In Japan the Phoenix is known as Fushicho, it literally means Immortal bird. Actually, the Phoenix did not originate from Asia, most people choose to believe that it does, but it does not, it originated from Greek and later Egypt.
In each culture the Phoenix has a different meaning. Some sees it as an resurrection, some see it as a sign of good luck and others like the Japanese, Immortal bird.
More about Yuki Onna,
In Japan culture, like in this story, Yuki Onna indeed married a man and had children with him. Two in fact...however she disappeared when the man told her about the incident where she encountered him a few years back in the snow. She told him she would kill him if it weren't for their children and then disappeared; no one has seen her since then.
Also nobody knows what happened to the children.
Phoenix represents fire and Yuki Onna snow
I just gave you a lot of information and clues.
See if you can spot than,
And now for the story,
Enjoy : )
The whispering mountain
File 10#
Map of the Phoenix
"Are you sure, you're alright?" Naru asked Mai who was carrying heavy camera equipment and walking out of the hut. Her head was wrapped in bandaged and her ankle a little bruised. Mai frowned. "Yeah, I feel great," she said. Naru glared at her and Mai turned away.
"Are you hiding something from me again, Mai?" Naru asked and Mai turned around a little too quickly. "No!" she said and Naru's eyes narrowed.
"Shit," Mai told herself, before patting Bou-san. "Come on, we need to set up these cameras," she said.
"Mai, are you sure your ready to work," Bou-san said once they were safely out of Naru's hearing range. Mai pouted. "Aw, come on, stop worrying about me, I'm fine, I don't feel sick, I don't feel like I'm dying, so please." She said, "That idiot Naru kept me in the hut for 2 precious days and it's boring me!"
Bou-san sniggered, "That means, he cares, Mai," Bou-san said. Mai glared at the monk, "Naru and caring do not mix, Naru and torture, sounds more right," she said loudly. Bou-san took the heavy camera from Mai and he smirked at her.
"Whatever you say," he said. Mai had a sudden urge to wipe that smug look of Bou-san's face.
"So we're supposed to place this camera in the temple..." Bou-san said and Mai nodded, "However, we need to get permission from the village chief..." she said.
"Hmm," Bou-san walked on.
"You know what bothers me about this village," Bou-san said, Mai shook her head.
"Something about it feels off, the villagers...something about the way the villagers act feel off...and remember the curse the village chief told us the first day," Bou-san continued.
"You mean the one with the Phoenix and the curse is immorality..."
"So what about it?"
"Well, since ancient times the Phoenix has been depicted as an ancient legendary creature, if you happen to chance upon it, boundless good luck would befall on you," Bou-san said, "This saying has been passed down since ancient times."
"It says to bring you good luck and a long prosperous life...so Mai tell me, why did the villagers shoot down the Phoenix when it brings good luck to the people, why?"
"Wait, Bou-san the curse...what was it again," Mai asked. Bou-san looked at her in disbelief. "Don't tell me you forgot about it!?"
"Of course I did not!" Mai said, "It's just that...well with all the things going about the Yuki Onna and...Well...I hit my head on the rock...and the bone collector...and Maki Nishimura...well I just kind of..."
"Forgot," Bou-san said completing her sentence and Mai blushed. "Ok, so I forgot, so what!" she exclaimed. Bou-san placed his full palm on Mai's head. "Then I shall remind you," he said.
"One day the dead would not die but roam for an eternity, when the first head rolls, second bodies vanish from the depts., thirdly all would burn, fourth waters will flood, fifth, she would take and last of all, people would never die but live in forms forever scarred." '
Mai listened to all of these and she frowned. "Bou-san, the curse..." she whispered, her eyes widened.
'It's happening, the curse is happening," she said. Bou-san sighed and hit the girl's injured head gently.
"Of course, we all already know that, I can't believe you forgot about it."
Mai pouted. "You did not get injured, all you did was sit in the hut and read and read and read," she said.
"At least I found some information about this village..."
"Were they useful?" Mai retorted and Bou-san scratches his chin. "Well, maybe..."
"HA!" Mai shouted at him and Bou-san clenched his fist. "The whispering tunnel, that might be something interesting, if we can find it then maybe..."
Mai was about to retort when she paused.
"Bou-san...what whispering tunnel?" she asked.
"A whispering tunnel, one of the legends around here, says if you find it death is futile." Bou-san said. Mai places her hand over her mouth. "I found it!" she shouted.
"You want to drive the bone collector out," Ayako said to Lin, who nodded. Ayako glance sideways at the silent Chinese man. He was looking down into the deep hole where Mai fell from.
"Are you mad," Ayako whispered and Lin-san turned to her. "Orders from Naru," he said. Ayako sighed. Sure, Ayako found Lin-san attractive but she wasn't comfortable with him. So why did that bratty Naru place her with Lin-san.
"It is not in this hole anymore," Lin-san said. He whistled and white orb like things emerged from the hole and entered another deep hole.
'What are you going to do when you find it?" Ayako asked casually. Lin-san looked at her, his serious eyes boring into her. She looked away.
'I'm going to kill it," he said. Ayako shivered.
"Found it," he said.
"That fast," Ayako said and Lin-san raised his hand.
Purple gas emerged from the hole and Ayako gasped. "Cover your nose, its poisonous," Lin-san said. Ayako did not need a second telling. She backed off from the hole. Lin-san raised his hands and a 5 brilliant red orbs travelled down into the hole.
The gas disappeared as sudden as it came and a growl emerged from the hole. Ayako almost screamed when a giant skeleton emerged from the hole.
It was unlike anything she had seen before.
Mai was in the hole with this thing. Ayako shivered.
That Mai was one brave soul.
Lin blew out and a high pitched sound escaped his lips. The skeleton turned and faltered back as the five red orbs ran through its body. There was a bright light and Ayako shut her eyes tight then it was gone. Lin-san sighed deeply and Ayako went up to him.
'Is it killed?" she asked. Lin-san nodded before looking at the smoking ground.
Ayako jumped in horror.
"Bones," she said.
Lin-san picked one up.
"Human bones," he said.
John Brown, 18 years old from Australia and for the first time in his life was feeling pressurised. Maki and Naru sat opposite each other, both not talking and each looking at each other as if waiting for something to happen.
What happened to the John Brown from America? John Brown cursed under his breath and realising that he had cursed, ask for forgiveness from God.
He shouldn't be cursing, it was wrong.
Maybe he should start up a conversation, maybe he should do something. He remembered Mai and he smiled. He should imitate her.
"So..." he said, "Nice weather isn't it?"
The tensed silence was broken and now Maki and Naru were looking at John.
"Eh, yes nice weather," Naru said and he reached into his pocket and pulled out the two small white bones. "These are human bones," he said. Maki reached out and looked at it. "You do know what this means, do you?" Naru asked.
"Obviously," Maki said and place the two bones down.
"It means the bodies did not simply vanish," she said. John noticed Naru smirking and noticed Maki pulling her goggles over her eyes.
Somebody, save him.
"Happy Potter and the Philosophers stone," Maki said and Naru nodded. "I have found out what it means, well maybe," she said.
"Continue," Naru said.
"In the book the Philosophers stone was said to give you Immorality," Maki continued, "So if Norio the treasure hunter kept repeating that, it proves that he saw searching for something...something like the Philosophers stone, that was why his team came here, to find this Philosophers stone...an immorality stone."
"And since they are treasure hunters, it actually makes sense," Maki said.
"Do you know what a Phoenix is?" Maki asked and Naru grinned fakely.
"I know, actually more than you."
John sensed sparks in the air. He did not like this meeting one bit. He wanted to run out of this room. These two were not being friendly with each other; they were silently fighting with each other.
"Phoenix represents good luck and are often regarded as heavenly creatures..." Naru said, "They are said to be able to live for long period of times...because of a certain stone, a certain red stone."
"Fukyuu stone," Maki said and Naru smiled.
"Well, it seems you are educated," he told her. John noticed Maki trembling in anger but instead of bursting out she smirked.
"It seems you are too," she said and the two of them broke out laughing. A very strained laugh, John noted.
John has never seen Naru act this way before. It was almost childish. John realised...that Naru seemed to be fighting with Maki...he did not want to lose.
"So...let's just say this stone is here, in the village," Maki said and Naru turned to face her. This time the two of them were serious. "How do you know that?" Naru asked. Maki reached into her pocket this time and pulled out a very brown paper. She places it in front of Naru.
'It appears to be a map," she said, "To the Fukyuu stone."
John gasped and Naru took it up.
"How did you get this?" he asked.
"I search the victim's belongings." She said. Naru faced Maki, "You do realise what this means, don't you?" he said and Maki nodded.
"I suggest we watch each other's backs," she said and Naru nodded agreeing with her.
"What is happening Naru?" John asked.
Naru turned to John, folded the map and places it in his pocket and shrugged.
He did not answer.
Like always.