@-;--- @-;--- @-;--- @-;--- @-;--- @-;--- @-;---
** SPOILERS FOR EP. 40 AND ON **
@-;--- @-;--- @-;--- @-;--- @-;--- @-;--- @-;---
The Calling
By Moonsong
tsukinouta@yahoo.com
Part 6: Life's Lessons
Tamahome squirmed. It was hot and cramped in this uncomfortable
place, not to mention dirty. He and Lan had inched their way
under the latter's house and were currently suffocating under the
wooden floorboards.
"Now, the trick to this is not to make a sound. Be aware of your
surroundings. Be in control of your body. If we were in enemy
territory, one brush with a stray rock or a dried twig can be
fatal."
Just then, Dourim entered the living room, standing directly
above her husband.
"Whoo, baby! Looking good!"
Tamahome raised an eyebrow as Dourim looked around the room
warily, searching for the voice. He could barely make out her
figure between the wooden slats and he was wondering what on
earth had come over his teacher.
"Ne, sensei," he began.
"Shhhh! She'll hear you!"
Tamahome sweatdropped. 'As if she wouldn't have heard you yelling
from below...' he thought crossly.
She stood over her husband again, giving him full view of her...
erm... pretty new dress. He whistled appreciatively. A small
smile crept into her face and she brought her foot down onto the
wood sharply, sending dust and dirt into his leering face.
Her reward was an anguished scream. "Itai!!" With a satisfied
smirk, she crossed the room and proceeded to dust the furniture.
Underneath the house, Lan was choking and crying, his eyes
squinted shut. Tamahome tried not to laugh. After a few moments
of frantic scrubbing, his teacher opened red, irritated eyes and
frowned.
"You think that's funny, do you?"
The boy hid his face, swallowing a chuckle. As hard as his
teacher was, he couldn't help liking it when someone got the
better of him, especially when that someone was his own wife.
Tamahome and Dourim had struck up a warm friendship the last few
weeks. She was generally the one he went crying to whenever
something Lan had made him do had gotten him hurt. She never
fussed over him, unlike his mother, but she did look out for him
in her own way.
And the way she handled his teacher was nothing short of
masterful.
Choking on another snicker, Tamahome scrambled to one corner of
the basement on all fours.
"Tamahome!"
"Lan!"
The older man jerked back as if on a choke chain. "Hn?"
"You leave that boy alone or I'll-"
Lan smirked. "You'll what?"
Tama's eyes widened as the ceiling shook violently, raining dust
and other things he didn't want to think about around them. By
her heartless stomping, she sounded pissed enough to tear up the
floorboards- which is exactly what she did. An arm reached down
and grabbed Lan by one gold hoop earring.
"ITAI!!"
"You," she hissed, shaking the offended ear for emphasis, "are a
bad influence."
"Matte!"
Tama laughed outright, earning a glare from his trapped teacher.
"And you!" she continued, pinning him with her gaze.
The boy gulped.
"You get on home. You need a few hours off and my husband here is
getting a little out of hand."
"Am NOT!"
"Hush!"
The young seishi smiled. "Arigato, Dourim-san. Mata na, sensei?"
Lan nodded with a resigned sigh. He knew when he was beat. "Hai.
Tomorrow."
With a wave, the boy was off. As soon as he was out of earshot,
Dourim turned to her husband sternly.
Lan blinked. "What?"
~*~*~*~*~
"Tadaima!"
Kishuku stepped into the dim room brightly, pausing to hang his
coat on a wall peg. He'd gotten home early for once- thanks to
Dourim. It was rather nice to come home without having bruised
something recently.
He was just about to wander into the kitchen when his mother came
bustling out of it hurriedly.
"Kishuku!" she exclaimed in hushed tones. "Your father is ill and
had to come home early. I told him you were out in the yard and I
had sent you to the village for medicine."
The boy's eyes widened. "Is he all right?"
"Yes, he's fine. He just needs something for pain. Now go before
he hears you!"
"Hai," he nodded and scampered off.
Ai-wei watched her small son with growing trepidation. She had
just asked him to deceive his father- while he lay in the other
room sick. But it was all for the best, wasn't it? Sighing, she
turned away from the door and padded softly to the kitchen,
uncertainty lacing every step. She dearly hoped she was doing the
right thing.
~*~*~*~*~
It was getting dark. Kishuku had made it to the herbalist before
the sun started setting but the doddering old man had taken
forever mixing the concoction. By the time he had made it out,
the sun had already started to set. Clutching the packet to his
chest, he darted out into the street, hoping to make it home
unaccosted.
Luck was not on his side. Moments later, the call he was dreading
came.
"Obake-chan!"
His eyes swept the street. Nothing.
"We haven't seen you in a while, Obake-chan."
A wisp of movement- there, to the left. With the last month's
lessons fresh in his mind, Tamahome ducked as one of the boys
rushed towards him. Balance lost, the other boy fell allowing the
young seishi to snag his waist and throw him across the clearing.
Fists on flesh. Tamahome's head rocked as another boy landed a
punch that sent him reeling. It took a moment for his eyes to
clear. Once they did, he flipped over kicking the other's legs
out from under him. The older boy went down as Tama scrambled up,
body falling into a defensive stance almost subconsciously.
"What the...?" The other boys backed away, uncertain now that
their prey had started fighting back.
"I told you to leave me alone," he gasped.
"Kishuku!"
The sharp voice cut through the falling darkness causing all five
boys to start. The two Tamahome had grounded were now just
getting on their feet, staggering dazedly. The man's stern gaze
settled on the younger boy whose heart sank to his feet.
"Tousan..."
His father's eyes narrowed even more. "All of you!" he barked.
"Get home!"
Eyes widening, the four scrambled away, two of them nursing their
bruises, muttering.
Eyes never leaving his son's hunched form, Sou Shiao-Chang felt
his world spinning away from him. Voice shaking more from a
gnawing fear than from anger, he ground out the question the
answer to which, would change their lives forever.
"Where did you learn to fight like that?"
~ TBC ~
Author's Notes: Yay! Another one done! With any luck, I'll
actually finish this thing! Comments and feedback, onegai.
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
The names for both of Tama's parents are obviously made up. I got
them from the Kalabarians Site http://www.kalabarians.com . I
tried to pick names that matched the personalities I created for
them so you can look them up there if you get bored.
And as always, thanks to Quicksilver and Saishi for doing the
betas for me. You guys really know how to deflate an ego! ^_~
Arigato! *hugs*
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 © October 8, 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 6: Life's Lessons
Tamahome squirmed. It was hot and cramped in this uncomfortable
place, not to mention dirty. He and Lan had inched their way
under the latter's house and were currently suffocating under the
wooden floorboards.
"Now, the trick to this is not to make a sound. Be aware of your
surroundings. Be in control of your body. If we were in enemy
territory, one brush with a stray rock or a dried twig can be
fatal."
Just then, Dourim entered the living room, standing directly
above her husband.
"Whoo, baby! Looking good!"
Tamahome raised an eyebrow as Dourim looked around the room
warily, searching for the voice. He could barely make out her
figure between the wooden slats and he was wondering what on
earth had come over his teacher.
"Ne, sensei," he began.
"Shhhh! She'll hear you!"
Tamahome sweatdropped. 'As if she wouldn't have heard you yelling
from below...' he thought crossly.
She stood over her husband again, giving him full view of her...
erm... pretty new dress. He whistled appreciatively. A small
smile crept into her face and she brought her foot down onto the
wood sharply, sending dust and dirt into his leering face.
Her reward was an anguished scream. "Itai!!" With a satisfied
smirk, she crossed the room and proceeded to dust the furniture.
Underneath the house, Lan was choking and crying, his eyes
squinted shut. Tamahome tried not to laugh. After a few moments
of frantic scrubbing, his teacher opened red, irritated eyes and
frowned.
"You think that's funny, do you?"
The boy hid his face, swallowing a chuckle. As hard as his
teacher was, he couldn't help liking it when someone got the
better of him, especially when that someone was his own wife.
Tamahome and Dourim had struck up a warm friendship the last few
weeks. She was generally the one he went crying to whenever
something Lan had made him do had gotten him hurt. She never
fussed over him, unlike his mother, but she did look out for him
in her own way.
And the way she handled his teacher was nothing short of
masterful.
Choking on another snicker, Tamahome scrambled to one corner of
the basement on all fours.
"Tamahome!"
"Lan!"
The older man jerked back as if on a choke chain. "Hn?"
"You leave that boy alone or I'll-"
Lan smirked. "You'll what?"
Tama's eyes widened as the ceiling shook violently, raining dust
and other things he didn't want to think about around them. By
her heartless stomping, she sounded pissed enough to tear up the
floorboards- which is exactly what she did. An arm reached down
and grabbed Lan by one gold hoop earring.
"ITAI!!"
"You," she hissed, shaking the offended ear for emphasis, "are a
bad influence."
"Matte!"
Tama laughed outright, earning a glare from his trapped teacher.
"And you!" she continued, pinning him with her gaze.
The boy gulped.
"You get on home. You need a few hours off and my husband here is
getting a little out of hand."
"Am NOT!"
"Hush!"
The young seishi smiled. "Arigato, Dourim-san. Mata na, sensei?"
Lan nodded with a resigned sigh. He knew when he was beat. "Hai.
Tomorrow."
With a wave, the boy was off. As soon as he was out of earshot,
Dourim turned to her husband sternly.
Lan blinked. "What?"
~*~*~*~*~
"Tadaima!"
Kishuku stepped into the dim room brightly, pausing to hang his
coat on a wall peg. He'd gotten home early for once- thanks to
Dourim. It was rather nice to come home without having bruised
something recently.
He was just about to wander into the kitchen when his mother came
bustling out of it hurriedly.
"Kishuku!" she exclaimed in hushed tones. "Your father is ill and
had to come home early. I told him you were out in the yard and I
had sent you to the village for medicine."
The boy's eyes widened. "Is he all right?"
"Yes, he's fine. He just needs something for pain. Now go before
he hears you!"
"Hai," he nodded and scampered off.
Ai-wei watched her small son with growing trepidation. She had
just asked him to deceive his father- while he lay in the other
room sick. But it was all for the best, wasn't it? Sighing, she
turned away from the door and padded softly to the kitchen,
uncertainty lacing every step. She dearly hoped she was doing the
right thing.
~*~*~*~*~
It was getting dark. Kishuku had made it to the herbalist before
the sun started setting but the doddering old man had taken
forever mixing the concoction. By the time he had made it out,
the sun had already started to set. Clutching the packet to his
chest, he darted out into the street, hoping to make it home
unaccosted.
Luck was not on his side. Moments later, the call he was dreading
came.
"Obake-chan!"
His eyes swept the street. Nothing.
"We haven't seen you in a while, Obake-chan."
A wisp of movement- there, to the left. With the last month's
lessons fresh in his mind, Tamahome ducked as one of the boys
rushed towards him. Balance lost, the other boy fell allowing the
young seishi to snag his waist and throw him across the clearing.
Fists on flesh. Tamahome's head rocked as another boy landed a
punch that sent him reeling. It took a moment for his eyes to
clear. Once they did, he flipped over kicking the other's legs
out from under him. The older boy went down as Tama scrambled up,
body falling into a defensive stance almost subconsciously.
"What the...?" The other boys backed away, uncertain now that
their prey had started fighting back.
"I told you to leave me alone," he gasped.
"Kishuku!"
The sharp voice cut through the falling darkness causing all five
boys to start. The two Tamahome had grounded were now just
getting on their feet, staggering dazedly. The man's stern gaze
settled on the younger boy whose heart sank to his feet.
"Tousan..."
His father's eyes narrowed even more. "All of you!" he barked.
"Get home!"
Eyes widening, the four scrambled away, two of them nursing their
bruises, muttering.
Eyes never leaving his son's hunched form, Sou Shiao-Chang felt
his world spinning away from him. Voice shaking more from a
gnawing fear than from anger, he ground out the question the
answer to which, would change their lives forever.
"Where did you learn to fight like that?"
~ TBC ~
Author's Notes: Yay! Another one done! With any luck, I'll
actually finish this thing! Comments and feedback, onegai.
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
The names for both of Tama's parents are obviously made up. I got
them from the Kalabarians Site http://www.kalabarians.com . I
tried to pick names that matched the personalities I created for
them so you can look them up there if you get bored.
And as always, thanks to Quicksilver and Saishi for doing the
betas for me. You guys really know how to deflate an ego! ^_~
Arigato! *hugs*
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 © October 8, 2000 by Moonsong. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.midnightrevolution.org/moonsong/