Disclaimer: Well, I don't own Fushigi Yuugi, 'cause Yuu Watase does. *sob* I can only console myself with the fact that I own the witch-girl. *pokes witch-girl*
(Author's Notes and Glossary at the bottom)
****************************
Deceptive Reflection
Chapter One: Yanagi no Aikoku/ Willow's Mourning
Bright colours, delicious scents, and the hum and babble of people chatting and haggling. It was a busy day in the marketplace. The late afternoon sun that shone made it perfect weather for shopping in the small town, just outside of Konan's capital city, Eiyou.
"Yummy!" cried Miaka, dashing towards a nearby food stall. "It smells so good! I'm so hungry!" The vendor blinked, surprised at the strange girl's enthusiasm.
"Didn't she just eat about 5 minutes ago?" Nuriko mumbled under his breath. He smiled, though, nonetheless amused by the Suzaku no Miko's insatiability. It was then, as the rest of the Suzaku decided it was about time they all stopped for dinner, that a small booth caught the cross-dresser's eye. He put down his purchases with the rest of the seishi and promised to be back in a minute.
He approached the small booth curiously. It was square with high walls on each side. The walls were draped over in black and purple silks and inside there stood a small table with two chairs. The table was covered with a black cloth, into which were stitched various magical looking symbols. At the table sat a girl, looking no older than 14. She sat with her eyes closed and her hands folded on the table. Her hair was straight and long, a deep crimson shade. Her long bangs screened her face, though she had an expression of deep concentration underneath. She wore a black kimono, lined in purple, with long flutter sleeves that flowed over the table before cascading over the edge of the tabletop.
Nuriko entered the booth, which was strangely silent in comparison with the world not five feet away. The scent of sweet incense lingered and he noticed, tucked away in the corner, a small shrine, though he could not tell to which god it was.
"Yanagi," the girl said sharply, all of a sudden. Nuriko jumped, looking to meet a piercing pair of icy blue eyes.
"Pardon?" Nuriko looked at her, puzzled. She continued to stare, or maybe it was glare, at him. One of the girl's eyebrows rose, skeptically.
"You heard me, Suzaku no Seishi Nuriko. Yanagi. Willow. A tree that bows under pressure, but does not break. Gracefully, it dances with the wind, not bending to it's will, yet not defying it openly. A mourning tree, melancholy but beautiful. In the magic of the West, the willow represents love. A symbol, lying over your heart, which is so very appropriate to you, Chou Ryuuen." She smiled, mystery sparkling in her eye, as Nuriko stared at her. "Do not deny what I know, for you know you cannot."
"How?" Nuriko choked out, caught in surprise.
"How do I know?" she asked, still amused. Nuriko nodded mutely. "I know because I was meant to know. I was meant to help you."
"Help me? How?" Nuriko looked at her suspiciously. She was very young, but seemed to be hiding something.
"Sit down, and I will tell you," she replied. Nuriko frowned.
"I don't think I will," he said, turning to leave.
"Yamete!" the strange girl snapped, her voice suddenly harsh. Nuriko continued walking until the cloth that draped the walls moved to bar his way. Slithering across a bar across the entrance, black and purple silk met in the centre, and a silver cord with a tassel tied them together, moving on it's own. Nuriko spun, facing the girl, who still sat at the table. She was frowning slightly, but seemed calm again. He glared back at the cord, and reached out to untie it.
It wouldn't budge.
He frowned, then took it in both hands and pulled, attempting to snap it with his unusual strength.
It was as if it were made of steel.
"I mean you no harm, Suzaku no Seishi Nuriko. If you simply sit down and listen to my words, I shall let you go. It will not take long." Nuriko hesitated, but finally decided to cooperate. Sitting down, he faced the girl.
"So, what do you want to tell me?" he asked, suspiciously.
"I want to help you, Chou Ryuuen. I know what has wounded your heart, and I want to help it heal." Nuriko frowned at her.
"I'm fine. I don't need any help," he said, without meeting her gaze.
"Kourin. Your sister. Like twins, the two of you were. You were her adored older brother, almost identical in every way. You had a strong bond, and loved each other dearly. Then, running after you in the street, she died. Trampled by a horse and carriage as you watched, helplessly. And so, you replaced her, and ended up as you are now. You feel guilty, don't you Ryuuen?"
Nuriko had turned away, tears streaking down his face as he relived the event as if it were happening before his eyes. Hearing his beloved sister's cries after him, feeling that same shock and helplessness. And so, he had become Kourin. He would live for the both of them. Though he couldn't help feeling guilty. If he had acted differently, done something differently, somehow, maybe he could have changed things. But they were as they were. Kourin was dead and he was living.
"I can change it, Ryuuen," the girl said then. Nuriko looked up at her, confused. "I can bring Kourin back to you. If you let me." Nuriko stared at her.
"Masaka..." he whispered. The girl shook her head.
"Not true. I can and I will. For a price." Nuriko frowned.
"What price?" The girl shrugged.
"Nothing material. Simply a promise that you tell no one of me. After this, you and I have never met. If people were to know of my power, I fear to think what they may do." Still overwhelmed by his revived grief, Nuriko nodded.
"Fine," he said. The girl smiled.
"So it will be. You have something that belonged once to your sister?" she asked, then. Nuriko frowned, then reached into a pocket. Inside was a pendant that Kourin had worn often. He had given it to her, for her birthday. He pulled it out and stared at it.
"It will not be harmed," the girl told him, noting his reluctance. He nodded and gave it to her. Then she rose, and reached over to pluck a strand of his violet hair. He winced, but let it go.
"Tomorrow, when you leave this town and return to Eiyou, you will find your sister at the city's gate," she promised. "She will be as if she had not died, as if she had grown up with you. Now, you will go. Your friends will worry about you if you are gone too much longer." Nuriko nodded, noticing that the silk curtains had been removed from the front of the booth and he was free to go.
"Arigatou gozaimasu," he said, bowing. The girl simply smiled and shooed him off.
"Sayonara, Ryuuen," she replied, with a whisper and a smile.
****************************
Chapter Glossary:
Yanagi - Willow. Nuriko's seishi symbol.
Yamete! - Stop!
Masaka - Impossible. It can't be.
Arigatou gozaimasu - Thank you very much.
Sayonara - Goodbye
Today's Message from The Authour-Chick:
So, whaddaya think? This is my first real attempt at fanfiction so....I hope it doesn't suck too badly! *sweatdrops* Ummm...I've only gotten up to Volume 5 of the manga (I have Volume 6 in Japanese and can't find a translation online! Oi vay...) so if I write something incongruent with the original FY storyline thingy, don't kill me! This is set wherever it might fit in the storyline I guess, since I don't really know. Ummm...please review it too...Both praise and criticism welcome...Otherwise I might not feel the need to finish it *sweatdrops* Oh yeah, and I'm Canadian, so don't mind my Canadian spellings, please. I think that's it. Hope you like it! Ja~
^_~.V
~*Hikari Shisutano
P.S. Anyone have a better title for this fic? *thinks* Wait, you don't know what's gonna happen...hmmm...well, in any case, suggestions are welcome, since I'm horrendous at titles.
Also, I'm not sure about the genre either. Maybe someone can give me some suggestions as time goes on? *shrugs*