Just in time for the New Year too!
Welp, this one is extrodinarily long (26 pages), so I figured I'd split
it into two parts. Look for the second one to follow this in another
e-mail.
Hope you enjoy!
- Jennifer Mondazzi (a.k.a. Rena/Maigrey)
p.s. If you'd like to comment on this story (contructive criticisms
welcome), or have questions about any of it, please e-mail me. I always
enjoy knowing what my readers honestly think and feel. My favorite
questions to ask are: Who is your favorite character so far and why?
Which character repulsed you the most and why? What scenario drew your
interest the most?
p.p.s. I will eventually be HTMLing all of my stories, so look for a
future mailing about the URL.
p.p.p.s. For you Dragonball, X and Tokyo Babylon fans, part 2 of "Can
We Start Over?" will be coming out probably by Monday, Jan. 5th, at the
latest, followed shortly thereafter by part 7 of "Dreams of a Blue Sky"
and then part 12 of "To Live On..."
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"Fushigi Yuugi - The Fabulous Adventure"
Part 2 - A New Me Will Bloom...
by: Jennifer L. Mondazzi
October 20th, 1997-December 30th, 1997
Yui Hongo, the Priestess-Maiden of Seiryuu, sat huddling in her large,
cold Pao alone, staring at the scar on her wrist. The longer she looked
at the ugly slash, the more she was reminded of the fact that no man
would want her for a wife now, especially not after _that _had happened
to her.
Yui couldn't even bring herself to think the word for the act that had
been so horribly forced upon her all those months earlier, when she'd
first arrived in this hateful world. It was too raw, too painful for
her to remember, so she forced it back, trying to shut the large knot
of pain away, attempting to bury it under her anger and hatred. It was
a futile attempt, however. An audible sob escaped her lips, and the
tears came, pouring down her cheeks in hot rivulets. Her small
shoulders shook with the effort of trying to hold back the overwhelming
tide of self-pity, remorse, and guilt.
"Lady Yui," a soft voice came from outside, startling her, "may I come
in?"
Yui hastily wiped the streaks from her face, and cleared her
expression, hoping to maintain a neutral facade. She turned her back to
the opening, embarrassed that her guest would know what she had been
doing, and not wanting him to know the truth. After a few deep,
clearing breaths, and combing her fingers through her hair to
straighten it, she responded.
"Of course. Come in Suboshi."
The young Warrior of Seiryuu pulled back the tent flap just enough for
him to slip into the room, making a concerted effort not to let the
little bit of warmth inside escape. Yui was grateful for his
consideration, but hoped he'd deliver his message and quickly leave her
to her thoughts again.
"Lady Yui, forgive my intrusion," Suboshi murmured politely, "but
Nakago sent me ahead to tell you that he'd like to call a meeting of
the Seishi as soon as he comes back to camp. He's requested your
presence as well. He has something important to discuss with all of
us."
Yui cleared her throat. "Did he says what it was?" she asked,
curious.
"No, Miko, but he seemed very upset at whatever it was."
Suboshi paused, and Yui knew he wanted to say more, but was reluctant
to. "What is it?" she asked, instinctively hearing what wasn't being
said. It was the young man's turn to clear his own throat before
answering.
"Soi was talking with him when he instructed me to go find you, but I
caught a little of their conversation," he confessed. Yui could hear
the blush in his voice, and smiled. Suboshi tried to be, despite his
fierce temper, very proper. Some things were just not done in civilized
society, including eavesdropping.
"And what did you hear?" she prompted him, unconsciously turning her
profile to him.
Suboshi's surprised gasp reached her ears clearly from across the
room, and she turned away again, knowing he had seen her tear-streaked
face. <Stupid! >she mentally berated herself for her lack of
attention. <Now he knows that something's wrong!>
His hand, suddenly warm and comforting on her shoulder, startled her.
"My lady, what has happened?" he asked, concerned.
His warm breath brushed against the back of her neck, and made Yui
shiver from more than just the chill. She willed herself to take a
small step forward, to distance herself from him, and immediately he
let his hand drop away. She had felt his hesitation, and could almost
sense his disappointment in the still room.
Riotous emotions built up within her - part of her wanted the comfort
that Suboshi offered, but part of her was afraid of it. No, she steeled
herself. If she relied upon his kindness and accepted his consolation,
then he'd find out what had happened to her. Enough people knew already
- she didn't need anymore pity.
"Tell me, Suboshi," she ordered coldly, unemotional, focusing the
conversation back on track, and away from her. "What was it that you
overheard?"
There was a stunned silence that lasted for the space of five
heartbeats, but then Suboshi finally managed to stammer out a
satisfactory reply. "So...Soi was talking about the Genbu Miko.
She...she seems to believe that she's seen some of the Genbu Seishi
around this area." He paused dramatically, to let it sink in, then
continued. "Lady Yui, if that were true, then...then that would mean
that Genbu's Miko has returned to this world, wouldn't it? I...I didn't
think that was possible."
"It appears that you, as well as the rest of us, have thought wrong
then," a new voice informed them from just outside the entrance. Yui
jumped, then willed her heart to slow its sudden racing. She'd known
that Nakago would be coming, so his sudden arrival shouldn't have
unnerved her. She composed herself, and faced him with more courage
than what she felt she currently had inside.
Suboshi spun around at his superior's voice, startled by the entrance
of the Seiryuu Miko's Protector to the tent. Following Nakago came Soi,
Ashitare, Miboshi and then Tomo, all wrapped in heavy fur coats and
bundled against the frigid temperatures of Hokkan's northern-most
territory. Tomo shook snow off of his wrap, as smooth and elegant as
ever, and took one of the small stools in the center of the tent for
himself. Soi silently took the seat next to him, while Ashitare and
Miboshi both stood in the corners of the tent, opposite each other.
Nakago approached Yui and Suboshi, his movements graceful despite his
great height and build.
"Mistress Yui, what Suboshi tells you is true," he said, bowing in
greeting. "Soi and Ashitare have discovered the presence of three Genbu
Seishi in this area, and Miboshi reports that a fourth Genbu Seishi and
a Byakko Seishi both tried to break through his barrier last night.
From this information, we can only assume that the Mikos for both Genbu
and Byakko are also due to arrive in this world sometime soon, if they
are not already here."
"How is this possible?" she demanded, panic constricting her heart.
She looked accusingly at Nakago. "You told me that the Priestesses for
Genbu and Byakko had already arrived in this world years ago."
"Yes, Miko, this is true," Miboshi replied, floating towards her, and
stopping a mere foot away.
Yui unconsciously took a step away from the strange, three-eyed monk
before she had realized what she was doing. Since they had been
introduced, she had been uncomfortable around this abnormal, little
man, and he seemed to both understand and enjoy her discomfort. Perhaps
it was all in her imagination, but she could swear that he
intentionally added the slight maniacal cackle to his voice just to get
a shocked or disgusted reaction from her. So far, it was working, and
this irritated her. She was the Seiryuu Miko, after all, and being
afraid of her Seishi was ridiculous. In addition, how could they ever
respect and follow her if she cowered before them?
Grinding her teeth, she squared her shoulders, and stepped forward
once more, aware that everyone in the tent watched her carefully.
Miboshi grinned, his third eye blinking as he did so, and Yui swallowed
back her revulsion, concentrating on listening to the rest of the man's
tale.
"Both the Mikos for Byakko and Genbu arrived long ago, according to
the scribes," he relayed, folding his small hands into the folds of his
robes, "and it is true that both left soon after they had summoned
their Gods." His eyes, all three of them, narrowed in what appeared to
be aggravation. "However, the legends do not tell us much of their
experiences while in this world, nor what happened to them once they
left. In truth, the Miko Codex - known as 'The Four Gods of Sky and
Earth' - has never said whether it is possible for there to be more
than one Priestess destined for each God, but we have always assumed it
as such. The emergence of these new Seishi for Byakko and Genbu would
contradict this belief, however."
Yui shook her head stubbornly, halting Miboshi's next words. "How can
you know that?" she argued. "Their arrival could all be some sort of
freakishly, random act." A familiar tug in her heart told her
otherwise, yet she pressed on, not wanting to accept the possibility
that was being presented to her. "Only Miaka and I know of the book's
existence."
This time, it was Suboshi who interrupted. "Book?"
Yui reeled back as if struck, realizing that she'd said too much. How
could she explain to any of them that they were nothing more than
characters in a strange book that had been locked away for
gods-knew-how-long in an off-limits section of the Tokyo National
Library? They'd think she'd flipped off the deep end at best, at worst,
that she was telling the truth.
Her brain tried to quickly think of a way to correct the damage and
head off any more questions. The half-lie was a bad one, she knew, but
it was the best she could come up with on the spot. "Y...yes, the spell
book that Miaka and I used to summon ourselves to this world. We used
it to come here."
Well, it wasn't a complete lie.
She felt a little better when Tomo, Soi and Suboshi all nodded in
acceptance of her story. Ashitare seemed not to care one way or the
other. Perhaps it had been beyond his comprehension? Nakago and
Miboshi, however, worried her. Both had narrowed eyes, which silently
seemed to be trying to pick her brain, saying that they hadn't bought
into her fabrication as easily as the others.
"So...so, that means that this entire thing has to be a mistake," she
stammered, simultaneously trying to take the pressure off of herself,
and put it back onto the situation at hand. Her hopes that the
appearance of these new warriors might somehow be explained as an odd
coincidence were instantly dashed, however, by the voice of logic and
reason.
"No," Tomo assured her calmly, picking at a loose thread on his parka.
"Seishi are only fated to be born in the time before a Miko is to
appear."
Suboshi stepped protectively to Yui's side. "How can you be sure?" he
asked, loyally taking her side in the discussion. Miboshi turned his
attention to the young boy, who met him stare for stare, unflinching.
He sniffed in disdain. "Because the Miko Codex says so quite clearly,"
the Lama replied arrogantly. "If you'd bother to read it, you'd know
that, commoner boy."
The younger Seishi's face reddened in anger, but he clamped his jaw
tightly, and swallowed the remark he had been about to make, settling
for simply sneering in silence. He didn't want to start a fight in
front of Lady Yui, especially since she had been so upset earlier. He'd
seen the still-wet tracks of her tears, and her moist, wounded eyes
when she had turned her profile to him. It had hurt him to know that he
could do nothing for her at that moment. Not wanting to cause her any
more pain, Suboshi kept his volatile temper in check.
Later, though, he'd have his revenge against Miboshi for everything he
had done and said since he had first come to their encampment only a
short week before.
Suboshi didn't like nor trust the hermit further than he could throw
him, and would feel absolutely no qualms about his disappearance either
- especially if he, himself, took part in it. The strange, cursed man
had rubbed him the wrong way from the get-go, but he had made himself a
real enemy when he had made a rude comment about Amiboshi's death while
in Suboshi's presence. His older twin's demise was a terribly sensitive
issue, and Miboshi had known it, purposefully mentioning it to see how
far he could push his fellow Seishi. That kind of mistake wasn't one
that would be simply forgiven.
So, Suboshi bided his time, waiting for the perfect opportunity to rid
the world of the little, mutant-freak of nature, knowing he'd be doing
everyone a better service for it.
Suboshi smirked, his murderous thoughts clearly showing in his every
feature. Miboshi cackled lightly, reading the promise in the younger
man's eyes. He welcomed the challenge with a slight nod, and then
drifted back to the corner where he had come from, having spoken his
peace.
"Mistress," Nakago addressed Yui reverently, drawing attention back to
the matter at hand, "if there are two other Mikos out there, it will
only be a matter of time before they appear, and gather all of their
own Seishi together." He reached out, and clasped one of Yui's hands in
his own, lightly squeezing her fingertips to emphasize his feelings.
"With Suzaku's Miko and her Seishi here as well, we have little time
left."
Yui looked down at her fingers, entwined with her most trusted
advisor's own, and nodded. "Then we need to find both Shinzaho first,"
she resolved, taking a deep breath. She removed her hand from Nakago's,
turning her back to the entire assembly, and looked back at the scar on
her wrist. The silence stretched between them all, and it seemed that
everyone hinged on Yui's next words.
"Find it for me," she ordered them all, her voice hard, determined.
"Find both Byakko's and Genbu's Shinzaho for me, put them in my hands,
let me call forth Seiryuu, and I will reward the one who succeeds in
this task with one of my three wishes."
There were several gasps from the assemblage at this generous offer,
and Yui permitted herself a small, triumphant smile. There was nothing
that her fighter-protectors wouldn't do now to get to the two holy
relics. By offering them the possibility of having their own wish, she
was, in effect, offering them their most treasured desire, but she
cared little for that. She only wanted to guarantee that Miaka didn't
call Suzaku first - that Miaka suffered in turn for everything that Yui
had endured.
Nakago broke the startled silence then, his voice calm and collected.
"And what of these new Seishi, my Lady?" His tone implied what he'd
like to do, and Yui understood immediately what he was asking. She
turned to face them again, sighed deeply, and nodded, conceding to this
one request.
"Do as you see fit, Nakago. I leave it in your capable hands. Now,
leave me, all of you, please." She permitted herself to sound a little
tired with that last bit, hoping they would believe her to be, so that
they would leave quicker.
Her Protector bowed low at the waist, and the other Seishi stood or
drifted towards the exit. They left without words, caught up in their
own private thoughts. Suboshi took one last look at his Miko, worried
for her, but then he, too, bowed and left, respecting her need for
privacy.
When they were all finally gone, Yui found herself strangely lonely,
and debated calling one of them back - if only for their physical
company. Instead, she sat herself down in a chair and began reviewing
her English and Science lessons, needing the peace that such studies
offered.
"Lord Nakago, what are your orders?" Soi asked dutifully, once
everyone was out of earshot of their Miko's tent. They all stopped,
waiting for their leader to command them. He looked out over the
endless, white expanse of the frozen tundra and gave them their
instructions.
"Tomo, you are to watch the Suzaku Seishi carefully. I believe that
they are the closest to finding the Shinzaho right now. Follow them,
and when you find out the resting place of Genbu's sacred relic, report
back immediately." He smirked. "Do not take it upon yourself to
glory-hunt, either," he warned, staring at the man from the corner of
his eye. "Lady Yui's offer is enough to tempt all of us, but they are
six to your one. We don't want the Shinzaho to fall into the Suzaku
Miko's hands because of overconfidence. Lady Yui would be enraged."
The strangely-painted face of the mysterious Tomo lifted at the
corners of his lips slightly, making him appear demonic, and he
snickered evilly. "Yes, Lord Nakago," he uttered, and within seconds,
was completely gone from sight, using his Shin Clam to create the
illusion of his disappearance.
Nakago addressed Suboshi next. "Find the rest of the Byakko Warriors,
and report back in detail on them. We need to know their numbers,
whether they've found their Miko yet, and their powers. They may prove
trouble for Lady Yui if we're not careful."
The youngest of their group nodded mutely, and turned towards the
tethered horses without a word, his duty clear.
Nakago chuckled to himself. Bu Shunkaku, the one known as Suboshi, was
the easiest to manipulate and control - he needed only to mention their
Miko's name and the boy's infatuation for her controlled his actions.
He almost envied the naiveté of youth. Almost.
"Ashitare..." Nakago turned his full attention to the half-man,
half-wolf creature, which hulked in the background silently. "You are
to protect Mistress Yui, for now. No matter where she goes, you will be
there to watch her, and if she is harmed in any way, you will be held
responsible. Is that understood?"
The creature grunted in reply, and turned his massive bulk quickly
back towards his Miko's tent. For one so large, he moved quickly,
covering the space between where he had stood and his mistress' Pao
within a few strides.
"And what of me, my Lord?" Soi asked hesitantly, when Nakago remained
quiet for several seconds. He looked as Soi carefully, measuring her
through narrowed, calculating eyes.
"I want you to watch the Genbu Seishi," he informed her. "Get me
information about them, Soi, and make sure it's thorough. We must know
our enemies, after all."
Soi bowed her head in acquiescence. "It will be done, my Lord," she
asserted, then headed off in the same direction as Suboshi had. Nakago
watched her go, allowing himself a moment to admire the slight sway of
her hips.
Miboshi sniggered, as if reading his superior's thoughts, drawing
Nakago's attention away from the lovely sight. "And what will you have
me do?" the monk asked, giving Kutou's General a knowing, sarcastic
grin. Nakago's icy return made the man's twisted smile falter until it
was replaced with a truer emotion - that of barely concealed hatred. It
was Nakago's turn to smirk then, knowing that he had turned the tables
on his fellow Seishi. He decided to pour salt in the wound by giving
the monk exactly what he was asking for.
"You will continue reviewing the old writings for any reference to the
Mikos, and the possible meaning of having all four appear at the same
time in this world. I want to know what it means - and soon."
Miboshi nodded once, stiffly, then floated off towards his tent. As he
passed by Nakago, he halted, hovering in the air, shoulder-to-shoulder
with the man. "Knowing one's enemies is always a prudent, and
oftentimes a life-saving strategy," he commented off-handedly, then
floated on his way towards his own Pao.
Nakago's nefarious grin grew wider as he stood there for several
minutes in utter stillness, listening to the wind blow across the
crystallized plain. Miboshi's message had been clear - a sure threat.
He admired the tenacity of his fellow Seishi, but quickly realized
that, eventually, he'd have to take care of the wicked, little spirit
that was currently possessing the body of the Lama. That one was
getting too big for his robes, it seemed.
When the time came, Nakago would take immense pleasure in seeing those
garments torn to shreds.
He headed towards his palanquin to plan out his strategies.
On second though, maybe he'd let Suboshi do Miboshi in for him,
instead. If he was lucky, they'd wipe each other out, and save him the
trouble of having to doing it later.
"Who's there?"
Yui jumped up from her chair as a dark shadow lay across the tent
flap. She dropped her book in her seat, and faced the intruder. A
coarse, deep voice replied simply its name.
"Ashitare."
"Come in," she offered, grateful that someone had come back, even if
it was the silent giant of the group. Although she had never felt
comfortable around this particular Seishi either, she still recognized
that he would do her no harm. He belonged to Seiryuu, and indirectly to
her as Seiryuu's Miko, for that matter.
Besides, he was a welcome answer to the loneliness that threatened to
invade her senses. Studying, for the moment, was doing nothing to help
calm her restlessness.
The colossal man entered her domain and set himself down on her floor
in the middle of the small area, watching her intently and saying
absolutely nothing. Yui was instantly irritated with this behavior. She
had wanted a companion for the afternoon, not a bodyguard!
<At least Suboshi gives me both>, she thought fondly, <even if he
doesn't always say the right thing.> She secretly found herself hoping
that the boy would just magically appear. She wanted a little fun right
at that moment, and since their ages were close, he being exactly two
months her elder, Suboshi could appreciate and relate to her in a way
that the other Seishi could not. She sat back down in her chair and
waited, occasionally peeking at the tent flap, looking for that
familiar shadow.
After an hour, she knew that the boy wouldn't be coming back for a
while; Nakago had probably sent him on some errand. This increased her
ire proportionally, and when she looked over at Ashitare's calm gaze
again, she could take no more.
Her words were waspish as she addressed him.
"What do you want? Surely, you didn't come here just to watch me? And
don't sit on the ground like that; you look like some sort of animal."
Ashitare continued to observe her for several seconds in silence,
weighing her with his unfathomable eyes, then slowly, gracefully, he
stood. His incredible bulk seemed to engulf the small Pao, and Yui
found it suddenly extraordinarily uncomfortable. She looked out the
crack in the eaves, and made her decision. Grabbing her fur-lined coat,
she donned it and then did the same with her cap and gloves.
"I need to get out of here," she murmured, knowing that his keen
hearing would pick up her words. She finished the last wrist-button on
the gloves, readjusted her cap on her head, and turned to him with a
bright, completely fake smile.
"Let's go out for a walk, shall we?" she offered, and hurriedly left
the tent. Ashitare's massive steps tromped along behind her, keeping
pace easily. Within ten minutes, the duo had left the encampment
behind, and crested a hill overlooking the small vale.
Yui gasp at the beauty around her. "It's so...so white!" she
exclaimed, her breath frosting in the chilled air. Everything around
her was bathed in a blanket of sparkling snow, and it all twinkled like
miniature stars in the mid-morning sun.
As she stood there, for some incomprehensible reason, she discovered
the need to simply hear a voice, even if it was her own. She began
relating her tales out loud, heedless of whether her attendant was
really listening or not.
"In my world, I don't remember ever seeing snow like this. It usually
turns to a slushy-brown color within a day after falling. I suppose it
must have something to do with the air. There _are_ a lot of people
there, and they _do_ move around a lot. Maybe all of the unnatural heat
is the cause of it. Whatever the reason, winter in Tokyo isn't nearly
as pretty as it is here. I wonder if Hokkan is always like this, or if
it's seasonal?"
Ashitare said nothing in response. He listened, watching his Miko
carefully. Soon, she grew fidgety, and then excitable. She rubbed her
hands over her arms to brush away the chill, continuing to stare out at
the horizon. Off to the west, dark clouds loomed, bringing the promise
of another storm.
"You never say anything really," she commented off-handedly, trying to
draw him into conversation with her. She wanted to, no, _needed_ to
engage in a friendly chat with someone. She hadn't done so in a long
time, she realized. "I mean, I know nothing about you, and yet, you're
my Seishi..."
That stopped her, as she considered exactly what she did know of those
who had sworn to protect her even at the cost of their own lives. After
thinking hard about it, she came to a startling conclusion. "I guess I
really don't know much about any of you, do I?"
Still, the large man did not respond, and she began to wonder if he
was even behind her anymore, or if he had wandered back to camp. No,
she could feel his presence close-by if she stretched her senses out to
seek him, so there was no question that he had heard her. She guessed
that either he was incredibly shy, not very eloquent or simply
watchful, and that one of these was the reason for his behavior.
She decided to try one last time.
"I know that Ashitare is your Seiryuu name. What is your real name?
Where are you from?"
She heard the soft crunch of the snow as Ashitare shifted slightly,
and then he was behind her, barely touching her back with his massive
chest. The heat she felt running off of his body warmed her even across
the distance, and right through her clothes. Something inside of her
shivered in response, but not in the same way as when Suboshi had
touched her. This was more alarming - not in the least bit enticing.
When Ashitare spoke, Yui found herself shaking all over. "You're
afraid of me," he stated in his gravely voice, matter-of-factly. "I
smell it, Miko."
She froze, her eyes wide, her breath catching in her throat. He did
not touch her, but to Yui, she felt as though his massive hands were
strangling her, closing off her breathing, smothering her. She began
trembling violently, realizing the truth. She was frightened of him,
more so than of any of her other Seishi, including Miboshi. Ashitare
was terrifying in a primal way. He was a predator, and she was small
enough, weak enough to be considered prey. She could vaguely smell the
decayed blood upon his breath, as he loomed over her, and she absently
wondered what animal he had killed and eaten recently. Had it even been
an animal? Her eyes darted all around, her impulsive, intuitive side
screaming at her to flee and not look back.
Where was Suboshi when she needed him? Why had Nakago sent this one to
her instead of coming himself? Damn them both!
<You're doing it again>, a small voice in her head warned her.
<Letting yourself be frightened of your own protectors. Foolish
girl.>
Yui's shaking subsided, and a new anger rose within her. She was
acting like a scared child, she realized, and there was no reason for
it whatsoever. Ashitare was a Seiryuu Seishi, and would never harm her
- could never harm her. The Dragon God would not allow it.
Besides, Ashitare was like her in at least one way - he was lonely.
Deep inside of him, he was crying out for someone to try to understand
him. She could sense this, could see it about his dark aura, and that,
above all else, connected them. Perhaps this time alone with him was an
opportunity. She was his Miko, and if anyone among them would try to
understand the other, it should be her.
She came to a decision, then, and went with what her instincts told
her was the right thing to do. She leaned back against Ashitare's
chest, and put her trust in her God, hoping she had not made the
gravest mistake of her life.
At first, Ashitare did not move. In fact, he seemed quite surprised by
his Miko's actions. For several minutes, he let her recline against
him, and neither said a word, trying to perceive the other's
intentions. When he leaned over her, to sniff at her hair and clothes,
Yui did not move, forcing herself to remain calm and in control of her
fear.
Eventually, hesitantly, he placed a strong, accepting hand gently on
her right shoulder. Yui positioned her own left hand over his, and let
the silence express the feelings that clumsy words could not fully
convey. The two stood like that for several minutes, ignoring the cold,
taking comfort in each other's new-found understanding.
What she hadn't realized then, and would much later, was that his
gesture had been significant in the wolfman's mind; it sealed a pact
between them, and symbolized his acceptance of her as both his Miko and
his packmate.
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Part B found in next mailing...