Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yuugi.
Chapter 6: Silver Frost
Narrator
Takiko was not happy. She scowled darkly at Bluma's ears. The horse didn't seem to care. For once it wasn't snowing, but it was cold and windy and, as they were heading north, it was only getting colder. Even her heavy furs couldn't shut out the wind. Why Kutou would actually want this God forsaken place was beyond her. She couldn't see anything here that was worth fighting a war for.
She and Tomite had joined a caravan heading towards Mount Black two days ago. It had been three since they had departed from the capital. Tomite had become infuriatingly over protective. He would hardly let her out of his sight. At times it was enough to make her scream. She understood. After all, she had proven that she wasn't able to take care of herself, and it was his duty to make sure she didn't get herself killed. It was still annoying.
When they stopped that night she joined two of the caravan's women washing clothes, desperate to get away from him. Liu Jingyan and Zhang Yao'er were sisters, although now they were married and no longer shared a last name. Their young children — Zhang's two boys and Liu's girl — played nearby as the women worked. The stream they used was melt water from the mountain. It was icy cold, but in Hokkan you made due with what you had. What Takiko had always used a machine for these women did by hand.
At first the women were nervous around Takiko and, despite her best efforts, only spoke to her to tell her vehemently that she should leave the work to them. Despite their efforts it had leaked out that Takiko was the Genbu no Miko. Tomite hadn't been happy. Finally Takiko just tried to copy what they were doing. When they saw she was doing it wrong they gave in and instructed her.
After that it didn't take long for them to loosen up. They found it quite silly that the Genbu no Miko couldn't even wash her own clothing.
"I suppose you must have servants back home," Liu said. The two sisters sighed longingly. Takiko only laughed.
"I've never had a servant in my life," she assured them.
"Then who washed your clothes?" asked Zhang, the elder of the two.
"I do." The two looked at her skeptically. "Back home we just have different ways of doing things. I use a…" How do describe a washing machine? Was there even a point in trying? "A device," she finally settled with.
"Something that washes your clothes? You must be very rich to have a thing like that." Again Takiko shook her head.
"In my world I'm just an ordinary girl. I'm not rich or anything."
"You can't be," said Liu.
"You're just saying that," Zhang said at the same time. Takiko shook her head.
"No, really. The only thing that separates me from every other girl in my world is that I ended up here."
"I still don't believe you," said Liu.
"Think whatever you want," Takiko replied, resigned. All three girls laughed.
"How did you end up with your husbands? Was it an arranged marriage?" Takiko asked, trying to change the subject. Although they were married with children the sisters were only twenty and seventeen. Takiko couldn't imagine them knowing whom they wanted to be with for the rest of their lives so young.
"Sort of," Zhang replied. "Father picked our husbands, but he never would have made us marry against our will like some do. We got to choose if we wanted to marry who he picked, and if we fell in love, as Liu did, he assured us that he would give the man fair consideration."
"Before I met Wu Father was considering another man," said Liu. "When I told him who I wanted he gave us his blessing."
"What about you?" asked Zhang. "You're around marriageable age. Has your father picked a man for you?"
"No," Takiko said. "Papa has made it very clear that I will be able to choose my own husband when the time comes. It's a modern idea in my world, but more and more people are marrying for love instead of duty now."
"What a strange world you live in," Zhang said, shaking her head.
"Don't you love your husbands?" Takiko asked. The sister's shared a look.
"Yes," said Liu. "I love Wu very much. But I didn't marry him because I loved him. He's a good man and he brought honor to my family. Marrying him brings valuable connections to my father. I love him, but if marrying him didn't do these things I wouldn't have." Zhang was nodding.
"Even though you love him? You might marry another man you didn't love because it served your family better?"
"Yes," Zhang answered without hesitation. "That is our duty."
"I find that very sad," Takiko said softly. Liu placed a hand on the younger girl's shoulder.
"What about you?" she asked. "Since you are able to choose your own husband, have you found someone?"
"No. Not yet," Takiko said.
"But surely you must soon. You're fourteen! When I was your age I was married, or about to be," said Zhang. Liu nodded vehemently.
"I'll find someone," Takiko said. "You don't need to worry about me." The sister's shared a knowing look.
"There must be someone," Liu said.
"No. No one," Takiko insisted.
"What about Tomite?" asked Zhang. "He's close to your age, strong, handsome, kind, and your seishi. He seems like the ideal choice to me." Takiko laughed.
"Tomite?" she asked. "You must be joking."
"Not at all. We're it not for Wu I'd snatch a catch like that up in a second," said Liu. "Tomite is a fine man. What's not to like?"
"Tomite…" Takiko hesitated. "Well, for starters, he's a stubborn, mule headed, over protective, infuriating boy. He can't cook, he cares more about his horse than any human, and to top it all off we're come completely different worlds. I like Tomite — really I do — but something happening between us is, quite frankly, absurd." The sister's burst into laughter. Takiko looked at them, not understanding.
"I don't get it," she said. "What's so funny?" Liu fought to catch her breath.
"You just… You denied it so vehemently!" she said.
"It sounded like a load of crap to me," said her sister.
"No, it sounded like she was making excuses," Liu said. "It sounded like the only thing that's actually stopping her is that they're from different worlds." The two started laughing again. Takiko stared at them, open mouthed and dumbstruck.
"I do not like Tomite!" she finally spluttered, indignantly. The sisters only laughed harder.
"I don't!"
"Not yet," Liu said, still snickering.
"Not ever," Takiko insisted. "Tomite isn't my type at all."
"Oh? And what is your type?"
"My type?" Takiko was taken aback. She'd never really thought about it. "My type… My type of man would have to be kind, thoughtful, attentive — but not overbearing — strong, handsome, and honest. My type of man would never, ever leave me." Again, the sister's shared that knowing look. It was starting to get on Takiko's nerves. When they looked at each other that way it felt as though they knew something she didn't.
"Which of those qualities doesn't Tomite fit?" asked Zhang. Takiko hesitated.
"Well… He's completely overbearing," she said. "Sometimes I wish he'd just stop being such a worry-wart and leave me alone."
"Is that all?" asked Zhang. "Takiko, you'll never find a man with all of those qualities. They don't exist. If that's the only thing wrong with him then you've got yourself a great guy." Takiko was silent.
"Tomite will leave me," she said quietly after a few moments. "Or… I'll leave him. Once I summon Genbu I'm going home. Now is not the time to be thinking about romance." The sister's had no reply for this, so they said nothing. They were done with the clothing, so they gathered it up and Liu and Zhang called their children to them. They walked with each other back to where the caravan was stopped for the night.
"Where were you?" asked Tomite when he saw her enter the circle of wagons.
"She was with us," Liu said, saving Takiko from answering. "We drafted her to help us wash the clothes." Takiko nodded, confirming the story, although really she had insisted on going along. Tomite didn't need to know that though.
"Right. Well, try to tell me where you're going next time you try to disappear." Takiko felt her annoyance growing.
"You're not my keeper, Tomite," she said quietly. She handed Zhang her basket. "It was fun talking to you two. I'll see you later, okay?" The two girls nodded and Liu gave her a one-armed hug before the sister's went their own separate ways. Takiko went into her own tent. Tomite watched her go.
"What did that mean?" he wondered aloud. A man standing near by laughed.
"She's a woman, boy. Don't even bother trying to understand."
Tomite and Takiko parted from the caravan two days later at the foot of Mount Black. Takiko hugged Liu and Zhang, with whom she had become good friends, while Tomite waited awkwardly with Bluma. Soon the caravan was a dot in the distance and Bluma was trudging up the slope.
Takiko nestled deeper into her clothes. The higher they got the colder it got. At least Mount Black wasn't very big. They could make it to the top in less than a day where there was said to be a cave.
Tomite's arm was firm around her. It was amazing how quickly she'd stopped being afraid of riding. Now the feel of the horse's movement beneath her was almost a comfort. She didn't think she'd like it if she were riding alone, but with Tomite it was almost enjoyable.
Tomite…
She couldn't get what Liu and Zhang had said about him out of her head. Tomite really was a good man. He was strong and dependable and kind. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. The first time she'd seen him she'd thought him to be relatively handsome, but not eye catching. She was beginning to revise her opinion. She had seen the way the women of the caravan had looked at him. Of course, he was one of the Genbu Seishi. Any woman would want him. And yet it was more than that. They'd looked at him with lust in their eyes, not just admiration or want. Liu and Zhang had certainly thought him handsome.
"What?" Tomite asked.
"Huh?"
"You're staring." Her face flushed and she quickly looked away.
"Nothing," she said. Tomite scowled, but didn't press it. He didn't understand this girl. Up until they had left the capital he'd thought things were going really well. They'd actually been getting along. Ever since it'd seemed like she'd always been mad at him, and now she was looking at him in that strange way. He didn't get it. What had he done this time?
He'd never understand women for as long as he'd live. Once upon a time Yanata would have explained things to him. She always helped him sort things out with his other sisters. With six girls in the house, including her, the help had been both welcome and needed. He wished she could help him now.
But she couldn't, and wishing was useless.
Tomite
It was about three hours before sunset when we reached the top of Mount Black. The cave was not hard to spot; the entrance was huge. I wondered how well it would shield us until we stepped inside. By some luck the wind was blowing away from the entrance.
I vaguely remembered the cave. Entato and I had visited it a few times in our search for adventure. I had been young though, and I had forgotten how big the cave really was.
I helped Takiko off Bluma. The horse walked to one side of the cave, the sound of his hooves echoing loudly around us. Takiko followed him with his grooming supplies. Bluma had taken a great liking to my miko. It had been just the two of us for so long. I think he liked the change of scenery.
"I'm gonna take a look outside," I called to her. The echoes in that place were impressive.
"Okay. Be careful." I snorted. She was telling me to be careful? She glared at me, which quelled any desire to laugh. Great. I'd pissed her off again.
I went a ways into the woods. It had been a long time, but I remembered. Even though Entato had been five years older than me, the two of us had a lot of fun. Dikoro almost always tagged along. We used to make fun of him. That was back when I saw Dikoro as a nuisance instead of as an ally against the girls. Entato did his best to stop me from making his life completely miserable (although I remember him being in on a fair share of those jokes), but I know it didn't always work. I felt sorry years later, but Dikoro never held a grudge.
The summer we spent here was a good time. Not the best time of my life, but high on the list. I looked around and felt myself smile. I liked the woods. I always had.
A scream split the air around me and I whirled around.
"Takiko," I whispered. Because I knew that voice. I knew it well.
I ran as fast as I could towards the cave. Why had I let myself wander so far? The deep snow was slowing me down. Damn it! I'd assumed this place was safe because I had fond memories of it. Foolish! Stupid! I hadn't been here in years. What if something had happened to her?
"Takiko!" I cried, running through the entrance of the cave. There she was, standing right where I'd left here. Bluma was nowhere in sight. It didn't take me long to realize why the horse had bolted.
Creatures floated between Takiko and I. Large, dragon like creatures that looked as though they were made of ice. I had never seen anything like them.
"What —"
"Tomite!" Takiko cried, cutting me off. From her knees down she was covered in ice. Growing ice. It was slowly creeping up her legs. I ran to her. The creatures parted to let me pass. Why they didn't stop me wasn't something I didn't have time to think about. I reached for the ice, but she caught my hand.
"Don't touch it! If you do it'll get you too!" Her eyes were wide and scared. The ice had crawled up to her waste. I had to do something!
"Behind you!" she cried. I turned and saw the creatures coming at me. I had an arrow at my bow before I had even registered what was happening. I fired, feeling my symbol blaze to life. My arrow hit and the being shattered. Another I trapped in my Ring of Restriction. There were four left.
"Don't let them touch you," Takiko was saying in my ear. Her teeth were chattering and I could hear the fear in her voice, but she was still trying to warn me. "If they touch you you'll freeze. Whatever you do don't let them touch you!" The ice had reached her breast. One arm was almost completely covered, but she'd managed to keep the other free.
I heard a voice laughing, ringing throughout the cave. "You cannot save her, Tomite of the Genbu Seishi. Kutou will not allow Genbu to be summoned."
"Show yourself!" I yelled. "Who are you?" Blue light filled the cave.
"I am Miboshi, of the Seiryuu Seishi. But you need not see me. My pets will be more than enough to handle you." The blue light faded and I instinctually knew that he was gone. His "pets," however, were not. I felt the tail of one rap around my waist. I was lifted off the ground.
"TOMITE!" She reached for me as the ice began to cover her arm, freezing it forever stretching towards me. I felt ice forming around my waste where I was held but ignored it. I was carried up to the top of the cave before my ring of restriction caught my captor. It dropped me and I came crashing down to the floor. My fall broke the ice. I didn't want to know what else it broke, but I was pretty sure a rib or two was damaged.
"Tomi —" Takiko's voice was cut off. Her eyes were staring at me, her hand stretched towards me. She was frozen.
"Takiko!" I rushed to her. The monsters didn't matter. She would die in there. The instant my hands touched the ice it began to grow around them. I didn't care. I thrust my chi inside. I could feel her there. She was still alive. But I couldn't break it! I could feel her life force ebbing away. Her eyes were still looking at me, still filled with fear. I couldn't let her die! Not like this.
Once again a monster rapped itself around me. I knew what they were going to do before they tried. My hands were now thoroughly trapped by ice. If they pulled hard enough they could have ripped my apart.
"Damn!" I yelled. "Damn, damn, damn!" I couldn't do this! I had to save Takiko. She didn't have much time.
The monster fell away, beaten back by smaller ice snakes. The green light in the room grew stronger as more snakes appeared, beating back the dragons. One by one they shattered.
A hand was placed on my shoulder and I felt another's chi flood me. The ice stopped growing. I looked up. The face was different, but I knew it. He had high cheekbones and thin, sharp eyebrows over piercing a grey eye. A dark grey eye patch covered one of his eyes, but it didn't diminish his striking looks. His hair was long and silver, flowing around his face and over his shoulders.
"Entato?" I asked. A curt nod was my answer. "You have to help me, Entato! She's the Genbu no Miko. She'll die like this. Help me break the ice!"
He only looked at me. There was no emotion on his face, no sign of what he was thinking. And yet I knew.
"We can't, can we?" His only reply was to turn away. He led his own horse into the cave. Bluma was there too. He must have found him. Maybe that was how he'd known we were here.
"She'll die!" I cried. He said nothing.
A fire was built quickly. I knew what was happening. I wasn't a fool. Even combined, our powers weren't enough to break the ice. They didn't just work like that. He could create ice snakes and I could create ice arrows, but neither of us could destroy the stuff. Stopping the ice from continuing to grow was all he could do. But for him to just leave her to die! It was too cruel. The fire would melt the ice. Eventually. Meanwhile I stood by her frozen form, my frozen hands prohibiting me from leaving, feeling her life slip away. Every bit I felt go a bit of me died too.
Tears were running down my face. There was no hiding them. I barely knew this girl. I had met her less than a month ago. I didn't understand her. There were times I didn't even like her!
But I couldn't get her smile out of my mind. Her voice. The feel of her in my arms.
"You came. I called for you and you came."
This was going to kill me. I reached out to her with my chi. She was still there. I wondered if she could feel me. I was there. She called and I came. I'd always come. I just couldn't save her when I did.
I was falling in love with this girl.
As the thought came I felt something change within the ice. The symbol of Genbu glowed on Takiko's forehead, then green light glowed about her, almost blinding me. Ice shattered, pieces flying away from her. The shards cut Hikitsu, but I remained untouched as if somehow she knew I was there and was protecting me. She was falling, then she was in my arms. I didn't even remember catching her. It just happened. Her eyes fluttered open.
"Tomite…" she whispered. I pulled her to me. I could feel my entire body shaking. She was alive. I didn't know how, but somehow she was alive.
"I'm sorry," I said. "I'm so sorry."
"Why?" Her voice was so weak. It felt as though hot pokers were being thrust into my gut. I could only shake my head. I pulled back and looked into her eyes.
I could vaguely see my arm through her. She was still glowing with Genbu's green light. I smiled shakily, cupping her cheek in my hand.
"Don't forget me, okay?" I whispered. Then she was gone.
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