Chapter Eleven

An Ancient Tale

"It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him."

~ J.R.R. Tolkien ~

It was a really stupid question.

Sixteen years ago, wounded and heartsick, Yui had found herself unable to sleep. What if, when she slept, the men who had hurt her returned, faceless terrors that she would carry with herself - she believed - for the rest of her life? What if she could not escape this time? The fear of darker dreams kept her awake - for days, which turned into weeks.

Her one source of comfort was, as the general of two-thirds of a whole army, not really a consistent source of comfort. But she was well taken care of. Every morning, she would lie in bed and pretend not to notice the serving girls who cleaned her room, brought back her clothes freshly washed, and left her food that she could not touch. They never said anything, as though afraid that she would lash out at them and have them penalised for speaking, and the silence grew terribly oppressive.

She was trapped in a book, surrounded by insignificant characters who did not talk.

One night, when it did finally become too unpleasant to tolerate, she ventured out of her room with an older lady servant, who did not regard her with as much suspicion as the others. They walked for a long time, until finally the old woman asked her if she wanted to hear a story. It was the first time someone had asked her if she wanted something, in that stupid universe. Yui agreed, and listened to the tall tales she had regarded then as stupid myths. But so steady and calming was the old woman's voice, that for the first time that night, she had slept.

After that, it became a ritual - every night, until the day that Miaka travelled to Kutou with the intention of rescuing her, Yui and the old woman would go for a walk, and she would be initiated into a world that children in Kutou had learned to surrender their dreams to. And so, she had learned to sleep again. Of course she remembered.

"Of course I remember," said Yui, steadily, although she was seething at the casual reminder of her past. The past that Nakago had, in many ways, invented for her, through the illusion that she had been assaulted in the most brutal way possible. He had let her live with that lie because he had wanted to take over Kutou himself. It wasn't, really, the nicest thing a person could have done, and although she had gone through it in her mind a thousand times to come to terms with what had happened, what he had done to her and what she had inflicted on so many people, she retained some of that anger.

Hadn't she built a whole new life? Hadn't she already faced her demons to overcome them? She had a husband and a child now - and here he was again. It took an effort to remain calm and remember that she had to do this. If anything like this was to happen to Jun-chan, her son, she wouldn't have a clue what to do. So, for Miaka, she would stay calm and talk to Nakago, even though his blue eyes pierced through her and made her feel as naked and vulnerable she had been when he had "rescued" her.

"But what does that have to do with this? It's just a story, isn't it?"

"Yes," said Nakago, "in the same way as the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho is just a story."

"What does that mean?" demanded Keisuke, sounding frustrated. "What is this story?"

Nakago spared him a glance and then looked back at Yui, waiting for her to begin. Yui stared. "You're serious," she said, surprised. "That wasn't even the best of her stories..."

By the time they arrived at Eiyou, it was very late in the day and the large lamps that decorated the city's streets had already been lit, even though the sky was still tainted with red from the setting sun. The cart took them all the way to the market, though Reishun and Hikari jumped off just before it entered the busiest part of the city. (The desperately kind and extremely poor looking old man turned out to be less innocuous than he looked; not only did he charge them - a ridiculous amount of money, Hikari felt - for the ride, he spent a dangerous amount of time looking over his shoulder at them. Hikari discovered that letcherous, foul-minded nincompoops also transcended space and time.)

Eiyou was not huge by any standard that was familiar to Hikari, whose idea of a big city involved a lot more space and considerable altitude. The tallest building here was the shrine that towered over the rest of the city at the southern end, looking at which made her uncomfortable. Reishun informed her that it was the shrine of Suzaku, and the idea filled her with a sort of nervous awkwardness, as though she was looking at her principal's office. She couldn't really say that out loud either, because her principal was a fairly unpleasant man and Hikari didn't believe that comparing the god she was evidently meant to serve with a man like that was likely to be taken as particularly reverent. The sight of it was alarming, decisive and highly... final, somehow.

So much so that it was a minute before Hikari noticed the palace right beside it. This too was enormous, even though Hikari felt that it had been designed less as a defensive structure and more as one that was, well, pretty. And it was. Pretty, huge and intimidating. Hikari gawked at it, mouth falling open as she did.

"We're supposed to go THERE?" she yelped, just as Reishun grabbed her arm and yanked her into one of the smaller streets. "How are we supposed to go there? Are we going to simply walk into the place and introduce ourselves? I don't think that will work!"

"You're going to grey hair if you don't stop worrying that much," said Reishun, sounding amused. Then, catching the look of deep non-amusement on Hikari's face, she shook her head, "Relax - I'll ask Eian and we can ask him how to go about getting an audience with Houki-sama."

"Okay," said Hikari, because this sounded mostly reasonable. "But why are we walking in the opposite direction?"

"Well, as important as secrecy is at the moment," said Reishun, "you can't go there looking like that. We're going to buy you some clothes. I know this place - I've been here before. Hopefully it's not too late in the day..."

The place turned out to be a merchant's shop, one of the more prosperous looking shops in the city and not like the stalls on the market street. Hikari spent most of her time looking at the place worrying about whether they had enough money to afford clothing from a place like this, but Reishun did not appear to be terribly bothered - but then again, Hikari was often too worried to notice other people worrying. Reishun knocked, and as the sounds of movement were heard, nodded. "Not too late, at least - good evening," she said, to the middle-aged woman who opened the door. "Do you still sell clothes here? My parents brought me here a few years back."

The woman nodded. "Yes, it is - please come in." Hikari hung back as she did, the nervousness that being around Reishun for a day or so had washed out of her returning in the presence of a stranger. Even though this stranger was, in fact, not very threatening. She wasn't very tall, about an inch taller than Hikari, and comfortably plump so her face was gentle and rounded. She did look shocked at Hikari's clothing, which in turn made the thirteen year old turn very red, but neither of them commented on it. "It has been a while since someone in that kind of clothing came to this country," said the woman, in reverent tones. When Hikari looked alarmed, she shook her head. "You do not need to worry - our family is loyal to the beast-gods and the Shijintenchisho. I would not betray you."

At a bit of a loss, Hikari nodded. She was beginning to have an inkling about this place, as she had about the village in the morning. Not an unpleasant sense, but one of familiarity and safety, which made no sense to her. How could you sense something like that? She had never placed any face in he idea of intuition, but here she was, intuitively more comfortable here than she had been in Shichang village.

"I know that there are people in this country at the moment who would wish to harm you. I am Li Fen," she finished, bowing low. (1)

"I am Kou Reishun," said Reishun, bowing as well. Hikari followed suit, less gracefully, as she introduced her as well. "And this is Hikari. As you can see, her clothes are a small problem."

"Yes," agreed the woman, looking critically at the short school skirt. "It's the legs, really. What do you have in mind, Hikari-sama?"

Hikari panicked. Hikari-sama? Had this stranger asked her a question? Did this mean she had to TALK? Oh dear. Oh. "Um!" she said, and then cringed as Reishun snickered. "I- er, I have no- I don't even- something black?"

Yui remembered very clearly.

Once upon a time, the old lady had said, and Yui had rolled her eyes and wondered: Was she a child? Did she believe that every stupid story needed to start that way? Anyway, wasn't this ancient China? Why was she starting the story like a Grimm's brother fairytale?

But she said nothing, and the old lady went on.

And now, looking at Nakago with some confusion now, she narrated the story:

"Once upon a time, a great god in the heavens was blessed with a son. But although he was the son of a great god, through his own mischief and wrong-doing, he became degraded to a lowly status. Proud though he was, he served as a menial worker in the heavens, where no one would love him.

"His only friend was of a great beauty but terrible sins, unknown, neither man nor woman, who had become so fallen that none even glanced at him. (2) Yet, having served in the heavens for many thousands of years, the unknown eunuch had become learned, and had designs for his own ambitions. The fallen son of the god fell in with this bad company.

"There came a time when all the lands were suffering from a terrible drought. The proud and fallen son believed that through a manipulation of the rivers, that were not under his jurisdiction at all, he could save the lands. Through a clever design, the eunuch and the fallen son contrived against the god of rain, causing his downfall from the heavens above. The drought grew even more terrible as the rain god fell, and for many years, the people suffered. With the rain god's newfound power, the fallen son took on the shape of the rain god's dragon.

"But because he had acquired these powers by terrible deeds, he became a black dragon, unable to change his shape at will. Unlike the rain god's beautiful dragon, who had no horns and no ill-will, this beast was ugly and evil.

"The great god that was his father banished him from the heavens, and in a fury, the black dragon caused a terrible flood to sweep over the lands, killing thousands and destroying everything that stood in its path. Furious, his father battled with him and won, returning to the heavens victorious. Reaching the heavens once more, he sought out the menial eunuch and cut his soul into nine different pieces, scattering them all over the land with a curse that would forever separate them.

"The black dragon became insane with rage over this punishment to his only friend, but he was too weak to do take his revenge. He slunk away into the dark waters and dwells there now, travelling the lands in search of his friend's soul-pieces. It is said that every time a river floods over, it is because the black dragon has been reunited with one fragment of the tortured soul. (3)

"And the flood waters were supposed to be his rage," Yui finished, quietly. Silence followed the folktale and Yui frowned. That hadn't been her favourite story, honestly; it was confusing and strange, and there was something unnecessary about a story where people did not live happily ever after. In fact, she remembered feeling as let down then as she did now, by the ambiguous and mostly unpleasant ending.

"So what?" asked Keisuke, finally. "Are you saying that's what is happening? Some psychotic dragon is trying to take over the universe of the four gods?"

Nakago did not answer this, to Keisuke's frustration. He sat there silently, while Keisuke considered the merits of talking to a large boulder over attempting a decent conversation with this strange spirit. "Like I said," he said, finally, "the universe of the four gods, the book, is the link, and the link is what keeps that world alive. Someone is trying to destroy that book-"

"But the book is here," said Miaka, frowning.

"Yes, but it's power is fading, isn't it? If any creature could block the book's records in that manner... then the book may well be dying."

"Dying?" demanded Miaka, getting up, horrified. "Dying? But Taiitsukun-"

"Isn't it true," said Nakago, turning to look at Hanako, "that that travelling monk could not find Mt. Taikyoku? As though it is blocked to him? Only the dead or the chosen may reach that place - and I myself have been there only once, after it was all over. But I could not sense it anymore. It is as though the mountain has closed itself off. Or perhaps," he added, ominously ambiguous, "it has been closed off."

"So you came here instead?" asked Keisuke, as Miaka began to pace. "How did you come here?"

"When the Shinzaho is in danger, it attracts the seishi - why do you think your daugher is still alive, Suzaku no Miko?" Miaka clenched her fists, biting her lip, and continued to pace. "Two days ago, in the book's time anyway, the Shinzaho of Seiryuu was removed from its place by a thief."

"And it came here?" demanded Keisuke.

"Keisuke-san," Yui said, finally. "No, of course. What he means is half of the Shinzaho was removed from its place, wherever that was. The other half was always here... that is why he is here." She could not bear to look at Keisuke and Miaka, so she did not, believing that the accusation in their eyes would be too much to bear. She had known and said nothing? She had brought back half the Shinzaho and left the space between the worlds open? "I didn't know that I had half... until he came here. I only guessed."

"Quite right, Yui-sama." The triumph was back on Nakago's face, subtle and understated, but palpable. As though something about making her open up the secrets she had never wished to have in the first place made him feel victorious. If Yui hadn't known that her hand would go right through him, she would have smacked him. "Perhaps you would be so kind as to take it out."

Yui glared at him. Then, with a jerk, she yanked the chain she was wearing around her neck off. The pendant gleamed in the afternoon's sunlight streaming in through the window. It was a beautiful pendant, one that Miaka had often admired - a tear-drop shaped blue stone that Yui had owned for the last twenty years (though sixteen years ago, its pair had gone "missing"). Looking at it very closely now, Miaka realised that it's hoop, which the delicate chain went through, was actually a earring hook - twisted around so it looked like a pendant.

"Yui," she said, but Yui would still not look at her.

"But I don't understand!" interrupted Hanako, suddenly, standing up. "I don't understand why you made her tell us that story or why ... well, I don't understand a lot, but what do you mean about that story? Are those the people who are trying to take over the universe of the four gods?"

Ack! she fought back the urge to hide began Keisuke agan, because Nakago turned to look at her now and she wanted to be anywhere but here. Horrible bulllying man.

"The truth is, young bearer of the book, that I do not know." He tilted his head and looked back at the earring. "But if it was me, I would want revenge."

"Of course you would," said Miaka, snapping hysterically, "You're the guy who tried to become a god for revenge."

"And the black dragon would already sort of be a god," Nakago pointed out, calmly. "Isn't that troubling?"

"You PSYCHOPATH!" yelled Miaka, picking up the first available thing and throwing it at him. It was a pretty blue vase, which sailed right through him and smashed into the wall behind him, right next to a five-year-old Jun's grinning face.

Yui cringed. That was an expensive vase.

"HOW CAN YOU BE SO CALM ABOUT IT!" hollered Miaka, as Nakago smirked. "WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU? DON'T ANSWER THAT!" She turned very abruptly away from Nakago, looking at Hanako. "Your uniform! I want your uniform! We have to try to bring her back!"

Hikari hated new clothes and shopping, and there was very good reason for it: it was because she possessed a body that was somehow either too big, too small or just plainly awkward and hideous, and nothing designed for normal people would ever fit her. Of course, she knew, on some very deep level that would surface with growing maturity, that it had very little to do with the clothes and a lot more to do with her own perception. Somehow what looked graceful and elegant on Reishun felt awkwrd and unattractive on her, even though it was better than the skirt that had caused so much random trouble.

It was silly to compare herself with Reishun, and she knew that was true as well. She knew she wasn't ever going to be as beautiful as Reishun, or even Hanako, who was exuberant and attractive (though the latter was because of the former, which was something Hikari would possibly never realise). But she wasn't ugly really. It was just something she felt when she had been made to try on fifteen different outfits, all of which were uncomfortable and felt as though they had been designed for someone much thinner and more capable of staying on their feet.

By her calculations it had been several hours (though it had been perhaps forty five minutes) of Li Fen and Reishun telling her she look 'SO cute' and then adding 'but' or 'however' or 'you know', followed by suggestions about colours and frills. Hikari tried to explain the concepts of jeans and punk to them, and this did not go too well. Li Fen brought out a quill and a scroll, expecting Hikari to be able to draw, which Hikari failed at in addition to breaking the quill. Bordering on tears of frustration (why couldn't she be coordinated at least in ONE stupid world), she explained that she wanted something she could move around in, without frills and which was black. They settled, after a remarkable negotiation at varying volumes, upon "men's clothing" - which at least had trousers, and which reminded her of Chinese martial arts film costumes in exactly two respects: for one, the shoes, which were a lot more comfortable, and for two, the belt, which was Sairou's clever secret strategy of murdering her.

"Stop fiddling with that," said Reishun, an edge of impatience to her voice. "You look good!"

Hikari gave her a miserable sort of look. "Uh huh," she said, tugging uncomfortably at the belt. "It's trying to kill me."

"Yes, but you appear to be angering it - stop tugging at it!"

"I want jeans! I have a tummy! People with tummies never wear belts!"

"Everyone has a tummy!"

"But I have a BIG tummy," aaid Hikari, woefully poking at her not particularly big tummy.

Reishun looked at her critically. Admittedly, there was a small baby-fat-related paunch involved, and she was taking a while to mould it into more interesting flesh, but she wasn't Santa Claus. As Reishun hadn't ever heard of Santa Claus, she couldn't have told her this. Instead, she poked her tummy as well, making Hikari stumble back and fall.

Hikari stared at her, truly aggrieved.

"Oops, sorry," said Reishun, not sounding very apologetic, holding out her hand and nearly yanking Hikari's arm out of its socket as she pulled her up.

"Ow! Okay, stop helping me!"

"Stop complaining!" wailed Reishun, finally exasperated. "My god, it's like you're eight four years old. My grandmother's about eighty-six and even she's more optimistic than you are."

Hikari gawked. "Are you kidding? Are you the one who got thrown into a book without-"

"Oh whine-whine," said Reishun. "You don't want to do this? Just don't do it. I don't care. Sit here and whine about it, that's going to be very productive. I," she added, tapping Hikari on the nose gently (so her whole head snapped back), "am going to see the Empress."

With that, she turned and marched away smartly, nose in the air, leaving Hikari to stare after her in something like shock. Which was odd because she had been wanting to tell Reishun to stop being so nice and helping her out, because she would be in added danger for no reason. But that wasn't why she'd walked away, was it? She'd walked away because she, Hikari, was whining. And somehow, Hikari felt quite embarrassed, ashamed and chastised. Nyan Nyan was poking her in the chest to make her move and she sighed. "Stop it, I am moving," she told the tiny girl, who was tucked away in the folds of the rough (and strong) cloth they had exchanged. Then, rubbing her nose, she trudged after Reishun.

"Sorry," she snapped, catching up with the woman, not sounding apologetic at all.

"Fine," snapped Reishun, just as sincerely.

They trudged on in silence through the tree-lined streets, lit only by the light of the moon and the few lamps bobbing along with citizens who crossed by the street, not looking at them. It appeared as though the soldier from Sairou had not yet reached this place - certainly there was no aura of infinite darkness. There was just a sense of impending doom, but that, Hikari knew, had to do with the fact that she didn't just have to meet new people, she had to meet a freaking Empress (and her son, who was the Emperor) and converse with them about being a Shinzaho.

Still scowling, she looked at Reishun. "Apparently," she said, almost conversationally, but in a lower voice, "I am the Shinzaho of Suzaku."

"You're-" Reishun stopped. "Are you really I thought that was supposed to be an object."

"I don't know, but that's what Chichiri said," said Hikari. She was not sure why she was telling Reishun this, when she had been specifically instructed not to. She wasn't even sure why it was making her feel better, but it did somehow do the trick.

"Chichiri... he's a Su..." Reishun bit her lip and looked around.

Hikari nodded. "He said.. well, he told our little friend that I should only tell Houki-sama. I suppose this is because she knows something, or it is a safe place. Then he... he left and he didn't come back, so I don't know what happened to him. There were soldiers on the mountain too."

The cool breeze the signalled the onslaught of the colder night blew through the streets as they stood there for a moment, processing. Then, without saying anything, they turned and walked down the length of the road towards the palace. Hikari found that she was unsure, now that she had spoken, about the merits of burdening Reishun with the additional information. She wanted to say more, of course - about Chichiri, whom she had tried not to worry about, and about the fact that she didn't know what being a Shinzaho meant. But more than that, now, she wanted to tell Reishun not to come with her. Maybe it was better for her and Nyan Nyan to go in alone, or separately at any rate.

But before she could frame the words to say this, they were at the gates of the palace. Hunger and nervousness, probably, combined to give her a steadily growing stomach ache as she looked at the building. It was huge bigger when you were right in front of it, and appeared to be looking down at her with interest and disdain. 'What is this strange creature? Why does it have a huge Santa-Claus-like tummy?' it seemed to say. Hikari smacked her forehead and rubbed her face. If a building started to talk to her, then it probably meant that she was going completely mad.

Reishun introduced herself to the guard (adding that Hikari was her younger sister) and asked for Shu Eian on an urgent basis, and the soldier nodded, running off to get him. They were to wait, and in this while, Hikari looked around starting to feel nauseous. Her eyes fell on the looming structure to the side of the palace, the shrine of Suzaku, and the terrible nervousness grew into nausea. Her hands and feet were cold and the breeze, which had seemed pleasant a while back, was troubling her somehow.

"Are you alright?" A hand placed on her shoulder made her look up and nod.

"Yeah, just... feels like a maths exam, you know?"

"I... sure?" Reishun patted her (very, very carefully this time, to make sure she didn't fall over). She was looking alarmingly pale, as though she was terrified of the palace. "It'll be alright, you know? It's not any kind of exam. And I'm with you, see?"

Hikari nodded, dumbly, but the nausea just seemed to take over. Indigestion? But she hadn't eaten since the fish in the morning, or maybe that was the problem. A warmth against her stomach told her that Nyan Nyan was trying to help, but she felt so terrible all of a sudden. She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes, taking deep breaths. Really, even if the empress was a terrible lady, she did not need to be worried. Forcing herself to stop feeling as - in colloquial and effective terminology - icky, she glanced up.

Then, she frowned. Why were there five fully armed soldiers coming towards them?

She opened her mouth to ask Reishun why, but found that her throat was suddenly very dry. The nausea seemed to explode into frigid air because Hikari was suddenly very cold. She tried to reach for Reishun, but instead tumbled. No one seemed to realise this, though everyone was beginning to yell loudly. Somewhere in her head, Hikari made a note to be annoyed about this when she started to feel better. But as a seeping darkness crawled over her, she wondered for the first time if this wasn't just cold, or nausea, but something else, reaching for her.

Terribly alarmed, she took another step forward. Reishun was yelling, and it sounded sort of like, "You can't put us in prison!" But her voice was very distant.

Hikari, not quite comprehending, stumbled forward, reaching for Reishun's shoulder. The young woman turned and caught her as she fell - but the world crashed to total darkness, and Hikari knew nothing.

Author's Ramblings: Where are Tasuki and Taka? What about Chichiri? They're still around, but do remember, it has only been a couple of days. I thought Taka and Tasuki would take that long at least to travel. More on that soon. Thank you for reading, and stay tuned! :)

ALSO! Thank you to the Mysterious Bunny Friend, who is still reading and telling me about typos. Your motivating me (and the promise of nagging for more chapters) is AWESOME and keeps me going, so - much gratitude and cookies!

Aaaaand, reviews are a GOOD thing. *puppy eyes!*

Notes:
(1) Li Fen is a chinese name meaning "clever and fragrant like flowers" (from 20000 names dot com). This isn't significant - but I wanted to mention that this is a Chinese name and hasn't been translated, obviously, because the writer ...wouldn't have a clue how to! The manga does have everyone's names in Chinese (so Chou Ryuuen is Tiao Liu Juan, and Kounan is actually Hong-nan, Kutou is Qu-dong, etc.), which of course makes sense because this is ancient China. But since I'm more familiar with the Japanese versions, that's what I use - but it seemed more sensible to use a Chinese name for that late. Just wanted to mention this.

(2) The fact that this menial servant is a eunuch does not reflect the author's bias against inter-gendered persons. I have no such bias and the fact that this person/creature is a eunuch isn't intended to be an offense. It's just a story - you can even look at it as a sort of comment on discrimination if you like (I certainly do). I've always thought that Fushigi Yuugi (and indeed, many of Yuu Watase's works) reflect both the genuine ambiguity that surrounds notions of gender and also the status of alternative sexualities at different times in history (Shigi in FY:GK, for instance, Tamatama from Yukiyasha-den - Nuriko, for that matter, who was not biologically of two genders but certainly confused, to say the least about it - I think it goes deeper. Also Suzaku, who is neither man nor woman, did you know?).

((I guess this is a good place to include a !WARNING! that sexual ambiguity is definitely an underlying theme for parts of this story - although it's certainly not the focus. So if that bothers you, don't read. I don't mean to be offensive, but this fic is not going to be homophobe-friendly at all. NOT that I have anything explicit planned - nor can I write explicit stuff without making an ass of myself - but do be warned. Sort of. Anyway.))

(3) This story is a dramatised and exaggerated version of different legends. Or maybe one legend and different interpretations. I don't want to tell you which one, but you're free to guess, if you like, though I won't confirm anything until the end anyway (not giving up the element of surprise, yo! Or maybe it's not that surprising, who knows!).

O.D.A.O.S. (Obligatory Disclaimer And Other Shiznit)

This story is based primarily on Yuu Watase's Fushigi Yuugi, but also uses elements from Fushigi Yuugi Genbu Kaiden and some of the Fushigi Yuugi Gaiden books. (Only some elements, though, because of, er, a sort of blatant selective amnesia. So, for instance, Hikari is a girl, which she isn't according to the Sanbou Gaiden.) I will try to stick to manga/anime canon as much as I can. Elements of Chinese and Japanese mythology will probably be employed, also with a blatant disregard for authenticity and mythological autonomy. I apologise in advance - but mostly this fic is supposed to be fun and ... I wouldn't take it seriously. Apologies for stupidity about the Japanese language, but feel free to correct me please - if and when I use stuff like that. Oh, er, and obviously I'm not making any money out of this - I'm just a graduate student with too much time. ;

R&R is welcome and desired and appreciated, even if it's just 'you suck'!

THANKS FOR READING!