Les Jeux Mystèrieux: The Mysterious Games
Janna: Two episodes ago, Tokaki advanced to the final round in the Sailan Battle Arena, where Jeff was the Guanjun, or Champion.
Luna: Jeff was the Byakko Celestial Warrior Toroki. He didn't fight Tokaki, but joined us on our journey.
Kat: Little did they know that a very dangerous enemy of Toroki was following them.
Chris: He kidnapped Anne in the night, and then challenged Toroki to a duel to the death, all because he was jealous that Toroki had beaten him in the Battle Arena!
Jeff: I won, of course.
Nick: He's really really good at fighting…(eyes swords)
Jeff: No.
Max: With Toroki in the group, there's only one more Celestial Warrior to find.
Anne: But…it's going not going to be that easy.
Episode 18: Tsuki no nai yoru (The Moonless Night)
(The dark, pentagramal cult chamber)
Liao: Ren, you have returned from the Emperor's court. What did he say?
Ren: …I am afraid that he is not being receptive to our wishes.
Person 2: What? How can he not be?
Ren: He wishes for the execution to happen in three days.
Mei: That is…confusing. Why does he not want her out of the way?
Ren: I am not sure. I do not pretend to understand the Emperor.
Person 2: Perhaps…we need a new Emperor. One more predisposed to our wishes.
Person 4: Wait a minute! You aren't suggesting…
Liao: Jun, please. While that might be a good idea, it would not solve our current problem.
Jun (Person 2): Yes…I understand. But I could have it performed if needed.
Mei: I think we need to focus on our current problem more; the final Byakko Star.
Ren: That is a correct analysis, but the Star has moved completely into the Emperor's field of influence. It is…out of our hands.
(Nobody speaks after Ren's brutally frank confession.)
Liao: So now we have to rely on that weakling on the throne to carry out our plans?
Person 4: Maybe we should just give up.
Mei: That would be deserting Senri-e in her struggle to escape the eternal prison.
Jun: Let's face it. We failed. Every single Warrior slipped from our grasp.
Liao: We are assuming that the final Warrior will not be executed. The Priestess is still deep in Sailo, correct? And our plans for the Guanjun have not borne fruit, have they?
Ren: Yes, we still have those two plans to rely on. But…the situation does not look good.
Person 4: We're screwed.
*************
(Anne holds the scroll downwards, her eyes wide open in horror. The group stares at her in confusion)
Tokaki: Anne? You just said "Oh, my god"!
Tatara: She never says that! What happened?
Anne: No…no way…
Amefuri: What's going on???
Anne: Katherine…she…we…
Tatara: Hey, that rhymes!
Toroki: Tatara, please. Anne, what's wrong?
Anne: (outbursting, almost in tears) They're going to kill her! All this time, we've been just walking around Sailo and Kat was kidnapped and they took her to Kutou and now they're going to kill her!
(There is silence for a moment)
Karasuki: …what?
Anne: (holding up Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho) Look! Look at this! (begins to read) "The final Star, Kokie, languished in her cell in Kutou's capital. The long trip from Sailo had brought a week of pain. Through the pain, one thought entered her mind; that in three days, the torture would be over. The day of the execution loomed in her mind."
(horrified silence)
Subaru: Oh, my god. Oh. God.
Amefuri: You're kidding, right? Right???
Anne: No! No, I'm not!
Tatara: There's gotta be a mistake. The Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho must be lying! (grabs Karasuki's sleeve) Right? Karasuki, scry! It can't be true!
Karasuki: I can't! Something's blocking Janna, so I certainly can't break through something that strong!
Tokaki: She's going to be killed in three days? Then…we still have time, right? We can save her!
Anne: (crying) She's a whole country away! It took us a week to get from Mt. Taikyoku to here! It'll take us two weeks to get to Kutou, and a few more days to get into the palace complex! We can't get there in time! She's…she's going to die.
Subaru: No! What are we supposed to do, just give up?
Toroki: We don't have any other choice, do we?
Subaru: Does it matter? Kat's going to die! We have to keep trying, if only for her sake!
Anne: Yeah, but…how?
Subaru: I don't know…but we can't give up!
(The group rides quietly, apart from Anne trying to stop the flow of tears. Soon, the horizon begins to darken.)
Amefuri: We should make camp.
Karasuki: Yeah, good idea.
Tokaki: But…what about Kat?
Toroki: We're not going to get anything done tonight. Besides, we have two more days to figure out what we're going to do.
Anne: But…we…
Subaru: We need to sleep, more than anything. I'm sure Toroki's bone-tired by now, and so am I. In the morning, we'll think about what we can do.
*************
(A darkened room, not that of the cult. A reflective surface sits in the middle of the room, illuminated by the sole beam of light, coming from the small, moonlit window. It ripples a little, and a dark figure peers over it. The ripples clear, and the surface shows the group's camp, all asleep due to the moon)
Figure: (masculinily feminine voice) Those fools. They will never reach her in two days. They cannot understand the powers given to them…idiots!
(The surface ripples again, now showing the inside of the boy's tent.)
Figure: I must show them what to do…to think that they would ruin my carefully laid plans all because they could not think! I suppose I will have to interfere, again…
(The surface ripples, showing Karasuki's sleeping face)
Figure: Ah, yes…this one will do nicely.
*************
(It's the middle of the night, and Tatara can't sleep. Tokaki, Toroki and Karasuki are all sleeping soundly…Tokaki is sleeping with lots of sounds, actually.)
(Tatara groans, and then sits up. He quietly exits the tent. Their chosen campground is a nice place; it's near a wooded area, and bordering a quiet river. A large tree sits next to the river, blocking out a large portion of the night sky. Tatara shrugs, and walks sleepily over to the tree.)
(He is about to reach the tree when he hears a strange sound, almost like a choking noise. He looks around, confused, and then moves towards the tree. The sound is coming from the other side of the tree.)
(Tatara slyly pokes his head around the tree, and sees a most surprising sight. Anne sits against the tree, looking out to the water. Her knees are clasped to her chest, and she is quietly sobbing.)
Tatara: Anne?
(Anne looks up suddenly, surprised to hear anybody. When she sees Tatara, she relaxes.)
Anne: (through sobs) Oh, it's you.
Tatara: Yeah, it's me. I couldn't sleep. (he looks at her, confused) Are you OK?
Anne: (sarcastically) Oh, yeah, I'm just great.
(Tatara thinks for a moment, then sits down next to Anne.)
Tatara: You wanna talk about it?
Anne: …
Tatara: Come on. Please?
Anne: (choking back sobs) Well…OK, so…I've just been thinking, that this whole, book thing…it's been horrible. It's ruining my life, all of your lives…Katherine might not have a life pretty soon…
Tatara: What do you mean, it's ruining our lives? I'm having fun…
Anne: Yeah, but! I mean, we're in a book. A book! And we're fighting to save some of the inhabitants of the book! Just think about this! Furthermore, I'm the Priestess of a tiger! A tiger!
Tatara: You're having a crisis of faith?
Anne: Of course! I've been a devout Christian all my life, and now I'm forced into…being the cornerstone of another religion! (lays her head down) Am I a bad person for that? I don't know!
Tatara: Well…I'm sure that Jesus doesn't even exist in this world.
Anne: Does that matter? We're also assuming this world exists. Are we really here? Or are we just having some sort of group hallucination? Magic like this doesn't exist!!! We can't do this type of stuff! Right now, I don't know if you guys are really doing magic, or if I'm just seeing you people, or we're all hallucinating…and it's all my fault!
Tatara: It's your fault?
Anne: (still sobbing) Yeah! If I hadn't opened the book, then none of this would have happened! If I hadn't agreed to become the Priestess of some stupid tiger I don't even think exists, then none of this would have happened! If I weren't so helpless and weak, none of this would have happened, and Katherine wouldn't die! (lays her head back down) I hate this place…I want to go home.
(Tatara puts his hand on Anne's shoulder)
Tatara: …I don't think that all this is your fault. It wasn't your fault that we're needed in the book. We didn't have control over being summoned, frankly.
Anne: (bringing up her head angrily and shaking off Tatara's hand) We didn't have control! Of course! So we're expected to just jump into some parallel world's conflict and risk our lives for people that we don't even know or care about! Because of that, Katherine's going to die! (turning to Tatara) Is this our responsibility? Should we be expected to risk our lives to save other people we never knew existed? We're being targeted by assassins sent by mysterious enemies! We don't know who those enemies are or why they want to kill us! But they do! All because we're trying to bring peace to Sailo!
Tatara: Isn't it the better thing to do? To save people?
Anne: But we didn't have a choice! Otherwise I would most likely agree, but…
Tatara: But? You'd have decided the same thing if you had had a choice.
Anne: It's the principle!
Tatara: (reasonably) No, it's not. You feel helpless.
Anne: (acquiescing) …and what if I do? What else am I supposed to feel? I can't do anything like you Warriors! All I can do is sit around and…and be kidnapped or something. I'm the useless part of this group, it's quite evident.
Tatara: No, you're not. You're-
Anne: (cutting him off) I know, the Priestess of Byakko. (sardonically) The most important member of the group, who has her Warriors protect her so she can travel around Sailo searching for all seven warriors and then can summon Byakko. But that's not the case! I am the weakest link. I could just sit in the palace at Shijuen and be fine while you all go and search for Warriors! It would probably get finished faster! (turning away) I just hate it…hate being so helpless.
(Tatara sighs)
Tatara: I suppose you could look at it that way…but if you just think about how many lives you're going to save by being who you are…isn't it worth it? Isn't peace worth that helpless feeling?
(Anne doesn't say anything.)
Tatara: And frankly, I don't think you're helpless, not completely. You may not have powers like us, but that doesn't make you useless. Even if you can't fight…isn't that a blessing, really? Not having to fight? Not having to hurt other people? You might not be an asset to the group through fighting, but you can still think. You have your mind, your personality, and your will to pull you through.
(Anne sighs and stares out towards the water. The tears have stopped by now, reduced to a few sniffles.)
Tatara: I know…it's not much consolation. But it's all I've got.
(Anne turns back to Tatara and manages a smile.)
Anne: It's fine…it worked. Thanks, Tatara.
(Tatara smiles back, and tilts his head backwards)
Anne: I think…I can go to bed now. Are you going to sleep?
Tatara: Nope. I've got all of nature to commune with, and the night is still young.
(Anne stands up, shaking her head)
Anne: You know what, Tatara? You're a really weird guy.
(Tatara closes his eyes and smiles)
Tatara: We wouldn't like it any other way.
*************
(A map of the four countries appears, with a large white dot in the area of central Sailo. A smaller white dot appears in south-central Kutou. In the middle of the map, a white character appears. It is that of Stride, Tokaki's Celestial character. Another character appears next to it, glowing faintly. It is Rain Net, Amefuri's Celestial character. Rain Net glows, and its glow seeps out of it into Stride. Stride glows brightly, and then disappears along with Rain Net. The large white dot disappears as well, reappearing next to the smaller white dot in Kutou. The entire map dissolves into white, and—)
(Karasuki sits up, breathing heavily. He looks around the empty tent, and to the morning sunlight streaming through the open tent flap. He blinks a few times and then shakes his head in confusion.)
Karasuki: What an odd dream.
(He quickly dresses and leaves the tent. The rest of the group is already outside, doing various things. Tatara and Subaru stand over a pot cooking on a fire, struggling to control the cooking while Anne tries to break the struggle up. Toroki is doing sword exercises while Tokaki sits cross-legged, mesmerized. Amefuri sits cross-legged as well a few feet away, clearly meditating from her closed eyes and hands lying on her thighs, palms up. Karasuki's emergence catches Subaru's eye, and she smiles at him. Tatara takes this opportunity to grab the spoon out of her hand and start stirring the pot.)
Karasuki: (to nobody in particular) Good morning.
Anne: Good morn- Tatara!
Tatara: What?
Subaru: Give that back!
Tatara: No! I'm cooking!
Subaru: I was here first!
Tatara: But your cooking tastes like mud!
Subaru: Does not!
Tatara: Does too!
Karasuki: (to Anne) Lively morning?
Anne: You have no idea.
(Tokaki gets up and walks over to Karasuki)
Tokaki: It's about time you got up. Now we can eat.
Tatara: Yes, eat my delicious cooking.
Subaru: I cooked it!
(Amefuri sighs and opens her eyes. Toroki sheathes his swords, and the two walk over to the pot, completing a mini-circle around the pot.)
Subaru: Please, feel free to sample my delicacy.
Tatara: I'm telling you, it's my creation.
(Anne grabs the spoon out of Tatara's hand and scoops up a hearty spoonful of what appears to be stew. The whole group, but Tatara and Subaru especially, watch as Anne hesitantly puts the spoon into her mouth. In a moment, Anne's eyes bug out and her entire face turns green. She clutches her throat, and drops the spoon, running into the woods. The group watches her go, with none but Tatara and Subaru really being surprised.)
Toroki: (nodding slowly) Well…
Tatara: See, I told you you can't cook.
Subaru: I can't cook? You said yourself it was your cooking!
(Tatara and Subaru continue their bickering as the rest of the group sighs and sits down with bowls of glop. Anne returns from the woods presently, looking a sight less green. The group tries vainly to stomach Tatara and Subaru's…breakfast, but it doesn't work.)
Tatara: So…
Tokaki: Don't try to start a conversation. We're too hungry to talk, no thanks to you.
Tatara: Buuuuuuut!!! Subaru-
Anne: Oh, stop. We have more important things to think about…Katherine, for instance.
(The group instantly sobers up at the mention of Katherine.)
Toroki: OK…so…let's brainstorm how we're going to save her.
(All quietly think)
Tatara: We walk in…kill the guards…and then walk out with her!
(Everybody falls over, even though they are already sitting.)
Tokaki: Idiot! The question is how we're going to get there in two days!
Subaru: So, if Katherine's weeks of travel away…we need to find a faster way to travel.
Anne: Wait…could you slow down time so we can get there, Subaru?
Subaru: No, I don't think so. I can only do it so that we wouldn't age…
Tatara: Ooh, could Amefuri send us there?
Amefuri: I doubt it…I haven't figured out how.
Toroki: Can't Tokaki teleport?
Tokaki: Not really. I just…step between places. I've actually never tried it over long distances.
Anne: Well, why don't you?
Tokaki: Um…I suppose I could try.
(Tokaki stands up and closes his eyes. His cheek glows white as he disappears in the blink of an eye)
Subaru: Well, now we've determined he can teleport.
(A few moments later, Tokaki walks into the clearing again.)
Toroki: You're back already?
Tokaki: (breathing hard) Yeah…I only got about twenty-five yards out…and it was really tiring.
Tatara: Aw, shoot. And I don't suppose you can take all six of us with you either.
Amefuri: It's because his chi's not strong enough, I guess.
Tokaki: Excuse you!
Amefuri: No, I didn't mean it like that. It's a statement of fact.
Anne: It's true…but that won't help us. So, if Subaru, Tatara, Karasuki, Amefuri and Toroki can't teleport, and Tokaki's not strong enough…(bites her lip) We're stuck.
Amefuri: (nudging Karasuki) You haven't said much this whole time. Got any ideas?
Karasuki: (ruminating) Well…I'm not sure if this'll work, but…I had this dream.
Tatara: What about it?
Karasuki: Well, it was about Tokaki and Amefuri.
(The group stares at him)
Tokaki+Amefuri: WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?????????????
Karasuki: No! NO! Not that kind of dream. It was like…it showed a map of the four countries, and a dot representing us. So Tokaki's character showed up, and so did Amefuri's. Amefuri's glowed white, and then it faded as Tokaki's grew white, and then the dot moved into Kutou.
(There is silence for a moment)
Karasuki: It's a bit obscure…I'm not sure what it means.
Tatara: Well, if Tokaki's represents him, and Amefuri's represents her, and glowing represents…
Amefuri: Chi use! I've got to use my chi…to augment Tokaki's chi!
Subaru: Wait…so basically, if we can combine Tokaki's teleportation…
Anne: …with Amefuri's chi…
Tokaki: Then we can get to Katherine!
Toroki: So…can we try it?
Amefuri: Sure! I think I know how to do it. Here, Toroki.
Tatara: Wait, let's pack up the camp first.
Anne: What are we going to do with our gear?
Toroki: And our horses!
Tokaki: I guess we could stop off at Shijuen first…we have two days.
Karasuki: I don't know if that's a good idea…we could use the extra day.
Subaru: But a rest and refueling stop would help immensely as well.
Toroki: Are we going to leave Katherine there for one more day???
Amefuri: We couldn't really stay in Kutou's capital anyways. We're their mortal enemies.
Anne: (solemnly) Then, it's decided. We'll go to Shijuen for a day, rest up…and tomorrow, we'll commence Operation Save Katherine.
Karasuki: Nice title.
(The group packs up the camp, letting all the horses free except for Schnoogums. When they are done, the five grab all their gear.)
Amefuri: OK, I'm going to transfer my chi to Tokaki. After that, everybody has to make contact with him somehow…right?
Tokaki: Yeah, we'll try it.
(Amefuri puts her hand to her chest and closes her eyes. Her symbol glows brightly on her chest, with a tangible aura of white around her body. Everybody's eyes open widely, as she touches Tokaki's cheek with a glowing hand. Almost instantly, the white glow rushes from all over her body down her arm, and through her hand to Tokaki's cheek. Suddenly, Tokaki's whole body stiffens, and his eyes open widely. His symbol glows a blinding white, and the same aura appears around his body.)
Tokaki: (excited) Oh…DAMN!!!!!
Anne: What's wrong?
Tokaki: Nothing! It's just…this power! It's so immense! I feel…like I can do anything!
Karasuki: Well, you could take us to Shijuen.
Tokaki: OK! Hold on tight, cause this is going to be a ride!
(Every person touches some part of Tokaki's shoulders or arms, with Tokaki reaching out to touch Schnoogums's head. He grins, and his aura brightens into brilliant light. There is a tugging feeling, emanating from the center of everyone's stomach, and suddenly…)
(The group falls out of the air onto an ornate marble floor. Everybody looks around; they are in a large throne room. On the throne sits Sailo's young, handsome emperor. He is talking to one of his advisors, but now he stares at the group, wide-eyed.)
Emperor: (surprised) Anne.
Anne: (sprawled on the floor) Hi! I'm back!
(Schnoogums whinnies from the ground. Everybody stands up quickly and brushes themselves off.)
Emperor: These people are…
Anne: Your majesty, I present you with the Celestial Warriors Subaru, Tatara, Karasuki, Amefuri and Toroki…and Toroki's horse Schnoogums McCuddles. (Schnoogums neighs happily)
Tatara: (brightly) Hi!
Karasuki: (totally unconvincingly) Nice to meet you.
Toroki: (monotonic) Hello.
Amefuri + Subaru: (a bit…enamored) …hi…
(The Emperor's eyes widen in happiness)
Emperor: Really? This is wonderful! …but, isn't there supposed to be one more?
Anne: Well…yes. The final Warrior, Kokie, is currently held captive in Kutou's capital.
(The Emperor's eyes widen, and then narrow into determined slits)
Emperor: Really. I will have to send negotiators out at once.
Anne: Um…actually, she's going to be executed in two days.
(The Emperor sits up in his chair, almost to a standing position)
Emperor: What? You cannot be serious!
Anne: Don't worry…we've got it under control. We're teleporting there first thing in the morning.
Emperor: (sitting back down) Well…if you say so. I assume you met Taiitsu-kun at Mt. Taikyoku?
Anne: Yeah…but that was a really long time ago. I'll fill you in later…but right now, we're kinda tired.
Tokaki: Sleeping outside for a week will do that to you.
Emperor: Oh, yes! Absolutely, where are my manners? Please, I will have an escort escort you to some rooms.
Anne: Thank you!
Emperor: And after you've rested, you'll come tell me all about your travels around Sailo?
Anne: …absolutely!
Luna: Whoa.
Janna: Whoa.
Nick: (trying to go with the flow) Whoa!
Chris: Why are you people saying "Whoa"?
Luna: That Emperor is really hot.
Anne: See, we picked the right country to protect!
Kat: Aaah! I can't believe you're going to just relax in Shijuen to leave me languishing in Kutou!
Max: It's probably because…we don't care about you!
Jeff: Now, that's mean. It's because we have better things to do, not because we don't care.
Kat: Thanks a lot! The next episode, in which I hopefully get rescued, is called "Ten yori chitta" or "Scattered from the Heavens."
AN: HAHAHAHA!!! I'm so evil!!!! I was actually going to have this episode start the real action in Kutou, but I decided to hold it off for now and have one long, action-packed episode! So evil. So evil.
I hope Anne's exposition worked. I decided that this story is a bit devoid of character development, so I added some. Don't know how much it worked, but…oh well. I am aware that nothing really amazing happened in this chapter, and that may be a letdown to some…but at least this isn't the real Fushigi Yuugi where there are whole episodes dedicated to Miaka saying "Tamahome" and Tamahome talking about how he'll always love and protect Miaka…*barfs in corner*
In other news, Episode 19 should be out sometime during early Winter Break. I won't have that much time next week to write, because I have to study for exams…my school takes them before Winter Break, rather than after. So it might be a while before 19 is up. Don't worry about it, though; it'll surely be worth it.