Whoa! Way past time for an update! I've had a bunch of college stuff to do, most of which I am finished with and am now able to update LM! YAY! LiL may get an update soon too, but this story is tickling my muse's fancy as of late. Okay! You've all been patient, so let's have a go!
One little note from Chibi: If the movie Spirited Away (NOT Swept Away, Spirited) comes to your town, GO See IT! It is incredible!
Disclaimer-I don't own JCA, but I do own a huge plush of the Creature from the Black Lagoon, something about Universal Monsters is just so appealing!
Chapter 11-Fly
Ten times the seasons have come and gone, fading to the winds. Incredible, is it not? The
passage of time. Of course, nothing much changes around here, a matter for which I am very
grateful. Those from the West, who visited us so long ago, have never returned. I know not
what happened to them, or the Chi dragon who fled from Syra's rage. Sometimes, it all seems as
though it were a dream. But on occasion, the air still feels dead. There are more and more
creatures in our forests now, they seem to appear from nowhere. Variations of deer and wolf
that have never been seen here before. Their abundant Chi clouds my perception of Chi from the
outside, I wonder what is happening.
It is summer now, I sit at the base of a great, wide tree in a garden near the temple. The birds
chirp in the tree above m head, despite my usual pounding headache, I enjoy them. They have no
idea of the complexities of the world, these simple creatures. They simply flit about, singing and
avoiding the hawks which reside in the forest side of father's estate. I hear a new sound which
has become all to familiar as of late. The sound of talons digging into bark, time and time again
and the inevitable dragging sound. It is coming from the opposite side of the tree. I smile to
myself.
I Iean against the hard trunk of the tree and sigh. I squint as a ray of sunlight burns into my
sensitive vision. I curse silently as my eyes comes alive with pain. It passes momentarily.
The drag of a large object down the slick trunk of the tree, followed by the youthful, but
scratchy voice of my little brother:
"Damn it!"
I click my tongue at him, scoldingly.
"Hsi, what a foul mouth for someone your age," I tease him.
Hsi Wu sinks his talons into the trunk and climbs over to my side. He is still rather small, by any
standard, human or demon. his enormous red eyes burn into me from his position a few feet
above me. He allows his claws to release the bark and he sides down, making the distinct slipping
noise, until we are at eyes level.
"Auntie Lu has an even fouler one," he says with a wicked smile.
"Indeed," I answer in my own characteristic monotone. I briefly remember her confrontation with
little Aku's father during a happier time, before the dead air, before the visions, when we could all
just be...... I shake my head to clear my thoughts...or peraps to shake off a premonition.
"What is she, anyway?"
"Who?"
"Auntie Lu, what is she? Auntie Rei is a succubus, Auntie Syra is a dragon, what is Auntie Lu?"
"Nobody knows,"
"Why not? Its kinda important,"
"Yes, I suppose it is, but she has never seen the need to discuss it,"
"Knowing what you are is important,"
"I suppose. Why this sudden interest in what everything is, Hsi?"
No answer. Hsi Wu's youthful and jovial face sombers, he returns to climbing the tree.
Trouble. Something happened and he didn't want it to slip, but it did.
"Hsi, what happened?"
"Nothing," He sinks his talons into the tree savagely and pulls himself upward.
Honestly, how often does answering "nothing" end a conversation?
"I don't believe you, Hsi, you are a horrible liar,"
He still refuses to answer, becoming more and more determined to reach a large branch a foot
away from him.
"Hsi Wu, you can tell me. Come on, what's bothering you?"
Hsi Wu reached the branch and now sits with his legs hanging over it.
He opens his mouth to answer, apparently giving in, but he suddenly shouts something else.
"Oka-san!" Hsi Wu calls out from his high perch, no longer looking at me.
I turn around to find Rumiko-hime standing behind me. She looks so..so old. I can't describe it,
it has only been ten years since I met her and yet, she looks so much older, so more mature than
when she first arrived. She smiles at us serenely. She looks content in avery disturbing way, as
though if she were to drop dead here and now, she would go in peace. I shake a shiver off my
spine.
"Oka-san! Watch me!" Hsi Wu shouts down to her.
I look up at him and my breathe catches in my throat. How on earth did he get so high? Hsi Wu
stands, somewhat unsteadily on a high branch, a fall could kill even a full blooded demon his age,
especially from that height.
"Hsi Wu-" nI shout, but Rumiko-hime cuts me off with a discreet iShhhhh!/i
"Let him do it Tso," she whispers almost inaudibly, "Let him fly,"
"Fly?" I should have known, apparently, Bai is not the only sibling who keeps secrets from me.
Hsi Wu stands uneasily for a moment before leaping into the air, eyes closed. For a brief
moment, he falls. Rumiko-hime runs mmediately to the the place where she believes he will fall,
her terror stricken eyes widen and her proud smile changes to a look of agony and anxiety. Hsi's
red eyes snap open and a wicked grin crosses his dark features. He gives his wings a powerful
flap and sails high into the sky. He turns a few exaggerated loops before cruising back to us and
landing gently in Rumiko-hime's outstretched arms. She clutches him too her tightly, I see her
shoulders rising and falling and I hear her make small squeaks. She's crying and poor Hsi doesn't
even notice.
"Oka-san! did you see me? I finally did it, Oka-san! Oka-san?Oka-" He sees her eyes squeezed
closed andher hot tears fall on his face.
"Oh Hsi, Don't. Don't scare me like that. For a moment, I thought you were going to fall.
Kami-sama! I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost you! You're all I have left, don't you understand
that? You're allI have!"
I have the strange feeling that I should leave, I don't belong here with this poor woman who has
seen more horrors than I can imagine, I don't belong here, watching Hsi, who flew so carefree
moments ago to be scolded for something he didn't realize would hurt his mother so much. Hsi's
luminous eyes reflect one of the deepest senses of regret that I have ever seen.
"Oka-san? Are you okay?" Hsi asks delicately, brushing a wet lock of Rumiko-hime's hair out of
her eyes with his large claw.
"After everything was gone, I was alone. I was alone, trapped for so long. Then Marl, he he came
back and found me. He saved me, healed me, protected me. I was with him, but then I was alone
again, then you came and I wasn't alone anymore. Everyone here is wonderful, Rei, Lu, Teng, Tso
and Bai, they're all so good to me, but you're the only Hirrubara left. Don't ever let anyone tell
you they're better than you. the things that those children said today-don't listen! You are Hsi
Wu, son of Marl Kung, the Demon Lord and Hirrubara Rumiko! You are destined to be a great
Demon Sorceror! Don't let anything anyone ever says convince you otherwise!"
Whether her ramblings made any sense to Hsi, I cannot say, but I understand. It all makes
sense now. Hsi Wu must have accompanied Rumiko-hime to town as he frequently does. He must
have attempted to socialize with other children his own age...with less than desirable results. I
notice a purplish bruise on the back of his head. I tense, omething akin to hatred burns inside of
me. I clench both my right fists so tightly that they shake. I feel a strange power building up
inside of me. I don't care. Part of me wants to crush those impertenant fools, the side of me
that wants to slap Lu Song for her insulting comments about my mother, the same side that
wants to shatter Tchang Tzu's skull for everything he's done to Hsi over the years. The tripping,
the teasing, the beating, the insults, all recount themselves in my mind. Oddly enough the color
that I see when I am enraged is not red, but dark purple. I am brought out of my blind rage by a
large Feng Shui dog statue that once was perched on the roof behind me, come slamming down to
the ground inches from my right foot and breaks into several large pieces. Rumiko-hime dives,
clutching Hsi to her and rolling aside.
They look up at me, both breathing deeply. I stammer, but can think of nothing to say. I'm not
entirely sure what happened. I feel a warm hand on my shoulder. I turn sharply, rather terrified
myself. It's Teng Marzipan carrying a Chi staff, Chi eye activated and all.
"Tso Lan," she says smiling, "I think you should come with me to the temple,"
She squeezes my shoulder and bows to Rumiko-hime.
"Pardon me, Milady, but I need to borrow Master Tso if you do not mind,"
Rumiko-hime nods, somewha dazed. Teng simply smiles eerily back at her.
"Thank You. Tso, shall we go?"
I feel myself being led away. I am at once stupified and confused, these feelings are alin to me.
Teng walks me back the secluded temple that lies behind the countless bungalows and gardens
within the palace walls. Together, we begin to ascend the stairs.
End Chapter 12
One little note from Chibi: If the movie Spirited Away (NOT Swept Away, Spirited) comes to your town, GO See IT! It is incredible!
Disclaimer-I don't own JCA, but I do own a huge plush of the Creature from the Black Lagoon, something about Universal Monsters is just so appealing!
Chapter 11-Fly
Ten times the seasons have come and gone, fading to the winds. Incredible, is it not? The
passage of time. Of course, nothing much changes around here, a matter for which I am very
grateful. Those from the West, who visited us so long ago, have never returned. I know not
what happened to them, or the Chi dragon who fled from Syra's rage. Sometimes, it all seems as
though it were a dream. But on occasion, the air still feels dead. There are more and more
creatures in our forests now, they seem to appear from nowhere. Variations of deer and wolf
that have never been seen here before. Their abundant Chi clouds my perception of Chi from the
outside, I wonder what is happening.
It is summer now, I sit at the base of a great, wide tree in a garden near the temple. The birds
chirp in the tree above m head, despite my usual pounding headache, I enjoy them. They have no
idea of the complexities of the world, these simple creatures. They simply flit about, singing and
avoiding the hawks which reside in the forest side of father's estate. I hear a new sound which
has become all to familiar as of late. The sound of talons digging into bark, time and time again
and the inevitable dragging sound. It is coming from the opposite side of the tree. I smile to
myself.
I Iean against the hard trunk of the tree and sigh. I squint as a ray of sunlight burns into my
sensitive vision. I curse silently as my eyes comes alive with pain. It passes momentarily.
The drag of a large object down the slick trunk of the tree, followed by the youthful, but
scratchy voice of my little brother:
"Damn it!"
I click my tongue at him, scoldingly.
"Hsi, what a foul mouth for someone your age," I tease him.
Hsi Wu sinks his talons into the trunk and climbs over to my side. He is still rather small, by any
standard, human or demon. his enormous red eyes burn into me from his position a few feet
above me. He allows his claws to release the bark and he sides down, making the distinct slipping
noise, until we are at eyes level.
"Auntie Lu has an even fouler one," he says with a wicked smile.
"Indeed," I answer in my own characteristic monotone. I briefly remember her confrontation with
little Aku's father during a happier time, before the dead air, before the visions, when we could all
just be...... I shake my head to clear my thoughts...or peraps to shake off a premonition.
"What is she, anyway?"
"Who?"
"Auntie Lu, what is she? Auntie Rei is a succubus, Auntie Syra is a dragon, what is Auntie Lu?"
"Nobody knows,"
"Why not? Its kinda important,"
"Yes, I suppose it is, but she has never seen the need to discuss it,"
"Knowing what you are is important,"
"I suppose. Why this sudden interest in what everything is, Hsi?"
No answer. Hsi Wu's youthful and jovial face sombers, he returns to climbing the tree.
Trouble. Something happened and he didn't want it to slip, but it did.
"Hsi, what happened?"
"Nothing," He sinks his talons into the tree savagely and pulls himself upward.
Honestly, how often does answering "nothing" end a conversation?
"I don't believe you, Hsi, you are a horrible liar,"
He still refuses to answer, becoming more and more determined to reach a large branch a foot
away from him.
"Hsi Wu, you can tell me. Come on, what's bothering you?"
Hsi Wu reached the branch and now sits with his legs hanging over it.
He opens his mouth to answer, apparently giving in, but he suddenly shouts something else.
"Oka-san!" Hsi Wu calls out from his high perch, no longer looking at me.
I turn around to find Rumiko-hime standing behind me. She looks so..so old. I can't describe it,
it has only been ten years since I met her and yet, she looks so much older, so more mature than
when she first arrived. She smiles at us serenely. She looks content in avery disturbing way, as
though if she were to drop dead here and now, she would go in peace. I shake a shiver off my
spine.
"Oka-san! Watch me!" Hsi Wu shouts down to her.
I look up at him and my breathe catches in my throat. How on earth did he get so high? Hsi Wu
stands, somewhat unsteadily on a high branch, a fall could kill even a full blooded demon his age,
especially from that height.
"Hsi Wu-" nI shout, but Rumiko-hime cuts me off with a discreet iShhhhh!/i
"Let him do it Tso," she whispers almost inaudibly, "Let him fly,"
"Fly?" I should have known, apparently, Bai is not the only sibling who keeps secrets from me.
Hsi Wu stands uneasily for a moment before leaping into the air, eyes closed. For a brief
moment, he falls. Rumiko-hime runs mmediately to the the place where she believes he will fall,
her terror stricken eyes widen and her proud smile changes to a look of agony and anxiety. Hsi's
red eyes snap open and a wicked grin crosses his dark features. He gives his wings a powerful
flap and sails high into the sky. He turns a few exaggerated loops before cruising back to us and
landing gently in Rumiko-hime's outstretched arms. She clutches him too her tightly, I see her
shoulders rising and falling and I hear her make small squeaks. She's crying and poor Hsi doesn't
even notice.
"Oka-san! did you see me? I finally did it, Oka-san! Oka-san?Oka-" He sees her eyes squeezed
closed andher hot tears fall on his face.
"Oh Hsi, Don't. Don't scare me like that. For a moment, I thought you were going to fall.
Kami-sama! I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost you! You're all I have left, don't you understand
that? You're allI have!"
I have the strange feeling that I should leave, I don't belong here with this poor woman who has
seen more horrors than I can imagine, I don't belong here, watching Hsi, who flew so carefree
moments ago to be scolded for something he didn't realize would hurt his mother so much. Hsi's
luminous eyes reflect one of the deepest senses of regret that I have ever seen.
"Oka-san? Are you okay?" Hsi asks delicately, brushing a wet lock of Rumiko-hime's hair out of
her eyes with his large claw.
"After everything was gone, I was alone. I was alone, trapped for so long. Then Marl, he he came
back and found me. He saved me, healed me, protected me. I was with him, but then I was alone
again, then you came and I wasn't alone anymore. Everyone here is wonderful, Rei, Lu, Teng, Tso
and Bai, they're all so good to me, but you're the only Hirrubara left. Don't ever let anyone tell
you they're better than you. the things that those children said today-don't listen! You are Hsi
Wu, son of Marl Kung, the Demon Lord and Hirrubara Rumiko! You are destined to be a great
Demon Sorceror! Don't let anything anyone ever says convince you otherwise!"
Whether her ramblings made any sense to Hsi, I cannot say, but I understand. It all makes
sense now. Hsi Wu must have accompanied Rumiko-hime to town as he frequently does. He must
have attempted to socialize with other children his own age...with less than desirable results. I
notice a purplish bruise on the back of his head. I tense, omething akin to hatred burns inside of
me. I clench both my right fists so tightly that they shake. I feel a strange power building up
inside of me. I don't care. Part of me wants to crush those impertenant fools, the side of me
that wants to slap Lu Song for her insulting comments about my mother, the same side that
wants to shatter Tchang Tzu's skull for everything he's done to Hsi over the years. The tripping,
the teasing, the beating, the insults, all recount themselves in my mind. Oddly enough the color
that I see when I am enraged is not red, but dark purple. I am brought out of my blind rage by a
large Feng Shui dog statue that once was perched on the roof behind me, come slamming down to
the ground inches from my right foot and breaks into several large pieces. Rumiko-hime dives,
clutching Hsi to her and rolling aside.
They look up at me, both breathing deeply. I stammer, but can think of nothing to say. I'm not
entirely sure what happened. I feel a warm hand on my shoulder. I turn sharply, rather terrified
myself. It's Teng Marzipan carrying a Chi staff, Chi eye activated and all.
"Tso Lan," she says smiling, "I think you should come with me to the temple,"
She squeezes my shoulder and bows to Rumiko-hime.
"Pardon me, Milady, but I need to borrow Master Tso if you do not mind,"
Rumiko-hime nods, somewha dazed. Teng simply smiles eerily back at her.
"Thank You. Tso, shall we go?"
I feel myself being led away. I am at once stupified and confused, these feelings are alin to me.
Teng walks me back the secluded temple that lies behind the countless bungalows and gardens
within the palace walls. Together, we begin to ascend the stairs.
End Chapter 12