Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yuugi or any of Miss Watase's characters,
but I do own Tansho, Koi, Misa, Okichi, and Asako.
Author's note: Just in case you're new to this fic and wondering when in the Fushigi Yuugi storyline this is taking place, it begins after Tamahome is retrieved from Kotou by Tasuki, Miaka, and Chichiri, and will hopefully end when the series ends (don't know yet 'cause I still haven't written it...so don't be surprised if it ends in a different place.)
Warning: A bit 'o cussin' in this here chapter!
Chapter 2 The First Step to Undressing a Man
None of us are stupid. To be a whore, you have to know the inner workings of a person by a sniff of their sweat. And if you don't do what that knot in your belly tells you to do, you'll be found the next morning wrapped up in blood-caked linens, your throat cleaved open like the thing you sell so well. But tonight, we allow ourselves to be stupid. They're stupid because they flock to him as soon as we seal our game; I'm stupid because I want to.
I've only lived seventeen years, but I know that I'm the wisest of all the whores of the Black Dove. Even Asako, who has sold herself for a good half of her life, doesn't know to stay away. But then again, after only twenty-eight years, her hair is the color of a silver coin. Those years have taken their tole on her already.
I watch them from above. Okichi has her hand between his legs already. The fire-haired man takes her by the elbow and gently moves her away from him, pushing Koi away from him as well. A scowl blemishes his face, as hard as the oak table he sits at. The young woman sitting with him smirks at their other companion, the monk. Both are obviously enjoying their friend's battle with the harlots.
Asako surprises me; she keeps herself away after witnessing the quick failure of her fellow women. I feel that I have judged her too quickly; perhaps her years have sunk into her bones after all.
Koi and Okichi accept defeat for the moment and move on to their other customers, their eyes still locked on the back of the man whom they want so badly. Their bodies swell with longing, like a wave about to crash into the shore. But they long only for him, the one who refuses to long for them. I do not believe that they have ever had to fight so hard for something that usually came so easily to them.
I see that Misa's bare feet itch like a rash to pad toward the young man. But, for some reason, she stays where she is until another man hoots at her and beckons rudely. Uncertain, she moves toward the man, her wide eyes still settled where Koi's and Okichi's are. Asako pretends not to notice the young man as she leans over a traveling merchant, smothering him with her moon shine hair. Not two minutes pass before she is leading him up the stairs toward the rooms.
I stand silent as I watch them pass, the man's smooth hands already groping, his breeches already swelling. Asako shows the two holes in her mouth as she passes me. I pretend not to even see her and her eager customer.
The red-headed man and his companions are alone. I can hear his voice now, rising and billowing like a black storm cloud. His thin accent makes me feel cold suddenly, and I rub my chest and neck to warm them. He curses over and over again as his companions look on in mirth. He is obviously annoyed and is venting his frustrations. The purple-haired young woman says something and he shoves his chair away from the oak table, seeming almost desperate to get away from her. He throws a cup of sake into the back of his throat before he stoles away from the table, his voice still blowing around the tavern like a wind. I see my chance. The years of whoring have taught me more than the motions of pleasure; they have also taught me when to keep my distance from a man and when to press myself against him.
I descend the stairs swiftly but quietly, keeping my eyes on the red blaze of his hair. He is headed for the latrines. I get to the tavern floor just before he reaches me. I start moving toward him, my arm pressed firmly at my side, my eyes on the pocket of his black overcoat. Just as we pass one another, I thrust my hand into his pocket and grab the small circle that I know is a coin. I retrieve my hand and go on as if he were nothing more that an apparation.
"Hey!" He howls at my back. I think I feel heat swirl in my hair, but I'm sure that my mind is playing with me.
I tuck the coin between my breasts, turning just in time for him to see me in the action of it. As I bring my hand away, I pull the neck of my loose gown down farther, shivering at the sudden chill on my newly-bared skin. I can feel the tops of my dark breasts as they rise and fall.
"You fuckin' thief! Give me it back!" He demands, shoving a hand toward me, palm open. I am momentarily shocked. He certainly isn't meek as I expected him to be. He is obviously quite the little son-of-a-bitch that the other women said he was. I regret now that I have kept my distance from him for so long.
"Pardon, sir?" I ask innocently, savoring the look of utter disbelief on his face. His gold-laced green eyes flash like a snake's, but he doesn't move toward me to retrieve his money forcefully. He just stands with his arms pressed against his sides, as stubborn as a child who wants his toy back. I resist the desire to laugh in his face.
"My money!" He yells, "Give it the hell back!" I expect him to spit the words "whore", "harlot", or "bitch" in my face, grab me by the crown on my hair, and demand his coin back. But he simply continues cursing at me. He doesn't even stand in my face to try to intimidate me.
"I don't believe I have your money, sir," I say, taking a few dainty steps toward the heat of his body, "But you are more than welcome to check for yourself." I breathe in deeply to puff up my breasts and spread my arms wide, inviting him in. I want to laught at my own foolish behavior, but I'm having too much fun with this rambunctious young man.
He stares. And I stare. I find myself begging him to come, to touch me, if only with the breeze of his body passing by mine. But he grunts and turns his back to me, his red hair swirling upon his head, teasing the goddamned hell out me. He stalks off to the latrines, grumbling incoherantly. I find that I want to hurl something at him, but nothing is close enough for my fingers to grab. Then, I realize that I at least got a rise out of him, even if it wasn't the one I wanted.
After collecting myself and making sure the gold peice was still nestled safely between my breasts, I turn around and stroll into the tavern and straight to the table where the woman and monk sit, talking quietly to each other.
"Well hello there!" I chime, leaning a hand on the hard oak of their table, pushing my naked shoulder out of my gown in the process.
"Hello," the woman answers. The monk looks at me with his lips in a thin line, but a smile in his eyes. Suddenly, I realize that he wears a mask. I am startled for a moment, but then I must resist the urge to snatch the mask away, wishing to see the face hidden beneath it.
"Your friend...the red headed one," I begin, leaning heavily on the table, "Seems a bit aggitated." I say the word with deliberate slowness, sucking all the sounds out of it like sugar out of a sweet. "Know what I mean?"
The young woman smiles, making the small beauty mark under her left eye rise higher on her face. "Who--Tasuki?"
Tasuki. His name. I know his name. I lean towards her, wanting to know more. To know a man's name is the first step to undressing him.
"Yes--him. Is he always so uptight--," I pause momentarily, "I mean...is he always so unfriendly-like?"
"Oh no!" she cries, waving her hand as if shooing the idea away, "He's just a bit pissed off at you whor--er, the-- these lovely women you have here in your fine tavern!" She grins, and leans toward me. "He's not too fond of women. Don't get me wrong...he's not a...well, you know...he's just a little different, if you know what I mean. Bad childhood concerning women, I hear." She then casts a desperate look at the monk.
"Plus, he's a little drunk, y'know," the monk says, finally revealing his voice to me. I raise an eyebrow.
"May I ask your names?" I reply, moving the attention away from their angsty companion.
"I'm Nuriko," the woman answers, "And this here is Chichiri." She moves her body toward him, hitting him lightly in the shoulder.
"Tansho," I reply, offering my own name.
My eyes look up to see him returning, his black boots making wide strides across the floor. My eyes settle on his face. His dark skin gleams in the shadows of the lamp-lit tavern. I think of caramel, then the taste of it.
"I think I should be moving along," I whisper to them, "Do come back. I'd like to see you again." I pause only to smile. "And bring him as well?" I incline my head toward the young man, feeling my dark brown hair spray onto my bare shoulder.
Nuriko smiles and nods sweetly. I quickly move away as he gets nearer and turn my attention to a group of men at another table, every single one of their mouths gaping open in laughter. I want to turn back around. I want to taste caramel, or gaze at it at least.
Will Tasuki ever brave Tansho's monsterous breasts to retrieve his coin? Maybe...maybe not! ^_^
A/N: I haven't changed much as my past readers can see, but I've taken out and added in a few sentences here and there. When I get into the more explicit chapters, I'll do much more editing. Thank you all for the great reviews!! *sigh* I love reading reviews; you have no idea how much they encourage me!! Anyways, I wanted to do this the first time I posted Tansho, but was just too damn lazy ^_^. Now I've got a little more time...so I'm gonna take the time to answer all you're reviews as a way to personally say thank you!!
(P.S. Happy Thanksgiving...hope none of you get too fat!^_^)
Replies to Reviewers:
roku kyu: So I'm not the only one? Who else has this happened to (I would like to contact them and ask if they have any idea as to why this happened). As for FF hunting down the former NC-17's...I kinda suspected that, but I've seen far too many still posted. I've had a few friends suggest that maybe it was just an FF quirk. And, yes, I am planning on editing a few of the later explicit chapters out of respect for the R rating (I should have done it when I changed ratings...but I was too stuborn and lazy) ^_^
Shadow Priestess: Oh yaaaay!!! I have a new fan *hugs Shadow Priestess* ^_^
Bella: Yes, your premonition is right. In the original post the content does get extremely graphic, but I'm planning on a little bit of editing and re-writing to try to keep the original mood and storyline of the fic...but cut down on the explicit stuff (though just enough to get by ^_^).
Stariko-Tasuki No Miko: Thank you so much for your compliment on my "time- stopping" moment. I really loved writing that part (and I kinda got teary eyed too).
Cacat-angel: I don't think it was specifically my content that got me booted off FF (though I might be wrong), I think it was just a mistake on the part of FF (for all I know...they might have just pushed the wrong button or something like that.) As for you thinking of starting an "R" site for all the FF rejects...I'm all for it. I'd be honored to have "Tansho" up on your site! Long live the first amendment and our freedom of expression *ahem* ^_^
Sansele: Man, you're the 3rd person to tell me that you know of someone who's been deleted as well. (I think roku is right...FF is on pot or something.) Anyways, thank you so much for your compliment on my fic!! And I would make my own website, but I'm too booked with school right now to be able to keep something like that updated (I struggle as it is with my writing). Plus...I'm sadly ignorant of web site creating.
Obsidian Eclipse: You know something??? I ADORE your pen name! It's kick- ass!! ^_^ Anyways, thank you for your compliments on Tansho and her personality (I love OC's to death! I started out as a regular fiction writer before getting sucked into anime, and I've had a lot of practice creating my own characters along with their personalities. If it weren't for my experience in it, poor Tansho would have probably been the most blah person ever ^_^) Also, thank you alot for reviewing "Riverwide" and even more of a thank you for letting me know about Adult FF (I need to visit that site and see how it is!).
Chibi-Kaz: Actually, I've just written the chapter where all of Tansho's problems are solved...too bad it's gonna take awhile to get up on FF. *dodges fireballs that Chibi-Kaz starts flinging* But I promise that this fic is a happy ending!! ^_^
Once again, thank you all!!
Author's note: Just in case you're new to this fic and wondering when in the Fushigi Yuugi storyline this is taking place, it begins after Tamahome is retrieved from Kotou by Tasuki, Miaka, and Chichiri, and will hopefully end when the series ends (don't know yet 'cause I still haven't written it...so don't be surprised if it ends in a different place.)
Warning: A bit 'o cussin' in this here chapter!
Chapter 2 The First Step to Undressing a Man
None of us are stupid. To be a whore, you have to know the inner workings of a person by a sniff of their sweat. And if you don't do what that knot in your belly tells you to do, you'll be found the next morning wrapped up in blood-caked linens, your throat cleaved open like the thing you sell so well. But tonight, we allow ourselves to be stupid. They're stupid because they flock to him as soon as we seal our game; I'm stupid because I want to.
I've only lived seventeen years, but I know that I'm the wisest of all the whores of the Black Dove. Even Asako, who has sold herself for a good half of her life, doesn't know to stay away. But then again, after only twenty-eight years, her hair is the color of a silver coin. Those years have taken their tole on her already.
I watch them from above. Okichi has her hand between his legs already. The fire-haired man takes her by the elbow and gently moves her away from him, pushing Koi away from him as well. A scowl blemishes his face, as hard as the oak table he sits at. The young woman sitting with him smirks at their other companion, the monk. Both are obviously enjoying their friend's battle with the harlots.
Asako surprises me; she keeps herself away after witnessing the quick failure of her fellow women. I feel that I have judged her too quickly; perhaps her years have sunk into her bones after all.
Koi and Okichi accept defeat for the moment and move on to their other customers, their eyes still locked on the back of the man whom they want so badly. Their bodies swell with longing, like a wave about to crash into the shore. But they long only for him, the one who refuses to long for them. I do not believe that they have ever had to fight so hard for something that usually came so easily to them.
I see that Misa's bare feet itch like a rash to pad toward the young man. But, for some reason, she stays where she is until another man hoots at her and beckons rudely. Uncertain, she moves toward the man, her wide eyes still settled where Koi's and Okichi's are. Asako pretends not to notice the young man as she leans over a traveling merchant, smothering him with her moon shine hair. Not two minutes pass before she is leading him up the stairs toward the rooms.
I stand silent as I watch them pass, the man's smooth hands already groping, his breeches already swelling. Asako shows the two holes in her mouth as she passes me. I pretend not to even see her and her eager customer.
The red-headed man and his companions are alone. I can hear his voice now, rising and billowing like a black storm cloud. His thin accent makes me feel cold suddenly, and I rub my chest and neck to warm them. He curses over and over again as his companions look on in mirth. He is obviously annoyed and is venting his frustrations. The purple-haired young woman says something and he shoves his chair away from the oak table, seeming almost desperate to get away from her. He throws a cup of sake into the back of his throat before he stoles away from the table, his voice still blowing around the tavern like a wind. I see my chance. The years of whoring have taught me more than the motions of pleasure; they have also taught me when to keep my distance from a man and when to press myself against him.
I descend the stairs swiftly but quietly, keeping my eyes on the red blaze of his hair. He is headed for the latrines. I get to the tavern floor just before he reaches me. I start moving toward him, my arm pressed firmly at my side, my eyes on the pocket of his black overcoat. Just as we pass one another, I thrust my hand into his pocket and grab the small circle that I know is a coin. I retrieve my hand and go on as if he were nothing more that an apparation.
"Hey!" He howls at my back. I think I feel heat swirl in my hair, but I'm sure that my mind is playing with me.
I tuck the coin between my breasts, turning just in time for him to see me in the action of it. As I bring my hand away, I pull the neck of my loose gown down farther, shivering at the sudden chill on my newly-bared skin. I can feel the tops of my dark breasts as they rise and fall.
"You fuckin' thief! Give me it back!" He demands, shoving a hand toward me, palm open. I am momentarily shocked. He certainly isn't meek as I expected him to be. He is obviously quite the little son-of-a-bitch that the other women said he was. I regret now that I have kept my distance from him for so long.
"Pardon, sir?" I ask innocently, savoring the look of utter disbelief on his face. His gold-laced green eyes flash like a snake's, but he doesn't move toward me to retrieve his money forcefully. He just stands with his arms pressed against his sides, as stubborn as a child who wants his toy back. I resist the desire to laugh in his face.
"My money!" He yells, "Give it the hell back!" I expect him to spit the words "whore", "harlot", or "bitch" in my face, grab me by the crown on my hair, and demand his coin back. But he simply continues cursing at me. He doesn't even stand in my face to try to intimidate me.
"I don't believe I have your money, sir," I say, taking a few dainty steps toward the heat of his body, "But you are more than welcome to check for yourself." I breathe in deeply to puff up my breasts and spread my arms wide, inviting him in. I want to laught at my own foolish behavior, but I'm having too much fun with this rambunctious young man.
He stares. And I stare. I find myself begging him to come, to touch me, if only with the breeze of his body passing by mine. But he grunts and turns his back to me, his red hair swirling upon his head, teasing the goddamned hell out me. He stalks off to the latrines, grumbling incoherantly. I find that I want to hurl something at him, but nothing is close enough for my fingers to grab. Then, I realize that I at least got a rise out of him, even if it wasn't the one I wanted.
After collecting myself and making sure the gold peice was still nestled safely between my breasts, I turn around and stroll into the tavern and straight to the table where the woman and monk sit, talking quietly to each other.
"Well hello there!" I chime, leaning a hand on the hard oak of their table, pushing my naked shoulder out of my gown in the process.
"Hello," the woman answers. The monk looks at me with his lips in a thin line, but a smile in his eyes. Suddenly, I realize that he wears a mask. I am startled for a moment, but then I must resist the urge to snatch the mask away, wishing to see the face hidden beneath it.
"Your friend...the red headed one," I begin, leaning heavily on the table, "Seems a bit aggitated." I say the word with deliberate slowness, sucking all the sounds out of it like sugar out of a sweet. "Know what I mean?"
The young woman smiles, making the small beauty mark under her left eye rise higher on her face. "Who--Tasuki?"
Tasuki. His name. I know his name. I lean towards her, wanting to know more. To know a man's name is the first step to undressing him.
"Yes--him. Is he always so uptight--," I pause momentarily, "I mean...is he always so unfriendly-like?"
"Oh no!" she cries, waving her hand as if shooing the idea away, "He's just a bit pissed off at you whor--er, the-- these lovely women you have here in your fine tavern!" She grins, and leans toward me. "He's not too fond of women. Don't get me wrong...he's not a...well, you know...he's just a little different, if you know what I mean. Bad childhood concerning women, I hear." She then casts a desperate look at the monk.
"Plus, he's a little drunk, y'know," the monk says, finally revealing his voice to me. I raise an eyebrow.
"May I ask your names?" I reply, moving the attention away from their angsty companion.
"I'm Nuriko," the woman answers, "And this here is Chichiri." She moves her body toward him, hitting him lightly in the shoulder.
"Tansho," I reply, offering my own name.
My eyes look up to see him returning, his black boots making wide strides across the floor. My eyes settle on his face. His dark skin gleams in the shadows of the lamp-lit tavern. I think of caramel, then the taste of it.
"I think I should be moving along," I whisper to them, "Do come back. I'd like to see you again." I pause only to smile. "And bring him as well?" I incline my head toward the young man, feeling my dark brown hair spray onto my bare shoulder.
Nuriko smiles and nods sweetly. I quickly move away as he gets nearer and turn my attention to a group of men at another table, every single one of their mouths gaping open in laughter. I want to turn back around. I want to taste caramel, or gaze at it at least.
Will Tasuki ever brave Tansho's monsterous breasts to retrieve his coin? Maybe...maybe not! ^_^
A/N: I haven't changed much as my past readers can see, but I've taken out and added in a few sentences here and there. When I get into the more explicit chapters, I'll do much more editing. Thank you all for the great reviews!! *sigh* I love reading reviews; you have no idea how much they encourage me!! Anyways, I wanted to do this the first time I posted Tansho, but was just too damn lazy ^_^. Now I've got a little more time...so I'm gonna take the time to answer all you're reviews as a way to personally say thank you!!
(P.S. Happy Thanksgiving...hope none of you get too fat!^_^)
Replies to Reviewers:
roku kyu: So I'm not the only one? Who else has this happened to (I would like to contact them and ask if they have any idea as to why this happened). As for FF hunting down the former NC-17's...I kinda suspected that, but I've seen far too many still posted. I've had a few friends suggest that maybe it was just an FF quirk. And, yes, I am planning on editing a few of the later explicit chapters out of respect for the R rating (I should have done it when I changed ratings...but I was too stuborn and lazy) ^_^
Shadow Priestess: Oh yaaaay!!! I have a new fan *hugs Shadow Priestess* ^_^
Bella: Yes, your premonition is right. In the original post the content does get extremely graphic, but I'm planning on a little bit of editing and re-writing to try to keep the original mood and storyline of the fic...but cut down on the explicit stuff (though just enough to get by ^_^).
Stariko-Tasuki No Miko: Thank you so much for your compliment on my "time- stopping" moment. I really loved writing that part (and I kinda got teary eyed too).
Cacat-angel: I don't think it was specifically my content that got me booted off FF (though I might be wrong), I think it was just a mistake on the part of FF (for all I know...they might have just pushed the wrong button or something like that.) As for you thinking of starting an "R" site for all the FF rejects...I'm all for it. I'd be honored to have "Tansho" up on your site! Long live the first amendment and our freedom of expression *ahem* ^_^
Sansele: Man, you're the 3rd person to tell me that you know of someone who's been deleted as well. (I think roku is right...FF is on pot or something.) Anyways, thank you so much for your compliment on my fic!! And I would make my own website, but I'm too booked with school right now to be able to keep something like that updated (I struggle as it is with my writing). Plus...I'm sadly ignorant of web site creating.
Obsidian Eclipse: You know something??? I ADORE your pen name! It's kick- ass!! ^_^ Anyways, thank you for your compliments on Tansho and her personality (I love OC's to death! I started out as a regular fiction writer before getting sucked into anime, and I've had a lot of practice creating my own characters along with their personalities. If it weren't for my experience in it, poor Tansho would have probably been the most blah person ever ^_^) Also, thank you alot for reviewing "Riverwide" and even more of a thank you for letting me know about Adult FF (I need to visit that site and see how it is!).
Chibi-Kaz: Actually, I've just written the chapter where all of Tansho's problems are solved...too bad it's gonna take awhile to get up on FF. *dodges fireballs that Chibi-Kaz starts flinging* But I promise that this fic is a happy ending!! ^_^
Once again, thank you all!!