Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ ~Crimson Wings~ A Tale of Suzaku ❯ A friend in need is a friend indeed ( Chapter 3 )

It's been awhile since I worked on this fic. That's because I had a case of writer's block but now that I have some (actually a lot) plans, I can go on with it.

Crimson Wings: A Tale of Suzaku

Chapter Three: A friend in need is a friend indeed

For a few seconds after I revealed my secret, Chichiri didn't say a word. He just stared at me as if I were crazy; it was awhile before he even opened his mouth and spoke.

"You're kidding right?"

"No, I'm telling you the truth. I really am Suzaku." I paused for a minute, feeling awkward during this strange moment. I noticed the expression on his face. "You don't believe me, do you?"

The corners of Chichiri's mouth were twitching as if he were struggling not to laugh. I watched him trying hard to figure out what it was that was so funny. It didn't take me long to realize what--me.

"Foolish mortal. How dare you silently laugh at me, the guardian of your country!"

This just made the monk burst out into laughter; I was not at all amused. When his chuckles began to subside, he grinned and said, "Tell me honestly this time--who are you?"

"I'm Suzaku!" I repeated exasperatingly. "I swear! How many times do I have to tell you?"

Chichiri shook his head and rubbed his temple as if he was starting to get a headache. Obviously, he still didn't believe me. "Do something, no da. Do anything to show me that you really are...who you say you are."

I looked around the room pondering. What could I do? Now that my powers were limited, there was not a whole lot I could do to prove who I was. I couldn't even read minds!

Just then, an idea popped in my head; there was one simple thing I could do to prove who I was. Closing my eyes, I concentrated my chi, and the symbol on my forehead began to glow. When I opened my eyes, I saw the effect it had on the seishi. His eyes were about to bug out.

"S-suzaku-sama!," he stammered. I could tell how overwhelmed he was by how his voice was shaking. I prepared myself for a heavy downpour of questions and apologies but all that slipped out of him was one shaky question.

"W-why are you here?"

The symbol disappeared and again I sat in the chair, upset that there had been no apology. I tried to decide on where I should start explaining. At first I was upset that he had discovered my secret, but then I realized how lucky I was that it had not been Tasuki or Nuriko. They would have let my secret out in the blink of an eye. If I were to share this with anybody, I would prefer it to be either him or Mitsukake. I took off the disgusting hat I had been wearing all this time, and began.

"It's a long story," I told him honestly. "I don't think I have time to explain it all to you. But I will tell you this...I didn't steal this body because I wanted to--it was the only way I could save myself. Don't worry about the emperor, he'll be fine once I get out of this body. I'm here because I had to come here...I have to get things done."

"What are you going to do?"

Without answering, I stood up from my chair and moved to the window. I could feel Chichiri's wide eyes still watching me, still in shock that I was in his presence.

"That I will not tell you. It's too dangerous for me to talk about it and besides, I have to leave right now. He could be listening to us at this moment."

"He?" Chichiri looked around the room anxiously. "No one else is here, no da." He looked back and saw me staring blankly at the window. "What's wrong, no da?"

"How do you open this thing?" I asked as I lightly touched the glass.

With a puzzled expression, Chichiri opened the window but when he noticed that I was about to climb through the window he held me back. "Hold on! You're not going anywhere, Suzaku-sama. You don't know what's out there."

I shrugged him off and swung my leg over the windowsill; then awkwardly I started to swing my other leg over but stopped. I was stuck. I tried to pull myself up from the window but the robes got in the way and my sash was caught onto something. I was too clumsy in my new body. All the elaborate clothing was really getting in the way and I was growing impatient with them. Maybe I should have changed first.

Chichiri watched me as I sat there half of out of the room, half in the room. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm trying to get out of here," I said irritated. "What does it look like I'm doing?!"

Before he could answer, the bedroom door opened and two people walked in. It was Nuriko and Meia. I silently cursed myself for not learning how to lock a door.

"Hotohori-dear, what's wrong?" Meia asked, her face full of concern. "You haven't eaten a thing and you've been acting rather strange today. Is something bothering you?" My eyes faltered under her gaze.

"Is it just me or are you trying to climb out the window?" Nuriko wondered.

"I'm...er..." I was at a loss for words.

"He's doing exercises, no da!" Chichiri proclaimed. "Now if you don't mind please let Hotohori-sama continue. He wants to try and see if he can make it to fifty no da. Later!" He rushed them out and closed the door behind them. Sighing with relief he crossed back to where I was, still sitting uncomfortably in my awkward position. "That just proves my point," he told me. "You need my help or you'll be caught for sure, no da."

I smiled showing him how much I appreciated his help. Once again I tried to move my leg up but still the sash was caught onto something-I wasn't sure what. I was relieved when Chichiri freed the sash from where it was caught and took my hand, pulling me up.

"You need to learn how to move around--to be a normal person--in other words you need help big time." He went to the closet and opened it revealing a long line of robes and tunics. He pulled out a few things and handed it to me. "Put these on. Wherever it is that you're going, I'm going with you no da. I'll help you out."

"You sure have a lot of nerve speaking to a god that way." I wasn't sure if taking Chichiri along with me was such a good idea but I decided at the moment, there was another important thing to worry about. I held the clothing awkwardly, clueless of what to do next. "Umm...how do you put this stuff on?"

It took awhile for me to get dressed; my arms couldn't find their way to the sleeves and it was rather difficult to get my head through the neck hole, but with Chichiri's help I finally got the impossible task done. Soon I was looking at myself in the mirror, feeling a lot more comfortable now.

"Thanks," I said a little embarrassed. What did he think seeing the Konan deity acting like an idiot?

"Not a problem."

Just then, I remembered the strange scroll that the general showed us and was now in Chiriko's possession. There was something oddly familiar about the thing, but I wasn't sure what it was. Perhaps it was a mistake to give it to Chiriko.

"Ummm, Chichiri," I told him. "Maybe we should go and get the scroll back from Chiriko. I have a strange feeling that it's something important."

"He can decode it for us," he said. "You won't be able to use it if you can't read it."

That was true. So I dropped the subject.

With his magic, Chichiri had his staff fly from where he had left it at the entrance, to his hand. He looked out the open window. "I think it's safe now no da," he said. "No one is outside and the others are still in the dining room--we should leave now no da. I'll write a short note so that they don't worry too much."

After quickly writing the note, the monk looked out the window one more time before he performed something I wasn't expecting. In the blink of an eye, Chichiri morphed from his average size down to less then a meter tall. Floating in the air, the now chibi-monk floated out the window then turned back to me.

"Just get on the windowsill," he said in a now higher pitched voice. "and then carefully step onto this tree branch by the window. See it? Don't worry, it'll hold your weight."

Gingerly, I placed my right foot onto the windowsill then lifted my other foot and did the same to it. Now I was standing stooped over unsure of what to do next. I stared at the tree branch, now remembering that invisible force called gravity, then looked at the chibi floating monk near me. That branch didn't look so strong to me.

As if reading my mind, he smiled broadly and said cheerfully, "Don't worry, no da. If it breaks I'll catch you."

The little guy was going to try and catch me. Well that was very reassuring.

I focused only on the branch and my foot--trying hard not to notice how high up I was from the ground--and stepped onto the branch. Suddenly, my knees buckled and I would have fell to the ground if Chichiri hadn't been quick and caught me. I sighed with relief, and started to calm down but then I heard a loud yelp from behind.

"Quick--grab a branch! My back's gonna break in two!"

Now alert, I grabbed the nearest branch and swung my legs around it so that I was hanging from it like some kind of animal. Chichiri, who was now rubbing his back, noticed my position and burst out laughing. If I wasn't in the current state that I was, I would have killed him right on the spot. "It's not funny!" I snapped.

"Forgive me," he chortled. "It's just that you look so fu--fun--ny!" And he started laughing again.

Growling with anger, I started to claw around the bark so that I could move my body around and sit on the top of the branch instead of hanging on it upside down. I grunted with exertion as I struggled with the monk watching me. It took a lot of time and a lot of energy, but finally I was able to coordinate my legs and arms right and I could now be more comfortable sitting on the branch. I sat there for awhile to get my breath back.

The floating chibi monk was grinning broadly. "That was a good job no da."

"I'll...get...you," I panted. "As soon as...I'm off this tree." I rested for a moment. "Why didn't you help me?"

"The best path to acquiring a new skill is through one's own experience," was his reply.

"I know that you're not mentoring me," I said as I slowly started to climb down the tree. "I'm as old as the dirt you walk on, although that perhaps is not the best comparison. I don't need any philosophical answers or stuff like that--I'm a god, I know all and I'm pretty capable of almost anything!" I gasped as I slipped on the tree trunk. "*Almost* anything." I hinted.

Chichiri helped me the rest of the way down and when I was finally on solid ground again and he was unchibified, I followed him to the outside of the stables. There was a stableman there working with a saddle but he didn't notice us watching.

"We need to get this guy out of the way, no da."

"I'll handle this," I said calmly. Now I could show him I wasn't that helpless. Pointing my finger towards the distance I projected a sound that would get the stableman's attention.

"Who's there?" he questioned gruffly. And he walked away leaving the stable unattended.

Chichiri nodded his head in admiration and with me silently gloatting in my state of triumph, we both slipped into the stable unnoticed.

After quickly nabbing a horse that already had its riding gear (tack, from my memory is what I think it's called) on, Chichiri reached into his kesa and pulled out a cloak with a hood. "I almost forgot-good thing I carry around extra clothing sometimes for traveling. Put this on. Just slip that part on your head and cover yourself with the rest."

Before reaching the gate, Chichiri cleverly disguised himself as one of the servants; when the guard saw us he asked him, "Where are you off to, miss?"

"Orders from the emperor," Chichiri replied in a now feminine voice. "I am to send an urgent message to the governor of Suyan and drop him <<<pointing to me who was sitting behind him>>> off there."

The guard seemed uninterested. "Move along, then."

The moment we were out of the village, Chichiri dropped his woman disguise and I removed the cloak. I was able to look back and see the entire village with its small huts and buildings, then the large palace at the far end. I gazed at the whole beautiful scene in awe--this was the capital of Konan, this was part of the country I protected.

I listened to the horse's hooves hitting the wood as we crossed a small bridge and the moment we were on the other side of the river, my companion spoke up.

"So, where do we have to go? What sort of 'things' do have to take care of no da?"

"I am looking for someone," I answered him. "It won't be easy to find her either, she could be anywhere."

"Who is she?"

Before answering, I looked around quickly scanning the trees and shrubs around us. There didn't appear to be anyone around so I felt that now would be the time to answer any questions. "She is one like me--a spiritual being. Her name is Nakasha and she too is somewhere around in a physical body but I can't feel her location because she's hiding her chi."

"Why are you looking for her?

"Because she's the only one who can save us. She is the only thing left that can help me back into my true form." My voice was even graver. "She's all the hope we have left."

The blue-haired monk blinked in confusion. "You're going to have to start from the very beginning no da."

"Do we have time for a long story?"

"It's half an hour to the next village."

"We got more than enough time. I think I'll start off with what happened to me and why I'm in Hotohori's body."

"Please do. I want to know what to tell Hotohori when he returns and finds his body covered with bruises and scars."

Just then I remembered my previous death threat to Chichiri but again, but I decided to put it off for later. I just cleared my throat, and acted as if I didn't hear his last comment. Somehow my mind wandered back to the ancient scroll that Chiriko was decoding. I wanted to ask Chichiri something before I started my story.

"Do you think we should take the scroll with us and get someone else to decode?"

"Out of all the people who can decode it for us, Chiriko's the only one we can really trust no da. If the scroll is that important, we should leave it with him no da." He grinned reassuringly. "Relax and stay calm. The scroll is safe at the palace."

How very wrong he was.

To be continued...