Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yuugi.
A big thank you for telling me the names of the Byakko seishi.
Chapter 2: Coming of the Mikos
"A Suzaku seishi?" She scrubbed his back as he sat in their tub. Tokaki nodded. "Tamahome. Nice lad. Kinda reminds me of myself when I was that age. Of course, I had Tatara as a friend then." She toweled her husband dry.
"He has no friends?" Subaru helped him into his clothes. "Nope. The village kids teased him about the character on his forehead. I taught him to fight. Little demon…" Subaru winced.
Tokaki in his youth was a good fighter. He was a terror. Sometimes, Tatara had been forced to tie down his friend with his vines so his opponents had a chance to flee with their lives. Subaru simply turned time back for Tokaki to when he was badly wounded or weakened.
"Come on, the boy will need it sooner or later. This means Suzaku no miko will be coming soon. Kutou's expanding its empire. Wiped out the Hin tribe, so I heard. Kutou's current emperor's a debauched tyrant, given to women..."
"Old man, have you given up chasing skirts?" Subaru teased as she massaged his shoulders. Pot calling the kettle black…
"Nope, I haven't finished yet. He has a preference for young boys as well… I also heard some tales of a Hin boy wiping out a platoon of enemy soldiers in a flash of blue light…" Subaru wrinkled her brow at this revelation. Tokaki nodded.
With nothing much to do to occupy his endless days in the shrine, Tatara studied the ancient texts relating not only to Byakko but also the other three sacred beasts. He sometimes discussed his findings with his visitors.
Byakko the white tiger represented the element of wind and air. Autumn. Its light is golden. The light of Genbu was sliver. Representing Earth and winter. The light of Suzaku is red. Red as fire for Suzaku is the phoenix representing summer. A blue light is the mark of Seiryuu, the Dragon. Born of the element of water. Was the Seiryuu no miko coming soon as well?
"Dourin, let's go visit the shrine tomorrow," Tokaki kissed Subaru's wrinkled brow and held her hand. They were now known by their non-seishi names to their neighbors and family. Only a few close friends, old friends, knew what they were in their prime.
"We wouldn't tell him about this," Subaru shook her head as she remembered Tatara. Tatara had begged her to stop time for him so that he may be reunited with Suzuno. Please, Subaru, only you have the power to help us… She would love to travel the land with her husband, but she did not want Tatara to be neglected. There's no point worrying him with the affairs of the outside.
Tatara was facing a near-eternity of lonely waiting. A living death, she had warned him then. In the shrine, he'll be respected so long as there are loyal worshippers of Byakko. He's a seishi, one of those who helped the miko save their kingdom… many decades ago.
Memories fade. Heroes are forgotten. In neighboring Hokkan, the Genbu no miko and her seishi have been reduced to mere folktales, stuff of epics and fancy legends. Another tale to be related by the campfires… It is a sad fact of time…
Decades ago in the Byakko Shrine…
"Please, Subaru, I beg you!" Tatara went onto his knees before her. Tatara's father was a high-ranking magistrate. Yet he was here kneeling and pleading with a lowly inn waitress. He wanted to be with his miko so badly, yet…
The other seishi were looking at her with the same dilemma reflected in their faces. Only Tokaki avoided meeting her eyes. He understood the full implications of the spell. Subaru turned her eyes to the Holy One. Surely in his wisdom, he'll find a way...
The Holy One tugged at his beard. His sightless eyes closed as if in thought. Finally, he spoke. "Subaru, I judge in favor of Tatara. You will stop time for him. I allow the shrine to be his sanctuary. The depth of his love has moved me to this decision."
NO! She wanted to scream. She felt Tokaki tense.
Taking a deep breath, she collected her ki, centering her energies on the spell. The others circled them. She focused her powers on Tatara. It was done. She was so exhausted she collapsed. It was Tokaki who caught her.
"Dourin?" Her husband's voice brought her back to the present. "Don't dwell on it. It's over." He climbed into their bed with its silken curtains. Subaru removed her many hair pins and combed her hair.
She climbed into bed beside her husband. He was snoring, exhausted by his travels. She did not sleep. Byakko, did we make the right choice then?
Author's notes:
The Holy One isa sage guiding the Byakko seishi. My idea is an old mortal lama-type character. He does not appear in either manga or anime.
Watase sensei's Sairou's a bit like a cross between Tibet and Tajikstan. (The building where the Seiryuu seishi took Tatara was of Tibetan architecture. The clothes Kaika and Miaka wore in the village were of Tajik origin). Surprisingly, Dourin's gown is of Tang Chinese design. I designed the shrine to be like a Tibetan-style temple in the following chapter.
Interesting observation:
Hokkan is really like Mongolia. Horses, yurts and Genbu seishi Tomite is definitely Mongolian in dress-style andweapon of choice. The only countries in the Universe of the 4 Gods that are of Han Chinese flavor are Konan & Kutou.
Sorry for yapping too much. I just love the costumes and scenery... Well done on the research, Watase-sensei.