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Fushigi Yuugi and all characters are property of Watase Yuu.
SAN::SCENE III
Xiang Cun
The Village
At a place where three roads meet, there is an inn called, "San Cha Kou". The innkeeper, Liu Li Hua, and his wife conspire to rob the guests after they have all gone to bed for the night. Having agreed on the details of their plan, Liu Li Hua and his wife hang their banner outside and open for business.
Fen Bie
Leavetaking
The village was almost too big to be called a village. A small city, maybe. We reached it by late morning on the fifth day.
We wandered through the crowded streets for a while, trying our best to look like normal travelers passing through. There were crowds, but the air was of muted wariness, as if the buildings themselves were trying to hide from something they could not see or feel or imagine.
"You feel it?" I asked Tomo. We kept our hoods up as we walked, as did half the people in the crowd. A place to hide and not be found.
He nodded and I saw his hand tightening on the horse's reins. "I feel fear."
A good description. Kutou was fear…I had learned that much early on. The country of the god of war, governed and ruled by fear. "We should have split up before we left the forest."
"A little late to think of that now, isn't it?"
"We should probably split up now. Just to avoid suspicion and from being seen together. Don't you think?"
He cackled softly. "Half the people on these streets are probably wanted criminals for something. It would be little use to separate now. Besides, we need supplies."
We watered the horses and bought some meat and fruit in the central marketplace. At least I bought fruit. Tomo stood and watched, arms folded, claiming the fruit was too old to be any good. I ignored him. Yes, the fruit was old, but when one was hungry, that did not really matter. I placed the fruits into my saddlebag and turned to him.
"When?"
His eyes were hooded. "You can leave now if you would like. I can't feel anything. The crowds are too damn big to feel any specific chi."
"Which is probably what he wants."
Tomo nodded. "I would suspect so. I don't know if we are being followed or not. If there is any suspicion we will soon find out, won't we?"
I hissed under my breath. "Why couldn't he just come with us willingly?"
Tomo didn't answer, scanning the crowds. "You should leave. Before they spot us together."
I nodded. "Yes. Be careful. Three days. Don't get yourself killed." Without a backward glance I started walking away from him, leading my horse.
"We can't be killed," his soft voice said. "We are Seiryuu's seishi."
Deng
Waiting
That sounded arrogant, didn't it?
We can't be killed. We are Seiryuu's seishi.
I wondered if I should have said something to her along the lines of what she said to me. Be careful. Be safe. Don't get yourself killed, either. But I couldn't imagine saying those words, saying anything like that. Tomo the Seiryuu seishi worked for himself, always for himself, and cared not for the misfortune of others.
At least, that was before Nakago saddled me with the responsibility of this mission.
I would do anything he asked of me, and so would you, for the simple illusion of being loved.
I turned my back on her retreating cloaked figure. Three days, I had said, to reach the monastery or temple in the mountains where our target waited. Why couldn't Miboshi be reasonable and decide to come with us without any need for…persuasion? Why did things have to be so difficult? After all, when Nakago found me, I left without any backward glances, glad to be leaving the life I had known. So, I would think, did Soi and the twins and Ashitare, even.
Why not Miboshi?
I idly walked the streets. I had told Soi I would leave at nightfall, but there seemed no reason to stay here. I had wanted to track the chi of whoever might be pursuing us, to find out where their motives and loyalties lay. But with the crowds and the possible masking of chi, it was impossible.
Alertness, my dance instructor had admonished me, is the key to success. Without it you will accomplish nothing. Without it you are only another failure.
Another failure, yes, but then we were all failures. A whole group of us, huddled alone and frightened in our secret hideaways, hoping that someday we could emerge into the bright sunlight and not be afraid. Because I had not learned my lessons well enough in those days and then I had failed the test.
Why do you paint your face?
There was definitely some kind of spell here that made it impossible to sense another's chi, for I had not even been able to sense Soi's as she was walking by me. It would be worse up in the mountains, where Miboshi's influence was, I assumed, much more powerful. We were separated now…it would be near impossible for me to find her if she decided to do anything rash.
Three days. Perhaps we should have stayed together. I should have known…I should have known not to listen to her.
I led my horse through the crowds, suppressing my own chi. If I could not find them, they could not find me.
Three days.
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