Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yuugi, nor do I claim to. Though I'd LIKE
to say I owned Hoto-sama, or Chi-chi-san, or any of the others…I don't…So
have fun reading!
Author's notes: I'm sooooo sorry for taking this long to update! Bloody writer's block! But after this they should come along faster! Now please enjoy! I haven't gone over this with a fine toothed comb yet, so point out any weak plot points or bad grammar ect- PLEASE!
"Yamome, hang on!" Kira lifted the older man onto her back and mounted her horse. "Just hang on…" Kira locked his hands across her stomach, and leaned him over her as she rode back to the village as fast as the wind would carry the hooves of the horse.
"Prince…" Moro turned as Kira rode past her as fast as she could. She watched Kira ride back to the town, and saw the red stain growing on the white horse's leg. As she watched there was a cheer from the crowd and the last of the enemy was driven off.
'We must hurry… we must hurry…'
Time then slowed just for Yamome and Kira. The moments passed into minutes, and minutes stretched themselves to hours and beyond. Kira could feel every movement of the wind; every ray of light was alone in her eyes; every breath drew short. The horse came to an abrupt halt and Kira dismounted with Yamome on her back.
"…Prince…" Kira froze; Yamome's voice was no more than a light whisper. A series of images from long ago shot through Kira's mind, and she stopped in her tracks.
"Yamome…" Kira knelt down and lowered Yamome off her back. She sat him up, and leaned him against her knee. "Just hang on…" Kira looked into his eyes and silently begged for his life.
"…Prince, I know you are the one…" Yamome had a sleepy smile and took small shallow breaths.
"Yamome… Thank you…" Kira closed her eyes, and bowed her head to him.
"…Please… Watch over my son…I know… He will stay safe…if you are with him…" Yamome closed his eyes and his breathing faltered.
"But your sister…" Kira opened her eyes and stared at him with surprise on her face. "Wouldn't she…"
"She…has no need of him…" Yamome took a small breath and opened his eyes. "…I entreat you…"
Kira couldn't make out a word, but she closed her eyes and bowed her head. Yamome smiled and took his final breath. His body calmed as he exhaled, but the smile remained even after his passing.
"Yamome!" The villagers were returning quickly for they had seen Kira ride past as the enemy was defeated.
~~~
The golden sun rose high in the sky and awoke the world, however, today the desert would remain in the shadows. Ominous gray clouds engulfed the sky, and would not be broken by any wind. Slowly it began to drizzle onto the dunes that had, just a few days ago, been the place where the inhabitants of a small village in the desert defeated the imperial guards.
This once happy town was still and sorrowful now. They had fought bravely, with valor and in return they drove off their oppressors. In this battle for freedom, though none of the enemy was killed, a few villagers had. It is for them the town grieves.
Three mounds were raised below the tree in the village and atop them were placed three swords as markers. The majority of the villagers were gathered there or remained in their homes. Yuki left the town's hall talking with Moro about many things, and neither Kagasuki nor Kira were anywhere to be seen.
'Why am I crying… It's just a character in a book…' Kira stood on the dunes where the battle had taken place and was staring at the spot where Yamome had been struck down. "None of this is real…" Kira finished her thought aloud, hoping it would make it true.
"What is real, it is what your mind makes it and no more."
Kagasuki stood behind Kira and looked down at the ground. Kira sighed and acknowledged his presence, though she never looked from the ground.
"But even so, my mind can't bring him back…" Kira stared, blankly, at the ground.
"No one can change the past, but only you can change your future." Kagasuki looked up at the gray horizon.
"…Change my future…" Kira looked up at the horizon and her composure changed. "Very well, from this moment on I will become the Son of Destiny…" Kira took on a rigid air and her eyes changed to hide the sadness.
"Then, my lady… or would you prefer lord now?" Kagasuki set his hand on Kira's shoulder and smiled. Kira looked mildly shocked that he had known about her through her masculine costume, but she laughed slightly. "I would be glad to serve at your side, and aide you in your quest." He bowed and whispered something inaudible to Kira.
"Thank you…" Kira smiled at him, and turned to walk off towards the town. Kagasuki paused a moment and followed after her. As they returned it began to rain with reasonable intensity, however there was no wind to stir it.
"But that's not what daddy said!" A small boy with short red hair and many freckles yelled back at a house as he ran out into the street.
"Now Tatara! Be serious!" Moro came jogging out of the house after the small boy.
"No! That's not what daddy said!" The little boy ran and watched Moro over his shoulder. He didn't notice where he was going until he crashed into Kira, and tumbled backwards.
"Prince!" Moro looked rather surprised and shocked that Tatara had slammed into her.
Kira knelt down on her right knee before the fallen child, and set her hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright, little one?" She bent her head down and whispered to the boy alone, in her regular feminine voice rather than her deeper commanding tone of Kurare. The boy looked up at her incredulously and nodded his head slowly.
"Uh huh…" The boy stared at her with his innocent brown eyes, and Kira noticed a similarity in him and Moro.
"Tatara, you should watch where you're going!" Moro chided the boy, only to be stopped by Kira waving her hand.
"It's quite alright, only an accident no harm has come of it." Kira put her hand down and looked at Moro with an eyebrow raised. "Is this one yours?" Kira motioned to Tatara and smiled.
"No, he was my brother's. His name is Tatara." Moro smiled sadly at the boy and sighed.
"So this is the boy…" Kira trailed off and looked down at Tatara who was brushing the dust off his pants.
"Yes, he keeps saying that his father put you in charge of him. Of course that's preposterous." Moro rubbed her forehead and sighed.
"How is that preposterous?" Kira blinked and Moro looked up at her. "He did say I was to take care of his son, that you had no need of him."
"But, you have so much to do, and I can take care of-" Moro started talking swiftly to hide her surprise, and wasn't doing a very good job of it.
"I wouldn't mind taking him along for the adventure," Kira said and looked down at Tatara. "Unless you don't want to come along with me…"
Tatara's eyes lit up and he stood up as tall as he could. "I can, really?" He exclaimed to confirm that he had really heard what he suspected he had. Kira nodded and the small child leapt into the air waving his arms, chanting 'hurray.'
"You, Tatara, can be our special messenger. Now go tell Mihori, the shorter scary lady with the whip, to come out here and be ready to go." Kira leaned over the excited child and spoke to him as if her request were some military secret.
Moro stood baffled at the Prince's almost instant like of the child, and smiled to herself. "Prince, I wish more men were as maternal as you! Then maybe less women would have to kill their husbands!" Moro laughed and threw her arms up as she walked back to one of the buildings.
Kagasuki and Kira shared a sideways glance and tried not to laugh at Moro's last comment. Kagasuki was about to make a comment of his own when Tatara came running up, leading poor Yuki by the hand. The spectacle seemed, in and of itself, rather absurd.
"Come on! Prince Says you have'ta come!" Tatara laughed and led Yuki, only releasing her after he was positive she was close enough to the group (which was, of course within three feet).
"Ah, good job Tatara!" Kira chimed as she patted the boy on the head and smiled at her friend. "Oi, tonight we set out." Kira smiled and gave Yuki thumbs up.
"What? Where are we going? Why? Whose us?" Yuki looked horribly confused and fell out of her character.
"All four of us, are leaving at dusk. We are going out to help the needy and what-not!" Kira threw her arms up and folded them behind her head. "You know, to become warriors of Justice and the fighters of Destiny!"
"What!?" Yuki brandished an expression of complete bewilderment and stared at Kira.
"Well, wouldn't make for a very good book if we just sat around, would it?" Kira smiled.
(And thus ended the laying out of the story!)
(Thanks to those of you who review, and those of you who read and don't review…REVIEW! I live and write off of them! I won't bite, constructive criticism welcome, all flames will be laughed at before being thrown into Suzaku's ashes!)
Author's notes: I'm sooooo sorry for taking this long to update! Bloody writer's block! But after this they should come along faster! Now please enjoy! I haven't gone over this with a fine toothed comb yet, so point out any weak plot points or bad grammar ect- PLEASE!
"Yamome, hang on!" Kira lifted the older man onto her back and mounted her horse. "Just hang on…" Kira locked his hands across her stomach, and leaned him over her as she rode back to the village as fast as the wind would carry the hooves of the horse.
"Prince…" Moro turned as Kira rode past her as fast as she could. She watched Kira ride back to the town, and saw the red stain growing on the white horse's leg. As she watched there was a cheer from the crowd and the last of the enemy was driven off.
'We must hurry… we must hurry…'
Time then slowed just for Yamome and Kira. The moments passed into minutes, and minutes stretched themselves to hours and beyond. Kira could feel every movement of the wind; every ray of light was alone in her eyes; every breath drew short. The horse came to an abrupt halt and Kira dismounted with Yamome on her back.
"…Prince…" Kira froze; Yamome's voice was no more than a light whisper. A series of images from long ago shot through Kira's mind, and she stopped in her tracks.
"Yamome…" Kira knelt down and lowered Yamome off her back. She sat him up, and leaned him against her knee. "Just hang on…" Kira looked into his eyes and silently begged for his life.
"…Prince, I know you are the one…" Yamome had a sleepy smile and took small shallow breaths.
"Yamome… Thank you…" Kira closed her eyes, and bowed her head to him.
"…Please… Watch over my son…I know… He will stay safe…if you are with him…" Yamome closed his eyes and his breathing faltered.
"But your sister…" Kira opened her eyes and stared at him with surprise on her face. "Wouldn't she…"
"She…has no need of him…" Yamome took a small breath and opened his eyes. "…I entreat you…"
Kira couldn't make out a word, but she closed her eyes and bowed her head. Yamome smiled and took his final breath. His body calmed as he exhaled, but the smile remained even after his passing.
"Yamome!" The villagers were returning quickly for they had seen Kira ride past as the enemy was defeated.
~~~
The golden sun rose high in the sky and awoke the world, however, today the desert would remain in the shadows. Ominous gray clouds engulfed the sky, and would not be broken by any wind. Slowly it began to drizzle onto the dunes that had, just a few days ago, been the place where the inhabitants of a small village in the desert defeated the imperial guards.
This once happy town was still and sorrowful now. They had fought bravely, with valor and in return they drove off their oppressors. In this battle for freedom, though none of the enemy was killed, a few villagers had. It is for them the town grieves.
Three mounds were raised below the tree in the village and atop them were placed three swords as markers. The majority of the villagers were gathered there or remained in their homes. Yuki left the town's hall talking with Moro about many things, and neither Kagasuki nor Kira were anywhere to be seen.
'Why am I crying… It's just a character in a book…' Kira stood on the dunes where the battle had taken place and was staring at the spot where Yamome had been struck down. "None of this is real…" Kira finished her thought aloud, hoping it would make it true.
"What is real, it is what your mind makes it and no more."
Kagasuki stood behind Kira and looked down at the ground. Kira sighed and acknowledged his presence, though she never looked from the ground.
"But even so, my mind can't bring him back…" Kira stared, blankly, at the ground.
"No one can change the past, but only you can change your future." Kagasuki looked up at the gray horizon.
"…Change my future…" Kira looked up at the horizon and her composure changed. "Very well, from this moment on I will become the Son of Destiny…" Kira took on a rigid air and her eyes changed to hide the sadness.
"Then, my lady… or would you prefer lord now?" Kagasuki set his hand on Kira's shoulder and smiled. Kira looked mildly shocked that he had known about her through her masculine costume, but she laughed slightly. "I would be glad to serve at your side, and aide you in your quest." He bowed and whispered something inaudible to Kira.
"Thank you…" Kira smiled at him, and turned to walk off towards the town. Kagasuki paused a moment and followed after her. As they returned it began to rain with reasonable intensity, however there was no wind to stir it.
"But that's not what daddy said!" A small boy with short red hair and many freckles yelled back at a house as he ran out into the street.
"Now Tatara! Be serious!" Moro came jogging out of the house after the small boy.
"No! That's not what daddy said!" The little boy ran and watched Moro over his shoulder. He didn't notice where he was going until he crashed into Kira, and tumbled backwards.
"Prince!" Moro looked rather surprised and shocked that Tatara had slammed into her.
Kira knelt down on her right knee before the fallen child, and set her hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright, little one?" She bent her head down and whispered to the boy alone, in her regular feminine voice rather than her deeper commanding tone of Kurare. The boy looked up at her incredulously and nodded his head slowly.
"Uh huh…" The boy stared at her with his innocent brown eyes, and Kira noticed a similarity in him and Moro.
"Tatara, you should watch where you're going!" Moro chided the boy, only to be stopped by Kira waving her hand.
"It's quite alright, only an accident no harm has come of it." Kira put her hand down and looked at Moro with an eyebrow raised. "Is this one yours?" Kira motioned to Tatara and smiled.
"No, he was my brother's. His name is Tatara." Moro smiled sadly at the boy and sighed.
"So this is the boy…" Kira trailed off and looked down at Tatara who was brushing the dust off his pants.
"Yes, he keeps saying that his father put you in charge of him. Of course that's preposterous." Moro rubbed her forehead and sighed.
"How is that preposterous?" Kira blinked and Moro looked up at her. "He did say I was to take care of his son, that you had no need of him."
"But, you have so much to do, and I can take care of-" Moro started talking swiftly to hide her surprise, and wasn't doing a very good job of it.
"I wouldn't mind taking him along for the adventure," Kira said and looked down at Tatara. "Unless you don't want to come along with me…"
Tatara's eyes lit up and he stood up as tall as he could. "I can, really?" He exclaimed to confirm that he had really heard what he suspected he had. Kira nodded and the small child leapt into the air waving his arms, chanting 'hurray.'
"You, Tatara, can be our special messenger. Now go tell Mihori, the shorter scary lady with the whip, to come out here and be ready to go." Kira leaned over the excited child and spoke to him as if her request were some military secret.
Moro stood baffled at the Prince's almost instant like of the child, and smiled to herself. "Prince, I wish more men were as maternal as you! Then maybe less women would have to kill their husbands!" Moro laughed and threw her arms up as she walked back to one of the buildings.
Kagasuki and Kira shared a sideways glance and tried not to laugh at Moro's last comment. Kagasuki was about to make a comment of his own when Tatara came running up, leading poor Yuki by the hand. The spectacle seemed, in and of itself, rather absurd.
"Come on! Prince Says you have'ta come!" Tatara laughed and led Yuki, only releasing her after he was positive she was close enough to the group (which was, of course within three feet).
"Ah, good job Tatara!" Kira chimed as she patted the boy on the head and smiled at her friend. "Oi, tonight we set out." Kira smiled and gave Yuki thumbs up.
"What? Where are we going? Why? Whose us?" Yuki looked horribly confused and fell out of her character.
"All four of us, are leaving at dusk. We are going out to help the needy and what-not!" Kira threw her arms up and folded them behind her head. "You know, to become warriors of Justice and the fighters of Destiny!"
"What!?" Yuki brandished an expression of complete bewilderment and stared at Kira.
"Well, wouldn't make for a very good book if we just sat around, would it?" Kira smiled.
(And thus ended the laying out of the story!)
(Thanks to those of you who review, and those of you who read and don't review…REVIEW! I live and write off of them! I won't bite, constructive criticism welcome, all flames will be laughed at before being thrown into Suzaku's ashes!)