Here is the second installment of this story. I hope that those of you who have read this far will have thought to review for the previous chapters! You know that it makes me happy, so why don't you do it?
I feel kinda tired today, so I don't think I'll go too hard on you anyway. Normally maiming would be in order for those who refuse to comply, but right now, I only feel like I can glare and insult... Oh well.
Read the story, now!
Singing to the Wind
Chapter 2
The Act of Making a Home
Several years passed in a fashion much like this, with Hikari learning every step of the way. She grew very little the first two years, and only appeared to be four after that, at least, she would have to any human, but there was a very obvious lack of them around. But she continued to surprise her mother, and one day, accidentally created something she'd seen in her dreams, a sort of cylindrical wooden implement, that had a black, almost burned streak running right in the middle, sharpened to a point. On the opposite end, attached by a metal band, was a pink, rather firm, and yet cushy material that when Hikari rubbed it against her palm, tiny pieces of it came off. Then a white piece of what Ellyria recognized as parchment materialized with a yellow glow. Only it was far smoother than any she'd seen. But Hikari knew it was from one of her dreams, and she touched the pointed end of the stick to the parchment and drew something. It was a drawing of her mother, and it was very talented for a three-year-old, albeit a very extraordinary one. Ellyria tucked that drawing under one of her chest scales.
And then there was the time that she finished an entire lecture for her mother. Hikari was about six then, and her mother was trying to warn her about going out by herself. And then Hikari finished the part about there being strange things in the forest, predators, and japanese demons, called youkai, who might mistake her for a human, and enslave her. Then she would die unhappy and wishing she had stayed at home. And then Hikari asked what predators were and what 'enslaved' meant. So she could apparently read minds.
In fact, Hikari was a very powerful little girl. By thinking of fire, she could create it, and she seemed to have a special bond with all of the animals, almost able to talk to them, it seemed. And her dreams were often confusing, and obviously prophetic, but the trouble was, she could only remember them for about five minutes after she woke up.
One day, when Hikari was nine, a monk, traveling with a mother and her children, rushed into the woods, seeking shelter from those that were chasing them. Hikari was playing in the trees, with the squirrels, and she swung down right in front of the monk, startling him. She quite politely asked why he was in her forest, and he told her the situation. She called the men that were after them 'mean stupid-heads', and stormed off. The monk came to look, and found her dancing around their rope-bound bodies, poking them in the heads. They were awake, and gagged. But one of them wiggled out of his gag and insulted her, also calling the people 'fiends'. Hikari smiled, then leaned down, an evil glint in her eyes. She spoke to that man, and he cowered when she finished. Then she stood up, cheerful as ever. She informed the monk that the bad men wouldn't hurt them, and that no bad things were allowed in her forest.
The monk bowed to her and she led him and the family to a clearing, where they could build a home and a shrine. She literally swept away a few more trees in case any others needed refuge. The people there used those trees to build what they needed.
And lo, for if you should build it, they will come. And they did. Some of the people were refugees from villages corrupted by evil, and some were simply nomads tired of moving from place to place. Soon the village actually had a main street. And a population of 100. Hikari was content to watch the village grow, and see the first children be born in it, but the villagers were so grateful that they felt that they needed to give her something else. So they pooled their resources, and within the month they had built her a palace with trees that were on the opposite side of the mountain from the village. Fate had blessed the village with kind hearts and skillful hands to do the work. Hikari had not known because she had been away with her mother, who had been clued in when the plan first hatched.
And when she returned, Hikari was ecstatic. She began to dance around the structure (which had yet to be furnished, by the way), and going inside, somehow managed to conjure up all of the perfect things to go inside, placed exactly where she wanted them. There was even a large annex on back for her mother to sleep in, directly connected to the master(or in this case, mistress) bedroom.
After this power-using spree, she dashed outside and right to the village monk, hugging him with all her might. He smiled and patted her on the back, then gestured for all to join the embrace. There were so many trying to hug on that spot that some were in danger of falling off of the edge of the cliff the palace was on.
Hikari and her mother lived quite comfortably in the palace for the next three years, with villagers always bringing them things to eat. And the first time a villager brought food, Ellyria was astounded when Hikari managed to devour it within seconds of the donator leaving. Ellyria supposed that she had never learned this about her little girl because Hikari never complained about not having anything to eat. Occasionally, she would say she was hungry, but that was pretty much it. But now that it was there, Hikari would vacuum anything classified as "edible" up like here was no tomorrow.
And then there was the subject of Ellyria and the villagers. There was absolutely no doubt that most of them were scared to death of her at first, and they tended to not enjoy being in her presence. Many would drop in, and drop out, claiming to be in a hurry. Once in a while, Ellyria sat near the door and slowly snaked her tail in front of it while the person was trying to get Hikari to finish the conversation. Hikari, of course, knew nothing of it the first time, and just happened to like talking with her subjects. But then she laughed when they tripped, even though she simultaneously scolded her mother for being such a trickster. But it became the town joke and people pretty much got just annoyed enough by it that some of them would stop being afraid. It was slow work, though, if one can call it work.
All in all, the general feeling of the town was a great peacefulness. Everybody helped with whatever was needed. There were three bells that hung from a small tower next to the shrine. The largest, and jolliest, was rung for celebrations. The designated Celebration Day was the day that the first people had come to live there. It was the day when everybody's birthday was recognized, whether or not they had had it already. A great feast was prepared, and furs were put on the grass in the clearing adjacent to the village, for people to lie down upon and sleep underneath the stars.
The second bell, which was of middle pitch and size, was to warn of coming storms. The village, being surrounded on three sides by mountains, was prone to flooding, and so a system of caves had been dug into the mountains for the villagers to retreat to in such circumstances. The residents also put tar on their roofs between layers of thatching for protection from leaks. Anything vulnerable to water damage was wrapped in oilskins and stored up in the rafters.
The third and smallest bell was only rung to warn of invaders, human or otherwise. The people were made to know the sound of this bell once every year, so that they would know what to do when it wasn't a drill. Again, the caves were to be used, but this time to hide.
Indeed, with all of this, the village was prosperous. Hikari would often descend and walk along the three streets for a while, just looking at how it was growing. Occasionally, some small children would dash in front of her, playing some sort of game, and she would smile and laugh inwardly. They were always so very happy.
After observing whatever was happening in the downtown, Hikari would always go to the small shrine and visit with the monk. He would greet her as always, very formally. She liked it, but she knew that she'd told him that it wasn't necessary.
The usual conversation usually stuck to this format, "Greetings, Hikari-sama ('sama' is a suffix given to those of high ranking). May I offer you a drink?" The monk rarely changed his script.
"I don't need one, but thank you. I was simply stopping by, to see the village." Hikari would seat herself in front of the idol of Buddha as she talked.
"But the village is no doubt dull and tiresome to one such as yourself. Why do you insist on troubling yourself to come all the way down here?"
"On the contrary, dear monk (sometimes she would address him as 'good friend' or 'sir monk'). The village changes all the time. I must know of these, seeing as I am the leader of these parts."
"As we always remember," the monk would reply, and bow. "You have given us your hospitality, and we must ever be repaying you for it."
Hikari often laughed at this point. "The village pays me back with every smile the children have on their faces, houshi-sama (this means 'sir monk'). Smiles have more monetary value than the largest diamond in the world. I should hardly want any better reward."
After that, the conversation usually was dropped, and Hikari would leave the shrine.
Hikari- Hello again! I really have no idea why Kayo stopped me from talking last time-He probably thought I was speaking in innuendos. But, at any rate, I was saying that the only thing that can penetrate me is food. Cook me good food, and I am half yours. The other half of me belongs to a mental institute.
Saikyou- He Hii-chan!
Hikari- Sai-sai! How nice of you to join me! Why are you here?
Saikyou- (shrugs) I got more bored than usual. Have you seen Leonard?
Hikari- Who? Do you mean Hec-
Saikyou- Don't say it! (softer) You never know who might be listening...
Hikari- ...Right. I doubt anyone who is reading this even knows who Hec- Sorry, Leonard, is. Except for you and me, of course.
Saikyou- Better safe than nutso, I always say!
Hikari- I am nutso, as you say.
Saikyou- That means I'm not safe! Run away! (runs away)
Hikari- Well, she was a breath of fresh air! Now, all you lovely readers, press the 'review' button and put down your thoughts about this part of the story. It is better if you do it now as opposed to later, when you can't gaurantee you'll remember everything
