Saa, CHAPTER TEN!!! Whoohoo! Hit the two digit numbers!!!!
^_^V
I'm going off on aforementioned holiday in a few days time, so the next chapter may not be out till mid-December…^^;;; Gomen ne…
Anyways, now we enter a new arc!
More explosive action, mind-boggling puzzles and adventures for the hapless Seishi are in store! From the court intrigues of Hokkan to the underworld currents in the Lower City of Sairo, the King of Thieves arc ima wa HAJIMETE YO!
(Translation: The king of thieves arc now begins!)
--------
Otaku Pitcher: Thank you! But this chapter is only around 4000 or so words…gomen…^^;;; And you like Byakuya too? ^_^ Yaysies! And yes, it's sad that this fic gets something like 4 reviews per chapter…*sighs* Nevermind, I'll just advertise shamelessly all over! ^_^
Kai: If I could read the symbol I would tell you. And yes, you did get the 30th review. And the 31st and 34th as well. -_-;;; I know Toroki and Subaru's Character Profile is missing, I need to sort them out first…
Aveline: AHHHHHHHHH!!!! Hello! You reviewed! Thanks! *Happy*
Sansele: Repeat: the review space is NOT a BBS board. I have email you know. -_-;;;; Kai too! Ya hear me? But, never mind, it makes the fic look like it has more reviews. ^_^
--------
Thanks to Sansele for beta reading.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"……" Speech
(……) Authors Notes/ Comments
[……] Thoughts
((……)) Sounds
*……* Actions/Emotions
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Fushigi Yuugi Belongs to Watase Yuu]
[Original characters, plotline, etc are the intellectual property of Draconsis]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Draconsis Presents:
A Draconsis Fanfiction
The Great Wars of The World
~ King of Thieves Arc ~
[Chapter 10 – Fox]
A water hemlock, a Japanese andromeda, a grass snake.
On a branch with a shrike, a tree frog.
The fawn that was eaten by the fox
had looked up at the ruddiness of the moon as it died.
~Key: The metal Idol - Lullaby
Sairo's capital city is partially situated on a low, but wide cliff. The part on top of the cliff is called the Upper City, home of nobles and wealthy merchants, where shop-houses are all well kept and neat. Sairo's palace is also situated there, a sprawling grandeur of jade and ivory.
The Lower City, on the other hand, is home to the darker side of civilization, where streets aren't safe by night, and where the most crimes occur. But people still have peace of mind living there, despite the thieving rings, gambling dens, and yakuza groups that roam around the city. For the Lower City has guard posts situated all over, one in every two square kilometers, as well as regular patrols. Indeed, the rate of crime there is much less than in other cities, even their well-to-do quarters.
The Lower City is rampant with terraces, the many levels posing a hazard for wayward children, but the staircases from one level to the next hamper any major fights from occurring, breaking up any chance of a large gathering against crown or state.
It is only when night falls that the inhabitants of the Lower City fell some fear creep into their hearts, for it is under the cover of night that unlawful activities are conducted. For the faint-hearted, nightfall is a time when they should be hurrying home. For the stouthearted, night is when revelry can begin, when the city guards relax. For the thieves, gamblers and gangsters, night is when the working day begins.
-~=*[^]*=~-
Morning dawned bright over the Sairo palace, the eastern rays of the sun almost hesitating to penetrate the inner reaches of the palace. The morning wind blew across the walk leading up to the main gates of the palace, then swirled left, bring with it the fallen leaves from the military training grounds out front. It twirled around the Byakko Tower, dancing with the shrine's many wind chimes.
Kokie and Toroki sat at the teak table, situated in the center of the sunken area on the first level of the Byakko Tower. Breakfast had just been served, consisting of warm noodles and meat buns, accompanied by hot chrysanthemum tea. Subaru walked down the northern staircase, yawning blearily.
"Is Ame-chan awake yet?" Kokie asked Subaru, who had just sat down and poured herself some of the tea.
"Nope, I think she's still sleeping." Subaru yawned again, absentmindedly passing one of the buns to Chibi-neko.
Kokie grinned evilly. "Oh she is, is she…"
-~=*[^]*=~-
Arsenal had just scored the wining goal against Liverpool, and the ninety minutes were at an end! Now they were being handed the Barclaycard English Premier League cup, the spectators all on their feet. All the Arsenal fans were cheering madly, and the one seated next to her elbowed accidentally her in glee. She didn't mind; Arsenal had won! The lady elbowed her again and again, and just as she turned to tell her off-
"AMEFURI!!!!!" Kokie poked her once again.
Amefuri tumbled out of bed, the dream sequence interrupted. She subconsciously created a cushion of air, preventing herself from a rather painful meeting with the floor.
"Mou, Arsenal were wining!" She clung on to her blanket and levitated herself back to bed, throwing the blanket over her head and trying to return to her dream.
Kokie blinked. Then she poked Amefuri in the side. "Wake up, baka~~~ If not you don't get breakfast!"
"Mompff…" Amefuri opened one eye and looked out of the window. She groaned and buried her head under the covers again. "It's too early… See? It's not yet noon…"
She received another poke in the ribs. "Quit making up words! And I'll pour water on you if you don't wake up." Kokie threatened, and then poked her once again.
Amefuri dragged herself out of bed. "This is very NOT-squiffy." She levitated cross-legged over to the wardrobe on the other side of the room, and began to select clothes.
"What does 'squiffy' mean anyway? And when did you learn to levitate?" Kokie asked her.
"Squiffy means good, fun, nice, all the good things basically. And levitation? What about it?" Amefuri looked downwards, her head finally beginning to wake up. "Oh. Cool. I didn't know I could do that."
Kokie rolled her eyes as she left the room.
-~=*[^]*=~-
The late-morning sun shone high above the roof of Sairo's market district, already burning up the ground. The meat-vendors had to keep their produce in closed bamboo baskets, lest the burning sun spoil them. The four Seishi walked down a side lane, sheltered partially by a tall building on one side of the street. Not many people were out, most of them already having gone to work, and the housewives having finished their daily shopping. The dull morning air was cut through by a rather agonized cry.
'I'm a Byakko Seishi, I've defeated a Genbu Seishi, I've helped to save the crown prince of Sairo, AND WHAT AM I DOING?" Kokie screeched out the last bit.
"Buying vegetables." Amefuri replied in a matter-of-fact voice. Kokie promptly smacked her.
Subaru shook her head sadly. "I don't think you should have answered that."
The four had volunteered to help out a palace doctor buy supplies, in a lack of other things to do. Most items could be easily found, such as sheepsroot and dried Shan Zha. Others, such as black brindled fungus, were harder to find. They had found around half of the items needed, and were now making their way across the Lower City of Sairo to a famous medical hall located there. The palace physicians were extremely glad for their help, all of them being too scared to venture into the Lower City without an escort.
"But it's not exactly vegetables, it's herbs." Toroki pointed out. Her twin blades had been concealed under the loose skirt she wore in cities, long enough to hide both the blades and her pants.
"Herbs are dried vegetables." Amefuri pointed out. This time, Kokie swung the shopping basket into her.
The door from an inn further down the road was slammed open, and a rather drunk young man staggered out. He made his way up the street towards the Seishi, waving cheerily at everyone, all of whom paid the drunk no attention at all. The young man stood taller than any of the Seishi, and his white-blonde hair was tousled from a night of drinking, yet he hardly looked any older than them. He weaved from side to side, occasionally walking into people or the walls of the buildings on either side of the street.
"Oops." The man had turned sharply and bumped against Subaru, bumping loose her belt pouch. He smiled at the four of them, mumbling an apology before walking into a wall and giggling. He turned back to them one more time. "Soooorrrrrryyy!!!" He waved, and continued down the street.
"Moron spilt my bag…" Subaru bent down and began collecting the various things that had been in her bag.
Amefuri was frowning after the young man, furrows of concentration creasing her forehead.
"Eh?" Subaru exclaimed. "My purse isn't here."
The four Seishi looked at each other, realization dawning.
"THIEF!" Toroki yelled, and she and Amefuri took off after him.
The young man paused slightly at the yell, and his eyes widened slightly. Upon seeing Amefuri and Toroki give chase, he sped off down the alley, turning the corner in the blink of an eye, drunkard act stopped.
-~=*[^]*=~-
The thief led them a merry chase around the winding streets of the city, turning corners quickly and even bounding across rooftops. The staircases from one level to the next of the terraces didn't even hamper him, and he evidently knew the city well, avoiding all the patrols and guard posts.
They had lost him several times, but with the help of Toroki's Seishi power, they were always hot on his trail. Toroki could easily sense his life pulse, a mixture of brazen confidence and annoyance that they were still on his trail. A hint of worry had also appeared in the last few minutes, the thief still trying his best to shake them.
The thief turned down an alley, with Toroki and Amefuri hot on his heels. A wall loomed ahead, a dead end. There was no way out.
"Ha! We've got him!" Toroki yelled.
The thief gave them a cocky grin and shook his head, a silver cylindrical earring flashing in the sun. "No you don't!"
He hopped onto some crates that had been haphazardly piled near the wall. With a single bound he hopped onto the first crate, and he hauled himself onto the second, and was about to leap across the wall.
Toroki had been alerted as soon as he had bounded onto the first crate, and she had picked up a fairly large rock from the ground. As he prepared to leap onto the wall then over to the other side, Toroki hurled the rock at him.
The rock shot straight as an arrow, aimed at his head. The thief suddenly spun around, two ofuda held in his right hand. At the same time he used the spinning motion to propel himself to the top of the wall, and let loose the two ofuda.
One ofuda struck the rock, exploding it into a shower of dust. The second of the paper talismans spiraled down onto the crates below, bursting them into splintered boards. Now there was no way for them to get across.
"Ja ne!" he called out, and giving them a grin, jumped down on the other side of the wall.
Toroki and Amefuri could only stare in disbelief.
-~=*[^]*=~-
"…And when we got to the other side, I couldn't sense him anymore." Toroki explained.
The Seishi had regrouped, Toroki being able to permanently create a link to each of them, making finding each other easy. They had finished the shopping amidst discussions about what had happened, and had given the young man's description to the Lower City guards. Now they were back in the palace, and retelling the episode to Byakuya.
Byakuya gave her a flat-eyed look. "You used a rock when you had two swords."
Toroki returned the look. "Swords aren't long-ranged weapons."
"You could have thrown it."
"And dent it?!"
Byakuya turned to Amefuri, ignoring Toroki who fumed and silently vowed revenge. "And you didn't do a thing?"
"It wouldn't be very good to chop him into pieces with the Windblades." Amefuri replied.
"And why would that be?" Byakuya leaned back in his chair. Annoying as the Seishi were, they were a welcome distraction from the stacks of boring paperwork in front of him.
"Because I think I recognize him." Amefuri said.
All eyes in the room turned on her.
"You recognize him?" Byakuya asked, his curiosity piqued. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and thoughtfully tapping his fingers as he eyed Amefuri. "And in what way did that keep you from arresting him?"
"Because…"
-~=*[^]*=~-
"Yo, Mabataki!"
"Hey, Bon!"
A chorus of salutations greeted Mabataki Dai as he entered the Fox and the Goose, the inn where his thieving ring had its center of operations. He waved back and went up to his rooms behind the inn, trudging up the old wooden staircase that creaked. Dropping his takings onto a side table, he stretched out on his bed, sighing loudly.
"Maa, that was close." He told the dust motes floating around in the sunlight.
Those girls had nearly caught him in the market place just now, the first slip-up he had made in years. Trained by the previous King of Thieves himself, and a fully-fledged member of Kuroi Kitsune, the Black Foxes, such a mistake was degrading to say the least. The previous King had taken him under his wing since he had found him abandoned as a baby, and had taught him the trade secrets well. But those four girls in the market…
It was as if something had caught hold of his hand and refused to let go for a few milliseconds, but that was all before he had accidentally jerked loose that girls belt pouch, and mere seconds more before he was exposed. But even then he should have been able to lose the two pursuing him through the Lower City, with his memorization of the streets and the times of the patrols. However they had still chased him relentlessly like dogs on the hunt, after a fox as it tried to run through the forest to its hole.
He winced inwardly. [Hounds and a fox…not a good comparison…]
But there was still a haunting familiarity about those four, as if he had met them before when they were all younger, and the one wearing a Vanguard's loose jacket, it was as if he had seen her just some time in the recent past…
They were an interesting bunch too. The one wearing a wide skirt and with her hair cut short to shoulder level stood like a swordswoman, ready to spring into action. That skirt could have concealed swords too, and she could be from a sect that used the wrist in handling the sword, what with her wrist being bound with wrist guards. And the one he had pick pocketed… She hadn't been paying as much attention to his as the rest, but she looked like the kind that had deep undercurrents. The one with white speckled hair seemed a trifle violent, but her clothes identified her as one from the outskirts of Sairo city, her hairstyle of two braids being the giveaway. The fourth one was either a Vanguard or someone who had stolen the jacket, but she held herself like a Vanguard, relaxed but alert to every movement. An interesting lot.
He shrugged and got up from the bed, changing his clothes and applying some makeup to disguise himself. No doubt they had given his description to the guards, and the streets weren't safe now for someone looking like him. Not for a few more days at least.
Draping the chain, bearing a red hawk's feather dipped in white paint, over his shirt, the symbol of a Kuroi Kitsune member; he sauntered down the stairs, ready to get back to work.
-~=*[^]*=~-
Urumiya walked through the Hokkan snows, passing beneath the bare branches of the Forest of Shadows. The shadows the mangled trees cast had given rise to the name of the forest, not to mention several tales the Hokkan farmwives used to frighten naughty children. Despite the morning sunlight infiltrating the caverns beneath the canopy of limbs, one could still easily hide in the gloom that clung to the tree trunks. Snow drifted down in clumps from a somber gray sky, and the biting wind blew mercilessly through the spaces between the trees.
It was precisely because of the shadows that he had come to this deserted forest. As a kagetsukai, or shadow user, the amount of shadows that the forest cast made it an excellent practice ground. The other Seishi wouldn't dream of entering the forest, more than a day's ride away from the Hokkan palace, neither would they even think that he had come here. Being able to move freely in the world of shadows had certain benefits.
Finally he reached the clearing of sorts that he used as his private training ground. The shadows from the nearest trees flew up from their owners, and they combined to form a seething black vortex hovering above the forest floor. The vortex suddenly split into several clumps, and the segments flew independently around the clearing, finally converging high above him, then splitting into each individual shadow and flying back to their owners.
Urumiya felt a flash of pain from the scar that stretched from above his left eye and across his nose bridge to the bottom of his right. The jab was gone as soon as it had come, and Urumiya shook his head slightly to clear the last of the twinges. His sliver-white hair blew out behind him in the breeze, offsetting the black of his clothes.
The scar was kept hidden by applying a white powder over it that also kept the pain at bay. The powder blended in naturally with his porcelain-like skin, and effectively hid the slightly raised pale crimson line of the scar. Received when he had accidentally let his guard down, it was a clean line made by a blade. If any of the other Genbu Seishi saw it, especially Inami and maybe Hikitsu, they would know his identity, and problems would arise.
Letting the cold north wind blow his ebony black cloak around him, Urumiya walked to the nearest shadow and entered the shadow world, letting the cold tendrils of his own shadow in that dimension spirit him back to his rooms in the palace.
-~=*[^]*=~-
Byakuya unsealed the letter that had just arrived via urgent courier, taking note of the red wax seal that bore a globe of some kind, sunlight glinting off the surface. Removing the stiff parchment from the envelope, he unfolded the letter.
To his esteemed highness Tora Byakuya of House Tora
Heir to the Jade Throne
Prince of the Sands
Protector of the West
Watcher of the Tiger Seals
Light of Sairo
Byakko no MikoByakuya winced inwardly. Another title had just been added, what with his mother's proclamation all over the city. Only a blind, deaf and illiterate person would still be ignorant of this fact by now.
It gives us great pleasure to fulfill the Kotozukeru Prophecy -
Byakuya blinked. [Another prophesy? Exactly how many are there…]
by presenting his highness with the Orb of Byakko.
The what of Byakko?
It allows the Seishi to combine their powers through focusing it in the Orb, and we of the Kotozukeru Shrine –
Byakuya made a mental note to find out exactly how many shrines there were in Sairo, and for what use. If this Orb had turned up during Ohsugi Suzuno's time, it might have solved several problems the former Byakko no Miko and Seishi had encountered.
- believe that it will be of great use to your highness and his Seishi -
His Seishi? Byakuya winced again. Certain things Ohsugi Suzuno had gone through sounded excruciating to say the least, and Byakuya preferred having an intact body, considering that this lot of the Seishi were a bit…queer. And Ohsugi Suzuno had plenty of luck too. Himself on the other hand…
- in their quest to save Sairo from the machinations of our neighbors. The shrine is completely open to the Byakko no Miko and the Byakko no Shichi Seishi at any time, and we welcome your highnesses arrival.
The Guardians of the Kotozukeru Prophecy
Keepers of the Byakko no Kyuutai
Kotozukeru ShrineWestern outskirts of the Saironian Capital
What followed were detailed instructions to reach the shrine, a short ride of a few hours from the palace. Just as Byakuya was about to dismiss the letter as a hoax and possible assassination attempt, the entire letter glowed white and floated into the air, hovering for a few moments before gently floating back to his tabletop.
Byakuya sighed. Byakko Den had mentioned such signs before, where Byakko-Seikun himself had guided the Miko and Seishi.
"Why me?" he asked the parchment sitting innocently on his desk.
The parchment glowed brightly once more, then subsided. Clearly Byakko-Seikun wanted them to take a trip to this shrine.
Byakuya sweatdropped and sighed.
-~=*[ Tsudzuku To Be Continued ]*=~-
Story GuideYakuza – The Japanese mafia. Or in this case, the Saironian gangsters.
Terrace – Steps cut into a hill/slope to make it available for farming, living, etc. Commonly used in Thailand, China and Vietnam.
Teak – A sturdy tree found in Southeast Asia.
Herbs (Sheepsroot, shan zha, black brindled fungus) – I made up sheepsroot, but Shan zha actually exists, and I've seen something that could be called black brindled fungus before…Ick. .
Ofuda – Paper Talismans containing a spell that is activated on contact. Found in numerous Animes, especially Yami no Matsuei. Tasuki used them before, remember? The paper thingys that turned into wolves?
Bon – Kansai form of Bouya, which means 'boy'.
Kuroi Kitsune – Black Foxes, a thieving ring in Sairo's Lower City.
^_^
Fun chapter ne? Anyway, incase ya'll get bored or something, do me favor and read my other works hanging around. Please? ^^;;;
As always, feel free to ask any questions, and I'll be back after my trip.
And incase I really don't get back till afterwards…
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ja ne! ^_^V
@_@ @_@ Akugi @_@ @_@
Kokie: AMEFURI!!!!
Amefuri: *falls out of bed* ((THUD)) Ow...
Kokie: I'm a Byakko Seishi, I've defeated a Genbu Seishi, I've helped to save the crown prince of Sairo, AND WHAT AM I DOING?
Amefuri: Shouting.
Kokie: *whacks her*
Draconsis: *narrating* The four Seishi looked at each other, realization dawning.
Seishi: A MAGIC PURSE!!!
Draconsis: *topples over*
On the other side of the wall:
Mabataki Dai: Oh dear.
*1000000 guard dogs*
Mabataki Dai: Maa, that was close.
Dust mote: What was close?
Mabataki Dai: *freaks out*
Byakuya: Why me?
Parchment: Because you're the only person Draconsis feels it would be able to survive all the torture she will now inflict on her characters.
Byakuya: I did not need to know that.
@_@ @_@ @_@ @_@
Next chapter: How does the Orb of Byakko work? And news reaches Inami and the Genbu Seishi launch their counterstrike! Stay tuned for the next chapter of:
The Great Wars of the World, Chapter 11!
-------
Signing off,
Draconsis
-------