@-;--- @-;--- @-;--- @-;--- @-;--- @-;--- @-;---
** SPOILERS FOR EP. 40 AND ON **
@-;--- @-;--- @-;--- @-;--- @-;--- @-;--- @-;---
The Calling
By Moonsong
tsukinouta@yahoo.com
Part 3: Chasing Shadows
Kishuku skipped home, whistling a cheerful tune. He wasn't a
freak. The symbol that had caused him so much pain had a purpose;
and not just any purpose, possibly one of the noblest and most
honorable in the entire country. He was a Suzaku shichiseishi- a
legendary warrior. Sighing dreamily, Kishuku stopped a moment and
closed his eyes. It felt good to be part of something.
"My, you seem happy evening," his mother remarked as he entered
the hut. Smiling at her son, she bustled about preparing their
food. "You should wash up for supper. Did you remember to bring
the water in?"
Kishuku smacked his forehead and looked up at her sheepishly.
"Aiee, I forgot. I left the buckets by the well when those boys
started chasing me earlier." At her questioning look, he forced a
smile. "Ne, I'll go get it."
"Iie," a gruff voice sounded from the doorway. "I already got
them."
Kishuku's face flamed. As soon as he had been old enough, he had
begged his parents to let him help around the house. His mother
had originally thought him too young but he had surprised them by
taking two of the water buckets out one day and fetching water
for the night. The well was not far but he had been proud of his
accomplishment. Ever since then, the job had been his.
The expression on his father's shuttered face made it clear that
whatever trust he had placed in his young son had been diminished
somewhat and Kishuku flushed in embarrassment and shame. "Ah,
gomen, tousan... I-"
His father's next words chipped the little boy's heart.
"I hope, that when you become a Suzaku seishi, you are not as
careless as you are around here."
With that, he disappeared into the parental bedroom, leaving an
open-mouthed Kishuku shocked at the table. His eyes felt hot and
he blinked quickly, his eyes still glued to the now shut door.
"Kishuku,"
His mother's gentle voice nudged those hot tears until they
leaked from his eyes unwillingly. Embarrassed, he brushed his
face with one sleeve, as much to dry it as to hide it from view.
A swish of cloth, and she was kneeling before him, cuddling him
against her shoulder. "Kishuku," she repeated as he shivered in
her arms, "your father is just worried about you. He doesn't want
you to get hurt."
Another half-choked sob. "I know." He looked up at her
pleadingly, dark bangs flopping over his young face. With those
saddened eyes and lost expression, she was almost reduced to
tears at the sight of her little baby hurting this way. It was
worse than when he had returned from the store a few weeks ago
muddied and bruised. After she had tended his hurts, all that
had been wounded was his pride. This, she could tell, was going
to take much longer to heal.
His tiny arms tightened around her neck and he tucked his head
under her chin. "Are you mad at me too, okaasan?"
The answer was immediate. "Iie!" Frowning, she pulled away and
held him at arms' length, her eyes boring into his. "Kishuku, no
matter where life leads you, or whatever happens to you, we will
always be right beside you. Don't ever forget that."
"Even tousan?"
She pulled him back into her embrace, cradling him like the baby
he still was, no matter how much he'd grown. "Hai," she
whispered, "even tousan."
The little boy nodded and, after a moment, climbed off her lap.
"Ne, I'm a little tired now. Can I go to sleep?"
She nodded and watched as he flashed her a sad little smile
before padding softly to his room. With a sigh, she stood and
started putting the food away so they could save it for tomorrow.
She had lost her appetite anyway, a condition everyone in the
house seemed to be suffering from except for the youngest,
Chuuei. Even now, she could hear the baby cry as his dinner was
delayed a few moments.
Frowning, she headed for the baby's room, mentally rehearsing the
thrashing she was going to give her husband as soon as she had
fed her other son. The night promised to be a long one.
~*~*~*~*~
Breakfast the next morning was a sordid affair. His father ate
slowly, refusing to meet Kishuku's pleading gaze from across the
table. The boy's food stayed, for the most part, untouched, not
that the fare was terribly exciting; it was the leftovers from
last night. Chuuei was squealing up a storm in the next room,
adding to the tension.
"Kishuku."
He all but jumped out of his seat. "H-hai, otousan?"
"You are not to go anywhere near that stranger, today, or until I
say so. Do you understand?"
The boy's face fell. "Hai."
"Look at me when I'm talking to you! Do you understand?"
Something in the boy cracked and his body tensed in response.
Slowly, his eyes raised but the expression in them was anything
but compliant.
"Hai, tousan," he managed through gritted teeth. "Wakarimasu."
His father flared. "Don't take that voice with me, young man. I
am still the head of this family. I have raised you, I have
provided for you. The least you can do is show me a little
respect."
Kishuku's eyes strayed to the floor and stayed there. After a few
tense moments, the chair across the table toppled. He looked up
just in time to catch a glimpse of the older man disappearing out
the door. Immediately, his shoulders sagged, the pent-up
frustration dissipating with his father's departure.
His options were few. He could either run mope around the house,
waiting for his mother to send him out on some errand, thus
inviting another encounter with his four "friends," or he could
find Hahm-sensei and start getting on with his life.
The choice wasn't difficult.
With a jaunty step and a heart lighter than it had been the last
few weeks, he grabbed one last piece of bread and skipped out of
the house, taking care to hug his mother on the way out. She
didn't question it. She understood.
With one last wave, she watched her son stroll down the street to
meet a stranger who would presumably make a warrior out of him.
Against his father's wishes, without him knowing, but with her
approval. She sighed heavily and hoped she knew what she was
doing.
~*~*~*~*~
Kishuku stood in front of the well-kept house, puzzled. No one
was home. He'd tried the door, the backyard, even a little of the
forest beyond without results. A bit dejected, he plopped down on
the front steps to wait. Maybe they had stepped out for a bit...
Fifteen minutes passed and Kishuku was starting to think he had
made a big mistake. Maybe Hahm-sensei had realized he was unfit
to be a seishi and left. Or maybe he had gotten hurt and was
lying in the road somewhere! No, the older man could take care of
himself. Couldn't he? He was working himself into a little ball
of worry when he finally heard footsteps on the front walk.
"Kishuku!" called an unfamiliar female voice. "What are you doing
here?"
He jumped up, startled. The woman looked at him kindly and
motioned towards the door. "My name is Dourim, Lan's wife. Why
don't you come on in?"
Kishuku nodded and scrambled up hastily. After a moment of
hesitation, he plucked at the lady's sleeve.
"Do you need help with those?" he asked shyly.
She smiled warmly. "Thank you." Shifting slightly, she handed him
one of the lighter bags and disappeared inside.
"What were you doing out there anyway?" she asked as they put
away the food.
"I was waiting for Hahm-sensei. He said yesterday he would teach
me..."
To his surprise, she laughed. "Didn't you see him outside?"
Kishuku shook his head, puzzled. "Iie, I looked around the house,
behind it, and even in the forest!" he exclaimed, rather proud at
being so thorough.
Dourim regarded him, eyes twinkling with amusement. "Did you ever
think to look... up?"
The boy blinked. "Up?" he repeated.
With a light chuckle, Dourim took his hand and led him back
outside. At the entrance of the yard was a large tree, a rather
magnificent speciman Kishuku had used to landmark the house.
Stopping at the base of the trunk, she craned her neck upwards,
aiming her voice at the thick branches.
"Lan! You get your worthless, no-good, hentai behind down here
this instant!"
Kishuku jumped. That was the second time she had startled him out
of his wits today. She smiled reassuringly at him then frowned as
a movement from above made both of them look up.
A lithe figure swung down from the branches, to land next to them
as silently as a cat. Smirking, he flashed Kishuku an impish
smile, simultaneously ducking the blow his wife aimed at his
head.
"Ohayo, little seishi."
The little boy's jaw dropped. He'd been sitting out here Suzaku
knows how long, worrying and fretting, and all the while, the man
he had been searching for had been sitting up there in that tree?
No doubt watching him as well. The thought brought fire in his
veins.
"You've been sitting there the whole time and didn't SAY
anything?" he blurted before thinking.
Lan's eyes narrowed, his gaze hard. "First lesson. Never assume
someone's not there just because you can't see them."
Dourim chose that moment to make a quiet exit and retreat into
the house. Kishuku didn't even notice her departure, his full
concentration on his teacher and the stern rebuke in his eyes.
Lan held his stare. "Let's begin."
~ TBC ~
Author's Notes: So I'm dragging this out. *evil grin* Want more?
Let me know! tsukinouta@yahoo.com
Credits for this go to Felicia, aka Tomo no Miko, whose site I
used to get the info regarding Tokaki, such as his real name,
etc. *bows* Visit her site at:
http://www.sempai.org/~felicia/fushigi.html
Again, many hugs and plushies go to Quicksilver for the thorough
(and speedy) beta and to Laurelgand for putting up with my
incessant questioning. Also to Lyra, Gerald, Night~Mare, and
everyone in CL for the encouragement. Thanks minna!!
Disclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective
owners. Fushigi Yuugi belongs to Watase Yuu and a bunch of big
companies. No copyright infringement is intended. The story is
mine and I would appreciate an email asking me for permission
before posting it anywhere else.
Copyright © August 13, 2000 by Moonsong. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.midnightrevolution.org/moonsong/
** SPOILERS FOR EP. 40 AND ON **
@-;--- @-;--- @-;--- @-;--- @-;--- @-;--- @-;---
The Calling
By Moonsong
tsukinouta@yahoo.com
Part 3: Chasing Shadows
Kishuku skipped home, whistling a cheerful tune. He wasn't a
freak. The symbol that had caused him so much pain had a purpose;
and not just any purpose, possibly one of the noblest and most
honorable in the entire country. He was a Suzaku shichiseishi- a
legendary warrior. Sighing dreamily, Kishuku stopped a moment and
closed his eyes. It felt good to be part of something.
"My, you seem happy evening," his mother remarked as he entered
the hut. Smiling at her son, she bustled about preparing their
food. "You should wash up for supper. Did you remember to bring
the water in?"
Kishuku smacked his forehead and looked up at her sheepishly.
"Aiee, I forgot. I left the buckets by the well when those boys
started chasing me earlier." At her questioning look, he forced a
smile. "Ne, I'll go get it."
"Iie," a gruff voice sounded from the doorway. "I already got
them."
Kishuku's face flamed. As soon as he had been old enough, he had
begged his parents to let him help around the house. His mother
had originally thought him too young but he had surprised them by
taking two of the water buckets out one day and fetching water
for the night. The well was not far but he had been proud of his
accomplishment. Ever since then, the job had been his.
The expression on his father's shuttered face made it clear that
whatever trust he had placed in his young son had been diminished
somewhat and Kishuku flushed in embarrassment and shame. "Ah,
gomen, tousan... I-"
His father's next words chipped the little boy's heart.
"I hope, that when you become a Suzaku seishi, you are not as
careless as you are around here."
With that, he disappeared into the parental bedroom, leaving an
open-mouthed Kishuku shocked at the table. His eyes felt hot and
he blinked quickly, his eyes still glued to the now shut door.
"Kishuku,"
His mother's gentle voice nudged those hot tears until they
leaked from his eyes unwillingly. Embarrassed, he brushed his
face with one sleeve, as much to dry it as to hide it from view.
A swish of cloth, and she was kneeling before him, cuddling him
against her shoulder. "Kishuku," she repeated as he shivered in
her arms, "your father is just worried about you. He doesn't want
you to get hurt."
Another half-choked sob. "I know." He looked up at her
pleadingly, dark bangs flopping over his young face. With those
saddened eyes and lost expression, she was almost reduced to
tears at the sight of her little baby hurting this way. It was
worse than when he had returned from the store a few weeks ago
muddied and bruised. After she had tended his hurts, all that
had been wounded was his pride. This, she could tell, was going
to take much longer to heal.
His tiny arms tightened around her neck and he tucked his head
under her chin. "Are you mad at me too, okaasan?"
The answer was immediate. "Iie!" Frowning, she pulled away and
held him at arms' length, her eyes boring into his. "Kishuku, no
matter where life leads you, or whatever happens to you, we will
always be right beside you. Don't ever forget that."
"Even tousan?"
She pulled him back into her embrace, cradling him like the baby
he still was, no matter how much he'd grown. "Hai," she
whispered, "even tousan."
The little boy nodded and, after a moment, climbed off her lap.
"Ne, I'm a little tired now. Can I go to sleep?"
She nodded and watched as he flashed her a sad little smile
before padding softly to his room. With a sigh, she stood and
started putting the food away so they could save it for tomorrow.
She had lost her appetite anyway, a condition everyone in the
house seemed to be suffering from except for the youngest,
Chuuei. Even now, she could hear the baby cry as his dinner was
delayed a few moments.
Frowning, she headed for the baby's room, mentally rehearsing the
thrashing she was going to give her husband as soon as she had
fed her other son. The night promised to be a long one.
~*~*~*~*~
Breakfast the next morning was a sordid affair. His father ate
slowly, refusing to meet Kishuku's pleading gaze from across the
table. The boy's food stayed, for the most part, untouched, not
that the fare was terribly exciting; it was the leftovers from
last night. Chuuei was squealing up a storm in the next room,
adding to the tension.
"Kishuku."
He all but jumped out of his seat. "H-hai, otousan?"
"You are not to go anywhere near that stranger, today, or until I
say so. Do you understand?"
The boy's face fell. "Hai."
"Look at me when I'm talking to you! Do you understand?"
Something in the boy cracked and his body tensed in response.
Slowly, his eyes raised but the expression in them was anything
but compliant.
"Hai, tousan," he managed through gritted teeth. "Wakarimasu."
His father flared. "Don't take that voice with me, young man. I
am still the head of this family. I have raised you, I have
provided for you. The least you can do is show me a little
respect."
Kishuku's eyes strayed to the floor and stayed there. After a few
tense moments, the chair across the table toppled. He looked up
just in time to catch a glimpse of the older man disappearing out
the door. Immediately, his shoulders sagged, the pent-up
frustration dissipating with his father's departure.
His options were few. He could either run mope around the house,
waiting for his mother to send him out on some errand, thus
inviting another encounter with his four "friends," or he could
find Hahm-sensei and start getting on with his life.
The choice wasn't difficult.
With a jaunty step and a heart lighter than it had been the last
few weeks, he grabbed one last piece of bread and skipped out of
the house, taking care to hug his mother on the way out. She
didn't question it. She understood.
With one last wave, she watched her son stroll down the street to
meet a stranger who would presumably make a warrior out of him.
Against his father's wishes, without him knowing, but with her
approval. She sighed heavily and hoped she knew what she was
doing.
~*~*~*~*~
Kishuku stood in front of the well-kept house, puzzled. No one
was home. He'd tried the door, the backyard, even a little of the
forest beyond without results. A bit dejected, he plopped down on
the front steps to wait. Maybe they had stepped out for a bit...
Fifteen minutes passed and Kishuku was starting to think he had
made a big mistake. Maybe Hahm-sensei had realized he was unfit
to be a seishi and left. Or maybe he had gotten hurt and was
lying in the road somewhere! No, the older man could take care of
himself. Couldn't he? He was working himself into a little ball
of worry when he finally heard footsteps on the front walk.
"Kishuku!" called an unfamiliar female voice. "What are you doing
here?"
He jumped up, startled. The woman looked at him kindly and
motioned towards the door. "My name is Dourim, Lan's wife. Why
don't you come on in?"
Kishuku nodded and scrambled up hastily. After a moment of
hesitation, he plucked at the lady's sleeve.
"Do you need help with those?" he asked shyly.
She smiled warmly. "Thank you." Shifting slightly, she handed him
one of the lighter bags and disappeared inside.
"What were you doing out there anyway?" she asked as they put
away the food.
"I was waiting for Hahm-sensei. He said yesterday he would teach
me..."
To his surprise, she laughed. "Didn't you see him outside?"
Kishuku shook his head, puzzled. "Iie, I looked around the house,
behind it, and even in the forest!" he exclaimed, rather proud at
being so thorough.
Dourim regarded him, eyes twinkling with amusement. "Did you ever
think to look... up?"
The boy blinked. "Up?" he repeated.
With a light chuckle, Dourim took his hand and led him back
outside. At the entrance of the yard was a large tree, a rather
magnificent speciman Kishuku had used to landmark the house.
Stopping at the base of the trunk, she craned her neck upwards,
aiming her voice at the thick branches.
"Lan! You get your worthless, no-good, hentai behind down here
this instant!"
Kishuku jumped. That was the second time she had startled him out
of his wits today. She smiled reassuringly at him then frowned as
a movement from above made both of them look up.
A lithe figure swung down from the branches, to land next to them
as silently as a cat. Smirking, he flashed Kishuku an impish
smile, simultaneously ducking the blow his wife aimed at his
head.
"Ohayo, little seishi."
The little boy's jaw dropped. He'd been sitting out here Suzaku
knows how long, worrying and fretting, and all the while, the man
he had been searching for had been sitting up there in that tree?
No doubt watching him as well. The thought brought fire in his
veins.
"You've been sitting there the whole time and didn't SAY
anything?" he blurted before thinking.
Lan's eyes narrowed, his gaze hard. "First lesson. Never assume
someone's not there just because you can't see them."
Dourim chose that moment to make a quiet exit and retreat into
the house. Kishuku didn't even notice her departure, his full
concentration on his teacher and the stern rebuke in his eyes.
Lan held his stare. "Let's begin."
~ TBC ~
Author's Notes: So I'm dragging this out. *evil grin* Want more?
Let me know! tsukinouta@yahoo.com
Credits for this go to Felicia, aka Tomo no Miko, whose site I
used to get the info regarding Tokaki, such as his real name,
etc. *bows* Visit her site at:
http://www.sempai.org/~felicia/fushigi.html
Again, many hugs and plushies go to Quicksilver for the thorough
(and speedy) beta and to Laurelgand for putting up with my
incessant questioning. Also to Lyra, Gerald, Night~Mare, and
everyone in CL for the encouragement. Thanks minna!!
Disclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective
owners. Fushigi Yuugi belongs to Watase Yuu and a bunch of big
companies. No copyright infringement is intended. The story is
mine and I would appreciate an email asking me for permission
before posting it anywhere else.
Copyright © August 13, 2000 by Moonsong. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.midnightrevolution.org/moonsong/