valsharess is not that difficult for me, since I was fighter, and afterall, she is not the ultimate villain anyway.) The Valsharess bound him into this pact, but since you killed her, your broke the pact so he is now free. Somehow he kills you, and send you to the place he once ruled over (Cania, one of the hells in the world).

Before I go on to Chapter Three, I will just talk about the romance that you can have with Valen. I’ve only played the game once as a female, so I don’t know what the Nathyrra romance is like. Unlike the Aarin Gend romance, Valen does not like you at all when you first meet. He tells you that he distrusts you, and it seems that he resent the PC for being regarded as the one who will save everyone from the Valsharess, especially due the seer. (I think he sorts of like the seer so…jealousy.) But eventually he will apologise to you and even become friends with you. I think at the near end of chapter two you can began to ask him about his past: he is part demon and he became this other demon’s slave, subjected to doing a lot of nasty stuff that made him felt as if he lost his humanity. He was in love with this human woman, but then his master found out and killed her, which scarred him even more. He eventually escaped to the world of Faerun, and met the seer who helps him to control his demon blood. He is quite a…freaky character if you just judge from this chapter. If you ask him how he is feeling, he will reply something like ‘other then this urge of killing someone due to his demon blood, which pops up occasionally, he’s perfectly fine.’ But anyway…the last conversation I had with him was when he told me about his girlfriend, and that he has moved on.

Chapter Three
You arrive in the realm where the ripper is, and he tells you what happened. Basically the Reaper is bound to serve the demon (aka the overall antagonist in this expansion pack, his name is Mephistopheles, which is really a big mouthful). Mephistopheles knows the reaper’s true name, which is the name that is given by the god, and if you know someone’s true name you can use it to control them. The reaper has been ordered to not let the hero leave Cania, but he tells you that if you find his (the reaper’s) true name, then you can command him to let you leave. Yeah…the story line gets pretty weird. The reaper however, will help you by summoning your henchmen that were with you before you got killed.

As I said before, I don’t know about the Nathyrra romance, but the Valen romance gets very interesting at this stage. As you wonder along in Cania, Valen will tell you that he have something he must tell you. Basically he will confess that even though you have not travel together for long, he have developed feelings for you. Since you are all facing constant danger, he feels that he has to tell you that he love you right now. I mean…ok, the love declaration is really sweet and romantic but it is just…too fast?! (But then, it might be because I missed a vital conversation since I didn’t get to do the beholder quest, and Valen only talks to you when you are doing one of the quests in chapter two. I think it is event triggered, not time triggered.) Ok…from my PC’s view, the last time he talked to her was about how he moved on, and that he believes she will not betray the seer. And then the next time he talks, he tells her that he love her. Funnily enough, you can tell him that this is too soon, and he will accept it, but it doesn’t seem to change much. As he still calls you ‘his love’, as he would if you tell him that you love him too. (but his rejection speech is so sweet…I felt so guilty for even making my PC telling him that she is not ready and sure yet).

But I definitely like the Aarin Gend romance better, as I feel it have more development. You start by talking to him in a general way, before you ask him about his past. And after certain stage he will actually address you as his friend, and then after one or two more stories he kind of began to flirt with you by saying how happy he is to be in the presence of such a charming woman like you, which eventually led to a conversation where he admits that he is worried for you, then he will end the conversation by telling you to be careful as he does not want to lose you. Then you move onto the part where you can discuss your relationship, and you kind of see it being built up, his doubt of whether this is the right thing, and his fear of having to face the dilemma of choosing between you and the city, to the last conversation where he sort of tells you that he will actually choose you over the city. Whereas the Valen romance just happens so sudden: he is hostile to her, then he changes his mind, then he trusts her and all of a sudden he loves her.

Note- this will sound really nasty but if Valen is in love with the PC, try to get him killed somehow. Because he will have this really sweet/cute speech for the PC when she resurrects him the first time in Chapter three. And it’s really cute as he’ll reach out to cup her cheeks, then drop his hands due to shyness. (although this happened to me in the middle of a really hard fight, which was a problem.)

So the PC explores Cania and meets an old friend: Aribeth from the original campaign. She somehow ends up in Cania and when you find her she will actually attack you on sight. After much persuasion you can get her to join in as your henchman, and you must choose her alignment. Basically you can convince her that she can redeem herself, and she will be good, or you can tell her the equivalence of ‘screw all this’ and she will be evil. (I didn’t have her as I kept both Valen and Nathyrra but my sister did, so I knows what will happen). It is quite sad to have her in your group as she will tell you that she never loved Fenthick (recap from first review, her boy friend who got hung and caused her to betray the city). For me it is just really sad because she did all these things when she didn’t even love him, so you kind of wonder why did she betray the city if she didn’t truly love him, as Aribeth claimed that she only betrayed the city because Fenthick was every thing to her. (well…you get to find out that Aarin Gend and the PC didn’t get together as well, which is equally sad, considering that he seemed to have decided to give up his duty for her).

As you travel through Cania you got told by someone that there is this person who is ‘the knower of names’, who knows every one’s true names. But no one knows where she is. You are then advised to ask the being known as ‘the sleeping man’, who is the oldest resident in Cania. So you go to the temple of the sleeping man and got told that if you have to pass a test if you want to see him. The test involves gathering five pieces of information, and once you see him you have to wake him up, or interpret his dreams. (waking him up is easier as you just have to use a trumpet you can get from this guy, or stab the sleeping man. Unless your pc has really high wisdom the second possibility is really hard). You ask the sleeping man about the location of the knower of names, and he tells you to find the knower of places, whom he has met before, he gives you this ring and tell you that you just have to put it on the follow the arrows and you will eventually get to the knower of places, who will tell you where the knower of names is. In return, though, he want you to ask the knower of names who his one true love is, he is in Cania because the knower of places told him that he will find her in Cania.

The PC puts the ring on and follows it, once again, you go through many areas with puzzles which can be really annoying. The most annoying one is the mephit’s hand. You have to kill this mephit in this chest and to do that you have to place a trial of gems, leading to the centre of this area, and once he get to the centre you press this button and the mephit get burnt, and you keep his hand, which let you jump from one area to another. This bit is so annoying, because there are rats that eat the gem, which make you have to reload. Another annoying place is where you have to travel on these rotating plateform. But eventually you get there…

You also get to meet some more old acquaintances during your journey to the knower of name. You get to meet the dwarven monk and the guy who worked for the lizard queen in the original campaign, and a lich from the previous expansion. This is pretty hard a battle, and Valen died here in my game. It was honestly one of those ‘Yes, you are being very sweet and romantic, but can you please just shut up and fight and talk to me only when this is over’ moment.

Once you get to the knower of name you have to use a catapult to free her from her prison, but the problem is that there are about twelve prisons, and you can’t see which one she is in and the others have demons that attack you. I was lucky though, unlike my sister, who found her in the tenth prison she broke. But once she is freed you get to ask her about every one’s true names, and it is really fun! Only that you need money, so I…cheated by using the cheat code to give myself about one million gold. You can find out the name of your Henchman, and also the name of your true love. If you are romancing Valen or Nathyrra then they will be the names of your true love. But there is an inconsistency in the game, because you can also be the true love of the sleeping man. I think the strangest thing about this expansion is that you actually don’t have to fight the overall antagonist if you don’t want to. If you managed to find out his true name (you have to ask the knower of name’s true name first, then command her to tell you the demon’s true name) you can just order him to die or never leave Cania and that’ll be the end of the story…in fact this is probably the best ending.

Once the PC finds out the reaper’s name they can go back. But first they will have a talk with the sleeping man. If his true love is in your party, or is you, then he will actually help you in the final battle- unless his true love is you and you tell him that you never want to see him again, he will just leave. Or you can kill him by ordering him to abandon this quest, he kind of just…lay down and die.

After you finished all your unfinished business you can tell the reaper to send you back to Faerun, and before you leave you can use your henchman’s true name to help them, eg. Free Valen of his demon heritage as well as making Nathyrra stop feeling guilty. (she used to kill for the Valsharess). You will arrive in Waterdeep, as Mephistopheles attacks the city. You can tell him that you want to stop him, join him, or replace him, and you actually will get different endings depending on what you tell him. He will also try to sway your henchman. Valen would not be tempted at all if he is in love with the pc, although I heard that if he is not, then it would be really difficult for you to persuade him to not desert you. As for Nathyrra, I am not sure but I know that if you used her true name to help her come to term with herself, she would not be tempted at all either. But if you have their true name you can just use it to order them to not betray you anyway.

You can fight Mephistopheles but I just used his true name, then I get to see the epilogue, which is really fun as it is personalised, unlike the original game’s ‘and everything restore to order but no one is sure what the heck happens to the hero.’ But once again, there are inconsistencies. If you decide to join or replace Mephistopheles then you will end up living in Cania, but the epilogue for Valen (if you have a relationship with him) says that you two are constantly travelling around. Likewise, the PC can be both the sleeping man and Valen’s true love, and it is really weird. The sleeping man’s epilogue says that you and him end up never parting, yet Valen’s epilogue show the two of you together. Also, in regard to the sleeping man’s true love one possibility is this woman whom you are forced to kill. If you tell her that she is dead, and you killed her his epilogue ended up something like ‘he lost everything due to his gamble on love’ or something sad like that, but if you say ‘just know that you will be happy together’ she seem to be able to come back alive as the sleeping man’s epilogue says he never parted from his love once he found her.

Gosh…I don’t know why or how but I ended up typing this much…I will put up my fan fiction tomorrow.

Wow…it is Friday today, I actually realized this with some shock. Since it is Friday, I will be putting up another chapter of my fan fiction. Speaking of fan fictions…I suddenly had an idea to have a look at my old fan fiction (mainly my Lost ones that I wrote about two years ago now.) Upon re-reading it I actually realized, much to my shock, that I still like them. I mean, sure, they do need improvement but I still like what I wrote. So I think I will be putting them up on my blog as well- eventually, some day.

What else in the fan fiction corner? I am not sure if I mentioned this before but I have actually start writing my Genbu Kaidena fan fiction, not much as I lack time, but I have got a few pages done, and hopefully I can be putting that up too.

What happened last time: Yuri’s secret is finally revealed: she is actually Miaka’s half sister, but her relationship with Miaka is a very distant one, as Miaka only manages to remember her in her delirious fevered status. Due to being guilty for not having tell Hotohori about her real identity two years ago, and perhaps be the priestess and save Konan, she decides to leave him, as she is afraid of him hating her once he knows the truth…




The journey to Tai Yi-Jun’s place was certainly entertaining and full of surprises, especially when Miaka found out the true sex of Nuriko.
“You are a man and yet you try to get Hotohori’s attention.” Miaka protested again, as they waited for Tai Yi-Jun to finish her preparations.(1)
“Love such as mine has no boundary.” Nuriko declared passionately. Strangely, he was getting quite fond of this girl.
“Nuriko, even if it doesn’t matter for you, I don’t think Hotohori can accept that, even if he is not in love with his wife.” Miaka reminded him. (2)
“Can that…hag really send Miaka home?” Tamahome began to complain again as he joined them.
“WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!”
At the sudden arrival of Tai Yi-Jun and Chichiri, another celestial warrior of Suzaku, both Miaka and Nuriko laughed nervously and pointed to the culprit.
“Hmph.” Tai Yi-Jun snorted but she didn’t do anything to Tamahome, who was already prepared for some magical lash. “I can send you back, Priestess of Suzaku.”
“That’s great!”
“When you come back again,” the goddess continued as if uninterrupted by Miaka. “Tell this to the emperor of Konan- Hotohori: that he must not forget his duty as a celestial warrior. It is to protect the Suzaku priestess, not his empress.”
Hotohori did not come as he could not be away from his kingdom for such a long time. Still, Miaka had left the palace with a grand flourish, the emperor himself kissed her hand while the empress pecked her on the cheek, then the two had watched them leave, their hands joined together.
“So you went and found out why he didn’t come, and you saw something that is bothering you instead of just annoying you.” Chichiri said.
“Yes,” Tai Yi-Jun admitted. “I saw him with his empress in my mirror and something about her worries me. I can not tell what it is but I felt a very strange feeling when I saw her…she seemed out of place.”
“As if she doesn’t belong to our world?”
“I do not know, though I should be able to know if that is the case. Perhaps that is what is worrying me the most. But I know one thing, she is not meant to be the priestess of Suzaku, Miaka is.” Realizing that the others were still watching them she coughed and said: “Well, let us began then, shall we?”

“And closing her eyes the priestess thought of the world which she came from, her family and her dearest friend.” Yui continued reading the book eagerly, still wandering where Miaka went in her subconscious.
“And then she appeared…”
“YUI!” within seconds Yui found herself half buried by Miaka, who attached herself onto her so tightly that she was almost being strangled.
“Miaka, what just happened?”
The story was a not an easy one to believe but after all that happened: the blood and water on her uniform, Yuri had to believe Miaka’s story.
“And one more thing, Yui, have you heard the name Houki before? It sounds so familiar but I can not recall it.”
“Houki? I think I have…oh I remember, you must be thinking about Houki Yuri.”
“Houki Yuri?” now that she thought about it Miaka could remember someone telling her that Houki was only the empress’ title, not her name. And she could recall an occasion when Hotohori’s eyes had rested on a vase of lilies, and he had muttered something about how they were his empress’s favourite flowers as they had something to do with her name. Miaka deeply regretted that she did not pay as much attention as she should have.
“So who is Houki Yuri then?”
“Miaka, she is your half sister! Have you forgotten all about her completely?”
At once Miaka remembered and understood everything. Yes, Houki Yuri, that was the name of her half-sister. She remembered first seeing her when she was only five years old. Yuri had been eight years old and even then her hair was done in that pretty way with a single ribbon. As their parents argued, Yuri had turned to them, hoping to find assurance. Sadly, they never gave it to her at all during all these years.
It would be unfair to blame Miaka for not recognizing Yuri immediately as Yuri had moved out of their house when Miaka was only twelve or so. Even before she moved out, they hardly saw her.
Technically she should be about eighteen now, but the people in Konan had told her their empress was twenty years old, and had been married to the emperor for two years.
But why wasn’t Yuri glad to see her at all? Why did she avoid her? Most of all, why did she show so much happiness and even relief, when Miaka failed to recognize her, instead of some sadness?
Maybe it is because she is angry at us and simply wants to forget all about us now that she have a new life, Miaka reasoned, she never realized that Yuri only ever blamed herself for being unwanted. I must see her, and then make amends with her.
“Do you remember her now? I saw her once or twice when I went to your house. I remembered she was all dressed up with a pair of high heels as she was about to go work or something.” Yui continued. (3)
“Yui, I saw her in the book world.” Miaka spelt out slowly. “She is married to the emperor there. She had been there for at least two years.”
“Maybe it is because time passes differently in the two worlds. You had been there for such a long time but in here, only two hours passed.”
“I…I want to find out more about Yuri. Yui, I don’t even know about my sister at all. I want to find out because I will return to that world so I want to be a sister to her!”

“About Yuri?” Miaka’s brother frowned at this. “Why do you want to know about Yuri?”
“Doesn’t matter, tell me!” Miaka yelled incoherently, waving her arms energetically.
“She’s curious as she thought she saw someone that might have been Yuri when we were in the library.” Yui lied smoothly, pushing Miaka aside. After all, the story of: “I ended up in a world in this book and I saw Yuri there, married to one of the characters in the book” was not easily accepted.
“You saw Yuri?” at this outburst from Keisuke the two girls exchanged curious glances.
“Have you been in touch with her secretly, Onichan?” Miaka asked eagerly.
“No, I know as little as you, but a couple of months ago I saw this.” After taking a careful glance at the corridor to make sure that their mother was nowhere near, Keisuke pulled out a poster that was bookmarked between the pages of one of his text books.
On that poster was a large photo of Yuri, staring back at them, not smiling, never smiling. On top of the photo was the large red letters of ‘Person missing’. Upon seeing the date Miaka gasped, she had only been missing for six months, so there was some sort time difference!
“I saw this stuck up by the police when I was on my way home. I then did some inquiry, even if we rather our father to never have done what he did with her mother, she is still our sister.
“Apparently, Yuri had moved into this rather shabby apartment, and one day she left her apartment and never came back, so said the apartment manager. The police are actually trying to find her, as they think she is kidnapped because she didn’t take any of her stuff with her, so she was not preparing to leave or anything.”
“Onichan, what was she like, our half sister?”
Keisuke shook his head rather sadly, “I never get to know her much, you know that our mother forbid us to talk to her. The only think I could say for certain is that she always seemed so sad, as she rarely smiled.”
At that moment Miaka decided that she would go back and finish her quest, not only for herself but for her mysterious half sister’s happiness as well. Although she did not see Yuri much she was sure that Yuri was happy in Konan as she was with Hotohori, whom she loved and was loved by in return, and Hotohori had told her that until six months ago Yuri had been very happy.

In the palace of Konan, Yuri was taking her last look at Hotohori. Due to the herbs she secretly crushed, he was sleeping very soundly. Was she risking being labelled as a traitor by mixing some of the sleeping draughts the royal physician had gave her in the emperor’s tea?
“Why do I fee that you wouldn’t be here when I wake up tomorrow?” Hotohori had said strangely, tightening his arms around her even more.
“Don’t be so silly, of course I will be here, you must rest as much as you can.” she had laughed nervously, tracing his face with her fingers. “I love you so much, you know that.”
“So promise me that you wouldn’t leave me, then I will sleep.”
Kissing him, she nodded, even as she felt tears welling up in her eyes.
I am so sorry to lie to you again, Hotohori, Yuri thought sadly as she watched him smile in content and closed his eyes.
The draught did their jobs quickly, it was almost ironic as she only received them due to Hotohori worrying about her health.
Standing up she quickly dressed herself into the plain peasant’s dress that she had on her when she was taken by the guard these two years ago, why did it seem so long now? Dressing in the costume of a serving girl from the taverns was not a wise idea for a woman who planed to travel alone, but that was the simplest dress she had.
Taking the white ribbon that had unwound from Hotohori’s hair, she used it to tie her hair in a simple half-pony tail, it might be best for her to change her hair style for a while. Yuri then took her strand of pearls from her dressing table and tucked them into Hotohori’s hand so that they would be the first thing he saw, then he would find her letter.
Her other luggage were already packed, all they were was some money, her sword, a dagger and a copy of the sacred book that she had secretly copied. Strangely she decided to take her fan with her although she probably shouldn’t.
This would be her repentance, to try and find the rest of the celestial warriors for Hotohori right now, because who knew how long it would take for Miaka to come back with this time difference. And any time that passed until Suzaku came was time she must spend apart from him. (4)
Closing her eyes she allowed the tears to fall before she walked up to Hotohori and knelt beside him once more.
She kissed him gently and softly, then she turned and took the first step away from him.
“Forgive me, Hotohori.” She whispered. “But don’t think that I am doing this because I no longer love you, I am leaving because I love you.”

The palace of Konan was very different from what Miaka had remembered, it seemed that everyone was possessed by some sombre spirit. Well, Miaka decided, she would be the one to change it!
“Nuriko, why the long face!” she hugged her friend happily. “Actually, why the long face from everyone? Is it because I went away too long?”
“Miaka…Houkigou is gone.” Nuriko said sombrely. “Three months ago, when we were at Tai Yi-Jun’s palace, she left the palace.”
“That can’t be true, you are joking!” Miaka refused to believe that her sister was no longer here after she finally found out about their relationship. She had wanted to tell Yuri about her discovery so much, and she even fantasized about a joyful sisterly reunion!
“Miaka, why would I joke about such things?” Nuriko snapped back. “The whole palace is in a mess partly because most of the servants idolise the empress, while the others are like that because of the emperor.”
“What is happening to Hotohori now?” she knew too well how much Hotohori loved his empress…her sister. She recollected how worried he had been when one of his advisors told him that Yuri had fainted, and she remembered the sadness in his voice as he told her that his ultimate desire was to make Yuri happy.
“The emperor… he is not doing well.” And that statement might be described as the understatement of the century.

Hotohori was kneeling in Yuri’s chambers again, the strand of her pearls constantly in his hands almost like a rosary, and he would often reread the letter she had wrote. His hair was no longer so carefully tied up for court, and although he was still dressed regally as befitted of a man in his status, it was clear that he no longer cared that much about how he appeared. (5)
“Yuri…why?” he whispered again, feeling tears falling down again.
He still did his duty but his sadness was so deep that it pained his subjects to even look at him, because they all knew that he did not wish to be here, however hard he tried to conceal it.
His mornings were still taken up by the court, and due to the recent problems with Kutou the business of the state often extended to the afternoon. But he would either spend his free time here, in her room, or in front of the statue of Suzaku, with her as the subject of his prayers once more.
The night was the worst part of the whole day. He could not bear to sleep on the bed in her chamber as he had done almost every night for the past two years, as she was no longer there. But his empty bed was equally bad, he would recall all these lonely days once more, and there had been times when she laid with him here, so it was still a reminder. Before, he had been so happy when she slept there, because she was creating happy memories for him, but now, the loneliness was attacking him again.
“Hotohori…”
“Miaka?” he could no longer view her in the same way again after what Yuri had told him in her letter. But she was so different from Yuri, even if they were just half sisters.
“I heard about how Houkigou…”
“You know her real first name, Miaka.” he showed Miaka Yuri’s letter to him. “Yuri left me this letter, in it she told me that you are her half sister. Listen to this and listen carefully, because I will not repeat what you missed.” Taking a deep breath Hotohori began to read the letter, though out this his free hand was tightly clenched and he was shaking slightly. (6)
Waking up in the morning, he was deeply shocked when he discovered that she was no longer in his arms. At first he thought she might be praying in front of Suzaku, but then he felt the pearls she put in her hands: it was like a parting gift.
He soon found the letter…upon reading it he started to weep and found himself unable to stop, even when he heard the distant uproar at the absence of the emperor at court.
He did not know how he actually managed to attend court that day without a very obvious breaking down, all the others’ words were suppressed by what Yuri had say to him the previous night: that she would not leave him.
“Hotohori,” he began, his voice the lightest whisper, “I love you, always remember that. All that I am doing, I am doing because I love you, not because I no longer love you.
“By the time you read this letter I would be gone, and probably some distance from the city now. Do not try to find me Hotohori, because that is not what I want.
“I must tell you the truth, what I hide for the past two years. I told you that I am a stranger in your country, that is true, but I failed to tell you that I am also foreign to your world. I am from another world, so I might have been able to call out Suzaku.
“But I did not want to because I wanted to be with you. It was selfish I know, because my death would have spared all this worrying about wars but I wanted to marry you, so that is why I never told you of my true origin. (7)
“I was so happy just by being with you, because I love you so much, and know that you will always love me. Even when others started to whisper that I was barren, I was still rather happy just by being beside you. I love you even more when you refused to elect another concubine although you would not be wrong to do so.
“Then Miaka came…I know you wander why I was so hostile to her. That is because Miaka might know who I am. I told you that I was the result of an affair, Miaka is my father’s legitimate daughter, whom I lived with in the same house for a few years upon my mother’s death. I refused to see her as I feared that she would recognize me, and in doing so you would find out that I am actually from that world.
“That was why I was so happy when Miaka asked who I was, but Hotohori, when she was sick she remembered her shadowy half-sister. I cannot bear to see your face when you discover my secret. To see you hating me, I rather die.
“I think I am being punished for being so selfish, so I want to repent myself somehow. Perhaps I owe a duty to everyone in Konan too, but I am still selfish because beloved, I am only doing this because of you. I will go and try to find the celestial warriors, and maybe I can make things easier for you somehow, and let Suzaku be summoned faster. (8)
“Hotohori, I cannot ease this guilt I have until Suzaku is summoned, then I will go back to you if you want me to. I am sorry for breaking my promise to you but then, you had broken yours too, although it is not your fault at all.
“I love you.
“Please forgive me.”
There was nothing Miaka could do but to walk up to Hotohori and hug him, hoping to offer him some support through this gesture, even though it was his sister that he desired to embrace.
“Yuri, you stupid girl, you did nothing wrong.” Hotohori whispered brokenly, his voice muffled by the tears that always appeared when he read that letter. “I would never have forced you to be the priestess of Suzaku if the price is to lose you! You are the most important thing to me, you are first, Konan is second! I told you that I would never let my kingdom take me away from you permanently so why this…
“What am I suppose to do now? What do I do when you are not here beside me? How can I continue…”
“I am so sorry Hotohori, you love my sister so much and…”
“Perhaps too much for a man in my position, but then with her I am Hotohori, not only Saihitei. I truly wish that I am just a simple man, so I can be with Yuri as much as I want, and give her the attention she deserves. But yet I was content with my current life because by being there, Yuri made me happy, as she made my life the best as it could be. I could go through my days more easily because there was the knowledge that I would be with her eventually. I…how do I explain this?
“Until I met Yuri I was alone because I am an emperor. I…my father died when I was fourteen, and my mother made me the emperor as my father never chose which one of his sons should succeed so they naturally asked his empress. My mother made me the new emperor although I wasn’t even the eldest son of neither my father nor her. (9)
“I never wander why though, it was because I was easier to manipulate. I was a more willing puppet then either of my elder brothers. My elder brother was three years older and he was filled with many radical ideas, he was also so much more strong willed then me.
“Then there was my other elder brother, one of my half brothers. He was the oldest out of all my father’s children, six years older then me, yet his mother was only a concubine. I think my mother did not consider him as a candidate, as all his life he was deeply resentful of my brother and I, for being borne from the empress.
“Not that it mattered much, my mother being the main consort instead of the side one, as my father did not favour any of his children. He was always too occupied with the business of the state to bother about his children.
“So I became the Emperor…and Konan broke into a civil war, my two elder brothers both lead a rebellion against me, each supported by one of my other half brothers. My mother was harsh and even cruel in crushing the resistance.
“The strings that tied around me were cut with the death of my mother, but the puppet fell into a cage. I was surrounded by a permanent silence even though I was constantly surrounded by people. It is such a strange feeling, to be lonely even if I am always with people. (10)
“I think it is because I was always apart from everyone else by being the emperor. To everyone I was only an object instead of a person, reverence and respect being the barrier that separated me from everyone else.
“Then I saw Yuri and I loved her the moment I saw her, although I could not explain why I immediately wanted her to be my empress.” At this memory Hotohori smiled slightly. “She thought that I was crazy for wanting to marry her after I just met her.
“The more time I spent with her the more I love her. I ended up so happy whenever I was with her because she made me stop feeling lonely. When she told me she love me I was so happy because for the first time in my life I was special to some one as a normal man, not as the emperor. (11)
“That is why,” Hotohori chocked out, now grabbing Miaka’s hand very firmly. “I am begging you to find the rest of the celestial warriors and summon Suzaku as fast as you can.
“I go down on my knees, Miaka, to beseech this of you. I am not just begging you as an emperor on behalf of his kingdom, but also as a man for the sake of the return of the one he need and love the best.”
Miaka’s eyes were filled with tears too, she crouched down so she could be on eye level with Hotohori, before she nodded.

As I said in the front, this story is focusing on Hotohori and Yuri so the rests’ part will get diluted. Miaka, Nuriko and Tamahome managed to travel to Tai Yi-Jun’s place without that much trouble and she didn’t test them with the mirror. And Hotohori didn’t go with them, that should be alright cause I’m sure they never said all the celestial warriors had to be there. And Chichiri just comes out because as I mentioned, this story focuses on Yuri and Hotohori.
2 It’s so weird having to describe Nuriko using the masculine version. Any way that is a point I think most of us have thought about, the fact that it is not just Nuriko not minding about her gender. Hotohori have to not mind as well.
3 Yui started working at a very young age.
4 This is not Yuri’s purpose, I think I better clarify this now in case some people think that Yuri is sent to the book world for this sake. She is not sent into the book for the sake of finding the celestial warriors of Suzaku during the period of Miaka’s absence. Her real purpose will be discovered a few chapters later.
5 Considering how vain he is this should be quite a clear sign of him being very upset at what happened. Actually, this is not the first time I used his vanity so show his love for Yuri. Yuri is pretty and rather beautiful but most people would still regard her as rather normal. But Hotohori regards her as very beautiful, even more beautiful then him because he loves her so much. It is love at first sight!
6 Hotohori sounds a bit cold, but given what happened it is probably reasonable. Reading that letter out aloud will defiantly be harder then just reading it silently.
7 I think the reason Yuri feels such a strong guilt and really believe in the concept of the greater good is partly due to the fact that as a child, she would have been constantly reminded that her presence is a blight to her father’s family, and been accused of ruining the family’s happiness by Miaka’s mother. (as mentioned before, she was the result of an adulterous affair) I don’t like Miaka’s mother, but I’m not trying to make her a villain because I think her blaming Yuri a lot will be very logical and even understanding, to find out that your husband had an affair and then having to have the result of the affair living in your house with you children, and even worse, to still house her when your husband left. In fact the last action is rather admirable, as she is under no obligation of keeping Yuri in her house.
I think the other reason of why Yuri has such a strong guilt complex is due to her being the consort of an emperor, she would be constantly witnessing the idea of the greater good: acting for your people instead of doing what you want. Also, she will be constantly reminded of this by Hotohori’s advisors when she failed to show signs of pregnancy.
8 I know that technically only the Suzaku priestess can find the celestial warriors but in a way Yuri is not breaking the rule, she will find them but ultimately they only joined the rest when Miaka finds them. So I guess what Yuri will be doing is persuasion and making the path a bit easier, but it is still Miaka who must travel the path. Well, next chapter will show what happens.
9 These information are from winkepaedia, and I later found out that they are from the Hotohori novel. But when I wrote this, I had not read the Hotohori novel yet, so this is purely my version that I made up after reading the manga. He had two half younger sisters, and three half brothers (Ogi, Bogyoku and Kotsuki) and an elder brother named Shu Tendo. I think that in ancient China the eldest son does not always became the heir, even though he usually will be the heir. There were many cases when emperors would not tell anyone who the heir is, and the people would only discover the information hidden somewhere after the emperor’s death, I think the Qing dynasty tended to do that, but I am not that sure. I can remember reading this story when I was little about how a emperor in the Qing dynasty wrote on this paper that his fourteenth son should be the heir, but the forth son took the paper and changed it so he became the heir. Since Hotohori is not the eldest either way I thought that there was some sort of semi conspiracy going on as he ended up being the emperor. (until I read the novel I thoughts all of his siblings were living in the palace like him.). Although it seemed that he was the heir all along in the manga as they called him (when he was little) the title they use for the heir.
10 I really love what Hotohori said in regard to his loneliness because he said it in such a beautiful way so that is why I want to make this bit really good. I admit that I am biased but I am really moved by him in that bit of the manga/anime.
Also, I am personally interested in the concept of being alone even with people around you, because sometimes I feel that way too.
11 I really liked writing this part because my fan fiction allows me to twist the story, as I always feel so so so sad when I read the bit when a young Hotohori thought about the Suzaku priestess as someone who would love him for him who he is, not what he is. It is so sad that his hope and dream did not come true.


April 16th, 2007
Neverwinter Nights fan fiction: Five Years
9:43pm
Tags: computer games, fan fiction

Gosh…I can’t believe that half of the holidays have past. While I can’t say that I have been working full stop, I have been doing some work…so it was not wasted…I guess. I suddenly wrote this story two nights ago as I was evading my history essay- which I will have to start doing very soon, probably tomorrow. But I am pretty afraid of that essay as it is worth so much, and so basically if you screwed it up you are screwed…

Somehow I started to think about Neverwinter Nights, and I thought about how sad the story of Neverwinter Nights become in the end, especially the story of Aarin Gend and the PC- as she left the city while he obviously stayed there. I was so sad to find that out when I played the sequel (for more explanation see the previous review of the game itself.)

I guess I ended up writing a random one-shot, although I might extended it later. But for now it is an one-shot, a random enough piece. As for the title, I have no idea as to what I should call it, but I don’t want to leave it untitled, so somehow the title of ‘Five Years’ just come out. It’s a pretty obvious title once you read the story…



He knew fully well that once she left him, he would probably never be able to grasp her hand once more. He also knew too well, that such a miracle was not likely to happen a second time.
That was why he pulled her into his embrace without answering her.
But she gently stepped back, shaking her head.
“Give me the answer, Aarin.” She repeated, her voice hardening. “I must know you answer first.”
Still he said nothing, he only continued to look at her in that silence he was long used to, but silence was no longer the perfect refuge. He could not continue to take shelter in it as he once did.
She taught him how to love again, and he could not simply forget her lessons and retreat into the lonely world he had live in. No, he would miss her, he needed her now that he found her…he did not want to be lonely when he realized what it was like to experience companionship, as well as being loved in return.
Yet his duty was equally important. He loved this city that he was bound to serve, and he did not know whether he could forgive himself if he abandoned it right now, when it needed him to help it to heal.
“So you do love the city more then me.” She whispered accusingly. “So I am to lose not due to another woman…not due to you dead lover, but to this city.”
It was Neverwinter who gave him his purpose of living when he was on the edge of losing his identity. That was the reason of his devotion, for the city had become his reason of existence, and by serving it he as able to make peace with himself.
It was even Neverwinter who brought him to her.
He remembered how she had seemed so strong when he first met her, leaving him with no doubt that this capable women was the hero most claimed her to be.
She had been wearing her armour with her spear beside her, and the design had made him examine it closely, as it was from the Uthgard tribe- who rarely give their weapons to outsiders, and she was said to be from Amn.
Upon a closer look, he saw that it was actually a weapon of the ultimate honour. Only given to those who were regarded as a hero by the tribe.
Strangely enough he kept on recollecting how her hair had been braided and then wounded up around her forehead, with only a green ribbon as an additional ornament.
Her hair was now completely loose and decorated with flowers, while a simple dress has replaced her armour. She was showing him that they could leave all this behind and become a pair of ordinary lovers: not the duty-bound spymaster and the soon to be out of favour hero of Neverwinter, but just as a man and woman. (1)
“I can not do what you want.” He said. “Raven, I cannot leave this city, at least not right now. Neverwinter needs me.”
“Do I not need you too?” she interrupted bitterly.
“Perhaps I am like most men, for I do wonder whether the woman I love need me if she is so capable herself.” He admitted sadly.
“Then know that I am like most woman. ‘Capable’ as I might be, I do not want to be alone. I do need you! Come with me, Aarin,” she implored once more. “You have done too much for this city already. But I…I have received you love and nothing else. I need your presence too!” (2)
“I must see Neverwinter recover.” He began , grabbing her hand. “Give me but a few years time…”
“I will not stay in this city anymore!” she retorted angrily, snatching her hand away. “Aarin, it is too late for you to heal this place! It has already died. The balance has tilted too much.”
“Then I must help the city to be reborn.”
“I will not stay here.” She repeated. “I doubt that I can stay here even if I want to.”
“Will you…will you not wait for me?”
He desperately wanted her to nod, but he was no longer so naïve as to think of love as being something that was eternal. The truth was that it was not easy to retain your love on someone when you believed them to not love you enough. Even worse, was when you loved someone who was no longer by you side.
They both knew this, but they had learnt their lessons differently.
“You are not the first man I have loved,” She whispered as she reached to clench his necklace in her first tightly. “But I had hoped that you would be the last…I still hope that you would be the last man I love. I know though, that love is such a weak and fragile being. The balance of the love we bear for the ones who are no longer there is the easiest thing to be outweighed.”
“I only need five years.”
“That is too long a time. I can not promise you anything. Why…” much to his surprise she actually began to cry. Shocked, he could only act on his instinct. Wiping her tears with his hand before he embraced her tightly.
“Why do you love this city more then me?” her voice was muffled, and tears were actually openly streaking down from her face. He had never seen her cry before, not even when she witnessed the executions, as she knew that she, out of all people, had to act strong.
“Did you not say that you want to be with me more then anything? What about your dreams of travelling on the sea with me.”
“I do want to be with you more then anything.” He said firmly, “But Raven, I own Neverwinter this much. That is why, I cannot go with you right now.”
“Cities are always ravaged…will you have me wait for you forever?”
Tilting her head up she gave him a brief kiss before she pushed him away. Turning around she shook her head sadly before she began to walk toward the door…
Walking away from him.
“I only ask for five years, Raven.” He implored again.
“I will try.” Raven said very softly, closing her eyes she let her tears slide down her face silently this time. “I will try and remember that you love me so much. Most of all, I will even tell myself that I am the one you love the most, that you do love me more then this city.”
Then she left him, and he could only hope that this would not be the last time he would be able to see her.
The only hope that he could cling onto was the image of how she had been grasping the necklace which he had gave her. He was sure that she wanted to stay in love with him as well.
But it was hard for them to not abandon idealism, as too much had already happened. (3)
“I do love you, and I always will.” He promised.
Walking to his desk, he began to scribble on the map of Neverwinter that he had been studying before she entered. After only a few moments he laid his quill down in frustration.
All he could think now, as he stared at the map, was whether she had been to these various places, and what she had done there.”
“Have I made a mistake?” he asked himself as he picked up his quill once more.
“Is my duty to Neverwinter that much weaker then my love for you?” (4)

1 This bit is referring to how the hero fall out of favour with Lord Nasher
2 What I am trying to say is that she is saying that she is an ordinary woman, an ordinary human, even though people are regarding her as a hero, and that like most people, she cannot bear to be alone.
3 I am not sure if I agree with this, as I think Aarin Gend is actually still very idealistic despite all that had happened to him. But somehow this line came out…
4 One last thing: this PC is a druid.

By the way I really think I should do a review on Weiss as I finished watching Weiss Kreuz Gluehn the other day, yes I know! I am so bad! I shouldn’t be watching it but… I just thought I’ll watch an episode per day but somehow I ended up watching four episodes per day…although the good thing is that it only has thirteen episodes in total, so it is not that long. But I really like it…although it does not exactly something that cheers you up. In fact, it is definitely not something to watch if you are in a bad mood. But it is such a deep anime…deep as in the way that it really makes you think…ponder. It is also a very realistic story, which is kind of sad, because reality can suck at times. And of course, Aya (aka Koyasu Takehito) is in it as the main character and he get some of the best lines that is ever said by any character in the anime world. (an absolutely funny thing, I can almost recognize the phrase ‘leave quickly if you are not buying anything’ from watching Weiss)

I am thinking…does this count as daily life since it only happens once a year? I mean, you only have a birthday once a year. I have decided to try and see if I can spend about 30 minutes on my blog everyday as I do have stuff that I want to do and all that. But first of all…

Satsuki-sis is now seventeen!!! Having reached this age on a Saturday. (I don’t think it matters if I say this cause I think this information is on her profile anyway. The nice thing is that she invited me to her party, and though I am really glad that I went, it did make me rather reflective at one stage. It really made me think.

Well…first of all I seem to be much older then her friends, although they are all…people who seem you can easily get along with, which is really nice. They are really friendly and open. But they are all in high school (I believe) and this is really weird, but I feel…not grown up but rather different. This is really hard to describe but I feel that preparing to study for the studying for you future (ie. preparing to entering university) is better then doing the actual study for your future (ie. In university.) Perhaps it is just me but I feel that you still have a chance to dream in the first stage (in high school) where as that in university, you really are living with the idea that this is it, as soon as this end I will be in the world of reality. I guess I feel that in high school, you still live in a world of great idealism, but in university it is only semi-idealism, and a lot of realism. Another comparison: in high school you are examining all these path, and deciding which one you want to take, where as in university you are on that path, and it is very difficult to step back. So I guess I am a bit envious of those who are still at that stage- a world which I can not go back to. Do I want to? In a way I think I do. But maybe later on I’ll look at university in the same way.

Then…we actually went bowling…a game that I associated with too many negative feelings that made me not go to bowling at all. Seriously…it didn’t matter who ask me, my answer usually was: “No, sorry, I don’t like it, I don’t want to go.” To tell the truth…had I know it before hand I am not that sure whether I would have still go to Satsuki-sis’ party. What happened for me is that I have nothing but bad memories associated with all my memories of going bowling. Something always happened…mostly it is the sense of exclusion. The first time I went with two friends, and they were like best best best friend at that stage, so while they were cheering each other I was just the one who happened to be there, so even though I was with them, it didn’t seem that I was playing with them, it was almost as if I just somehow came and played with their lane. Then the next time…went with a large group who I don’t really know (I actually don’t know why I went) and it was miserable, even worse they were those top dogs of the school. Then a third incident happened and after that…I began to be paranoid of bowling.

But surprisingly enough it was actually quite fun on Satsuki-sis’ birthday, I think it is because I felt that we were actually a whole group, although we had two different lanes. I mean, I still don’t like it that much as I still rather do something else with that time, but I might not avoid all bowling permanently, as I had.

Lastly, before I left Satsuki-sis’ house her mum actually thanked me for helping Satsuki-sis. (to Satsuki-sis: yeah, that was what your mum was saying to me before I left. This really made me touched, the fact that I seemed to have helped someone. I truly hope that I have managed to help Satsuki-sis sometimes (I cannot help anyone all the time because I have a lot of problems myself too). I mean, I am not a very useful person, and I am not a nice person either, but if I can help someone in anyway, then it means that I am of some use, I do have some use in this world- that I am not completely useless. I know that we help people because we truly care for them, but I do think it is also true that it is also to help our self, to make us feel that we can actually help others- that we are not useless. Well…my views anyway.

Strange as this is, it made me think of Ouran High School Host Club, which I read sometimes ago, and as always I can come up with fan fiction ideas, although it will probably always stay in my head. But I think the reason that Mori (Morinozuka Takashi) helps Hunny, is due to a similar logic. I think he feels obliged to serve Hunny so devotedly because that is something he can do. I feel that he will feel…perhaps a bit guilty at how privileged he is, so at the least, he must do this one thing of serving Hunny.

Does that make sense? No? Oh well…my thoughts are pretty jumbled up lately I guess.

I almost think that I should add another tag: rant, because I seem to be ranting a lot, but I do have a tendency to add new tags.

But anyway…I will start with the positive things. I finally got a new computer. It is absolutely amazing as my computer is so bad that it is just unbelievable. I was almost moved to tears as I used it because for a start: opening my computer will no longer involve a ritual. I would press on and then go to the bathroom or something because it takes about that long for the computer to open. Then I press Microsoft words (most used system) and go down to make myself a cup of milo and if I am lucky, it would be usable when I come up. If I am not, that’s about a few more minutes. My computer really is slow, as the other day my uncle came and had a look (he knows quite a lot about computers and he actually said this: ‘is that computer broken? Because why does it take so long to open up?’). Anyway I can now see files that are big without it stuttering, or virtually impossible, crippled, and I can watch AVI!!! (Couldn’t in my old ones). So that’s really good. I almost feel that I should grovel at the computer because it is too amazing compared to my old one. (that is like freaken ten years old now.) So bye bye!!!

So that is the upside of my life…the downside…I’m stressed about studying and everything, and I think what make things worse is that evil geography paper, I mean…the classes are not that bad but I just don’t like it, and it takes great determination and discipline to read the text book, and even then I am not sure of how much stuff I actually took in. Instead of just seeing it as lines of word.

To top things up work was absolutely crap last night, I went to work on time at 5 and no one was in the stall, so I wander around for about 15 minutes and I was just about to go home when my boss told me (via text), he’ll be here at about half past (in 15 minutes) so I better get things ready. I don’t know…basic preparation. So I did that, a bit pissed, because I thought that I could go home. Then quarter to and boss nowhere in sight, and by this time I had to apologise to three guys who wanted to buy from the stall, only to see it empty. Boss finally came at 6…and there were only a few customers so there was really little point for me to be there. And then I screwed this customer’s order up so obviously…There was this piece of chicken cutlet and I decided to claim it as my own (it has been unwanted for at least one hour), and about five seconds before I was going to reach out and take it (since it was time for me to make my dinner- I get free food every shift-), this customer came and ordered a chicken katsu-don, which involved chicken cutlet…
So tearfully that cutlet was taken away from me…
The only good thing about last night was that this really hot guy came and brought food for the stall, but that’s about it…

Ok…rant done! Another update! I think I will be moved to tears due to the fact that I can actually go on net and update in my own room. Before I always had to go to my mum’s room and sometimes I had to join the queue, but today- and from hereafter- I can update just from my room immediately after I finished an entry.

What else…I am really happy in regard to my blog as there are people who actually just came and read it, even though they don’t know me at all. I got really touched a few days ago when someone left me a comment saying that she really likes my stuff on fushigi yugi, especially what I wrote about Hotohori I am very touched…

Once again, I am going to have a fake holiday, but this one seems much worse then the one I had before. I suppose it is due to the staff that I do. In this time last year my holiday was actually quite proper because I had most of my test on the last week of the first half of the semester, but then we had seven weeks instead of the usual six due to the timing of the Easter break.

While…although I am complaining I am grateful that I have at least a ‘holiday’, Albatross-sis does not even have a holiday, she have classes that can only be done in the time of the Easter break, which I don’t really get but well, at least I don’t have to have classes in these time. Apparently her lecturer even said something like this to them: “Because you guys are post-graduate students, you guys don’t get to have holidays. But it seems that post grad students really are different, as my sister say they to a heck a lot of studying.

But why I don’t have a holiday…a geography assignment to do (gosh, I got my first one back and I actually got 4.1 out of 5, pretty impressive as I didn’t have any idea to what the heck debris flow and floods are. They give you this cd and you find the answers in it, but it is still not that easy.); a geography test to prepare for (yuck, yuck); an accounting test to do (I don’t like this one that much but at least the past test give you a better clue. You know it will be something similar.); and a history essay that is due a week and a half after the holidays end.

I actually took out all my past history essays that I wrote in university and stare hard at them, trying to determine why I got this mark for this one, and why I got a higher or lower one for the other ones. The result…I still don’t really understand. But I will rather research a history essay then a management one, or a geography one, because at least the history stuff is interesting. I am going to do my essay on the eleventh and twelfth century reformation. Now that I think about, that seems to be a topic that I am quite interested in in history. For my other history cause, I actually did essays on the reformations in the fifteenth and sixteenth century, so this time I’m just jumping a few steps back. The other area that I really like in history is actually printing, and this have a very funny origin. It was all due to the song ‘Florence’ in the musical ‘Notre dame de Paris’, which is sung by my favourite singer of all times. The song talks about the changes that are coming into the world, which relates to printing. This is something that Victor Hugo (the author of Notre-dame de Paris. I simply refuse to use the ghastly English translation of the story) spend a whole chapter of his book talking about. And as a result of the song I became super interested in the idea of printing, and I did one of my NCEA level 3 assessment on it. We had to collect information about a selected topic (mine was printing) and I actually used that chapter of Hugo’s story and I was marked as being very original in gathering my sources. (After I heard the song I went to re-read the chapter. So that high mark is all is thanks to Bruno Pelletier!

This is the song, I thought I might as well put it up since I’ve been talking about it a lot.

Florence- lyrics by Luc Plamadon
Speak to me about Florence
And the Renaissance
Speak to me about Bramante
And the Hell of Dante

In Florence one tells that the ground would be round
And that there would be another
Continent in this world

Boats left already on the ocean
To seek the door of the road of the Indies

Luther will rewrite the New Testament
And we are at the dawn of a divided world

A certain Gutenberg
Will change the face of the world

On the press of Nuremberg
One prints at every second

Poems on paper
Speeches and verses

The new ideas
Will sweep across the old

The small things always come to end the large
And literature will kill architecture

The books of the schools will kill the cathedrals
The Bible will kill the Church and man will kill God
This will kill that

Boats left already on the ocean
To seek the door of the road of the Indies
Luther will rewrite the New Testament
And we are at the dawn of a divided world

This will kill that
This will kill that

Our computer is…sick again…although this time I almost wonder whether it is dying. Apparently it got a virus, which wasn’t stop by our computer system as the system crashed caused the anti-virus software to crash or something like that. The result of this is that…my blog will be suffering again (ok, I admit, it was suffering in the first place. But I thought I’ll post up my fan fiction because I really want to do it once a week, even though it wouldn’t always be on Friday, which is my original intention.

What happened last time: The originally happy marriage of Yuri and Hotohori is troubled by the rumors of Yuri being barren, and the courtiers’ attempt of persuading Hotohori to elect another concubine. Meanwhile, Miaka has arrived in the universe of the four gods and is now regarded as the priestess of Suzaku. Yuri, who heard this news, reacted in a very extreme fashion by fainting, and there are indications that she knows Miaka…




Once she settled into her new role as the Suzaku priestess, Miaka actually found her life most enjoyable. She was treated with the ultimate respect by almost every single person, and her only regret was that Yui was not here with her to share this fun.
Initially she was deeply worried about her exams but she was sure that her wish of passing her entrance exams would be granted as soon as she finishes this strange quest that she stumbled to.
So far, they have found the third celestial warrior, Nuriko, one of the emperor’s concubines. From what she heard, it seemed that all the imperial concubines were unwanted by Hotohori, who was clearly very much in love with his elected empress.
Although Nuriko seemed to regard her with hostility, Miaka was sure that she would be able to work her way through the other’s stubborn jealousy by volunteering to be her personal maid.
As if there was something to be jealous about! Miaka thought as she tugged the other’s long hair. She rarely gets to be alone with Hotohori, and everyone knew that he was usually in the empress’ quarters.
She actually hasn’t even talked to the empress yet, it would be interesting to meet her, and see her properly. The servants all spoke of the empress with reverence, while the emperor’s advisors would frown at the mentioning of Houkigou.
Houki…once more Miaka frowned, she was sure she had heard of the name before. Now more then ever, she wanted to meet the empress, but Hotohori had told her that she couldn’t just yet, as she was still unwell.
“What are you doing?!” Nuriko screeched out, bringing her hands sharply down she caused the jar of rouge beside her to fly toward Miaka’s face. “You are pulling my hair!” (1)
“Sorry!” Miaka grimaced as she attempted to brush the hair as gently as she could manage, she really wasn’t skilled at doing such things.
“Hey Nuriko, what is the empress like?”
“The empress?” at this Nuriko frowned, her eyes becoming very hard. “Well…she is rather pretty I suppose, as she was one of the one hundred women that were chosen for the emperor.” An idea suddenly appeared to her, bending her head down she hid her smirk as she realized that she could shoot two birds with one stone. “She is usually in her own part of the palace…I went there to pay my respect to her once but…”
“But?”
“One of my ear rings dropped into the pond there, it is a very valuable one too.” she spun around and grabbed Miaka’s hand, her eyes suddenly wet. “It was my mother’s gift to me as a parting gift, when I was selected to go into the palace.”
“Why don’t you just go back to the pond and search for it?”
“I cannot leave my own quarters without permission. Oh!” dramatically, for good measure, Nuriko buried her face into her hands. “If only I could go…”
“I’ll do it for you!” Miaka immediately offered, seeing this as a chance of winning Nuriko’s friendship. “I am allowed to go anywhere in the palace so I’ll get it for you.”
As soon as she left Nuriko laughed and pulled open her drawers, carefully she took out the pair of supposedly missing ear rings, admiring them as she put them on. Nuriko, naturally, has never even went anywhere near the empress’ private chambers. (2)
While it was true that Miaka might have been granted permission to go anywhere, the empress’ section of the palace was a bit different. With the exception of the emperor, and those who received his orders to go in there specifically, no one else may enter without the empress’ permission.
And it seemed that the empress was not deeply fond of the priestess of Suzaku, otherwise why hasn’t the empress meet the Suzaku priestess yet?
“Two birds with one stone.” Nuriko smirked again, but deep down she was actually angry. It was just simply not fair that Miaka could have the emperor’s attention! What she had sought and failed to obtain for the past two years.

Whatever cause that made Yuri faint that day, was still present as she was still spending most of her days lying on her bed, even though the incident happened quite some time ago. Hotohori summoned the royal physician and the verdict was: “a depression of the mind that led to a physical invalidism.”
“Everything is fine now, Yuri, the priestess of Suzaku is here, and she will summon Suzaku, who will grant our wish.” He whispered, squeezing her hand. “Do you want to talk to her? She is a cheerful girl and maybe she can make you feel better.”
“I don’t want to see her!” this uncharacteristic loud scream caused her maids to quickly withdrew, while Hotohori actually flinched slightly, seeing this she lowered her voice and even sat up so she could put her arms around him. “I am so sorry, Hotohori, but keep her away from me!”
“Why?” he pressed on, truly puzzled.
“I don’t want to see her.” Was all she would say. “I know I am being unreasonable but I simply don’t want to see her.”
“Are you jealous?” it seemed pretty ridiculous but then she had undergone so many pressures lately and the gossips were not helping at all. “I know I have spent sometime alone with her but I…”
“It is not because of that.” She interrupted quickly. “I just don’t want to see her. The sight of her is a reminder of how Konan is in danger.”
The way she stuttered made the lie very clear.
“What is happening, Yuri?” he asked sadly, “That you would lie to me?”
“Because I do not wish to lose you,” she sank into her bed again, closing her eyes after this strange answer.
“Please,” bending down he kissed her forehead, “please tell me the truth.”
“How can I tell you the truth if I will lose you by doing so?” seeing her tears he could only embrace her, abandoning his question as he could not bear to see her cry even more.
But he was greatly puzzled at her answer. Why was she so afraid of losing him by telling him her reason of not wanting to see the Suzaku priestess?
What could it possibly be?

Unknown to them, Miaka was only a few steps away. Armed with only a torch she began to stalk around the pond hoping to find the lost earring. Unfortunately for her, her sense of balance was not the best, so after a rather bad trip she ended up in the pond, and even more unfortunate, the seaweeds attached themselves around her leg.

“Let us walk in the garden for a while,” Hotohori suggested. “I always have a fondness for doing so, as we were walking in a garden when you told me that you would marry me.”
Nodding, she stood up with him supporting her although it was not necessary. Her maids approached her to help her dress, one holding a gown while the other had her hair brush and that strand of pearls.
“Don’t bother with all that, there is no point for me to dress myself when all I am doing is take a little walk in the garden, and there will be no one else there any way.” Yuri said gently, bidding them to go and rest.
“You will be cold, so wear this.” Hotohori told her as he selected her favourite robe.
Taking the robe she kissed him before they went to the garden hand in hand, she really loved him so much and it pains her to have to lie to him. Not for the first time she wished that she had told him that she was from the other world the moment they met, or at the very least during the period when he had wooed her.
Then she wouldn’t be tormented with guilt. Right now her biggest fear was to see Miaka in case she was recognized, and then Hotohori would know that she was from the other world. Even though it had been five years since she last saw Miaka, and even before then Miaka only saw glimpses of her, and they never really talked to one another although Yuri would have loved them to be closer.
“Do you still love the flowers of your namesake best?” he asked as he took her to the patch of lilies.
“People do not change so fast in two years.” She said softly, “I…Hotohori, the pond!”
Turning he saw that the water was rippling in such a violent way that it suggested some sort of creature or person hiding in there. Drawing out his sword Hotohori carefully walked to the pond, as an emperor he was well aware of the danger of assassination. Even if the assassin was very unskilled by giving himself away in an obvious fashion, a person who wished to kill him must be taken seriously.
Gasping, Miaka staggered up, collapsing on the bank, crushing a few of the flowers that grew beside the pond.
“That was close!” she breathed out the sigh of relief very loudly.
“Miaka…” Hotohori was truly torn between laughing and worrying. The situation was amusing as it seemed a very typical thing for Miaka to do, enter somewhere she shouldn’t be and then revealed what she did in such a method. He was also a bit worried as he noticed that Yuri was turning rather pale at the sight of the Suzaku priestess.
“Hotohori? Ha, I didn’t thought I’ll be seeing you here. I’m here because Nuriko lost something here and she wants me to look for it since she can’t leave her own quarters.” Miaka explained quickly in her usual straightforward fashion. “I’m not trying to steal anything so you can put that sword away!”
She was going to continue when she suddenly noticed the women standing beside Hotohori, with her arm resting on his. Miaka felt the same shock she had experienced when she saw Hotohori: that woman was so beautiful as well.
Miaka had a quick glimpse at the woman, by being a girl she naturally noticed the other’s cloth. Some sort of thin under-dress with the skirt in multiple layers, and a furry outer robe with the sleeves wide and trailing. Both cloths seemed to be made of fine material, and the robe was richly embroidered. She made a mental note to search the wardrobe in the chamber she was given as soon as possible. (3)
The woman’s long raven hair made her very envious, she had always wanted hair that long, hair that flows down to her waist, but like most girls, she was forced to cut her hair as soon as she finished elementary school. The lady’s hair was very pretty as well, as it was unbound the curly texture was very obvious. (4)
She only wished that she was more presentable in front of this beautiful lady, instead of having her school uniform soaked and her own hair tangled.
An important thought suddenly entered her mind as she recalled what happened in her meeting with Hotohori.
Reaching foreword she grabbed the other’s chest. (5)
“MIAKA!” Hotohori hissed, pulling Yuri away from the younger girl. “What…what are you doing?”
The two naturally attached bundles in front of the chest was a clear sign to Miaka that unlike Hotohori, she was right in thinking of this person as a woman. Laughing a bit nervously she quickly began to explain.
“I just wanted to make sure that she is a woman.”
“Make sure that I am a woman?” Yuri muttered, she almost had a heart attack when Miaka grabbed her, she had thought that Miaka was going to announce to the whole world who she was. At what just happened Yuri suddenly reached to the conclusion that her fears in the past days might have been completely unjustified.
“You…you don’t recognize...you don’t know who I am do you?” Yuri asked bluntly.
She retreat into Hotohori’s arms even more when a pair of large eyes suddenly appeared right in front of her. Miaka began to circle around her, examining her in every angle. (6)
“No!” she finally announced. “I don’t know who you are.”
Much to Hotohori’s surprise, Yuri smiled, and stepped forward to introduce herself.
“I am Houkigou, consort to the emperor.”
“Oh so you are the empress.” She then began to explain the story again.
“I have never seen this ‘Nuriko’.” Yuri told her truthfully. “With the exception of my two maids I have not even talked with any other of the emperor’s concubines.”
“Is Nuriko causing trouble for you again?” Hotohori asked. “Should I issue an order?”
“No, no, no!” Miaka laughed. “I want to be her friend and you can’t order a person to be my friend! I’ll just give her this pretty stone as compensation for her lost ear ring.”
She began to walk away but she suddenly stopped and she went up to Yuri and took the other’s hand.
“I want to be your friend too! Can I come here again?”
“I…I…” Yuri muttered. “Maybe.”
“That’s good enough! Good bye then, Hotohori, I’ll probably see you tomorrow. Oh wait, I won’t, I am going to the market with Tamahome tomorrow, some other time then! Good bye to you too, Houkigou! Maybe I’ll know your name next time I see you.”
“She seems to like you quite a lot.” Hotohori finally commented.
“With such a bright and cheerful nature she will be able to like most people, a rare gift.” Yuri said, it was just a shame she never get to see much of that sunny nature, “She appears quite young though.”
“She is fifteen, only five years younger then us.” (7)
“Fifteen?”
When she in that world two years ago Miaka had recently turned fifteen, and the girl was still fifteen? So time passed faster in this world but did that mean anything? (8)
“You saw her and that wasn’t that bad, was it?” he kissed her tenderly before wrapping his arms around her once more. “I am still here and I still love you so much.”
“Yes, maybe I was wrong.” Sinking into his embrace she smiled happily for the first time since the arrival of the Suzaku priestess. “Only promise me that you will always love me.”
“I always will,” Stroking her hair, he quoted out the poem that he had wrote on her fan. “In the heavens, the stars are twinkling. In the ground, the flowers are blooming. And now, in my universe, my love for you is shining. It won't stop. It won't be stopped. Love, like breathing, is irreplaceable. I'm glad I was born, because I exist for you. I have only one wish: your happiness.” (9)

When Miaka returned to Nuriko’s room she found Tamahome there as well, the latter shaking the former, who was yelling so loudly and sharply that she was almost screeching.
“Why does the emperor always like women from foreign places?” Nuriko was screaming. “First the empress came from some other country or so and he chose her the moment he saw her and did not even give the rest of the women a chance. I didn’t even get to meet him because of her! He saw her and he just forget about everyone else.
“Then she is barren but he refuses to elect another. It is all because of her that I have no chance of being noticed by the emperor at all!
“And Miaka…why is the emperor spending so much time with her when he wouldn’t do so to any other of his concubines?”
“So you like Hotohori!”
“Miaka, are you alright?” Tamahome immediately asked.
“I’m fine!” walking up to Nuriko she stretched her hand out with the rock on it. “I didn’t find your ear ring but this stone is quite pretty too, why don’t you have this and wear it as a necklace?”
“I…”
“I am sorry that you like Hotohori but I met him and his empress tonight and I know he really loves her, because he told me that the one wish he would wish is for his people to be happy, but the wish he most desire is to make his empress happy.”
“Idiot, you are just making the situation even worse.” Tamahome hissed to Miaka.
“Don’t worry about it, Nuriko!” Miaka laughed, patting the other’s back. “Come to the market with Tamahome and I tomorrow, we are bound to meet some gorgeous boys!”
“Miaka…that is not why we are going…”
“Why are you being so nice to me after what I just did?” Nuriko asked at the same time, and Miaka seemed to regard her question as the more important one, as she answered her instead of Tamahome.
“Because I want you to be my friend!”

The other cause of Yuri’s illness brought by Miaka beside guilt was the memories that she had tried so hard to forget. She would dream of these lonely days even though she could feel Hotohori’s arms around her. These memories affected her more then she imagined.
She understood her beloved’s loneliness too well because she herself had underwent a similar feeling until the day she met Hotohori, now Miaka’s arrival made many of what she wanted to forget surface again.
“But maybe you will be proud of me, mama,” she was crouching beside the pond, trying to see her mother’s face in her rather blurred reflection. “You made me promise that I will marry a good man who will take care of me forever, unlike what happened to you. I have done that, and I think you would like your son-in-law very much if you could meet him.”
Her father? She rarely thought of her father since the day he abandoned them all, though he had been the one person whose love she desperately wanted to possess. Childishly, she had reasoned that a father would love a child if the mother did.
Hotohori heard all the words his beloved empress said in a private reverie that was no longer silent. He was glad that she was feeling better but he was still a bit upset at what happened last night, as she actually lied to him.
But he trusted her and he believed in her, he was sure that she would tell him her reasons when she was ready. He had told her that she would have a choice in every thing that she do, so he would not force her to give him the answer, although he greatly desired it.
Walking to her he placed his arms on her shoulders, and she lovingly pressed his hand against her face.
Their pleasant interlude, however, was interrupted by a soldier who knelt at the doorway to the empress’ section of the palace.
“Your majesty, the celestial warrior Tamahome is back with the priestess, she is unconscious and…”
“Miaka is sick!” Tamahome snapped, approaching with Miaka in his arms, while Nuriko was beside him, her hand on Miaka’s forehead. “We met some slavers in the city and…”
“What are you two just standing there for? Tamahome, take her to my room so she can lie down!” Yuri snapped. “Nuriko, go and fetch the royal physician at once!”

Miaka felt herself being placed onto a soft bed and then someone was dabbing water onto her forehead. Squinting her eyes open she saw her mother.
“Mama…Papa…”
It wasn’t her mother after all, but her father? Her father whom she had not seen for about five years now. He was just as she remembered, so cheerful, he would always greet them with a joke. When he was there they were all laughing.
“Onichan?” (10)
The figure become blurry again and when her eyes finally focused she saw another person. A much elder girl whom she rarely get to see, as her mother forbade her to see her, and even if she wanted to, the other’s very early schedule made meetings quite impossible.
“Oneesan?” (11)
She could still recognize that hair style, when she first came to them her hair was so long and she would always tie half of it up with a ribbon, later on she had to cut it but Miaka was sure that the last time she saw her, the hair had grew rather long again. As a child, Miaka had always been filled with envy wherever she saw her half sister. Because she was so beautiful.
Yet that was such a long time ago, not as long as her father’s absence, but it would still have been a few years. She remembered so little of her now. (12)
The ribbon seemed unnaturally bright and she was suddenly filled with a desire of tugging it loose.
“You hair is so pretty, oneesan, how do you tie it like that just by one ribbon?”

If Hotohori, Tamahome and Nuriko had remain in Yuri’s chamber then they would have seen Yuri turning very pale at the mentioning of the word elder sister, and when Miaka tugged her hair she withdrew, almost stumbling.
“Miaka…” Yuri whispered dumbly, watching the younger girl who was still stretching her hand out and muttering. “So you will still recognize me.”
When the rest returned they found Yuri’s maids taking over the job their mistress was previously doing, the two young girls told Hotohori that the empress was at the altar of Suzaku.
Hotohori found her kneeling in front of the statue again, her eyes tightly shut with her hands clenched together. She was so absorbed in her prayers that she didn’t even notice him.
“We found a way to send her back.”
At the sound of his voice she trembled slightly and he fancied that the glows of her eyes were almost wild, but seeing that it was only him she seemed to immediately calm down.
“You will send her away?” she asked, hugging him tightly.
“She promises that she will be back.” He returned her hug, not fully sure of why she was embracing him in an almost desperate fashion. A few minutes later he was even more shock as he felt the front of his robe getting damp.
“I am so sorry to be such a burden to you, Hotohori,” she whispered between her weeping, “You are worrying about your whole kingdom while I am distracting you by being so weak and almost hysterical! But it’s just that I am so worried about every thing!”
“I know the pressure you have went through, it is all right to cry, Yuri.” He assured her, pulling her even closer to breathe the fragrance of her hair, while his lips rested on her forehead.
Had he know the real reason of her tears then he would not just hold her in his arms. Yuri was crying because she realized that she could no longer stay beside him as his empress, his consort, his beloved.
As soon as Miaka had that look of half awareness in her eyes, she knew that she must leave him, because Miaka would eventually recognize her as her half sister, and once she revealed that, Hotohori would know that she was from the other world.
She could have spared him and his people so much pain if she had told him that she was from that world in the first place. But that was her hidden secret, because of her own selfish desire of wanting to be with him as his empress she concealed it. (13)
“I am being punished.” She whispered to herself.
She would leave because she could not bear to see the look of hurt and even fury in Hotohori’s eyes when he discovered her identity. She was sure that he would be angry because although he loved her so much, his people were very important too. To an extent they were more important then her, and she made them suffer through her own selfishness.
We will both break our promise, she concluded sadly. She was clinging onto Hotohori so tightly because soon she would be letting go out of her own freewill, and be away from him.
Yet she rather release her hold herself instead of letting him shook her hand off. (14)


1 In this fan fiction Nuriko’s jealousy on Miaka will be completely unrational, she will be jealous on the base that Miaka gets to spend sometime alone with Hotohori. And I’ll be describing Nuriko as a female because right now, every one else in the story think of her as a female.
2 I am not that sure but it seems that in the anime she was actually wearing both.
3 Technically Yuri should never wander around in only her under-dress as she is the empress, even if she is only at her private garden with Hotohori, and no one else would ever come, as the modesty factor in ancient China is really strong. Although their under-dressers would be seen as perfectly acceptable outer dresses by us.
4 I don’t know what exact year Fushigi Yugi was set in but I presume girls in Japan have to cut their hair after elementary school (primary) in Japan as well. I think it is quite a Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese and Korean thing, girls have to cut their hair after elementary school. I don’t really know if they still do it in these country though, it didn’t happen to me as I went to New Zealand when I was in elementary school. But my mum had to cut her hair up to her ears when she entered junior high school, and my cousin, who is only a few years older then me, had to have her hair cut to her chin.
5 I know that technically Miaka shouldn’t be doing this yet as she only got fooled by Hotohori, right now she still thinks Nuriko is a woman. But well, Miaka’s action in regard to that always crack me up so I thought I’ll put that in with her first meeting with Yuri. Well, let us just presumed that for the sake of this story that she is either a bit paranoid after discovering Hotohori is actually a man, or/and she have been fooled by others as well.
6 One thing I noticed while reading the manga is that the author quite like doing this, making the characters being examined in various angles. I don’t know how to describe this but for example, when Miaka first told Hotohori that she is from another world, we see Miaka in the centre, while the author drew Hotohori three times in the same frame to show him looking at her from ever angle. That is what I am trying to describe, this is that Miaka is doing to Yuri.
7 In the manga Hotohori is actually eighteen but due to the plot of the story he will be older. Yuri met him when they were both eighteen and since two years passed they are naturally now twenty. I want them to be a bit older as I am trying to go for a more serious path, and also, I don’t think Yuri would agree to marry him if she was only sixteen at that time.
8 Time seem to pass faster in the book world, and Tasuki told Miaka that it had been two years since he last saw her when for Miaka, it was only half a year. So the same thing happened.
9 June 22, 2006: The poem that Hotohori quoted to Yuri is actually one of Hotohori’s character song, it is called “Boki no Uchuu ni kimi ga iru, (In my universe, there is you) and I got the translation from www.animelyrics.com, his character songs are really beautiful. I admit that I did do some…editing, as I cut some lines off, but to see the original, go to that site. Although it kind of make me feel more sad that he didn’t end up with the one he love, so this is where fan fiction comes in!
10 According to the site I used this is suppose to be the affectionate term of elder brother.
11 This is meant to be the more formal way of addressing an elder sister. Please do correct me if I got this wrong.
12 By this time I think it is really obvious who Yuri is, although Miaka herself will not find out until the next chapter. Basically in this fan fiction Yuri is Miaka’s half sister, they share the same father.
13 The title of the story.
14 I think Yuri’s reason is understandable, but not that logical, but then she is a woman in love. I don’t really think Hotohori will hate her for not telling him that she is from that world as she only knows about the legend after she lost her chastity and I highly doubt that he would want her to die for Konan’s sake. (as I said earlier, in my version a priestess can still summon one of the God even if she is not a virgin, the only draw back is that she will be killed by the God for certain, which is a clue to what I plan to do later on..)
In the next chapter Miaka would be back to her own world and through her we discover more about Yuri’s past in her ‘old’ world. Yuri will also leave Hotohori. And in the next next chapter Tasuki will be found by Yuri.

Fan fiction is just too amazing…it really is. First of all, it let you be able to practice writing as well as getting sincere reviews because it is not likely that the people on fan fiction net would know you, so if they say something is good, your fan fiction really must be good. And fan fiction also let you write stuff that you might otherwise feel guilty for, or let you express new genre or new ways of writing. And then…the other day, ok…quite some time ago from now actually, I got another proof on how amazing fan fiction it. 

For one of my papers, I have a tutorial. As with all tutorials you are forced to do some kind of introduction thing. In this case, our activity was this. We have to group up with another person and learn five things about them, and then report them to the class. So I was with this girl and somehow we decided to ask each other’s hobby, since I said I like reading she asked me whether I like writing, and I said some. And I don’t know how it happened but she said she do too, she like writing fan fictions. Next moment: “OH MY GOSH REALLY??? ME TOO!” We then ended up in a semi-discussion about what type of fan fiction we write Because of that we become friends. And funnily enough the last time I had class she said she want to read my fan fictions (hmm…must have a look at her stuff) Oohh…so nervous then!!! In conclusion…the power of fan fiction is just too great.

As for the other bit in my blog… On Monday I had a history lecture (which is the funniest lecture I ever had, that even beat the one time where this random guy charged in one of my lectures last semester, then charged back out.) but what happened is that we were studying ‘The Gregorian Reform’ (or what is seen as the Gregorian reform). We have a break between the two hours and when second hour started…
We first see the famous clip in Monthy Python and the Holy grail when the monks goes around chanting and then whacking themselves, (side note: three of my friends can actually recite the monk’s chants in the film) as this happens we suddenly see this monk walking to the front of the room. (cloaked in those brown robes too). As he reached the centre he began to preach (well, recite the writings of this monk- we are using them as secondary sources. As he speaks we realize that this is one of the tutors.) But it was hilarious though…whenever the lecture reaches certain point the monk/tutor would began to read out other parts of the secondary sources.

It was certainly both an interesting and unusual lecture…imagine this being done in an English lecture. That would be interesting…that would be fun…

Alright, due to being busy I didn’t get time to type out my other blog entries yet, they are some of the stuff that has been happening in my daily life. I guess the reason is I have been giving my diary more priority then my blog, but putting this story up is easier because it’s all typed up already, I just need to type in a introduction for it. But hopefully I should be updating this weekend again.
I forgot to mention this but this is a fan fiction, so I own nothing. Also, if you actually like my stories then please go to fanfiction.net, and search for autumn_leaf16 as that site has all my fan fictions that are…properly written (random ones in my mind doesn’t count). 

By the way, something that I really like Watase-sensai is her attitude to fanfiction. Not only does the encourage them, she believe in their creativity: she wrote in one of her author’s note in Fushigi Yugi that she believe that when someone write a fanfiction, they are actually writing their own work. Even if it is based on her own creation. She really like to read fanfiction as well, and even claim that she want to read them. This is what she said in one of the author’s note: “Some people send me fanfictions, it’s really fun! ‘There must be a lot of people who send these to you.’ That is not true, everyone is just being sneaky by enjoying it themselves (laugh). Some people say ‘The author will get angry!’ I tell you, everyone is different…so it doesn’t matter (laugh)! Everyone be brave!!! If I was in Japan I would love to write letters to her.

What else…oh yes, I thought I better mention now that Yui would not be coming out until the very end, and her role is that of a pure observer who reads the book, basically she is doing the role of Miaka’s brother.
Alright…part two! the official first chapter.

What happened last time: Houki Yuri arrived in the universe of the four gods and through a twist of fate, she ended up as one of the concubines for the emperor, and upon seeing her, Hotohori immediately felt in love with her. The two of them married after three months, when Yuri realized that she loved him as well. Now, two years had passed since the day they married…




She knelt down in front of the statue and clasped her hands together, bending her head down reverently. Despite her status she was dressed very simply in a plain dress, with her long hair brushed, but unbound.
Even as she prayed, tears made their way down her cheeks. She had begun to cry alone again, for the fear of distressing Hotohori with her tears. But she had to weep, as she was starting to fall into a depression.
When she married Hotohori and became the Houkigou, she thought that she would always be happy because she was in love with one who loved her so much too. Her mistake was that she forgot that while the emperor was above all, he was also bound to each and every one of his people. In a way he was in charge of every one’s freedom, but yet he lacked his own freedom.
Thus he must fulfil the duty to his people: to produce an heir.
Although Hotohori loved her deeply, he could not prevent the rumours that were spreading around, that she was barren. As after one and a half year, there was no sign of her being pregnant at all. One and a half year…that was when she began to loss her original great happiness.
Once again, she begged Suzaku to give her a child, as she had done for the past three months. She was sure that he had the power to grant her wish, as he was the one to give all this to her. Yuri wasn’t even praying for a son, she was just praying for a child: as that would show Konan that she was capable of producing a child.
The worst part was that Hotohori’s advisors were constantly pressuring him to elect a more fertile concubine, after his blunt refusal they actually turned to her, begging her to persuade him for the greater good of Konan.
How could any one expect a woman who loves her husband to tell him to be with another woman? Especially not her, who was from a society that forbid bigamy. (1)
It was beneath her dignity but she had lost her temper and ended up throwing a vase at the most outspoken advisor. Hotohori had held her very tightly that night and promised her that he would never do such a thing.
But she was still afraid, because it was his duty to produce an heir, and if he really had to then there would be nothing that she could do to stop him.
She did not even wanted to think about such a thing, that he would be making love to another woman, even if it was just for the sake of conceiving a child, and that another woman would gave him what she so desperately wanted to give him herself.
Deep down in her heart she began to wander whether she was punished for not telling Hotohori her real origin and therefore failing to be the priestess of Suzaku, could this be her punishment? But as always, she pretended that was not possible.
He placed his hand gently on her shoulder, and used the other one to drape one of her finest robes onto her, he then knelt in front of the altar beside her.
“You finished court very early today.” she forced her voice to remain very calm, and hoped that the tear stains were gone.
“I am required to go on a procession later, so the court ended a bit early.” He answered gently, taking her hands into his. “I went to your chambers and your maids told me that you are praying here. They also said…” the sadness in his voice was easily audible to her. “That you have spent the past three months praying to Suzaku when I leave you to go to court every morning.”
Yuri bent her head down, feeling the urge of crying again due to the tenderness in his voice, and the love in his eyes.
“I am very worried for you, Yuri.” He stated quietly. “I can tell that you have been crying even if you do not do it in front of me, and…”
“I am not sick.” She interrupted quickly.
“Not in body, no. But you are depressed, and that might lead to serious illness. I talked to the royal physician last night,” Hotohori admitted. “He told me about your body condition and he also,” he kissed her gently, drawing her into his embrace, “told me that there is no indication of you being barren at all. I believe, no, I know that you will bear our child. Did you not tell me once that your mother had your very late, when she was in her mid thirties? Maybe you will be like that as well.”
Her soft mutterings to his hair did not escape him.
“I don’t want you to be with any one else, even if I can not bear a child.”
“We will have children. Also, I have told my advisors that I will not select another concubine. I cannot share you, so you will not share me either. Yuri, please believe me. Do you remember what I promised you on the eve of our wedding night? Not even my kingdom will take me away from you.”
Hotohori was pestered as much as Yuri during the six months, it began six months ago as that was when they first realized the danger that Konan is facing from another kingdom. He knew that by logic, due to his duty, he should be consenting to his advisor’s wish. (2)
But that idea truly sickened him, because he would imagine Yuri being with another man if he was with another woman, although he knew that she would never do such things. Because of that, he realized he could not do so himself, even if it meant not obeying all of his duty to his kingdom.
His love for Yuri was a crazy thing, and maybe even a bit troublesome for a man in his role, but nonetheless he was glad for her. She gave him pure happiness just by being there.
With her in his embrace he could ignore all these problems, the threat of external and internal war, the possibility of having no heir just yet. The head who wore the crown does bear a heavy weight. He truly wished that he could just live with her as ordinary peasants, being together every day instead of only see her at the evening because of the state.
“Stay with me a bit longer.” Yuri said as she kissed him, “I feel so peaceful here.”
He nodded, and the two of them continued to kneel in front of the statue, holding onto each other, free from the pressure that constantly pestered them just because they were who they were.

The empress’ two maids both loved their mistress devotedly, for not only had she been their friends before she even become the emperor’s consort, she had not forgot them or even held a grudge for what their father had tried to do. She even liberated them from the empty fate they would suffer as the unwanted concubines of the emperor.
Naturally, they were both upset at the depression that had begun to grow in Yuri.
“Mistress!” much to their surprise she returned from the altar with a slight smile on her face, the two of them immediately went up to her and took her hands, guiding her to her dressing table. “You seem happy!”
At her two faithful maids Yuri gave them a deeper smile, she loved these two girls as sisters…she always wished that she could love her half-siblings but she had no chance as her “stepmother” hated her, and so forbid her children to even talk to her.
She was truly happy in this world, not only were Hotohori and her in love, she had two sisters who loved her back too. All she wanted was a child, then there would be no threat to her happiness…
“Hotohori reassures me that he loves me, and will not elect another.” she said almost dreamily. “He will wait for me.” (3)
“We are so glad that you are happy!” one of the maids said with the other nodding fervently, the two of them knelt down in front of Yuri. “We both hate seeing you cry!”
“Oh, I have worried you two as well,” Yuri gently patted the two girls’ head affectionately. “Do not worry for me, I will be fine. The emperor believes in me, so I will believe in myself.”
Her gaze suddenly rested onto the sword that hung in one corner and ever observant, one of her maids quickly ran and took it for her.
Lovingly, Yuri fingered the sheath, before she drew the sword out. This was yet another of the numerous gifts that she had received from Hotohori, but this was perhaps the most unorthodox present. On top of that, he would actually teach her in one of the rare spare times he had.
She actually became very skilful with wielding a sword, as she used to spend half of her mornings when Hotohori was at court to practise with her sword in the armoury with the sword master, who only taught her due to Hotohori’s orders, as it was truly highly unconventional for the empress to ‘play’ with a sword. Her skill grew greatly not only because Hotohori was an excellent teacher, but also because she was filled with the desire of pleasing him.(4)
The sword felt a bit heavier due to the three months’ neglect and she was very tempted to use it again, but she had to sheath it and order her maid to hang it back.
“Do you not wish to practise, mistress?”
“I wish to but I cannot, the royal physician told me to not engage myself in any sort of over active activity.” Yuri explained.
Perhaps she should practise her calligraphy instead, that was what she would do in the other half of her morning, and this was something that Hotohori would teacher her as well, which naturally made her a most hard working pupil. Due to calligraphy she gained a great knowledge of most of Konan’s character, and could actually compose letters herself without summoning a scribe to do it for her.
She quitted school as soon as she could, and even when she was at school she did not join any club as she would be working. She was very knowledgeable in the art of making herself appear older, she had been practising since her twelfth birthday.
The only club that she joined was ikebana, which was before her mother’s death when she was very little. She had took great delight in showing her mother the flowers that she arranged, and her mother had placed them in front of the doorway, the space where it would be seen the most often. It must have been one of her mother’s worse relationship periods as Yuri recollected how there were a lot of men whom her mother showed the flowers to.
The art of calligraphy was something completely new to her but Hotohori made it easier then it seemed. He would write a character out for her and taking her hand he would trace the character with her finger, then held her hand as she wrote it herself.
If only she did not have to worry about not being able to be pregnant. Hotohori reassured her but she was still worried.

Hotohori was pondering about the strange girl that he had captured today, along with her companion. The red light that surrounded her was especially puzzling, could she actually be the priestess of Suzaku?
But she was nothing like what he imagined the priestess would be, as he told Yuri he had once imagined her to be the perfect woman. It was true that it would be impossible as to him, Yuri was the symbol of perfection but still, he did not expect the priestess to be so…foolish? (5)
That would be the right description, he had been truly shocked at the boldness of someone who dared to walk right up to him and talk to him as if he really was just a nobody…but then the priestess was meant to be from another world, so maybe that was why, as to her he really would be a nobody.
“Your majesty.” Yuri’s two maids knelt as was required by the rituals that always surrounded him.
“How is your mistress today?” he asked, by this time he knew that whenever they come out of Yuri’s private chamber to greet him, it meant that their mistress was resting.
“She is happy today.” They said eagerly.
Nodding lightly, he dismissed them. Inside, he found her sitting on her dressing table, her chin supported by one hand, while her other hand held a book. Obviously she had wanted to wait for him.
Tenderly, he pricked the book from her loose fingers and carried her to her bed. Laying her down he began to undo her hair, even though he was filled with a slight regret that she was not awake, he did not want to wake her up, as she had been suffering from insomnia lately.
If the girl was indeed the priestess of Suzaku then all of their problems would be gone. He would see Yuri smiling and happy again, as she had been the first one and half year of their wedding.
“I must find it out quickly then.” He vowed.

As chance would have it, Hotohori found the girl soon by pure accident. He had been waiting for Yuri outside his quarters when the girl wandered in. He offered to give her a ‘tour’ around the palace, hoping to discover more of her.
The result was certainly rewarding.
“You are not from this world?” he chocked out, beyond this, everything else she said was lost to him. He only recollected some mumbling replies that he managed to make up.
He saw Yuri in his mind, happy at the news as it meant that Konan would be safe, he would be safe too, and she would no longer be harassed by his advisors for not being pregnant and…
“Are you alright?” he finally noticed that the girl Miaka was actually rather quiet, pretty unusual for some one who talked to a stranger so energetically.
“It is just that you are so beautiful!” Miaka mumbled.
At this he couldn’t help but so smile, a compliment on top of good news?
“That is what everyone says…” he began, only to hear the sound of the guards approaching. (6)
“There you are…” the guard began, but upon seeing her companion he immediately knelt down.
“Your majesty!”
“Your majesty?” Miaka’s companion, the youth she called Tamahome repeated dumbly, before he too quickly knelt down.
“Hotohori, you are the empress?” Miaka mumbled.
“Miaka, you idiot, that is the emperor!” Tamahome whispered, and not for the first time, he cursed having met this girl. She probably just signed their death warrant.
“A man?” with her eyes wide open Miaka approached Hotohori and touched his chest, then began to move her hand around. “…it’s not there.
“What about below…” she half muttered to herself. (7)
Hotohori was tempted to burst out laughing, but that would be a too undignified a thing to do. He decided that he’ll restrain himself and only laughed at this later on, when he was alone with Yuri. At this thought he smiled, that would be good, to see her smile naturally again. He was too aware that she would force herself to be happy in order to spare him any worries. But how could that be? He would always sense sadness in her, because he loves her so much.
“Take them to the court.” He ordered.

By the time Yuri woke up it was noon, and she figured that Hotohori would have finished court now, and even if he wasn’t, she would wait for him outside. She suddenly had an urge to see him right now, if she was lucky she could probably spend a brief time with him before he get occupied again. Very rarely, he would have time for her during the afternoon.
Her maids dressed her in one of her most fancy gowns among her now many elaborate dresses, then she wove the strand of pearls into her hair. For good measure she took her fan with her, she still found it so hard to believe that she was an empress! The most important woman of the kingdom!
The fan in her hand had been a gift to Hotohori from one of his states upon hearing the news of the royal marriage, and in turn he gave it to her. He also wrote out a poem to her on the fine fabric and even signed his name on it. Giving her all the more reason to treasure this fan even more. (8)
A poem that promises unlimited love and eternal happiness, a suitable gift to a bride.
“His court is not finished yet, it seems.” She shrugged, it was one of her special privilege as the empress to be able to stand right outside the court. Unlike the rest of the concubines and serving girls she had great freedom in the palace, although she rarely exercised that power. (9)
“Hear this,” she smiled at Hotohori’s voice, it was almost strange how he could sound so serious to everyone else but be so tender and gentle to her. But her smile did not last long.
“This girl is now the Suzaku priestess.”
“Suzaku priestess?” at this she actually walked in through the door.
‘Mistress, you are not allowed to go in!” her maids reminded her urgently, pulling at the wide sleeves of her dress.
But Yuri seemed to be in a complete daze. She continued walking until she could see the half turning face of the girl who stood in front of the kneeling courtiers.
“Oh my gosh…” Yuri whispered, “Miaka…how did you come to be here?”
Then without any warning she fell down into a dead faint.
Her two maids exchanged a nervous glance before nodding, knowing the part that they must play. Half dragging, half carrying her, they took her to the door way. It should be alright if anyone found them there. They knew that the emperor loved their mistress very deep but still, rules were rules.
“What possessed her to go in?” one of her maid asked. “She usually doesn’t even come here.”
“I don’t know…oh, our poor lady.” Her sister replied, pressing a handkerchief against Yuri’s forehead. “I never thought she would faint like this.”
“What is all this?” one of the courtier demanded. “The emperor is at court, there should be no disturbance! You two should not even be here.”
“We accompanied the empress outside!” the two girls said together. “The empress then fainted, and we could not leave her lying outside, so we took her here!”
Within seconds the emperor he himself hurried out, followed by Miaka and Tamahome, but neither of them managed to have a good look at Yuri as Hotohori took her into his arms the moment he saw her lying there.
“Why…” Hotohori asked her, truly shocked. Yuri was slender and rather delicate, and she had a break down before that almost caused her to faint, but he never expected her to suddenly faint like this.
“I will take the empress back to her chambers, you,” he ordered, “will make sure that the Suzaku priestess and the celestial warrior are comfortable in the palace.”
“Who is that?” Miaka asked, watching Hotohori leaving with the two girls on either side of him.
“That is Houkigou, the emperor’s consort with her two maids.”
“Houki?” she said out aloud, unaware of the courtier’s hiss of: “Houkigou!” “How come that sounds so familiar? I am sure I heard of the name before.”
But she quickly forgets all about it when she was led to very fancy room with the promise of a meal very soon. (10)


1 In China until the 20th century you were allowed to have bigamy, and the children wouldn’t actually be regarded as a bastard or anything, and they would be allowed to inherit.
2 Personally I don’t really think not being pregnant after one and half year is a long time, but since both Konan and Hotohori are in danger it kind of make sense that the advisors felt a strong need of the emperor to produce an heir immediately.
3 Once again, she really should be calling Hotohori by his title or your majesty even in private as it seems not even the empress will be allowed to call the emperor just by his name. but that will make this story way too…awkward? She will just call him by his first name when they are alone.
4 It seems that Hotohori’s power as a celestial warrior is being a master swordsman, so I always think that he can actually beat Tamahome in fencing. Tamahome is excellent in all the eighteen traditional weapon as the author said, but Hotohori should be better as sword fighting is his special skill.
5 Miaka’s foolishness truly frustrate me sometime! Example, just following a random stranger- who turned out to be a slaver, as well as just charging up to the emperor.
6 I realize that when I write fan fiction I don’t really like to write about the bit that the authors themselves had already write, cause these bits are already what every one knows. I guess this is another example. So sorry about the rest of the incident, I will just cut to the court scene really quick.
7 When I first read Fushigi Yugi, like Miaka I thought Hotohori was a female too, and Miaka’s reaction had always crack me up, so I just thought I’ll still put that in. 
8 I think that states often send gift to the emperor as a gesture of good will, and sometimes it is their duty. In any case I think every state would be required to give the emperor something on such an occasion.
9 Realistically, I really don’t think this would be possible. Even though she is the empress, I think the line will probably be drawn in front of the court. She probably would have more freedom by being able to go to any part of the inner palace where the concubines are kept, and maybe to the emperor’s quarters, but I’m not that sure, but it is highly unlikely that she would be allowed to stand right outside the court. Hey, but this is only a story, a fan fic on top of that, so pardon my historical inaccuracies.
10 Author’s Note: While this story is ultimately focusing on Hotohori and Yuri, Miaka will come out more in the next chapter, and Nuriko will be coming out as well. And Yuri will finally be talking to Miaka.

A lot of stuff had been happening with my life and I will hopefully be updating these soon as well. But first of all, I want to put my fan fiction up on my blog, although I don’t really know why. I’ve decided to put my fan fictions up on a weekly basis just because I can, I guess (one chapter every week). I decided to put my fushigi yugi fan fiction up because I regard that as the best fan fiction I have written. So here it is, please have a read, and if you like it please go to fanfiction.net where you can read the whole and completed thing. I haven’t actually changed much of the story saved for some typo and grammar error that I discovered, so it’s the same thing.
Warning: my grammar is bad but I like to think that this is still readable.

Title: Hidden Secrets
Pairing: Hotohori and OC
Written at: June 3 to July 8 2006
Category: romance
Summary: Yuri, a young girl from Tokyo arrives in the universe of the four gods, and becomes Hotohori’s empress. They lived in happiness for two years until Miaka’s arrival as she felt very guilty for not telling him about the truth of her identity.
Author’s Note: I suddenly had the idea to write a fan fiction for fushigi yugi and I did. As I said, it is an OC story, which means I put in my own original character. At that time I felt that most of the fushigi yugi fan fictions I see on fanfiction.net are too comical so my goal was to write a serious one, so I think my story is in some part more grim. My OC is called Yuri, and since I really like the name Houki I borrowed it, so that is her last name. In the manga and anime Hotohori is sometime refereed to as Saihitei (彩賁帝), and for those who doesn’t know this is his title, which translates to Emperor Saihi. In Chinese history the rulers often have a title that is not their name. So in the same way, I will sometime refer to Yuri as Houkigou, which means empress Houki. (鳳綺后.)




In the very end, there were one hundred chosen young women from the whole of Konan to be concubines for the emperor, who was meant to chose his empress from them. She would be the most lucky one for she would be the official consort of the emperor, and it would be her that receive the attention of the most powerful man of Konan, and if she was successful in being fertile quickly, her future happiness would most likely be secured.
Unlike the rest, who, if they were extremely lucky, might occasionally obtain some attention from the emperor. Most likely though, they would end up being shut in the back of the palace for the rest of their life. (1)
“Your majesty, all you need to do is choose one woman that is pleasing to you and name her as the empress, and it will all be done!” his advisor who organized all this said again, as Hotohori said nothing but criticism at every women that they brought in. “This is not choosing an advisor! You can just choose a beautiful woman, you do not need to test them as you had.”
“I am more beautiful then all of these women so far.” Hotohori replied, his tone was light but there was not doubt that he believed in what he said. “So I want one who I can at least talk to.”
Once again, his advisors exchanged glances, so far, sixty women had come and their emperor was clearly dissatisfied. Yet these one hundred women were all carefully selected, if he was not pleased with them, then they doubt that any other women could satisfy him.(2)
“Next,” the main advisor resumed.
At the sight of the young girl that walked in Hotohori was tempted to slap his advisor, a very undignified thing to do, but he was truly shocked! This girl was probably only twelve!
“Are you trying to say I am such a man who prefer girl child to woman?” he hissed to his advisor in great disgust.
“Forgive me!” having served in the palace since the current emperor’s father reigned, the offending man knew how to act quickly to pacify the royal wrath: he immediately knelt and grovelled in front of the emperor.
The young girl exited, only to have re-entered immediately. At this one of his advisors quickly moved to guide the girl out in case the barely calmed royal wrath boiled again.
“I am not the girl who just came in.” the girl managed to whisper out. “I am her twin.”
“How old are you?” Hotohori asked kindly, he did not succeeded in making her smile, but she was at least not trembling that much.
“I will be thirteen soon.”
Hotohori nodded, he smiled at her and gestured to the door. At this the girl happily went, obviously relived that he did not choose her. A bit angry, he said coldly: “Two twelve year old girls?”
“You majesty I elected these women for you in the same fashion I had elect the concubines of your father. Beautiful girls were rounded up from every area to enter the palace to be tested, and out of all these only the most beautiful, elegant…”
“What I am asking you is why you picked two twelve year old girls.”
“I believe there was some problems in that street and these two were the only suitable ones, even though there were pretty girls a many there,” at this the man began to feel rather nervous. “These two and one other woman were the only virgins who were beautiful enough to be chosen there due to the nature of the street’s business.”
“I see.” Hotohori smiled sadly, although no one else could detect the sadness. “Very well, continue.”
The next woman was also from that street, but she was clearly older then the two girls. She appeared to be at least eighteen. She was dressed in the elaborate royal gown that was given to them all, but unlike most others, she did not wear any excessive decorations on her at all.
Her only ornament was a red ribbon that she wove into her hair. She managed to hold the upper half of her long waist length hair up into an elaborate hair do with that one single ribbon.
Hotohori gasped as he met her eyes: for the first time in his life he was willing to admit that there was someone else more beautiful then him. Physically, she seemed perfect! She was just a bit shorter then him, and her skin was tanned slightly to not be sickly pale like those who viewed fairness to the extreme as the ultimate beauty. Her hair was very dark, a raven black that matched his, but the texture of her hair differed by being curly.
Most of all, her eyes astonished him. They were such a lovely shade of rich brown that he was completely lost into them.
“What is your name?” he whispered.
Behind him his advisors were frowning, unlike their ruler, they failed to see why he was suddenly losing the tight control he always had. To them, this latest candidate was rather beautiful, but she did not stood out to them at all from the other ninety nine women they had seen.
“My name is Houki Yuri.” she quickly added: “Your majesty.” (3)
That slightest hesitation made him wonder.
“Do you not know who I am?” he asked curiously.
“I never expected to meet the emperor.” She explained in reply.
This was not an odd answer, especially when the street she came from was filled with taverns and brothels for the lower and middle class.
“You were chosen…”
It seemed Yuri was unable to control herself as at the word chosen, she snickered slightly. As Hotohori raised an eyebrow at this she quickly blushed and then knelt down.
“Forgive me…” she began.
“No, do not kneel.” Much to everyone’s surprise he stood from his seat to crouch beside her. “I want to know the truth, of how you came to be in the palace.”
“I arrived in your kingdom a week ago, and I became a worker in a tavern.” She began slowly, for she was thinking about the place of her origin. “One day, imperial soldiers came and tried to find all the virgins in the street. When they reached the tavern I worked in, the owner shoved me forward and said: ‘take this woman, she is much more beautiful then my two daughters, and she is a virgin as well even though she is eighteen years old.’
“They took me although I screamed and struggled, but my capture didn’t help the owner either. In the end they still took his two daughters. I do not know why at all, they say the emperor is only eighteen, but his two twin girls are not even thirteen.”
“I am eighteen.” Hotohori confirmed, he took her right hand into his and raised it to his lips. “I understand that you were forced here, so I wish that from now on in all that you do, you can have a choice.
“I desire you to be my empress, but I will only wed you if you wish to be my bride. Know that I have the power to make you my empress right away should I desire to, for it is my right to do so as the emperor. But I will not, because I wish to have your love.”
“You love me?” she said this in disbelieve, and she was frowning slightly. “I do not love you. How could I love someone that I only met today? How could you?”
“I do not know why, but I do love you.” Before, the only woman that interested him was the legendary priestess of Suzaku, but she, this woman in front of him, made him desire what was real instead of the dream he long spent his time in. He knew from tonight that he would no longer ponder about the woman in the legend, but he would be thinking of this woman in the palace…if she stayed that is.
“Will you at least give me a chance to win your love?”
Much to his delight, she nodded. At this he saw it as a signal for him to stand up with her hand linked in his, he would use the rest of this time more productively, he would take her around the palace, showing her all the beauty that would be her’s.
“Your majesty, what about the rest…”
“There is no need, for I have found,” he smiled at Yuri, “the woman I desires as my empress.”

Yuri dragged the elaborately decorated comb through her hair as she pulled her hair ribbon off, the events of the last two months were both scary and yet wonderful. To think that she, Houki Yuri, who barely afforded the tiny room in one of the shabbiest street in Tokyo, was now living in the palace of this world.
Before she used to ration her money in order to buy the one or two things she wanted, not needed. Among them were her pretty dresses from the retail store, and the pair of stilettos she often wore. Now she was supplied with all these silk hand embroidered dresses.
Was she dreaming? Not that this world was kind to her the moment she entered. She had to live in daily harassment every day when she worked in the tavern, and when they brought her in the palace she imagined some sort of Middle Eastern harem.
The dress she wore today seemed especially fancy even by the standard of all the other ones that the emperor had gave her. At the thought of the emperor, Hotohori, she frowned slightly. Was it really possible for someone to be in love just due to a mere first meeting? She knew that these gifts he gave her would be nothing compared to all the wealth he had, but it was the fact that he valued her that much to purposely lavish these presents to her.
Maybe what she feared was not that he did not love her, but rather, he would not stay in love with her. Once again, she thought of her mother. Her mother always seemed to be in love with her boyfriends although she changed them on a basis of twice every year in the better relationship, with many weekly dates in between, these men she seemed to love too.
Her mother…at the thought of her Yuri felt tears welling up again. It was about ten years now but the mere thought of her mother still made her weep. It was because her mother was the one person who truly loved her.
From her mother, Yuri learnt that there was two different loves, the type of love that last forever, the lover her mother had for her only child. And of the other kind that was powerful, but lasted only so briefly, what her mother felt for all her lovers, including the boy she had ran off with at only fourteen.
“Are you alright, Yuri?”
“Hotohori,” he insisted on her calling him that in private. Quickly she wiped her tears away. “I was only thinking of my…my mother.”
He must have finished his daily business with the kingdom as he was dressed less formally, and his hair was unbound. Yuri had noticed that his hair was like part of his royal outfits, he always wore it up in court, and unbound or at least loosen it the moment his duties for the day finished. (4)
She was always so touched whenever he came to talk to her, because she was aware of how busy he was as the emperor.
“You were crying.” He said, touching her face gently. “Is it because of my courtiers? I really did not think that they would dare to harass you, as I told them that I don’t want any of them to persuade you to marry me.”
“It is not because of that.” She swallowed nervously. “I was just thinking of my mother.”
“Oh, I should have thought about this sooner. Yuri, where is she? If you want you can bring her here and…”
She shook her head to stop him from going on. “My mother is dead, Hotohori, she died when I was only eight.”
“I am so sorry,” he embraced her and she felt herself automatically relaxing in his arms. If only his love would last forever, then she was so sure that she would end up in love with him very quick!
“My mother died and I lived with my father, my mother was not married to him.” She continued, unsure of why she chose to tell him this, maybe it was because no one else other then her ‘family’ knew. “He met her and she had me when my father was already married. She was not a concubine but an…an adulterer…”
“I do not think less of you because of that.” Hotohori said firmly.
“Life was hard for me, I can not blame my father’s wife for hating me but it was so hard!” she felt her shoulders shaking and recognized that as a warning of her going to cry. “My father could not love me as he wanted nothing more then to forget the mistake he made, every one else naturally hated me for destroying their originally happy family.
“Since my mother died,” here she finally sobbed, “no one loves me.”
“But I love you.” Hotohori whispered. “What must I do for you to believe this? I really love you.”
“But will you love me long enough?” Yuri chocked out. “And even if I love you, am I loving you because I love you? I want to love you because I simply love you, not just because you are being kind to me and is the first person since my mother who loves me.”
She finally cried and he held her in his arms, whispering to her. She suddenly realized that this was the first time she cried with someone else beside her, before, she always cried alone.
Dimly, she felt herself being carried and then laid down. The rest of her body seemed to be lying on a soft surface but her head was resting on something that was different, to an extent it was soft but yet the firmness made her doubt it being a pillow.
Her hair was moving…she could suddenly see the end of it when she was sure that she laid on it. It took her a few second before she registered the gentle massaging of someone’s finger through her hair.
“Hotohori?”
“Don’t worry, I won’t be doing anything else other then this.” He promised, his voice a bit distant from her’s. “Thinking what you just did would naturally be hard, so I want you to just rest.”
She smiled as she finally fitted everything together. All of a sudden, her position became very comfortable. (5)
“I am sorry.” She whispered, stretching out her hand to his he immediately clasped it. “I am wasting your valuable time.”
“No, there is no waste at all.” He told her as he kissed her fingers. “I am spending my time with you, which is what I want.
“I want to love you so much,” she finally admitted, “I really wish that I can be your empress.”
The night gave both of them a newer understanding about the other, it also brought them a bit more closer.

Whenever the two of them were outside either of their private chambers, they were always carefully observed by the majority of Hotohori’s subjects.
“When he finally chose a woman he had to choose one that would be stupid enough to not agree to be empress immediately.” This was muttered again. “He is eighteen and he needs an heir, otherwise there can be a risk of a civil war, there are some who would willingly support any one of his brothers.”
“If only we can force her to agree to him immediately. It has been three months.”
“He made it clear that any harsh words we use against her will be dealt with as an insult to him.” This was spoken by one of his most senior advisors. “At least he wishes to marry.”
The couple that they were discussing were taking one of their walks in the luxurious royal garden. Hotohori was still in his formal court dress while Yuri was naturally dressed regally as well, on top of the gown she was also wearing jewelleries. They were walking with their arms linked, clearly very happy to be in the other’s company.
“There are many headdresses for you to wear if you desires to.” Hotohori was saying, not missing the opportunity to touch the natural crown of her hair. “You always wear it in a ribbon, although you do seem to change the ribbons.”
The ribbon on her hair tonight was actually one of his. Last night he had his hair down and loosely bound by a piece of white silk ribbon as he usually do when he prepared for rest, and when he declared his intention of giving her something again she had laughed and pulled off his ribbon, saying: “Give this ribbon to me then, and it will be one of the greatest gift because you used to wear it in your hair.”
“I think it is another sign of me holding onto my mother’s memory, because they used to be my happiest memory.” She said darkly. “I used to sit in her lap, and she would brush my hair for me, then tied it up like this with a single ribbon, which was the exact same way she tied her own hair. When I got a bit older she taught me how to do it and would let me do her hair.” She smiled a bit before she ended sadly, “before she died she made me kneel down against the bed so she could brush my hair a final time, that red ribbon was the last ribbon she tied into my hair.”
“But you are not wearing it any more.”
“I think I held onto the past too obsessively. I am willing to let some of it go because I want to start a new life. A life with you.” She added shyly.
He put his hands on her cheeks and drew her to face him, he was so close that his breathings dabbed her face.
“Are you willing to be my empress then?” his voice was barely audible as he was so worried and afraid at the answer.
She nodded, and she tilted her head so that her lips met his. The last three months she spent with him finally convinced her that he would love her forever, and that she was in love with him too. It was not that logical but then love was never so.
He made her realize that she was Yuri, and should not be overshadowed by her mother. She would trust her instinct, even though she feared to do so for the whole of her life for simply being her mother’s daughter. Her heart’s feelings for Hotohori were so intense that she firmly believed that she was not wrong.
She started to miss him fiercely whenever he was not there, and when he spent her time with her, she was so happy as she would finally forget her original bitter life. She did not know that what he did for her was what she did to him. Before, she would wake up with ‘Mama’ on her lips as a last desperate cry, but now, she woke with his name.
This was love. She believed with all her heart that it would stay.
“I am ready to start a new life, I believe I love you, and I know that you will always love me.” (6)
“You will marry me then?” he embraced her so tightly as he was so afraid of this new joy slipping away from her. He had already noticed that her presence, even if it was just in his mind, drove away all his accumulated loneliness. “You will marry me tomorrow if we could?”
She nodded the second time, she slipped her arms around him so she could lean onto him.
“Yuri, what flowers do you like?”
“Hotohori…” he suddenly let go of her and started to dart his gaze around.
“I wish to give you something immediately, and since we are in the garden, what better gifts?” he was almost laughing like a young boy.
“Lilies.” She said without any hesitation. “I have always loved the flower of my namesake the best.” (7)
He, the emperor of Konan, the most powerful man in the kingdom knelt down in the mud, dirtying his fine robe, to place his hands against the root. Yuri couldn’t help but to laugh, after three months she knew how vain he was! To her, this was a great sign of his love for her.
“Lilies.” He declared proudly as he placed the bosoms onto her hands. “Now I want a kiss from the lily herself.”
Unfortunately for him, he was interrupted by the loud cries of his advisors.
“Your majesty, what were you doing?” they all demanded anxiously.
“Oh, that?” he gestured to the soils on his robe with his muddy hands. “I was picking some flowers for the future empress of Konan.”
He turned to smile at Yuri but his smile changed to an expression of wonder as he saw that she was clutching to the lilies that he just gave her. She was stroking the petals lightly with one hand, while the other held them against her bosoms tightly.

The wedding was quickly arranged, to be held in only one week’s time. It was slower then what Hotohori had anticipated, but he felt much better when Yuri told him about how royal weddings in her old country took months, or even years to arrange.
“We should pray to Suzaku together for our happiness.” He told her on the eve of their wedding.
“Suzaku? The guardian of Konan? Will he listen to me, a foreigner?” she asked.
Hotohori had showed her the altar in his palace but she never really paid much attention to it, as she wasn’t religious at all.
“Since my childhood I would pray to Suzaku very often, at first it was for me to find some happiness, then for my kingdom and people when I became the emperor.” He told her as he knelt in front of the statue. “But recently I started to pray to Suzaku for myself again, to have the love of the beautiful woman whom I desire to be my empress.
“In a way it is almost strange,” he continued after they both finished. Yuri prayed very sincerely, as she actually believed that the guardian of the country of the man that she loved was responsible for making him love her. “As a child I imagined the legendary priestess of Suzaku to be the perfect woman, only to discover that she will not be, because I found her in you. Oh, you have not heard of the story at all?” he began to tell her the legend very quickly upon her confused face.
He failed to notice almost horror like expression that appeared.
“She have to be virginal?”
“She does not have to be, but she should, as otherwise the summoned God will demand her as a sacrifice, instead of just as a priestess.” (8)
“I don’t wish for such a fate.” She muttered softly, leaning against him, recalling what they did the night she agreed to marry him.
“Are you afraid about the state of my kingdom?” he misunderstood her completely. “Do not worry, Konan is in a state of prosperity.” (9)
She held onto him very tightly that night, even though they would be spending the majority of the next day together, parading in the town after the ceremony.
“I want you to be there forever.” She declared. “Promise me that nothing would take you away from me permanently, especially not your kingdom.”
“I promise I will. And there has been no major war in Konan since four years ago.” He assured her again. (10)
Lying next to him Yuri allowed herself to forget about everything, she would marry him the next day and be the empress of Konan, and she would pretend that she was from this world all along, not from the other world.
I am not meant to be the priestess of Suzaku, I am only meant to be his love. She vowed again, watching the sleeping figure of the man who would be her husband soon.
She would not let guilt eat her up again, but it was so hard to do so.
As soon as Hotohori declared their marriage, Yuri was treated as an empress in all but name. Everyone one saved for the emperor would bow to her, and she even had two personal maids. She thought about the two twin girls who were her first friends in this world, now shut in the palace as concubines. She asked Hotohori whether she could have them as her maids, and he agreed without any hesitation.
The empress was to have her own quarters in the palace, a little proportion of the palace would be hers. She didn’t like this rule much as it meant that she had to be some distance away from Hotohori, he had laughed and told her it was a tradition that would not really affect them as he intended to spend all of his leisure times with her anyway.
Marriage…she wanted and feared this at the same time. She was not just marrying any man, she was to be the bride of a ruler.
Wordlessly she left the bed, draping Hotohori’s discarded robe on her, she had wore his robes for many occasions now, but usually it was he who put them on her. Silently, she began to walk toward the main altar in the palace.
Kneeling down the closed her eyes, praying to Suzaku again.
“Let Konan be prosperous forever, because I don’t want to be the priestess of Suzaku, I don’t want to leave Hotohori ever. And let me be a child of this kingdom, not who I am. I don’t want any one to discover my identity.
When she thought of that night she often marvelled at the wonder of her not being spotted by any one in the tightly guarded palace. She slipped back into her chamber and found Hotohori still sleeping with a smile on his face.
She lay down next to him, and watched him until she too, fall asleep.

Yuri would wake up next morning with Hotohori’s arms around her, as if he never loosened his embrace.
In the next day she was crowned empress, and became the emperor’s official consort. Her wedding garment was the finest dress she ever wore and instead of a ribbon, she wove a string of pearls into her hair. Walking beside Hotohori with his hand holding her so tightly, she felt as if she really belonged to Konan.
“Houkigou!” Hotohori announced to his people, from now on this would be what everyone addresses her as. By being an empress, no one but the emperor could use her first name: Yuri. Not that many knew it, but from this day everyone would only call her by her title of Empress Houkigou.

1 Remembering the Chinese tv shows I watched set in ancient time and one or two of the books I read, life as one of the concubine in the palace is really harsh, you don’t get to go free even if you want to, and chances are the emperor wouldn’t even know you. Apparently quite a lot of women choose to kill themselves due to the loneness. Once more, since they are in a world like ancient China I thought I’ll make it some what realistic. Also, according to Yuu Watase, Hotohori have two elder brothers, one younger brother and two younger sisters. So I think it’s possible that his mother was either the favourite concubine or the empress, as he is not the oldest, but became the emperor.
2 Once again, I remembered one tv show had a character who almost got elected into the palace. And there was like all these tests, first they made sure whether she was pretty, then they looked at her posture, and then the made her read this poem to see if her voice was nice etc etc, it was not just about physical beauty.
3 Yes, I am “traditional” as the last name goes first, as in the Japanese and Chinese fashion.
4 Not fully true as when they found Nuriko, his hair was actually lose. But I really like this concept so I’m using it. Although the majority of his time his hair is not held up when he is not attending to the businesses of the kingdom. Make sense too, he does not need to appear that formal.
5 It should be quite obvious at what happened. Basically Yuri had a breakdown at the thought of her mother and about her relationship with Hotohori. So he held her in his arms, then carried her to her bed (he goes to her room when he have time). He laid her on the bed, then sat down and placed her head in his lap.
6 I could elaborate on these three months but since this is already an OC I don’t want to take forever doing this, analyzing her feelings for the whole of three months. To some extent I know that it is very illogical but hey, this is a story, fairy tale romances can happen.
7 Yuri is the Japanese word for lily.
8 This bit is altered for the sake of the plot. In this version the priestesses does not get eaten by the God unless they are not a virgin (which differs from the original story again, as only virgins could be the priestess.)
9 I remember how Hotohori said the priestess would only come when a kingdom is in great danger of war, or ending, but in the very beginning Konan doesn’t seem that bad. I presume the danger is the other kingdom’s wish of attacking them.
10 I am saying that there had been a civil war with his brothers, this theme is hinted in the story, but it is not explained fully, a bit vague.

This is not to order, but I don’t care. First of all I now decided, rain is sheer evil. On Wednesday I got absolutely soaked. The worse bit is that it started to pour with rain when I was in the middle of Albert Park so I couldn’t have any shelter, and then to rub salt onto my wound…the rain start to stop when I arrived at the bus stop. I don’t mind so much getting wet as that is temporary, what really pissed me off is that my books and all that got wet- and that’ll be permanent. I guess if I am truthful the thing that most upset me is the fact that my accounting text book is damaged- and I had intended to sell it third hand after I finished with it. I wonder if I can still manage to sell it without losing too much money.  As we all know, paper can eventually dry from the rain but there’ll be permanent scars on them as they’ll be permanently wrinkled. The other thing that got damaged is my diary…my personal diary. I usually write with a ball point pen so most of the stuff didn’t get smudged but some of the bits when I wrote with a ink pen…disastrous. The worse bit is the few lines at the top that was written with an ink pen, not only did it smudge completely. There is no words left apart from the stains, it also stain the next few pages. (Note, both the stuff in and out of my bag got completely drenched. And to think I had been so careful with all my books.)

Onto second agenda- leaving the evil rain behind- something quite interesting happened in my accounting lecture the other day. (seiyuu nickname list next paragraph) My accounting lecture is this pretty young guy, probably only in his late twenties, at his early thirties the most, he’s most likely Asian and he has spiky hair. (black hair). On Tuesday he was wearing this loose long sleeved t-shirt with a pair of equally baggy pants. I don’t know why but he just really looked like L from Death note, which really shocked me…especially when you take his hair into consideration. But he wasn’t dressed completely identical as L, as L wears white shirt with blue jeans, where as my lecture was wearing light purple with black pants. But the style of his clothing is just identical to L’s clothing…maybe this is a sign that I have been reading too much manga since last year. But he really does look like L (and he really look like the actor who played L in the real version of the film)

Now…seiyuu nickname list, this is kind of due to my onnesan (aka Albatross-sis) that I am putting this on my blog. I watch anime in their original language which let me appreciate how great the voice actors (aka seiyuu) are. The thing is, it is easier to remember their names in Chinese because their names are just a few words, as opposed to a bunch of syllables. However sometimes I’ll need to use their name in the romanji form if I want to write or say it in English, (in Chinese I’ll just use the kanji) and it get quite difficult to try and remember them so I eventually ended up giving some nick names to the seiyuus, which is how I remember them.

But as I read more manga and watch more anime, I start to notice the familiar seiyuus and so nicknames began to appear, since they are no longer just tied to one role. Eg. The first role I heard Koyasu Takehito voice is Keiki in twelve kingdoms and so when Albatross-sis told me that he also voiced Seishiro she said this: “He’s the guy who voiced Keiki.” But as you hear more of their roles you no longer just limit them to the one character you first hear them in, so it was either remembering their name or…give them a nick name to distinguish them. (Note- I had the habit of associating voice actors with the first few roles I hear them voice but I quickly stopped this after I saw Narita Ken in Life Pastel- [a life concert with many seiyuus].)

So anyway, Albatross-sis say I give seiyuus weird nicknames and she actually got a list of seiyuu’s name for me and conned me into doing a list where I list the nickname I gave them, as well as my explanation. (Note to albatross-sis: fill a comment or else…since this is all for you.) Here is the list (names are not arranged in any particular order).

聲優Nickname

1. 石田 彰 (Ishida Akira): stone/rock, (apparently a lot of people call him stone/rock as the first letter of his last name is literally the kanji for rock and stone), Ah! Ishida Akira (every time I listen to something he voices in I can usually recognize his voice, so my reaction ended up as this: “Ah, it’s Ishida Akira”
2. 關 俊彥 (Seki Toshihiko): kendo guy (I heard that he is actually quite good at Kendo so…)
3. 保志 總一朗 (Hoshi Soichiro): bun (a lot of Chinese people call him bun because his last name sounds really like bun in Chinese. And my sister says he kind of resembles one…)
4. 森川 智之 (Morikawa Toshiyuki): orange head (because in every picture/photo or performance which I have seen him, his hair is always that bright orange colour)
5. 子安 武人 (Koyasu Takehito) : Aya (He is actually the only seiyuu who I purposely remembered his name. Once I realized that he is my favourite seiyuu I actually copied his name down and memorized it. However, his name is quite a mouthful so I decided to find a nickname for him. I then hear how many of his following fans call him Aya because they really relate him to his role in Weiss and apparently Aya is the charater in Weiss who is most like him. And it sounds quite nice too…thus he became known as Aya.)
6. 井上 和彥 (Inoue Kazuhiko): edible plant guide (this is his answer in regard to the ‘what would you bring to an island’ and because this answer is just too brilliant, that became his nickname.)
7. 置鯰 龍太郎 (Okiayu Ryōtarō): evil chemistry teacher (the first thing I saw him voice in is Sukisyo, as a character who is a chemistry teacher. My sister starts to call him the evil chemistry teacher because she is convinced that his character is evil, somehow that name really stick…)
8. 小杉 十郎太 (Kosugi Jūrōta): evil chemistry teacher’s dad (see above, he voices the dad of the guy Okiayu Ryotaro voices, and this is one of the names that really stick as well)
9. 關 智一 (Seki Tomokazu): noodle (I saw this clip where he played a trick on Yamaguchi Kappei involving noodles…)
10. 遷谷 耕史 (Tsujitani Kōji): who is this guy?/the guy who I can never remember. (I really don’t know why but I just don’t remember his name even though I should remember him as he plays Miroku in Inuyasha. But I swear, ten out of ten times when I see his name I just ask ‘Who is this guy?’ So my sister seem to have got a bit feed up as one day, she said this ‘the guy who you can never remember…’)
11. 速水 獎 (Hayami Shō): the guy who voiced that perverted doctor (the first role I saw him do is the perverted doctor in yami no matsuri and for some reason it really really really stick, I think this is also due to the fact that in the second anime I seen him in (Zetsuai) he started kind of perverted too….that’s why the name stick…partly because I feel really strongly towards the doctor in yami no matsuri.)
12. 檜山 修之 (Hiyama Nobuyuki): Initially Hikitsu (after I read volume four of Genbu Kaiden when Hikitsu came out, I immediately went to watch the episode of Fushigi yugi when Hikitsu came out and of course, to cheek if I recognize the voice actor cause Hikitsu is my favourite character in Genbu Kaiden. Initially I recognize the name as I remember seeing Hiyama’s answer in that what would you bring to the island list. So I then began to call him Hikitsu), now brave heart (he is the only seiyuu whose nick name I deliberately changed. This is because when I listened to the muteki drama cd, his role is a bit of a pervert so by calling him Hikitsu I feel as if I am insulting this really noble character, so I decided to call him brave heart, as that is the name of the character he play in life pastel- life performances by many voice actors.)
13. 堀內 賢雄 (Horiuchi Ken'yū): banana (in one of the performances I saw him in he was yelling out ‘banana is yellow’ as well as doing a little dance…)
14. 綠川 光 (Midorikawa Hikaru): pikachu guy (as with Inoue Kazuhiko, this is his answer in regard to the what would you bring to an island, that become his nickname because I feel that this is the most Orz answer…)
15. 山口 勝平 (Yamaguchi Kappei): monkey (I would call him doggie due to Inuyasha but then I read somewhere that he actually doesn’t like being called that, I then call him monkey because that seems to be most people’s nick name for him. I think he calls himself monkey…)
16. 成田 劍 (Narita Ken): airport (there is an airport in Japan called Narita airport) muteki (his character in the drama cd Muteki na Bokuru always say “Boku wa…muteki” which means “I am invincible”. Later on I saw him in life performances and he would often say that line. It seems that in the life performances he basically has to say “Boku wa…muteki” at least once…)
17. うえだゆうじ (previously known as上田祐司) (Ueda Yūji): toast (for some reason I just feel that his first name- when I pronounce it in Chinese- really sounds like toast in chinese), occasionally as sushi as well (one of the character he did in sukisho is called soushi- which really sounds like sushi), sometimes known as “the guy who can no longer write his name in kanji”. (Apparently he is no longer allowed to have his name credited in kanji, and must credited it in hiragana due to changing agency. So what is he going to do if he changes his agency again? Spell his name in romanji??? @@ Note- how come his wife didn’t have to change her name when they quitted together)
18. 鈴村健一 (Suzumura Ken'ichi): mouse (the first role I seen him in is in twelve kingdoms, where he voiced a rat. He’s called mouse instead of rat, as I feel rat is a bit too rude)
19. 趣訪部 順一 (Suwabe Jun'ichi): guy with absolutely amazing writing (I saw this sheet of paper online with his writing, and not only is it pretty, but the words were also perfectly straight even though the paper was unlined, lastly, some of his writings were also smaller than the printed words…I bet he is one of those people in exams who you see writing so much in such a tidy handwriting which totally discourages you. Note: this actually happened to me in my management exam. I was thinking that I did ok…my writing is not that bad even though I wrote quite fast…then I made the mistake of accidently glancing at the girl beside me…)
20. 三木 眞一郎 (Miki Shin'ichirō): Shinichiro (when I first saw his name it was on the cast list of Sukisyo when he voiced a guy called Minato Shinichiro, so I just cracked up. This is what appeared on the cast list: Minato Shinichiro…voiced by Miki Shinichiro), PVC (in one of the performances he was wearing this absolutely scary outfit…bright red PVC jacket and bright red PVC pants. On top of it, they also have a very bizzare printings on it. In another life perfomance he was weraing bright purple PVC jacket and bright purple PVC pants)
21. 森久保 祥太郎 (Morikubo Shōtarō): guy with six words (kanji) in his name (I always wander whether you could have people with six or two kanji in their name since most people’s names consists of 3, 4 or 5 Kanji. As he is the first person I saw with six kanji in his name, that became his nick name)
22. 中原 茂 (Nakahara Shigeru): rose (in life pastel he plays this character who always come out with a rose in his mouth.)

This have some consequences though…once I was talking to Satsuki-sis via text and I think she mentioned how she is reading death note, since Yamaguchi Kappei is her favourite voice actor and is in death note I said this to her. “Oh death note! Monkey is in it.” (As seen as above, monkey is my nick name for Yamaguchi Kappei.) I got this text back. “Monkey?! WTF!!!”

First of all I really x100000 want to kill the person who invented the system of general education. I just spent ages trying to figure out my geo assignments and it is so frustrating…I wouldn’t have to do it if I wasn’t forced to have done something that I don’t want to do that much. Seriously…I am so angry… Kill…murder…

Ok, now that my anger is released I am going to talk about some other stuff. I suddenly have so much stuff that I want to write but I can’t really afford to waste so much time writing my blog. Maybe I should only give myself sometime to work on my blog in the weekend. But basically this is some of the stuff that I want to write on my blog…(this can also serve as a reminder for me)

Reviews on Neverwinter nights expansion: hoards of underdark
Reviews on Baldur’s Gate 2 and the numerous mods you can get
Reviews on the musical ‘Notre-dame de Paris’, which involves my favourite singer Bruno Pelletier, in fact, that’s how I know him from.
Review of Ayashi no Ceres
A second list of the fan fiction pairing list
Putting my fan fictions up on my blog, I just want too.
And a lot of other stuff.

definately not enough word...hmm...
渡邊オサム（わたなべ おさむ） （監督） （声優：遊佐浩二）
四天宝寺中テニス部顧問。27歳。無精ひげで咥え煙草がトレードマーク。（対青学戦の途中から煙草が爪楊枝に変わった）薔薇柄の帽子をかぶるなど、一見して中学校教師かつ運動部顧問とは思えない独特のファッションセンスが窺える。関西人らしくかなりノリが良さそうな性格。以前、一氏と金色にダブルスなんだからずっと一緒にいろと言ったらしく彼らを変えた人物とも言える(本人は半ば忘れている)。同じく週刊少年ジャンプで連載中の「BLEACH」の浦原喜助を髣髴とさせる風貌。
中国語版表記は「渡邊修」

Alright…here comes another review group, this time it is computer game repeated. I thought I’ll do this because A- I’m taking a break from studying after having run up and down a building just to buy a course guide and B- I’ve been playing this game madly in my holiday (between summer school and semester one) and C- it is a really awesome game so I might as well talk about it for a bit.

Firstly neverwinter nights is a role playing game which have you the player being a character who then do all these quests and in the case of this game, you get to be the hero. So I was playing it as a fighter (as I tend to do for the first time I play a role playing game as it just let me go charge by attacking back anything that attacks me). The game is really great and the graphics is just so amazing, I mean, you can actually see people’s faces and a lot of stuff in great detail. It is a 3D game and not only does the graphics looks quite realistic, it is also so pretty. The only disadvantage is that the game can get quite tedious because it is quite long, and half the time it involves you running around in these maze like place that just look identical. But I really liked it (although my main motivation is due to the romance in the game. HAHAHA that shouldn’t be surprising if you truly knows me.)

Although one of the slightly annoying thing is the henchman system. Contrary to previous RPGs which I have played, your henchman is different as you are not able to control them fully. While you can them to stand guard of just something like that, you can not specify who exactly you want them to attack, nor can you change their equipment. And once they attack someone, you can not tell them to go another direction unless you run that direction your self.

You can get…

Gnomish sorcerer (not the most useful henchman, but he is the only sorcerer you can hire); a human bard (she can cast some offensive and healing spells, as well as pick locks. Useful enough but still…not useful in the sense that she cannot cast that much healing spells, nor can she disable a trap); an elven cleric (this is the henchman I’ve never have in my group because you can simply get free healing by using the stone of recall; a halfling-thief (for me he is the best henchman to have in my game as a fighter, because he can shoot in the back and do more damages then the bard as he is a thief- so he have this sneak attack thing, and he can disable traps and I find that skill the most useful since most times, my pc can win a fight without that much difficulty, I don’t need spells that much); a dwarven monk (he’s a really good fighter but he is a very creepy character, talk about death in every second sentence); and then a half-orc fighter (not as good a fighter as the monk but he’s more normal. Although the staff seem to want to fight against the stereotype of half orcs being dumb a bit to well. This henchman’s conversation with you is actually very philosophical…Apparnatly you can also have a romance with him if your pc is a woman and you had him throughout all four chapters, although I haven’t done this yet since I only had him as a henchman for a brief amount of time.)

In one aspect the game can be rather easy due to the stone of recall, which you get in the very first chapter. Absoutely amazing stuff!!! You can activiate it in the middle of the battle and it will trasform you from one area to the temple, which you can have free healing. So say you are in this fight and you are dying, and you are surrounded enemies which make you unable to escape by the door, just activate the stone or recall and you will be back in the safey of the temple)

Anotehr thing is that even though a thief is required to pick locks and disable traps, anyone can break most chest just by hitting in enough times. Although it often get relatively time consuming. (Though it does release stress) But the difference is that eventulaly you can break most chests (unlike the Baldur’s Gate series, you can hit a chest ten thousand times and chances are it will still be locked.)

But anyway…this is basically what happens in the story. I’ll refer to the person (the PC) as you directly.


Prologue
You start the game by learning about how the city of Neverwinter (ruled by Lord Nasher Alagondar) in Faerun (the world of the forgotten realm series) have a plague called the wailing death, and the plague is basically pretty much killing everyone. As a result, Lord Nasher’s right hand Lady Aribeth de Tylmarande summons adventures to help her. To investigate this matter. You are one of those and what happened is that the adventures goes to train in an academy, which is attacked and so your first quest is to stop the attack. After this, Aribeth then tell you that there seemed to have been a cure for the plague. The ingredients are on four creatures but since this is a game, things don’t naturally go smooth. The four creatures escaped due to the attack on the academy…


Chapter One
The hero is ordered by Aribeth to find the four creatures- only the hero does this because it has to be stealthy. At this point the hero can have a henchman (provided that you have enough gold. When I told the henchman that I wanted to hire about how I don’t have enough gold he actually said ‘then what are you talking to me for?’ Evil…) In Chapter one you also meet Fenthick Moss (who is Aribeth’s lover) and Desther Indelayne, both are very important officials in Neverwinter night now.

The overall quest in chapter one is to find the four creatures and even though you get some side quests, most areas you go to all lead to finding the four creatures.

Eventually you find all four creatures and you go back to Aribeth and the cure is made, however, Desther then reveals himself as a traitor and runs off with the cure, and Fenthick actually follows him, making those present that he is helping Desther, and might be a traitor too. So, the hero have to get the cure back (surprise surprise). Now…what follows is what I regard as probalby the hardest bit in the whole game. You have to fight Desther and this is the few battle where you actually can’t use the stone of recall. I think the only other time when you can’t use it is actually in the very final battle. Now, I don’t know if my game had a bug, or it was just me, but I swear, it took me at least an hour before I killed him. I had to keep on reloading because I keep on getting killed. In order to kill Desther you have to break five pillars that surround him (you just keep on hitting it, but during this time others will be attacking you) and Desther will just hit my pc once, and my pc just dies. But then here comes the tragic part…even though Desther rightly gets executed, the people of Neverwinter kills Fenthick too, believing that he helped Desther.


Chapter Two
The PC has left Neverwinter and arrived in Port Llast (another place basically) and is ordered to find the cult that is believed to be responsible for creating the plague. Here is the really frustrating part, you can move to the next stage just by getting two pieces of evidences, so you can move onto the next stage really quick, but you get all these ten thousands side quest that you feel obliged to do as what is the point of buying this game if you aren’t going to play every single thing? So you end up doing tons of stuff…

However, I had really looked forward to chapter 2 because this is where a romance began to happen. I don’t know what happens to a male pc but for a female PC you actually get quite a nice romance. What happens is that Lord Nasher sent his Spymaster Aarin Gend to help you and if you are a woman in the game Aarin will tell his past. He was a slave whose master killed his mother, and he in turned killed his master (but he seems to feel pretty bad about it, a bit sad at having to kill anyone at all); then he became a pirate and ended up betraying his captain to Neverwinter’s authority because he feels that his captain was going too far with the killing and all; this led him to meeting Lord Nasher, who said that he must serve the city of Neverwinter as his sentence (cause he was a pirate after all); and his final story is about how he was sent to destory this thief guild but he fell in love with the guildmistress, and yet he killed her because of his duty. After this, he will admit that the you have become a very special person to him, and he would really hate to see you getting hurt. He gives this amulet to you, and tell you that maybe in the future, you can have the opportunity of developing your relationship.

Eventually you find enough evidence that tells you the cult is possibly based in Luskan. So you go there and learn that Aribeth disappeared, and that the rulers of luskan are at all, so you kill them, just as well, because you need their seal. What happens is that Aarin uses the seal to forge a document for you that let you go in this tower in Luskan, which seems to be a base for the cult. Going to the tower can get a bit annoying because it has about nine or ten freaken levels, but eventually you reach the very top and sees Aribeth with the enemy, and sees her swearing her alliance to them, basically she’s betraying Neverwinter…

Chapter Three
After you report to Aarin about what happened they go to this place called Beorouna’s well together and once again, the pc has to do all the work. This time, you have to find items call ‘the words of power’. I think it was more of a ‘the enemy want it, so we must get is before them) This chapter involves fighting dragons and I had to fight them for ages because they kept on making my pc frightened, so she runs around without me controlling her. Then in the last hour of the game I learnt that if only I had drank this potion called ‘potion of clarity’ then my pc wouldn’t have been affected at all.

Unlike chapter 2 you don’t have that much side quest so that’s a good thing, on the other hand this chapter is still really long despite all this. So you eventually get all three, and you are playing a female who has Aarin’s amulet, the romance continues each time you bring back a world of power.

The first time you will tell him that you want to talk about your relationship, and he will admit that he is not used to such a relationship and that everything has happened so fast- Aribeth’s betrayal, being here and all that. But he does say that you are special as he feels that he can trust you even though he spends most of his life being alone, as well as saying that he would be a fool to let you go. But all this only lead to him saying that he hopes to work things out when this is finished, because right now you must continue defend Neverwinter.

The second time things get more…deeper. Once again, you ask him about your relationship and he says that though you are definitely very special to him, he is afraid of loving you because of his past, as well as what Aribeth did (Fenthick is innocent and obviously she’s angry that they killed him). He’s afraid that he’ll have to ‘kill in the name of duty’, ie. if you betrays the city and he remains with the city-what happened with his first girlfriend, or ‘betray in the name of love’, ie. If something happens to you then he might want to betray the city for your sake as Aribeth did. But then you can tell him not to be afraid the past, as well as admitting that you love him, and Aarin will admit that he loves you too. Basically he’ll say that he really want to spend the rest of his life with you, but is unable to do so now because of all this, but he is slightly optimistic in saying that he can probably leave Neverwinter when all this is over.

When you bring back the last word of power you will automatically travel back to Neverwinter night after you talk to Aarin. This is important as you must have the right henchman, because the henchman you have with you at the end of chapter three is the henchman you are stuck with in chapter four. I had to reload because I found this out the hard way.

Chapter Four
You arrive in Neverwinter once more and you learn that the cult is attacking with troops from Luskan as well as other sources, and Aribeth is leading them. Also, a lizard-woman has arrived, wanting to see you. You speak to the lizard woman and learn what this is all about. The lizard woman belongs to a race called the creator race and they are kind of like lizards, they cannot survive in very cold conditions. Morag, their queen, kind of sealed them somehow, but now they are awakening, and once Morag arrive in the world she want to make the world hot again, as well as enslaving everyone else. So basic plot…world domination with only the hero to stop it. What you must do is find a forth word of power, the final one, and then the lizard woman will use all four words to destroy Morag.

If the PC is romancing Aarin you can have a final dialogue with him, kind of disappointing as you don’t get a farewell dialogue before you go to do the big thing. (At least I didn’t get one.)The dialogue you have just relates to you finding the forth word. By this time your relationship seemed to have develop more as he realized that he would probably do what Aribeth did (instead of doing what he did to his previous girlfriend, choosing duty instead) and even though he complains that what happens is unfair (translation-it sucks) he will still tell you that he is happy for having met you, and still hope to have a future with you. It really is very romantic.

So regardless of anything else, you will face Aribeth (now evil) and fight with her. She will yield when you almost kill her (this part of the fight is actually pretty easy) and then you try to persuade her to return to Neverwinter to make amendment, or you can kill her (killing her is actually pretty hard). I only successfully persuaded her to make amends because I kept on getting killed by her in the second half of the fight. Regardless of what you do to Aribeth, you end up facing the guy who have the last word of power (he kind of looks like Irenicus from Baldur’s Gate) and get the word of power.

However, the lizard woman will tell you that it’s too late (as convenient of RPGs) and your only way of stopping Morag is to use the four source stones and somehow enter the place where Morag is and kill her. So you do this, which is not easy as it includes fighting two dragons at once at one stage…that was…I kept on drinking potions and using the stone of recall…Eventually you will reach to the final area, by this time you can no longer use the stone of recall. At this time, your henchman will talk to you about all this and I thought what the Halfling said was quite funny. He asks you about death and I said: “Don’t worry, I’m not going to die” which he replies: “Of course you won’t as you are the hero, but I’m the sidekick!!! The sidekick always dies!!!

Fighting Morag is not hard, although once again, you have to bash an altar, and kill some of her priestesses before you are able to kill her. But once you do that, just keep on hacking at her and drink potion. Eventually she gets killed and you see this portal which you jump in. You will meet the lizard woman who tells you that since you killed Morag all is well now, and you are rightfully regarded as a hero. You will get to jump into another portal and then the ending film will be shown. I am quite disappointed though, that the ending film is so general, as it doesn’t mention Aribeth or Aarin. You just presume that you and Aarin probably get together.

SPOILER OF EXPANSION PACK: From the second expansion pack you learn that Aribeth probably got executed, and the hero of Neverwinter (you) had a clash due to Lord Nasher about this (or just a general clash in general), and as a result you left Neverwinter and now there are revisionists in the city who claims that you didn’t do all these things that you did and that you didn’t really save Neverwinter night by yourself (seems to be due to Lord Nasher.)

And I think it’s more sad if you are a female PC who romanced Aarin because even though you left the city, he seemed to have remained in the city. What a tragic ending…especially if you think about his past.

First of all I finally finished my fushigi yugi 100 questions, which is my answer to one hundred questions that relates to Fushigi Yugi. I know…I am obsessed with the story but it is just so good! Guess it is kind of suitable for me to put this up as school starts today and I won’t be getting anytime to do stuff like this.

Another thing that I am very proud of!!! I am now the proud owner of the whole set of Fushigi Yugi, I have all eighteen volume sitting on my shelf proudly. Initially I didn’t thought about buying all 18 because Hotohori doesn’t come out in all eighteen volume but then I realize that I really like the story and so I want to own the whole set (And I really like Soi too who kind of began to appear when Hotohori exists…sniff) but anyway I am so happy that I now have all eighteen! Come to think about it Fushigi Yugi is a story that must have really touched me because of the fan fictions that I wrote, and will write. I also plan to buy all of Genbu Kaiden but the only problem is that the shop where I brought Fushigi Yugi from does not sell Genbu Kaiden just yet, and I don’t want to buy an English vision because I think VIZ did quite a bad job in translating Fushigi Yugi and Genbu Kaiden. So I will wait. I think Genbu Kaiden will probably be about 14 volumes because technically Fushigi Yugi is 13 volume (without the second story arch) while Ayashi no Ceres is 14 volume. So next time I go back to Taiwan I’ll be carrying a bunch of manga!!! Unless that sop will sell them…I suppose I can just beg, plead and weep for it…

Anyway…this is the Fushigi Yugi one hundred questions which I wrote myself. Um…Yui fans please don’t read as I really don’t like Yui. If you guys didn’t heed my warning and read it anyway then don’t leave abusive messages on my blog, I am allowed to not like her and even if I seem a bit bitchy…I did have a warning, I really don’t like Yui, I think I almost hate her as a character.


General issues relating to the story
1- When and how did you start reading Fushigi Yugi? Last year (2006) at around May or April. My sister’s friend downloaded the manga and anime and gave it for my sister to read as she said that she had once seen this being played on TV when she was really small and still in Taiwan, so as a result I began to read it since I just saw it on our computer one day.

2- What do you think is distinguished about Fushigi Yugi compared to the Watase-sensai’s other works? Unlike Ayashi no Ceres fushigi yugi is a bit more light hearted, as I feel that what did not happen in Fushigi Yugi happened in Ayashi no Ceres. Eg. There were times when Miaka was almost raped but this did not happen, unlike Ceres (who did suffer marital rape). And of course with the exception of the story of the tennyo Ayashi no Ceres is quite a realistic thing, and Aya is also very aggressive (more like Takiko then Miaka or any other of Watase-sensai’s heroines) while Shuro faces a great dilemma due to the nature of her gender, unlike Nuriko. As for Alice 19th…Alice 19th is based on western stories instead of eastern stories. As for absolute boyfriends that story solely focuses on romance with a very little cast (really just centres on three people).

3-Do you think there are contradictory bits in Fushigi Yugi? I am convinced the relationship between Hotohori and Houki suffers a contradiction as I am sure that in the original story arch Hotohori did not love Houki, as his dying thoughts were all about Miaka but in the second story arch it is clear that he loves her. I wonder if the first OVA count as a contradiction because Tomo is definitely dead while there is suggesting that Tasuki and Koji are co-leaders after the whole story of the second OVA. Also, why is it possible that Miaka’s wish is granted if Suzuno’s was not? I also do not see why Miaka was not eaten if Takiko was, because Takiko seems stronger then all the other three by far.

4- List out the main things that you don’t like in Fushigi Yugi? I think what I don’t link in the story is mainly due to not liking characters but one thing I don’t like is how Seiryuu is seen as a rather cruel deity by the characters in the story, as well as having the most of the Suzaku warriors seeing things in a too much a black and white way. And as always…I hate how Hotohori changing into a minor character after volume 6.

5- How do you pay tribute to Fushigi Yugi? 1=By buying all 18 volume of the manga although they cost almost up to $200 bucks in total. 2=watching all the anime although I don’t like the later half of the anime that much (when Hotohori stops coming out, just not fair!!!) as well as all the OVA although I don’t like the first OVAs (Hotohori didn’t come out until the last five minutes and they made Tomo a bastard, as well as killing Amiboshi and Koji. I mean, what is the point!!!). But I watch them for the sake that they are the work of the very talented Watase-sensai. 3=constantly using fushigi yugi pictures as my wall paper for my mobile and computer. 4=have almost all the songs from fushigi yugi and constantly listens to them, as well as printing the lyrics out. 5=write two fan fictions about Hotohori that adds up to 100,000words and planning to write a fan fiction on Genbu Kaiden. 6=writing this questioner, I literally wrote this as I really want to do a fushigi yugi 100 questions after I did the Inuyasha 100 question but since I couldn’t do find one I decided to write one myself.

6- What is the thing that you most want to see in Fushigi Yugi? Hotohori being able to remain alive in order to be with his wife (whom I now believe he loves) as well as raising his son up (as he will be such a good father).

7- Explain why you like Fushigi Yugi. I like romance stories and Fushigi Yugi is just such a beautiful romance story (Regardless of who you like- unless you don’t like anyone) because whether it is returned or unrequited love the way each character deals with their feelings are just so beautiful. At that time I had read a lot of stuff by Clamp and talented as they are, I was a bit sick of reading stories that ends in some sort of tragedy (like Tokyo Babylon and X) so I was really glad to read Fushigi Yugi- as I was told that it is going to have a happy ending. So I read almost all the books in one go and then I really like it because I think Watase-sensai’s drawings are just so beautiful!

8- What do you think is the most hilarious moment in Fushigi Yugi? A lot of bits, especially when the characters start to get drawn in a really cute way! (Like all tiny or that kind of stuff) but I will say in volume one Miaka realize that Hotohori is a man, as well as her reaction “What about below then…” because I literally burst out laughing when I saw that bit.

9- What do you think is the most romantic bit in the story? When Hotohori first declared out his love in chapter five and six, because that is when I realize that he is my favourite character, as what he said to her is just so romantic. The idolization and love he had since he was a child…it is just such a romantic moment!

10- What is your favourite moment of all time in fushigi yugi? Volume 15- when Hotohori sees Houki and his son because that is the moment when I realized that he is in love with Houki, as well as seeing how much he loves his son.

11- List one of your favourite quote? I have a lot…some by Hotohori, one or two from Soi and even some from other characters. But I will say this one: I wish for you to be my empress…I will make you fall in love with me. which is said by Hotohori. I really like this one because that is when I realize that he is my favourite character.

12- What will your ideal ending for the story be? For Hotohori to be able to see his kingdom in peace as well as having the chance to raise his son up, as well as for Shoka and Chichiri’s fiancée to come back alive, for Nakago to somehow redeem himself and spend the rest of his life with Soi- who will now be a proper woman as she desires and lastly, for the twins to be together.

13- What is the thing that most anger you in Fushigi Yugi? There are a lot of stuff that angers me (Miaka and Yui’s actions) but what really piss me off is Hotohori becoming a minor character from a major character. Probably due to the fact that he is my favourite character but it is still not fair! True that he is not the main male lead but he is probably the second most important male character in the first half of the story, and yet he suddenly becomes none existent in the latter half of the story!!! NOT FAIR!!!

14- Comment on what you think about the celestial warriors all having a word located somewhere on their body? It is an interesting idea although it must be quite troublesome for some of them, as some of the location is quite hard to conceal (like on the forehead) maybe that is why, so far, the celestial warriors of Genbu all seem to have their words on some part of the body that is usually covered since they are not regarded in a favourable light. (Tomite- back, Hatsui- the underside of his feet, Uruki- middle of his chest, Inami, above her navel). But I guess it is meant to be a really good system of proving their identity as the word that was tattooed on Amiboshi to let him disguise as Chiriko is actually quite different from the real word font-wise.

15- What is your favourite chapter cover?” (The pages with the chapter numbers, which usually have a specifically drawn drawing) As to be expected I love any chapter covers that have Hotohori on it but surprisingly my favourite chapter cover is actually chapter 67, where Soi is drawn in the wedding gown of a native tribe in China. I really like this one because it shows Soi in a way that we have never seen before.

16- What is your favourite book cover? the cover for volume four because that is one of the two volume cover with Hotohori on (the other is volume 15 with Tasuki and Chichiri). In Fushigi yugi I think Hotohori is the only one other then Miaka and Tamahome who actually made it on the spine of the book twice!!! And he made it on the cover twice too! Quite amazing if you are not Miaka or Tamahome. But I like the cover for volume four better because he is alone and the way he held Miaka’s hand (we only see Miaka’s hand) and pressed it against his face is just sooo romantic. And there is a very romantic mood to the starry back ground as well.

17- Who do you think is the most handsome male/beautiful female in fushigi yugi? For male it is definitely Hotohori, and his long hair drapes in a really beautiful way as well. He is probably the most beautiful male character I have ever seen in any manga. For female it is Soi- being one of the few only women in the story. I find Soi drawn really beautifully as well, very much like Ceres in Ayashi no Ceres.

18- Most of the celestial warriors have two names- the name they were born with, as well as the name they have due to being a celestial warriors. Why do you think that most of them ended up using their name as a celestial warrior instead of their real name? I guess using their name as a celestial warrior is kind of a sign that they willingly accepts this fate of being a seishi/celestial warrior. Although it is a bit of a pity as some of them have really nice name (eg. Soi’s real name- Kaen.) Yet it seems that some of them do not have a real name- namely Hotohori. We never discover his last name either although he should have one, and it seems that he is just called Hotohori. Although according to the novel his real name is Seishuku but that is just another version of pronunciation as the name Hotohori and Seishuku have the identical kanji. This is quite sad as it emphasizes the whole idea of how he is often seen as an object instead of a person. But anyway, as I said, using their names as a celestial warrior shows an acceptance of their fate, eg. Soi is the celestial warrior of Seiryuu but Kaen might just be a normal woman.

19- Out of all the celestial warriors’ powers that you have seen, whose power is your favourite? Much as I love Hotohori…I would have to say I do not particularly like or dislike his power. I really like how Inami can use her hair as a weapon, probably because I had really long hair myself and it just seem really awesome to use my own hair as a weapon to defend myself, I think how Subaru can control time is very interesting, I also like Hikitsu’s water snake because I like the idea of using water, then there is Uriki’s wind which I quite like, as I have always like the idea of using wind. But top one actually goes to Soi- for her ability of controlling thunder. (I love the bit in the muck around bit in the end of the first Ova. As Nakago asks Soi to do something about silencing Ashitare, Soi just snapped her fingers and this bolt of lightening struck Ashitare. I know it is a mucking around bit but ever since I saw that bit, I really like Soi’s powers.)

20- Do you think it is possible for Fushigi Yugi to be made into a real life movie? If such a thing did happen, would you go and see it? Considering our technology as well as all the manga and anime that get made into films I think this is possible. Although I think one of the most difficult bits will be finding the guy for Hotohori because he has to be really good looking. Although I think this is possible as Watase-sensai once talked out how there was some celebration for Fushigi yuig and there were people who cos-played, and someone sent a letter to her saying that she went to the event and the guy who cos-played Hotohori was really handsome. So I think it is possible that there could be a guy that could be really like Hotohori. And I would go and see the film even if it sucks just for the sake that it is Fushigi Yugi. I guess that is a way of paying tribute.


character section
21- Who is your favourite character and why? My favourite character is Hotohori and for more elaboration about him please read my blog entry on December 8th 2006 where there is a 2000 word + discussion on him. But in short I like him because he is such a romantic hero, and he is such a noble and kind person. Lastly, this is manga- the fact that he happens to be the most beautifully male drawn I have ever seen kind of helped too I guess.

22- Depending on your answer above, who is your favourite female character (or male if you favourite character is a female) and why? my favourite female character is Soi, I think I like her because of the fact that she is such a strong character- she is not like most female of her time and yet she have this yearning of being feminine- which I really too. I think she kind of strikes the right balance? I also really like her because of the full depth of love she bears for Nakago, I really admire her for all that she puts up with just for the sake of Nakago.

23- Who is your favourite minor character? I guess I will now say Houki, after reading the novel and seeing the last OVA I am really touched at what she did for Hotohori. I also really like Koji too…just for the mere sake that his appearance is always hilarious due to the weird way that he speaks.

24- Who do you feel sorry for the most? Hotohori, I can’t help but to feel sorry for him to know that he would never be love back by Miaka even though he loves her so much. Also, the fact that he is an emperor is making his life really difficult- not only is he burdened with the state he ends up being seen as an object more as a person, and he is really lonely- even though he regards the celestial warriors of Suzaku as his equal they never seem to do so, as they make him the outsider. Then I feel sorry for Soi, as she was sold to a brothel by her own parents when she was just twelve, and it seems that she was forced to become a prostitute- which is one of the worst fates that could happen to any woman. Also, she had to see Nakago lavishing all these attention onto Yui when she loves Nakago.

25- Which character do you hate the most, and why? Yui, because I think she is a selfish little bitch, as well as very hypocritical. And the only reason I don’t throw away the manga every time she come out, is because Watase-sensai’s drawings are simply too beautiful. Firstly, because of her own selfishness Yui basically didn’t do anything to help Kutou as well, even though she is the priestess of Seiryuu, not only that, she also destroyed Konan as well (and the thing that angers me the most is the she never once feel bad about this, she just talk about what she did to the celestial warriors of Seiryuu at the very end, and never mentions other people- the celestial warriors of Suzaku, as well as Tatara.) I really think that she should remain dead. I also think she is hypocritical because she spends her day constantly moaning about how Miaka betrayed her, then tried to betray Miaka. This would not be so wrong if she admits it, but up until the very end she acted as if she never wronged Miaka in anyway.
I don’t like Miaka that much either but I suppose stupidity is not really your own fault, although the eating thing can get really annoying.

26- Comment on what you think of Nakago in his role as the main antagonist in the first story arch? (volume 1-13 ) I think as the antagonist in a shojo manga he is pretty good, he is very calculating and I really hated him when I first read it (good thing, as Watase-sensai is making us feel towards him) and I actually really feel sorry for him when I read the whole thing again. I think as an antagonist he did a pretty good job, he is rather handsome (come on, this is a manga!!! What is the fun in watching someone like Naraku who just look gross and make you pray for his dismissal 99% of the time he comes out.) and he is rather clever-calculating, and the fact that he is ruthless make him a good antagonist- he’s not hypocritical either, lastly the fact that he was able to redeem himself made him an antagonist you can feel sorry for- it’s not just a ‘die die die’ when you read the story again. (This all sound like one big mess…) I think a good antagonist is one who can make you not like him, but admit that he is doing a good job in his role, and yet feel some sort of pity at his death, since Nakago did all these I think he is a good antagonist.

27-Comment on what you think of Tenkou in his role as the main antagonist in the second story arch? (volume 14-18) I don’t like Tenkou much and I think this is due to the fact that I cannot feel sorry for him at all (I could for Nakago). I guess Tenkou is one of those people whom I just think ‘please die’ as I read the manga. So what I feel toward him is really ‘die die die’.

28-Discuss Miaka and Yui- their roles in this story and what you think about them. see answer to question 25. As I said…I don’t like them. Although the thing is I actually liked Miaka when I first read it but upon reading the story again I realized that I really don’t like her because I realized that her stupidity caused so much pain, and she never was in grasp of the situation. I guess the fact that she was just this little girl who never understood everything made her annoying, although she does get better in the second story arch I still don’t like her that much. I feel she is just one of those girls who suffers so little (there are times when she almost suffer but that never happens, as someone always rescue her on time) and what truly annoy me is that she never learn anything from what might have happens. As for Yui…as I stated in question 25 I don’t like her, and I’ve never like her either.
To be honest I really don’t think that they should be the priestess of Kutou and Konan at all.

29- Who do you think Miaka should have gone with in the end?I guess she should go with Tamahome because it is clear that they are meant to be together. I don’t think she should go with Hotohori because she certainly would not be a good empress, and would probably make things worse for him. Funnily enough I actually think she and Tasuki would make a good pair if they both love each other (because as I will mention, I don’t think Tasuki loves her that way, nor do she.)

30- Why do you think Hotohori is so vain?I think he is vain due to the fact that his appearance is the only thing that he is certain of, I think he is uncertain in a lot of stuff- whether he is a good ruler or not, but his appearance is the only thing he can be sure of- ie.he definitely knows that he is good looking. Perhaps the reason he is obsessed with his appearance is because of that- that is one of the few thing he is certain of.

31- Considering that Hotohori’s special ability as a seishi is his skills in using his sword, do you think he will be better then Tamahome in that aspect (even though Tamahome is said to be able to use all 18 traditional Chinese weapons, which include a sword, very skilfully)? I believe strongly that Hotohori will be better then Tamahome in that aspect because his special ability is sword wielding. I suppose if this is a game then he will be highly specialised in a sword. (for those who have played Baldur’s Gate…Tamahome will probably give about 4 stars in all the 18 weapons while Hotohori will have all 5 stars for long sword alone.)

32- Does Hotohori marry Houki because he love her, or did he just marry her because he needed to marry? I must admit, initially I thought that he married her just because he needed to marry and produce an heir, because he seems the type of man who would be willing to do so if he had to. As I said, I think there is a bit of a contradiction due to the fact that Watase-sensai did not plan to write the second story arch. But judging from the second story arch it is clear that Hotohori married Houki because he loves her.

33- Do you think that the fact Houki looks like Nuriko is symbolic? No, I really think this is just a coincidence.

34- Did Nuriko really love Hotohori? The truth is I have never given this question a thought because I never paired Nuriko with Hotohori, even before I discovered that Nuriko is actually a guy, I think it is because of the fact that Hotohori declared out his love for Miaka so early, that I was wandering about him and Miaka although you kind of know that it would never happen. Answer…I don’t know.

35- In Eikou Den, what do you feel about the fact that the incarnated Nuriko still likes Hotohori? Because I am not a big supporter of Hotohori and Nuriko I kind of think it is a bit creepy. I also think that it is really sad that Nuriko ends up as a girl who still likes Hotohori because there is this whole issue about how Nuriko came to terms with the gender he was born in. It contradicts with what I had believed…(see next question)

36- Discuss Nuriko’s various attitudes to his gender This is what I decided when re-read the manga and before I watched Eikou Den. I don’t think that Nuriko is really bisexual as I think he really just cross-dressed for the sake of his sister as he was able to give up his love for Hotohori and all that related with his feminine self quite easily once he decided that he will no longer live in his sister’s shadows. So I think he didn’t actually had that much a problem with his gender- it was more to do with his sister not his gender. (unlike Shuro from Ayashi no Ceres)

37- Were you fooled into thinking that Hotohori and Nuriko were women as Miaka was when they first came out? I was fooled into thinking that Hotohori and Nuriko were women and I did get quite a shock when I realize that they were actually guys. I even thought that Tatara was a guy…that was why it was absolutely hilarious when I discovered that Shuro in Ayashi no Ceres is a girl because it was the exact opposite thing from fushigi yugi. Note: I read fushigi yugi first, then Ayashi no Ceres.

38- Do you like Tamahome with longer hair, or with shorter hair? I don’t like Tamahome that much but I guess I prefer him with longer hair as I like guys with longer hair in general. But the way he ties his hair never made me think of him as a guy with particularly long hair.

39- Would Chichiri drink the potion that Mitsukake gave him to heal the wound on his eyes? I am not really sure and we never get to find out, because the last picture of Chichiri shows Chichiri in his mask. Personally I like to think that he will, because he did finally come to term with the whole thing about his friend and fiancée.

40- Do you think Tasuki will really remain hating girls for the rest of his life? I don’t think so, I think he will eventually marry and I think he will end up either marrying to someone very gentle and fragile, or marry someone like one of his sisters- ie. Very menacing.

41- Do you think that Tasuki loves Miaka in a romantic way? While I did say that I think Miaka x Tasuki is not bad, I really don’t think he loves her in a romantic fashion. I think what happened in the second story arch is showing what happens when a sibling love get too possessive, and I think that is what Tasuki feels. When you love a sibling so much that you start doing all sort of thing that would hurt them for the mere reason that you believe you are doing it for your own good, and like a elder sibling you actually don’t want to share your younger sister for the fear of them being hurt.

42- Why do you think Miaka is such a terrible cook, even though she love to eat? Probably because she never tries her own food, so she never have the chance of improving.

43- Comment on what you think about Miaka’s mother. I don’t really like her as I think the obsession she have in regard to Miaka’s grade is really too harsh, and I really dislike her when she reads Miaka’s diary, as that really is just going too far. Although it is good that she manage to understand a bit more in the end, I still feel that she does not really know her daughter (how could she not know that her daughter can’t cook if she is a good mother?)

44- What do you think of Miaka’s brother? I don’t really like him but I don’t dislike him either. Although I do hope that he could finally manage to find a girlfriend in the end.

45- What do you think of Tetsuya? (Miaka’s brother’s friend, who ended up as Yui’s boy friend.) Don’t really think anything towards him as I feel that he truly is too minor a character, although he is a nice enough guy but I guess he is just too minor a character. I was only curious about him in the anime due to the fact that Narita Ken did the voicing.

46- Do you think the celestial warriors of Seiryuu can justify their actions due to what happened to them in the past? I never believe the concept of the end justify the means so I think blaming your present due to your past is wrong as well. So no, I don’t think they can justify their actions due to their past. While it is understandable that they might be bitter I feel that many of their actions is still kind of going a bit too far- eg.Nakago. While one can understand about the resentment and hatred he felt, and does not expect him to be kind to the whole world, his wish of wanting to make everyone suffer as he had is just too wrong. So no, they can not justify their actions by blaming all that had happened to them in the past.

47- Why do you think that the celestial warriors of Seiryuu ended up so different from the celestial warriors of Suzaku when some of the celestial warriors of Suzaku had a very bitter past as well? I think the main difference is that (pardon my language but I will be blunt here) the celestial warriors had a shitty life ever since their childhood (Nakago- constantly being haunted due to his heritage and ended up killing his own mother when he was about twelve, then ended up as the emperor’s sex toy. Soi- grows up in poverty and then sold to a brothel where she was forced to be a prostitute. Amiboshi and Suboshi- their parents died since they were very little and their village was destroyed due to war. Ashitare- he spent his early life in the circus as the freak show while Tomo was abandoned by his parents. Where as most of the Suzaku warriors had a good life until they were in their teens or so. (Tamahome- granted that they were poor but he has a family. Chichiri was very happy till about 18 or 19 when what happened happens and Shoka didn’t die until Mitsukake was about twenty.) so I think the reason is that the celestial warriors of Seiryuu suffered so much and ends up very bitter because they didn’t even have some happy memories to comfort them. (although I think Hotohori is an exception as his life is probably really crap since his infancy, but then it just sucked, instead of being cruel. I think that happened when he become the emperor)

48- Did Nakago love Soi? despite what he had said I believe that he does love Soi, as she is probably one of the few person who accepts him knowing what he is, the fact that he carried her body with him until he left the universe of the four gods must be a sign that he loves her.

49- What did Nakago feel towards Yui? Definitely not love. I think Nakago can only start to love someone if they can accepts him for who he is, and help him instead of constantly demanding for their attention (like Yui) so I think he does not love Yui. I think he really just sees Yui as a tool to be used, and I doubt that he would really have respect for the Seiryuu no miko since he sought to replace the gods.

50- Did Yui really loved Tamahome, or did she loved Nakago? I think she loved neither of them as I think if she loved them then she would not have done what she did.

51-Do you think that Yui had a right in hating Miaka? I don’t really think she had a right, and even worse- she is quite contradicting. From the end, it seems that she simply stopped hating Miaka because she wasn’t raped, not so much because she learnt that Miaka would have saved her. I think this is quite wrong, as it suggests that she might still have hate Miaka even if she see Miaka coming to her. If that was the reason then no, she had absolutely no right in hating Miaka.

52- Whose death do you think is the most moving death? Definitely Hotohori’s. Especially when you see the bird soaring into the sky after he dies, as that remind you of how he was like a bird trapped in a cage, and the soaring bird suggests that in death he finally found the freedom he so longed for, the caged bird is finally free. Then we see everyone kneeling down to pay their last tribute to him…it is just such a beautiful movement!!!

53- What do you feel about Amiboshi’s decision of leaving the whole struggle by pretending he had amnesia? I know some people who don’t like it but I think it is very understandable, and his character song deals with this perfectly. “If wanting to have peace is weak then I’ll let people call me weak.” I don’t think what he did is fully wrong, to be honest. In a way he is almost brave to do what the truly wants to do. But then of course, he had it easy, if he was someone like Hotohori then obviously this would not work.

54- Some people feels that the relationship between Amiboshi and Suboshi is rather incestuous, what do you think? I really don’t think it is like that, I think it is really just a very deep sibling love. A very deep bond.

55- Talk about the relationships between each of the celestial warriors of Suzaku briefly I think Hotohori sees the rest as his companions, his equals with the exception of Chiriko (whom he probably regards as more of a son or nephew as his actions to Chiriko is rather fatherly). Sadly I think Hotohori is seen as an outsider by the rest of them, I think they see him as the emperor more then a following celestial warriors- even though the others usually see their following celestial warriors as an equal (kind of how Hotohori sees them). Tasuki and Tamahome seem to have a very close friendship- they are probably like best friends, while Nuriko and Tamahome have a brotherly relationship- Nuriko being the elder brother. Then there is Chichiri- who acts like an elderly brother while Chiriko is like a younger brother to most.

56- Talk about the relationships between each of the celestial warriors of Seiryuu briefly. Nakago obviously sees the rest as his tool, while Soi and Tomo both love him and so have a rather rivalry like relationship. Soi seem to be quite sympathetic to Ashitaire, although I think this is really just because she can be quite kind. The twins are very close and seem to be isolated from the rest by their own choice.

57- Do you think the celestial warriors and their priestess would be able to meet up again? If so, how? I believe that they all will meet up again. From reading this bit in Genbu Kaiden it shows Taitsukun ordering the twenty eight constellations/celestial warriors to go down and help, so they seem to have been from some sort of heaven. So I like to think that because of this, they are all good people, and they will all be united when they return to that heaven.

58- What do you think would be the weirdest pairing in Fushigi Yugi? Hmm…I guess Soi and Tasuki as I’ve seen quite a lot of these fan fictions and I simply don’t understand why they often get paired together.

59- Do you think the celestial warriors are all devout to their deity? So far it seems that the only person who is really devout is Hotohori, as he is the only person whom we have seen openly and actively praying to their deity, and he also seems the only one that openly asks Suzaku to grant him power. Although it seems that Soi is quite devout as well from her character song (pride of ice) but however one does not get the impression that she is really devout from the original story. I feel that with the exception of Hotohori the celestial warriors are actually not that devout to their deity.

60- Do you think that the priestess and their celestial warriors are sent down as saviours, or do you think that they might really be harbingers? In regard to Genbu Kaiden, no. I think Takiko can definitely be regarded as a saviour- especially when you think about her wish as she wishes for Hokkan to be protected forever. As for Suzuno, I don’t know yet. On the other hand I think Miaka and Yui do deserve to be classified as harbingers. Look at what they did to Konan (their emperor is dead- while his heir was not even born at the time of his death. Later on it is revealed that Konan is recovering very slowly due to the fact that they have no emperor.) and Kutou (the whole land is basically devastated due to everything) as well as even causing harm to the country protected by Byakko (Tatara died because of all this). Kind of really ironic when you consider that Takiko and her seishi were condemned as being harbingers while Miaka and Yui are regarded as saviours.

61- Suzaku was meant to be summoned by Miaka, but do you think Seiryuu was really meant to be summoned by Yui, or do you think that Yui just happened to summon Seiryuu at that time. I think Yui just happened to be at the right place at the right time because I really don’t think she is fit to be a priestess but she is, so my conclusion is that she just happened to summon Seiryuu at that time. That she was not meant to summon Seiryuu. (gosh, Yui fans are going to hate me guts)

62-What do you think of Taitsukun and Why do you think Taitsukun prefer to appear in the form of an old woman, instead of her proper form? I think she is biased, which is really unfair- especially when the warrior of Seiryuu already is suffering so much, she could have done something to help them but didn’t, so that’s why I don’t like her that much. As for why she prefer to appear in the from of an old woman…maybe it is a way to teach the idea of not judging someone by their appearance?

63- What do you think of Seiryuu? Is he a kind god, or does the people of Kutou merely reflects his personality? I don’t think Seiryuu is an evil god, I think he is a kind god just like Suzaku. As for eating Yui…I really think he only did what he had to do because that is the rule. I think he will actually feel very sad at what his people are doing. Because of this I really don’t like how Miaka sealed Seiryuu, her reason is to defeat Nakago but why don’t she just wish for Nakago to be destroyed by Suzaku? I do not think Nakago is more powerful then Suzaku.

64-What do you feel towards Miiru and Rin? They are not very likeable but you can feel sorry for them, and you can sympathise with what they said about humans and I guess I am glad that they found peace in the end. Although by the time that I watched the anime I was kind of thinking of Rin as more of the voice actor instead of the character due to the fact that Ishida Akira voiced Rin, I know…it’s bad but I can’t help it as Ishida Akira’s voice is just so ‘Ah, Ishida Akira.’


what if…
65- Would things had been different if Miaka had not love Tamahome, while Tamahome had fall in love with Yui? I think Yui would still have done something selfish, I think she would probably still be the priestess of Seiryuu due to the fact that she can’t be the priestess of Suzaku, so therefore she cannot be Tamahome’s first priority. So I guess in the end things would still be the same- Yui’s selfishness would still be the cause all these sufferings.

66- If Amiboshi did not leave the celestial warriors of Seiryuu, then do you think he would still be the sole survivor out of all the other warriors, or do you think he would have died as well. I think he most definitely would have died if he didn’t leave. Especially since his brother is with Yui, and look at what Yui caused. I think if Amiboshi did not leave he would probably die protecting Suboshi just as Suboshi tries to do something rash that is related to Yui. I think he would have gone against Tamahome when the latter attacks his brother, although Amiboshi does consider him as a friend.

67- Do you think that Nakago would have turned out to be very different if the emperor of Kutou had been like Hotohori? I think yes because Hotohori is such a kind person, and I think if Nakago had received the kind of kindness Hotohori would show then he might have been very different, as Nakago said, he only want to do all this because his life is nothing but a hell, there was nothing for him but revenge. While Nakago might still be resentful at what happened in his childhood, I think he would not be as ruthless as he would have received kindness from the emperor if the emperor is like Hotohori.

68-What Nakago have been different if he had took Soi with him when he first met her? It is possible that he might have been different as there would have been someone that he could trust, but it might not have been that big a change as by that time he was already quite injured (his mother’s death, the sexual abuse).

69-Same situation as above, would Soi be different? I think Soi will probably be more affected and changed then him. If he had taken her then she would probably not have ended up as a prostitute so she might be less cynical and more gentle and kind.

70- Watase-Sensai said that initially she intended to make Hotohori a crown prince, not the emperor. If that had remain the case, what do you think his role, character and even ending might have been like? I don’t know why but I feel that things might be more tragic is he is the crown prince as I feel the ending might be him becoming the emperor (I don’t think he’ll die if he is the crown prince instead of the emperor), and realizing that he must sacrifice all to be a good ruler, showing him coming to term with the knowledge that he is now bound to Konan- kind of him losing his freedom.

71-What do you think Hotohori would have been like, if he was not the emperor or connected with the imperial family in anyway. I think he would have travelled with the others and probably start to grow up a bit more (he wouldn’t be so mature if he was not the emperor or connected with the imperial family) and I think he might still die as he seems those type of man who would die for the one that they love as well as for the country- I think he would still love Konan deeply even if he was not the emperor. Kind of sad then…his fate would be a tragic one no matter whether he is the emperor (original fate- died) or the crown prince (end with him chained to the kingdom) or not connected with the imperial family (still die due to the war).

What you would like to say to…
72- What would you like to say to Miaka? “Control your urge of eating as how would you feel if you know that you destroyed a whole kingdom just because you couldn’t resist eating at a certain moment?”

73- What would you like to say to the Celestial warriors of Suzaku (individually)?
Hotohori- “You are truly an amazing man, I really can’t understand why Miaka would prefer Tamahome over you, but take comfort in the fact that you are loved by Houki because she is so much more better then Miaka.”
Tamahome- “Why do you keep on putting barriers between you and Miaka when there is none? You have no idea how lucky you are if you compare yourself to Hotohori.”
Nuriko- “I don’t think it is just you not minding about your gender, Hotohori also have to not mind as well.”
Chichiri- “Surely you who are so wise, should be able to realize Hotohori’s exclusion by the rest of you?”
Tasuki- “There really is no need for you to tell a joke in order to try and cheer anyone up.”
Mitsukake- “Do you really think that it is possible that you cat might speak?”
Chiriko- “What did you plan to do if your word suddenly disappears when you are in the middle of an exam- or worse, in the middle of a conversation with your emperor if you did successfully become an official.”

74- What would you like to say to the Suzaku warriors as a whole group? (excluding Hotohori) “Please remember that Hotohori is one of you as well, so please stop treating him as an outsider just because he is the emperor.” (Including Hotohori) “I know that your duty is to protect Miaka as well as love her, but honestly, do none of you get frustrated with her at any time?”

75- What would you like to say to Yui? I have nothing I want to say to her, to be honest I think I would like to slap her if I ever sees her.

76- What would you like to say to the celestial warriors of Seiryuu? (individually)
Soi- “Nakago really does love you, even if he refuses to admit it to himself.”
Nakago- “You do love Soi, and you probably know it, so don’t lie to her by saying that you don’t, as well as have some decency to not openly declare out your false love for Yui in front of her.”
Amiboshi- “I think you action in choosing to hide is not fully cowardly.”
Suboshi- “Did you never consider the fact that your brother might ever marry?”
Ashitare- “You do not have to be fully devoted to Nakago just because he saved you that once.”
Tomo- “You are actually a very handsome man, so please stop painting your face like that.”
Miboshi- “Can you please tell me whether you are involved in the legend of Genbu in anyway?”

77- What would you like to say to the celestial warriors of Seiryuu as a whole group? “You guys can almost compete with the seven angles (aka the dragon of the earth) in X for the title of the worst ever team mate.”

78- Any thing else that you want to say to characters not listed in the above list? To Subaru= “can you please tell me why you married Tokaki?” To Tokaki- “just what did you say to Subaru to make her agree to marry you?” To Koji= “Have you always opened doors that way?” “Isn’t the whole point of knocking doors to let the other person ask ‘who are you?’”


questions related to adaptations
79- Which do you like better, the original manga or the anime? Definitely the original manga as the drawings are so much more beautiful in the anime (the beauty in Watase-sensai’s drawings just can’t be conveyed successfully onto screen or by other people), and I also don’t like the anime as they made Miaka and Tamahome more important on the expense of making the other characters less important.

80-“Discuss the character songs briefly, and state your favourite one. I really like the characters song because the lyrics are really good, and the voice actors all sang it really good too. When I hear the songs I can manage to think of it as the character’s voice, not as the seiyuu’s voice, which is really important as they are character songs. As I mentioned for my reviews, I love Hotohori and Soi’s song, I love all the songs they have and probably Tasuki’s ones too. But as for the rest, I might not like all of their songs, but usually I will really like one of their songs. (Chichiri-Mizu Kagami; Yui-aoi arashi; Chiriko-akai iitsutae; Nakago-houkou; the twins-never get away.) I really love Hikitsu and Tomite’s character songs because it just conveys what we discovered from their brief appearance so perfectly- their weariness at all this and the brotherly love they bear for each other. I am really eager to see the anime for Genbu Kaiden if only for the character songs…

81- Which opening song is your favourite/least favourite? For least I will have to say ‘Chijou no Seiza’, which is the opening for the third OVA as I just don’t really like that singer. She doesn’t make that song exciting as it gets bit boring at the middle and the fact that she is singing in this voice that seems unnatural high does not really help. As for opening songs…I think ‘For the sake of my beloved’, for the anime. This is kind of funny as I actually don’t like Miaka’s character songs when the seiyuu for Miaka sang the opening for the anime.

82- Which ending song do you like the best/the least? Favourite is ‘Yes, koko ni eien ga aru’ because it is sang by Koyasu Takehito who is my favourite seiyuu!!! As for least favourite ending songs…I don’t actually have one.

83- List your favourite seiyuu in the anime and explain why. Koyasu Takehito because he just voices Hotohori so perfectly! At times his voice is very formal, very dignified but yet we also hear his voice being really gentle. They are just exactly how Hotohori behaved! He can be formal, but when he is with Miaka and Houki he is very gentle.

84- What do you think about the Fushigi Yugi novels? I’ve only read one of the novels (the Hotohori one) so I do not think I can be a fully good judge in regard to the novel but I actually didn’t like it that much, which quite shocked me since I thought I would like it quite a lot. But it might just be I didn’t like the translation that much and I feel the story is too action based…I feel that we never get to really know what the characters are feeling. But as I said before, it must be the novel’s writing style as I actually was really touched when I saw what happened in the novel shown in Eikou Den.

85- Comment on the OVA’s. I really dislike the first OVA because I think it is just pointless- it is just unnecessary and on top of that they made Tomo into a real bastard, while Koji and Amiboshi died, which I really dislike. And of course…personal biasm, Hotohori only came out in the last five minute of the last OVA, but I quite like the muck around thing in the front/end, although I still think Hotohori’s role is really dehydrated. But I do like the second OVA as it is quite true to the original manga, and the episode about Hotohori and Houki is really touching. As for the third OVA, I don’t really like the plot- how there is this new evil with this girl sent to the country, although I do love the bit when Houki tells her story as that bit was just really romantic and beautiful, I think for that alone, I don’t dislike the third ova that much but in general I probably like the anime better then the OVA, while I like the manga way better then the anime.

86-In regard to the animated adaptations, what are some of the changes that you don’t like or/and like? What I most dislike is the fact that Miaka and Tamahome were made more important on the expense of everyone else. There is also the fact that the drawings are not as beautiful as the manga (Houki looked quite bad in the anime even though she’s really pretty in the manga, although thankfully the second OVA corrected this.) The other two things that I really don’t like…they made Hotohori’s hair brown, I don’t know why but that little thing just really annoy me. Then there is the matter of Nakago’s death, as I said in my review, it shifts from focusing on Nakago to focusing on Tamahome instead. It simply shows Nakago dying, and does not show him finding peace by seeing both Soi and his mother. And another thing…we never see the grown Soi appearing in a proper dress either, I think that is a big pity because it kind of shows her character quite well. I guess it shows what she might have been like? As for the first OVA…I really hate how they killed both Amiboshi and Koji because the manga actually shows that both survived. And even though I like the second OVA I don’t like it that much for the sake that it kind of dehydrated everything, eg. Some of the revelations.


Questions related to the priestess and warriors of Byakko
87-Discuss what you feel about the legend of Byakko I am definitely interested in the legend of Byakko and I think I will like the romance between Tatara and Suzuno as this will finally be a romance where the male is a man, mature enough (from what we have seen in Fushigi Yugi Tatara seemed to be probably in his early twenties when he met Suzuno). I am also very interested in seeing Subaru and Tokaki- seeing how he managed to persuade her to marry him.

88-Why do you think that Suzuno was not able to have her wish granted, when Miaka did? Just as I don’t see how Takiko will get eaten if Miaka didn’t, I do not understand why Suzuno and Tatara could not have their wish granted. I really don’t understand, the only explanation I think I can accept will be that Suzuno asked to stay with Tatara, which was not possible, but it she had asked Tatara to come to her world, then it might have been possible as Tamahome asked to go to her world. Otherwise it is simply not fair, and I do not think Suzaku is more powerful then Byakko or anything.

89-Why do you think Subaru married Tokaki , as well as putting up with him? She must really love him, and he must have somehow proved to her that he really loves her despite his nature. Although their relationship really reminds me of Sango and Miroku from Inuyasha, in fact I get a feeling that Sango and Miroku will just end up like that. (which is why I have become such a big supporter for Sango x Sesshomaru pairings but anyway, that is not the point…) I have began to wander lately…maybe she married him out of friendship, maybe she loved someone else and he died, so she married Tokaki who loved her in his own way?

90-What do you think of the love story between Tatara and Suzuno? From what I have seen it sounds like a very touching love story. I find Tatara’s devotion very touching- how he never stopped wishing her to have happiness even though she would marry another (kind of like Hotohori really…). As for Suzuno, the fact that she married someone seemed to make this story more tragic as I feel that she only married because she had too- that she never stopped loving him either. In short, a very tragic yet beautiful love story, it could be said to end up happy as they were reunited in the end.

Questions related to Genbu Kaiden
91-Discuss what you feel about the legend of Genbu (prior to Genbu Kaiden) initially I actually didn’t really care about the legend of Genbu, one reason was because I just want to know the ending so I didn’t give Hikitsu and Tomite much thought…(I know, I know, I feel guilty now too…) And by the time I focused on their appearance and the legend of Genbu I had already read Genbu Kaiden.

92-Discuss what you feel about the legend of Genbu after reading Genbu Kaiden My conclusion is that Watase-sensai is a really talented manga writer. I’ve only read up to volume five but from what I have seen I really like the story. Even though you can kind of know the ending I still really want to know the process (a sign of a good story). One of my friends thinks that it is a repetition but I definitely don’t agree, because it is not. The characters are so different and we can see that they will reach the goal after a series of a completely different path. Now I am very touched by the legend of Genbu, especially at Hikitsu and Tomite- who guards the shinzaho. I think I am touched because the celestial warriors and Takiko must still have fulfilled their duty even though they faced great prejudice.

93-Who is your favourite character in Genbu Kaiden? Why? When I first read Genbu Kaiden I kept on wandering who would be my favourite character, Takiko seems the type of character I would like but somehow I knew that she is not my favourite character. My favourite character is Hikitsu (perhaps this is due to the fact that he looks like Hotohori, and I love guys with long hair…but then Uruki have long hair too and I don’t particularly like Uruki.) But the moment Hikitsu come out I realize that this guy is my favourite character. I don’t know why but he just really intrigues me, and maybe I like him because he at that time he is older then the rest but four years at the very least (He is 21 while Takiko is 17, Uruki and Tomite are both 16 while Hatsui is 13.) And the fact that he looks like Hotohori…the two of them have this sense of sorrow around them as well as a gentleness, which I like…so somehow Hikitsu is my favourite character.

94- What do you think is the relationship between Hikitsu and Tomite in Genbu Kaiden? Like two brothers, they even swore a vow of being brothers. That is why I really can’t stand fan fictions with them as a pairing. I mean, granted that they stayed in the cave together for two hundred years that still doesn’t automatically mean that kind of stuff! On my part I think Tomite liked Takiko a bit, but if he didn’t die I think he would have ended up with Aira (Hikitsu’s sister).

95- What did you think of Hikitsu and Tomite from their appearance in volume nine of fushigi yugi? To be perfectly honest, at that stage I was just really eager to see the ending that I didn’t really concentrate on others that much. But upon re-reading it I do quite like these two. I think they are portrayed as quite cocky, but you can like them as they aren’t doing anything wrong, they are meant to guard the shinzaho after all. Upon learning about what happens, how they guard it because they felt that they didn’t do enough due to dying too early, I couldn’t help but to be touched. And I guess you can obviously see that these two are very close, because at one point Tomite actually was leaning on Hikitsu in a brotherly fashion and since their society does not seem to be a world which displays open affection much unless one is really close, you can see that they must be very close.

96- Compare Takiko to Miaka, who do you like better and why? Right now I definitely like Takiko way better then Miaka. The reason is because Takiko, for a start, is much smarter then Miaka (or I can be harsh and just say that Takiko is not stupid). Another important thing is that she actually does not always rely on the others to protect her, she can actually protect herself, and she is actually being the Genbu no Miko due to a more likeable reason. Takiko is also so much more mature. Lastly the fact that she is not obsessed by eating automatically make me like her more then Miaka.

97- Talk about what you feel in regard to the Genbu Kaiden video game: Kagami no miko (the priestess of the mirror). Would you play it if you have the chance to? From what I have heard of the game it is just the sort of thing that I really love! Not only is the game absolutely beautiful (since it is Watase-sensai’s drawings) it is also romance central and I just love stuff that is romance related. So I really want to play it, one of my biggest wish is that why will eventually make it into a pc game instead of just a ps2 game and then I hope that it will be translated into Chinese so I can buy it and be able to play it. If such a day happens…I think I will literally burst into tears.

98-Do you think Miboshi will be somehow involved in the story of Genbu Kaiden since he is about 200 years old, while the story of Genbu Kaiden is set about 200 years before the story of Fushigi Yugi. as I said before in my review, I believe he is involved in the story of Genbu Kaiden. In fact, this is my theory… “Hakei (the crown prince of Kutou) stated to Uruki that he would not accept the priestess of Seiryuu and her celestial warriors because that would indicate that the country is in danger. I think what happened is that as a twist of fate, he will end up having a son who is a celestial warrior of Seiryuu (ie. Miboshi). As a result, he will try to kill Miboshi, as a taunt towards fate. Due to this Miboshi will be burned with a desire to survive as proof that he can, and will do anything to survive. Which includes possessing others’ body.”


Final thoughts…
99- Explain why you spend time filling this questioner. Well…I actually wrote this so one answer is that since I write it I really ought to fill out. But the reason why I want to do it is because I really want to do an 100 question on Fushigi yugi since I really love the story. And this also gives me a chance to talk about stuff that I didn’t get to in my reviews.

100-Would you recommend Fushigi Yugi to your friends, if so, how would you do it? Definitely, I’ll recommend it as one of my favourite manga with the additional statement of it being one of the most beautifully drawn manga as well. I will recommend it as a romance story that is overall a serious story, although it does have many funny parts in it as well.