Disclaimer: I don't own them and the idea for the role reversal came from the debate on the fyfanfictionML. Idea for Miboshi was stolen in part from WingSong2003, who graciously betaed this for me. Fuuka and Yuuma are from Shugyoku Den, the Tamahome Novel.
Notes: AU; role reversal of the Suzaku and Seiryuu no Seishi.
Taitsukuun looked into her mirror as she watched the final battle unfurl. She had been intrigued by what Byakko had said as he watched Suboshi die. And now that she saw the last Seiryuu standing alone, she couldn't help but wonder, would they have been better?
~~~~~~~~~
[Flashback]
"I wonder if Seiryuu intended for his Seishi to be such bastards? I mean, I know he can be a jerk, but even he's not THAT bad."
Genbu spoke next. "True, but you forget that we mere Gods can not interfere with the lives of our Seishi. We will never know how they would have faired had circumstances been different."
[/Flashback]
~~~~~~~~~~
The Creator realized she had been tricked even as she used her magic on the mirror scene. "Foolish Gods. Things happened this way for a reason. Do they think that I don't know what I'm doing?"
As she spoke, the blond Shogun and his companions faded from the world of the priestesses. All the damage that had been caused by the fighting vanished moments later, leaving the stunned priestesses as the only witnesses as to what had really happened.
Moments later, the two were standing in front of the Creator.
Miaka looked around frantically for her friends before her face came to rest on the only other person besides Yui. "Taitsukuun! What happened?!"
"Calm down, Miaka," the older woman replied. She showed them the mirror as their world faded back to it's normal routine, it's citizens not aware of the struggle for dominance that had just taken place. "I'm afraid that since you two already know what's happened, that you can't be allowed to interfere from here on. New priestesses must be chosen."
Yui frowned. "New priestesses? I don't understand. It was almost over!"
Taitsukuun sighed and motioned to the large mirror. It showed everything that both priestesses had gone through, going backwards. "Yes, but is beginning again. This must happen when two Gods are summoned at once. Their legends become intermingled, essentially becoming one."
"So, they have to be repeated?" Miaka asked, fearfully. She shook her head as she stared down the creator. "No! I won't watch it happen again! I will not let you kill my friends again!"
"Miaka..."
Taitsukuun held up her hand for the Seiryuu no Miko to stop. "No. She's right. Things will not happen the same way again, Miaka. The Seishi will not be the same people. Hotohori will not die in battle. Soi will not give her life for a man that can not love her. Nuriko will not lose his life on Mount Black."
Miaka looked at the older woman curiously. "He won't?"
"No. I can not tell you what will happen, only what might happen. And what might happen will only be determined by where and when the Seishi are born. As you may or may not know, Seiryuu no Miko, your Seishi, Miboshi, was actually born before the first Genbu no Seishi took a breath.
"You see, at the time, Kutou was under a grave threat from invaders of the Hin tribes. It was believed with the birth of Miboshi, that the Miko was destined to arrive soon. However, when no others were born, much emphasis was put upon her to find a way to live until her comrades appeared."
Yui nodded slightly. "I had heard Miboshi mention some things about the past, but never in enough detail to be of any use. He finally admitted after a while that even he wasn't sure about everything that had happened during his life."
"Of course not, going form body to body like that, he was bound to lose a few of his memories in the process. But that does not matter this time around. This time, Miboshi will join her brothers at the correct time and place." Taitsukuun nodded as the mirror changed to reveal a baby. As the Mikos wondered just who it was, a bright blue light enveloped the girl as the symbol for 'basket', flashed on the right side of her neck. "The only thing that has remained the same, Miboshi is the first to be born. However, now that she has, there is only a short time until the book will be ready for you."
Miaka shook her head fiercely. "I can't. I can't go through it all again, knowing what will happen."
"But, Miaka, that's just it. This is a new chance. We don't know what will happen," Yui replied. She glanced to the Creator. "I for one, want to go back. I want a chance to make up for the mistakes I've made."
Taitsukuun nodded. She hadn't expected such abrupt changes in the two Mikos, but wasn't surprised when they appeared. "Very well. For now, return to your world. You will know when it is time."
The two teenagers nodded as they faded from Taitsukuun's palace. The Creator smiled to herself as she imagined the reactions of the Beast Gods when they learned what she had done.
~~~~~~~~~~
Yui Hongo was your average second year, straight-A High School student, except for the dreams that plagued her sleeping mind. She couldn't explain the blonde man with the blue eyes. Nor why she was now suddenly afraid of clams and Chinese Opera houses. But the one thing she could tell you was that the fear she had felt when the dreams first started, shortly before taking the High School exams, was fading. Maybe that was partly due to Tetsuya, maybe not, but she wasn't about to question fate.
Not today.
She had just learned that her best friend, Miaka Yuuki had become engaged to one of her brother's friends from college and Yui had volunteered to have a party for the two.
As she raced out of the school building and toward her boyfriend's car, she nearly ran over one of the other students.
"Hey, slow down, Hongo. You're gonna kill somebody one of these days." The young man flashed the blonde a smile before picking up his books. One of his friends called for him and he left, never noticing the red book he left behind.
Yui made a face at the young man as she knelt to retrieve her own books. She reached for the red one, realized it wasn't hers and turned to look for the boy. "Well, that's weird."
"What's weird?" Tetsuya asked as he hugged her from behind.
"Andy forgot his book. Oh well, I'll give it back to him tomorrow. I don't have time right now to hunt him down," she replied, leaning into the hug. She batted his hands away, after a second, heading for the car. Climbing in, she dropped the worn tome into the back seat. "So, when did Keisuke say he was bringing the lovebirds by? Miaka hasn't been in any of her classes today, so I have to give her her homework as well."
"According to him, Miaka will be there around six, while her fiancé isn't supposed to show until seven. He had a late class or something like that."
"I think Miaka just wants to make sure we won't tease her to death in front of him. You know how she gets around boys."
Tetsuya nodded. "Almost like you did when we started going out," he replied. He grinned as the blonde woman blushed and pulled away from the school.
