Once, a long long time ago… I once had a family. Oh, but it was oh so long ago, I barely recall the tone of their voices and the details of their face. But, of what I recall to memory, I remember a tale that I was once told.
It was of some Asian lore, I believe…and it touched my heart so. It was about an old woman, her three sons, and fairies too.
-Flash back-
"Mother…please, tell me that story again." A small voice whispered, pleading to a tall figure, whose face was blurred and disfigured.
"Alright, dear, but which one?"
"The old lady! Please, the old lady! The old lady and the broscade!!"
There was a hearty chuckle.
"You mean The Old woman's brocade?"
"Yes!"
"Very well then…"
The woman shifted slightly, and leant onto a small bed, where a young girl waited excitedly for the tale to begin. The woman, presumably the girl's mother, led the child to her lap, as she scoured the bowls of her mind for all the details of the story.
"Once, in a land in the Far East, there lived an old widow, and her three sons. Her eldest son was Netsuke, her second son was Fuuigi, and her youngest son was Aimitsu. Even though she was very poor, she made the most beautiful handmade brocades in the land, and sold them for a living."
She began, stroking her daughter's hair.
"One day, she had a wonderful idea for a brocade, and begun immediately. She started to weave her brocade, working day and night.
The woman continued to work many days without sleep, soon her eyes had dark rings around them and were teary, her hands calloused and bloody.
As she weaved beautiful red flowers, the blood soaked into the red thread, and as she weaved majestic ponds, her tears seemed to soak into the very picture."
There was a pause.
"As she kept on weaving, her sons urged her to stop, seeing what it was doing to her, but she didn't stop, and kept on weaving.
Soon, she was finished, and her sons' mouths dropped in awe of how beautiful her brocade was. A beautiful temple, filled with artistic gardens, filled with white lotuses, Sakura trees, and blossoming plum trees, there was stretching red pillars, adorned with the faces of golden lionesses, and polished oak floors."
The girl was in awe for the umpteenth time, such a beautiful place had to exist somewhere!"The old woman stared at her brocade with pride, and went to bed that night, sleeping for the first time in weeks.
Though, as she slept, a young Fairy was passing by, and seeing the beautiful brocade, she swept it away, so she could bring it home to her family and make one of her own."
"The next morning, the woman awoke to find her masterpiece missing, and fell into a deep depression, becoming gravely ill.
Soon her eldest sons had to chop wood for money, so they could afford living, while Aimitsu took care of his mother."
The mother smiled at the frown that her daughter wore, obviously angry with the 'stealer'.
"One morning, the old woman requested that her eldest son, Netsuke, go and search for her brocade.
So, taking some food and supply's he set off in search for her wondrous brocade.
Hearing rumors of a mystic, who could tell him where to find his mother's brocade, he traveled up the looming Mt. Houkinomira, only to find a small hut made from rotting wood."
"After knocking, an old woman approached him at the door. After asking the woman, who introduced herself as Lady Hitsumara, if she could tell him where to find his mothers brocade, She nodded, and explained that a fairy had stolen it, and to reach Mitsuki Temple; a temple that floated among the sky, he had to first knock out one of his own teeth, and feed it too the stone dragon who stood at the cliff a few miles from her hut. Then, after feeding the dragon his tooth, it would come alive, and he would have to fly it across the land of blizzards, Narume, then across the land scorching deserts Taskuma, to reach the Ningyo Mountains, where he could find Mitsuki Temple."
The girl grinned, and snuggled closer to the older woman.
"Seeing that white-faced Netsuke, she offered him a large chest of gold instead, which he gladly accepted. Instead of returning home to share his money, he left for the city, to spend his fortune. After waiting some days for Netsuke to return, the woman decided to send her second son, Fuuigi in search of her brocade. So, he too packed some food and supplies, and set out for the brocade. Hearing the same rumors, he visited the old mystic.
After hearing the directions of Lady Hitsumara, he quickly paled just like his brother, and gladly accepted the chest of gold that was offered to him.
He too, set off for the city to spend his wealth."
A scowl erupted from the girls face, as she angrily curled a tiny fist.
"Finally the old woman sent her youngest son, Aimitsu, off in search for her brocade. Aimitsu heard the rumors as well, and visited the old mystic at Houkinomira. Lady Hitsumara explained to him the directions to find his mothers beautiful brocade, he visibly blanched, but when she offered him the gold, he merely shook his head, no. Aimitsu, with his hardening resolve, asked the old mystic to lead him to the dragon. Lady Hitsumara was shocked, but her face remained impassive as she led Aimitsu to the stone dragon."
"Once there, Aimitsu punched out his own tooth, and placed it in the scathing stone jaws of the lifeless statue. As soon as the tooth was placed in its mouth, the dragon materialized into a flaming red-scaled dragon, which Aimitsu hesitantly mounted, and off they went, disappearing into the horizon.
Soon Aimitsu was passing through Natsume, where his limbs were numb and frozen, frostbite inflicting his arm, his eyes dry and scratchy from the winds.
Then, he continued onto Taskuma, where he gained horrible sunburn, and his throat was parched, no Oases in sight."
The only sound besides that of the older female were the small comfortable breaths of the snuggling girl.
"Finally he reached the Ningyo Mountains, and landed on the large piece of land, where the Mitsuki temple was perched.
He entered; feeling out of place in the majestic temple, that was lavished with intricately embroidered fabric rugs and furniture.
Everything was so beautiful and expensive. While he stood there in haggard clothes, shaking limbs, red sun burnt skin, and a bandaged frostbitten arm.
A fairy dressed in a fine purple kimono, decorated with pale orchids, approached him, surprised to see a human in her home."
"Mommy? What is a…kimono?" inquired the girl, interrupting the story.
"A kimono, dear, is a long, wide-sleeved Japanese robe worn with an obi and often has elaborately decorated. An obi is a wide sash fastened in the back with a large flat bow." Explained the mother.
The girl decided she would ask her mother what 'elaborately' meant later, but nodded anyway. It happened every time they went over this story, she would forget what some words meant, and would need to be explained to. Though, by now, almost all words were covered and understood.
"After pleading that she return the brocade, and explained that his mother was dying, she nodded, and led him to a large room, where he saw many fairy's Working on a copy of his mothers brocade. She explained that his mother's brocade was so beautiful that they just had to copy such a wonderful design so they could have a copy of it at the temple. Aimitsu agreed to let them finish it, knowing that his mother was safe under the care of their friends back home. The fairies were very grateful, and cured all of Aimitsu's wounds, and made him a most wondrous dinner, and allowed him to sleep in their grand silken beds."
She continued.
"The next morning, a beautiful fairy greeted Aimitsu, she wore a jade green kimono, speckled with white plum blossoms, she told him that their brocade was finished, and handed him the rolled up brocade. After packing up, the fairies approached him, knowing of the horrid trip back to his home, they offered him yukata, which would protect him from the harsh weather from both Natsume and Taskuma, and he accepted gratefully.
Before he could leave, though, the fairy in the green kimono, asked to come with Aimitsu."
"He agreed happily, and together they rode the red dragon back to Mt. Houkinomira. When they reached home, the old woman was surprised to see her son, and cried with joy when the fairy told her of how her son went through with such a perilous journey to obtain her brocade. As the woman rolled out brocade, she was surprised to find her brocade come to life. Soon she was surrounded by the wonderful temple that was weaved upon her brocade, the same wondrous gardens filled with fragrant flowers, the same glistening ponds, and the same stretching pillars and golden lions, and the same polished oak floors."
The girl's eyes blinked slowly, as they began to be overrun with sleepiness.
"Aimistu and Huranda, the fairy, married, and the woman, her friends, and them, all lived peacefully in the amazing temple.
Of course far, far way, both Netsuke and Fuuigi had spent their money gambling, and lived the rest of their lives in poverty, too ashamed to return home."
The woman finished off, and everything went blurry and black to the girl as she fell into a deep slumber.
-End Flashback-
It was so foolish, that tale, whose moral was so luculent and lucid. Yet I still find myself indulging in such fantasies.
But, my mind often drifted to such nonsense like this, as I trekked across the stretching plains of green and rolling hills of emerald. I barely noticed as I passed a rickety sign reading: Welcome to Resembool.
Sorry, how do you spell the name of the town that Winry, Ed, Al, and Grandma Panako live in? Also, I know this was short, and may seem useless. Actually, the reason why this old tale was told won't come into play for a while. But, next chapter is going to be introducing the OC, and other introductions will take place. Interesting, I know.
Please R&R, even though this chapter was extremely short, and most likely boring. Love all who review!
P.S. I hate flashbacks too, and I was irked that this whole chapter was practically a flashback! You can flame on it, if it makes you feel better…
Citrus Sunshine