Rhapsodies in the Dark

by Mitsima

11/27/03

Author's Note: Pure experimental…purely purely experimental.

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Tenpou listlessly stared at the smoke rising from the cigarette between his lips, Goujun's report fading into the back of his mind with a repetitive constancy similar that of a heartbeat. Shocking red eyes embeded in a sea of whiteness scrutinized the entire table of military officers, finally landing on Goujun's own direct subordinate whose mouth was tugged into an uncharacteristic frown. Tenpou was elsewhere. Uncharacteristically, Goujun let it drop. And the heartbeat continued to pulse as before.

"The bodies were found in the Shouryin foothills..."

The meeting was pushing two hours and thirty minutes; long for a military briefing, yet the urgency of the situation required an immediate and thorough analysis of the circumstances surrounding the incident. Tenpou ran his fingers along the edge of the embossed pages of the written report in front of him. They were warm, like the sunlight that slashed through the windows leaving a pool of reddish glow on the smooth mahogany table. It was easy to let his mind wander away from the unpleasant matters upon which his commander was elaborating with practiced stoicism.

He particularly enjoyed looking at the facial expressions of the surrounding officers. Who they choose to sit next to was of no consequence. Who they chose to glance at (if not the speaker) during particularly vital parts of briefings revealed little tidbits that confirmed certain rumors which circulated throughout the lower ranks. If the mention of money ever came up, A-san and B-san would exchange satisfied looks. Well, so they were working together in that embezzlement scheme against secretary such-and-such. For no particular reason at all C-san would wink at A-san while A-san looked down and away. Though I was never one to question an officer's choice of bed partners...

And then now...

"According to Under-Heaven outpost officers, the eight-man scouting team of the 17th regiment of the Western Army seemed to be attacked at approximately 8:00 p.m. of two nights past while on a mission to map out new navigational routes through the Shouryin foothills," Goujun continued. "When they did not return at the assigned time at the allocated rendezvous, a separate recovery team was sent out and was then able to find the missing soldiers; although not in a state we were expecting.

Clawed. Decapitated. Disemboweled. Slashed in half. Tenpou added mentally, his thoughts returning to the meeting. We're all soldiers here. No need to lapse into the babying euphemisms meant for the soft skinned bureaucrats, sir.

Tenpou shook his head and pursed his lips.

"The initial impression was that they were all murdered by the remaining demon tribe of the area."

"So are you saying that it wasn't the Shouryin breed that was responsible?" a brusque voice drawled out from next to Tenpou, dragging him out of his gory reverie. He gave the speaker a sidelong glance. Oh yes, that loud one from the Eastern Army. What was his name...

"I was not suggesting that at all," Goujun clipped back, his claws digging slightly into the table. "You misunderstand. We are quite positive the Shouryin are responsible, but I was making reference to the losses. Our doctors were able to save one of them."

Tenpou's head snapped up. And at that moment, at the corner of his eye, Tenpou saw the Commander of Northern Armies give his own commander a look so full of bitter disdain that he wouldn't have been surprised if the other man started to sweat poison.

Now this is interesting...

Goujun, ever cool, ever calm, like an ancient mountain, did not look back and instead turned his attention to Tenpou.

"You were saying?"

Was I saying anything? He didn't remember if he had. He remembered that he was wondering something, but whether or not that something had escaped his lips- perhaps that was the effect of the grief finally creeping into his mind...where what was said and thought had no relevance at all in a given moment due to one's submission to a quiet pain resulting in a certain apathy to little things like what is expressed externally and what is guarded internally. Sort of like-

Like being turned inside out.

"With reference to the losses suffered …" Tenpou found himself repeating in a tone so apathetic he could have been talking about this month's funding. "Might I inquire the identity of the survivor?"  

"The archer." Oh. With that, the field marshal gave an impassive nod and leaned back in his chair, his eyes turning back towards the window. Goujun looked away with that same tight-lipped expression of I'm-aware-of-your-loss-but-be-a-soldier-and-swallow-it.

No. Tenpou ground out the but his cigarette and took out a fresh one. It wasn't him. He was always a brash one anyways. And too young.  

The meeting adjourned. The commander of the Northern Armies slipped away wordlessly, not unnoticed by a certain marshal and a certain general who had come to the same conclusion without having ever taken notice of each other.

Goujun momentarily pulled him to the side as he was leaving the room. "Take charge of the survivor. We need him alive to testify." Cold as a block of ice but thank goodness not as dense...

The rest of the officers murmurred, both disgruntled and humored by the situation presented to them in exactly two hours, 46 minutes, 27 seconds. Tenpou tried to head out before he could have time to hear what would obviously be said, but sometimes (and he hated himself for it) knowledge was not enough to quench curiosity. He couldn't help it. One step out of the meeting room and he closed the door partially. 

"Who was heading the scouting party?"

"Major Yoshitsune, I believe."

"Ah. That makes sense- while they got themselves in such a ditch."

"Eh?"

"Our Tenpou Gensui's younger brother. Nothing good coming from that poor rut of a family."

"A bit harsh of you, isn't it?"

"Hah. Well if the same thing didn't happen to the father..." 

They all jumped as they heard the door slam shut. A pregnant silence ensued, then was suddenly cut by wry clapping and a mocking whistle.

"You'd think people like you would be practiced in keeping your mouths shut," a general  commented, half tipsy, half pissed as he nursed a cup of sake. "Just 'cause all of you have shit to hide doesn't mean you gotta badmouth a man's family. Nobles. Nothing good coming from that rat race."

"Be silent, General Kenren. Practice what you preach lest your lack of sense comes back to haunt you." chided Tentei's military liaison.

Kenren snorted. "Silence, as I said before, is for people who are hiding shit. And gossip's for people still piling it on." Argue if you don't agree.