Heba Minna! This is yet another fic, done by me, when I was suppose to listen to the boring rules of language, and yes, I HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOL NOW!!! * hisses evilly at the sound of it * so I might not be able to update this fic anytime soon. Also, I am debating whether or not to discontinue my other fic, 'Life of an Office Girl'. Sucky title, I know, but it was the only thing I could think of!! Honest!! Anyway, enough with my stupid rambling and on with the show!!!!
Disclaimer: I, like all the rest of you people here, don't own InuYasha and I doubt I ever will. I also don't own the short story, 'The Lady, or, The Tiger?' so just don't bug me about it!! ;__;
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The Lady, or, The Tiger?
Chapter One:
Prologue
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In the medieval age of Japan, one king ruled each section of the country. Five kings in all, but the fiercest one of all ruled over the Eastern Plains of Japan. He was taller than your average man, long black hair that stopped around his backside, brilliant brown eyes with pupils so small; he looked like he had none. He always wore his blood red tunic that stopped just above his ankles and you never saw him without his sword, for protection needs even though there was guards at every door.
He ruled the land with a cruel hand and his ruling was even crueler. If a man was to be found guilty, they would be killed on the spot, or, if they were innocence they had to move out of his kingdom, leaving everything he had behind.
One day, as he was pondering over his readings, he thought of a cruel idea on how to reward the guilty men with their innocence if he was found guilt-free and punish the guilty men if he was found guilty with his charges. He would build an arena, one that would rival the forests in the Western Woodlands. Two identical doors would be put at the end, so thick and so tall you could not hear though them to guess the 'right' answer.
(A/N: Do you understand this so far? I'm confusing myself………)
The man would have to guess a door. Yes, he had to guess his fate behind those doors. One door held a tiger, so fierce and violent that even the strongest man would be victim to his jaws. They wouldn't feed the tiger for days, building upon his hunger. If the man chose this door, he would have a gruesome death, being torn limb from limb by the tiger's jaws. The people watching would shut their eyes, muttering why one so young and handsome, or one so old and wise would have to die for something they did or didn't do.
But, in the other door, held the lady. This lady was brought from any corner of the king's territory, the beauty of the land and wise to. She would wear a brilliant white wedding dress. Adoring that dress was bows and pearls, diamonds and quartzes, anything that was beautiful was on it. Her hair, done in a bun, had pearl clips in them. A veil was, from the tiara on her head, a few feet lagging behind her. She surely was the beauty of that land.
If the man opened that door, cheers and shouts would fill the air, signaling that the man was indeed innocence. They would throw streamers and confetti in the air, trumps would play and the royal baker would bring out the tall cake with both their names on it. The preacher would step from one of the lower stands and stand in the middle of the area, with his Bible open, reading to bless the young couple.
It did not matter that the man had indeed all ready have a beautiful wife and loving family. The King said that if any person were to argue against it if he indeed chose the door, he would be killed on the spot, innocence or not.
There was only one foul proof in his plan. The youkai of the town would be able to sniff out which door held the lady or the tiger. Yes, he couldn't stop the smell from escaping the doors, so the youkai would have an upper advantage………So the King decided that mostly humans would do the trail, youkai would just be killed on the spot.
The King chuckled at the idea. This would show how mercifulness he was. He really didn't care about his people, anyway. So why not charge them for something they didn't do? That would be most entertaining.
The King started out the plans immediately. He drew the buildings himself and decided on how big the arena was to be. He called out his best wood carvers to carve the two identical wooden doors for it. He called his best stone workers to build the arena from the finest stones they had so it would last until his children's, children's, children's, children's.
He marked on a place on a map for where it would be built. It was on a Holy Ground, which had no name at the time. The workers were unsure at first, but a glare from their King told them other wise and started work immediately. They cleared the area and started the foundations of the arena. It took only a small fifteen years to complete it. The King was overjoyed and sent Runners to search for the tiger and the lady.
One of the runners found the lady surprisingly fast. Her name was Midoriko and was a powerful priestess at the time and had cleared many of the youkai that went on a rampage. She had waist length black hair and blue eyes that sparkled all the time. She agreed to be the lady and was lead back to the palace.
The other runner took a longer to find the tiger, knowing all to well if he hurried, some innocent life was in danger. He finally found one that he approved of after seven days and brought it back with him. During the trip back to the castle, he did not feed it under the Lord's wishes so that it would kill the first thing it saw.
The King chose which evil doer (A/N: that word is spelled right, I'll let you know!) would go first. He chose Kumo as his first prey. Even though the bandit was covered in burn wounds and was nearly crippled, he did not care. It was all for the enjoyment for himself.
Kumo was set at the entrance, while the tiger and the lady were being set behind those doors. Not the King or his wife knew which door held which, but that was even better, you see.
Kumo walked slowly, nobody was sure if it was because of his almost crippled legs or out of freight. He walked to the right. Stopped. Then turned to the left………and stopped again. He examined the door with interest………then, ever so slowly, he lifted his hand. Before touching the large door handle, he stopped. He looked back at the right door and walked over to that one. He raised his hand ever so slowly again and grasped the large door handle this time. Everyone sat stiff in their seats, not knowing which was to come out.
He pushed the top of the handle down and slowly began to open it. Inch by agonizing inch, he pulled it open until the door was fully open. The people and the King sat at the tips of their seats, looking to see what was in that door………
It was the lady, Midoriko. She walked out with her brilliant wedding dress, flowers in one hand. Her veil traveled a few good feet behind her as she slowly took small steps out into the arena.
The people roared with praise, as some threw streamers at them. The royal chief brought out the cake and the preacher rushed to greet them. The deafening applause never ceased for ten whole minutes. Even the King himself clapped for the newly wed couple. The ceremony lasted for hours and everyone stayed there till the very end. The King sent his blessings to the couple and left, leaving everything behind him of that day.
Ever since that day, one man was chosen every few months to take the trail. Many deaths followed, and also many weddings. This had been going on for hundreds of years, not one son stopping the arena's glory. The floor has been stained with blood from all its victims, none ever noticing it though.
Now, it's the time to chose another and they say it's a hanyou………but who knows. Hanyous don't exist………right?
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Chibi: Mawahahahaha! How was THAT for the first chapter? If ya like it, love it, or just plain hate it, review! I take flames too!!
InuYasha: Who would ever want to read this crap that you write?! It sucks!!
Kagome: SIT!
InuYasha: * Wham * WENCH!!
Chibi: * sighs * well, anyway, REVIEW!! And JA NE TILL NEXT TIME!!
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113 Ways to Annoy People (one through five out of one-hundred thirteen):
(This has nothing to do with the fic. I would just like to share it all with you)
One: Sing the Batman theme incessantly.
Two: In the memo field of all your checks, write "for sensual massage".
Three: Specify that your drive-through order is "to go".
Four: Learn Morse code, and have conversations with friends in public consisting entirely of "Beeeep Bip Bip Beeeep Bip..."
Five: If you have a glass eye, tap on it occasionally with your pen while talking to others.
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