Additional one-shot
Author's Note: This story is rather unusual in that it is from the view of Hikaru, Yuri's dog. As a lot of the incidents are view by Hikaru, who does not understand the significance, I feel it is necessary that I add an explanation. Hikaru's name is a bit of a problem, because there is the issue of whether they would have a different name, because Hikaru might only be the name that they answer to for the sake of the humans. In the end, I decided that I am just going to make things easy for myself by calling her and describing her as Hikaru.
Hikaru's earliest memory was her mother instructing her about the strangeness of the humans. They were inferior compared to dogs, but better then most of the others around them. The humans' main problem was that they all took delight in making things difficult.
Unless, her mother had added, they really were that stupid.
Hikaru was told that her family had been allied with their mistress and her family ever since many generations ago and it was a good exchange. All they had to do was a few simple tricks to appease their mistress and they would have a very comfortable life. Foods were brought just by a few barks and everyone had to be careful around them.
"Our mistress," her mother told her, "Is very important in terms of 'humans'."
The only disadvantage was that they would one day be parted from one another, but her mother told her that they would all find good new masters or mistresses.
Hikaru's turn soon come. On that day, their mistress crouched down in front of their cot and carefully examined each one of her and her siblings, before she turned to Hikaru again and picked her up.
Then she turned to the stranger beside her and placed Hikaru in the other's hold.
Her mother began to bark, causing their mistress to hold her up.
"She is dressed richly, so you will have a good home." Her mother said as she licked her one final time. "Just remember what I have taught you, most humans always want these tricks to be performed."
Even though dogs knew that they had to be parted due to the exchange they made with humans, it was still not so easy. Therefore, the puppy sulked for the first few days.
Her new mistress was clearly very worried as she would constantly hold Hikaru to her and stroke her. There were even times when she would crouch down in front of the new cot and pat her on the head.
That they kept on moving did not make Hikaru feel better. Most of the time, she would simply curl on the lap of her new mistress, because her cot was constantly disappearing.
Her mistress was always around another man, which Hikaru guessed was probably the husband, a human term that she learnt. The man was kind as well, but he did not seem to be as concerned with Hikaru as the woman.
It was only after a long time when her cot was no longer moved. By this time, her mistress was surrendered by numerous other women who would bring food and tidy her cot.
However, it was her mistress that did the feeding and her mistress was also the one that would hold her properly, as the others tended to hold Hikaru only for the sake of putting her back to her cot.
Hikaru soon decided that she did like her mistress. Even though there were times when Hikaru would scratch and lick her, causing the others to frown, her mistress would only smile and hold Hikaru even closer.
Unlike the others, her mistress would often hold her and place her in her laps, especially when she was in front of a strange oblong object that produced sounds from it. The sound was not loud and her mistress always seemed happier when playing with it, so Hikaru decided that she could tolerate it.
As for her mistress' husband, Hikaru was not sure if she liked the man. He was always gentle and kind to her, but whenever he came, her mistress would often hand Hikaru to one of the others and have them take her away.
The other definitely took her mistress away but her mistress was always so happy at seeing him, and there were also times when he would hold HIkaru and pat her on in a similar way as her mistress. As a result, Hikaru decided that he was like the oblong object that produced sounds: her mistress' husband was someone that she would tolerate due to her mistress.
That was why she would still run from him to her mistress, although she did welcome his arrival, as that was what her mistress had tried to have her do.
Hikaru was happy, because not only did she like her mistress, she had a very comfortable home.
But one day, the other stopped smiling and began to cry, even when she was sitting in front of the oblong object. The smile was still gone despite the presence of the husband, so Hikaru actually ignored the man for a few days. If he could not make her mistress happy, then he was not useful at all. (1)
It was only when her mistress smiled at the other that Hikaru decided that she would consider forgiving him.
Humans tended to give themselves more problems and even though Hikaru liked her mistress, she could not help but to feel frustrated at the other being stupid like the rest. They had nice food and a comfortable home, so what was there to worry about?
Hikaru was used to her mistress' husband coming every night, but one day, he stopped coming. On that day, one of the numerous women around her mistress picked her up and took her back to her mistress. (2)
That night, her mistress actually held her in her arms even as she started to cry.
The next day, Hikaru tried to sneak out of the boundaries that were set, but one of the others immediately picked her up. As a result, it was quite some time before she saw her mistress' husband.
When she finally did, Hikaru bit the edge of his robes and began to tug him.
The next moment, she was picked up and the other patted her gently before he walked in the direction that would lead them to her mistress.
Perhaps this human was not so stupid after all, she decided, although she still was not very happy with him.
Upon seeing them, her mistress began to laugh and cry at the same time. Hikaru thought that humans were really very strange and troublesome, because why would you have two different emotions happening at once?
One day, her mistress disappeared. It was early in the morning and her mistress held her and patted her, before she walked out of their boundary. Hikaru immediately tried to follow, but was prevented by the person that was holding her. (3)
It was not as if this did not happen before, but Hikaru had a very bad feeling about this. When she was put down, she immediately ran to the edge of the boundary in the hope that could let her mistress' return be sooner.
But the other did not come back. In the end, that same young girl picked her up and placed her in her cot, before she crouched down and started to cry. (4)
Why was her mistress not here? Where could she have gone to? Hikaru was starting to feel very frustrated with the humans for disrupting the comfortable home that she had with her mistress.
After a few more days, Hikaru decided that she was not going to wait by the boundary, but this merely meant that she was not waiting there. Even though she would be in her cot, she was still waiting for her mistress.
Her mistress' husband rarely came but when he did, he would always appear very sad even as he held Hikaru in that familiar way. Once more, Hikaru was evaluating his usefulness with the outcome being unfavourabe.
One day, Hikaru suddenly felt a great worry. Barking madly, she began to run around. The young girl that was now the one that fed her tried to catch her, but Hikaru decided that this would merely result in her being placed in the cot with some food. (5)
Unlike her mistress, this girl did not know what Hikaru wanted most of the time. She kept on giving her food when Hikaru only wanted to be brought to her mistress. Even though Hikaru did not expect the humans to understand her, since humans could only understand the most obvious and simple request, the young girl kept on giving her food was very disappointing.
Perhaps her mistress' husband could do something. Maybe if he saw how agitated Hikaru was then he would find her mistress.
She was uncertain of the direction, but certain in her action by charging forward without any hesitation.
She did not get far, as someone picked her up and for a brief moment, she thought that it was her mistress' husband, as he did look a lot like him.
But he was not. At this, Hikaru began to bark, causing the stranger to hand her back to the young girl.
Hikaru did not know what happened that night, but she was sure that something went wrong, because her cot was moved to another place. The home that she shared with her mistress was no longer the same as the humans that lived there were no longer there, and all objects were covered by fabrics. (6)
Sometimes, her mistress' husband would be in the garden that Hikaru used to play with her mistress. However, that man was now always sad.
At this, Hikaru was forced to consider the possibility that her mistress left and would not return, but surely the other would have took her too.
The senses of time possessed by dogs were very different but Hikaru knew that she was now old, as she could no longer run around as she used to. Most of her days were spent sleeping in her cot.
The young girl that looked after her continued to do so and she was often helped by another that looked very much like her. Hikaru still refused to elevate the other to the position of mistress, because her mistress was that person alone.
One day, the young girl brought her to the old home where her mistress used to be and handed her to the husband of her mistress. The other was sad, but he actually smiled upon seeing Hikaru. (7)
Then, her mistress returned.
Her mistress was lying in a strange object and was completely still, while a lot of the humans nearby were crying. Hikaru then recalled what her mother had told her that if such a situation ever happened, it meant that the one the other was dead.
Whimpering, Hikaru dashed to what could only be the body of her mistress. She was smiling, so maybe she stopped being worried by the human's stupid problems.
The other people covered her with earth and Hikaru quickly ran to her once more. If her mistress would wake up, then it would be now, since she would always be unhappy at mud touching her clothes.
But the other did not.
After that day, Hikaru often saw her mistress' husband there, sitting by the pond. Since her mistress was no longer there, Hikaru thought that she would be kind by allowing the man to hold her in the way her mistress used to. (8)
She was dozing on his lap, and he was still not as good as a pillow as her mistress, when she suddenly felt herself being picked up, but the hold of this person was very unusual. It was just like the way that her mistress used to hold her. (9)
"I have missed you, Hikaru." It was the voice of her mistress, but unlike before, each word was intelligible. Before, Hikaru could only understand the other by actions.
"We will meet again, my faithful Hikaru." Her mistress said as she patted her. "But I must leave with Hotohori first."
"But why can't I come with you?" Hikaru asked. (10)
"Because you still need to live in this world a bit longer." Her mistress told her. "So be patient and wait."
Reluctantly, Hikaru agreed. (11)
The little girl woke up very suddenly and she found herself unable to process her whereabouts. She could recall that her father was the one that was driving it, but upon peering out, the endless stretch of sand revealed little clue of the location.
"Mother, where are we?" she cried out and upon the familiar face, she realised that her mother had been one of the characters in the strange dream that she just had.
"We are in Sairou, on our way to the capital, which is still very far." Her mother told her. "You should go back to sleep. If you cannot, I can play the erhu for you."
"Not the qin?" she suddenly said, causing her mother to laugh.
"My dear child, the qin is played by nobles and royalties, not commoners like us. You must still be dreaming."
"I did have a very strange dream." She said as she leant against her mother and immediately felt the sense of security and safety. "You and father were both in it."
"Were you our child in the dream too?" her mother asked merrily.
"No, I was your dog. Your dog, not father's."
At this, her mother began to laugh again.
"I know that you really like dogs and are always so good with them, but do you like them so much as to dream that you are one?" her mother said. "Should we have a talk to your father about the possibility of owning one? It might not be so impossible, as a guard dog would be good."
"I was a toy dog in my dream." She recollected as she closed her eyes once more, already finding that the dream was starting to fade. "You and father were both very rich, but not happy. You then left both father and I."
"It is only a dream because I will always be with you two." Her mother assured her before she suddenly chuckled. "Although you will go away by marrying one day. Since you inherited your father's looks so much, I think you will have many suitors. Your father and I will have to inspect them all very carefully."
"Father says that I inherited your appearance." The little girl pointed out before she declared out the following with the gravity of a child. "I don't want to marry, boys are so silly. But mother, have I been in Sairou before? It feels familiar."
"When you were still in me." Was the answer. "You were, however, born in Kutou."
One day, the little girl would grow up to be a young woman but for now, she was simply happy at being a little girl with her beloved parents.
(1) Yuri's sadness is due to her realising that Hotohori must have concubines in the harem. This also took place after she learnt thatthey actually a year's limit.
(2)Due to Hotohori not wishing to sleep with the other women, he actually avoided visiting Yuri at night time, which would be why Hikaru did not see him for a while.
(3)Obviously, Yuri's departure is due to her being accused of being a spy for Kutou, which then caused her to leave Kounan to go to Kutou.
(4)Chiharu is the one looking after Hikaru and in addition to worrying about Yuri, she is naturally also very worried about her twin/
(5)This is actually the night when Yuri died. As mentioned in the original multi-chapters, Hikaru would sense something happening, which cause her to run out of the quarters, only to be caught by Tendou.
(6) Because Yuri died, Chiharu become the one to officially look after Hikaru. Also, servants began to move out of the empress' quarter,
(7)This is just before Yuri's body arrive in the palace of Kounan, as Hotohori would be waiting there, and he wouldcommentthat Hikaru probably has been waiting for Yuri for a long time too.
(8)After Yuri's body is returned to Kounan, Hotohori's physical condition would grow worse, which cause him to spend more time resting, which would be why Hikaru would now see him often.
(9)This bit is actually when Hikaru is finally picked up by Yuri's spirit, who come to take Hotohori away with her.
(10)Hotohori would recall hearing Hikaru barking, only to stop and whimper instead, basically, the barking is due to this.
(11)Re the above note, this is what cause Hikaru to stop barking and whimper instead.
Author's Note: My interpretation of the story is that it is a case of reincarnation, but because it is quite vague, it can probably be interpreted as a strange dream. In the end of the story, the mother is Yuri (the erhu being a hint) while the father is Eian (who is hinted as being very handsome).
I had the idea of writing about Hikaru due to reading about dogs that kept on waiting for their dead master to come back due to not realising that they are dead. I then realised that Hikaru probably, during these fifteen years after Yuri left, had no idea that Yuri is dead and kept on thinking that the other is only gone temporarily and would come back.
One of the problems with writing a story heavily involving an animal is always the issue of whether animals are able to understand humans. In this interpretation, it is no, which is why when Hikaru could understand Yuri at the end, it is because she is talking to Yuri's spirit.
As this story is from Hikaru's view, that would be why everyone is referred to by description and their relationship to Yuri, since Yuri is the one that Hikaru regard as her mistress. The first mistress she mentioned in the beginning is the Empress of Sairou, as it is the Empress of Sairou that gives Hikaru to Yuri.
Hikaru was given to Yuri after a few months after Yuri's marriage and she was said to be recently born. So we can presume that she is nineteen years by the end (three years with Yuri, fifteen years after Yuri's death, and one year after Yuri's return to Kounan), so she would be quite old. However, I think this is reasonable given that she is a toy dog who lives in the comfort of the palace.
A lot of it is also inspired by my family's dog. We have a toy poodle and there are times when she can be a bit haughty. She seems to regard our second floor as her territory and is the one that allows us to be there. She also regulates roles as well. My sister is her actual 'mistress' while my mum is the one that fed her. As for me, I used to be the one that takes her out when she wants to go to the toilet.