Disclaimer: "I do not own any Fushigi Yuugi characters that my little heart
may choose to put in this fic."
Thanks to. . .
Otaku Pitcher: I should have known you'd be my first reviewer again! This story is a little dark, isn't it? I'm glad you like it. Oh, Wishful is going great but I haven't written any new stuff (I'm on chapter 29, though, so don't worry) because I have to go back and change some other chapters that haven't been put up yet before I can. I should be putting up chapter 16 soon, too, so check for that too.
shadow priestess: Thanks, I think. . . I'm glad you don't want to hurl yourself off a cliff because of this story. That would plague my conscious for a while. Well, I'm glad you like it.
Cortney: I'm glad you like it! And I didn't even make you wait that long for the next chapter!
Author's Note: I decided to put this chapter up quickly because I was in a good mood. I've had it typed for a while (it was on my friend's fic site) so don't think I worked extremely hard to get it up or anything. I just had to make revisions. Well. . .this chapter isn't as dark as the first but just to warn you, Nephiro is evil. Enjoy!
Oh, '. . .' will represent the rare thoughts of Nephiro, or any other character whose thoughts she knows.
Chapter 2: Let the Plan Commence!
I have been watching Genrou for a couple of hours now. I believe it is time for me to make my move. He appears to be looking for something to help the leader of the bandits, who is sick. I find that funny, in a way. Why should he care if the leader dies? Then he would be made leader. Isn't that what he would want? Yet, still he cares. How cute. Not.
It is time to enter his mind. I concentrate but it seems to be blocked. I can't even get all the way in. It's as if he has some sort of protection on his mind. How can this be? No one is out of my reach. I guess I will just have to do it the old fashion way and call out to him. "Genrou. . ." I whisper into his mind.
"Huh? Who said that? Show yourself!" he yelled. He looked around for the source, completely bewildered.
"Open your mind to me. I can help you," I continued in a low, seductive whisper.
"Who are you?" he asked, obviously still confused. It was always fun to watch people when they hear me speak. If I do it right, I can make them, and the people around them, think they are insane. Fortunately for him, I needed him to be sane, so I had to "tell" him who I was, although I never really tell anyone who I am. I make them guess.
I decided to check his mind first before answering his question. It seems his confused state helped open up his mind to me. It looks like he doesn't want to be a warrior of Suzaku after all. He would rather just remain a bandit. I can definitely use that. "You know perfectly well who this is. You are just too scared to say it. Who else that you know of would be offering to help a lost soul? And you are undeniably a lost soul, searching for a way to save your beloved leader," I answered. I was using all the seductive power that my voice had. I had worked for so long perfecting the hypnotic power of my voice over the years and this was like the final test. He just has to take the bait then I can reel him in. He's almost there. . . I could feel his mind connecting the idea. So close I am to freedom!
"You mean. . .all the legends. . .?" he whispered, as though he was afraid to say it out loud.
"Yes, they were true. I do exist. Just say you believe in me and I can help you." 'Come on Genrou. . .take the bait.'
"How can you help me? I thought you were sealed away by the gods," he questioned. 'He pays way too much attention to the stories! I will get him yet! You cannot escape my grasp, Genrou. No one can!'
"I was but that did not stop me from speaking to you now did it? I can still help you I just can't leave this place. I watch what is going on in the world. Most recently, I have been watching Mt. Leikaku. What I have seen there I am not sure you will like but if you want, I can tell you what has been going on in your absence," I offered. I knew that he would immediately think that the leader was dead. It was an unquestionable fact. But will he ask me about it?
He looked like he was considering whether or not to ask me about it. He will give in to his curiosity and for that, he will give himself over to me. I won't have to do a thing. "Hakurou. . .did he. . .?" he asked, quietly.
I smirked despite the subject of the conversation. He may as well just give up. I own him now. I could feel my power start to come back to me. "Yes, he died a few weeks ago. Another bandit, Eiken, took over. I am truly sorry." I did my best to sound sincere but it was hard. I wasn't sad. I was about to be freed.
"What should I do?" He just condemned himself. This was too easy. You should never ask me for advice for you will never get good advice if you do that. I only give good advice if I offer to give it, not if you ask me for it. Asking me for it tells me that you want it and that implies that you are too stupid to think of something yourself. Stupid people cannot be pure therefore they don't deserve good advice. It is the way I work.
"Consider yourself lucky. I have taken an interest in you and will help you out. This time. First, you must return home and reclaim what is rightfully yours from that arrogant imposter. I wish I could advise you further but it might seem strange if you talk to yourself out in the open and I cannot go to you. I am sure you will figure out what to do. After all, you never know when someone will show up and help you," I answered.
"Thank you. I'm really grateful for your help. I'll do what you said," he declared. "I believe in you."
My power flowed back to me in full force and I began to feel like myself again. "You're welcome, Genrou." I felt a tingly sensation come over my body, like when you first move your foot after it falls asleep. I looked down at my arm and sure enough, the shadow was disappearing and being replaced by my usual skin tone. I stretched, putting motion back into the muscles that for so long have remained idle. 'I'm back. . .'
I snapped my fingers and appeared in the forest near where Genrou had just been. "I'm free!!!" I yelled as loud as my voice would allow me. I couldn't help it. It had been such a long time since I felt grass on my feet and the sun on my skin. Hell, it's been a long time since I had skin. I looked down at myself to see if I had clothes. 'Of course not. . .' I snapped my fingers again and a dress appeared on my body. Not my style but it's better than being nude, I suppose. "Man I missed my powers!" I knew that I wouldn't look the same as my true form, (I never do), and had no clue what I looked like. I get a different body every time I go to the surface to impersonate a mortal.
"Is someone there?" I heard a voice that sounded like Genrou's ask. A face appeared out of the trees and sure enough, it was him. "Who are you?"
"My name is Nephiro. Who are you?" I answered, returning the question. I was shocked by how innocent my voice sounded. It was disgracing.
"The name's Genrou," he responded. "You shouldn't be wandering around the forest alone. It's dangerous."
'Maybe I can use the innocence somehow.' I looked down at the forest floor. "I'm lost. I was trying to get to Mt. Leikaku but got lost in the forest," I lied, trying to sound innocent.
"Why do you want to go there? There's nothing near that mountain but bandits," he asked.
'Hmm. . .how to get out of this one. I could tell his mind to take me with him but that might seem suspicious. Why would I care if he takes some girl he found in the woods with him?' "I know that! I want to join the Mt. Leikaku bandits!" I exclaimed. In this innocent sounding voice even saying it sounded stupid. Perhaps he'd take pity on me and take me with him anyway.
He almost laughed but caught himself. "You? Join the bandits? They wouldn't even let a girl like you talk to them! You wouldn't last a day there!"
This angered me. Not a very wise thing to do. "Is that so? I happen to think differently. And I don't know what you mean by 'a girl like me' but that was a very stupid thing to say seeing how you just met me a couple of minutes ago. What'd you base that on? Looks? You take one look at me and automatically decide that I must not be worthy. You make me sick," I retorted. "What would someone like you know about that bandits anyway?"
"I happen to know a lot about the bandits because I am one," he stated, acting like he was something special. If I didn't need him for my plan, I'd kill him on the spot. He was that annoying.
"Yea right."
"I am and even though you were extremely rude to me, I'm too nice of a guy to leave a helpless, little girl alone in the forest. I'll take you to Mt. Leikaku but I can't guarantee that they'll even let you talk to them. We don't have any girls in our group of bandits except the cook but she's old and can use probably use the help." He smirked at me, waiting for me to blow up at him.
"Well, it's not like I have anything to lose," I said, ignoring the no girl and cooking comment. I couldn't be too rude to him. I needed him to trust me for my plan to succeed.
"Do you have anything else, like clothes or anything?"
"No. . .I took as little as possible when I left." 'I hadn't thought of that. I guess I'm stuck wearing what I got on. I hate dresses.'
"Well then let's get going. I'm in a hurry."
And so, my journey with Genrou began, completing stage one (which was to get him to believe in me and take me to the mountain). I call it a journey although it isn't really. All we're doing is going to the mountain. I wasn't sure if they'd even let me in the bandits. I have to find a way to prove that I'd make a good bandit to Genrou. It's vital to my plans. I have to prove my worth! "Hey, Nephiro? I'm talking to you," Genrou said.
"What were you saying?" I asked. I didn't feel like apologizing. I have a right to think.
"I asked you where you came from," he repeated.
'From a cave hidden deep below the Earth where I was sealed for a hundred years.' "A small town a ways away," I lied.
"Why'd you leave?" he questioned. "A small town sounds nice." I didn't like all these questions. I'm tricky but all these questions mean that I'll have to remember my answers so if I'm asked again, my answers can't be different. And that is annoying after a while. I have told so many lies during my "visits" to the surface world that I get my personalities confused.
"I had nothing for me there. I just had to leave. Why the sudden interest?"
"I'm just trying to have a conversation."
"Well don't. Where I came from and why I left is my business." 'That should shut him up for a little bit.' Or so I thought.
"What's your problem? I'm trying to be nice to you and you give me a fuckin' attitude!"
I didn't really want to get too far on the bad side of someone who was so vital to my plans. I have to remember to keep myself in check. "I just don't like talking about my past, ok? Don't you have anything you'd rather not discuss?"
"You could have just said that in the first place." I sighed. Stupid people make the world go round.
We continued on in silence for a while. I didn't know how far away the mountain was but I didn't feel like asking him if we were close. He might think I was getting tired, which I was, but I didn't want him to know that. It wasn't my fault that I was tired. You try not having a body for a century and tell me you aren't tired after walking for a couple of hours. Yea, that's what I thought. When it started to get dark, we stopped at an inn for supper and to stay the night. I missed eating, (I didn't need to when I was a shadow spirit), and forgot how good food could taste.
We didn't talk much at dinner. Genrou paid for it because I didn't have any money. He said I could work it off. I wasn't sure of what that meant. Did he mean that I was on his good side and that he'd try to convince the others to let me be a bandit? Or did he mean something else? I thought about this as we went to our separate rooms and while I was attempting to fall asleep. It felt nice to know that the relaxing hand of sleep would soon visit me. Spirits don't sleep much, either. 'We don't do anything fun,' I thought as I drifted off to sleep.
Author's Note: Well, there's chapter two. How was it? It's not going to be quite as dark as in the next chapter. But, it involves quality time with Genrou. What could she possibly have in store for our favorite drunken bandit? And what could her plan possibly have to do with him? All will be explained in due time. Thanks again for your support on the last chapter.
Here's your preview for the next chapter:
"You can't rape the willing."
I think that will do.
~Smack
Thanks to. . .
Otaku Pitcher: I should have known you'd be my first reviewer again! This story is a little dark, isn't it? I'm glad you like it. Oh, Wishful is going great but I haven't written any new stuff (I'm on chapter 29, though, so don't worry) because I have to go back and change some other chapters that haven't been put up yet before I can. I should be putting up chapter 16 soon, too, so check for that too.
shadow priestess: Thanks, I think. . . I'm glad you don't want to hurl yourself off a cliff because of this story. That would plague my conscious for a while. Well, I'm glad you like it.
Cortney: I'm glad you like it! And I didn't even make you wait that long for the next chapter!
Author's Note: I decided to put this chapter up quickly because I was in a good mood. I've had it typed for a while (it was on my friend's fic site) so don't think I worked extremely hard to get it up or anything. I just had to make revisions. Well. . .this chapter isn't as dark as the first but just to warn you, Nephiro is evil. Enjoy!
Oh, '. . .' will represent the rare thoughts of Nephiro, or any other character whose thoughts she knows.
Chapter 2: Let the Plan Commence!
I have been watching Genrou for a couple of hours now. I believe it is time for me to make my move. He appears to be looking for something to help the leader of the bandits, who is sick. I find that funny, in a way. Why should he care if the leader dies? Then he would be made leader. Isn't that what he would want? Yet, still he cares. How cute. Not.
It is time to enter his mind. I concentrate but it seems to be blocked. I can't even get all the way in. It's as if he has some sort of protection on his mind. How can this be? No one is out of my reach. I guess I will just have to do it the old fashion way and call out to him. "Genrou. . ." I whisper into his mind.
"Huh? Who said that? Show yourself!" he yelled. He looked around for the source, completely bewildered.
"Open your mind to me. I can help you," I continued in a low, seductive whisper.
"Who are you?" he asked, obviously still confused. It was always fun to watch people when they hear me speak. If I do it right, I can make them, and the people around them, think they are insane. Fortunately for him, I needed him to be sane, so I had to "tell" him who I was, although I never really tell anyone who I am. I make them guess.
I decided to check his mind first before answering his question. It seems his confused state helped open up his mind to me. It looks like he doesn't want to be a warrior of Suzaku after all. He would rather just remain a bandit. I can definitely use that. "You know perfectly well who this is. You are just too scared to say it. Who else that you know of would be offering to help a lost soul? And you are undeniably a lost soul, searching for a way to save your beloved leader," I answered. I was using all the seductive power that my voice had. I had worked for so long perfecting the hypnotic power of my voice over the years and this was like the final test. He just has to take the bait then I can reel him in. He's almost there. . . I could feel his mind connecting the idea. So close I am to freedom!
"You mean. . .all the legends. . .?" he whispered, as though he was afraid to say it out loud.
"Yes, they were true. I do exist. Just say you believe in me and I can help you." 'Come on Genrou. . .take the bait.'
"How can you help me? I thought you were sealed away by the gods," he questioned. 'He pays way too much attention to the stories! I will get him yet! You cannot escape my grasp, Genrou. No one can!'
"I was but that did not stop me from speaking to you now did it? I can still help you I just can't leave this place. I watch what is going on in the world. Most recently, I have been watching Mt. Leikaku. What I have seen there I am not sure you will like but if you want, I can tell you what has been going on in your absence," I offered. I knew that he would immediately think that the leader was dead. It was an unquestionable fact. But will he ask me about it?
He looked like he was considering whether or not to ask me about it. He will give in to his curiosity and for that, he will give himself over to me. I won't have to do a thing. "Hakurou. . .did he. . .?" he asked, quietly.
I smirked despite the subject of the conversation. He may as well just give up. I own him now. I could feel my power start to come back to me. "Yes, he died a few weeks ago. Another bandit, Eiken, took over. I am truly sorry." I did my best to sound sincere but it was hard. I wasn't sad. I was about to be freed.
"What should I do?" He just condemned himself. This was too easy. You should never ask me for advice for you will never get good advice if you do that. I only give good advice if I offer to give it, not if you ask me for it. Asking me for it tells me that you want it and that implies that you are too stupid to think of something yourself. Stupid people cannot be pure therefore they don't deserve good advice. It is the way I work.
"Consider yourself lucky. I have taken an interest in you and will help you out. This time. First, you must return home and reclaim what is rightfully yours from that arrogant imposter. I wish I could advise you further but it might seem strange if you talk to yourself out in the open and I cannot go to you. I am sure you will figure out what to do. After all, you never know when someone will show up and help you," I answered.
"Thank you. I'm really grateful for your help. I'll do what you said," he declared. "I believe in you."
My power flowed back to me in full force and I began to feel like myself again. "You're welcome, Genrou." I felt a tingly sensation come over my body, like when you first move your foot after it falls asleep. I looked down at my arm and sure enough, the shadow was disappearing and being replaced by my usual skin tone. I stretched, putting motion back into the muscles that for so long have remained idle. 'I'm back. . .'
I snapped my fingers and appeared in the forest near where Genrou had just been. "I'm free!!!" I yelled as loud as my voice would allow me. I couldn't help it. It had been such a long time since I felt grass on my feet and the sun on my skin. Hell, it's been a long time since I had skin. I looked down at myself to see if I had clothes. 'Of course not. . .' I snapped my fingers again and a dress appeared on my body. Not my style but it's better than being nude, I suppose. "Man I missed my powers!" I knew that I wouldn't look the same as my true form, (I never do), and had no clue what I looked like. I get a different body every time I go to the surface to impersonate a mortal.
"Is someone there?" I heard a voice that sounded like Genrou's ask. A face appeared out of the trees and sure enough, it was him. "Who are you?"
"My name is Nephiro. Who are you?" I answered, returning the question. I was shocked by how innocent my voice sounded. It was disgracing.
"The name's Genrou," he responded. "You shouldn't be wandering around the forest alone. It's dangerous."
'Maybe I can use the innocence somehow.' I looked down at the forest floor. "I'm lost. I was trying to get to Mt. Leikaku but got lost in the forest," I lied, trying to sound innocent.
"Why do you want to go there? There's nothing near that mountain but bandits," he asked.
'Hmm. . .how to get out of this one. I could tell his mind to take me with him but that might seem suspicious. Why would I care if he takes some girl he found in the woods with him?' "I know that! I want to join the Mt. Leikaku bandits!" I exclaimed. In this innocent sounding voice even saying it sounded stupid. Perhaps he'd take pity on me and take me with him anyway.
He almost laughed but caught himself. "You? Join the bandits? They wouldn't even let a girl like you talk to them! You wouldn't last a day there!"
This angered me. Not a very wise thing to do. "Is that so? I happen to think differently. And I don't know what you mean by 'a girl like me' but that was a very stupid thing to say seeing how you just met me a couple of minutes ago. What'd you base that on? Looks? You take one look at me and automatically decide that I must not be worthy. You make me sick," I retorted. "What would someone like you know about that bandits anyway?"
"I happen to know a lot about the bandits because I am one," he stated, acting like he was something special. If I didn't need him for my plan, I'd kill him on the spot. He was that annoying.
"Yea right."
"I am and even though you were extremely rude to me, I'm too nice of a guy to leave a helpless, little girl alone in the forest. I'll take you to Mt. Leikaku but I can't guarantee that they'll even let you talk to them. We don't have any girls in our group of bandits except the cook but she's old and can use probably use the help." He smirked at me, waiting for me to blow up at him.
"Well, it's not like I have anything to lose," I said, ignoring the no girl and cooking comment. I couldn't be too rude to him. I needed him to trust me for my plan to succeed.
"Do you have anything else, like clothes or anything?"
"No. . .I took as little as possible when I left." 'I hadn't thought of that. I guess I'm stuck wearing what I got on. I hate dresses.'
"Well then let's get going. I'm in a hurry."
And so, my journey with Genrou began, completing stage one (which was to get him to believe in me and take me to the mountain). I call it a journey although it isn't really. All we're doing is going to the mountain. I wasn't sure if they'd even let me in the bandits. I have to find a way to prove that I'd make a good bandit to Genrou. It's vital to my plans. I have to prove my worth! "Hey, Nephiro? I'm talking to you," Genrou said.
"What were you saying?" I asked. I didn't feel like apologizing. I have a right to think.
"I asked you where you came from," he repeated.
'From a cave hidden deep below the Earth where I was sealed for a hundred years.' "A small town a ways away," I lied.
"Why'd you leave?" he questioned. "A small town sounds nice." I didn't like all these questions. I'm tricky but all these questions mean that I'll have to remember my answers so if I'm asked again, my answers can't be different. And that is annoying after a while. I have told so many lies during my "visits" to the surface world that I get my personalities confused.
"I had nothing for me there. I just had to leave. Why the sudden interest?"
"I'm just trying to have a conversation."
"Well don't. Where I came from and why I left is my business." 'That should shut him up for a little bit.' Or so I thought.
"What's your problem? I'm trying to be nice to you and you give me a fuckin' attitude!"
I didn't really want to get too far on the bad side of someone who was so vital to my plans. I have to remember to keep myself in check. "I just don't like talking about my past, ok? Don't you have anything you'd rather not discuss?"
"You could have just said that in the first place." I sighed. Stupid people make the world go round.
We continued on in silence for a while. I didn't know how far away the mountain was but I didn't feel like asking him if we were close. He might think I was getting tired, which I was, but I didn't want him to know that. It wasn't my fault that I was tired. You try not having a body for a century and tell me you aren't tired after walking for a couple of hours. Yea, that's what I thought. When it started to get dark, we stopped at an inn for supper and to stay the night. I missed eating, (I didn't need to when I was a shadow spirit), and forgot how good food could taste.
We didn't talk much at dinner. Genrou paid for it because I didn't have any money. He said I could work it off. I wasn't sure of what that meant. Did he mean that I was on his good side and that he'd try to convince the others to let me be a bandit? Or did he mean something else? I thought about this as we went to our separate rooms and while I was attempting to fall asleep. It felt nice to know that the relaxing hand of sleep would soon visit me. Spirits don't sleep much, either. 'We don't do anything fun,' I thought as I drifted off to sleep.
Author's Note: Well, there's chapter two. How was it? It's not going to be quite as dark as in the next chapter. But, it involves quality time with Genrou. What could she possibly have in store for our favorite drunken bandit? And what could her plan possibly have to do with him? All will be explained in due time. Thanks again for your support on the last chapter.
Here's your preview for the next chapter:
"You can't rape the willing."
I think that will do.
~Smack